Clinical characteristics and outcomes of myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries

Background

Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is caused by a heterogenous group of conditions with clinically significant sequelae.

Purpose

This study aims to compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis of MINOCA with myocardial infarction with obstructive coronary artery disease (MICAD).

Methods

Data was obtained from the Singapore Cardiac Longitudinal Outcomes Database (SingCLOUD), a national multicenter registry of patients with cardiovascular disease. Patients with a first presentation of acute myocardial infarction who underwent coronary angiography between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2014 were extracted from the database. Follow up was conducted until 31 December 2017. Subjects were classified as having either MICAD or MINOCA based on angiographic findings. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure and ischemic stroke.

Results

All 4124 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study, of which 159 (3.9%) were diagnosed with MINOCA. Patients with MINOCA were more likely to be female, present with a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), have a higher left ventricular ejection fraction and less likely to have diabetes mellitus, previous ischemic stroke or smoking history. Over a mean follow-up duration of 4.5 years, MINOCA patients had a lower incidence of all-cause mortality (10.1% vs. 16.5%, p=0.030) and MACE (20.8% vs. 35.5%, p<0.0001) compared to patients with MICAD. On multivariable analysis, patients with MINOCA had a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.21–0.82; p=0.011), MACE (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.26–0.69; p=0.001) and recurrent myocardial infarction (HR 0.35; 95% CI 0.15–0.85; p=0.021). Within the MINOCA group, older age, higher creatinine, a STEMI presentation and the absence of antiplatelet use predicted all-cause mortality and MACE.

Conclusions

While patients with MINOCA had better clinical outcomes compared to MICAD patients, MINOCA is not a benign entity with about one in five patients experiencing a major adverse cardiovascular event in the mid-term.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Medical Research Council Project Grant

Pre-operative assessment of facial recess width in paediatric cochlear implant recipients: a radiological study

Background

The location of the vertical segment of the facial nerve varies greatly among patients undergoing otological surgery. Its position relative to the incus determines facial recess width, which has implications for ease of cochlear implantation.

Objective

To investigate the variation in facial nerve depth, relative to the incus, on pre-operative computed tomography in patients undergoing cochlear implantation.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted of paediatric patients undergoing cochlear implantation at a tertiary referral centre. Distance between the incus short process and facial nerve, in the transverse (medial-lateral) dimension, was measured at six imaging slices, ranging from 1.25 to 7.25 mm below the tip of the incus short process.

Results

Facial nerve depth relative to the incus short process demonstrated significant variability. Among all subjects and at all measurements taken inferior to the incus, the mean dimension between the facial nerve and the incus short process was 1.71 mm.

Conclusion

This paper presents a rapid, repeatable technique to assess the depth of the facial nerve vertical segment on pre-operative computed tomography, as measured relative to the tip of the incus short process. This allows the surgeon to anticipate facial recess width and round window access during cochlear implantation.

Multiscale Assessment of Agricultural Consumptive Water Use in California's Central Valley

Spatial estimates of crop evapotranspiration with high accuracy from the field to watershed scale have become increasingly important for water management, particularly over irrigated agriculture in semiarid regions. Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment on patterns of annual agricultural water use over California's Central Valley, using 30-m daily evapotranspiration estimates based on Landsat satellite data. A semiempirical Priestley-Taylor approach was locally optimized and cross-validated with available field measurements for major crops including alfalfa, almond, citrus, corn, pasture, and rice. The evapotranspiration estimates explained >70% variance in daily measurements from independent sites with an RMSE of 0.88 mm day-1. When aggregated over the Valley, we estimated an average evapotranspiration of 820 ± 290 mm yr-1 in 2014. Agricultural water use varied significantly across and within crop types, with a coefficient of variation ranging from 8% for Rice (1,110 ± 85 mm yr-1) to 59% for Pistachio (592 ± 352 mm yr-1). Total water uses in 2016 increased by 9.6%, as compared to 2014, mostly because of land-use conversion from fallow/idle land to cropland. Analysis across 134 Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) further showed a large variation of agricultural evapotranspiration among and within GSAs, especially for tree crops, e.g., almond evapotranspiration ranging from 339 ± 80 mm yr-1 in Tracy to 1,240 ± 136 mm yr-1 in Tri-County Water Authority. Continuous monitoring and assessment of the dynamics and spatial heterogeneity of agricultural evapotranspiration provide data-driven guidance for more effective land use and water planning across scales.

Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting varices needing treatment in compensated advanced chronic liver disease: A multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Only a small proportion of patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) had varices needing treatment (VNT) after recommended esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) screening. We aimed to create a non-invasive nomogram based on routine tests to detect VNT in cACLD patients.

METHODS

The training cohort included 162 cACLD patients undergoing EGD in a university hospital, between January 2014 and September 2019. A nomogram was developed based on the independent predictors of VNT, selected using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Thirty-three patients from eight university hospitals were prospectively enrolled as validation cohort between December 2018 and December 2019.

RESULTS

The prevalence of VNT was 32.7% (53/162) and 39.4% (13/33) in training and validation cohorts, respectively. The univariate analysis identified six risk factors for VNT. On the multivariate analysis, four of them, i.e., gallbladder wall thickness (odds ratio [OR]: 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98-1.56), spleen diameter (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00-1.04), platelet count (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97-0.99), and international normalized ratio (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.06-5.84) were independently associated with VNT. Thus, a nomogram based on the four above - mentioned variables was developed, and showed a favorable performance for detecting VNT, with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.848 (95% CI: 0.769-0.927) in training cohort. By applying a cut-off value of 105 in validation cohort, 31.0% of EGD were safely spared with 3.4% of missed VNT.

CONCLUSION

A nomogram based on routine clinical parameters was developed for detecting VNT and avoiding unnecessary EGD in cACLD patients.

Prediction of Survival and Analysis of Prognostic Factors for Patients With Combined Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma: A Population-Based Study

Background

Combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (CHC) is an uncommon subtype of primary liver cancer. Because of limited epidemiological data, prognostic risk factors and therapeutic strategies for patients with CHC tend to be individualized. This study aimed to identify independent prognostic factors and develop a nomogram-based model for predicting the overall survival (OS) of patients with CHC.

Methods

We recruited eligible individuals from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2015 and randomly divided them into the training or verification cohort. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent variables associated with OS. Based on multivariate analysis, the nomogram was established, and its prediction performance was evaluated using the consistency index (C-index) and calibration curve.

Results

In total, 271 patients with CHC were included in our study. The median OS was 14 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 52.3%, 27.1%, and 23.3%, respectively. In the training cohort, multivariate analysis showed that the pathological grade (hazard ratio [HR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96–1.66), TNM stage (HR, 1.21; 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.44), and surgery (HR, 0.26; 95% CI: 0.17 - 0.40) were independent indicators of OS. The nomogram-based model related C-indexes were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.72 - 0.81) and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.66 - 0.79) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration of the nomogram showed good consistency of 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates between the actual observed survival and predicted survival in both cohorts. The TNM stage (HR, 1.23; 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.49), and M stage (HR, 1.87; 95% CI: 1.14 3.05) were risk factors in the surgical treatment group. Surgical resection and liver transplantation could significantly prolong the survival, with no statistical difference observed.

Conclusions

The pathological grade, TNM stage, and surgery were independent prognostic factors for patients with CHC. We developed a nomogram model, in the form of a static nomogram or an online calculator, for predicting the OS of patients with CHC, with a good predictive performance.

TIMP3 attenuates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in neurocytes by regulating the AKT pathway

Ischemic stroke seriously threatens human health and creates a large social burden. The present study investigated whether tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP3) prevented cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), with the aim to explore the underlying mechanism. A transient middle cerebral artery occlusion model was conducted in mice, and oxygen glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) was investigated in PC12 cells to mimic cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). Western blotting was used to determine the expression of TIMP3, Bax, Bcl-2 and AKT. TUNEL was used to detect apoptosis in cerebral tissues or cultured PC12 cells. Expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected to reveal oxidative stress. The results demonstrated that TIMP3 expression was significantly decreased after I/R in vivo or OGD/R in vitro, and the number of TUNEL-positive cells was reduced by the overexpression of TIMP3. The attenuation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in OGD/R-induced PC12 cells suppressed the expression levels of ROS and MDA; while also elevating SOD activity in the OGD/R-induced neurocytes in vitro. In addition, TIMP3-overexpression reversed the downregulation of phosphorylated-AKT (Thr308 and Ser473) in OGD/R-treated PC12 cells. However, the anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative stress roles of TIMP3 in OGD/R-induced PC12 cells were partially abolished after treatment with the AKT inhibitor, AZD5363. Overall, TIMP3 exerted an anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative stress role in CIRI through the AKT pathway, which may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CIRI.

