History of early life adversity is associated with increased food addiction and sex-specific alterations in reward network connectivity in obesity

BACKGROUND

Neuroimaging studies have identified obesity-related differences in the brain's resting state activity. An imbalance between homeostatic and reward aspects of ingestive behaviour may contribute to obesity and food addiction. The interactions between early life adversity (ELA), the reward network and food addiction were investigated to identify obesity and sex-related differences, which may drive obesity and food addiction.

METHODS

Functional resting state magnetic resonance imaging was acquired in 186 participants (high body mass index [BMI]: ≥25: 53 women and 54 men; normal BMI: 18.50-24.99: 49 women and 30 men). Participants completed questionnaires to assess ELA (Early Traumatic Inventory) and food addiction (Yale Food Addiction Scale). A tripartite network analysis based on graph theory was used to investigate the interaction between ELA, brain connectivity and food addiction. Interactions were determined by computing Spearman rank correlations, thresholded at q < 0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

Participants with high BMI demonstrate an association between ELA and food addiction, with reward regions playing a role in this interaction. Among women with high BMI, increased ELA was associated with increased centrality of reward and emotion regulation regions. Men with high BMI showed associations between ELA and food addiction with somatosensory regions playing a role in this interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that ELA may alter brain networks, leading to increased vulnerability for food addiction and obesity later in life. These alterations are sex specific and involve brain regions influenced by dopaminergic or serotonergic signalling.

[Efficacy of Hyper-CVAD/MA and CHALL-01 regimens in the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients under 60 years old]

Objective: To compare the difference of efficacy between traditional Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen and the adolescents inspired chemotherapy regimen, CH ALL-01, in treatment of adult Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph(+) ALL) . Methods: In this study we retrospectively analyzed 158 Ph(+) ALL patients receiving Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen (n=63) or CHALL-01 regimen (n=95) in our center and Changzheng hospital from January 2007 to December 2017, excluding patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) was administered during induction and consolidation chemotherapy. Patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation received TKI as maintenance therapy. Results: Of them, 91.1% (144/158) patients achieved complete remission (CR) after 1-2 courses of induction. CR rate was 90.5% (57/63) for patients in Hyper-CVAD/MA group and 91.6% (87/95) for patients in CHALL-01 group. There was no difference in CR rates between the two groups (χ(2)=0.057, P=0.811) . The last follow-up was June 2018. A cohort of 134 CR patients could be used for further analysis, among them, 53 patients received Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen and other 81 patients received CHALL-01 regimen. The molecular remission rates were significantly higher in CHALL-01 group (complete molecular response: 44.4%vs 22.6%; major molecular response: 9.9% vs 18.9%) (χ(2)=7.216, P=0.027) . For the patients in Hyper-CVAD/MA group, the 4-year overall survival (OS) was 44.81% (95%CI: 30.80%-57.86%) and the 4-year disease free survival (DFS) was 37.95% (95%CI: 24.87%-50.93%) . For patients received CHALL-01 regimen, the 4-year OS was 55.63% (95%CI: 39.07%-69.36%) (P=0.037) and 4 year DFS was 49.06% (95%CI: 34.24%-62.29%) (P=0.015) , while there was no significant difference in 4 year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) (P=0.328) or cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality (CI-NRM) (P=0.138) . The rate of pulmonary infection was lower in patients received CHALL-01 regimen compared with patients received Hyper-CVAD regimen (43.4% vs 67.9%, χ(2)=7.908, P=0.005) . Conclusions: Outcome with CHALL-01 regimen appeared better than that with the Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen in Ph(+) ALL, which has lower incidence of pulmonary infection, higher molecular remission rate and better OS and DFS.

[The plasma level of amyloid-β is associated with cognitive decline: a two years follow-up study in Xi'an rural areas]

Objective: To explore the relationship between plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) and cognitive decline during 2 year follow-up in a population-based cohort in Xi'an rural areas. Methods: The study was conducted in Qubao village in Xi'an suburbs cognitively normal residents over 40 years old were recruited from October 2014 to March 2015 and given a face-to-face standardized interview. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was employed to evaluate the global cognitive function, and quantification of plasma Aβ was measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline. Two years later, MMSE was tested at the end of study. Then logistic regression was performed to analyze the relationship between baseline Aβ and cognitive change during 2 year follow-up. Results: A total of 1 020 participants completed the study, among whom 223 subjects (21.9%) presented MMSE scores decline (defined as MMSE scores decreased ≥2 points). Compared with those without decline, participants in the MMSE decline group were older (P<0.001) and had lower education level (P<0.001), while gender, hypertension, hyperlipemia, diabetes mellitus and APOE genotype were not significantly different between two groups. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the MMSE score decline was slighter in the lower tertile of baseline Aβ(1)-40 compared with middle tertile (P=0.012), while MMSE decline were similar between different Aβ(1)-42 level groups and Aβ(1-42)/Aβ(1-40) ratio groups (P=0.758, P=0.671, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that MMSE scores in the lower baseline plasma Aβ(1-40) level declined more slowly (OR=0.565, 95%CI 0.379-0.845, P=0.005). However, the MMSE decline were also similar among different baseline plasma Aβ(1-42) levels groups and Aβ(1-42)/Aβ(1-40) ratio groups. Conclusion: Population with lower level of baseline plasma Aβ(1-40) manifests lower cognitive decline during 2 years, however further investigation on dynamics of plasma Aβ and long term follow up are needed.

[Functional and supraomohyoid neck dissection in stage cN0/N1 oral squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of functional neck dissection (FND) and supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOND) in patients with cN0/N1 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: A total of 210 patients with stage cN0/N1 OSCC underwent FND and SOND between January 2012 and May 2015 were retrospectively reviewed, among which, 147 patients were male and 63 were female, with an age range of 23-82 years and mean age of (62.2±10.2) years. There were 112 and 98 patients in FND and SOND groups, respectively. The follow-up data included cervical lymph node metastasis, movement of shoulder joint, great auricular nerve function, recurrence rate of cervical lymph nodes. Results: There was no significant difference in gender, age, tumor location, T stage, N stage, histological grades between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared to patients in FND group, the activities of shoulder joint and earlobe numbness improved significantly in SOND group. Of the 210 patients, 17 patients (8.1%) had cervical recurrence, with 9 patients (8.0%) in FND group and 8 patients (8.2%) in SOND group. No significant difference was observed for neck recurrence between the two groups (P=0.973). Conclusion: SOND can be safely performed in cN0 or cN1 OSCC patients, which avoids major complications of FND, and improves postoperative quality of life in those patients.

