Distinct effects of antihypertensives on depression in the real-world setting: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Evidence is increasing that pathways of antihypertensives may have a role in the pathogenesis of depression. However, how the class of antihypertensives affects depression risk remains unclear.

METHODS

The effects of different classes of antihypertensives on depression were explored using an insurance database in Beijing, China. Antihypertensives in our study included calcium channel blockers (CCBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers (BBs), and diuretics (DIUs). Those initially treated with only one class of antihypertensives were included. Stratified analysis was conducted for demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and statin prescriptions.

RESULTS

In total, 181,709 newly detected hypertension patients were included. The median follow-up period was 4.33 years and 19,030 participants were with depression by the end. After adjusting for covariates, the incidence density (95% confidence interval, CI) of depression in the BB, ACEI, DIU, CCB, and ARB groups was 3.16 (2.98-3.33), 3.10 (2.91-3.29), 2.70 (2.45-2.94), 2.67 (2.53-2.81), and 2.30 (2.16-2.43) per 100 person-years, respectively. Compared with ARB group, the hazard ratio (95% CI) of depression for BB, ACEI, DIU, and CCB group was 1.37 (1.32-1.43), 1.35 (1.28-1.42), 1.17 (1.08-1.27), and 1.16 (1.12-1.21), respectively. Stratified analysis suggested the highest depression ID remained within the BB or ACEI group.

LIMITATIONS

Detailed clinical information was unavailable, which may introduce bias. Patients on monotherapy as initial treatment were included and caution is needed for extrapolation.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with ARBs, there may be a class effect of other antihypertensives on the risk of depression.

Spectroscopic Evidence for Electron-Boson Coupling in Electron-Doped Sr_{2}IrO_{4}

The pseudogap, d-wave superconductivity and electron-boson coupling are three intertwined key ingredients in the phase diagram of the cuprates. Sr_{2}IrO_{4} is a 5d-electron counterpart of the cuprates in which both the pseudogap and a d-wave instability have been observed. Here, we report spectroscopic evidence for the presence of the third key player in electron-doped Sr_{2}IrO_{4}: electron-boson coupling. A kink in nodal dispersion is observed with an energy scale of ∼50  meV. The strength of the kink changes with doping, but the energy scale remains the same. These results provide the first noncuprate platform for exploring the relationship between the pseudogap, d-wave instability, and electron-boson coupling in doped Mott insulators.

Determination of β-Carotene in Supplements and Raw Materials by Reversed-Phase High Pressure Liquid Chromatography: Collaborative Study

Twelve laboratories representing 4 countries participated in an interlaboratory study conducted to determine all-trans-β-carotene and total β-carotene in dietary supplements and raw materials. Thirteen samples were sent as blind duplicates to the collaborators. Results obtained from 11 laboratories are reported. For products composed as softgels and tablets that were analyzed for total β-carotene, the reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSDR) ranged from 3.35 to 23.09% and the HorRat values ranged from 1.06 to 3.72. For these products analyzed for trans β-carotene, the reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSDR) ranged from 4.28 to 22.76% and the HorRat values ranged from 0.92 to 3.37. The RSDr and HorRat values in the analysis of a beadlet raw material were substantial and it is believed that the variability within the material itself introduced significant variation in subsampling. The method uses high pressure liquid chromatography (LC) in the reversed-phase mode with visible light absorbance for detection and quantitation. If high levels of α-carotenes are present, a second LC system is used for additional separation and quantitation of the carotene species. It is recommended that the method be adopted as an AOAC Official Method.

P4671A well-defined subgroup of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients are positive for antiphospholipid antibodies

Introduction

Recurrent thromboembolism is a major risk factor for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a recognized risk factor for recurrent thromboembolism, however, their contribution to the development of CTEPH is currently unknown.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antiphospholipid autoantibodies in a large cohort of consecutive patients with CTEPH.

Methods

Starting May 2013 to December 2018, 297 CTEPHpatients were consecutively enrolled. Diagnosis was confirmed with standardized right heart catheterization, 2D or/and 3D pulmonary angiography in all patients.All patients were also screened for thrombophilia including lupus anticoagulant IgG/IgM anticardiolipin antibodies and IgG/IgM aβ2GPI antibodies. Clinical and demographic characteristics, laboratory profile and hemodynamic data were compared between patients with aPL positive and aPL negative laboratory profiles.

