Alteration in cartilage matrix stiffness as an indicator and modulator of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by cartilage degeneration and destruction, leading to joint ankylosis and disability. The major challenge in diagnosing OA at early stage is not only lack of clinical symptoms but also the insufficient histological and immunohistochemical signs. Alteration in cartilage stiffness during OA progression, especially at OA initiation, has been confirmed by growing evidences. Moreover, the stiffness of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), pericellular matrix (PCM) and chondrocytes during OA development are dynamically changed in unique and distinct fashions, revealing possibly inconsistent conclusions when detecting cartilage matrix stiffness at different locations and scales. In addition, it will be discussed regarding the mechanisms through which OA-related cartilage degenerations exhibit stiffened or softened matrix, highlighting some critical events that generally incurred to cartilage stiffness alteration, as well as some typical molecules that participated in constituting the mechanical properties of cartilage. Finally, in vitro culturing chondrocytes in various stiffness-tunable scaffolds provided a reliable method to explore the matrix stiffness-dependent modulation of chondrocyte metabolism, which offers valuable information on optimizing implant scaffolds to maximally promote cartilage repair and regeneration during OA. Overall, this review systematically and comprehensively elucidated the current progresses in the relationship between cartilage stiffness alteration and OA progression. We hope that deeper attention and understanding in this researching field will not only develop more innovative methods in OA early detection and diagnose but also provide promising ideas in OA therapy and prognosis.

Oral microbiome-driven virulence factors: A novel approach to pancreatic cancer diagnosis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive malignancy, often associated with a poor prognosis for patients. One of the major challenges in managing PDAC is the difficulty in early diagnosis, owing to the limited and invasive nature of current diagnostic methods. Recent studies have identified the oral microbiome as a potential source of non-invasive biomarkers for diseases, including PDAC. In this study, we focused on leveraging the differential expression of virulence factors (VFs) encoded by the oral microbiome to create a diagnostic tool for PDAC. We observed a higher alpha diversity in VF categories among PDAC patients compared to healthy controls. We then identified a panel of VF categories that were significantly upregulated in PDAC patients, these being associated with bacterial adherence, exoenzyme production, and nutritional/metabolic processes. Moreover, Streptococcus-derived VFs were notably enriched in PDAC patients. We developed a diagnostic model using random forest analysis based on the levels of these VFs. The model's diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.88, indicating high accuracy in differentiating PDAC patients from healthy controls. Our findings suggest that VFs encoded by the oral microbiome hold potential as diagnostic tools for PDAC, offering a non-invasive approach that could significantly enhance early detection and prognosis, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.

Dual role of endoplasmic reticulum stress-ATF-6 activation in autophagy and apoptosis induced by cyclic stretch in myoblast

OBJECTIVE

Mandibular growth that is induced by functional appliances is closely associated with skeletal and neuromuscular adaptation. Accumulating evidence has proved that apoptosis and autophagy have a vital role in adaptation process. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. This study sought to determine whether ATF-6 is involved in stretch-induced apoptosis and autophagy in myoblast. The study also sought to uncover the potential molecular mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL and Annexin V and PI staining. Autophagy was detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis and immunofluorescent staining for autophagy-related protein light chain 3 (LC3). Real time-PCR and western blot were performed to evaluate the expression level of mRNA and proteins that were associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), autophagy and apoptosis.

RESULTS

Cyclic stretch significantly decreased the cell viability and induced apoptosis and autophagy of myoblasts time-dependently. Stretching stimuli activated ATF-6 pathway and induced ERS-mediated apoptosis. Moreover, using 4-PBA significantly inhibited ERS-related apoptosis, as well as partially decreasing autophagy. In addition, inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA enhanced apoptosis by affecting the expression of CHOP and Bcl-2. However, it had no obvious effects on ERS-related proteins of GRP78 and ATF-6. More importantly, knockdown ATF-6 effectively weakened apoptosis and autophagy. It did so by regulating the expression of Bcl-2, Beclin1 and CHOP, but not cleaved Caspase-12, LC3II and p62 in stretched myoblast.

CONCLUSION

ATF-6 pathway was activated in myoblast by mechanical stretch. ATF-6 may regulate the process of stretch-induced myoblast apoptosis and autophagy via CHOP, Bcl-2 and Beclin1 signaling.

Effect of N6-methyladenosine methylation-related gene signature for predicting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Background and aims

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cause of cancer-related death in humans. Increasing evidence indicates that an imbalance in N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is linked to the occurrence and development of cancer. We then developed a prognostic model as an independent risk factor with which predict the prognosis of HCC.

Methods

We obtained the gene expression and clinical data of HCC patients from the TCGA databases. The prognostic value of m6A methylation-related genes in patients who had HCC were subjected to comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. We use Risk Score = ∑ i = 1 n Coe f i × X i to construct the risk scoring formula. We collected pathological specimens from 68 patients who had HCC, and conducted immunohistochemical staining experiments on the specimens.

Results

There was a significant correlation between candidate m6A methylation-related genes (YTHDF2, METTL14 and ZC3H13) overall survival of HCC patients. Among the 68 HCC patient specimens that underwent immunohistochemical staining, all cancer tissues were positive for METTL14, YTHDF2, and ZC3H13 staining in contrast to the adjacent tissues. We conducted a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The results showed that patients who had low METTL14 expression had a longer survival time than those of patients who had high METTL14 expression. Also, patients with low YTHDF2 expression had a longer survival time than patients with high YTHDF2 expression. Finally, patients with high ZC3H13 expression lived longer than those with low ZC3H13 expression. This result is consistent with the bioinformatics analysis conclusion above.

