Excitation functions for fast neutron induced reactions on iron and lead

Cross sections of the 54Fe(n,p)54Mn, 54Fe(n,α)51Cr, 56Fe(n,p)56Mn and 204Pb (n,2n)203Pb reactions induced by D-T neutrons were obtained with activation method and γ-ray spectrometry technique. Experimental values measured in this work are consistent with most of the previous literature data. These reactions cross sections were theoretically calculated by using the TALYS-1.96 and EMPIRE-3.2.3 codes from threshold up to 20 MeV, and significant discrepancies were found between calculated results and experiment data. In addition, experimental values are compared with evaluated nuclear data of the CENDL-3.2, ENDF/B-VIII.0, JENDL-5, BROND-3.1 and JEFF-3.3 libraries, and significant difference was found for the 54Fe(n,α)51Cr reaction in ENDF/B-VIII.0 library but not for other reactions.

Effect of High-quality Nursing Care Combined with Psychological Intervention on Stress Response in Surgery and Postoperative Negative Emotions of Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia

Objective

This study investigated the effect of high-quality nursing care combined with psychological intervention on the stress response and postoperative negative emotions of patients undergoing general anesthesia for surgery.

Methods

From January 2019 to January 2020, the researchers chose 90 patients who received general anesthesia at Liaocheng People's Hospital for this study. The patients were divided into control and study groups, each with 45 patients. There were no significant demographic differences between the 2 groups. The control group received standard care, while the study group received high-quality nursing care and psychological intervention. The researchers compared the clinical measures provided to both groups to assess their effectiveness.

Results

After the intervention, the study group reported improved surgical stress indicators compared to the control group, with higher scores on the SF-36 health survey and higher satisfaction with nursing care. The study group had lower scores on anxiety and depression scales and showed better body temperature conditions during and after the operation.

Discussion

The study found that comprehensive nursing care and psychological interventions effectively reduced postoperative stress indicators and improved social functioning, somatic health, role limitations, and cognitive abilities. Psychological support, including counseling, cognitive-behavioral techniques, relaxation strategies, and stress management, effectively decreased anxiety and depression levels. These interventions provided coping mechanisms and emotional support to enhance overall well-being. Effective interdisciplinary collaboration may have also contributed to the positive outcomes observed. However, the study's limitations include its specific population sample and observational design, which could introduce bias. Future studies should use randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes for more reliable results.

Conclusion

High-quality nursing care combined with psychological interventions for patients undergoing general anesthesia successfully enhanced nursing satisfaction and alleviated patient stress and negative emotions. The method is worthy of promotion and application.

Application of remimazolam-0.6% sevoflurane anesthesia for flash visual evoked potential monitoring during pituitary adenoma resection: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Flash visual evoked potential (FVEP) is a critical method for monitoring intraoperative visual function during neurosurgery. A new benzodiazepine drug called remimazolam has recently been used for general anesthesia. However, the impact of remimazolam on FVEP remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how remimazolam, in comparison to propofol, when combined with 0.6% sevoflurane anesthesia, affects the FVEP waveform during pituitary adenoma resection.

METHODS

Overall, 36 patients undergoing pituitary adenoma resection under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to either the remimazolam group (Group R) or the propofol group (Group P) in a prospective, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial. For anesthesia induction, a bolus of 0.2 mg/kg remimazolam or 2 mg/kg propofol was intravenously infused for approximately one minute. The anesthesia was maintained by continuous infusion of either remimazolam (0.7-1.0 mg/kg/h) or propofol (4-6 mg/kg/h), in combination with 0.6% sevoflurane, aimed at sustaining the bispectral index (BIS) within the range of 40-60. The primary outcome was the N75-P100 amplitude of FVEP recorded at approximately 20 min after intubation (T0). 10% of the amplitude at T0 in group P was defined as the non-inferiority margin (δ). Confidence interval testing was used to evaluate the non-inferiority hypothesis. The secondary outcomes covered the P100 latency of FVEP, electroretinogram (ERG) b wave amplitude, demographic characteristics, hemodynamics, and occurrence of adverse events.