Epidemiological characteristics of elevated blood pressure among middle and high school students aged 12-17 years: a cross-sectional study in Jiangsu Province, China, 2017-2018

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to present the epidemiological characteristics of elevated blood pressure among middle and high school students aged 12-17 years in Jiangsu Province.

SETTING

Hypertension, which is considered a rare disease in children, is an important early precursor to long-term cardiovascular damage, and elevated blood pressure in childhood is a strong predictor of hypertension in adulthood.

PARTICIPANTS

Physical examination and questionnaire investigation among children aged 12-17 years in Jiangsu Province were conducted from 2017 to 2018.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Physical measurements included height, weight, blood pressure and history of menarche/first spermatorrhoea. Questionnaire investigation included family type, delivery mode, lifestyle habits and psychological test.

RESULTS

In our study we investigated 17 791 middle and high school students, consisting of 8701 female students and 9090 male students. The prevalence of screening elevated blood pressure among students aged 12-17 years was 20.0% (95% CI 19.2% to 20.9%) for female students and 22.3% (95% CI 21.5% to 23.2%) for male students. The prevalence of screening elevated blood pressure for urban male middle and high school students was higher than that of elevated blood pressure for rural male middle and high school students. However, similar phenomenon cannot be observed among female students. For both male and female students, body mass index (BMI), obesity/overweight and menarche/first spermatorrhoea can be a risk factor contributing to elevated blood pressure, and sleep time and regional distribution might be important factors that need to be investigated in depth.

CONCLUSION

We found a relatively high prevalence of screening elevated blood pressure among students aged 12-17 years for both female and male students in Jiangsu Province. The risk factors can be BMI, obesity/overweight and menarche/first spermatorrhoea.

Effect of β-arrestin on damage of human umbilical vein endothelial cell induced by angiotensin II

OBJECTIVE

β-arrestin (ARRB2) is a member of arrestin family and a negative regulatory protein of G-coupling receptor, which is closely associated with the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of the effect of ARRB2 on the damage of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), which is induced by angiotensin II (Ang II).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ARRB2 at different concentration was used to interfere with the damage of HUVECs induced by Ang II or RNA interference technology to interfere with the expression of HUVECs followed by addition of Ang II to culture for 24 hours. Nitrate reduction method was used to measure the content of nitric oxide (NO) and radioimmunoassay was used to measure endothelin-1; Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and flow cytometry was used to detect the intracellular level of reactive oxygen (ROS) and apoptosis of HUVECs.

RESULTS

Our study found that ARRB2 could significantly reduce the generation and release of ROS, endothelin-1 (ET-1), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) of HUVECs induced by Ang II and promote the generation of NO, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and scavenging in a dose-dependent manner. On the contrary, when expression of ARRB2 was disturbed by siRNA, increased generation and release of ROS, ET-1, and LDH were observed with reduced generation of NO, SOD and scavenging. In addition, ARRB2 could reverse the apoptosis of HUVECs induced by Ang II and was related to upregulate the expression of Bax.

CONCLUSIONS

ARRB2 could protect the damage of HUVECs induced by Ang II and the mechanism was associated with upregulation of the expression of apoptosis and anti-apoptosis protein of Bcl-2.

[Piperine inhibits the transformation of endothelial cells into fibroblasts]

Objective: To investigate the role of piperine on the transformation of endothelial cells into fibroblasts. Methods: Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs, 4-6 passage) were used for the main experiments. The transformation models of endothelial cells into fibroblasts were induced by transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) stimulation. HUVECs were divided into 6 groups: control group, TGF-β group and 4 groups treated with various concentrations of piperine (1, 5, 10, 20 μmol/L). CKK-8 was used to detect cell proliferation. The CD31/α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression level was detected by fluorescent staining. The vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin)/vimentin expression was detected by immunofluorescence staining. RT-PCR was used detect the mRNA expressions of transformation markers. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of snail and twist. Results: TGF-β increased HUVECs proliferation (P<0.05), which could be significantly inhibited by 10 and 20 μmol/L of piperine, but not by 1 and 5 μmol/L of piperine. Immunofluorescence results demonstrated that TGF-β increased HUVECs transformation to fibroblasts as shown by downregulated expression of endothelial markers CD31, VE-cadherin, and upregulated expression of α-SMA and vimentin, again, these effects could be attenuated by 10 and 20 μmol/L piperine. The expression levels of collagen type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ were significantly higher in TGF-β group than in control group (P<0.05), significantly lower in TGF-β+10 μmol/L piperine group and TGF-β+20 μmol/L piperine group than in TGF-β group (P<0.05).In addition, RT-PCR results showed that TGF-β increased mRNA expression of transformation markers (snail1, snail2, twist1, twist2), while 10 and 20 μmol/L of piperine could significantly downregulated the mRNA expressions of these markers. The protein expression levels of snail and twist were significantly higher in TGF-β group than in control group (both P<0.05), which was significantly lower in TGF-β+20 μmol/L piperine group than in TGF-β group (both P<0.05). Conclusions: Piperine can inhibit the transformation of endothelial cells into fibroblasts. This effect might be viewed as one of the potential mechanisms of reduced myocardial fibrosis post piperine treatment.

Publisher Correction: Transcriptomic and neurochemical analysis of the stellate ganglia in mice highlights sex differences

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

[Cinnamaldehyde attenuates lipopolysaccharide induced inflammation and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells]

