Population-based evaluation of the risk factors and prognosis among renal cell carcinoma patients with initially diagnosed lung metastases

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate risk factors and prognosis of lung metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

METHODS

56,617 patients with RCC were selected from the SEER database. Based on univariate and multivariate logistic regression, the risk factors for developing lung metastases were derived. 2906 patients were initially diagnosed with lung metastases, and then were used to research the prognostic factors. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed for the prediction of cancer-specific mortality.

RESULTS

In total, 2906 RCC patients were initially diagnosed with lung metastases. The prevalence of lung metastases in RCC was approximately 5% with poor survival. Aging, male, other race (American Indian/AK native, Asian Pacific islander) uninsured status, bilateral tumor, collecting duct, higher T stage, local lymph node metastases, higher tumor grade, and evidence of other distant metastases were significantly associated with developing lung metastases at diagnosis. Age >70 years-old, black, female, bilateral tumor, T4 stage, higher tumor grade, local lymph node metastases, collecting duct, and evidence of bone, liver, or brain metastases were related to higher risk of mortality. Blacks and female have lower odds of developing lung metastases at the time of diagnosis both in crude and adjusted logistic regression. Meanwhile, blacks and female showed higher risk of mortality compared with whites and male in Cox regression analyses.

CONCLUSION

Several factors related to the development and prognosis of lung metastases were revealed, especially black people and female gender have lower risk of developing lung metastatic RCC at initial diagnosis but have higher risk of mortality. These may provide preventive guidelines for the screening and treatment of lung metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Diverse bacterial profile in extraradicular biofilms and periradicular lesions associated with persistent apical periodontitis

AIM

To characterize the bacterial community present in the extraradicular biofilm and periradicular lesions associated with persistent apical periodontitis.

METHODOLOGY

Eighteen adult patients who presented with persistent periradicular lesions after root canal treatment and scheduled for endodontic surgery were selected. During surgery, extraradicular samples of biofilms and periradicular lesions were collected. Ten pairs of periradicular lesions and extraradicular biofilm samples were randomly selected for ribosomal 16S rRNA cloning and sequencing. A Wilcoxon's rank-sum test was used to compare total bacterial counts and the levels of individual genera and species between the two groups (P < 0.05).

RESULTS

Overall, seventy-three phylotypes belonging to six different phyla were identified from 1000 sequenced clones. Mogibacterium timidum, Streptococcus intermedius and Enterococcus faecalis predominated in both extraradicular biofilm and periapical lesions. Propionibacterium propionicus, Abiotrophia adiacens, Peptostreptococcus prevotii, Campylobacter gracilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were found in significantly higher levels in the extraradicular biofilm than periapical lesions, whilst Parvimonas micra and Atopobium rimae were more abundant in periapical lesions (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The microbial profile of extraradicular biofilms differed from periapical lesions, indicating the presence of diverse bacterial populations in these regions. Several genera and species were significantly associated with the formation of extraradicular biofilms.

[Expression of lncRNA MIR210HG in preeclampsia placental tissue and its functional analysis]

Objective: To investigate the differential expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in placental tissues of women with preeclampsia (PE) and the effect of MIR210HG on the biological function of HTR8/SVneo cells. Methods: A total of 39 cases of PE women (PE group) and 39 cases of normal pregnant women (CTL group) admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from July 2018 to July 2019 were collected. (1) Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to analyze the differentially expressed lncRNAs in the placental tissues of the two groups. (2) The expression level of MIR210HG, one of the differentially expressed lncRNAs, in the placental tissues of the two groups was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. And the correlations between the expression level of MIR210HG and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and neonatal birth weight were analyzed. (3) The constructed small interfering RNA and negative control (NC) RNA were transfected into the HTR8/SVneo cells. The cells were divided into MIR210HG knockdown (KD) group and NC group. The effects of living cell counting (CCK-8) and transwell assay on the proliferation and migration of HTR8/SVneo cells were detected. (4) RNA interacting with MIR210HG was predicted using the Encyclopedia of RNA Interactomes (ENCORI) database. Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG) and BioCarta pathway enrichment analysis were performed. Results: (1) A total of 26 significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs were found by RNA-seq, among which 21 lncRNAs were up-regulated and 5 lncRNAs were down-regulated. (2) The relative expression level of MIR210HG in the PE group was significantly higher than that in the CTL group (9.30±1.90 and 1.10±0.20, respectively; t=4.425, P<0.01). The relative expression level of MIR210HG had positive linear correlation with systolic blood pressure (r²=0.234, P<0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (r²=0.190, P<0.05), but had a negative linear correlation with newborn birth weight (r²=0.157, P<0.05). (3) Compared with the NC group, the proliferation and migration ability of HTR8/SVneo cells in the KD group were increased (all P<0.05). (4) A total of 38 RNAs that might interact with MIR210HG were predicted by ENCORI database. GO functional annotation analysis showed that MIR210HG might be involved in the functions of 27 pathways, including the regulation of production of molecular mediator of immune response, etc; KEGG pathway analysis showed that MIR210HG might be involved in the function of 8 pathways including allograft rejection, etc; Biocarta pathway analysis showed that MIR210HG may be involved in the functions of 8 pathways, including the eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) pathway, etc. Conclusion: The expression of MIR210HG is up-regulated in the placental tissue of PE women, and MIR210HG might be a regulator of the biological behavior of trophoblast cells.

