Curaxin CBL0137 has the potential to reverse HIV-1 latency

A cure for human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) has been hampered by the limitation of current combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) to address the latent reservoirs in HIV-1 patients. One strategy proposed to eradicate these reservoirs is the "shock and kill" approach, where latency-reversing agents (LRAs) are used to reactivate and promote viral cell death and/or immune killing of reactivated cells. Here, we report that curaxin CBL0137, an antitumor compound, can potentiate tumor necrosis factor-α-mediated reactivation of latently infected HIV-1cell lines. Additionally, the single use of CBL0137 is sufficient to reactivate HIV-1 latent reservoirs in peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from HIV-1 positive, cART-treated, aviremic patients. Thus, CBL0137 possesses capabilities as a LRA and could be considered for the "shock and kill" approach.

Misc-GAN: A Multi-scale Generative Model for Graphs

Characterizing and modeling the distribution of a particular family of graphs are essential for the studying real-world networks in a broad spectrum of disciplines, ranging from market-basket analysis to biology, from social science to neuroscience. However, it is unclear how to model these complex graph organizations and learn generative models from an observed graph. The key challenges stem from the non-unique, high-dimensional nature of graphs, as well as graph community structures at different granularity levels. In this paper, we propose a multi-scale graph generative model named Misc-GAN, which models the underlying distribution of graph structures at different levels of granularity, and then "transfers" such hierarchical distribution from the graphs in the domain of interest, to a unique graph representation. The empirical results on seven real data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.

[Sentinel surveillance for viral hepatitis C in China, 2016-2017]

Objective: To understand the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in 5 populations in China during 2016-2017 and provide evidence for the estimation of prevalence trend of hepatitis C and evaluation on the prevention and control effect. Methods: A total of 87 national sentinel surveillance sites for hepatitis C were set up in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) of China to obtain the information about HCV infection prevalence in 5 populations, including volunteer blood donors, people receiving physical examination, patients receiving invasive diagnosis and treatment, patients receiving hemodialysis, and clients visiting family planning outpatient clinics. From April to June, 2016 and 2017, cross-sectional surveys were repeatedly conducted in the 5 populations and blood samples were collected from them for HCV antibody detection. Results: In 2016, 86 sentinel sites completed the surveillance (one sentinel site was not investigated), and 115 841 persons were surveyed. The overall HCV positive rate was 0.38% (442/115 841, 95%CI: 0.23%-0.53%). In 2017, all the 87 sentinel sites completed the surveillance, and 120 486 persons were surveyed. The overall HCV positive rate was 0.37% (449/120 486, 95%CI: 0.23%-0.52%). In 2016 and 2017, the anti-HCV positive rates were 4.46% (223/5 005, 95%CI: 2.18%-6.73%) and 4.39% (216/4 919, 95%CI: 2.29%-6.50%) respectively in hemodialysis patients, 0.85% (44/5 200, 95%CI: 0.27%-1.42%) and 0.70% (36/5 150, 95%CI: 0.15%-1.24%) respectively in patients receiving invasive diagnosis and treatment and remained to be ≤0.25% in volunteer blood donors, people receiving physical examination and clients visiting family planning outpatient clinics. Results for the comparison of the anti-HCV positive rates in the 5 populations indicated that the differences were significant (F=23.091, P<0.001 in 2016 and F=20.181, P<0.001 in 2017). Conclusions: Data from the sentinel surveillance of HCV infection on prevalence in China showed that the anti-HCV positive rates varied in the 5 populations during 2016-2017. The anti-HCV positive rate appeared the highest in the hemodialysis patients, followed by that in the patients receiving invasive diagnosis and treatment, and the prevalence of HCV infection in other 3 populations were at low levels.

Azimuthal Anisotropy of Heavy-Flavor Decay Electrons in p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Angular correlations between heavy-flavor decay electrons and charged particles at midrapidity (|η|<0.8) are measured in p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. The analysis is carried out for the 0%-20% (high) and 60%-100% (low) multiplicity ranges. The jet contribution in the correlation distribution from high-multiplicity events is removed by subtracting the distribution from low-multiplicity events. An azimuthal modulation remains after removing the jet contribution, similar to previous observations in two-particle angular correlation measurements for light-flavor hadrons. A Fourier decomposition of the modulation results in a positive second-order coefficient (v_{2}) for heavy-flavor decay electrons in the transverse momentum interval 1.5<p_{T}<4  GeV/c in high-multiplicity events, with a significance larger than 5σ. The results are compared with those of charged particles at midrapidity and those of inclusive muons at forward rapidity. The v_{2} measurement of open heavy-flavor particles at midrapidity in small collision systems could provide crucial information to help interpret the anisotropies observed in such systems.