Objective: To investigate the effect of cinnamaldehyde (CIN) on the inflammation and apoptosis on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to explore the potential mechanisms. Methods: HUVECs were divided in to 8 groups: blank control group, LPS group, LPS+(low, medium, high) dose CIN groups and (low, medium, high) CIN groups. Cell cytotoxicity was determined by trypan blue staining, mRNA expression of the inflammatory factors was determined by RT-PCR,apoptosis was determined by TUNEL staining,the signal pathway was determined by Western blot. Results: (1) Cell viability:compared with the control group,cell survival rate was significantly lower in the LPS group (P<0.01), while the survival rates were all significantly higher in the 3 LPS+CIN groups than in the LPS group (all P<0.01) in a concentration-dependent manner. (2) The mRNA expression of the inflammation factors: compared with the control group, mRNA expression of the inflammation factors were all increased in the LPS group (all P<0.01),while the effect of LPS could be significantly reversed by cotreatment with CIN in a concentration-dependent manner (all P<0.01). Compared with control group, the mRNA expression of the inflammation factors in the LPS group were all enhanced in a time-dependent manner (0,6,12,24 h),which could be significantly downregulated by cotreatment with LPS+CIN (high dose) in a time-dependent manner. (3) Cell apoptosis: compared with the control group, the apoptosis rate was significantly higher in the LPS group (P<0.01), while this effect could be significantly reversed by the cotreatment with CIN (high dose) (P<0.01). (4) Signaling pathway: compared with the control group, the phosphorylation of iκBα, p65 in HUVECs treated with LPS were rapidly up-regulated compared with their corresponding total proteins and the expression of TLR4 (all P<0.01), while the degree of p-iκBα/iκBα, p-p65/p65 and TLR4 could be significantly suppressed by cotreatment with CIN (high dose) (all P<0.01). Conclusion: CIN can attenuate LPS induced inflammation and apoptosis in HUVECs, possibly by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway.

Driving anger among motor vehicle drivers in China: A cross-sectional survey

Objective: Driving anger is a common emotion while driving and has been associated with traffic crashes. This study aimed to investigate situations that increase driving anger among Chinese drivers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 3,101 drivers in southern China. The translated version of the 33-item Driving Anger Scale (DAS) was used to measure driving anger. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews between June 2016 and September 2016. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the fit of the original 6-factor model (discourtesy, traffic obstacles, hostile gestures, slow driving, illegal driving, and police presence) was satisfactory, after removing 2 items and allowing 5 error pairs to covary. The model showed satisfactory fit: goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.90, incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.90, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.06, 90% confidence interval (CI) = 0.061-0.064. Driving anger among Chinese drivers was lower than that in some Western countries. Compared to older and experienced drivers, younger and new drivers were more likely to report driving anger. There was no difference in total reported driving anger between males and females. Additionally, the higher the driver's anger level was, the more likely he or she was to have had a traffic crash. Conclusion: Driving anger is a common emotion among Chinese drivers and has a strong correlation with aggressive driving behavior and traffic crashes.

[Quality assessment of global guidelines on colorectal cancer screening]

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review and assess the quality of guidelines on colorectal cancer screening worldwide to provide guidance for the development of high-quality colorectal cancer screening guidelines in mainland China.

METHODS

CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched to identify guidelines on colorectal cancer screening from inception to Jun. 20th, 2018, and so were some websites and major search engines about the development of the guidelines from the existing literature (search date: Aug. 3rd, 2018). Two experienced reviewers independently examined these abstracts and then extracted information, and the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) were used to evaluate the methodological quality of these guidelines by four well trained reviewers.

RESULTS

In this study, 46 guidelines published from 1994 to 2018 were finally included in our analysis from 10 countries and 5 regions, among which 5 were from mainland China. The quality of these guidelines was relatively high in domain 1 (scope and purpose) and domain 4 (clarity of presentation), and medium in domain 2 (stakeholder involvement). While in the other three domains (domain 3: rigour of development; domain 5: applicability; domain 6: editorial independence), the results were quite different among these guidelines. The quality of evidence-based guidelines (defined by the criteria based on World Health Organization guideline development handbook) was generally higher than that of the common guidelines. Existing guidelines from mainland China were not evidence-based guidelines, which were of low quality.

CONCLUSION

The colorectal cancer screening guidelines all over the world are generally large in number, low in quality, different in statements, and so are the guidelines in China. There are no evidence-based guidelines in mainland China, which cannot provide effective guidance for colorectal cancer screening, so we need to pay more attention to the establishment of guidelines with high quality and high credibility for colorectal cancer screening as well as for cancer screening based on the national condition, in order to provide reasonable guidance for practice in public health and improve the health conditions in our society.

Circulating tumor DNA detection is correlated to histologic types in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing in plasma in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has the potential to be a supplemental or surrogate tool for tissue biopsy. Detection of genomic abnormalities in ctDNA and their association with clinical characteristics in early-stage NSCLC need to be clarified.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Here, we comprehensively analyzed gene variations of 48 tumor tissues and 48 matched preoperative (pre-op) plasma and 25 postoperative (post-op) plasma from early-stage NSCLC patients using a targeted 546 genes capture-based next generation sequencing (NGS) assay.

RESULTS

In early-stage NSCLC, the average mutation allele frequency (MAF) in pre-op plasma ctDNA was lower than that in tissue DNA (tDNA). The concordant gene variations between pre-op ctDNA and tDNA were difficult to detect. However, we found the tissue- pre-op plasma concordant ctDNA mutation detection ratio in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) was much higher than that in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). We also established a LUSC-LUAD classification model by a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) based approach to help separate LUAD from LUSC based on ctDNA profiling. This model included 14 gene mutations and extracted an accuracy of 89.2% in the training set and 91.5% in the testing set. Correlation analysis showed tDNA-ctDNA concordant ratio was related to histologic subtype, gene mutations and tumor size in early-stage NSCLC.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests histology subtype and gene mutations could affect ctDNA detection in early-stage NSCLC. NGS-based ctDNA profile has the potential utility in LUSC-LUAD classification.

The role of "improv" in health professional learning: A scoping review

Background: The use of improvizational theater ("improv") in health professional education ("medical improv") is an emerging field. However, optimal curricular design features and learning outcomes have not yet been systematically described. Objective: To synthesize evidence on learning outcomes and curricular design elements of improvizational theater training in health professions education. Methods: A literature search with keywords "Improv" and "Improvisational Theatre" was undertaken in January 2016 in Ovid MEDLINE, CINHAL, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ERIC, with an accompanying gray literature search. Four authors coded and achieved consensus on themes relating to curricular design elements and learning outcomes, which were mapped onto the CanMEDS framework. Results: Seven articles met inclusion criteria. Key curricular design features included (i) facilitators with dual clinical and theater expertise; (ii) creating a low-stakes environment; and (iii) engaging in debrief to highlight clinical relevance. Improv curricula were found to impact most CanMEDS roles, including: Medical Expert (comfort with uncertainty); Leader (team management); Scholar (feedback, self-reflection); Communicator (empathy, active listening, non-verbal communication); Collaborator (culture of trust); and Professional (resiliency and confidence). Mechanisms by which improv may promote acquisition of these professional competencies, and the utility of improv in areas such as interprofessional team development, leadership, and wellness and resiliency are discussed.

