The water-retaining functional slow-release fertilizer modified by carboxymethyl chitosan

To solve the problem of shortage of agricultural water resources and low utilization rate of fertilizer, a slow-release fertilizer based on chitosan modified water retention function was developed. Solution polymerization and semi-interpenetrating network technology were used to load urea aldehyde into carboxymethyl chitosan superabsorbent resin network. This technology realizes the simultaneous slow release of nutrients and water by using modified chitosan, which has important implications for the application of chitosan in agriculture to regulate the soil water and fertilizer conditions. The optimal preparation conditions were: MBA 0.07 %, KPS 0.8 %, AM to AA mass ratio of 0.3:1, CMC content of 10 %, AA neutralization degree 85 %, UF 20 %, AA+AM mass sum of 10 g, reaction temperature 70 °C and reaction time 2 h. The maximum water absorption rate of the optimized NC reached 172.3 g/g. The cumulative release of nitrogen in 30 days was 83.67 %. The application of NC in sandy soil promoted seed germination and growth. The comprehensive results indicate that NC has broad application prospects in arid areas based on its excellent water retention and nutrient release performance.

Efficacy and safety of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objectives

The current study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) among patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) through meta-analysis.

Methods

As of June 2023, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which compared the clinical outcomes of anti-CD38 mAbs plus immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) or proteasome inhibitors (PIs) plus dexamethasone and IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone alone for RRMM patients were included. Efficacy outcomes were mainly evaluated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The safety was analyzed with hematologic and nonhematologic treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). All results were pooled using hazard ratio (HR), relative risk (RR), and their 95% confidence interval (CI) and prediction interval (PI).

Results

This meta-analysis included 11 RCTs in total. Compared with IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone alone, anti-CD38 mAbs in combination with IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone significantly prolonged PFS (HR: 0.552, 95% CI = 0.461 to 0.659, 95% PI = 0.318 to 0.957) and OS (HR: 0.737, 95% CI = 0.657 to 0.827, 95% PI = 0.626 to 0.868) in patients with RRMM. Additionally, RRMM patients receiving anti-CD38 mAbs in combination with IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone achieved higher rates of overall response (RR: 1.281, 95% CI = 1.144 to 1.434, 95% PI = 0.883 to 1.859), complete response or better (RR: 2.602, 95% CI = 1.977 to 3.424, 95% PI = 1.203 to 5.628), very good partial response (VGPR) or better (RR: 1.886, 95% CI = 1.532 to 2.322, 95% PI = 0.953 to 3.731), and minimum residual disease (MRD)-negative (RR: 4.147, 95% CI = 2.588 to 6.644, 95% PI = 1.056 to 16.283) than those receiving IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone alone. For TEAEs, the rates of hematologic and nonhematologic TEAEs, including thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), pneumonia, bronchitis, dyspnea, diarrhea, pyrexia, back pain, arthralgia, fatigue, insomnia, and hypertension, were higher in the anti-CD38 mAbs in combination with IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone group than in the IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone group.

Conclusion

Our study showed that anti-CD38 mAbs in combination with IMiDs (or PIs) and dexamethasone improved PFS and OS, and achieved higher rates of overall response, complete response or better, VGPR or better, and MRD-negative, as well as higher rates of thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, URTI, pneumonia, bronchitis, dyspnea, diarrhea, pyrexia, back pain, arthralgia, fatigue, insomnia, and hypertension in RRMM patients.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023431071.

Oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate-dependent metabolic reprogramming induces skeletal muscle atrophy during cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia is characterized by weight loss and skeletal muscle wasting. Based on the up-regulation of catabolism and down-regulation of anabolism, here we showed genetic mutation-mediated metabolic reprogramming in the progression of cancer cachexia by screening for metabolites and investigating their direct effect on muscle atrophy. Treatment with 93 μM D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG) resulted in reduced myotube width and increased expression of E3 ubiquitin ligases. Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutant patients had higher D2HG than non-mutant patients. In the in vivo murine cancer cachexia model, mutant IDH1 in CT26 cancer cells accelerated cachexia progression and worsened overall survival. Transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed a distinct D2HG-induced metabolic imbalance. Treatment with the IDH1 inhibitor ivosidenib delayed the progression of cancer cachexia in murine GL261 glioma model and CT26 colorectal carcinoma models. These data demonstrate the contribution of IDH1 mutation mediated D2HG accumulation to the progression of cancer cachexia and highlight the individualized treatment of IDH1 mutation associated cancer cachexia.

A Fast Granular-Ball-Based Density Peaks Clustering Algorithm for Large-Scale Data

Density peaks clustering algorithm (DP) has difficulty in clustering large-scale data, because it requires the distance matrix to compute the density and δ -distance for each object, which has O(n2) time complexity. Granular ball (GB) is a coarse-grained representation of data. It is based on the fact that an object and its local neighbors have similar distribution and they have high possibility of belonging to the same class. It has been introduced into supervised learning by Xia et al. to improve the efficiency of supervised learning, such as support vector machine, k -nearest neighbor classification, rough set, etc. Inspired by the idea of GB, we introduce it into unsupervised learning for the first time and propose a GB-based DP algorithm, called GB-DP. First, it generates GBs from the original data with an unsupervised partitioning method. Then, it defines the density of GBs, instead of the density of objects, according to the centers, radius, and distances between its members and centers, without setting any parameters. After that, it computes the distance between the centers of GBs as the distance between GBs and defines the δ -distance of GBs. Finally, it uses GBs' density and δ -distance to plot the decision graph, employs DP algorithm to cluster them, and expands the clustering result to the original data. Since there is no need to calculate the distance between any two objects and the number of GBs is far less than the scale of a data, it greatly reduces the running time of DP algorithm. By comparing with k -means, ball k -means, DP, DPC-KNN-PCA, FastDPeak, and DLORE-DP, GB-DP can get similar or even better clustering results in much less running time without setting any parameters. The source code is available at https://github.com/DongdongCheng/GB-DP.

A comparative study of pilomatricoma and epidermoid cyst with ultrasound

AIM

To explore and compare the ultrasonic (US) features of pilomatricoma (PM) and epidermoid cyst (EC) in the differential diagnosis and improve the accuracy of US diagnosis of PM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred and nine patients who underwent US examination before surgery with a histopathological diagnosis of PM or EC after surgery were analysed retrospectively. The patients were categorised into the training and validation sets according to the inspection times. Univariate analysis was undertaken on the US and clinical features of PM and statistically significant variables (p<0.05) were included in the multivariate logistic regression model to establish a diagnostic model.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that the multivariate logistic regression model for PM was statistically significant (p<0.001). The risk factors included posterior echo attenuation and hypoechoic halos (odds ratio [OR] = 9.277, 10.254) and the protective factors included age, diameter thickness, and posterior echo enhancement (OR=0.936, 0.302, 0.156). The performance of the diagnostic model was tested using the training set (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.974, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.955-0.994) and the validation set (AUC = 0.967, 95% CI = 0.926-1.000), which demonstrated good discriminant ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic accuracy for PM was higher than that for EC when the nodule is characterised by posterior echo attenuation, hypoechoic halos, smaller thickness, and younger age. The US diagnostic model developed may be used to guide the diagnosis of PM.