RESULTS

The BIS index during anesthesia was comparable between the groups at the same measured time points (P > 0.05). The N75-P100 amplitude at T0 in group R was 7.64 ± 1.36 µV, while it was 6.96 ± 0.95 µV in group P (P = 0.09), with a mean difference of 0.68 µV (95% CI, -0.11 µV to 1.48 µV). The δ was set at 0.7 and the lower limit of the 95% CI exceeded the -δ. Both remimazolam and propofol had little effect on ERG b-wave amplitudes. At the designated time points, FVEP amplitude and P100 latency displayed no appreciable variation between the two groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the incidence of adverse events related to anesthesia, needle electrodes, or surgery between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that remimazolam-0.6% sevoflurane is non-inferior to propofol-0.6% sevoflurane for general anesthesia, based on the FVEP N75-P100 amplitude. The electrophysiological data obtained in both groups indicate that reproducible and stable FVEP and ERG waveforms can be acquired at set time points. Therefore, for reliable FVEP monitoring, remimazolam-0.6% sevoflurane appears to be a safe and effective protocol in general anesthesia.

TRIALS REGISTRATION

This study was registered on chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2200056803, 17/02/2022).

Fast neutron induced reaction cross sections on natural manganese and tantalum

The cross sections for the 55Mn(n,2n)54Mn, 181Ta(n,2n)180gTa, and 181Ta(n,p)181Hf reactions were measured to be 705.1 ± 26.1 mb at 14.0 MeV, 1362.7 ± 87.2 mb at 13.6 MeV, and 2.31 ± 0.09 mb at 13.6 MeV, respectively, by using an off-line γ-ray spectroscopic technique. The neutrons were produced via the 3H(d,n)4He reaction. The monitor reactions 27Al(n,α)24Na and 93Nb(n,2n)92mNb were used for neutron flux determination. The results from the present work were compared with those of the literature and the evaluated data from ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.3, JENDL-5, CENDL-3.2, and BROND-3.1 libraries. Besides, the cross sections were also estimated with the TALYS-1.96 nuclear model code using different level density models for a better description of the present work and literature data. The present experimental results were found to be in good agreement with most of the available literature data and with the evaluated data.

The male pachynema-specific protein MAPS drives phase separation in vitro and regulates sex body formation and chromatin behaviors in vivo

Dynamic chromosome remodeling and nuclear compartmentalization take place during mammalian meiotic prophase I. We report here that the crucial roles of male pachynema-specific protein (MAPS) in pachynema progression might be mediated by its liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro and in cellulo. MAPS forms distinguishable liquid phases, and deletion or mutations of its N-terminal amino acids (aa) 2-9 disrupt its secondary structure and charge properties, impeding phase separation. Maps-/- pachytene spermatocytes exhibit defects in nucleus compartmentalization, including defects in forming sex bodies, altered nucleosome composition, and disordered chromatin accessibility. MapsΔ2-9/Δ2-9 male mice expressing MAPS protein lacking aa 2-9 phenocopy Maps-/- mice. Moreover, a frameshift mutation in C3orf62, the human counterpart of Maps, is correlated with nonobstructive azoospermia in a patient exhibiting pachynema arrest in spermatocyte development. Hence, the phase separation property of MAPS seems essential for pachynema progression in mouse and human spermatocytes.

An integrated approach for improving clinical management of non-obstructive azoospermia

BACKGROUND

Non-obstructive azoospermia is the most severe form of male infertility. A testicular biopsy is required for the diagnosis of non-obstructive azoospermia, and the causal factors for non-obstructive azoospermia remain unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To reduce the risk of multiple biopsies and identify factors that contribute to non-obstructive azoospermia, we proposed an integrated approach for the preoperative diagnosis and clinical management of non-obstructive azoospermia by applying the chromosome-spreading technique and whole-exome sequencing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between July 2020 and December 2022, after ruling out definitive obstructive azoospermia and non-obstructive azoospermia patients with testicular volume < 6 mL, 20 patients with non-obstructive azoospermia who underwent preoperative testicular diagnostic biopsy using testicular sperm aspiration were subjected to retrospective analysis.

RESULTS

Microscopic examination identified four patients with sperm cells, and 16 without sperm cells. Routine pathological analysis classified one patient as normal spermatogenesis, three as hypospermatogenesis, five as maturation arrest, nine as Sertoli cell-only, and two as unable to judge. With chromosome-spreading technology using routine cell suspension samples for microscopic examination, 18 patient diagnoses were validated, and two patients without a definitive diagnosis were supplemented. Detection of the Y chromosome and a well-organized whole-exome sequencing analysis revealed potential genetic factors.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The full use of testicular biopsy is beneficial for the diagnosis of azoospermia, as it avoids the risk of multiple biopsies. Moreover, in combination with whole-exome sequencing, clinicians can obtain more information regarding the pathogenesis of non-obstructive azoospermia, which may guide treatment.