TPP1 OB-fold domain protein suppresses cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis by inhibiting telomerase recruitment to telomeres in human lung cancer cells

PURPOSE

Maintaining telomeres by recruiting telomerase-to-chromosome ends is essential for cancer cell survival. Inhibiting telomerase recruitment to telomeres represents a novel strategy for telomere-based lung cancer therapy. However, approaches for interrupting telomerase recruitment for cancer therapy still need to be explored.

METHODS

The telomere-binding protein TPP1 is responsible for recruiting telomerase to telomeres and synthesizing telomeres through the association between the oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide-binding (OB)-fold domain of TPP1 and telomerase reverse transcriptase. We overexpressed the TPP1 OB domain (TPP1-OB) by lentivirus infection in lung cancer cells. Telomere length was examined by Southern blot analysis of terminal restriction fragments. The effects of TPP1-OB on cell proliferation, the cell cycle, apoptosis, chemosensitivity, and tumor growth were evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

RESULT

TPP1-OB inhibited the recruitment of telomerase to telomeres and shortened telomere length by acting as a dominant-negative mutant of TPP1. TPP1-OB resulted in reduced cell proliferation, G1 cell cycle arrest, and increased cell apoptosis in lung cancer cells. Cell apoptosis occurred mainly through the caspase-3-dependent signaling pathway. TPP1-OB also suppressed anchorage-independent growth and tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrated that TPP1-OB enhances the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to the chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that inhibiting TPP1-mediated telomerase recruitment by expressing the TPP1-OB domain is a potential novel strategy for telomere-targeted lung cancer therapy.

[Effect of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise in improving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled trial]

Objective: To investigate the effect of dietary control combined with different exercise modes on plasma vaspin, irisin, and metabolic parameters in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through a randomized open parallel-controlled study. Methods: The patients aged 30-65 years who visited Tianjin Third Central Hospital from January 2013 to December 2014 and were diagnosed with NAFLD by liver ultrasound and fat content determination were screening, and 474 patients were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial and divided into aerobic exercise group, resistance exercise group, and control group. All patients received dietary intervention. The three groups were compared in terms of biochemical parameters, fat content, NFS score, energy metabolic parameters, body composition index, and levels of vaspin and irisin at baseline and after 6 months of intervention. SPSS 19.0 was used for statistical analysis. The t-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, the chi-square test, and an analysis of variance were used for comparison between groups. The multiple imputation method was used for missing data, and the results were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Results: There were no significant differences in age, sex, anthropometrical parameters, and biochemical parameters between the three groups at baseline. Compared with dietary control alone, aerobic exercise and resistance exercise helped to achieve significant reductions in waist circumference, diastolic pressure, percentage of body fat, volatile fatty acid, fasting blood glucose, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, free fatty acid, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, and liver fat content after 6 months of intervention (P < 0.05). The aerobic exercise group had a significant increase in non-protein respiratory quotient and significant reductions in body mass index and aspartate aminotransferase after intervention, as well as a significant increase in resting energy expenditure and significant reductions in abdominal fat ratio and total cholesterol after 6 months of resistance exercise (P < 0.05). The aerobic exercise group and the resistance exercise group had a significant reduction in vaspin and a significant increase in irisin after intervention (P < 0.05), and the resistance exercise group had significantly greater changes in these two adipokines than the aerobic exercise group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Exercise therapy is an effective method for the treatment of metabolism-associated diseases, and a combination of resistance and aerobic exercises is more reasonable and effective in clinical practice. As a relatively safe exercise mode, resistance exercise can also effectively improve the metabolic state of NAFLD patients.

[Skeletal muscle MRI of lower limbs in patients with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy]

Objective: To investigate MRI features of lower limbs in patients with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy(FSHD). Methods: The clinical manifestations, myopathological findings and MRI images of 5 FSHD patients were studied retrospectively from June 2016 to December 2017 at Department of Neurology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, 3 of which had a family history. Analysis of T(1)WI images enabled us to describe muscle fatty infiltration and STIR images to describe muscle edema. Each muscle was scored according to its fatty degeneration (fat replacement score range from 0-4). Results: The 5 patients were all asymmetrically involved. At the thigh level, the hamstrings were more affected than anterior muscles in 4 patients, and anterior muscles were more affected than hamstrings in only 1 patient. The most affected thigh muscles were usually the adductor magnus, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, femoral biceps long head and vastus medialis muscles (average fat replacement score of each muscle was more than 3). The calves were less affected than thighs.The average fat replacement score of the calf muscles was 1.0 for soleus, 0.9 for medial gastrocnemius, 0.8 for tibialis anterior, and 0.4 for lateral gastrocnemius. There was no fatty infiltration in peroneus and tibialis posterior. 4 out of 5 patients had edema in the lower limb muscles. Conclusion: Asymmetric involvement is a definitely helpful clue suggesting FSHD, and edema is a common phenomenon. At the thigh level, no unique imaging pattern can be highlighted in all the FSHD patients, overall, the hamstring, adductor magnus and vastus medialis are usually the most severely affected muscles. The calf muscles are less affected than the thigh muscles or spared. Soleus, medial gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior are preferentially involved at the calf level.

Elastocapillary self-assembled neurotassels for stable neural activity recordings

Implantable neural probes that are mechanically compliant with brain tissue offer important opportunities for stable neural interfaces in both basic neuroscience and clinical applications. Here, we developed a Neurotassel consisting of an array of flexible and high-aspect ratio microelectrode filaments. A Neurotassel can spontaneously assemble into a thin and implantable fiber through elastocapillary interactions when withdrawn from a molten, tissue-dissolvable polymer. Chronically implanted Neurotassels elicited minimal neuronal cell loss in the brain and enabled stable activity recordings of the same population of neurons in mice learning to perform a task. Moreover, Neurotassels can be readily scaled up to 1024 microelectrode filaments, each with a neurite-scale cross-sectional footprint of 3 × 1.5 μm², to form implantable fibers with a total diameter of ~100 μm. With their ultrasmall sizes, high flexibility, and scalability, Neurotassels offer a new approach for stable neural activity recording and neuroprosthetics.