[A brief history of intelligent medicine]

Intelligent medicine is a discipline system developed and established in the background of a rapid development of science and technology. Information technology represented by artificial intelligence, VR(virtual reality) technology and the 1G (first-generation) communication laid a foundation for intelligent medicine. Internet technology, such as 3D printing, robot system and wearable medical devices have helped to improve the development of intelligent medicine. The application of intelligent medicine infiltrated medical imaging, auxiliary diagnosis, surgical operation, hospital management, pharmaceutical development, healthcare system and other aspects of the medical system. Currently, the cutting-edge technologies such as 5G medical, medical cloud platform/big data, advanced material synthesis, 4D printing, AR(Augmented Reality)/MR(Mixed Reality), super intelligence and other technologies have comprehensively driven human society into the era of intelligent medicine.

LncRNA HMGA1P4 promotes cisplatin-resistance in gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HMGA1P4 has been previously reported to be upregulated in gastric cancer (GC). This study aims to investigate the role of HMGA1P4 in cisplatin (DDP)-resistant GC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

HMGA1P4 levels in DDP-resistant GC tissues and cells were determined. Regulatory effects of HMGA1P4 on proliferative and apoptotic abilities in DDP-resistant GC cells and their parental cells were assessed. At last, expression levels of genes associated with multidrug-resistance (MDR) (MDR1, MRP1, mTOR and HIF-1α) and apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase3) were determined in DDP-resistant GC cells.

RESULTS

Results revealed that HMGA1P4 was upregulated in DDP-resistant GC tissues and cells. Overexpression of HMGA1P4 stimulated proliferative rate and suppressed apoptosis in both DDP-resistant GC cells and their parental cells. Moreover, in DDP-resistant GC cells, overexpression of HMGA1P4 upregulated MDR-related genes and downregulated apoptosis-related genes.

CONCLUSIONS

HMGA1P4 is upregulated in DDP-resistant GC tissues and cells, and triggers the progression of DDP-resistance in GC.

[Analysis of the clinical confusion and controversy of esophagogastric junction tumor from basic anatomy]

There are still many controversies in the surgical treatment of esophagogastric junction tumors in terms of surgical approach, cleaning range, and resection scope. The reason is the confusion about the scope of the esophagogastric junction. The previous domestic and foreign anatomy descriptions of this part are not enough to solve the current problems. Based on a large number of basic anatomy and clinical operations, this article proposes that the esophagogastric junction may be wrapped by a complete and separate esophagogastric junction membrane with independent anatomy other than infracardiac bursa. The structure of the transitional tissue, mainly from the distribution of submucosal veins, explained the relationship and significance of tissue transitional changes and clinical operations, and made a reasonable analysis of the current controversy based on the anatomical characteristics, which is worthy of further investigation.

Associations of IL-18 and IL-9 expressions and gene polymorphisms with asthma

OBJECTIVE

To explore the associations of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-9 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to asthma, and to study the associations between IL-18 and IL-9 expression levels and polymorphisms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 200 asthma patients in our hospital were collected as disease group, while 200 healthy people were taken as control group. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from peripheral blood and sent to the company for the detection of IL-18 and IL-9 gene polymorphisms via sequencing. The levels of serum IL-18 and IL-9 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and arterial blood gas analysis was performed for patients.

RESULTS

The allele distributions at IL-18 gene loci rs189667 and rs360715 had no differences between control group and disease group. The allele distributions at IL-9 gene loci rs1859430 and rs2066758 were different between the two groups (p=0.001, p=0.022), among which the G allele frequency was the highest in disease group [245 (0.613)], and the T allele frequency was also the highest in disease group [240 (0.600)]. There was a difference in the genotype distribution at IL-9 gene locus rs1859430 between the two groups, and the GG genotype frequency in disease group [82 (0.410)] was significantly higher than that in control group (p=0.005). The CC genotype frequency at rs2066758 was significantly lower in disease group [27 (0.135), p=0.044]. In disease group, the frequency of heterozygous model CT (p=0.047) at IL-18 gene locus rs360715, and recessive model GA+AA (p=0.021) and heterozygous model GA (p=0.031) at IL-19 gene locus rs1859430 was significantly lower than that in control group. In disease group, the AC haplotype frequency at IL-18 gene loci rs189667 and rs360715 was evidently lower than that in control group (p=0.048). Disease group had evidently lower AT haplotype frequency (p=0.006) and evidently higher GT haplotype frequency (p=0.000) at IL-9 gene loci rs1859430 and rs2066758. Moreover, the level of serum IL-18 in patients with TT genotype at IL-18 gene locus rs360715 was higher than that in those with other genotypes in disease group (p<0.05), and the level of serum IL-9 in patients with AG genotype at IL-9 gene locus rs1859430 was also higher than that in those with other genotypes in disease group (p<0.05). There was a remarkable association between CT genotype at IL-18 gene locus rs360715 and partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) (p=0.035), and between CC genotype at IL-9 gene locus rs2066758 and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) (p=0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