[HbA1c comparison and diagnostic efficacy analysis of multi center different glycosylated hemoglobin detection systems]

Objective: Compare and analyze the results of the domestic Lanyi AH600 glycated hemoglobin analyzer and other different detection systems to understand the comparability of the detection results of different detectors, and establish the best cut point of Lanyi AH600 determination of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the diagnosis of diabetes. Methods: Multi center cohort study was adopted. The clinical laboratory departments of 18 medical institutions independently collected test samples from their respective hospitals from March to April 2022, and independently completed comparative analysis of the evaluated instrument (Lanyi AH600) and the reference instrument HbA1c. The reference instruments include four different brands of glycosylated hemoglobin meters, including Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong. Scatter plot was used to calculate the correlation between the results of different detection systems, and the regression equation was calculated. The consistency analysis between the results of different detection systems was evaluated by Bland Altman method. Consistency judgment principles: (1) When the 95% limits of agreement (95% LoA) of the measurement difference was within 0.4% HbA1c and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was good; (2) When the measurement difference of 95% LoA exceeded 0.4% HbA1c, and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was relatively good; (3) The measurement score was less than 80 points, the comparison consistency was poor. The difference between the results of different detection systems was tested by paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test; The best cut-off point of diabetes was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results: The correlation coefficient R² of results between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument in 16 hospitals is≥0.99; The Bland Altman consistency analysis showed that the difference of 95% LoA in Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180) was -0.486%-0.325%, and the measurement score was 94.6 points (473/500); The difference of 95% LoA in the Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant II) was -0.727%-0.612%, and the measurement score was 89.8 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.231%-0.461%, and the measurement score was 96.6 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.469%-0.479%, and the measurement score was 91.9 points. The other 14 hospitals, Lanyi AH600, were compared with 4 reference instrument brands, the difference of 95% LoA was less than 0.4% HbA1c, and the scores were all greater than 95 points. The results of paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument Arkray HA8180 (Z=1.665,P=0.096), with no statistical difference. The mean difference between the measured values of the two instruments was 0.004%. The comparison data of Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument of all other institutions had significant differences (all P<0.001), however, it was necessary to consider whether it was within the clinical acceptable range in combination with the results of the Bland-Altman consistency analysis. The ROC curve of HbA1c detected by Lanyi AH600 in 985 patients with diabetes and 3 423 patients with non-diabetes was analyzed, the area under curve (AUC) was 0.877, the standard error was 0.007, and the 95% confidence interval 95%CI was (0.864, 0.891), which was statistically significant (P<0.001). The maximum value of Youden index was 0.634, and the corresponding HbA1c cut point was 6.235%. The sensitivity and specificity of diabetes diagnosis were 76.2% and 87.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Among the hospitals and instruments currently included in this study, among these four hospitals included Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180), Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant Ⅱ), the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), and the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), the comparison between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instruments showed relatively good consistency, while the other 14 hospitals involved four different brands of reference instruments: Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong, Lanyi AH600 had good consistency with its comparison. The best cut point of the domestic Lanyi AH600 for detecting HbA1c in the diagnosis of diabetes is 6.235%.

Network interpenetrating slow-release nitrogen fertilizer based on carrageenan and urea: A new low-cost water and fertilizer regulation carrier

Modern agriculture presents new requirements of low cost, high water retention and degradability for superabsorbent and slow-release fertilizers. In this study, carrageenan (CG), acrylic acid (AA), N, N '-methylene diacrylamide (MBA), urea and ammonium persulfate (APS) were used as raw materials. A kind of high water absorption, water retention, nitrogen slow release and biodegradable carrageenan superabsorbent (CG-SA) was prepared by grafting copolymerization. The optimal CG-SA was obtained with a water absorption rate of 680.45 g/g by orthogonal L18(3)7 experiments and single-factor experiments. The water absorption behavior of CG-SA in deionized water and salt solution were studied. The CG-SA was characterized before and after degradation by FTIR, SEM. The nitrogen release behavior and kinetic characteristics of CG-SA were investigated. In addition, CG-SA degraded 58.33 % and 64.35 % in soil at 25 °C and 35 °C after 28 days. All the results indicated that the low-cost and degradable CG-SA can achieve simultaneous slow release of water and nutrients, which is expected to be widely used as a new water-fertilizer integration technology in arid and poor areas.

[Progress of researches on the role and mechanisms of non - coding RNA in Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection]

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a food-borne zoonotic parasite, and human infection may cause eosinophilic meningitis. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) may regulate physiological and pathological processes at multiple biological levels; however, there are few studies pertaining to the regulatory role of ncRNAs in A. cantonensis infection. Based on publications retrieved from PubMed, Wanfang Data and CNKI, the regulatory role of ncRNAs in A. cantonensis infections mainly includes immune responses, cell apoptosis and signaling transduction, and ncRNAs may serve as biomarkers for diagnosis of angiostrongyliasis. This review summarizes the main roles of ncRNAs in A. cantonensis infections and the underlying mechanisms, so as to provide insights into diagnosis and treatment of angiostrongyliasis.

A Retrospective Study of the Functional Outcomes in Patients with Proximal Humeral Bone Defect after Shoulder Fusion or Prosthetic Replacement

AIMS

The reconstruction of proximal humeral defects resulting from tumor resection is challenging. The purpose of this work was to retrospectively study the functional outcomes in patients with large bone defects after the resection of proximal humeral tumors.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 49 patients with malignant or aggressive benign tumors in the proximal humerus at our institution between 2010 and 2021. Forty-nine patients were included in the study (prosthetic replacement, n = 27; shoulder arthrodesis, n = 22). The mean follow-up was 52.8 months (range, 14-129 months). The factors evaluated included the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) functional score, Constant Murley Score (CMS), and complications.

RESULTS

Of the 49 patients enrolled in the study, 35 were disease-free by the time of the latest follow-up, and 14 died because of the disease. Adjuvant therapies and medical comorbidities were similar between the two groups. Osteosarcoma was the most common abnormality among all the patients. The mean MSTS scores for surviving patients in the prosthesis and arthrodesis groups were 57.4% and 80.9%, respectively. The mean CMS score for the surviving patients in the prosthesis group was 43.47, and it was 61.44 for arthrodesis cases. Patients with shoulder arthrodesis demonstrated evidence of bony union at a mean of 4.5 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Shoulder arthrodesis is a reliable reconstructive procedure in patients with large bone defects after the resection of proximal humeral tumors for pediatric osteosarcoma patients. Moreover, prosthetic replacement with anatomical implants results in poor function in older metastasis patients with large bone defects and resection of the deltoid muscle.