Results

Overall, 297 consecutive patients with CTEPH were assessed for aPLs. Of these, 23 patients (7.7%) resulted positive for laboratory tests exploring aPL. Among patients with positive aPL, profile 17 (74%) were positive for all three test exploring aPL (LA+, aCL+, aB2GPI+). When compared to CTEPH patients without aPL test positivity, those positive for aPL were significantly younger (30.0 vs 55.6 years, p<0.0001), had a positive history of pulmonary embolism (95.6% vs 65.7%, p=0.003), deep venous thrombosis (78.3% vs 41.9%, p=0.0008) and were more frequently affected by other autoimmune diseases (43.5% vs 2.9%, p<0.0001). Moreover, positive aPL patients showed better hemodynamics on right heart catheterization, had more proximal lesions, and had more frequently level I and II surgical classification (82.6% vs 40.5%, p=0.0002) on pulmonary angiography.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that young patients with pulmonary embolism should be assessed for aPLs to guide anticoagulation therapy and prevent recurrences. Additionally, younger age, more proximal lesions and less severe hemodynamic profiles make majority patients with APS good candidates for PEA surgery.

Trimetallic Synergy in Intermetallic PtSnBi Nanoplates Boosts Formic Acid Oxidation

Platinum is the most effective metal for a wide range of catalysis reactions, but it fails in the formic acid electrooxidation test and suffers from severe carbon monoxide poisoning. Developing highly active and stable catalysts that are capable of oxidizing HCOOH directly into CO₂ remains challenging for commercialization of direct liquid fuel cells. A new class of PtSnBi intermetallic nanoplates is synthesized to boost formic acid oxidation, which greatly outperforms binary PtSn and PtBi intermetallic, benefiting from the synergism of chosen three metals. In particular, the best catalyst, atomically ordered Pt₄₅ Sn₂₅ Bi₃₀ nanoplates, exhibits an ultrahigh mass activity of 4394 mA mg^-1 Pt and preserves 78% of the initial activity after 4000 potential cycles, which make it a state-of-the-art catalyst toward formic acid oxidation. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the electronic and geometric effects in PtSnBi intermetallic nanoplates help suppress CO* formation and optimize dehydrogenation steps.

Highly Stable and Efficient FASnI3 -Based Perovskite Solar Cells by Introducing Hydrogen Bonding

Tin-based perovskites with narrow bandgaps and high charge-carrier mobilities are promising candidates for the preparation of efficient lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the crystalline rate of tin-based perovskites is much faster, leading to abundant trap states and much lower open-circuit voltage (V_oc ). Here, hydrogen bonding is introduced to retard the crystalline rate of the FASnI₃ perovskite. By adding poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), the OH…I^- hydrogen bonding interactions between PVA and FASnI₃ have the effects of introducing nucleation sites, slowing down the crystal growth, directing the crystal orientation, reducing the trap states, and suppressing the migration of the iodide ions. In the presence of the PVA additive, the FASnI₃ -PVA PSCs attain higher power conversion efficiency of 8.9% under a reverse scan with significantly improved V_oc from 0.55 to 0.63 V, which is one of the highest V_oc values for FASnI₃ -based PSCs. More importantly, the FASnI₃ -PVA PSCs exhibit striking long-term stability, with no decay in efficiency after 400 h of operation at the maximum power point. This approach, which makes use of the OH…I^- hydrogen bonding interactions between PVA and FASnI₃ , is generally applicable for improving the efficiency and stability of the FASnI₃ -based PSCs.

Construction and Properties of Sierpiński Triangular Fractals on Surfaces

Fractal structures are of fundamental importance in science, engineering, mathematics, and aesthetics. Construction of molecular fractals on surfaces can help to understand the formation mechanism of fractals and a series of achievements have been acquired in the preparation of molecular fractals. This review focuses on Sierpiński triangles (STs), representatives of various prototypical fractals, on surfaces. They are investigated by Monte Carlo simulations and ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy. STs are bonded through halogen bonds, hydrogen bonds, metal-organic coordination bonds and covalent bonds. The coexistence of and competition between fractals and crystals are realized for a hydrogen-bonded system. Electronic properties of two types of STs are summarized.

The Chinese National Twin Registry: a 'gold mine' for scientific research

The Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) currently includes data from 61 566 twin pair from 11 provinces or cities in China. Of these, 31 705, 15 060 and 13 531 pairs are monozygotic, same-sex dizygotic and opposite-sex dizygotic pairs, respectively, determined by opposite sex or intrapair similarity. Since its establishment in 2001, the CNTR has provided an important resource for analysing genetic and environmental influences on chronic diseases especially cardiovascular diseases. Recently, the CNTR has focused on collecting biologic specimens from disease-concordant or disease-discordant twin pairs or from twin pairs reared apart. More than 8000 pairs of these twins have been registered, and blood samples have been collected from more than 1500 pairs. In this review, we summarize the main findings from univariate and multivariate genetic effects analyses, gene-environment interaction studies, omics studies exploring DNA methylation and metabolomic markers associated with phenotypes. There remains further scope for CNTR research and data mining. The plan for future development of the CNTR is described. The CNTR welcomes worldwide collaboration.