Balanced Charge Carrier Transport Mediated by Quantum Dot Film Post-organization for Light-Emitting Diode Applications

In light-emitting diodes (LEDs), balanced electron and hole transport is of particular importance to achieve high rates of radiative recombination. Most quantum dot (QD)-based LEDs, however, employ infinitesimal core-shell QDs which inherently have different electron and hole mobilities. As QDs are the core building blocks of QD-LEDs, the inherent mobility difference in the core-shell QDs causes significantly unbalanced charge carrier transport, resulting in detrimental effects on performances of QD-LEDs. Herein, we introduce a post-chemical treatment to reconstruct the QD films through the solvent-mediated self-organization process. The treatment using various poly-alkyl alcohol groups enables QD ensembles to transform from disordered solid dispersion into an ordered superlattice and effectively modulate electron and hole mobilities, which leads to the balanced charge carrier transport. In particular, ethanol-treated QD films exhibit enhanced charge carrier lifetime and reduced hysteresis due to the balanced charge carrier transport, which is attributed to the preferential-facet-oriented QD post-organization. As a result, 63, 78, and 54% enhancements in the external quantum efficiency were observed in red, green, and blue QD-LEDs, respectively. These results are of fundamental importance to understand both solvent-mediated QD film reconstruction and the effect of balanced electron and hole transport in QD-LEDs.

A Review: Microbial Diversity and Function of Fermented Meat Products in China

Fermented meat products have a long history in China. These products exhibit a characteristic unique flavor, compact meat quality, clear color, long shelf life and wide variety and are easy to transport. During the processing and storage of fermented meat products, microorganisms are present and exhibit diverse characteristics. Microorganisms can accelerate the degradation of proteins and fats to produce flavor compounds, inhibit the growth and reproduction of heterozygous bacteria, and reduce the content of chemical pollutants. This paper reviews the microbial diversity of Chinese ham, sausage, preserved meat, pressed salted duck, preserved fish and air-dried meat and provides analyses of the microbial compositions of various products. Due to the differences in raw materials, technology, auxiliary materials, and fermentation technology, the microbial species found in various fermented meat products in China are different. However, most fermented meat products in China are subjected to pickling and fermentation, so their microbial compositions also have similarities. Microorganisms in fermented meat products mainly include staphylococci, lactobacilli, micrococci, yeasts, and molds. The study of microbial diversity is of great significance for the formation of quality flavor and the safety control of fermented meat products, and it provides some theoretical reference for the study of fermented meat products in China.

Population-based evaluation of the risk factors and prognosis among renal cell carcinoma patients with initially diagnosed lung metastases

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate risk factors and prognosis of lung metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

METHODS

56, 617 patients with RCC were selected from the SEER database. Based on univariate and multivariate logistic regression, the risk factors for developing lung metastases were derived. 2, 906 patients were initially diagnosed with lung metastases, and then were used to research the prognostic factors. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed for the prediction of cancer-specific mortality.