The latest progress on miR-374 and its functional implications in physiological and pathological processes

Non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been emerging players in cell development, differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Based on their differences in length and structure, they are subdivided into several categories including long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs >200nt), stable non‐coding RNAs (60‐300nt), microRNAs (miRs or miRNAs, 18‐24nt), circular RNAs, piwi‐interacting RNAs (26‐31nt) and small interfering RNAs (about 21nt). Therein, miRNAs not only directly regulate gene expression through pairing of nucleotide bases between the miRNA sequence and a specific mRNA that leads to the translational repression or degradation of the target mRNA, but also indirectly affect the function of downstream genes through interactions with lncRNAs and circRNAs. The latest studies have highlighted their importance in physiological and pathological processes. MiR‐374 family member are located at the X‐chromosome inactivation center. In recent years, numerous researches have uncovered that miR‐374 family members play an indispensable regulatory role, such as in reproductive disorders, cell growth and differentiation, calcium handling in the kidney, various cancers and epilepsy. In this review, we mainly focus on the role of miR‐374 family members in multiple physiological and pathological processes. More specifically, we also summarize their promising potential as novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets from bench to bedside.

Combining subsidence theory and slope stability analysis method for building damage assessment in mountainous mining subsidence regions

Ground subsidence and surface cracks caused by coal mining are typical man-made geological hazards that can severely damage the ecological environment and buildings. In China, within the theme of sustained and stable development, accurate assessment of mining-related building damage is paramount in order to address the contradiction between coal mining enterprises and building owners. Previous research in China focused mainly on the mining areas of plains, and only a few studies have considered building damage caused by intensive mining in mountainous areas. First, based on field investigation, this study located ground surface cracks and assessed the damage to buildings in the village of Nanyetou in Shanxi Province (China) attributable to the exploitation of the 15110 working face of the Baiyangling coal mine. Second, based on the mining subsidence law and boundary angle, the surface influenced boundary caused by underground mining was determined. However, as the existing subsidence theory cannot adequately explain the phenomenon of building damage, the damage was investigated from the perspective of slope stability analysis, and the slope safety factor before and after working face mining were calculated using the Janbu method. The analytical results showed that slope instability due to a decrease of the safety factor because of the coal mining activity was the principal reason for damage to the village buildings, a finding that was confirmed by field survey and InSAR monitoring displacement. The results of this study could provide guidance and reference for the assessment of building damage caused by underground mining in mountain areas.

Integrating the Epigenome to Identify Drivers of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Disruption of epigenetic mechanisms has been intimately linked to the etiology of human cancer. Understanding how these epigenetic mechanisms (including DNA methylation [5mC], hydroxymethylation [5hmC], and histone post-translational modifications) work in concert to drive cancer initiation and progression remains unknown. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in frequency in Western countries but lacks efficacious treatments. The epigenome of HCC remains understudied. To better understand the epigenetic underpinnings of HCC, we performed a genome-wide assessment of 5mC, 5hmC, four histone modifications linked to promoter/enhancer function (H3K4me1, H3K27ac, H3K4me3, and H3K27me3), and transcription across normal, cirrhotic, and HCC liver tissue. Implementation of bioinformatic strategies integrated these epigenetic marks with each other and with transcription to provide a comprehensive epigenetic profile of how and when the liver epigenome is perturbed during progression to HCC. Our data demonstrate significant deregulation of epigenetic regulators combined with disruptions in the epigenome hallmarked by profound loss of 5hmC, locus-specific gains in 5mC and 5hmC, and markedly altered histone modification profiles, particularly remodeling of enhancers. Data integration demonstrates that these marks collaborate to influence transcription (e.g., hyper-5hmC in HCC-gained active enhancers is linked to elevated expression) of genes regulating HCC proliferation. Two such putative epigenetic driver loci identified through our integrative approach, COMT and FMO3, increase apoptosis and decrease cell viability in liver-derived cancer cell lines when ectopically re-expressed. Conclusion: Altogether, integration of multiple epigenetic parameters is a powerful tool for identifying epigenetically regulated drivers of HCC and elucidating how epigenome deregulation contributes to liver disease and HCC.