Stabilizing heterostructures of soft perovskite semiconductors

Here we report a solution-processing strategy to stabilize the perovskite-based heterostructure. Strong Pb–Cl and Pb–O bonds formed between a [CH(NH2)2]x[CH3NH3]1−xPb1+yI3 film with a Pb-rich surface and a chlorinated graphene oxide layer. The constructed heterostructure can selectively extract photogenerated charge carriers and impede the loss of decomposed components from soft perovskites, thereby reducing damage to the organic charge-transporting semiconductors. Perovskite solar cells with an aperture area of 1.02 square centimeters maintained 90% of their initial efficiency of 21% after operation at the maximum power point under AM1.5G solar light (100 milliwatts per square centimeter) at 60°C for 1000 hours. The stabilized output efficiency of the aged device was further certified by an accredited test center.

Manganese-Enhanced MRI of the Brain in Healthy Volunteers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The manganese ion is used as an intracellular MR imaging contrast agent to study neuronal function in animal models, but it remains unclear whether manganese-enhanced MR imaging can be similarly useful in humans. Using mangafodipir (Teslascan, a chelated manganese-based contrast agent that is FDA-approved), we evaluated the dynamics of manganese enhancement of the brain and glandular structures in the rostral head and neck in healthy volunteers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We administered mangafodipir intravenously at a rate of 1 mL/minute for a total dose of 5 μmol/kg body weight. Nine healthy adult volunteers (6 men/3 women; median age, 43 years) completed baseline history and physical examination, 3T MR imaging, and blood work. MR imaging also followed mangafodipir administration at various time points from immediate to 7 days, with delayed scans at 1-3 months.

RESULTS

The choroid plexus and anterior pituitary gland enhanced within 10 minutes of infusion, with enhancement persisting up to 7 and 30 days, respectively. Exocrine (parotid, submandibular, sublingual, and lacrimal) glands also enhanced avidly as early as 1 hour postadministration, generally resolving by 1 month; 3 volunteers had residual exocrine gland enhancement, which resolved by 2 months in 1 and by 3 months in the other 2. Mangafodipir did not affect clinical parameters, laboratory values, or T1-weighted signal in the basal ganglia.

CONCLUSIONS

Manganese ions released from mangafodipir successfully enable noninvasive visualization of intra- and extracranial structures that lie outside the blood-brain barrier without adverse clinical effects, setting the stage for future neuroradiologic investigation in disease.

Autophagy in Skin Diseases

Autophagy, or self-eating, is an evolutionarily conserved process in which cytosol and organelles are sequestered within double-membrane vesicles that deliver the contents to the lysosome/vacuole for the degradation and recycling of cytoplasmic components in eukaryotes. It is well recognized that autophagy plays an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis under physiological and pathophysiological con-ditions and the upregulation of autophagy may serve as an adaptive process to provide nutrients and energy when under stresses. Recently, studies have illustrated that autophagy is intricately related to skin diseases. This review provides a brief synopsis of the process of autophagy and aims to elucidate the roles of autophagy in different skin diseases and to highlight the need for increased research in the field.

[Exploring the association between SPRY gene family and non-syndromic oral clefts among Chinese populations using data of a next-generation sequencing study]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between SPRY gene family and the risk of non-syndromic oral clefts among Chinese populations, in respect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) association and parent-of-origin effects.

METHODS

Based on case-parent design, this study used the data of SPRY gene family in a next generation sequencing study of 183 non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) case-parent trios (549 participants) recruited from 2016 to 2018, to analyze the effects of SNP association and parent-of-origin. The sequencing study adopted a two-stage design. In the first stage, whole exome sequencing was conducted among 24 NSCL/P trios with family history to explore potential signals. Then in the second stage, another 159 NSCL/P trios were used as validation samples to verify the signals found in the first stage. The data of general information, disease features and parental environmental exposures for participants were collected through questionnaires. Blood samples were collected from each participant for DNA extraction and sequencing. Transmission disequilibrium tests (TDT) were conducted to test for the association between SNPs and NSCL/P, while Z score tests were applied to analyze parent-of-origin effects. The analyses were performed using Plink (v1.07). TRIO package in R (v3.5.1). Besides, famSKAT analyses were conducted in the first stage to combine the effect of SNPs located on the same gene, using famSKAT package in R(V3.5.1). Bonferroni method was adopted to correct multiple tests in the second stage.