[Application of absorbable anchor combined with Kirschner wire in reconstruction of extension function of old mallet finger]

Objective

To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of absorbable anchor combined with Kirschner wire fixation in the reconstruction of extension function of old mallet finger.

Methods

Between January 2020 and January 2022, 23 cases of old mallet fingers were treated. There were 17 males and 6 females with an average age of 42 years (range, 18-70 years). The cause of injury included sports impact injury in 12 cases, sprain in 9 cases, and previous cut injury in 2 cases. The affected finger included index finger in 4 cases, middle finger in 5 cases, ring finger in 9 cases, and little finger in 5 cases. There were 18 patients of tendinous mallet fingers (Doyle type Ⅰ), 5 patients were only small bone fragments avulsion (Wehbe type ⅠA). The time from injury to operation was 45-120 days, with an average of 67 days. The patients were treated with Kirschner wire to fix the distal interphalangeal joint in a mild back extension position after joint release. The insertion of extensor tendon was reconstructed and fixed with absorbable anchors. After 6 weeks, the Kirschner wire was removed, and the patients started joint flexion and extension training.

Results

The postoperative follow-up ranged from 4 to 24 months (mean, 9 months). The wounds healed by first intention without complications such as skin necrosis, wound infection, and nail deformity. The distal interphalangeal joint was not stiff, the joint space was good, and there was no complication such as pain and osteoarthritis. At last follow-up, according to Crawford function evaluation standard, 12 cases were excellent, 9 cases were good, 2 cases were fair, and the good and excellent rate was 91.3%.

Conclusion

Absorbable anchor combined with Kirschner wire fixation can be used to reconstruct the extension function of old mallet finger, which has the advantages of simple operation and less complications.

K-Means Clustering With Natural Density Peaks for Discovering Arbitrary-Shaped Clusters

Due to simplicity, K-means has become a widely used clustering method. However, its clustering result is seriously affected by the initial centers and the allocation strategy makes it hard to identify manifold clusters. Many improved K-means are proposed to accelerate it and improve the quality of initialize cluster centers, but few researchers pay attention to the shortcoming of K-means in discovering arbitrary-shaped clusters. Using graph distance (GD) to measure the dissimilarity between objects is a good way to solve this problem, but computing the GD is time-consuming. Inspired by the idea that granular ball uses a ball to represent the local data, we select representatives from a local neighborhood, called natural density peaks (NDPs). On the basis of NDPs, we propose a novel K-means algorithm for identifying arbitrary-shaped clusters, called NDP-Kmeans. It defines neighbor-based distance between NDPs and takes advantage of the neighbor-based distance to compute the GD between NDPs. Afterward, an improved K-means with high-quality initial centers and GD is used to cluster NDPs. Finally, each remaining object is assigned according to its representative. The experimental results show that our algorithms can not only recognize spherical clusters but also manifold clusters. Therefore, NDP-Kmeans has more advantages in detecting arbitrary-shaped clusters than other excellent algorithms.

Muscle Fat Content Is Associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Fibrosis in Chinese Adults

OBJECTIVES

Several studies have linked myosteatosis with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in individuals with obesity. The clinical significance of myosteatosis in individuals with NAFLD in the general population has not been well investigated. Here, we wanted to explore and compare the associations of NAFLD and liver fibrosis with muscle fat content and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in a relatively large general population in China.

METHODS

We retrospectively included all participants who underwent abdominal CT scans in our health promotion center between April 2021 and October 2021. Muscle fat content was assessed by abdomen quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scans, and SMM was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance. NAFLD was assessed by ultrasonography. The NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) score were calculated to assess liver fibrosis.

RESULTS

Compared with participants without NAFLD, patients with NAFLD showed significantly increased intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT%) (7.40±3.37% vs. 6.76±2.66%, P <0.01). According to a multiple logistic regression model, IMAT% (OR=1.091, 95% CI 1.030-1.155, P=0.003) was only independently correlated with NAFLD in obese participants. Mediation analysis showed that BMI mediated the association between IMAT% and NAFLD. In participants with NAFLD, increased IMAT% was independently associated with an increased intermediate to high risk of advanced fibrosis assessed by the NFS or FIB-4 score after adjusting for multiple potential confounders. However, SMM was only independently correlated with an intermediate to high risk for advanced fibrosis evaluated by the NFS and not by the FIB-4 score.

CONCLUSION

Increased muscle fat content is positively correlated with NAFLD and intermediate to high risk for advanced fibrosis in the general Chinese population.

Bio-based Polyurethane Based on a Dynamic Covalent Network with Damage Tolerance for Controlled Release of Fertilizers

Bio-based polyurethanes are promising for the controlled release of nutrients and fertilizers, but their toughness and plasticity need to be improved. We developed a smooth, dense, elastic, and indestructible bio-based polyurethane (BPU) coating with a nutrient controlled release ∼150% superior, a tensile strength ∼300% higher, and a toughness ∼1200% higher than those for the original BPU coating. Through a one-step reaction of soybean oil polyols (accounting for more than 60%), isocyanate, and benzil dioxime, the dynamic covalent network based on oxime-carbamate replaces part of irreversible covalent cross-linking. The dynamic fracture-bonding reaction in the modified coating BPU can effectively promote the hydrogen bond recombination and oxime-carbamate chain migration in the coating process, which avoids the structural defects caused by coating tear and fertilizer collision. This work provides a simple and versatile strategy for building controlled-release fertilizer coatings.

Environmentally friendly hydrogel: A review of classification, preparation and application in agriculture

Superabsorbent hydrogel (SH) is three-dimensional (3D) cross-linked hydrophilic polymer that can absorb and retain large quantities of water or other aqueous solutions. SH is made of water-affinity monomers and is widely used in biomedicine, wastewater treatment, hygiene and slow-release fertilizers (SRFs). This article focused on the preparation methods of SH, superabsorbent hydrogel composite and the application of SH in agriculture. By selecting various synthetic technologies and cross-linking agents, a series of chemical cross-linking or physical networks can be designed and tailored to meet specific applications. In view of the excellent characteristics of water absorption, biodegradability, water retention and slow-release capacity, SH occupies a dominant position in the SRFs market. In this work, the agricultural application of SH in double coated SRFs and nutrients carriers is also discussed. Some mechanisms related to the nutrient release were analyzed by mathematical models. In addition, some agronomic benefits of using superabsorbent hydrogels in improving water absorption, water holding capacity and increasing crop yields were also discussed. Although SH has certain shortcomings, from the perspective of long-term development, it will further show great potential in sustainable agriculture.

[Exosomal FZD10 derived from non-small cell lung cancer cells promotes angiogenesis of human umbilical venous endothelial cells in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of exosomal FZD10 derived from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells on angiogenesis of human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs) and explore the possible mechanism.