Conclusions

Generally, the prognostic model that was based on m6A methylation-related genes in this study can effectively predict the prognosis of HCC patients.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is activated in the progress of mandibular condylar cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone loss induced by overloaded functional orthopedic force (OFOF)

Objective

To explore the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the pathogenesis and progression of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) caused by overloaded force.

Materials and methods

We generated a rat model of forward mandibular extension device to induce TMJ OA by overloaded force. Condylar cartilage samples were collected at 2wk, 4wk, and 8wk after appliances were installed. Changes of the condylar cartilage and subchondral bone were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Safranin O and Fast Green staining (SO&FG), micro-CT, tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining. The expression levels of β-catenin, COL-2, MMP3 and sclerostin (SOST) were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and PCR.

Results

HE, SO&FG, micro-CT, OARSI and Mankin scores showed that the condyle cartilage layer was significantly thinner and proteoglycan loss in the overloded group. TRAP staining exhibited that the number of positive osteoclasts increased and OPG level decreased in the overload group. IHC, PCR showed that the expression of COL2 and SOST decreased, while MMP3 and β-catenin increased in the overload group.

Conclusion

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is activated in the progress of mandibular condylar cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone loss induced by overloaded functional orthopedic force (OFOF)

Intensive stretch-activated CRT-PMCA1 feedback loop promoted apoptosis of myoblasts through Ca2+ overloading

Mechanical stretch exerted pro-apoptotic effect on myoblasts, the mechanism of which is currently unknown. Intracellular Ca²⁺ accumulation has been implicated in stretch-induced apoptosis. calreticulin (CRT) and plasma membrane Ca²⁺ transporting ATPase 1 (PMCA1) are two critical components of Ca²⁺ signaling system participating in intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis. In this study, we explored the contribution of CRT and PMCA1 in mediating stretch-induced Ca²⁺ accumulation and apoptosis of myoblasts. Stretching stimuli elevated level of CRT while inhibited activity of PMCA1. Moreover, there were bidirectional regulations between CRT and PMCA1, which formed the positive feedback loop leading to continuous increment of CRT level and repression of PMCA1 activity, in stretched myoblasts. Specifically, increased CRT level inhibited PMCA1 activity via suppressing Calmodulin (CaM), while reduced PMCA1 activity promoted CRT expression through activating p38MAPK pathway. Thus, the CRT-CaM-PMCA1 and PMCA1-p38MAPK-CRT pathways constituted a close cycle comprising CRT, PMCA1, CaM and p38MAPK. Inhibition of both CaM and p38MAPK affected the other three factors in stretched myoblasts. Circulation of the vicious cycle resulted in escalated Ca²⁺ overloading in myoblasts under continuous stretching stimuli. CRT knock-down, PMCA1 overexpression, and p38MAPK inhibition all attenuated the raised intracellular Ca²⁺ level and ameliorated myoblast apoptosis in the stretching environment. Conversely, CRT overexpression, PMCA1 knock-down, and CaM inhibition all aggravated stretch-induced Ca²⁺ overloading and myoblast apoptosis. A positive feedback loop between CRT and PMCA1 was activated in stretched myoblasts, which contributed to intracellular Ca²⁺ accumulation and resultant myoblast apoptosis.

Effect of standardized enteral nutrition on AECOPD patients with respiratory failure

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of standardized enteral nutrition (EN) on nutritional indicators and immunological functioning of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients with respiratory failure.

METHODS

We selected 92 cases of AECOPD patients with respiratory failure as the research objects, and classified them into two groups (control/observation group, n=46 respectively) according to random number table. Both groups were given conventional anti-infection and symptomatic treatment. In addition, the control group received diet support therapy, and the observation group was given standard EN treatment. Afterwards, the changes of nutritional indicators, immunological functioning, inflammatory indicators and cardiopulmonary function of the two groups before and after therapy were compared.

RESULTS

Hemoglobin (HB), serum albumin (ALB), and total protein (TP) of the two groups after treatment were critically higher than those before treatment, and the indicators in observation group in post-treatment were remarkably higher than those in control group (P<0.05); lymphocyte count (TLC), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) of the two groups tremendously increased in post-treatment than before receiving treatment, and the post-treatment indicators of observation group were obviously higher than those of control group (P<0.05); high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in two groups sharply decreased after treatment comparing to which before treatment, and the observation group had notably lower post-treatment indexes than that of the control group (P<0.05); Ejection minutes (LVEF), NT proBNP, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂), partial pressure of blood oxygen (PaO₂) and pH of the two groups had remarkably improved after treatment, and the improvement effect in observation group was superior to that in control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The standard EN can substantially improve the nutritional status and immunological functioning of AECOPD patients with respiratory failure, reduce the inflammatory indicators, and promote their cardiopulmonary function.

The effects of specialized emergency and intensive nursing team on arterial blood gas and pulmonary function in pulmonary infection with respiratory failure

OBJECTIVE

To investigate effects of specialized emergency and intensive nursing team on arterial blood gas and pulmonary function in pulmonary infected patients with respiratory failure.