RESULTS

Twenty-two SNPs in SPRY gene family were included for analyses after the quality control process in the first stage. Based on the variants annotation, functional prediction and statistical analysis, rs1298215244 (SPRY1) and rs504122 (SPRY2) were included in the second verification stage. TDTs in the verification stage revealed that rs1298215244: T>C, rs504122: G>C and rs504122: G>T were associated with the risk of NSCL/P after Bonferroni corrections, where rs504122: G>T was a rare variation. Although the test for parent-of-origin effect of rs1298215244: T>C reached nominal significance level, no SNP showed significant association with NSCL/P through parent-of-origin effect after Bonferroni corrections.

CONCLUSION

This study found that SNPs (including both common and rare variants) among the SPRY gene family were associated with the risk of NSCL/P among Chinese populations. This study failed to detect parent-of-origin effects among the SPRY gene family.

[Study regarding the parent-of-origin effect of WNT pathway genes on non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate among the Chinese population]

Objective: Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) is a common birth defect with its genetic evidence widely explored. This study explored the potential the parent-of-origin (PoO) effect of WNT pathway on the risks of NSCL/P, using a case-parent trio design. Methods: Data on the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of WNT genes were selected from a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of 806 Chinese non-syndromic cleft lip patients, with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) case-parent trios, were gathered from an international consortium. PoO effect of WNT pathway genes and its haplotypes were explored by log-linear models. Additional Wald tests were performed to assess: a) the heterogeneity of PoO effect between different maternal exposures, b) the interaction between PoO effect, c) maternal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and d) multivitamin supplementation during pregnancy. The threshold for statistical significance was adjusted as 3.47×10(-4), according to Bonferroni correction. Results: After quality control, a total of 144 SNPs within seven genes were included for analyses, among which 8 SNPs were of potential PoO effect (P<0.05). However, none of them achieved the statistical significance after Bonferroni correction. The haplotype rs4074668-rs12725747 (T-A) on WNT9A showed significant PoO effect, based on the haplotype test for PoO (P=2.74×10(-4)). In addition, no statistically significant interaction was found in further exploration of this haplotype under environmental exposures as ETS or multivitamin supplementation. Conclusions: Genes in the WNT pathway may influence the NSCL/P risks through the potential PoO effect. Particularly, the haplotype rs4074668-rs12725747 (T-A) on WNT9A presented significant PoO effect on NSCL/P, statistically. From this current study, findings on WNT pathway related risks among the NSCL/P, need to be further validated by independent samples in the future.

Efficient and Stable CsPbI3 Solar Cells via Regulating Lattice Distortion with Surface Organic Terminal Groups

All-inorganic cesium lead iodide perovskites (CsPbI₃ ) are promising wide-bandgap materials for use in the perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, but they easily undergo a phase transition from a cubic black phase to an orthorhombic yellow phase under ambient conditions. It is shown that this phase transition is triggered by moisture that causes distortion of the corner-sharing octahedral framework ([PbI₆ ]^4- ). Here, a novel strategy to suppress the octahedral tilting of [PbI₆ ]^4- units in cubic CsPbI₃ by systematically controlling the steric hindrance of surface organic terminal groups is provided. This steric hindrance effectively prevents the lattice distortion and thus increases the energy barrier for phase transition. This mechanism is verified by X-ray diffraction measurements and density functional theory calculations. Meanwhile, the formation of an organic capping layer can also passivate the surface electronic trap states of perovskite absorber. These modifications contribute to a stable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.2% for the inverted planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which is the highest efficiency achieved by the inverted-structure inorganic PSCs. More importantly, the optimized devices retained 85% of their initial PCE after aging under ambient conditions for 30 days.

[Protective effects of sucralfate on gastric mucosal injury induced by Helicobacter pylori and its effects on gastrointestinal flora in mice]