METHODS

We analyzed the expression of FZD10 in two NSCLC cell lines (95D and H1299 cells), normal human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells) and their exosomes isolated by ultracentrifugation. Cultured HUVECs were treated with the exosomes derived from NSCLC cells or NSCLC cells transfected with FZD10-siRNA, and the changes in tube formation ability of the cells were analyzed using an in vitro angiogenesis assay. ELISA was performed to determine the concentration of VEGFA and Ang-1 in the conditioned media of HUVECs, and RT-qPCR was used to analyze the mRNA levels of VEGFA and Ang-1 in the HUVECs. The effects of exosomal FZD10 on the activation of PI3K, Erk1/2 and YAP/TAZ signaling pathways were evaluated using Western blotting.

RESULTS

Compared with BEAS-2B cells and their exosomes, 95D and H1299 cells and their exosomes all expressed high levels of FZD10 (P < 0.01). The exosomes derived from 95D and H1299 cells significantly enhanced tube formation ability and increased the expressions of VEGFA and Ang-1 protein and mRNA in HUVECs (P < 0.01), but FZD10 knockdown in 95D and H1299 cells obviously inhibited these effects of the exosomes. Exosomal FZD10 knockdown suppressed the activation of PI3K and Erk1/2 signaling pathways, but had no obvious effect on the activation of YAP/TAZ signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

Exosomal FZD10 derived from NSCLC cells promotes HUVEC angiogenesis in vitro, the mechanism of which may involve the activation of PI3K and Erk1/2 signaling pathways.

A novel synthetic slow release fertilizer with low energy production for efficient nutrient management

Chemical synthetic slow release fertilizer had become a major breakthrough in the green fertilizer industry due to its superior nutrient management and degradation properties. However, the traditional chemical synthetic slow release fertilizers contain only nitrogen and consume high energy during drying. Herein, a low cost green chemical synthetic slow release fertilizer (PSRF/KCl) was prepared from urea, formaldehyde and diammonium phosphate by spray drying method. Compared with the traditional drying process, the comprehensive energy consumption is reduced by 38.13%. The SEM, FTIR, and TG characteristics of PSRF/KCl showed that it has excellent water solubility, special morphological characteristics and thermal properties. In addition, the application of PSRF/KCl in Chinese cabbage showed that PSRF/KCl could increase the yield by 26.2%. All the results showed that PSRF/KCl is a green chemical synthetic slow release fertilizer, which has broad application prospects in modern sustainable agriculture, and its matching spray drying process can effectively reduce production costs.

Deletion in KRT75L4 linked to frizzle feather in Xiushui Yellow Chickens

Bird feathers are the product of interactions between natural and artificial selection. Feather-related traits are important for chicken selection and breeding. Frizzle feather is characterized by the abnormally development of feathers in chickens. In the current study, frizzle feather characteristics were observed in a local breed called Xiushui Yellow Chicken in Jiangxi, China. To determine the molecular mechanisms that underlie frizzle feather in Xiushui Yellow Chicken, four populations of three breeds (Xiushui Yellow Chicken with frizzle feathers, Xiushui Yellow Chicken with normal feathers, Guangfeng White-Ear Yellow Chicken, and Ningdu Yellow Chicken) were selected for whole-genome resequencing. Using a comparative genome strategy and genome-wide association study, a missense mutation (g.5281494A>G) and a 15-bp deletion (g.5285437-5285451delGATGCCGGCAGGACG) in KRT75L4 were identified as candidate mutations associated with frizzle feather in Xiushui Yellow Chicken. Based on genotyping performed in a large Xiushui Yellow Chicken population, the g.5285437-5285451delGATGCCGGCAGGACG mutation in KRT75L4 was confirmed as the putative causative mutation of frizzle feather. These results deepen the understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for frizzle feather, as well as facilitating the molecular detection and selection of the feather phenotype in Xiushui Yellow Chickens.

Serglycin induces osteoclastogenesis and promotes tumor growth in giant cell tumor of bone

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is an aggressive osteolytic bone tumor characterized by the within-tumor presence of osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells (MGCs), which are induced by the neoplastic stromal cells and lead to extensive bone destruction. However, the underlying mechanism of the pathological process of osteoclastogenesis in GCTB is poorly understood. Here we show that the proteoglycan Serglycin (SRGN) secreted by neoplastic stromal cells plays a crucial role in the formation of MGCs and tumorigenesis in GCTB. Upregulated SRGN expression and secretion are observed in GCTB tumor cells and patients. Stromal-derived SRGN promotes osteoclast differentiation from monocytes. SRGN knockdown in stromal cells inhibits tumor growth and bone destruction in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft model of mice. Mechanistically SRGN interacts with CD44 on the cell surface of monocytes and thus activates focal adhesion kinase (FAK), leading to osteoclast differentiation. Importantly, blocking CD44 with a neutralizing antibody reduces the number of MGCs and suppresses tumorigenesis in vivo. Overall, our data reveal a mechanism of MGC induction in GCTB and support CD44-targeting approaches for GCTB treatment.

Clinical significance of FBXW7 tumor suppressor gene mutations and expression in human colorectal cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Various studies investigating the clinical significance of FBXW7 mutation and/or expression have yielded inconclusive results in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Therefore, the present meta-analysis summarizes previous evidence and evaluates the clinical significance, including the prognostic role, of FBXW7 status in CRCs.

METHODS

The meta-analysis was conducted by searching the databases of PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG data, Web of Science, Embase, and Web of Science. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the relationships between FBXW7 status and clinicopathological features and survival in CRC, respectively.

RESULTS

Ten studies involving 4199 patients met the inclusion criteria and included in our meta-analysis. FBXW7 mutation/low expression was obviously correlated with advanced T stage (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.27-0.74, P <  0.01) and lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.40-2.53, P <  0.01), but was not associated with other parameters. Further investigation found that FBXW7 mutation/low expression predicted poor OS (HR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06-1.47, P <  0.01), but not DFS in CRC (HR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.60-1.82, P = 0.88). Subgroup analysis found that FBXW7 status was obviously correlated with OS in cohorts recruited after 2009 (HR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.17-1.50, P <  0.01), from eastern Asia (HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.04-1.55, P = 0.02), detected by immunohistochemistry/qRT-PCR (HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.22-1.59, P <  0.01), and analysed with multivariate method (HR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.25-1.74, P <  0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that FBXW7 status, expression level especially, is associated with OS but not DFS in CRC. FBXW7 expression level may function as a prognostic biomarker in CRC.