Association of VDR and OPG gene polymorphism with osteoporosis risk in Chinese postmenopausal women

AIMS

The underlying mechanisms of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) genetic variation associated with bone mineral density and osteoporosis remain uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association of VDR and OPG gene polymorphism as well as gene-gene interaction and their haplotype combination with the risk of osteoporosis.

METHODS

Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism was carried out for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection. Generalized multifactor dimension reduction (GMDR) is used to identify the interaction. SHEsis software evaluated the haplotype and logistic regression was performed to assess the association between the SNPs within the VDR and OPG genes and osteoporosis.

RESULTS

The risk of osteoporosis in the VDR-rs2228570 polymorphism T-allele carriers was significantly higher than that in CC (CT/TT versus CC) individuals (adjusted odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.76 [1.33-2.22]). The risk of osteoporosis was also higher in the G-allele carrier of the OPG-rs3102735 polymorphism than in individuals with the AA genotype (AG/GG vs. AA) (adjusted OR [95% CI] = 1.65 [1.27-2.14]). However, after adjusting for sex, age, and waist circumference covariates, no significant association of VDR-rs17879735 and OPG-rs2073618 with the osteoporosis risk was revealed. The GMDR method identified that gene-gene interactions were significant, but not for gene/AO interaction. Haplotypes were analyzed with SHEsis software. We did not detect a high-risk haplotype combination associated with osteoporosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Both VDR-rs2228570-T and OPG-rs3102735-G and their interactions are related to the increased risk of osteoporosis.

[History, current situation and bottleneck of the diagnosis and treatment system of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma in Japan]

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is one of the most difficult malignant tumors to treat in the biliary system. In Japan, 5-year survival rate of the disease has increased from 32.5% to 67.1% during the past 30 years. The impressive progress reflects the solid efforts in preoperative endoscopic diagnosis, innovation in surgery such as PTPE as well as hepato-pancreatoduodenectomy and perioperative treatment including replacement of the bile and synbiotic treatment, which have finally formed a set of standardized diagnosis and treatment systems. The present review intends to report the history, current status and remaining bottlenecks of the diagnosis and treatment system of hilar cholangiocarcinoma in Japan as follows.

Recovery of the polymers formed during thermal cracking of N-substituted dicarbamates over Fe–Ni/Al2O3

Regenerated carbamate from the thermal cracking polymers via the alcoholysis reaction in the presence of ethyl carbamate.

Crohn's disease with positive Ziehl-Neelsen stain: Three case reports

Because of the similarity of the clinical symptoms, endoscopic, and pathological features, the differential diagnosis between Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) remains difficult, especially in a high-incidence area of tuberculosis (TB). Here we reported three patients with positive Ziehl-Neelsen stain in endoscopic mucosal biopsy specimens. They had a poor response to anti-TB therapy but a good response to immunosuppresses, infliximab, or surgery, and were finally diagnosed as CD. It was not clear that they were CD concomitant with mycobacteria infection or CD induced by mycobacteria infection. Further studies including more clinical cases and related animal models are needed. Our cases highlight the importance of considering the presence of CD in patients with positive Ziehl-Neelsen stain, which were failure to respond to anti-TB treatment.

Cortical thinning in epilepsy patients with postictal generalized electroencephalography suppression

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim was to investigate the brain microstructural abnormalities in epilepsy patients with postictal generalized electroencephalographic suppression (PGES) using a cortical surface-based analysis.

METHODS

According to the video-electroencephalography records of epilepsy patients with generalized convulsive seizures, 30 patients with PGES (PGES+) and 21 patients without PGES (PGES-) were recruited. High-resolution T1-weighted images were acquired from each patient and 30 matched healthy control subjects. Cortical thickness was compared amongst the three groups using FreeSurfer software.

RESULTS

Patients with PGES showed reduced cortical thickness in the right paracentral lobule, inferior parietal lobule, supramarginal gyrus and middle temporal lobe compared with patients without PGES. In relation to healthy control subjects, the PGES+ group presented reduced cortical thickness in the right superior parietal lobule and supramarginal gyrus, whilst the PGES- group presented reduced cortical thickness in the left precuneus, precentral gyrus, lateral occipital gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, superior parietal lobule and right caudal middle frontal gyrus.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PGES exhibited characteristic brain microstructural abnormalities, corroborating the PGES mechanisms at the brain level. The right-sided predominance of the detected PGES-related cortical thinning was the same as that of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) cases and patients at high risk for SUDEP, implying that PGES and SUDEP may share a common abnormal brain substrate that is involved in the pathophysiology of these conditions.