RESULTS

In total, 2,906 RCC patients were initially diagnosed with lung metastases. The prevalence of lung metastases in RCC was approximately 5% with poor survival. Aging, male, other race (American Indian /AK native, Asian Pacific islander) uninsured status, bilateral tumor, collecting duct, higher T stage, local lymph node metastases, higher tumor grade, and evidence of other distant metastases were significantly associated with developing lung metastases at diagnosis. Age > 70 years-old, black, female, bilateral tumor, T4 stage, higher tumor grade, local lymph node metastases, collecting duct, and evidence of bone, liver, or brain metastases were related to higher risk of mortality. Blacks and female have lower odds of developing lung metastases at the time of diagnosis both in crude and adjusted logistic regression. Meanwhile, blacks and female showed higher risk of mortality compared with whites and male in Cox regression analyses.

CONCLUSION

Several factors related to the development and prognosis of lung metastases were revealed, especially black people and female gender have lower risk of developing lung metastatic RCC at initial diagnosis but have higher risk of mortality. These may provide preventive guidelines for the screening and treatment of lung metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Increased Premature Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases in Dialysis Patients: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Growing data indicate a higher prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases in patients with ESRD. Cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) is an important risk factor of stroke and dementia. A comprehensive assessment of CSVD in a dialysis population is needed.

METHODS

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we enrolled 179 dialysis patients and 351 controls matched by sex and age with normal serum creatinine. The presence and locations of 3 main features of CSVD in dialysis patients, including lacunes, cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), were evaluated with brain magnetic resonance imaging and compared with controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, the prevalence of CSVD was significantly increased in dialysis patients (odds ratio [OR] 2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-5.62). Among them, risks of CMBs and WMHs were increased in dialysis (OR 4.01, 95% CI 1.78-9.42; 3.91, 95% CI 1.67-9.15), except for lacunes. The age of subjects with CSVD detected was significantly younger in the dialysis group (p = 0.002). Unlike controls, basal ganglia were most affected by lacunes and CMBs in dialysis patients. In dialysis patients, multivariate analysis further revealed that aging, smoking, and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with CSVD, while dialysis modality was not significant.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated a higher prevalence and early-onset tendency of CSVD in dialysis patients, especially for CMBs and WMHs. Dialysis patients showed different patterns and associated factors for CSVD.

Cerebral microbleeds and their influence on cognitive impairment in Dialysis patients

Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in dialysis patients have recently attracted much attention, and the different locations of CMBs indicate different pathological processes. Previous studies on the relationship between CMBs and cognitive impairment (CI) in the general population and in dialysis patients have reported controversial results. A total of 180 chronic dialysis patients were enrolled in our study. Based on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis of CMBs, the patients were divided into 4 groups (without-CMBs group, strictly lobar group, strictly deep group, and mixed group). A wide range of cognitive tests was administered to evaluate cognitive function. The risk factors for CMBs were explored, and the correlation between CMB distribution and CI was investigated by regression analysis. The prevalence of CMBs was 32.8% in the total study population, 36.1% in the haemodialysis (HD) subgroup and 26.2% in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) PD subgroup. Sixteen subjects (8.9%) were classified as the lobar group, 12 subjects (6.7%) as the mixed group, and 31 subjects (17.2%) as the deep group. A significant association was shown between deep CMBs and impaired cognitive function, involving overall cognitive function, memory, language ability and executive function. Deep CMBs were significantly associated with dialysis vintage, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and lacunar infarcts number, while deep CMBs showed no correlation with dialysis modality and current heparin medication. Deep CMBs are closely associated with global and specific CI in dialysis patients. Blood pressure control may prevent deep CMBs and their associated CI.

Flatness and boundness of photonic drumhead surface state in a metallic lattice

Nodal chain (NC) semi-metals have the degeneracy of interlacing rings in their band structure in momentum space. With the projection of degenerate rings towards crystal boundaries, there is a special type of surface dispersion appearing at surface Brillouin zone and termed drumhead surface state (DSS). Previously, experimental investigations on photonic NC and DSS have been done on metallic photonic crystals at microwave frequencies. However, far-field detection of DSS and its coupling to radiative modes in free space have not been studied. In the work, we analyze the photonic DSS in a metallic lattice by angle-resolved far-field reflection measurement and numerical simulation at terahertz (THz) frequencies, and reveal its flatness and boundness in band structure, even in the radiation continuum. Particularly, the DSS band can be tuned being from negatively dispersive via flat to positively dispersive by a single surface parameter, and the DSS at Γ point in surface Brillouin zone is in fact a symmetry-protected bound state in the continuum. Our results might have some potential applications towards THz photonics.

