Prospects in the application of ultrasensitive chromosomal aneuploidy detection in precancerous lesions of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignant tumor within the digestive system, with over 40% of new cases and deaths related to GC globally occurring in China. Despite advancements in treatment modalities, such as surgery supplemented by adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapeutic agents, the prognosis for GC remains poor. New targeted therapies and immunotherapies are currently under investigation, but no significant breakthroughs have been achieved. Studies have indicated that GC is a heterogeneous disease, encompassing multiple subtypes with distinct biological characteristics and roles. Consequently, personalized treatment based on clinical features, pathologic typing, and molecular typing is crucial for the diagnosis and management of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC). Current research has categorized GC into four subtypes: Epstein-Barr virus-positive, microsatellite instability, genome stability, and chromosome instability (CIN). Technologies such as multi-omics analysis and gene sequencing are being employed to identify more suitable novel testing methods in these areas. Among these, ultrasensitive chromosomal aneuploidy detection (UCAD) can detect CIN at a genome-wide level in subjects using low-depth whole genome sequencing technology, in conjunction with bioinformatics analysis, to achieve qualitative and quantitative detection of chromosomal stability. This editorial reviews recent research advancements in UCAD technology for the diagnosis and management of PLGC.

[The importance of intranasal trigeminal event-related potentials test for patients with olfactory dysfunction]

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of trigeminal event-related potentials (tERPs) in different kinds of olfactory disorders (OD), and to evaluate the importance of tERPs for the patients with olfactory dysfunction. Methods: Clinical data of 314 patients with olfactory dysfunction from the Smell and Taste Clinics in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from 2015 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, including 158 males and 156 females, aging from 6 to 78 years. The control group consisted of healthy people from medical examination center, who were gender and age matched. The clinical characteristics of OD were analyzed using Sniffin' Sticks test, olfactory event-related potentials (oERPs), tERPs and acoustic rhinometry test. SPSS 17.0 software was used to compare the difference of tERPs between the two groups, and to analyze the related factors affecting trigeminal function. Results: The ratio of tERPs presence was different in OD caused by different reasons: head traumatic OD (54.9%), post-virus infection OD (63.6%), sinonasal inflammatory OD (68.4%) and OD due to other causes (56.9%). Compared with controls, tERPs signals in OD patients showed a significant lower amplitude in the N₁ wave (all P<0.001), and lower amplitude in the P₂ wave in most OD patients (head trauma t=-4.11, P<0.001; sinonasal inflammation t=-2.04, P=0.046; others t=-2.40, P=0.020) except in OD by post-virus infection (t=-1.98, P=0.052). tERPs signals in OD patients by sinonasal inflammation showed longer latency in the N₁ wave (t=2.15, P=0.036), but this difference was not observed in other OD patients (all P>0.05). tERPs signals were significantly correlated with the Sniffin' Sticks score, deficiency of oERPs and nasal minimum cross-sectional area (all P<0.05). Conclusions: OD patients show neurophysiologic deficits in trigeminal function. The absence of tERPs or lower amplitude in N₁ waves are the important characteristics of patients with OD.

Significance of serum glucagon-like peptide-1 and matrix Gla protein levels in patients with diabetes and osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease characterized by decreased bone mass, impaired bone mass, and reduced bone strength that leads to increased bone fragility and fracture. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with osteoporosis is a common systemic metabolic bone disease, and reduced bone mass and bone strength are considered the main clinical features; however, the pathogenesis of this disease has not been fully clarified. Its occurrence is considered related to sex, age, and genetic factors. There are many risk factors for diabetes complicated with osteoporosis. Therefore, exploring these risk factors will help prevent it.

AIM

To investigate the relationships among serum glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels, matrix Gla protein (MGP) levels, and diabetes with osteoporosis.

METHODS

Sixty patients with T2DM complicated with osteoporosis confirmed by the endocrinology department of our hospital were selected as the case group. Sixty T2DM patients with bone loss were selected as the control group. Sixty healthy participants were selected as the healthy group. The general data, bone mineral density index, and bone metabolic markers of the three groups were compared. The relationships among GLP-1 levels, MGP levels, and the bone mineral density index of the case group were analyzed using linear correlation analysis and a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

Differences in sex, smoking, and drinking among the case group, control group, and healthy group were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The mean age of the case group was older than those of the control and healthy groups (P < 0.05). The body mass index, fasting plasma glucose level, HbA1c level, hypertension rate, and coronary heart disease rate of the case and control groups were higher than those of the healthy group (P < 0.05). The serum GLP-1 and MGP levels of the case group were lower than those of the control and healthy groups; these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The serum GLP-1 and MGP levels of the control group were lower than those of the healthy group; these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The serum GLP-1 and MGP levels of the case group were significantly positively correlated with the bone mineral density values of the hip and lumbar spine (P < 0.05). The results of the logistic regression model showed that age and duration of diabetes were independent risk factors for osteoporosis in diabetic patients (P < 0.05) and that increased GLP-1 and MGP values were protective factors against osteoporosis in diabetic patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Serum GLP-1 and MGP levels of diabetic patients with osteoporosis were significantly decreased and positively correlated with bone mineral density and were independent risk factors for osteoporosis in diabetic patients.

[Improvement of remote sensing ecological index in arid regions: Taking Ulan Buh Desert as an example]

The arid area is mainly composed of desert, with fragile eco-environment and being extremely vulnerable to the influence of natural and human perturbations. Based on the remote sen-sing ecological index (RSEI), the arid remote sensing ecological index (ARSEI) was formed to improve the remote sensing ecological index for arid area, which was coupled with the information of greenness, humidity, salinity, heat and land degradation to quantitatively evaluate the eco-environment quality. We used ARSEI and RSEI to dynamically monitor and evaluate the eco-environment quality of Ulan Buh Desert from 2000 to 2019, and analyzed their differences and their applicability in arid area. We further examined the characteristics and reasons of the temporal and spatial variations of the eco-environment quality of Ulan Buh Desert. The results showed that the ARSEI index had better applicability to the eco-environment quality in arid area than the RSEI, and it enhanced the role of land use changes in the ecological environment quality assessment. From 2000 to 2019, the overall eco-environmental quality of Ulan Buh Desert was worse. The parts under better, good, and medium grades were mainly distributed in the northern region, the parts with worse grades were mainly concentrated in the gobi and sandy land, and the poor ones were mainly located in area with low coverage vegetation. From 2000 to 2019, the overall quality of the eco-environment in the Ulan Buh Desert were becoming better. Meanwhile, the eco-environment quality of towns and farms in the northern part of the desert changed complexly, with deterioration and improvement alternately distributed. The main reason for the changes in the eco-environment of Ulan Buh Desert was the positive effects of ecological agriculture and sand industry.