Objective: To investigate the effects of sucralfate suspension gel (SC) on Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) colonization, H.pylori-induced gastric mucosal injury and gastrointestinal microecology in mice. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, including normal control (NC) group, H.pylori model (HP) group, and SC prevention (HP+SC) group. H.pylori infection mouse model was established by gavage with H.pylori Sydney strain (SS1). And HP+SC group was also administered with SC for 14 days. After mice were sacrificed, the gastric mucosa was taken for HE staining, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining [H.pylori, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], qPCR (IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α) . And cell ultrastructure was observed by electron microscopy. Microbiota communities in the gastric mucosa or fecal were investigated using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. The detection of H.pylori in IHC staining or Giemsa staining was defined as H.pylori infection. Results: The H.pylori positive rate of HP group was 91.67%, and that of HP+SC group was 50.00%. The EDS of HP group were significantly higher than those of the NC group [(3.42±0.19) vs (1.17±0.17), P<0.05], while EDS of HP+SC group (2.42±0.29) were significantly lower than that of HP group (P<0.05). The mRNA levels and immunostaining scores of IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α in HP group was higher than NC group (all P<0.05). Compared with HP group, mRNA levels and IHC scores of IL-8 significantly decreased (all P<0.05) in HP+SC group, while those of IL-10 and TNF-α was similar between two groups (all P>0.05). The IHC scores of ZO-1 and Occludin in HP group was significantly lower than NC group (all P<0.05), and that of ZO-1 and Occludin in the HP+SC group increased compared with HP group [(2.00±0.26) vs (1.17±0.48), P>0.05; (3.50±0.43) vs (2.33±0.21), P<0.05]. Compared with NC group, the diversity of gastric microbiota in HP group was significantly lower, and diversity of gut microbiota decreased insignificantly. There was no significant difference between HP+SC group and HP group in gastric or gut microbiota. Conclusion: SC reduces H.pylori colonization, protects H.pylori-induced gastric mucosal injury, decreases H.pylori-induced IL-8 expression, enhances Occludin. However, its effects on H.pylori-induced gastrointestinal microbiota disorders are limited.

Atomic pair distribution function research on Li2MnO3 electrode structure evolution

The mechanism research of structure-related reactions on Li₂MnO₃ is important to enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium-manganese-rich layered oxides. Although there are some reports on the structure evolution of Li₂MnO₃ during cycling process, the employed research techniques are very limited, mainly in/ex-situ X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption and transmission electron microscopy. Here, atomic pair distribution function, a method to study the local atomic arrangement on the basis of average spectroscopic information, is used for the first time to study the local structure evolution of Li₂MnO₃ during electrochemical charge/discharge cycles. The results clearly demonstrate that Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ redox couple is activated and Mn ions are reduced during discharging process. Some Mn ions in Mn layers can significantly migrate to Li layers and occupy the octahedral sites. As a result, a portion of inserted Li ions can occupy the face-shared tetrahedronsites, accompanied by the formation of local spinel-like structure. This work provides an important and suitable method based on the average spectroscopic information to investigate the local structure of electrode materials of lithium-ion batteries as well as other advanced battery systems.

Clinical, neuroimaging and prognostic study of 127 cases with infarction of the corpus callosum

Background and purpose

The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate clinical and neuroimaging characteristics in the largest sample size of patients with corpus callosum infarction to date and then to follow up these patients for 1 year to clarify the prognosis of this rare stroke entity.

Methods

A total of 127 patients with acute callosal infarction out of 5584 acute ischaemic stroke patients were included in this study. The recruited patients were divided into a pure callosal infarction group and a complex callosal infarction group (coupled with other infarct locations simultaneously), and clinical and neuroimaging features were analyzed. Some of the patients were followed up for 1 year to evaluate recurrence rate and mortality.

Results

The incidence of acute callosal infarction was 2.3%. Most patients presented with advanced neurological dysfunction with or without mild to moderate motor or sensory disorders on admission. The negative rate of computed tomography scan was still 76.4% even at >24 h after onset. Large‐artery atherosclerosis was the most common etiological type. Compared with complex callosal infarction, the pure callosal infarction group had more mental disorders (P = 0.030). Compared with common basal ganglia infarction, the pure callosal infarction group had better short‐term recovery (P = 0.016) but higher 1‐year mortality (P = 0.037). Age and mental disorders were independent risk factors for death in callosal infarction.

Conclusions

Callosal infarction is a white matter stroke that occurs with low incidence. Elderly patients with vascular risk factors showed sudden mental or cognitive disorders and callosal infarction could not be excluded. More attention should be paid to the early diagnosis and secondary prevention of callosal infarction because of its poor long‐term outcome.

Accurate Patient-Specific Machine Learning Models of Glioblastoma Invasion Using Transfer Learning

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

MR imaging-based modeling of tumor cell density can substantially improve targeted treatment of glioblastoma. Unfortunately, interpatient variability limits the predictive ability of many modeling approaches. We present a transfer learning method that generates individualized patient models, grounded in the wealth of population data, while also detecting and adjusting for interpatient variabilities based on each patient's own histologic data.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We recruited patients with primary glioblastoma undergoing image-guided biopsies and preoperative imaging, including contrast-enhanced MR imaging, dynamic susceptibility contrast MR imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging. We calculated relative cerebral blood volume from DSC-MR imaging and mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy from DTI. Following image coregistration, we assessed tumor cell density for each biopsy and identified corresponding localized MR imaging measurements. We then explored a range of univariate and multivariate predictive models of tumor cell density based on MR imaging measurements in a generalized one-model-fits-all approach. We then implemented both univariate and multivariate individualized transfer learning predictive models, which harness the available population-level data but allow individual variability in their predictions. Finally, we compared Pearson correlation coefficients and mean absolute error between the individualized transfer learning and generalized one-model-fits-all models.