Tumor-derived exosomal miR-103a-2-5p facilitates esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation and migration

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify the different expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the plasma derived exosomes of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 9 patients with ESCC and 9 patients with benign diseases were involved. miRNA sequencing was performed to screen differential expression of microRNAs in plasma exosomes between patients with ESCC and controls. The function of miRNA on proliferation and migration abilities was determined by CCK-8 analysis, wound scratch and transwell test. Predicted target genes were screened by databases and confirmed by RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 10 miRNAs (7 upregulated and 3 downregulated) that were differentially expressed in plasma exosomes between patients with ESCC and control patients (fold change, FC ≥ 2.0 or ≤ -2.0, p ≤ 0.05) by miRNA sequencing. Ten miRNAs were detected by qRT-PCR to verify the results of the miRNA sequencing. MiR-103a-2-5p demonstrated the most significant differential expression in both exosomes of ESCC cell lines and plasma of patients as compared with control patients and was therefore selected for subsequent functional experiments. Overexpression of miR-103a-2-5p promoted proliferation and migration in TE-1 cells, whereas inhibition of miR-103a-2-5p suppressed proliferation and migration in KYSE-150 cells. Exosomes extracted from the cells transfected with miR-103a-2-5p mimics significantly increased the proliferation and migration of two ESCC cell lines. Two genes, CDH11 and NR3C1 were identified as predicted targets of miR-103a-2-5p by the bioinformatics tools TargetScan, MiRanda, and mirDIP and RT-qPCR.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results shed light on how exosomal miR-103a-2-5p can promote proliferation and migration of ESCC cells and may represent a potential target for ESCC therapies.

Silencing circPVT1 enhances radiosensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer by sponging microRNA-1208

BACKGROUND

Radiotherapy is one of main useful therapies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism between NSCLC cell radiosensitivity and effective treatment remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim is to explore the relationship between circular (circ) RNA and NSCLC cell radiosensitivity.

METHODS

CircRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) and microRNA (miR)-1208 expression in NSCLC cells were assessed using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). NSCLC cells were transfected with si-PVT1 or miR-1208 inhibitor and then exposed to irradiation. Cellular biology behaviors were detected using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL), colony formation, invasion and western blot. Additionally, binding between circPVT1 and miR-1208 was testified by dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assay.

RESULTS

CircPVT1 was upregulated in NSCLC cells after irradiation treatment. Silencing circPVT1 induced inhibition of NSCLC cell growth and invasion, accompanied by cell apoptosis and γ-H2AX expression. Moreover, NSCLC cell proliferation and invasion was further inhibited by irradiation treatment in circPVT1-silenced cells, indicating a strong radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells. CircPVT1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-1208. Silencing miR-1208 reversed NSCLC cell sensitivity response to irradiation and activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in circPVT1-silenced cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Silencing circPVT1 enhanced radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells by sponging miR-1208.

Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of the Allenic C-H Bond with α-Diazo Esters: Synthesis of [3]Dendralenes

A palladium-catalyzed highly regio- and stereoselective allenic C-H oxidative coupling with α-diazo esters is developed. The reaction pathway involves allylic palladium carbene as the key intermediate, which is followed by a carbene migratory insertion process. The reaction proceeds efficiently under mild conditions without external base, providing substituted [3]dendralenes bearing various functional groups.

The health capacity to work at older ages in urban China

Tapping into the older workforce is a potential economic solution to population aging, but its feasibility depends on the health capacity to work among older people. Existing estimations in OECD countries involve establishing the relationship between work and health on a younger cohort, extrapolating the relationship to older individuals, and deriving the excess health capacity as the difference between predicted and actual employment rates. However, benchmarking on the younger cohort is sub-optimal because the observable retirement-health relationship changes with age. The dual nature of the Chinese social security system provides us with a relatively neat benchmark, allowing us to estimate the excess health capacity among urban workers benchmarking on rural residents in the same age range. Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this choice, combined with other fine-tuning, yields significantly lower but still substantial excess capacity among older urban workers than benchmarking against younger cohorts. Altogether, among urban Chinese aged 45-69, 31.2 million extra workers can potentially be added to the workforce.