METHODS

126 patients with pulmonary infection and respiratory failure admitted to our hospital were chosen and randomly divided into observation group and control group, with 63 cases in each group. The control-group received specialized routine nursing care, and the observation-group was treated with the emergency and intensive nursing care. Subsequently, the arterial blood gas, pulmonary function, inflammatory biomarkers, complication rate, recovery course and nursing satisfaction between the two groups were compared accordingly.

RESULTS

After nursing care, the arterial blood gas and pulmonary function indexes of the two groups were remarkably improved than before, and the improvement in observation-group was superior to that in control-group (P<0.05); The inflammatory indicators of hs-CRP and PCT in two groups decreased substantially than before, and observation-group had remarkably lower indicators than that of the control-group (P<0.05); The incidence of complications in observation-group was 4.76%, significantly lower than 19.05% in control-group (P<0.05); The objects in observation-group spent exactly shorter time on ventilator than whom in control-group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); The observation-group had critically shorter length of hospital stay than those in control-group (P<0.05). The satisfaction of the observation-group with nursing care was 93.65%, which was dramatically higher than 73.02% in control-group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For pulmonary infection and respiratory failure, the nursing intervention carried by the specialized emergency and intensive nursing team can remarkably improve the arterial blood gas and pulmonary function, reduce the patients' inflammatory indicators and incidence of complications. The application of the nursing team can reduce the time on ventilator and length of hospital stay, and improve patients' satisfaction with nursing care.

Molecular and Biomechanical Adaptations to Mechanical Stretch in Cultured Myotubes

Myotubes are mature muscle cells that form the basic structural element of skeletal muscle. When stretching skeletal muscles, myotubes are subjected to passive tension as well. This lead to alterations in myotube cytophysiology, which could be related with muscular biomechanics. During the past decades, much progresses have been made in exploring biomechanical properties of myotubes in vitro. In this review, we integrated the studies focusing on cultured myotubes being mechanically stretched, and classified these studies into several categories: amino acid and glucose uptake, protein turnover, myotube hypertrophy and atrophy, maturation, alignment, secretion of cytokines, cytoskeleton adaption, myotube damage, ion channel activation, and oxidative stress in myotubes. These biomechanical adaptions do not occur independently, but interconnect with each other as part of the systematic mechanoresponse of myotubes. The purpose of this review is to broaden our comprehensions of stretch-induced muscular alterations in cellular and molecular scales, and to point out future challenges and directions in investigating myotube biomechanical manifestations.

Risk factors for emergence agitation in adults after general anesthesia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Emergence agitation (EA) is an adverse post-operative complication that increases the risk for injury, self-extubation, hemorrhages, and prolonged hospitalization. This meta-analysis aims to define the risk factors for adult EA after general anesthesia and provide recommendations for clinical practice.

METHODS

Embase, PubMed, Medline, and the Cochrane Library databases were comprehensive retrieved. Observational studies that reported the risk factors for adult EA were enrolled. Review Manager 5.4 was used to analyze the extracted data.

RESULTS

Eighteen observational studies involving 16, 678 adult patients were enrolled in this study. Eighteen pre-operative and nineteen intraoperative factors with unadjusted data, and five pre-operative and five intraoperative factors with adjusted data were meta-analyzed separately. Among them, seven factors (age, male, smoking, history of substance misuse, inhalational anesthesia, urinary catheter, complain of pain, or need analgesic drug use in post-anesthetic care unit) were the risk factors no matter meta-analyzed by unadjusted data or adjusted data. Intraoperative use of benzodiazepines was the risk factor when meta-analyzed by adjusted data, but not unadjusted data. Moreover, age and inhalational anesthesia were not the risk factors when omitted one study for sensitivity analysis, and history of substance misuse could not do sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

Based on this meta-analysis, male, smoking, urinary catheter, and post-operative pain are the risk factors, while age, inhalational anesthesia, history of substance misuse, and intraoperative use of benzodiazepines are the possible risk factors for adult EA.

EDITORIAL COMMENT

This systematic review and meta-analysis identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of agitation during emergence from general anesthesia. As might be expected, the strongest factors are generally things which are irritating or painful for patients, but cannot necessarily be avoided.

Overloaded Orthopedic Force Induces Condylar Subchondral Bone Absorption by Stimulating Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiating into Osteoclasts via mTOR-Regulated RANKL/OPG Secretion in Osteoblasts

Appropriate orthopedic force led to bone remodeling of mandibular condyle, while overloaded orthopedic force (OOF) induced condylar bone absorption. Bone absorption is ascribed to the imbalanced activities between osteoclasts (OCs) and osteoblasts (OBs), mechanism of which remains unclear. This study aimed to observe the condylar changes induced by OOF by mandible advancement appliance and to further investigate the role of mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR) and RANKL/OPG in osteoclastic differentiation of stem cells in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, the results of micro-CT analysis indicated that condylar bone resorption was induced by OOF through mandibular advancement appliance for 2 weeks and worsened time dependently. Morphologically, cartilage thickness was reduced, subchondral cortical bone line appeared not continuous, and subchondral bone exhibited irregular-shaped and owned uneven surface. The bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) were decreased accomplished with the increased trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) determined by micro-CT. In addition, based on immunofluorescent labeling, OOF activated both OCs and OBs, but osteoclastogenesis prevailed over osteogenesis. The mTOR activation and ratio of RANKL/OPG in OBs were elevated by OOF. In vitro, the results of western blot and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consistently suggested that the mTOR and RANKL/OPG ratio were upregulated by overloaded mechanical stretch. Pretreatment with mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, could attenuate the activation of mTOR and the secretion of RANKL in OBs. Interestingly, based on the Trap staining, the supernatant of OBs exposed to OOF could promote osteoclastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), while its role was weakened by inhibition of mTOR in OBs. Collectively, OOF induced condylar bone absorption; in the process, osteoclastogenesis was prominent than osteogenesis. The activation of mTOR and secretion of RANKL/OPG were enhanced by OOF and were involved in promoting MSCs differentiating into OCs.