The cAMP responsive element-binding (CREB)-1 gene increases risk of major psychiatric disorders

Bipolar disorder (BPD), schizophrenia (SCZ) and unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) are primary psychiatric disorders sharing substantial genetic risk factors. We previously reported that two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2709370 and rs6785 in the cAMP responsive element-binding (CREB)-1 gene (CREB1) were associated with the risk of BPD and abnormal hippocampal function in populations of European ancestry. In the present study, we further expanded our analyses of rs2709370 and rs6785 in multiple BPD, SCZ and MDD data sets, including the published Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) genome-wide association study, the samples used in our previous CREB1 study, and six additional cohorts (three new BPD samples, two new SCZ samples and one new MDD sample). Although the associations of both CREB1 SNPs with each illness were not replicated in the new cohorts (BPD analysis in 871 cases and 1089 controls (rs2709370, P=0.0611; rs6785, P=0.0544); SCZ analysis in 1273 cases and 1072 controls (rs2709370, P=0.230; rs6785, P=0.661); and MDD analysis in 129 cases and 100 controls (rs2709370, P=0.114; rs6785, P=0.188)), an overall meta-analysis of all included samples suggested that both SNPs were significantly associated with increased risk of BPD (11 105 cases and 51 331 controls; rs2709370, P=2.33 × 10^-4; rs6785, P=6.33 × 10^-5), SCZ (34 913 cases and 44 528 controls; rs2709370, P=3.96 × 10^-5; rs6785, P=2.44 × 10^-5) and MDD (9369 cases and 9619 controls; rs2709370, P=0.0144; rs6785, P=0.0314), with the same direction of allelic effects across diagnostic categories. We then examined the impact of diagnostic status on CREB1 mRNA expression using data obtained from independent brain tissue samples, and observed that the mRNA expression of CREB1 was significantly downregulated in psychiatric patients compared with healthy controls. The protein-protein interaction analyses showed that the protein encoded by CREB1 directly interacted with several risk genes of psychiatric disorders identified by GWAS. In conclusion, the current study suggests that CREB1 might be a common risk gene for major psychiatric disorders, and further investigations are necessary.

An effective diagnostic index for lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic syndrome

BACKGROUND

Lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (LAHS) is a highly fatal immune disorder. Poor prognosis is partly attributed to under diagnosis or delayed diagnosis.

AIM

Early identification of LAHS patients based on the laboratory findings could improve the outcomes.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational cross-sectional study.

METHODS

From January 2011 to June 2016, 282 adult patients with hemophagocytosis in bone marrow were enrolled, and 114 hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) patients with definite underlying cause were finally included for analysis. The HLH patients were further divided into LAHS (76 out of 114) and non-malignancy-associated HLH (38 out of 114) groups.

RESULTS

Compared to non-malignancy-associated HLH, LAHS patients had significantly elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, increased thickness of spleen, higher proportion of patients with lymphadenopathy and significantly decreased peripheral blood cell count. In multivariate logistic regression model analysis, thickness of spleen ≥5 cm (OR = 17.9, 95%CI 1.35-236.6; P = 0.028), IL-6 level ≥55.1 pg/ml (OR = 12.01, 95%CI 1.03-138.9; P = 0.047) and IL-10 level ≥425.9 pg/ml (OR = 51.18, 95%CI 2.53-1035.1; P = 0.010) were independent predictors of LAHS diagnosis. Based on the regression parameters, we established a diagnostic index with weighted risk scores of 1 assigned to thickness of spleen and IL-6 level respectively, and a score of 3 assigned to IL-10 level. A diagnostic index ≥ 2 points had the best AUC value (0.889) with 84.2% of sensitivity and 93.7% of specificity for predicting LAHS.

CONCLUSIONS

LAHS can be considered when HLH patients have a diagnostic index ≥2 points, so actively looking for evidence of lymphoma and effective chemotherapy may be necessary.