Light quantum control of persisting Higgs modes in iron-based superconductors

The Higgs mechanism, i.e., spontaneous symmetry breaking of the quantum vacuum, is a cross-disciplinary principle, universal for understanding dark energy, antimatter and quantum materials, from superconductivity to magnetism. Unlike one-band superconductors (SCs), a conceptually distinct Higgs amplitude mode can arise in multi-band, unconventional superconductors  via strong interband Coulomb interaction, but is yet to be accessed. Here we discover such hybrid Higgs mode and demonstrate its quantum control by light in iron-based high-temperature SCs. Using terahertz (THz) two-pulse coherent spectroscopy, we observe a tunable amplitude mode coherent oscillation of the complex order parameter from coupled lower and upper bands. The nonlinear dependence of the hybrid Higgs mode on the THz driving fields is distinct from any known SC results: we observe a large reversible modulation of resonance strength, yet with a persisting mode frequency. Together with quantum kinetic modeling of a hybrid Higgs mechanism, distinct from charge-density fluctuations and without invoking phonons or disorder, our result provides compelling evidence for a light-controlled coupling between the electron and hole amplitude modes assisted by strong interband quantum entanglement. Such light-control of Higgs hybridization can be extended to probe many-body entanglement and hidden symmetries in other complex systems.

A collective excitation called Higgs mode may arise in multi-band superconductors via strong interband interaction, but it is yet to be accessed. Here, the authors observe a tunable coherent amplitude oscillation of the order parameter in Ba(Fe_1−xCo_x)₂As₂, suggesting appearance and control of the Higgs mode by light tuning interband interaction.

Activation of Humic Acid in Lignite Using Molybdate-Phosphorus Hierarchical Hollow Nanosphere Catalyst Oxidation: Molecular Characterization and Rice Seed Germination-Promoting Performances

Although solid-phase activation of lignite using a nanocatalyst has great potential in producing low-cost and sustainable humic acid, the large-scale application of this technology still faces challenges because of the high price and toxicity of the nanocatalyst. Additionally, the specific molecular components of humic acid in activated lignite remain unknown. In this work, a multifunctional molybdate-phosphorus hierarchical hollow nanosphere (Mo-P-HH) catalyst was successfully manufactured by a simple way followed by phosphorization. In comparison with a commercial Pd/C catalyst, the multifunctional Mo-P-HH catalyst was more effective in producing water-soluble humic acid with small molecular functional groups from lignite via solid-phase activation. Moreover, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry revealed the molecular compositions of humic acid in activated lignite. Compared with that from raw lignite, the humic acid after Mo-P-HH activation had less aromatic structure but higher content of lipids, proteins, amino sugar, and carbohydrates. In addition, the activated humic acid simulated seed germination and seedling growth. Therefore, this study provided a high-performance hierarchical hollow nanocatalyst for activation of humic acid and also offered the theoretical basis for the application of humic acid in agriculture.

A review of a potential and promising probiotic candidate-Akkermansia muciniphila

Akkermansia muciniphila, a common colonizer in the intestinal mucus layer of humans, has gradually been considered as promising candidate for the next-generation probiotic, given its physiological benefits from animal and human studies. This article comprehensively reviewed A. muciniphila from the published peer-reviewed articles in the aspects of its role in the host physiology and commonly consumed food that can boost its abundance, which should provide useful and fundamental information for scientists and engineers and even ordinary consumers. Akkermansia muciniphila is not only a crucial biomarker that indicates the physiology of human beings but also has huge potential to become a probiotic given its physiological benefits in various clinical scenarios. Current barriers in terms of regulations, necessity for large-scale clinical experiments and production feasibility need to be resolved before A. muciniphila can be widely applied as the next-generation probiotic.

[Effects of two dimensional gray-scale blood flow imaging combined with color Doppler flow imaging in guiding arterial puncture and catheterization through wounds in patients with large burns]

Objective: To explore the effects of two dimensional gray-scale blood flow imaging (hereinafter referred to as " B-flow" ) combined with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) in guiding arterial puncture and catheterization through wounds in patients with large burns. Methods: Sixty-seven patients with large burns who met the inclusion criteria and hospitalized in the First Hospital of Jilin University from January 2017 to January 2019 were enrolled in the prospectively randomized control study. According to the random number table, CDFI alone group was allocated with 35 patients (23 males and 12 females) and B-flow+ CDFI group with 32 patients (22 males and 10 females), aged 19-60 and 18-58 years, respectively. According to the progress of the disease, arterial puncture and catheterization were performed in the right time. During the operation, CDFI was used alone for guidance in patients of CDFI alone group, while B-flow and CDFI were used together for guidance in patients of B-flow+ CDIF group. Based on the first time of catheterization, the catheterization location, one-time catheterization success rate, post-back stitching re-catheterization success rate, catheterization failure rate, catheterization duration, and incidences of wound sepsis, catheter-related bloodstream infection, and arterial thrombosis within post catheterization day (PCD) 3 of patients in the two groups were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed with the independent-sample t test, chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability test. Results: (1) All the patients underwent catheterization through wounds, and there was no statistically significant difference in catheterization location of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=0.574, P>0.05). The one-time catheterization success rate of patients in B-flow+ CDFI group was 81.25% (26/32), which was obviously higher than 51.43% (18/35) in CDFI alone group (χ(2)=6.594, P<0.05). The catheterization failure rate of patients in B-flow+ CDFI group was 3.12% (1/32), which was obviously lower than 20.00% (7/35) in CDFI alone group (P<0.05). The post-back stitching re-catheterization success rate of patients was similar between the two groups (χ(2)=1.029, P>0.05). (3) The catheterization duration of patients was (15.7±1.1) min in B-flow+ CDFI group, which was obviously shorter than (17.1±2.2) min in CDFI alone group (t=11.316, P<0.01). (4) Within PCD 3, the incidences of wound sepsis and catheter-related bloodstream infection of patients in CDFI alone group were 2.86% (1/35) and 0, close to 0 and 3.12% (1/32) in B-flow+ CDFI group (P>0.05); the incidence of arterial thrombosis of patients in B-flow+ CDFI group was 0, which was obviously lower than 20.00% (7/35) in CDFI alone group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Compared with CDFI alone, B-flow combined with CDFI can improve the success rate of arterial puncture and catheterization through wounds in large area burn patients, shorten the catheterization duration, and effectively reduce the incidence of arterial thrombosis after catheterization, with a good clinical application value.

Terahertz Second-Harmonic Generation from Lightwave Acceleration of Symmetry-Breaking Nonlinear Supercurrents

We report terahertz (THz) light-induced second harmonic generation, in superconductors with inversion symmetry that forbid even-order nonlinearities. The THz second harmonic emission vanishes above the superconductor critical temperature and arises from precession of twisted Anderson pseudospins at a multicycle, THz driving frequency that is not allowed by equilibrium symmetry. We explain the microscopic physics by a dynamical symmetry breaking principle at sub-THz-cycle by using quantum kinetic modeling of the interplay between strong THz-lightwave nonlinearity and pulse propagation. The resulting nonzero integrated pulse area inside the superconductor leads to light-induced nonlinear supercurrents due to subcycle Cooper pair acceleration, in contrast to dc-biased superconductors, which can be controlled by the band structure and THz driving field below the superconducting gap.