Enhanced broadband spin Hall effects by core-shell nanoparticles

Spin-orbit interaction of light is ubiquitous in any optical system. However, the relevant spin Hall effects are usually weak for the light scattering from nanoparticles, making it challengeable to detect directly in experiment. In this paper, we demonstrate enhanced broadband spin Hall effects by using core-shell nanoparticles. The electric and magnetic dipoles can be tuned by the core-shell nanostructure with great freedom, and are excited simultaneously in a broadband spectrum, resulting in robust enhanced spin Hall shifts. Moreover, the coupling of the electric dipole and electric quadrupole gives rise to enhanced spin Hall shifts at both forward and backward directions. Numerical results from far-field and near-field verify the strong spin-orbit interaction of light. Our work offers a new way to exploit spin Hall effects in superresolution imaging and spin-dependent displacement sensing.

[Study of bone mineral density and serum bone turnover markers in newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus patients]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the changes of bone mineral density (BMD) and serum bone turnover factor in newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients.

METHODS

Eighty newly diagnosed SLE patients and 80 age and gender matched healthy controls were enrolled. None of the SLE patients had ever received glucocorticoid, immunosuppressive agents or vitamin D. BMD was measured at radius,lumbar spine and hip by dual X ray absorptiometry (DXA). Bone turnover markers including serum levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAP5b),bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (25-OH-VD3) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Logistic regression was employed to analyze the risk factors associated with decreased BMD.

RESULTS

Mean age of the SLE patients was (32.8±12.4) years, and 85% were female, none of whom were post-menopausal. BMD was significantly reduced in all the measured sites, compared with the healthy controls. Sixteen (20%) of the patients were osteopenic in at least one site measured locations. The serum levels of 25-OH-VD3 were markedly reduced in the newly diagnosed SLE patients than those of the normal controls [(46.1+12.3) nmol/L vs. (25.4+11.2) nmol/L, P<0.001)]. The serum levels of 25-OH-VD3 in the SLE patients with nephritis were much lower than those without nephritis (P=0.04). A significant negative correlation was demonstrated between the serum concentration of 25-OH-VD3 and the disease activity scores as measured by SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (r=-0.3,P=0.001). The serum TRAP5b concentration was positively correlated with SLEDAI (r=0.435,P=0.003). Age (P=0.058) and SLEDAI (P=0.085) were probably associated with decreased BMD in Logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

The study showed reduced BMD in untreated SLE patients. The role of chronic inflammation was of probable importance in bone metabolism.

[Effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine for children undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the preoperative sedation, the status of separation from parents, compliance with the mask, hemodynamic parameters and postoperative agitation of intranasal dexmedetomidine (DEX) premedication on children undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia.

METHODS

In the study, 60 children of American Society of Anesthesiology classification (ASA I-II), aged 2-9 years, were randomly assigned to one of two equal groups. Thirty minutes before operation, control group received intranasal placebo (0.9% saline) 0.02 mL/kg, and DEX group received intranasal DEX 2 μg/kg. The preoperative sedation score, the status of separation from parents, compliance with the mask and hemodynamic parameters were recorded by an anesthesiologists until anesthesia induction. Recovery conditions, postoperative agitation were also recorded.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the two groups in patient characteristics, operation time, extubation time and recovery time. Compared with the children in control group, those in DEX group were significantly more sedated when they were separated from their parents (56.7% vs. 26.7%, P<0.05). Satisfactory compliance with mask application was 40% in control group vs. 73.3% in DEX group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the incidences of postoperative agitation and oxygen saturation (SpO₂). Compared with control group, the heart rate (HR) of DEX group was decreased after 20 minutes of drug administration [(97.13±12.93) beats/min vs.(104.53±11.97) beats/min, P<0.05]. The changes of the HR and SpO2 in the two groups were within the normal range. There were no incidences of bradycardia and hypoxemia in either of the groups during study observation.

CONCLUSION

Premedication with intranasal DEX 2 μg/kg for children undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia produces good preoperative sedation. The levels of sedation, scores of parental separation and compliance with the mask were satisfied. The children have good recovery conditions, and no obvious postoperative agitation and respiratory depression after DEX administration. Intranasal DEX 2 μg/kg is an effective and safe alternative for premedication in children.

[Clinical characteristic of 74 cases of malignant tumor in rheumatoid arthritis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with malignant tumor.

METHODS

Retrospective summary was made of 1 562 in patients of RA from January 2011 to June 2017. In the study, 74 RA patients with malignant tumor were reviewed and analyzed, and the general conditions, tumor types, RA and tumor onset sequence, and the medication situation were analyzed.

RESULTS

The incidence of malignant tumor in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis in our center was 4.16%. The 74 patients were complicated with malignant tumor, of whom 53 were female, and 21 male. The age of RA at presentation was (52.6±17.8) years. The average disease duration of malignant tumor was (63.4 ± 12.7) years. The onset time of rheumatoid arthritis was earlier than that of malignant tumors in 51 cases (51/74), with an average of (17.2±14.2) years between 2 and 60 years. The incidence of malignant tumor was earlier than that of rheumatoid arthritis in 16 cases (16/74), with an average of (6.2±5.9) years between 1 and 21 years, of which 10 cases were sex hormone related tumors. Seven cases (7/74) were diagnosed with RA at the same time, and the time interval between the two diseases was within 1 year. All the patients were over 60 years old with digestive tract tumors. All the 7 patients showed polyarthritis, significantly increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, including 4 rheumatoid factor positive cases and 2 anti-CCP antibody positive cases. The effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and traditional drugs to improve the condition of the disease was poor in the 7 patients, and the condition was relieved after using low-dose glucocorticoids. Gastrointestinal tumors, breast and reproductive system tumors were the most common, followed by respiratory, urological and blood system tumors.

CONCLUSION

The risk in patients of rheumatoid arthritis complicated with malignant tumor is higher than that of the general population. A variety of factors play an important role in cancer risk of RA, including disease activity, some estrogen metabolites, the use of drugs and so on. Therefore, all RA patients should be screened for malignant tumor during diagnosis, and malignant tumor surveillance is mandatory for all rheumatoid arthritis patients after diagnosis.

The Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) is reliable and has construct validity in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic, progressive, autoimmune disease that causes significant stress on patients. There is no specific instrument for assessing stress in Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus patients. The objective of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale in Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Validity evaluation included structural and construct validity (convergent and discriminant validity). Structural validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis. Convergent validity was assessed by correlating the total score of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. Discriminant validity was determined by the statistically significant differences in perceived stress scores among patients with different education levels and disease activity. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The test-retest reliability was measured at 1-week intervals. Exploratory factor analysis extracted two dimensions that explained 66.45% of the variation. Moderate-to-strong correlations were also found between the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. Excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.954) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.810) were demonstrated. In conclusion, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale can be used to measure stress among Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus patients and serve as a basis for further research.

[Epidemiological investigation and analysis of allergic rhinitis among 6-12 years old children in Zaoyang City of Hubei Province]

Objective:The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of allergic rhinitis(AR) among 6-12 years old children in Zaoyang.Method:All the children aged from 6 to 12 years old from 2 primary schools in Zaoyang in June 2018 were randomly selected as the research objects.The AR questionnaire was designed, and the epidemiological investigation was carried out. The results were analyzed by SPSS 20.0 software.Result:The prevalence rate of children aged 6-12 in Zaoyang was 13.7%,the prevalence rate of girls was 11.9%,and the prevalence rate of boys was 15.3%. The prevalence rate of boys was higher than that of girls,but the difference was not statistically significant(χ²=3.033,P>0.05).Univariate analysis showed that the factors related to AR were age(t=2.729,P<0.01), family history of allergic diseases (χ²=172.067,P<0.01),exposure to smoking or dust environment (χ²=43.091,P<0.01),exposure to smoking environment during pregnancy (χ²=6.09,P<0.05) and pet feeding history (χ²=9.473,P<0.01).Conclusion:The incidence of allergic rhinitis among 6-12 years old children in Zaoyang is high,age,family history of allergic diseasese,exposure to smoking or dust environment,exposure to smoking environment during pregnancy,and pet feeding history are risk factors for the incidence of allergic rhinitis in children.

[Inferring Disease-miRNA Associations by Self-Weighting with Multiple Data Source]

Increasing evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) may function as positive regulators at the post-transcriptional level. A search for associations between miRNAs and diseases is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis. Various publicly available databases have been constructed to store meaningful information on a large number of miRNA molecules. In this study, to resolve the limitation that individual sources of miRNA target data tend to be incomplete and noisy, we propose a network-based computational method called self-weighting for integrating multiple data sources. A bipartite phenotype-miRNA network (BPMN) incorporates known disease-miRNA interactions as well as the similarities between disease phenotypes and functional similarities of miRNAs. Random walk with restart algorithm was deployed on the bipartite network to predict novel disease-miRNA associations. In leave-one-out cross-validation experiments, our technique achieves an AUC of 0.801 when evaluating against known disease-related miRNAs from HMDD. Systematic prioritization of miRNAs for 11 common diseases obtained an average AUC of 0.765. Additionally, a case study on colon cancer uncovered a number of potential miRNA candidates as biomarkers of this disease.

[Research progress of amphiregulin and its role in airway inflammatory disease]

Amphiregulin is a member of epidermal growth factor family, and is also one of the ligand of epidermal growth factor receptor, it participates in many physiological and pathological process by combining with EGFR. Researches have proved that AREG participates in asthma and airway inflammatory diseases caused by smoking and PM 2.5, and AREG plays an important role in the process of airway remodeling and inflammation. This paper mainly reviews the expression and function of AREG, and focus on it's research status in airway inflammatory disease.

Preoperative albumin-to-globulin ratio predicts survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer after surgery

The prognostic value of the preoperative albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) has not been investigated in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, we aimed to assess the clinical applicability of the preoperative AGR to predict the prognosis in patients with NSCLC. We retrospectively enrolled 545 patients with stage I/II/III NSCLC who underwent surgery at our institution. The cutoff value for preoperative AGR was calculated by using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. A low AGR was associated with several clinicopathological variables related to tumor progression. In the multivariate analyses, the preoperative AGR was identified as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (DFS; P = 0.003) and overall survival (OS; P = 0.005). For patients with stage II and III with a preoperative AGR ≤ 1.43, the surgery plus chemotherapy group had a significantly longer DFS and OS than the surgery alone group (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively); however, a significant difference in DFS and OS between these two groups was not observed in patients with stage II and III with an AGR > 1.43 (P = 0.808 and P = 0.842, respectively). The preoperative AGR is an independent, significant predictor of DFS and OS in patients with NSCLC. Our results also demonstrate that the preoperative AGR might be a predictive marker of the therapeutic effect of postoperative chemotherapy in patients with stage II and III NSCLC.

Expression and significance of peripheral myeloid-derived suppressor cells in chronic hepatitis B patients

BACKGROUND

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) exert their suppressive effects on multiple immune response and contribute to the development of many diseases. However, limited data is available on the involvement of MDSCs in human chronic HBV infection.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the progression of chronic HBV infection was associated with imbalance of MDSCs.

METHODS

The percentages of MDSCs, regulatory T (Treg), Th1 and Tc1 cells in the peripheral blood from chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and healthy controls (HC) were determined by flow cytometry. Plasma levels of IL-10, TGF-β and IFN-γ were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The potential association of the frequencies of MDSCs with clinical parameters was assessed.

RESULTS

The percentages of MDSCs and Treg cells were significantly higher in CHB patients than those in HC. The percentages of MDSCs were negatively correlated with Th1 cells. Increased plasma IL-10 level and decreased IFN-γ level were found in CHB patients compared with HC. Moreover, the frequencies of MDSCs and plasma IL-10 levels were positively correlated with serum HBV DNA loads, as well as liver function impairment.

CONCLUSION

The expanded peripheral MDSCs may contribute to poor viral clearance and disease progression during chronic HBV infection.

Measurement of density fluctuation propagation direction via the far-forward collective scattering diagnostic based on polarimeter-interferometer

Previously, the 17-channel three-wave polarimeter-interferometer system (POLARIS) on the J-TEXT tokamak has been implemented to measure far-forward collective scattering (FFCS) from electron density fluctuations. Recently, this system has been exploited to measure the propagation direction of density fluctuation. After considering the refraction of the laser probe beam passing through plasma, the ray tracing result shows that the detector of POLARIS may receive asymmetric far-forward scattering beams. Thus, the heterodyne detection of FFCS is available to identify the propagation direction of density fluctuation by resolving the asymmetric scattering spectrum. Experimentally, the transform of the heterodyne scattering spectrum from symmetry to asymmetry has been observed, while the refraction effect becomes strong demonstrating the capacity of measuring the propagation direction of fluctuation. Furthermore, by changing the plasma potential through the use of an applied positive electrode biasing, the reverse of frequency shift for the heterodyne scattering spectrum is identified, confirming the validity of direction discrimination of density fluctuation.