Increased Red Blood Cell Volume Distribution Width: Important Clinical Implications in Predicting Gastric Diseases

BACKGROUND

The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a blood analyzer marker showing the peripheral blood erythrocyte volume heterogeneity parameters. It is a normal diagnosis index of many diseases. This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between the RDW and gastric diseases.

METHODS

A total of 189 patients with GC, 68 patients with gastric ulcers, 92 patients with chronic gastritis, and 157 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Each patient's RDW and other biomarkers were recorded. All of the statistical analyses and comparisons between each group were determined using SPSS16.0 software. The statistical significance level was set to a p-value < 0.05.

RESULTS

The RDW was significantly higher in those patients with gastric diseases when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, the RDW was independently correlated with the presence of GC and gastric ulcers. Significantly positive correlations between the RDW, platelets, and platelet distribution width (PDW) were observed in those patients with GC and gastric ulcers, although there were negative correlations with the red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (p < 0.05). In the chronic gastritis group, elevated RDW values were closely associated with the hemoglobin, platelet, and MCV values (p < 0.05). The specificities of the gastric diseases groups were greater than 90%.

CONCLUSIONS

In cases of gastric diseases, the RDW values were increased and were associated with several laboratory parameters. These finding may have important clinical implications in predicting gastric diseases.

Standardisierter Computer-basiert-organisierter Report des EEG (SCORE) – Eine strukturierende Form der EEG-Befundung

Eine 2013 von der „International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology“ gegründete Taskforce hat eine international konsensfähige EEG-Terminologie entwickelt. Im Folgenden soll das Resultat – die 2. Version des Standardized Computer-based Organized Reporting of EEG (SCORE) - vorgestellt werden. Die Terminologie wurde im Rahmen eines Softwarepaketes (SCORE-EEG) in der klinischen Praxis an über 12.000 EEGs getestet. Die Auswahl der Begriffe ist kontextabhängig: die initiale Auswahl bestimmt, welche weiteren Auswahlmöglichkeiten zur Verfügung stehen. Im Verlauf wird automatisch ein Befund erstellt und dessen Einzelmerkmale in eine Datenbank eingespeist. SCORE verfügt über Module spezifisch für die Befundung epileptischer Anfälle, sowie charakteristischer neonataler und intensivmedizinische EEG-Merkmale. SCORE ist nicht nur ein nützliches Werkzeug im ambulanten, klinischen und wissenschaftlichen Setting, es erleichtert auch Qualitätssicherung, Datenaustausch und die EEG-Aus und Weiterbildung.

D-Meson Azimuthal Anisotropy in Midcentral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s]_{NN}=5.02 TeV

The azimuthal anisotropy coefficient v_{2} of prompt D^{0}, D^{+}, D^{*+}, and D_{s}^{+} mesons was measured in midcentral (30%-50% centrality class) Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D mesons were reconstructed via their hadronic decays at midrapidity, |y|<0.8, in the transverse momentum interval 1<p_{T}<24  GeV/c. The measured D-meson v_{2} has similar values as that of charged pions. The D_{s}^{+} v_{2}, measured for the first time, is found to be compatible with that of nonstrange D mesons. The measurements are compared with theoretical calculations of charm-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium and have the potential to constrain medium parameters.

The full-length sequence of the HLA-C allele, HLA-C*15:13:01:01

Confirmed the full-length sequence of HLA-C*15:13:01:01 by cloning and sequencing in a Chinese donor.

Disrupted intrinsic and remote functional connectivity in heterotopia-related epilepsy

OBJECTIVES

Several neuroimaging studies have examined neural interactions in patients with periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH). However, features of the underlying functional network remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined alterations in the local (regional) and remote (interregional) cerebral networks in this disorder.

METHODS

Twenty-eight subjects all having suffered from PNH with epilepsy, as well as 28 age- and sex- matched healthy controls, were enrolled in this study. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC) were calculated to detect regional neural function and functional network integration, respectively.

RESULTS

Compared with healthy controls, patients with PNH-related epilepsy showed decreased ALFF in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and precuneus areas. ALFF values in both areas were negative correlated with epilepsy duration (P < .05, Bonferroni-corrected). Furthermore, patients with PNH-related epilepsy had increased remote interregional FC mainly in bilateral prefrontal and parietal cortices, supramarginal gyrus, dorsal cingulate gyrus, and right insula; lower FC was found in posterior brain regions including bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus.