The expression levels of serum IL-18 and IL-9 and their gene polymorphisms are significantly associated with asthma.

Depressive symptoms in Chinese adults with risk factors for diabetes: the Shanghai High-Risk Diabetic Screen (SHiDS) study

AIMS

To evaluate the relationship between newly diagnosed diabetes or prediabetes and depressive symptoms among individuals with risk factors for diabetes in China. We also investigated the associations of depressive symptoms with pancreatic β-cell function and insulin resistance.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data from the Shanghai High-Risk Diabetic Screen (SHiDS) project. Between 2014 and 2017, a total of 1728 participants were enrolled in this study and underwent an oral glucose tolerance test to screen for diabetes and prediabetes. Insulin resistance was evaluated using the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance and the modified Matsuda index. Pancreatic β-cell function was calculated using the homeostatic model assessment of β-cell function, Stumvoll first- and second-phase indexes. Elevated depressive symptoms were determined using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10).

RESULTS

The prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms in the total study population was 4.8% (83 of 1728). Compared with the normal glucose tolerance group, individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes were less likely to have elevated depressive symptoms even after controlling for potential confounders [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18-0.68; P = 0.002]. However, prediabetes was not associated with depressive symptoms. The odds for elevated depressive symptoms were increased in individuals with higher levels of the Stumvoll first-phase index. No association was observed between depressive symptoms and insulin resistance.

CONCLUSION

Elevated depressive symptoms were less prevalent in Chinese individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes among a high-risk population for diabetes.

Effects of energy-restricted feeding during rearing on sexual maturation and reproductive performance of Rugao layer breeders

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of energy-restricted feeding during rearing on the sexual maturation and reproductive performance of Rugao layer breeders. A total of 2,400 8-wk-old Rugao layer breeders were randomly assigned to one of 5 groups (480 pullets per group) with eight replicates and were fed one of 5 diets that were nutritionally similar with the exception of apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AME_n) content (2,850, 2,750, 2,650, 2,550, and 2,450 kcal AME_n/kg) from 8 to 18 wks of age. The daily amount of feed was restricted to the absolute quantity of the diet consumed by laying hens fed 2,850 kcal AME_n per kg diet ad libitum (control). From 18 to 52 wks of age, all hens were fed basal diets ad libitum. The body weight of layer breeders at 18 wks of age decreased linearly with increasing energy restriction (P < 0.001), but caught up within 3 wks of ad libitum feeding (P = 0.290). The coefficient of variation of the body weight of the hens at 18, 21, and 24 wks of age decreased linearly (P = 0.010, 0.025, and 0.041, respectively) with increasing energy restriction during rearing. Energy-restricted feeding delayed sexual organ development at 18, 20, and 22 wks of age, including the number of large yellow follicles, oviduct length, oviduct length index, oviduct index, and ovary stroma index (P < 0.05), and delayed sexual maturity, including the age at laying the first egg and the age at 5% and 50% egg production (P = 0.042, 0.004, and 0.029, respectively). Consequently, egg number from 5% to 50% egg production decreased linearly as the degree of energy restriction increased (P = 0.001) and egg production of hens in the energy-restricted feeding groups was lower than that of hens in the ad libitum feeding group (6.36, 6.43, 6.4, and 4.61% vs. 14.29%; P < 0.05) from 18 to 20 wks of age. Furthermore, egg weight increased linearly as energy restriction increased (P < 0.001) and laying hens in the most severe energy-restricted feeding group had more setting eggs (normal eggs weighing >40 g) than hens in the ad libitum feeding and lighter energy-restricted feeding groups (149.57 vs. 144.34, 142.66, 143.63, and 141.78; P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in fertility, hatchability of fertile eggs, and hatchability of setting eggs (P = 0.381, 0.790, and 0.605, respectively). In conclusion, moderate energy restriction (85.97%, 2,450 vs. 2,850 kcal AME_n/kg) from 8 to 18 wks of age increased egg weight as well as the production of setting eggs in native layer breeders throughout the laying period, without adverse effects on productive performance from 18 to 52 wks of age, or fertility and hatchability at 52 wks of age.