RESULTS

Tumor cell density significantly correlated with relative CBV (r = 0.33, P < .001), and T1-weighted postcontrast (r = 0.36, P < .001) on univariate analysis after correcting for multiple comparisons. With single-variable modeling (using relative CBV), transfer learning increased predictive performance (r = 0.53, mean absolute error = 15.19%) compared with one-model-fits-all (r = 0.27, mean absolute error = 17.79%). With multivariate modeling, transfer learning further improved performance (r = 0.88, mean absolute error = 5.66%) compared with one-model-fits-all (r = 0.39, mean absolute error = 16.55%).

CONCLUSIONS

Transfer learning significantly improves predictive modeling performance for quantifying tumor cell density in glioblastoma.

[Fujian Tulou Family Cohort Study: study design and characteristics of participants and pedigrees in baseline investigation]

Objective: To describe the study design, the characteristics of participants as well as the pedigrees included in the baseline survey of Fujian Tulou Family Cohort Study. Methods: Fujian Tulou Family Cohort Study was a prospective open cohort study with a biological sample bank. A baseline survey was conducted in Tulou areas of Nanjing county in Fujian province from 2015 to 2018, including questionnaire survey, physical and biochemical indicators examinations, and blood sample collection in adults aged ≥18 years. In addition, family relationship of the participants was also recorded. The pedigree information of the juveniles under 18 years old were also collected. Results: The baseline survey included 2 727 individuals in two clans, of whom 2 373 (87.0%) were adults, and 2 126 participants completed questionnaires, physical examinations and biochemical tests. The average age of the 2 126 participants was (57.9±13.3) years, with 39.4% being males. The current smoking rates in male and female participants were 41.2% and 2.1%, respectively. The corresponding rates of current alcohol consumption were 19.0% and 2.6%. For common chronic diseases, the prevalence rates were 51.3% for hypertension, 9.7% for diabetes and 26.7% for hyperlipemia according to the self-reported disease diagnoses, health examination results and biochemical examination results in class Ⅱ or Ⅲ hospitals. Based on the family relationship information and genealogical data, 710 pedigrees were finally identified, consisting of 5 087 family members. The numbers of five, four, three, and two generations pedigrees were 3, 88, 238 and 381, respectively. The pairs of the first to the fifth degree relatives were 12 039, 2 662, 1 511, 202 and 31, respectively. Conclusion: The establishment of Fujian Tulou Family Cohort provides valuable resources for exploring the genetic risk factors, environmental risk factors and gene-environment interactions contributing to the risk of common chronic diseases.

Abstract P4-14-05: Confirmation of the TAILORx 21-gene expression trial using a real world observational database

Background: The TAILORx study (NCT00310180)(TRx) has demonstrated the efficacy of endocrine therapy alone in early stage, lymph node negative, hormone receptor positive, her2neu oncogene negative breast cancer harboring an intermediate recurrence score (RS) on a 21-gene profile (OncotypeDx), obviating the need for adjuvant chemotherapy in a large subset of women. The study randomized and followed 6711 patients (pts) and required 9 years to reach its conclusion endpoints. The availability of the electronic health record (EHR) permits automated reviews, facilitating more rapid “real world” hypothesis testing (but not a replacement for randomized clinical trials), especially when there are clear variations in common practice patterns. However physician bias in treatment selection needs to be considered.

Methods: A retrospective review of the Cota Observational Cancer database, drawn from EHRs, of female pts with breast cancer who were 18 to 75 years of age; had hormone-receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative, axillary node–negative breast cancer harboring an OncotypeDx RS 11-25 receiving adjuvant therapy following surgical resection of a 11-50 mm primary tumor (similar to TRx eligibility).