CONCLUSIONS

Focal spontaneous hypofunction, as assessed by ALFF, correlates with epilepsy duration in patients with PNH-related epilepsy. Abnormalities existed both within the default-mode network and then across the whole brain, demonstrating that intrinsic brain dysfunction may be related to specific network interactions. Our findings provide novel understanding of the connectivity-based pathophysiological mechanisms of PNH.

Protective effects of Nano-elemental selenium against chromium-vi-induced oxidative stress in broiler liver

The valuable role of selenium in mitigation of oxidative stress and heavy metal toxicity is well-known. Thus, the aim of the current study on broiler chickens was to examine whether nano elemental selenium (Nano-Se) supplementation can reduce the effects of chromium VI (K2Cr2O7) toxicity. For this purpose, a total of 150, one-day-old broiler chickens were allotted to five groups with three replicates: control group (standard diet), poisoned group (K2Cr2O7 via drinking water), protection group (K2Cr2O7 + Nano- Se), cure group (K2Cr2O7 for initial 2 weeks and then Nano-Se), and prevention group (opposite to the cure group). The broilers were detected by the activities of marker enzymes and oxidative stress markers including, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), malondialdehyde (MDA), respectively. The (K2Cr2O7 administration caused histopathological damage in the liver of the chickens. Moreover, changes in serum biochemical indicators and oxidative stress parameters were also observed. Nano-Se supplementation increased the levels of GSH-px but reduced the activities of SOD, MDA, GGT, ALT and AST in the experimental groups (P less than 0.05). Our results showed that Nano-Se plays a protective role by preventing the oxidative stress induced by the chromium VI in broiler chickens.

Clinical features and outcomes in secondary adult hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

BACKGROUND

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by an infrequent but immune-mediated life-threatening disease, with confusing clinical manifestations, rapidly deteriorating health, high morbidity and mortality and challenging diagnosis.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to improve the recognition and understanding of HLH.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Data were collected for all cases of adult patients diagnosed with HLH in a large cohort managed at a single medical center from January 2011 to December 2015.

RESULTS

The median age was 52 years (range 18-90 years) and 123 (60.0%) were male. Over 95% patients manifested fever, hyperferritinemia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase. Underlying triggers of HLH were as follows: 119 (58.0%) malignancies, 83 (40.5%) infections, 14 (6.8%) unknown triggers and 14 (6.8%) autoimmune disorders. The median overall survival was 55 days. And elderly patients (age ≥60 years) had a markedly worse survival compared with young patients (age <60 years) (median overall survival 24 days vs. 159 days, respectively; P <0.001). In a multivariable analysis, platelet <40 × 109/l (HR = 2.534; 95% CI 1.152-5.573; P = 0.021), PT prolonged >3 s (HR = 1.909; 95% CI 1.127-3.234; P = 0.016) and malignancy (HR = 1.614; 95% CI 1.008-2.582; P = 0.046) were correlated with poor survival.

CONCLUSION

HLH adult patients had very complex clinical manifestations as well as underlying diseases. Patients with PLT <40 ×109/l, PT prolonged >3 s and malignancy had inferior survival. It is of great importance to improve our understanding of this syndrome.

J/ψ Elliptic Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

We report a precise measurement of the J/ψ elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The J/ψ mesons are reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.9) in the dielectron decay channel and at forward rapidity (2.5<y<4.0) in the dimuon channel, both down to zero transverse momentum. At forward rapidity, the elliptic flow v_{2} of the J/ψ is studied as a function of the transverse momentum and centrality. A positive v_{2} is observed in the transverse momentum range 2<p_{T}<8  GeV/c in the three centrality classes studied and confirms with higher statistics our earlier results at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV in semicentral collisions. At midrapidity, the J/ψ  v_{2} is investigated as a function of the transverse momentum in semicentral collisions and found to be in agreement with the measurements at forward rapidity. These results are compared to transport model calculations. The comparison supports the idea that at low p_{T} the elliptic flow of the J/ψ originates from the thermalization of charm quarks in the deconfined medium but suggests that additional mechanisms might be missing in the models.

Intracranial hypertension induced by internal jugular vein stenosis can be resolved by stenting

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is characterized by abnormally elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) without identifiable etiology. Recently, however, a subset of patients with presumed IIH have been found with isolated internal jugular vein (IJV) stenosis in the absence of intracranial abnormalities.