A longitudinal observation of brain structure between AD and FTLD

INTRODUCTION

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are the leading causes of dementia. To better understand the disease development of cognitive function and anatomical structure in AD and FTLD, we analyzed the changes in brain volume by MRI and the psychological test results. Here, we report a dynamic observation of brain structure.

METHODS

Thirteen patients diagnosed with probable AD by the 2011 NIA-AA criteria and eight FTLD patients diagnosed by the FTLD criteria underwent MRI at baseline. All subjects were rescanned after 5 months to 3 years of follow-up. The anatomic changes on T1-weighted imaging of each subject were measured, and the separate changes in the two groups and the differences in the changes between AD and FTLD were analyzed.

RESULTS

In AD patients, the anterior and posterior horns of the lateral ventricle and lateral fissure enlarged progressively (p < 0.001). The volume of the regions, including the medial and lateral temporal lobe, especially the parahippocampal gyrus, and the frontal lobe decreased significantly as the disease progressed (p < 0.001). Additionally, the volume of white matter in the frontal, parietal, temporal lobe and cerebellum decreased in a relatively symmetric pattern (p < 0.001). In FTLD patients, the anterior horn of the lateral ventricle, lateral fissure, cerebral longitudinal fissure, external space of the orbitofrontal cortex, and mesencephalon surrounding the cisterna were enlarged (p < 0.005), while regions including the left frontal lobe, anterior cingulate cortex, basal ganglia (especially the left basal ganglia), left lateral temporal lobe and inferior cerebellar vermis decreased as the disease progressed (p < 0.005). Regarding the differences between AD and FTLD, atrophy of the frontal lobe and bilateral basal ganglia was more significant in FTLD than in AD (p < 0.01). In addition, enlargements of the anterior horn of the lateral ventricle, left lateral fissure and interpeduncular cistern were more significant in FTLD patients than in AD patients (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that AD and FTLD have distinctly different atrophy patterns: AD patients show diffuse atrophy while FTLD patients show an asymmetrical focal atrophy pattern, which might explain the relatively better and longer preservation of daily living function in FTLD patients.

Diagnostic value of high-risk human papillomavirus viral load on cervical lesion assessment and ASCUS triage

This study aims to evaluate HR‐HPV viral load in the cervical lesion assessment and its diagnostic value on the triage of ASCUS. The three‐step protocol for cervical cancer screening was carried out in 5171 patients from June 2017 to August 2019, and 1620 histopathological results were obtained. The positive rate of HR‐HPV and TCT increased with the aggravation of pathological grades of cervical lesions. The sensitivity and specificity of HR‐HPV (DH3) to detect CIN II+ were 91.91% and 84.46%, respectively. In comparison, the corresponding results of the cytology test were 80.51% and 83.12%. HPV16/18 viral load was positively correlated with the grade of cervical lesions (p < 0.001, r = 0.321). The diagnostic efficiency of AUC by applying HPV16/18 viral load was 0.682 for the diagnosis of CIN II+. The optimal HPV16/18 viral load for predicting CIN II+ was 6.80 RLU/CO (relative light units/cut‐off), with corresponding sensitivity of 48.6%, specificity of 79.7%, and Youden index of 0.283. In the ASCUS population, viral loads were statistically different in HPV16/18 and the other 12 HR‐HPV when compared cervicitis group with CIN I group and CIN II+ group (all p < 0.05). Statistical differences were detected concerning HPV16/18 viral load, contact bleeding status, and smoking status when compared cervicitis group with CIN I group and CIN II+ group (p < 0.05), with a corresponding odds ratio of 1.004, 1.533, and 5.513, respectively. Our findings suggest that HR‐HPV viral load can be regarded as a useful tool to predict the grade of cervical lesions for ASCUS triage.

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03178136.