Novel Insights Into the Role of N6-Methyladenosine RNA Modification in Bone Pathophysiology

Thus far, there are more than known 150 modifications to RNA, in which common internal modifications of mRNA include N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methyladenosine, and 5-methylcytosine. Among them, m6A RNA modification is one of the highest abundance modifications in eukaryotes, regulating mechanisms controlling gene expression at the post-transcription level. As an invertible and dynamic epigenetic marker, m6A base modification influences almost all vital biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Once the m6A modification process is abnormal, a series of diseases-including cancer, neurological diseases, and growth disorders-will be caused. Besides, several base modification activities also have been created by noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), for instance, microRNAs, and circular RNAs, long ncRNAs, which were dynamically regulated during bone and cartilage pathophysiology processes. Therefore, it has now been clear that dynamic modification on coding RNAs and ncRNAs represents a completely new way to modulate genetic information. In this review, we highlight up-to-date progress and applications of m6A RNA modification in bone and cartilage pathophysiology, and we discuss the pathological roles and underlying molecular mechanism of m6A modifications in osteoarthritis and osteoporosis and osteosarcoma pathogenesis.

Transcriptomic changes in the nasal epithelium associated with diesel engine exhaust exposure

BACKGROUND

Diesel engine exhaust (DEE) exposure causes lung cancer, but the molecular mechanisms by which this occurs are not well understood.

OBJECTIVES

To assess transcriptomic alterations in nasal epithelium of DEE-exposed factory workers to better understand the cellular and molecular effects of DEE.

METHODS

Nasal epithelial brushings were obtained from 41 diesel engine factory workers exposed to relatively high levels of DEE (17.2-105.4 μg/m3), and 38 unexposed workers from factories without DEE exposure. mRNA was profiled for gene expression using Affymetrix microarrays. Linear modeling was used to identify differentially expressed genes associated with DEE exposure and interaction effects with current smoking status. Pathway enrichment among differentially expressed genes was assessed using EnrichR. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to compare gene expression patterns between datasets.

RESULTS

225 genes had expression associated with DEE exposure after adjusting for smoking status (FDR q < 0.25) and were enriched for genes in pathways related to oxidative stress response, cell cycle pathways such as MAPK/ERK, protein modification, and transmembrane transport. Genes up-regulated in DEE-exposed individuals were enriched among the genes most up-regulated by cigarette smoking in a previously reported bronchial airway smoking dataset. We also found that the DEE signature was enriched among the genes most altered in two previous studies of the effects of acute DEE on PBMC gene expression. An exposure-response relationship was demonstrated between air levels of elemental carbon and the first principal component of the DEE signature.

CONCLUSIONS

A gene expression signature was identified for workers occupationally exposed to DEE that was altered in an exposure-dependent manner and had some overlap with the effects of smoking and the effects of acute DEE exposure. This is the first study of gene expression in nasal epithelial cells of workers heavily exposed to DEE and provides new insights into the molecular alterations that occur with DEE exposure.

Oroxylin A Shows Protective Effects on Biological Activity of Lipopolysaccharide Treated Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells

The abnormal proliferation and apoptosis of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) serves a crucial role in the development of periodontitis. Oroxylin A has shown protective effects in a variety of inflammatory diseases. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of oroxylin A on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated hPDLSCs. In the present study, cells were exposed to different concentrations (10, 20, 40 uM) of oroxylin A for 24 h or 48 h, co-treated with LPS. The cell proliferation capacity was assessed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), and the cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. The Ki67 expression was measured using immunofluorescence and NO production was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. Western blot analyses were used to investigate the level of cell proliferation related proteins (PCNA, CDK2 and p21) as well as NF-κB, I-κBα and downstream molecules iNOS, IL-6 and TNF-α. The results demonstrated that oroxylin A increased cell survival of LPS treated hPDLSCs in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. In addition, oroxylin A treatment inhibited cell apoptosis in hPDLSCs. Furthermore, the levels of NO, NF-κB, iNOS, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly reduced. And the expression of Ki67, I-κBα, PCNA and CDK2 were significantly increased. Taken together, these findings indicate that oroxylin A promote proliferation and suppress apoptosis in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Oroxylin A may affects LPS induced biological activity via inhibiting NF-κB activation and proinflammatory cytokines expression in hPDLSCs.