METHODS

Fifteen consecutive patients were screened from 46 patients suspected as IIH and were finally confirmed as isolated IJV stenosis. The stenotic IJV was corrected with stenting when the trans-stenotic mean pressure gradient (∆MPG) was equal to or higher than 5.44 cmH₂ O. Dynamic magnetic resonance venography, computed tomographic venography and digital subtraction angiography of the IJV, ∆MPG, ICP, Headache Impact Test 6 and the Frisén papilledema grade score before and after stenting were compared.

RESULTS

All the stenotic IJVs were corrected by stenting. ∆MPG decreased and the abnormal collateral veins disappeared or shrank immediately. Headache, tinnitus, papilledema and ICP were significantly ameliorated at 14 ± 3 days of follow-up (all P < 0.01). At 12 ± 5.6 months of outpatient follow-up, headache disappeared in 14 out of 15 patients (93.3%), visual impairments were recovered in 10 of 12 patients (83.3%) and tinnitus resolved in 10 out of 11 patients (90.9%). In 12 out of 15 cases, the Frisén papilledema grade scores declined to 1 (0-2). The stented IJVs in all 15 patients kept to sufficient blood flows on computed tomographic venography follow-up without stenting-related adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-thrombotic IJV stenosis may be a potential etiology of IIH. Stenting seems to be a promising option to address the issue of intracranial hypertension from the etiological level, particularly after medical treatment failure.

Proprotein convertase 1 mediated proneuropeptide proteolytic processing in ischemic neuron injury

BACKGROUND

Pro-protein processing mechanism plays an important role in neuron injury.

OBJECTIVE

To study the protein convertase 1 (PC1) mediated processing mechanism, the ischemic cellular or tissue proPC1/PC1 or proCgA/CgA (pro-chromogranin A) was analyzed.

METHODS

NS20Y differentiated cells were stressed by 0-6 h of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in glucose-free DMEM and an anaerobic jar environment. Ischemic C57BL/J mouse model was established by performing 60-min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) operation and subsequent 4 or 24-h reperfusion. The TUNEL, immunochemistry, and Western blot methods were used to detect protein expression in ischemic cells or tissues.

RESULTS

The OGD or MCAO stress caused substantial cell death in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05 or 0.01). With the increasing OGD dose, proPC1 and PC1 proteins gradually increased (p < 0.05 or 0.01) whereas proCgA and CgA proteins decreased (p < 0.05). In vivo the proPC1 and PC1 expressions presented with a peak at 4-h and then decreased at 24-h reperfusion (p < 0.05 or 0.01). The tissue proCgA and CgA proteins decreased with the increasing reperfusion time (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that the increasing PC1 expression promoted the transformation of proCgA into CgA or smaller peptides, i.e. Pancreastatin or Secretoneurin, and the PC1 mediated processing plays a critical role (Fig. 4, Ref. 15).

Perilesional and contralateral white matter evolution and integrity in patients with periventricular nodular heterotopia and epilepsy: a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This study aimed to assess the evolution of perinodular and contralateral white matter abnormalities in patients with periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) and epilepsy.

METHODS

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) (64 directions) and 3 T structural magnetic resonance imaging were performed in 29 PNH patients (mean age 27.3 years), and 16 patients underwent a second scan (average time between the two scans 1.1 years). Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were measured within the perilesional and contralateral white matter.

RESULTS

Longitudinal analysis showed that white matter located 10 mm from the focal nodule displayed characteristics intermediate to tissue 5 mm away, and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) also established evolution profiles of perinodular white matter in different cortical lobes. Compared to 29 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, significant decreased fractional anisotropy and elevated mean diffusivity values were observed in regions 5 and 10 mm from nodules (P < 0.01), whilst DTI metrics of the remaining NAWM did not differ significantly from controls. Additionally, normal DTI metrics were shown in the contralateral region in patients with unilateral PNH.

CONCLUSIONS

Periventricular nodular heterotopia is associated with microstructural abnormalities within the perilesional white matter and the extent decreases with increasing distance from the nodule. In the homologous contralateral region, white matter diffusion metrics were unchanged in unilateral PNH. These findings have clinical implications with respect to the medical and surgical interventions of PNH-related epilepsy.