Results: 1009 pts from 23 cancer centers (107 oncologists) were identified, 850 (84.2%) received adjuvant endocrine therapy alone (E) and 159 (15.8%) received adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy (CE) as part of standard care (no randomization). 285 pts were age &lt;50 yrs (E:218, CE:67) and 601 pts has RS 16-25 (E:453, CE:148). Treatment selection was imbalanced with oncologists more likely to utilize CE in younger pts (median age E: 59 yrs, CE: 53 yrs; p&lt;0.01), larger tumors (median tumor size E: 16mm, CE: 20mm; p&lt;0.001) and higher RS (median RS E: 16, CE: 21; p&lt;0.001). With a median follow-up for survival since diagnosis of 3.7 years, the Kaplan-Meier estimated 5 yr overall survival rates were 98.9% with E and 97.8% with CE (p=0.23); the corresponding 5-yr OS in TRx were E: 98% and C: 98.1%. With a median 1.7 years follow-up for recurrence, 19 pts have suffered a disease distant or local recurrence (E: 13, CE: 6) yielding a 5-year recurrence-free survival of E: 95.2% and CE: 91% (p=0.05); the corresponding TRx result was E: 96.9% and CE: 97%. The 5-yr invasive disease-free survival (IDFS = death, local/distant, second primary) with 32 events was E: 92.7% and CE: 81.9% (p= 0.05); corresponding TRx E: 92.8 % and CE: 93.1%. Given the imbalance in treatment allocations, a multivariate analysis was performed, with older age (&lt;0.001), CE choice (&lt;0.006) and larger tumor size (p&lt;0.05) remaining significant, but not increased RS (p=0.16) for 5-year IDFS. Among women age &lt;50 with RS 16-25 (E: 118; CE: 60) the 5-yr IDFS was E: 95% and CE: 94%; the corresponding RS 16-20 TRx E: 92% and CE: 94.7% and RS 21-25 E: 86.3% and CE: 92.1%.

Conclusions: Using a real world data source, endocrine therapy alone appears to yield excellent 5-yr survival rates among pts with 21-gene RS 11-25 similar to the TAILORx trial. Treatment selection bias (with perceived higher risk pts allocated to CE) and shorter median follow-up limits full confirmation by this dataset.

Citation Format: Waintraub SE, Isaacs C, Norden AD, Graham DA, McNamara DM, O'Neill SC, Lakshmanan A, Wu T, Maresca A, Pecora AL, Goy AH, Goldberg SL. Confirmation of the TAILORx 21-gene expression trial using a real world observational database [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-14-05.

Novel Na2TiSiO5 anode material for lithium ion batteries

Na2TiSiO5 is investigated as a novel anode of the lithium ion battery for the first time. The low working potential (above 0.1 V) and high capacity (>300 mA h g-1) give this material a high energy density, along with improved safety. After 100 cycles, the capacity retention remains at 94%. Furthermore, possible Li+-occupied sites and the migration path in the Na2TiSiO5 structure are also calculated and discussed in this work.

Immunogenicity and safety of an accelerated hepatitis E vaccination schedule in healthy adults: a randomized, controlled, open-label, phase IV trial

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of a hepatitis E (HE) vaccine using an accelerated vaccination schedule (vaccine doses at 0, 7 and 21 days).

METHODS

A total of 126 participants aged ≥18 years were randomly assigned to receive the hepatitis E virus vaccine in either the accelerated group (0, 7 and 21 days) or the routine group (0, 1 and 6 months). Serology samples were obtained at 0, 21, 28 and 51 days, and 7 months in the accelerated group, or 0, 1, 2 and 7 months in the routine group after the first vaccine injection. Adverse events (AEs) reported during the whole study were analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 126 participants were randomized, 63 for each group. Sixty-two participants in the accelerated group and 63 in the routine group received at least one dose of vaccine; 57 and 63 participants received all three doses and were included in per-protocol set, respectively. In the per-protocol population, at 1 month after the last dose (accelerated group at 51 days versus routine group at 7 months), the seropositive rates were both 100% (57/57 and 63/63, respectively), and the geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) were 8.51 WHO units/mL (95% CI 6.73-10.76) in the accelerated group and 9.67 WHO units/mL (95% CI 7.67-12.20) in the routine group. The ratio of the accelerated group GMC to the routine group GMC was 0.88 (95% CI 0.61-2.17, lower limit of 95% CI > 0.5), indicating that the accelerated vaccination schedule was non-inferior to the routine one. The overall incidence rates of solicited AEs in the accelerated and routine groups were 32.26% (20/62) and 30.16% (19/63), respectively (p 0.800). Most AEs were moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

An accelerated schedule is safe and provides protective antibodies in a shorter time compared with the routine schedule. The accelerated schedule should be recommended to adults who are travelling on short notice to an HE-endemic area or during an HE outbreak (Clinical Trial Registration. NCT03168412).

A two-dimensional crystal formed by pentamers on Au(111)

A new type of two-dimensional crystal comprising supramolecular pentamers on Au(111) is studied using an ultra-high vacuum low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope.