Ultrafast Control of Excitonic Rashba Fine Structure by Phonon Coherence in the Metal Halide Perovskite CH_{3}NH_{3}PbI_{3}

We discover hidden Rashba fine structure in CH_{3}NH_{3}PbI_{3} and demonstrate its quantum control by vibrational coherence through symmetry-selective vibronic (electron-phonon) coupling. Above a critical threshold of a single-cycle terahertz pump field, a Raman phonon mode distinctly modulates the middle excitonic states with persistent coherence for more than ten times longer than the ones on two sides that predominately couple to infrared phonons. These vibronic quantum beats, together with first-principles modeling of phonon periodically modulated Rashba parameters, identify a threefold excitonic fine structure splitting, i.e., optically forbidden, degenerate dark states in between two bright ones with a narrow, ∼3  nm splitting. Harnessing of vibronic quantum coherence and symmetry inspires light-perovskite quantum control and sub-THz-cycle "Rashba engineering" of spin-split bands for ultimate multifunction device.

[Advances in the research of pain assessment and non-drug intervention in burn children]

Children are a high-risk group of burn, and burn pain is a special type of pain. Because children of different ages have different cognitive ability and behavioral response to pain, thus it is particularly difficult to effectively evaluate the pain. It is very important for medical staff to understand the pain of children, to define the adverse reactions of pain, to evaluate and take appropriate pain intervention measures in time and effectively. In this paper, different evaluation methods of burn pain in children and non-drug intervention related measures were reviewed in order to provide references for clinical practice.

A three-microRNA signature predicts clinical outcome in breast cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

Breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA) is a complex polygenic disease characterized by molecular and histological heterogeneity. An effort is underway to explore and investigate multiple reliable prognostic markers to improve management of BRCA patients and provide novel therapeutic targets. The aim of the study is to identify the prognostic miRNA signature in BRCA patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The miRNA-sequencing data and clinical information of BRCA patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

RESULTS

A total of 106 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between BRCA tissues and matched normal tissues, including 81 up-regulated miRNAs and 25 down-regulated miRNAs. Then, we established a set of three-miRNA signature that was significantly associated with BRCA patients' survival. Using the prognostic three-miRNA signature, we classified the BRCA patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Multivariate Cox regression demonstrated that the prognostic power of the three-miRNA signature was independent of other clinical variables. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that three prognostic miRNAs may be involved in known BRCA-related KEGG pathways and biological processes.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that three-miRNA signature could be a potential biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes for BRCA patients.

Cu(II)-Based Water-Dispersible Humic Acid: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Antifungal and Growth-Promoting Performances

The complex synthesis process, low utilization, and single function of fungicides have seriously hindered the development of fungicides in resistance to rice sheath blight. Here, an inexpensive and multifunctional Cu(II)-based water-dispersible humic acid (Cu-WH) fungicide with growth-promoting ability was developed with a simple method. A 3D molybdate carbon hierarchical nanosphere (MoO₂-C-HN) catalyst was successfully synthesized using a green route and applied in a solid-phase activation of lignite to obtain water-dispersible humic acid. Cu(II)-based water-dispersible humic acid (Cu-WH) was then formed through a simple reaction of Cu(II) and the humic acid. The resultant Cu-WH showed strong antifungal performance against Rhizoctonia solani in laboratory incubation experiments. After being treated with Cu3-WH (0.1 mg L^-1), the control efficiency of rice sheath blight at 1, 3, and 5 days after infection was 90.54%, 78.96%, and 66.31%, respectively. It also enhanced the water-holding capacity of the substrate and thus effectively improved the growth of rice seedlings. In comparison to commercial rice seedling substrate, the substrate treated with 8 wt % of Cu3-WH increased plant height, stem diameter, fresh weight, and chlorophyll content by 19.23%, 35.91%, 14.52%, and 42.85%, respectively. The newly developed Cu-WH thus can be used as a novel low-cost efficient fungicide and growth stimulator to treat rice sheath blight as well as to increase rice production.

[Correlation of capillary plexus with visual acuity in idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography]

Objective: To observe changes in foveal avascular zone(FAZ) and capillary plexus in idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane (IMEM) in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and analyze their correlation with the visual acuity. Methods: Cross-sectional study. 42 patients (15 Males and 27 females, age 64.8) from the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were included with 51 eyes diagnosed as IMEM (IMEM group), and 23 normal eyes (9 Males and 14 females, control group). All patients received the examination of fissure lamp combined with fundus pre-set lens, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), OCT angiography (OCTA) and fundus photo. OCTA was performed on 3 mm× 3 mm sections centred on the fovea. The software automatically measured the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) vessel density(VD) and retinal thickness(RT) and FAZ area. The IMEM eyes were compared with the normal eyes and correlation between the parameters of OCTA and BCVA was analyzed in IMEM. Independent-sample t test and MannWhitney test were used for comparison between groups, and Spearman test was used for correlation analysis. Results: LogMAR BCVA in the IMEM group was 0.40(0.15, 0.70), in the control group was 0.10(0.05, 0.22). FAZ area of IMEM group was (0.09±0.05) mm(2), while that of control group was (0.34±0.13)mm(2).Compared with the control group, in IMEM group, the BCVA was worse (Z=-4.443, P<0.001), FAZ area was smaller (t=-9.198, P<0.001), RT was increased (P<0.001), The foveal DCP and SCP vessel density was increased (t=4.280, 9.079, P<0.01), The parafoveal DCP vessel density was decreased (P<0.05), The parafoveal SCP vessel density was decreased in superior, inferior and nasal side (t=-2.759, Z=-3.998, Z=-2.108; P<0.05). The BCVA was negatively correlated with FAZ area (r=-0.337, P=0.017), positively correlated with center macular thickness (r=0.324, P=0.020). The BCVA was no correlated with foveal VD and parafoveal DCP vessel density (P>0.05), but correlated with SCP vessel density(P<0.05). Conclusions: In the IMEM eyes the BCVA was worse, FAZ area was smaller, foveal vessel density was increased and the parafoveal vessel density was decreased compared with the normal eyes. The smaller the FAZ area, the smaller foveal SCP vessel density, the poorer BCVA. There was no correlation between BCVA and DCP vessel density. Changes in VD in IMEM eyes may lead to changes in vision. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:757-762).

Whole-genome SNP data unravel population structure and signatures of selection for black plumage of indigenous chicken breeds from Jiangxi province, China

Ten indigenous chicken breeds were originally distributed in Jiangxi Province, China, and they define a critical component of Chinese chicken genetic resources. We have investigated the population genetics of seven Jiangxi chicken breeds using 600K chicken BeadChip SNP data. To provide a genome-wide perspective for the population structure of all 10 Jiangxi chicken breeds, we herein genotyped 78 additional individuals from the seven breeds and 63 chickens from three uninvestigated breeds-Yugan Black (YG), Nancheng Black (NC) and Wanzai Yellow using 55K chicken SNP arrays. We then explored merged data of 17 101 SNPs from 235 individuals to infer the population structure of the 10 breeds. We showed that NC and YG are two regional populations of the same breed, as individuals from the two populations clustered together to form a branch separate from the other breeds in the neighbor-joining tree, they always grouped together in multidimensional principal component analyses and they displayed an identical pattern of ancestral lineage composition. Hence, NC and YG should be considered a single breed in the state-supported conservation scheme. Moreover, we conducted a genome scan for signatures of selection for black plumage. bayescan and hapflk analyses of two contrasting groups (three black-feathered breeds vs. six non-black-feathered breeds) consistently detected 25 putative regions under selection. Nine pigmentation- associated genes (DCT, SLC24A5, SLC30A4, MYO5A, CYP19A1, NADK2, SLC45A2, GNAQ and DCP2) reside within these regions, and these genes are interesting candidates for black plumage and provide a starting point for further identification of causative mutations for black feathers in chicken.