LncRNA BCAR4 up-regulates EGFR and thus promotes human thyrocyte proliferation

This article has been withdrawn at the request of the authors. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience.

[Virtual planning and 3D printing modeling for mandibular reconstruction with fibula free flap]

Objective: To evaluate the use of virtual planning and 3D printing modeling in mandibular reconstruction and compare the operation time and surgical outcome of this technique with conventional method. Methods: Between June 2013 and June 2017, A total of 18 patients underwent the mandibular reconstruction with fibula free flap in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University.Among 18 patients, there were 11 males and 7 females with an average age of 36.5 years (21-73 years). Nine patients underwent vascularized fibula flap mandibular reconstruction using virtual planning and 3D printing modeling.Titanium plates were pre-bent using the models and cutting guides which were used for osteotomies.Another 9 patients who underwent mandibular reconstruction using fibula flap without aid of virtual planning and 3D printing models were selected as control group. The operation time was recorded and compared in two groups. Accuracy of reconstruction was measured by superimposing the preoperative image onto the postoperative image of mandible. The selected bony landmark, distance and angle were measured. Results: The mean total operation time were 4.7-6.2(5.5±0.5) h in computer-assisted group and 5.6-7.5(6.6±0.7) h in conventional group, respectively. The operation time was shorter in computer-assisted group. The difference between the preoperative and postoperative intercondylar distances, intergonial angle distances, anteroposterior distances were(2.6±1.4)vs(4.4±1.6)mm, (2.9±1.2)vs(4.7±1.7)mm, (4.2±1.4) vs(5.9±1.8)mm in the computer-assisted and conventional group, respectively. The differences between the preoperative and postoperative mandible were smaller in the computer-assisted group. Conclusions: Virtual planning and 3D printing modeling have the potential to increase mandibular reconstruction accuracy and reduce operation time. We believe that this technology for mandibular reconstruction in selected patients can significantly improve the quality of reconstruction.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school-aged children in Jiangsu Province, China, 2014-2017

Background

Data was limited on prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school-aged children in Jiangsu Province. We aimed to present the current situation of obesity in Jiangsu Province and explore the relationship between obesity and other common diseases in children.

Methods

Physical examination among children aged 7 to 14 years in Jiangsu Province was conducted since 2014, and more than one third primary schools were covered annually. The physical measurements included body height, weight, blood pressure, vision, sex, age, and so on.

Results

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school children was 15.2% (18.7% for male students and 11.0% for female students), and 11.7% (14.5% for male students and 8.2% for female students) respectively. Obesity/overweight prevalence varied by regions. Among them the lowest prevalence was found in the southern region of Jiangsu Province, where residents had the highest average income level. Obesity group had elevated blood pressure comparing with the normal group, and obesity group especially in the male children aged 7 to 12 years had a higher prevalence of uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) than that of normal group.

Conclusion

This study found that obesity/overweight prevalence differed by sex, age, and regions in Jiangsu Province. In addition, obese children were closely associated with other common disease. Further studies are needed to explore the basis of biological and statistical theories.

[Diagnosis and therapy strategy of acute invasive fungal rhino-sinisitis]

Summary Acute invasive fungal rhino-sinisitis(AIFRS) is a kind of acute fungus infectious disease.It ofen deteriorates rapidly and abruptly,which occurs in the nose and sinuses with somepeople who have low immunological function.This paper reviewed the progress about the acute invasive fungal rhino-sinisitis's clinical characteristics,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis to improve the level of early diagnosis and reduce the mortality.

MiR-181a mediates Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy by mediating autophagy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between miR-181a and cardiac hypertrophy and autophagy in rats with myocardial hypertrophy, and whether miR-181a regulates the autophagy through ATG5, thereby participating in the occurrence and development of myocardial hypertrophy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The rat model of myocardial hypertrophy was established via the abdominal aortic coarctation. The expression of miR-181a in cardiac tissues was detected via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expressions of autophagy-related proteins, ATG5 and LC3II/LC3I, in cardiac tissues, were detected via Western blotting (WB). After the primary culture of myocardial cells in rats, they were stimulated via Angiotensin II (Ang II) to observe the effects of autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and overexpression of ATG5 on the expression of hypertrophic genes in myocardial cells, respectively. The expressions of autophagy-related proteins ATG5 and LC3II/LC3I were detected via WB, the autophagic rate was observed via flow cytometry and the changes in autophagic vacuoles of myocardial cells were observed using the transmission electron microscope. The changes in mRNA and protein expressions of ATG in myocardial cells were observed after the overexpression of miR-181a or the inhibition of miR-181a activity. The changes in miR-181a and the expression of hypertrophic genes in myocardial cells after Ang II stimulation were observed via RT-PCR.

RESULTS

In rats with myocardial hypertrophy, the cardiac autophagy was increased and the expression of miR-181a in hypertrophic myocardium was downregulated. 3-MA inhibited the ATG5-induced autophagy and improved the Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy, while the overexpression of ATG5 enhanced the myocardial autophagy and the expression of hypertrophic genes. MiR-181a regulated the ATG5-induced myocardial autophagy, and its downregulation mediated the Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy.

CONCLUSIONS

The enhancement of ATG5-induced myocardial autophagy mediates the Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy. ATG5 is the target gene of miR-181a, it can regulate the myocardial autophagy via ATG5, thus mediating the Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy.

[Comorbidity in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients: an initial research in Beijing area]

Objective: To make a preliminery research of comobidity in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients who resides in Beijing area and investigate whether comorbidity affect the surviving rate independently. Compare the similarities and differences between Chinese and foreign OSCC patients. Methods: The medical records of 313 patients who undertaken operation in Peking University Stomatology School from January 2007 to Delember 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Adult comorbidity evaluation-27 Chinese edition index was used to estimate the comorbidity severity. COX proportional hazards model was used to analyze whether the TNM stage, comobidity, age and gender affected 5-year survival rate. Results: TNM stage and comorbidity have a significant impact on survival rate, the postoperative survival rate decreased significantly with the increasing level of TNM staging and the complexity of comorbidity disease. In this study, the proportion of patients with none, mild, moderate and severe comorbidity diseases was 24%, 48%, 18% and 10%. The five-year survival rates of patients with moderate and severe comorbidity disease were 50% (29/58) and 13% (4/30) respectively. Conclusions: The comorbidity disease information can help assess the overall health of OSCC patients, and it is recommended to improve the clinical staging and overall evaluation of oral cancer patients with comorbidity disease information.