Measurement and analysis of leakage neutron spectra from Lead slab samples with D-T neutrons

The leakage neutron spectra from three different sizes of Lead samples were measured by a TOF technique at 60° and 120°. The essential characteristic properties of the experimental measurement spectra can be reproduced well by MCNP code simulations with the ENDF/B-VIII.0, CENDL-3.2, JENDL-5.0, JEFF-3.3 and TENDL-2021 evaluated nuclear data libraries. The calculated results of JENDL-5.0 and JEFF-3.3 libraries agree better with the experimental data in the whole energy range. The results from ENDF/B-VIII.0 and CENDL-3.2 are overestimated in the 4-9 MeV range at 60° and in the 4-12.5 MeV range at 120°. The differences of the leakage neutron spectra by MCNP simulations using five evaluated nuclear data libraries mainly originate from the differences of the spectrum distributions of neutron reaction channels in these libraries. And the secondary neutron energy distribution and angular distribution from the five libraries have been present to explain it.

A straight-forward gene mining strategy to identify TaCIPK19 as a new regulator of drought tolerance in wheat

Drought stress is one of the most impactful abiotic stresses to global wheat production. Therefore, identifying key regulators such as the calcineurin B-like protein interacting protein kinase (CIPK) in the signaling cascades known to coordinate developmental cues and environmental stimuli represents a useful approach to improve drought tolerance. However, functional studies have been very limited partly due to the difficulties in prioritizing candidate genes from the large TaCIPK family. To address this issue, we demonstrate a straight-forward strategy by analyzing gene expression patterns in response to phytohormones or stresses and identified TaCIPK19 as a new regulator to improve drought tolerance. The effects of TaCIPK19 on drought tolerance were evaluated in both tobacco and wheat through transgenic approach. Ectopic expression of TaCIPK19 in tobacco greatly improves drought tolerance with enhanced ABA biosynthesis/signaling and ROS scavenging capacity. TaCIPK19 overexpression in wheat also confers the drought tolerance at both seedling and mature stages with enhanced ROS scavenging capacity. Additionally, potential CBL partners interacting with TaCIPK19 were investigated. Collectively, our finding exemplifies a straight-forward approach to facilitate reverse genetics related to abiotic stress improvement and demonstrates TaCIPK19 as a new candidate gene to improve ROS scavenging capacity and drought tolerance, which is useful for genetic improvement and breeding application in wheat.

Integrative gene duplication and genome-wide analysis as an approach to facilitate wheat reverse genetics: An example in the TaCIPK family

INTRODUCTION

Reverse genetic studies conducted in the plant with a complex or polyploidy genome enriched with large gene families (like wheat) often meet challenges in identifying the key candidate genes related to important traits and prioritizing the genes for functional experiments.

OBJECTIVE

To overcome the above-mentioned challenges of reverse genetics, this work aims to establish an efficient multi-species strategy for genome-wide gene identification and prioritization of the key candidate genes.

METHODS

We established the integrative gene duplication and genome-wide analysis (iGG analysis) as a strategy for pinpointing key candidate genes deserving functional research. The iGG captures the evolution, and the expansion/contraction of large gene families across phylogeny-related species and integrates spatial-temporal expression information for gene function inference. Transgenic approaches were also employed to functional validation.

RESULTS

As a proof-of-concept for the iGG analysis, we took the wheat calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) family as an example. We identified CIPKs from seven monocot species, established the orthologous relationship of CIPKs between rice and wheat, and characterized Triticeae-specific CIPK duplicates (e.g., CIPK4 and CIPK17). Integrated with our analysis of CBLs and CBL-CIPK interaction, we revealed that divergent expressions of TaCBLs and TaCIPKs could play an important role in keeping the stoichiometric balance of CBL-CIPK. Furthermore, we validated the function of TaCIPK17-A2 in the regulation of drought tolerance by using transgenic approaches. Overexpression of TaCIPK17 enhanced antioxidant capacity and improved drought tolerance in wheat.

CONCLUSION

The iGG analysis leverages evolutionary and comparative genomics of crops with large genomes to rapidly highlight the duplicated genes potentially associated with speciation, domestication and/or particular traits that deserve reverse-genetic functional studies. Through the identification of Triticeae-specific TaCIPK17 duplicates and functional validation, we demonstrated the effectiveness of the iGG analysis and provided a new target gene for improving drought tolerance in wheat.