HPV Status Improves Classification of Head and Neck Gray Zone Cancers

In epidemiologic studies, patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are classified mainly by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. However, some patients are of an unclear subsite, the “gray zone” cases, which could reflect ICD coding error, absence of primary subsite, or extensive primary tumors that cross over multiple subsites of the oral cavity and oropharynx. Patients with gray zone squamous cell carcinomas were compared with patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) or oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and stratified by human papillomavirus (HPV) status that was determined by p16 immunostaining or HPV serology. Comparisons consisted of clinicodemographic features and prognostic outcomes presented by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression models, reported as hazard ratios. There were 158 consecutive patients with gray zone HNSCC diagnosed at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center between 2006 and 2017: 66 had subsite coding discrepancies against the clinician’s documentation (“discrepant” cases; e.g., the diagnosis by the clinician was OSCC, while the classification by ICD coding was OPSCC), while 92 were squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary of the head and neck (SCCUPHN) after complete diagnostic workup. Comparators included 721 consecutive OSCC and 938 OPSCC adult cases. All HPV-positive cohorts (OPSCC, discrepant, and SCCUPHN) had similar clinicodemographic characteristics and better 3- and 5-y overall survival and disease-free survival than their HPV-negative counterparts. In contrast, HPV-negative discrepant cases had prognostic outcomes most similar to HPV-negative OPSCC cases, while HPV-negative SCCUPHN had survival outcomes most similar to those of patients with OSCC in this study. HPV-positive status can improve the classification of patients with unclear or discrepant oral/oropharyngeal subsite, an improvement over classification systems that are solely clinician defined or conducted through ICD coding. However, due to clinical practice, we could not make definitive reclassification for patients with HPV-negative gray zone HNSCC.

A Novel Cluster Validity Index Based on Local Cores

It is critical to evaluate the quality of clusters for most cluster analysis. A number of cluster validity indexes have been proposed, such as the Silhouette and Davies-Bouldin indexes. However, these validity indexes cannot be used to process clusters with arbitrary shapes. Some researchers employ graph-based distance to cluster nonspherical data sets, but the computation of graph-based distances between all pairs of points in a data set is time-consuming. A potential solution is to select some representative points. Inspired by this idea, we propose a novel Local Cores-based Cluster Validity (LCCV) index to improve the performance of Silhouette index. Local cores, with local maximum density, are selected as representative points. Since graph-based distance is used to evaluate the dissimilarity between local cores, the LCCV index is effective for obtaining the optimal cluster number for data sets containing clusters with arbitrary shapes. Moreover, a hierarchical clustering algorithm based on the LCCV index is proposed. The experimental results on synthetic and real data sets indicate that the new index outperforms existing ones.

Magnetic-Sensitive Nanoparticle Self-Assembled Superhydrophobic Biopolymer-Coated Slow-Release Fertilizer: Fabrication, Enhanced Performance, and Mechanism

Although commercialized slow-release fertilizers coated with petrochemical polymers have revolutionarily promoted agricultural production, more research should be devoted to developing superhydrophobic biopolymer coatings with superb slow-release ability from sustainable and ecofriendly biomaterials. To inform the development of the superhydrophobic biopolymer-coated slow-release fertilizers (SBSF), the slow-release mechanism of SBSF needs to be clarified. Here, the SBSF with superior slow-release performance, water tolerance, and good feasibility for large-scale production was self-assembly fabricated using a simple, solvent-free process. The superhydrophobic surfaces of SBSF with uniformly dispersed Fe₃O₄ superhydrophobic magnetic-sensitive nanoparticles (SMNs) were self-assembly constructed with the spontaneous migration of Fe₃O₄ SMNs toward the outermost surface of the liquid coating materials ( i.e., pig fat based polyol and polymethylene polyphenylene isocyanate in a mass ratio 1.2:1) in a magnetic field during the reaction-curing process. The results revealed that SBSF showed longer slow-release longevity (more than 100 days) than those of unmodified biopolymer-coated slow-release fertilizers and excellent durable properties under various external environment conditions. The governing slow-release mechanism of SBSF was clarified by directly observing the atmosphere cushion on the superhydrophobic biopolymer coating using the synchrotron radiation-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging technique. Liquid water only contacts the top of the bulges of the solid surface (10.9%), and air pockets are trapped underneath the liquid (89.1%). The atmosphere cushion allows the slow diffusion of water vapor into the internal urea core of SBSF, which can decrease the nutrient release and enhance the slow-release ability. This self-assembly synthesis of SBSF through the magnetic interaction provides a strategy to fabricate not only ecofriendly biobased slow-release fertilizers but also other superhydrophobic materials for various applications.

[Human leukocyte antigen polymorphism of HIV infected persons without disease progress for long-term in Henan province, 2011-2016]

Objective: To understand the disease progression and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene polymorphism of HIV-infected persons without disease progress for long term, also known as long-term non-progressors (LTNPs), in Henan province. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 48 LTNPs with complete detection and follow-up information during 2011-2016 in Henan. Changes of CD(4)(+)T cells counts (CD(4)) and viral load (VL) during follow-up period were discussed. Polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP) was used for the analyses of HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 alleles between LTNPs and healthy controls. Results: From 2011 to 2016, forty-eight LTNPs showed a decrease of the quartile (P(25)-P(75)) of CD(4) from 601.00 (488.50-708.72)/μl to 494.00 (367.00-672.00)/μl, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The increase of the quartile (P(25)-P(75)) of log(10)VL from 3.40 (2.87-3.97) to 3.48 (2.60-4.37), but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). HLA polymorphism analysis revealed that HLA-B*13:02 and HLA-B*40:06 were more common in LTNPs (P<0.05), while HLA-B*46:01 and HLA-DRB1*09:01 were more common in healthy controls (P<0.05). Conclusions: The CD(4) of LTNPs in Henan showed a downward trend year by year. HLA-B*13:02 and B*40:06 might be associated with delayed disease progression for HIV infected persons in Henan.

Abstract P4-06-05: PanCancer profiling reveals population difference in breast cancer immune microenvironment

BACKGROUND. Breast Cancer (BC) outcome in patients (pts) of African ancestry (AA) is worse than pts of European ancestry (EA) despite accounting for socioeconomic status and access. AA have higher hormone receptor negative (HR-) and Triple Negative (TNBC) tumors, subtypes associated with stronger presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We hypothesize that BC Immune Microenvironment (IME) composition differs by ancestry, and describe IME from two independent datasets.