Characterization of a hypervirulent fowl adenovirus 4 with the novel genotype newly prevalent in China and establishment of reproduction infection model of hydropericardium syndrome in chickens

Severe hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) has been present in layers in the northeast of China since June 2015, with mortality rates varying from 30 to 90%. Dead layers had severe hydropericardium with pericardial volumes of 5 to 20 mL, as well as inclusion body hepatitis. Laboratory investigations led to the isolation of a fowl adenovirus strain, HLJFAd15, from the liver tissue of dead layers. Natural deletions of ORF19 and ORF27 were found in this clinical strain by complete genome sequencing, which was identified with the novel genotype recently prevalent in China. The pathogenicity characterization was conducted in 35-day-old SPF chickens using HLJFAd15 with novel genotype of fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4). The reproduction disease cases of HPS with mortality rates of 76.9% by oral administration and 100% by intramuscular injection were induced successfully by challenging SPF chickens, respectively. Non-enveloped viral particles with a mean diameter of approximately 80 nm were found in the livers of virus-infected SPF chickens. Our study revealed that HLJFAd15 was identified with the novel genotype strains recently emerging in China by complete genome sequencing, and the strain was capable of causing HPS by the pathogenicity analysis. However, although there is currently no commercial vaccine against the novel genotype FAdV-4, the animal infection model established in this study was valuable for vaccine evaluation and development.

Long non-coding RNA DANCR facilitates glioma malignancy by sponging miR-33a-5p

Glioma is among the most fatal brain tumors characterized by a highly malignancy and rapid progression and early metastasis. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (LncRNA DANCR) is associated with the development, progression and metastasis of various cancers. In the present study, we investigated functional role of LncRNA DANCR in the malignancy of glioma. The results showed that LncRNA DANCR was increased in glioma tissues and cells compared with normal brain tissues and cells. DANCR expression was positively correlated with the malignancy and poor prognosis of glioma patients. DANCR contained a binding site of miR-33a-5p. miR-33a-5p was decreased in glioma tissues and cells compared with normal brain tissues and cells. Downregulation of miR-33a-5p was positively correlated with the malignancy and poor prognosis of glioma patients. In glioma tissues, the expression of DANCR was negatively correlated with the expression of miR-33a-5p. Downregulation of DANCR increased miR-33a-5p expression. miR-33a-5p mimic reduced the luciferase of DANCR-WT but not DANCR-MUT. DANCR pull-down showed the expression of miR-33a-5p. miR-33a-5p mimic enhanced knockdown of DANCR -induced inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and EMT, and increase of apoptosis. Anti-miR-33a-5p reversed the effects of si- DANCR on cell malignancy. Knockdown of DANCR remarkably reduced the increase of tumor volumes in xenograft mouse models. In tumor tissues, knockdown of DANCR increased the expression of miR-33a-5p, reduced EMT and increased apoptosis. Our study provides novel insights in the functions of LncRNA DANCR-miR-33a-5p axis in tumorigenesis of glioma.

Mechanism of Premature Apoptosis in CD1d-Restricted Natural Killier T Cells From Human Peripheral Blood During the Induction of Proliferation In Vitro

OBJECTIVE

A preliminary investigation on the proliferation and cultivation process of natural killer T cells (NKT) was carried out. We provide reference data for future NKT-related research and development.

METHODS

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from healthy people and were induced by α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). The phenotypic changes of the cells and the activation and apoptosis of Caspase-3 were recorded for 3-4 weeks.

RESULTS

The proliferation of the NKT cells continued for approximately 3 weeks, and then apoptosis started to occur. The activity of Caspase-3 was maintained at a high level from the second week. The responses of individual human NKT cells to α-GalCer stimulation differed significantly.

CONCLUSION

The proliferation of the NKT cells continued for approximately 3 weeks, and then apoptosis Semiconstitutively started to occur. The activity of Caspase-3 was maintained at a high level from the second week. The responses of individual human NKT cells to α-GalCer stimulation differed significantly.

Influence of hormone therapy or C. foetida extract on breast tenderness in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence of breast tenderness in a population treated with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) or Cimicifuga foetida extract.

METHODS

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted. Ninety-six postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to three groups: group A, 1 mg estradiol valerate daily plus 4 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), days 19-30; group B, 1 mg estradiol valerate daily plus 100 mg micronized progesterone (MP), days 19-30; group C, 100 mg C. foetida extract daily. Breast tenderness was evaluated daily for 12 months.

RESULTS

Seventy-three patients completed the study. Group A had the highest prevalence of breast tenderness, while group C had the lowest. More than 50% of all participants reported no symptoms throughout the period. The participants in group A experienced a sharp increase in breast tenderness after treatment, but decreased after 1 month. No significant decline was found in the duration of pain in group B. The patients in group C reported no remarkable changes after 1 month. Compared to estrogen only, estrogen plus MPA/MP led to a higher incidence of prolonged breast symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to MHT groups, C. foetida extract had the lowest prevalence of breast tenderness. Most participants experienced mild or no symptoms.

Genome-wide association study reveals novel genes for the ear size in sheep (Ovis aries)

Variations in ear size can be observed in livestock such as sheep; however, the genetic basis of variable ear size in sheep is still poorly understood. To investigate causative genes associated with ear size in sheep, a genome-wide association study was performed in 115 adult Duolang sheep with different-sized floppy ears using the Ovine Infinium HD BeadChip. We found 38 significant SNPs at the genome-wide or chromosome-wise 5% significance level after Bonferroni correction. The most significant association (P = 1.61 × 10^-6 ) was found at SNP rs402740419, located in the DCC gene, which plays a critical role in ear development. Also, we observed two additional significant SNPs, rs407891215 in PTPRD and rs407769095 in SOX5, both of which are functionally associated with ear developmental processes. Our results are useful for future sheep breeding and provide insights into the genetic basis of ear size development in sheep and other livestock.