Stretching magnitude-dependent inactivation of AKT by ROS led to enhanced p53 mitochondrial translocation and myoblast apoptosis

Previously, we had shown that high magnitude stretch (HMS), rather than low magnitude stretch (LMS), induced significant apoptosis of skeletal muscle C2C12 myoblasts. However, the molecular mechanism remains obscure. In this study, we found that p53 protein accumulated in the nucleus of LMS-loaded cells, whereas it translocated into mitochondria of HMS-loaded cells. Knocking down endogenous p53 by shRNA abrogated HMS-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that overaccumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during HMS-inactivated AKT that was activated in LMS-treated cells, which accounted for the distinct p53 subcellular localizations under HMS and LMS. Blocking ROS generation by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or overexpressing constitutively active AKT vector (CA-AKT) inhibited HMS-incurred p53 mitochondrial translocation and promoted its nuclear targeting. Moreover, both NAC and CA-AKT significantly attenuated HMS-induced C2C12 apoptosis. Finally, we found that Ser389 phosphorylation of p53 was a downstream event of ROS-inactivated AKT pathway, which was critical to p53 mitochondrial trafficking during HMS stimuli. Transfecting p53-shRNA C2C12s with the mutant p53 (S389A) that was unable to target p53 to mitochondria underwent significantly lower apoptosis than transfection with wild-type p53. Altogether, our study uncovered that mitochondrial localization of p53, resulting from p53 Ser389 phosphorylation through ROS-inactivated AKT pathway, prompted C2C12 myoblast apoptosis during HMS stimulation.

Abstract P1-17-10: The impact of age and adjuvant chemotherapy modifications on disease-free and overall survival among African American women with breast cancer

Background: During chemotherapy for breast cancer, African American women receive less relative dose intensity with more dose reductions and early chemotherapy cessation compared to Caucasian women. Other research has found that older breast cancer patients are most at risk for treatment modifications; however, it is unclear if this remains true for African American patients. Furthermore, the clinical implications of treatment modifications and delays on survival is uncertain, particularly in African American patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether age (diagnosis &lt;55 vs. diagnosis ≥55) was a moderator for the association between treatment modifications (dose held, dose delayed, and early cessation) and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in African American women with breast cancer.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of early stage African American breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy was employed. Dose held, dose delayed and early cessation were examined as dichotomous variables: any adjustment to the initially prescribed treatment plan was considered a modification. Medical record data extraction was utilized to gather this information. The sample was divided into two groups: those diagnosed &lt;55 years of age and those diagnosed ≥55 years of age. A Cox's proportional hazards regression model was used to examine the interaction between age group and treatment modifications for OS and DFS, while controlling for stage and ER and HER2 status.

Results: In the study of 115 participants, 58 (50.4%) were diagnosed before the age of 55, and 57 (49.6%) were diagnosed age 55 or older. Across the entire sample, 43 (37.4%) patients experienced a treatment modification. There were no significant differences in the proportions of treatment modifications between the two age groups. We found no interaction between age group and treatment modifications for OS. However, there was a significant interaction between age group and held dose for DFS (p=0.045). Specifically, those diagnosed at 55 years of age and older, who had doses of chemotherapy held, experienced worse DFS compared to those who did not (hazard ratio (HR)=3.390, 95% CI (1.013,11.34)). In contrast, there was no difference in DFS between those who did and did not have doses held in patients diagnosed below 55 years of age (HR=0.563, 95%CI (0.159, 1.986)).

Conclusions: African American women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for treatment of early stage breast cancer have high levels of treatment modifications across all age groups. However, held doses of chemotherapy in older African American patients were associated with worse DFS. Further research is needed to elucidate the clinical implications of adjuvant chemotherapy treatment modifications, particularly in African American patients, and the subgroups of patients who are at greatest risk.

Citation Format: Nugent BD, Ren D, Bender C, Rosenzweig M. The impact of age and adjuvant chemotherapy modifications on disease-free and overall survival among African American women with breast cancer [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 P1-17-10.

MiRNA-seq reveals that miR-124-3p inhibits adipogenic differentiation of the stromal vascular fraction in sheep via targeting C/EBPα

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding 20-25 nt RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by posttranscriptional repression of messenger RNA. There have been few investigations on the profiles and functions of miRNAs in ovine subcutaneous fat; their roles in the metabolism and deposition of subcutaneous fat also remain unclear. In this study, small RNA libraries were constructed for 2 important Chinese local sheep breeds, Small-tailed Han Sheep, and Shanxi Meat Sheep Dam Line, and used for high-throughput sequencing. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, revealing the effect of miR-124-3p on adipogenic differentiation by targeting C/EBPα. Our results provide both a comprehensive understanding of miRNA expression patterns in sheep subcutaneous fat and an insight into the specific roles of miRNAs in adipogenesis.

Gas Phase Ion Chemistry to Determine Isoaspartate in a Peptide Backbone

Proof of concept evidence is presented for a new method for the determination of isoaspartate, an important post-translational modification. Chemical derivatization is performed using common reagents for the modification of carboxylic acids and shown to yield suitable diagnostic information with regard to isomerization at the aspartate residue. The diagnostic gas phase chemistry is probed by collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry, on the timescale of the MS experiment and semi-quantitative calibration of the percentage of isoaspartate in a peptide sample is demonstrated. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Cleavage of caspase-12 at Asp94, mediated by endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), contributes to stretch-induced apoptosis of myoblasts