[Identification the key factor of pulmonary fibrosis following silica nanoparticles exposure based on bioinformatics analysis]

Objective: To investigate the main mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis following silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) exposure through constructing the macrophage-fibroblast model in vitro, which simulated the process of pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: In January 2021, human mononuclear leukemia cells (THP-1) were treated with 0, 25, 50, 100 μg/ml SiNPs for 24 h. The supernatant of THP-1 cells was collected and applied to human embryonic lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5) which divided into control and low, medium and high dose groups at the logarithmic growth stage for 24 h. MRC-5 cell viability was detected by CCK8. The hydroxyproline (Hyp), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) expression were detected in the supernatants of MRC-5. The changed proteins were detected by liquid-phase mass spectrometry in high dose group. GeneCard database were applied to identity the differential pulmonary fibrosis proteins in high dose group. Gene Ontology (GO) was performed to identity the key biological process in differential pulmonary fibrosis proteins of high dose group. The String database was used to construct the protein-protein interactions (PPI) network of differential pulmonary fibrosis proteins. The APP of CytoHubba was applied to calculate the key protein of differential pulmonary fibrosis proteins in PPI network. Correlation coefficients between key differential pulmonary fibrosis proteins were calculated using Pearson correlation analysis. Western blotting was applied to detect the expression of key proteins of differential pulmonary fibrosis proteins in different groups. Results: CCK8 results showed that MRC-5 cell viability was increasing in low, medium and high dose groups compared with control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of Hyp and IL-1β in different group were increased compared with control group, the expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were increased in high dose group compared with control group (P<0.05). GeneCard database identified 26 differential pulmonary fibrosis proteins, which were mainly involved in extracellular matrix hydrolysis, cell inflammatory response, tissue repair, cell proliferation, inflammation response by GO analysis. The APP of CytoHubba was calculated that matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1) played an important role in PPI network. The results of correlation analysis showed that MMP9 was correlated with the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1), matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), TIMP1 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (r=0.97, 0.98, 0.94, 0.93, P<0.05). Western blotting results showed that TIMP1 protein expression was increased in low, medium and high dose groups, while MMP9 protein expression was increased only in high dose group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Differential expression proteins related with pulmonary fibrosis in MRC-5 cells mainly regulate biological processes of extracellular matrix hydrolysis, tissue repair, and cellular inflammation response following SiNPs exposure. MMP9 and TIMP1 may be the key proteins, which affected the fibrosis process in vitro pulmonary fibrosis model.

The additive interactions between high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits and tannic acid improve the wheat quality

Wheat gluten proteins, especially high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS), are the main contributor to flour processing quality. Tannic acid (TA) consisting of a central glucose unit and ten gallic acid molecules is a phenolic acid that improves the processing quality. However, the underlying mechanism of TA's improvement remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that TA's improving effects on gluten aggregation, dough-mixing and bread-making properties were directly associated with the kinds of HMW-GS expressed in wheat seeds in HMW-GS near-isogenic lines (NILs). We established a biochemical framework, elucidated the additive effects of HMW-GS-TA interaction and discovered that TA cross-linked specifically with wheat glutenins but not gliadins, and reduced gluten surface hydrophobicity and SH content depending on the kinds of expressed HMW-GS in the wheat seeds. We also demonstrated that hydrogen bonds play an essential role in TA-HMW-GS interactions and improvement of wheat processing quality. Additionally, the effects of TA on the antioxidant capacity and on nutrient (protein and starch) digestibility were also investigated in the NILs of HMW-GS. TA increased antioxidant capacity but did not affect the digestion of starches and proteins. Our results revealed that TA more effectively strengthened wheat gluten in the presence of more HMW-GS kinds, highlighting TA's potential as an improver toward healthy and quality bread and demonstrating that manipulating hydrogen bonds was a previously overlooked approach to improve wheat quality.

Activation cross sections for reactions induced by 14 MeV neutrons on natural titanium

Cross sections for the neutrons around 14 MeV interaction with natural titanium were precisely measured by neutron activation and off-line measurement technique. The fast neutrons were produced by ³H(d,n)⁴He reaction and the neutron energy was obtained by using the cross section ratio method of ⁹⁰Zr(n,2n)⁸⁹Zr to ⁹³Nb(n,2n)^92mNb reactions. Experimental cross sections have been acquired for ^natTi(n,x)⁴⁶Sc, ^natTi(n,x)⁴⁷Sc, ⁵⁰Ti(n,x)⁴⁷Ca and ⁴⁸Ti(n,x)⁴⁸Sc reactions. The measured cross section data are compared with the experimental data available in the previous literature and evaluated nuclear data from the ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.3, JENDL-5, BROND-3.1, CENDL-3.2 and FENDL-3.2b libraries. Furthermore, excitation functions for these reactions were calculated by using the theoretical model based on Talys-1.96 code with default and adjusted parameters. Within experimental error, evaluated nuclear data are mostly consistent with experimental data. The excitation function with adjusted parameters can roughly reproduce the experimental data.