Room Temperature Wafer-Scale Synthesis of Highly Transparent, Conductive CuS Nanosheet Films via a Simple Sulfur Adsorption-Corrosion Method

The development of highly conductive electrodes with robust mechanical durability and clear transmittance in the visible to IR spectral range is of great importance for future wearable/flexible electronic applications. In particular, low resistivity, robust flexibility, and wide spectral transparency have a significant impact on optoelectronic performance. Herein, we introduce a new class of covellite copper monosulfide (CuS) nanosheet films as a promising candidate for soft transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). An atmospheric sulfur adsorption-corrosion phenomenon represents a key approach in our work for the achievement of wafer-scale CuS nanosheet films through systematic control of the neat Cu layer thickness ranging from 2 to 10 nm multilayers at room temperature. These nanosheet films provide outstanding conductivity (∼25 Ω sq^-1) and high transparency (> 80%) in the visible to infrared region as well as distinct flexibility and long stability under air exposure, yielding a high figure-of-merit (∼60) that is comparable to that of conventional rigid metal oxide material-based TCEs. Our unique room temperature synthesis process delivers high quality CuS nanosheets on any arbitrary substrates in a short time (< 1 min) scale, thus guaranteeing the widespread use of highly producible and scalable device fabrication.

Flavor Composition and Microbial Community Structure of Mianning Ham

Mianning ham, a traditional Chinese dry-cured ham, is protected by national geographical indications. To understand the surface and internal flavor composition and microbial community structure of Mianning ham, solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography (SPME-GC-MS) technology and Illumina high-throughput sequencing were utilized. The results showed that a total of 60 flavor substances were identified in the hams. Forty-nine kinds of flavorings were identified on the surface, including 14 aldehydes, 6 ketones, 10 alcohols, 5 esters, 7 hydrocarbons, 5 acids, and 2 other compounds. Thirty-six kinds of internal flavorings were identified, including 13 aldehydes, 4 ketones, 6 alcohols, 3 esters, 5 hydrocarbons, 4 acids and 1 other type. Decanal (34.91 μg/g) was the most prevalent compound on the surface, followed by n-hexanol (24.99 μg/g), n-hexanal (20.20 μg/g), and n-octyl (16.14 μg/g). n-Hexanal (20.74 μg/g) was the most common compound internally, followed by non-aldehyde (5.70 μg/g), 1-octene-3-alcohol (3.54 μg/g), and inverse-2-octenal (2.77 μg/g). Penicillium lanosum, Penicillium nalgiovense, Debaryomyces hansenii, Staphylococcus equorum, and Erwinia tasmaniensis were isolated from the surfaces of the hams by the traditional culture method. By Illumina high-throughput sequencing, three fungal phyla were identified. Ascomycota was the dominant phylum followed by Basidiomycota. At the genus level, 11 fungi were identified, of which Aspergillus was the dominant fungus, followed by Penicillium and Wallemia. These findings provide fundamental knowledge regarding the microorganisms and flavor compounds in Mianning ham, which will help industrial processors develop effective strategies for standardizing quality parameters.

Associations between first-trimester intrauterine hematoma and twin pregnancy outcomes: a retrospective cohort study

Background

In recent years, first-trimester intrauterine hematoma (IUH) has become increasingly common in twin pregnancy. The majority of studies on IUH have excluded twin pregnancies, and others did not differentiate between singleton and twin pregnancies. The impact of IUH on twin pregnancy is unclear. Therefore, the primary objective of our study was to examine associations between first-trimester IUH and pregnancy outcomes in twin pregnancies.

Methods

The data of 1020 twin pregnancies in women who received a routine examination from January 2014 to December 2018 were reviewed. We compared baseline data and pregnancy outcomes between those with and without IUH. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for possible confounding factors.

Results

A total of 209 patients (21.3%) developed IUH in the first trimester. First-trimester IUH was significantly associated with increased odds of miscarriage (adjusted odds ratio 14.27, 95% CI 8.25–24.70) and vanishing twin syndrome (adjusted odds ratio 3.26, 95% CI 1.11–4.61). However, there were no differences in the rates of stillbirth, preeclampsia, preterm labor (< 34 weeks), low birth weight, postpartum hemorrhage or fetal distress between the two groups. Maternal age, previous preterm birth, chorionicity in twins and the gestational week at first ultrasound did not differ between the two groups. The women with IUH had high rates of previous miscarriage (46.73% vs 38.37%, p = 0.01), assisted conception (48.56% vs 32.60%, p < 0.001) and accompanied vaginal bleeding (67.46% vs 13.43%, p < 0.001). According to the logistic regression analyses, these characteristics were not associated with pregnancy loss or vanishing twin syndrome. No IUH characteristics, including volume, largest diameter, or the presence of vaginal bleeding, were associated with pregnancy loss or vanishing twin syndrome before 20 weeks of gestation (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

In women with twin pregnancy, the presence of IUH in the first trimester was associated with the loss of one or both fetuses before 20 weeks of gestation. However, previous miscarriage, the conception method, the IUH size and the presence of vaginal bleeding were not independently associated with miscarriage or vanishing twin syndrome.