Mechanical overloading can lead to skeletal muscle damage instead of remodeling. This is attributed to the excessive apoptosis of myoblasts, mechanism of which remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and caspase-12 in mediating the stretch-induced apoptosis of myoblasts. Myoblast apoptosis was evaluated by Hoechst staining, DNA fragmentation assay, Annexin V binding, and propidium iodide staining, as well as caspase-3 and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 cleavage. First, our results showed that apoptosis was elevated in a time-dependent manner when myoblasts were subjected to cyclic mechanical stretch (CMS) for 12, 24, and 36 hr. Concomitantly, CMS triggered the ERS and caspase-12 cleavage; ERS inhibitor GSK 2606414 suppressed the CMS-induced cleavage of caspase-12 and myoblast apoptosis. Silencing caspase-12 attenuated the apoptosis of myoblasts under CMS. Furthermore, CMS-induced myoblast apoptosis was partially recovered by overexpressing wild-type caspase-12 in caspase-12-silenced myoblasts. In contrast, overexpressing mutant caspase-12 (D94N), which cannot be cleaved into the active caspase-12 fragments, failed to accomplish the same effect. Finally, C2C12 overexpressing truncated caspase-12 segment (TC-casp12-D94), which starts from Asp94 and ends at Asn419, underwent apoptosis under both static and stretched conditions. Interestingly, C2C12 myoblasts seemed to be resistant to stretch-induced apoptosis upon low-serum-induced differentiation. In conclusion, our study provided evidence that caspase-12 cleavage at Asp94, induced by ERS under mechanical stimuli, is the key molecule in initiating the stretch-triggered apoptosis of myoblasts.

Sirt1 mediates improvement in cognitive defects induced by focal cerebral ischemia following hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning in rats

Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning (HBO-PC) has been proposed as a safe and practical approach for neuroprotection in ischemic stroke. However, it is not known whether HPO-PC can improve cognitive deficits induced by cerebral ischemia, and the mechanistic basis for any beneficial effects remains unclear. We addressed this in the present study using rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) as an ischemic stroke model following HBO-PC. Cognitive function and expression of phosphorylated neurofilament heavy polypeptide (pNF-H) and doublecortin (DCX) in the hippocampus were evaluated 14 days after reperfusion and after short interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of sirtuin1 (Sirt1). HBO-PC increased pNF-H and DCX expression and mitigated cognitive deficits in MCAO rats. However, these effects were abolished by Sirt1 knockdown. Our results suggest that HBO-PC can protect the brain from injury caused by ischemia-reperfusion and that Sirt1 is a potential molecular target for therapeutic approaches designed to minimize cognitive deficits caused by cerebral ischemia.

[Effects of vacuum sealing drainage technique in acute and chronic suppurative tenosynovitis of hand]

Objective: To investigate the effects of vacuum sealing drainage technique in acute and chronic suppurative tenosynovitis of hand. Methods: A total of 9 cases acute and chronic suppurative tenosynovitis patients from January 2013 to April 2015 in Puai Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology were retrospectively reviewed. There were 6 males and 3 females, aging from 27 to 65 years, the average age was 55 years. There were 3 cases of index finger, 3 cases of middle finger, 2 cases of ring finger, 1 case include three fingers. The infection causes included stabbing with fishbone in 3 cases, stabbing with animal bone fragments in 3 cases, wound by sawdust in 3 cases, meat grinder injury in 1 case, multiple fingers crush injury postoperative infection of garbage truck in 1 case. Bacterial infection included 2 cases with Staphylococcus aureus, 2 cases with Staphylococcus epidermidis, 1 case with normal Escherichia coli, 1 case with mixed infection of Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella oxytoca and Staphylococcus, 1 case with Bauman Acinetobacter bacillus, 1 case with Proteus mirabilis and 1 case of no growth of pathogenic bacteria culture. After thorough debridement, vacuum sealing drainage was used to observe the characteristics of irrigation fluid, the formation of cavity inflammation, the prognosis of infection and the recovery of finger function. Results: Seven patients with suppurative tenosynovitis were treated for 7 to 14 days, replaced the vacuum sealing drainage dressing once; 1 patient was an illustration of the finger tip defect flap infected patients after 21 days of treatment, replaced the vacuum sealing drainage dressing twice, 1 patient was an illustration of the central refers to trauma, postoperative infection patients 28 d, replaced three times in the VSD. The follow-up time was 3 to 12 months (mean 8.2 months), 7 patients without tendon necrosis, secondary suture with no infection, 2 cases of traumatic surgery of patients with infection, tendon necrosis was removed, the infection has been effectively controlled, secondary suture with no infection. There were 6 cases were good and 3 cases were poor in the evaluation of postoperative finger function. Conclusion: Thoroughly debridement after vacuum sealing drainage in the treatment of suppurative tenosynovitis of hand has satisfactory curative effect.

Cell cycle-dependent regulation of Greatwall kinase by protein phosphatase 1 and regulatory subunit 3B

Greatwall (Gwl) kinase plays an essential role in the regulation of mitotic entry and progression. Mitotic activation of Gwl requires both cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1)-dependent phosphorylation and its autophosphorylation at an evolutionarily conserved serine residue near the carboxyl terminus (Ser-883 in Xenopus). In this study we show that Gwl associates with protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), particularly PP1γ, which mediates the dephosphorylation of Gwl Ser-883. Consistent with the mitotic activation of Gwl, its association with PP1 is disrupted in mitotic cells and egg extracts. During mitotic exit, PP1-dependent dephosphorylation of Gwl Ser-883 occurs prior to dephosphorylation of other mitotic substrates; replacing endogenous Gwl with a phosphomimetic S883E mutant blocks mitotic exit. Moreover, we identified PP1 regulatory subunit 3B (PPP1R3B) as a targeting subunit that can direct PP1 activity toward Gwl. PPP1R3B bridges PP1 and Gwl association and promotes Gwl Ser-883 dephosphorylation. Consistent with the cell cycle-dependent association of Gwl and PP1, Gwl and PPP1R3B dissociate in M phase. Interestingly, up-regulation of PPP1R3B facilitates mitotic exit and blocks mitotic entry. Thus, our study suggests PPP1R3B as a new cell cycle regulator that functions by governing Gwl dephosphorylation.