Risk factors for mortality in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

OBJECTIVE

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a severe autoimmune disorder with a mortality of 5%-7%, but few studies have focused on the predictors of death in this disease. In this study, we aim to investigate predictors and causes of death in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

METHODS

In this cohort study, patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were enrolled at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University between June 2011 and October 2015. The outcomes of patients were evaluated by long-term follow-up. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between potential predictors and death.

RESULTS

Altogether 96 patients were included in this study, and 11 died after median 24.5 (7-57) months of follow-up. The mortality of anti-NMDAR encephalitis was 11.46%. Multivariate analysis results showed that Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤8 at admission (HR=15.917, 95% CI=1.729-146.562; P=.015), the number of complications (HR=7.772, 95% CI=1.944-31.072; P=.004), and admission to an intensive care unit (HR=70.158, 95% CI=2.395-2055.459; P=.014) were significantly associated with increased risk of mortality. Twelve patients received second-line immunotherapy, and the cohort was relatively under-treated compared with other studies. The main causes of death were severe pneumonia, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and refractory status epilepticus.

CONCLUSION

GCS score ≤8 at admission, number of complications, and admission to an intensive care unit are predictors of death. Management of complications may improve the prognosis of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of cervical spondylosis: a meta-analysis

Cervical spondylosis is the most common type of spinal pathology which is more common in middle-aged or senile populations with a high potential to affect physical and mental health. This study evaluates the effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of cervical spondylosis. After a detailed literature search in electronic databases, the required data were acquired from selected research articles and meta-analyses were performed to obtain the percent cure, failure and total effectiveness rates under random effects model. Meta-regression was performed to identify the factors affecting the efficacy. Twenty-seven studies were selected for data acquisition (2,853 patients; average age 46.2±9.5; 51.7±12.5% males). Acupuncture alone had 33.41% (25.50, 41.24) cure rate but in combination with other therapies it rose to 53.36% (41.9, 64.8). Similarly, total effectiveness rate was 87.01% (83.40, 90.62) with acupuncture alone and 93.62% (89.85, 97.38) with acupuncture in combination with other therapies. Age was inversely associated with the percent cure rate and the number of combination therapies with acupuncture was positively associated with the cure rate. In conclusion, acupuncture therapy alone can provide cure and total effectiveness rates of 33% and 87%, respectively, but acupuncture with additional therapies can improve the cure and total effectiveness rates to 53% and 94%, respectively. Age inversely affects efficacy and the number of additional therapies improves the efficacy.

Coherent Beam-Beam Instability in Collisions with a Large Crossing Angle

In recent years the "crab-waist collision" scheme [P. Raimondi, Proceedings of 2nd SuperB Workshop, Frascati, 2006.; M. Zobov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 174801 (2010)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.104.174801] has become popular for circular e^{+} e^{-} colliders. The designs of several future colliders are based on this scheme. So far the beam-beam effects for collisions under a large crossing angle with or without crab waist were mostly studied using weak-strong simulations. We present here strong-strong simulations showing a novel strong coherent head-tail instability, which can limit the performance of proposed future colliders. We explain the underlying instability mechanism starting from the "cross-wake force" induced by the beam-beam interaction. Using this beam-beam wake, the beam-beam head tail modes are studied by an eigenmode analysis. The instability may affect all collider designs based on the crab-waist scheme. We suggest an experimental verification at SuperKEKB during its commissioning phase II.

Anomalous Evolution of the Near-Side Jet Peak Shape in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 TeV

The measurement of two-particle angular correlations is a powerful tool to study jet quenching in a p_{T} region inaccessible by direct jet identification. In these measurements pseudorapidity (Δη) and azimuthal (Δφ) differences are used to extract the shape of the near-side peak formed by particles associated with a higher p_{T} trigger particle (1<p_{T,trig}<8  GeV/c). A combined fit of the near-side peak and long-range correlations is applied to the data allowing the extraction of the centrality evolution of the peak shape in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV. A significant broadening of the peak in the Δη direction at low p_{T} is found from peripheral to central collisions, which vanishes above 4  GeV/c, while in the Δφ direction the peak is almost independent of centrality. For the 10% most central collisions and 1<p_{T,assoc}<2  GeV/c, 1<p_{T,trig}<3  GeV/c a novel feature is observed: a depletion develops around the center of the peak. The results are compared to pp collisions at the same center of mass energy and ampt model simulations. The comparison to the investigated models suggests that the broadening and the development of the depletion is connected to the strength of radial and longitudinal flow.