Case Report and Literature Review: Ectopic Thyrotropin-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma in the Suprasellar Region

Ectopic thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma (ectopic TSH-oma) is a rare disorder that is easily misdiagnosed in clinical work. We report one patient who presented with hyperthyroidism and a suprasellar mass. In this case, preoperative diagnosis of suprasellar ectopic thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma was challenging. A literature review revealed that a total of 11 patients with ectopic TSH-oma were previously reported, and only our one case was diagnosed in the microadenoma stage. Most of the patients with TSH-oma or ectopic TSH-oma were middle-aged. We described ectopic TSH-oma in a child at length. We recommend that ectopic TSH-oma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis syndrome to achieve an accurate, early diagnosis. The somatostatin suppression test and imaging examinations, such as magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, could contribute to the diagnosis. Once the diagnosis was highly suspected, tumor resection could achieve a satisfying long-term outcome in ectopic TSH-oma.

Alcohol Consumption and Cognitive Function in an Older Population in China

The relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive function has only been studied to a limited extent in China. This paper examines this relationship using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a nationally representative dataset of the Chinese population aged over 45. Alcohol consumption was measured by drinking status (never, former, moderate, excessive drinkers) based on number of standard drinks per week. Mental status and episodic memory function were used as measures of cognitive function. Lagged dependent variable models were used to examine independent associations between alcohol consumption and cognitive function. Our models controlled for demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, baseline cognitive functioning and an indicator for lifestyle. We also tested for an inverted J shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning. A total of 10404 nondrinkers (60.09%), 2450 former drinkers (14.15%), 1599 moderate drinkers (9.24%) and 1525 excessive drinkers (8.81%) were included. Compared to never drinkers, there were no statistically significant difference between this group and moderate drinking group. While, excessive drinkers were consistently associated with on average 0.13-point decrease in episodic memory scores (p =0.031). For mental intactness, there were no statistically significant differences between never drinkers and other groups. Furthermore, we did not find evidence to support an inverted J-shaped association between standard drinks per week and measures of cognitive functioning. Excessively drinking was associated with greater decline in episodic memory function, but not in mental intactness in elder Chinese population. There is no significant association between moderate drinking and cognitive functioning measures.

Brain volume and perfusion asymmetry in temporal lobe epilepsy with and without hippocampal sclerosis

Objectives: To detect and compare the features of interictal perfusion and volume asymmetry between temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with and without hippocampal sclerosis (HS).Methods: Sixty-one TLE patients (mean age 28.4 ± 9.3 years; 28 female/33 male) with unilateral signs of HS (TLE-HS+) and 25 TLE patients (mean age 29.8 ± 8.0 years; 17 female/8 male) without HS (TLE-HS-) were included. Thirty healthy volunteers served as controls (mean age 26.0 ± 8.7 years; 22 female/8 male). Brain segmentation and volume calculation were performed. Quantitative cerebral blood flow (CBF) values were measured based on arterial spin labeling (ASL). The asymmetry indices (AIs) of volume and perfusion were calculated.Results: TLE-HS+ (adjusted P = 0.001) and TLE-HS- patients (adjusted P = 0.006) had significantly higher hippocampal perfusion AIs than controls. TLE-HS+ and TLE-HS- had similar hippocampal perfusion AIs (adjusted P = 1.00). TLE-HS+ had higher hippocampal volume AIs than TLE-HS- and controls (adjusted P < 0.001). TLE-HS- and controls had similar hippocampal volume AIs (adjusted P = 1.00). All (100%) TLE-HS+ patients had positive hippocampal perfusion or volume AIs. No significant correlation between the AIs of hippocampal perfusion and volume was found in both TLE-HS+(P = 0.894) and TLE-HS- (P = 0.106) patients. TLE-HS+ patients demonstrated more extensive whole-brain asymmetry of both perfusion and volume than TLE-HS- patients.Conclusion: TLE-HS+ and TLE-HS- patients have different patterns of whole-brain perfusion and volume asymmetry. Hippocampal perfusion asymmetry was revealed in both TLE-HS+ and TLE-HS- patients.