A regulatory gene network related to the porcine umami taste receptor (TAS1R1/TAS1R3)

Taste perception plays an important role in the mediation of food choices in mammals. The first porcine taste receptor genes identified, sequenced and characterized, TAS1R1 and TAS1R3, were related to the dimeric receptor for umami taste. However, little is known about their regulatory network. The objective of this study was to unfold the genetic network involved in porcine umami taste perception. We performed a meta-analysis of 20 gene expression studies spanning 480 porcine microarray chips and screened 328 taste-related genes by selective mining steps among the available 12,320 genes. A porcine umami taste-specific regulatory network was constructed based on the normalized coexpression data of the 328 genes across 27 tissues. From the network, we revealed the 'taste module' and identified a coexpression cluster for the umami taste according to the first connector with the TAS1R1/TAS1R3 genes. Our findings identify several taste-related regulatory genes and extend previous genetic background of porcine umami taste.

Phosphorylation of Runx2, induced by cyclic mechanical tension via ERK1/2 pathway, contributes to osteodifferentiation of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts

Occlusal force is an important stimulus for maintaining periodontal homeostasis. This is attributed to the quality of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs) that could transfer occlusal force into biological signals modulating osteoblst differentiation. However, few studies investigated the mechanism of occlusal force-induced osteodifferentiation of hPDLFs. In our study, we used the cyclic mechanical tension (CMT) at 10% elongation with 0.5 Hz to mimic occlusal force, and explored its effects on osteogenesis of hPDLFs. Firstly, elevated expressions of several osteoblast marker genes (Runx2, ATF4, SP7, OCN, and BSP), as well as activated ERK1/2 pathway were detected during CMT loading for 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h. To gain further insight into how CMT contributed to those effects, we focused on the classic ERK1/2-Runx2 pathway by inhibiting ERK1/2 and overexpressing Runx2. Our results reflected that Runx2 overexpression alone could induce osteodifferentiation of hPDLFs. Meanwhile, CMT loading could intensify while combined ERK1/2 blockage could weaken this process. Furthermore, we found that CMT promoted Runx2 transcription and phosphorylation via ERK1/2; protein level of phospho-Runx2 (p-Runx2), rather than Runx2, was in parallel with mRNA expressions of SP7, OCN, and BSP. Taken together, our study proved that p-Runx2, elevated by CMT via ERK1/2 pathway, is the predominate factor in promoting osteoblast differentiation of hPDLFs.

Effects of Material Properties on Bacterial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation

Adhesion of microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, to surfaces and the subsequent formation of biofilms cause multidrug-tolerant infections in humans and fouling of medical devices. To address these challenges, it is important to understand how material properties affect microbe-surface interactions and engineer better nonfouling materials. Here we review the recent progresses in this field and discuss the main challenges and opportunities. In particular, we focus on bacterial biofilms and review the effects of surface energy, charge, topography, and stiffness of substratum material on bacterial adhesion. We summarize how these surface properties influence oral biofilm formation, and we discuss the important findings from nondental systems that have potential applications in dental medicine.

Activation-induced necroptosis contributes to B-cell lymphopenia in active systemic lupus erythematosus

B-cell abnormality including excessive activation and lymphopenia is a central feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although activation threshold, auto-reaction and death of B cells can be affected by intrinsical and/or external signaling, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Herein, we demonstrate that co-activation of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and B-cell receptor (BCR) pathways is a core event for the survival/dead states of B cells in SLE. We found that the mortalities of CD19(+)CD27(-) and CD19(+)IgM(+) B-cell subsets were increased in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SLE patients. The gene microarray analysis of CD19(+) B cells from active SLE patients showed that the differentially expressed genes were closely correlated to TLR7, BCR, apoptosis, necroptosis and immune pathways. We also found that co-activation of TLR7 and BCR could trigger normal B cells to take on SLE-like B-cell characters including the elevated viability, activation and proliferation in the first 3 days and necroptosis in the later days. Moreover, the necroptotic B cells exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction and hypoxia, along with the elevated expression of necroptosis-related genes, consistent with that in both SLE B-cell microarray and real-time PCR verification. Expectedly, pretreatment with the receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) inhibitor Necrostatin-1, and not the apoptosis inhibitor zVAD, suppressed B-cell death. Importantly, B cells from additional SLE patients also significantly displayed high expression levels of necroptosis-related genes compared with those from healthy donors. These data indicate that co-activation of TLR7 and BCR pathways can promote B cells to hyperactivation and ultimately necroptosis. Our finding provides a new explanation on B-cell lymphopenia in active SLE patients. These data suggest that extrinsic factors may increase the intrinsical abnormality of B cells in SLE patients.