222 Rn emanation measurements for the XENON1T experiment

The selection of low-radioactive construction materials is of utmost importance for the success of low-energy rare event search experiments. Besides radioactive contaminants in the bulk, the emanation of radioactive radon atoms from material surfaces attains increasing relevance in the effort to further reduce the background of such experiments. In this work, we present the 222 Rn emanation measurements performed for the XENON1T dark matter experiment. Together with the bulk impurity screening campaign, the results enabled us to select the radio-purest construction materials, targeting a 222 Rn activity concentration of 10 μ Bq / kg in 3.2 t of xenon. The knowledge of the distribution of the 222 Rn sources allowed us to selectively eliminate problematic components in the course of the experiment. The predictions from the emanation measurements were compared to data of the 222 Rn activity concentration in XENON1T. The final 222 Rn activity concentration of ( 4.5 ± 0.1 ) μ Bq / kg in the target of XENON1T is the lowest ever achieved in a xenon dark matter experiment.

The relationship between HSP60 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVE

To explore the potential correlation between heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to atherosclerosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 160 atherosclerosis patients treated in our hospital from February 2017 to February 2019 were randomly enrolled as case group, and 200 healthy adults receiving physical examination were selected as control group at the same period. Venous blood was drawn from all subjects to extract deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). TaqMan probe technology was employed to genotype two loci rs2340690 and rs788016 of HSP60 gene in all 260 subjects. The correlations between HSP60 gene polymorphisms and the incidence rate and pathological grade of atherosclerosis were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were three genotypes (AA, AG, and GG) in HSP60 rs2340690 and three (GG, AG, and AA) in HSP60 rs788016. No significant differences in the frequency of each genotype were found between the two groups (p>0.05). HSP60 rs2340690 and HSP60 rs788016 had no significant associations with the incidence rate of atherosclerosis in the dominant, recessive, and additive genetic models. In the case of pathological grade IV, the proportion of atherosclerosis patients carrying GG genotype of HSP60 rs2340690 was higher than those carrying AA genotype and AG genotype of HSP60 rs2340690 (p<0.05). The probability in atherosclerosis patients carrying rs788016 A was higher than those carrying rs2340690 G (p<0.05). When atherosclerosis patients carried both genotype G of HSP60 rs2340690 and genotype A of HSP60 rs788016, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.721 (p=0.049).

CONCLUSIONS

The HSP60 gene polymorphisms are certainly correlated with the pathological grade and incidence rate of atherosclerosis.

Diet-Dependent Changes of the DNA Methylome Using a Göttingen Minipig Model for Obesity

Objective: Environmental factors can influence obesity by epigenetic mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate obesity-related epigenetic changes and the potential for reversal of these changes in the liver of Göttingen minipigs subjected to diet interventions. Methods: High-throughput liquid hybridization capture-based bisulfite sequencing (LHC-BS) was used to quantify the methylation status of gene promotor regions in liver tissue in three groups of male castrated Göttingen minipigs: a standard chow group (SD, N = 7); a group fed high fat/fructose/cholesterol diet (FFC, N = 10) and a group fed high fat/fructose/cholesterol diet during 7 months and reversed to standard diet for 6 months (FFC/SD, N = 12). Expression profiling by qPCR of selected metabolically relevant genes was performed in liver tissue from all pigs. Results: The pigs in the FFC diet group became morbidly obese. The FFC/SD diet did not result in a complete reversal of the body weight to the same weight as in the SD group, but it resulted in reversal of all lipid related metabolic parameters. Here we identified widespread differences in the patterning of cytosine methylation of promoters between the different feeding groups. By combining detection of differentially methylated genes with a rank-based hypergeometric overlap algorithm, we identified 160 genes showing differential methylation in corresponding promoter regions in the FFC diet group when comparing with both the SD and FFC/SD groups. As expected, this differential methylation under FFC diet intervention induced de-regulation of several metabolically-related genes involved in lipid/cholesterol metabolism, inflammatory response and fibrosis generation. Moreover, five genes, of which one is a fibrosis-related gene (MMP9), were still perturbed after diet reversion. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the potential of exploring diet-epigenome interactions for treatment of obesity.