Apple rootstocks of different nitrogen tolerance affect the rhizosphere bacterial community composition

AIMS

To select apple rootstocks that are tolerant to low nitrogen and reveal the relationship between the rhizosphere bacterial communities and the low nitrogen tolerance of the apple rootstock.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In total, 235 lines of hybrids of Malus robusta Rehd. × M.9 with low nitrogen stress were cultivated in pots in a greenhouse equipped with a drip irrigation system, and growth characteristics, photosynthesis traits and mineral elements were monitored. The bacterial community structure of the rhizosphere from different rootstocks was determined via Illumina MiSeq sequencing. This study selected three low nitrogen-tolerant (NT) lines that had higher nitrogen concentration, and higher photosynthesis rate than the three low nitrogen-sensitive (NS) lines. The bacterial community structure significantly differed (P ≤ 0·001) among the rootstocks. The bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the dominant groups in the rhizosphere and presented higher abundance in the NT rhizosphere. The N concentration in the apple rootstocks exhibited highly positive Pearson correlations with the bacterial genera Sphingomonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Bacillus and Acinetobacter, and negative correlations with the bacterial genera Pseudarthrobacter and Bradyrhizobium.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that investigated rootstocks achieved increased nitrogen concentration by enhancing their photosynthetic production capacity and shaping their rhizobacteria community structure.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The findings provide a basis for studying the mechanisms of resistance to low nitrogen stress in apple rootstocks. Based on these beneficial bacteria, microbial inoculants can be developed for use in sustainable agricultural and horticultural production.

[Comparison of three different types of donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for intermediate and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome]

目的

比较半相合移植（Haplo-HSCT）、无关供者移植（MUD-HSCT）及同胞相合移植（MSD-HSCT）治疗中高危骨髓增生异常综合征（MDS）的疗效及其预后影响因素。

方法

回顾性分析2001年8月至2015年5月接受异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）治疗的167例中高危MDS患者病例资料，比较不同移植方式下患者的预后特征及预后影响因素。

结果

存活患者中位随访60（12~177）个月。5年实际累积无病生存（DFS）率为67.8%（95% CI 60.0%~75.6%），其中MSD-HSCT组为68.0%（95% CI 54.1%~81.9%），MUD-HSCT组为77.4%（95% CI 62.1%~92.7%），Haplo-HSCT组为64.0%（95% CI 52.4%~75.6%），三组比较差异无统计学意义（P=0.632）。单因素分析结果显示移植前病程>12个月者累积DFS率明显低于≤12个月者（P=0.018）。5年累积复发死亡率和移植相关死亡率（TRM）与上面危险因素均无明显相关性。

结论

Haplo-HSCT治疗MDS疗效显著，可以作为重要的替代供者，特别是在缺乏MSD而病情紧急没有时间去等待搜索MUD的情况下，可以主动选择；移植前病程是影响DFS的重要因素。

[An investigation of lanthanum and other metals levels in blood, urine and hair among residents in the rare earth mining area of a city in China]

Objective: To investigate the levels of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in the blood, urine, and hair samples from residents in the rare earth mining area of a city in China, and to provide a scientific basis for the control of rare earth pollution and the protection of population health. Methods: A total of 147 residents who had lived in the rare earth mining area of a city for a long time were selected as the exposure group, and 108 residents in Guyang County of this city who lived 91 km away from the rare earth mining area were selected as the control group. Blood, urine, and hair samples were collected from the residents in both groups. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the content of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in blood, urine, and hair samples. Results: In the exposure group, the median levels of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium were 0.854, 1.724, 0.132, and 0.839 μg/L, respectively, in blood samples, 0.420, 0.920, 0.055, and 0.337 μg/L, respectively, in urine samples, and 0.052, 0.106, 0.012, and 0.045 μg/g, respectively, in hair samples. The exposure group had significantly higher levels of the four rare earth elements in blood, urine, and hair samples than the control group (P<0.01) . Conclusion: The residents in the rare earth mining area of this city have higher content of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in blood, urine, and hair than those in the non-mining area; the content of cerium is highest, followed by lanthanum, neodymium, and praseodymium.

Initial beam emission spectroscopy diagnostic system on HL-2A tokamak

A beam emission spectroscopy system is being developed and deployed on the HL-2A tokamak to measure local low wavenumber (k _⊥ ρ _i < 1) density fluctuations by measuring the Doppler-shifted emission from a 50 kV deuterium heating neutral beam. High spatial resolution (Δr ≤ 1 cm, Δz ≤ 1.5 cm) measurements are achieved with customized in-vacuum optics. High frequency, high-gain preamplifiers sample the light intensity at a Nyquist frequency of 1 MHz and achieve a high S/N ratio via high optical throughput, low-noise preamplifiers, and high quantum efficiency photodiodes. A first set of 16 detector channels [configured in an 8 (radial) × 2 (poloidal) array] has been installed and tested at HL-2A, covering the radial range r/a = 0.8-1.1. The frequency and wavenumber spectra have been measured under different plasma conditions. Initial measurements have demonstrated the capability of measuring edge plasma density fluctuation spectra and the poloidal flow velocity fields with a high S/N ratio.