[Right maxillary sinus epidermoid cyst huge: report of 1 case]

Dermoid cysts occur in the maxillary sinus mucosa were rare. Patient's CT showed: maxillary sinuses Sinus cavity expansion, sinus wall thinning. The inside of the sinus wall disappeared, the maxillary sinus filled with soft tissue mass shadow. Bacterial culture: Staphylococcus aureus. Pathological report: a very small a mount of scattered broken squamous epithelium and keratosis, no atypia cells. Lesions consistent with epidermoid cyst. Patients with epidermoid cysts, formated probably in the process of embryonic development, the reasons of rapid growth may be considered for inflammatory stimulation.

dsRNA uptake and persistence account for tissue-dependent susceptibility to RNA interference in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria

RNA interference (RNAi) by introducing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a powerful approach to the analysis of gene function in insects; however, RNAi responses vary dramatically in different insect species and tissues, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The migratory locust, a destructive insect pest and a hemimetabolic insect with panoistic ovaries, is considered to be a highly susceptible species to RNAi via dsRNA injection, but its ovary appears to be completely insensitive. In the present study, we showed that dsRNA persisted only briefly in locust haemolymph. The ovariole sheath was permeable to dsRNA, but injected dsRNA was not present in the follicle cells and oocytes. The lack of dsRNA uptake into the follicle cells and oocytes is likely to be the primary factor that contributes to the ineffective RNAi response in locust ovaries. These observations provide insights into tissue-dependent variability of RNAi and help in achieving successful gene silencing in insensitive tissues.

Case-control study of risk factors for human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus in Jiangsu Province, China, 2013

We describe a case-control study performed in Jiangsu, China, to evaluate risk factors for human infection with novel avian influenza A(H7N9) virus. Twenty-five cases and 93 controls matched by age, sex, and location were included in the study. Direct contact with poultry or birds in the two weeks before illness onset, chronic medical conditions (hypertension excluded), and environment-related exposures were significantly associated with A(H7N9) infection.

Acute and chronic thoracic aortic disease: surgical considerations

Acute thoracic aortic aneurysm is one of the most life-threatening vascular disorders recognized to date. The majority of these aortic ruptures rapidly end in mortality, with 50% of patients suffering death before reaching the hospital. Thus, acute management through surgical intervention is often indicated, especially in cases of ascending aortic rupture. Physical examination is critical in making the diagnosis, as clinical signs and symptoms often vary depending on the location of the dissection. Clinicians should have a low threshold for including thoracic aortic dissection in their differential diagnosis, especially when a patient presents with acute onset chest or back pain. In this report, we discuss the different categories of aortic dissections and the current treatment modalities for each. These include endovascular aortic repair, which has become a viable treatment modality in certain cases of type B dissection. Offering a less invasive approach, the technique known as thoracic endovascular repair currently affords a treatment option to a patient population who would have otherwise been deemed non-surgical candidates. Hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair has also become a pertinent surgical technique, and successful outcomes have been demonstrated when it is employed to repair ascending aortic aneurysms. We also describe our Acute Aortic Treatment Center, a rapid multicentric triage system for the management of acute aortic pathologies, which has resulted in significant improvements in patient outcomes.

Evaluations of boar gonad development, spermatogenesis with regard to semen characteristics, libido and serum testosterone levels based on large White Duroc x Chinese Erhualian crossbred boars

Chinese Erhualian pigs are known for prolificacy with distinct reproductive traits compared with Western commercial breeds. In this study, a four-generation intercross resource population was constructed using White Duroc boars and Chinese Erhualian sows as founder animals, and a total of 14 male reproductive traits were recorded in 411 F2/F3 boars including the testis and epididymis weights, the seminiferous tubular diameter and spermatogenesis at 60, 90 and 300 days of age, semen characteristics, serum testosterone concentration and libido level at 300 days of age. The White Duroc-Erhualian boars showed remarkable segregations in the traits measured except for the seminiferous tubular diameter and had high ratio (13.9%) of the abnormality of spermatogenesis, providing a good experimental population for detecting quantitative trait loci affecting these male reproductive traits. Furthermore, the correlations among nine male reproductive traits at 300 days of age indicated that the testis weight and the body weight were strongly correlated with the sperm production, supporting the two traits as important parameters for boar selection to increase sperm production and ultimately improve boar fertility. The libido level in the White Duroc-Erhualian boars that was evaluated by a new and easily recorded scoring system showed a significant correlation with serum testosterone concentration. Yet, both libido and serum testosterone concentration were not correlated with the sperm production. Results of this study provided new information on the male reproductive physiology and genetics in Chinese Erhualian and White Duroc boars.

The Arabidopsis gene SIGMA FACTOR-BINDING PROTEIN 1 plays a role in the salicylate- and jasmonate-mediated defence responses

The chloroplast-localized SIB1 protein was previously identified by its interaction with SIGMA FACTOR 1 (SIG1), a component of the RNA polymerase machinery responsible for transcription of plastid genes. The physiological function of SIB1 is little known. We found that expression of SIB1 is induced by infection with Pseudomonas syringae, suggesting its possible involvement in the defence response. The sib1 loss-of-function mutation compromises induction of some defence-related genes triggered by pathogen infection and the treatments with salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA), two key signalling molecules in the defence response. Conversely, constitutive over-expression of SIB1 causes the plants to hyper-activate defence-related genes following pathogen infection or the SA and JA treatments, leading to enhanced resistance to infection by P. syringae. SIB1 is a member of the large plant-specific VQ motif-containing protein family, and might act as a link to connect defence signalling with chloroplast function.