[Novel vector preS1-tp fusion protein effectively inhibits hepatitis B virus replication and cccDNA synthesis by mediating hepatitis B virus targeting sequence small interfering RNA]

Objective: To study the use of preS1-tp fusion protein as a novel vector to mediate the entry of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting the carboxy-terminal nuclear localization signal (NLS) region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein into HBV-infected hepatocytes, and to further explore the HBV replication inhibition and covalently closed circular DNA synthesis. Methods: HepG2.2.15 cells expressing the human sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide were established on the basis of lentivirus infection system. siRNA against HBV NLS region was designed and synthesized. PreS1-tp fusion protein expression and purification was observed to test its ability to cell entry and DNA binding. NLS siRNA were delivered into HepG2.2.15- sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide cells by preS1-tp fusion protein as a vector to observe the effects of NLS siRNA on HBV replication and covalently closed circular DNA levels. Analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the measurement data differences between groups were analyzed by t-test. Results: HepG2.2.15-sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide cell line was successfully constructed. Screened synthetic HBV NLS siRNA had significantly inhibited HBV replication. The preS1-tp fusion protein was expressed and purified on a large-scale. The fusion protein as a vector for HBV NLS siRNA had targeted delivery. The result showed that the fusion protein had effectively targeted siRNA to Hepg2.2.15-sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide cell, which not only had effectively inhibited the expression of HBV mRNA, HBsAg and HBeAg, but also had significantly reduced the levels of HBV DNA and covalently closed circular DNA. Conclusion: The preS1-tp fusion protein constructed in this study uses the dual functional characteristics of preS1 binding to hepatocyte HBV receptor, and tp binding to nucleic acids, and targets HBV NLS siRNA against HBV-infected cells and block rcDNA from being transported to nucleus. siRNA plays a role in inhibiting HBV replication and covalently close circular DNA synthesis, providing a new strategy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B caused by HBV infection, and a new research perspective for the complete elimination of HBV from the body.

Pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic role of long non-coding RNA RMRP in pediatric asthma through targeting microRNA-206/CCL2 axis

Asthma is an inflammatory pulmonary illness that plagues infants and young children. We carried out this investigation to examine the role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) RNA component of mitochondrial RNA processing endoribonuclease (RMRP) in an asthmatic mouse model induced by ovalbumin (OVA) and human airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). Eight-week-old mice were sensitized with OVA to simulate pediatric asthma. The expression patterns of RMRP, microRNA-206 (miR-206) and C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) in pulmonary tissues were evaluated by qPCR. In addition, the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13 cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were detected by ELISA. The expression of RMRP and CCL2 was elevated, while miR-206 was reduced in OVA-induced mice. Our findings indicated that administration of RMRP overexpression in ASMCs increased the levels of biomarkers in asthma. RMRP functioned as a sponge for miR-206 to upregulate CCL2 expression. Blockade of the TGF-β/Smad2 signaling pathway in ASMCs overexpressing RMRP suppressed the inflammatory cytokines and cell viability, while enhancing apoptosis. The RMRP/miR-206/CCL2 regulatory axis is implicated in the occurrence of pediatric asthma.

Search for Coherent Elastic Scattering of Solar ^{8}B Neutrinos in the XENON1T Dark Matter Experiment

We report on a search for nuclear recoil signals from solar ^{8}B neutrinos elastically scattering off xenon nuclei in XENON1T data, lowering the energy threshold from 2.6 to 1.6  keV. We develop a variety of novel techniques to limit the resulting increase in backgrounds near the threshold. No significant ^{8}B neutrinolike excess is found in an exposure of 0.6  t×y. For the first time, we use the nondetection of solar neutrinos to constrain the light yield from 1-2 keV nuclear recoils in liquid xenon, as well as nonstandard neutrino-quark interactions. Finally, we improve upon world-leading constraints on dark matter-nucleus interactions for dark matter masses between 3 and 11  GeV c^{-2} by as much as an order of magnitude.