METHODS. Transcriptome data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (Group 1, Gp1) were used to estimate 22 IME cell types in BC samples by CIBERSORT. Clinical and overall survival (OS) data were accessed from XENA. Gp2 tissue samples were obtained from Women's Circle of Health study and Pathology Resource Network at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and processed using NanoString™ PanCancer Immune Profiling panel, consisting of 770 immunity-related genes describing 24 IME cell types. Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores were derived from an algorithm by Jiang et al.

RESULTS. Gp1 consisted of 183 AA and 752 EA, with median age older in EA (54.5 vs 59). On CIBERSORT IME analysis by race, AA had higher IME infiltrates including macrophages (Mp), dendritic cells (DC) and TILs; notably T regulatory (Treg) and T Follicular Helper (Tfh) cells. The ratios of Tregs and Tfh to total TILs were also elevated. When stratified by subtypes, AAs with TNBC/Basal-like BC had higher Tregs and Tfh cells. CD8+ cells were higher in HR+ and high-grade AA pts only. CD4+/total T-cells was higher in AA across all subtypes, and predicted worse OS (HR 3.15[1.07-9.2]). Gp2 had 190 AA and 177 EA with comparable median age at diagnosis (53 versus 54) and tumor grade. By subtype, TNBC had significantly higher total TILs, CD45+, CD8+, exhausted CD8+, Treg, cytotoxic T cells, B, natural killer (NK), activated NK, DC and Mp; yet significantly lower mast cells and neutrophils (p &lt;0.01). CD8+/Exhausted CD8+ and CD8+/Treg ratios were lower in TNBC and higher-grade tumors, and lowest in HR- grade III. Most of immune pathways were enriched in HR- tumors, with only exception being cell cycle genes being remarkably enriched in HR+ tissues (p &lt;0.01). TIDE demonstrated high immune dysfunction in HR- and high exclusion in HR+ tumors. When compared to EA, AA had more TILs, including B, cytotoxic T-cells, exhausted CD8+, NK, activated NK and Tregs (p &lt;0.01). Neutrophils, Mp and CD8+ were higher in EA. EA also had significantly higher ratio of immune cell types to total TILs across cytotoxic, exhausted CD8+ and Tregs, as well as persistent higher neutrophils, Mp and CD8+ ratios. CD8+/Treg ratio was higher in EA. Consistent with Gp1; CD4+/total T-cell ratio was higher in AA across all subtypes.

CONCLUSION. IME differed significantly by HR, grade and ancestry. Aggressive BC demonstrated stronger overall immune response but dysfunctional IME phenotype (higher Treg, lower granulocytes and mast cells ratios). AA had more TILs across all subtypes, but lower ratios of activator (CD8+, Cytotoxic) to suppressor TILs (Treg, exhausted CD8+), demonstrating immune tolerance and immune-desert model, exception being persistently high fraction of CD4+ ratio predicting worse OS.

Citation Format: Elkhanany A, Takabe K, Khoury T, Omilian A, Cheng D, Katsuta E, Davis W, Yan L, Hong C-C, Bandera E, Ambrosone C, Yao S. PanCancer profiling reveals population difference in breast cancer immune microenvironment [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 P4-06-05.

OTUB2 stabilizes U2AF2 to promote the Warburg effect and tumorigenesis via the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in non-small cell lung cancer

Increasing evidence has confirmed that deubiquitinating enzymes play an important role in lung cancer progression. In the current study, we investigated the expression profile of deubiquitinating enzymes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and identified OTUB2 as an upregulated deubiquitinating enzyme. The role of OTUB2 in NSCLC is unknown. Methods: Quantitative, real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect OTUB2 and U2AF2 expression in NSCLC tissues. The correlations between OTUB2 and U2AF2 expression and clinicopathologic features were then analyzed. We used In vitro Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) , colony formation , and trans-well invasion assays to investigate the function of OTUB2 and U2AF2 in tumorigenesis. The regulation of glycolysis by OTUB2 and U2AF2 was assessed by determining the extracellular acid ratio, glucose consumption, and lactate production. The mechanism of OTUB2 was explored through co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analyses. A xenograft model was also used to study the tumorigenesis role of OTUB2 In vivo. Results: OTUB2 expression was significantly upregulated in primary NSCLC tissues and greatly associated with metastasis, advanced tumor stages, poor survival, and recurrence. In NSCLC cell lines, OTUB2 promoted cell growth, colony formation, migration, and invasive activities. Mechanistic investigations showed that OTUB2 stimulated the Warburg effect and induced the activation of the serine/threonine kinase/mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (AKT/mTOR) pathway in different NSCLC cells. More importantly, OTUB2 promoted NSCLC progression, which was largely dependent on the direct binding to and deubiquitination of U2AF2, at least in NSCLC cells. U2AF2 expression was also significantly upregulated in primary NSCLC tissues and dramatically associated with metastasis, advanced tumor stages, poor survival, and recurrence. Importantly, a positive correlation between the protein expression of OTUB2 and U2AF2 in NSCLC tissues was found. In vivo experiments indicated that OTUB2 promoted xenograft tumor growth of NSCLC cell. In addition, our results suggest that high expression of OTUB2, U2AF2 and PGK1 is significantly associated with worse prognosis in NSCLC patients. Conclusion: Taken together, the present study provides the first evidence that OTUB2 acts as a pivotal driver in NSCLC tumorigenesis by stabilizing U2AF2 and activating the AKT/mTOR pathway and the Warburg effect. It may serve as a new potential prognostic indicator and therapeutic target in NSCLC.

Population genetic analyses of seven Chinese indigenous chicken breeds in a context of global breeds

Jiangxi province in China is rich in indigenous chicken breeds, which have diverse phenotypes and represent a valuable genetic resource for further genetic improvement of modern breeds. Here, we conducted a series of analyses to reveal genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships and population structure of seven chicken breeds in Jiangxi province in the context of nine non-local chicken breeds, using 600K SNP data. We show that Jiangxi indigenous breeds have more abundant nucleotide diversity than do European local and commercial breeds. Among Jiangxi breeds, Dongxiang Blue-eggshell (DX) and Chongren Partride (CR) display remarkably reduced genetic diversity, as the two breeds exhibit increased inbreeding coefficients, runs of homozygosity, extent of linkage disequilibrium and reduced expected heterozygosity. DX, CR and Taihe Silkie (TH) represent three ancestral lineages of the Jiangxi chicken and display genetic differentiation from the other four Jiangxi breeds, which show a signature of admixture with European commercial breeds. These findings provide insight for the establishment of an efficient conservation program for Jiangxi chicken breeds. Considering the current status of genetic diversity and ancestral representativeness, particular attention should be paid to DX, CR and TH chickens.