Efficacy of non-surgical periodontal treatment on patients with coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is defined as one of the most common cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Periodontitis is one of the risk factors for CAD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were carefully and thoroughly retrieved until October 2021. On the basis of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, eligible articles were selected strictly to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Using Cochran's Q statistic, Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 16, data were extracted, and a comprehensive analysis was carried out.

RESULTS

Six RCTs of 619 patients were included in this study, including 360 in the intervention group (IG) and 259 in the control group (CG). Meta-analysis showed significant difference for C-reactive protein (CRP) (1.20mg/L, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.27, p < 0.00001) after non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT), but showed no significant difference for interleukin-6 (IL-6) (1.19mg/L, 95% CI: -1.03 to 3.40, p=0.29), flow-mediated dilation (FMD) (-1.64%, 95% CI: -4.95 to 1.67, p=0.33), triacylglycerol (TG) (-0.02mg/dL, 95% CI: -0.31 to 0.27, p=0.90), total cholesterol (TC) (0.04mg/dL, 95% CI: -0.25 to 0.33, p=0.90), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (0.00mg/dL, 95% CI: -0.29 to 0.29, p=0.99) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (0.11mg/dL, 95% CI: -0.18 to 0.40, p=0.46).

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of NSPT on the reduction of CRP in patients of CAD with periodontitis is significant. NSPT can be considered as an important preventive strategy for major cardiovascular events in CAD.

[Multimodality-based super-resolution reconstruction for routine brain magnetic resonance images]

OBJECTIVE

To propose a multi-modality-based super-resolution synthesis model for reconstruction of routine brain magnetic resonance images (MRI) with a low resolution and a high thickness into high-resolution images.

METHODS

Based on real paired low-high resolution MRI data (2D T1, 2D T2 FLAIR and 3D T1), a structure-constrained image mapping network was used to extract important features from the images with different modalities including the whole T1 and subcortical regions of T2 FLAIR to reconstruct T1 images with higher resolutions. The gray scale intensity and structural similarities between the super-resolution images and high-resolution images were used to enhance the reconstruction performance. We used the anatomical information acquired from segment maps of the super-resolution T1 image and the ground truth by a segmentation tool as a significant constraint for adaptive learning of the intrinsic tissue structure characteristics of the brain to improve the reconstruction performance of the model.

RESULTS

Our method showed the performance on the testing dataset than other methods with an average PSNR of 33.11 and SSIM of 0.996. The anatomical structure of the brain including the sulcus, gyrus, and subcortex were all reconstructed clearly using the proposed method, which also greatly enhanced the precision of MSCSR for brain volume measurement.

CONCLUSION

The proposed MSCSR model shows excellent performance for reconstructing super-resolution brain MR images based on the information of brain tissue structure and multimodality MR images.

Quantitative Collateral Assessment on CTP in the Prediction of Stroke Etiology

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Patients with stroke etiology of large-artery atherosclerosis were thought to have better collateral circulation compared with patients with other stroke etiologies. We aimed to investigate the association between stroke etiology and collateral circulation with a new quantitative collateral assessment method.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study reviewed data from consecutive patients with proximal anterior artery occlusion who underwent CTP before reperfusion therapy. CBF maps were derived from CTP. A new indicator, maximum CBF of collateral vessels within the Sylvian fissure (cCBF_max), was applied to quantitatively assess the collateral status. The relationship between collateral status and stroke etiology was investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 296 patients were finally analyzed. The median cCBF_max was significantly higher in patients with large-artery atherosclerosis than in those without it (92 [interquartile range, 65-123] mL/100 g/min versus 62 [interquartile range, 46-82] mL/100 g/min; P < .001). Multivariable analysis revealed that a higher cCBF_max score was independently associated with large-artery atherosclerosis etiology (OR, 1.010; 95% CI, 1.002-1.018; P = .017) after adjustment. The area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of the final model in predicting the etiology of large-artery atherosclerosis were 0.870, 89.7%, and 75.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with large-artery atherosclerosis had a more adequate collateral perfusion supply with the new quantitative collateral assessment. The new quantitative collateral measurement might contribute to the prediction of stroke etiology in the acute clinical scenario for patients with acute ischemic stroke.

[Impact of probiotics on the lung development of Bama minipig after premature birth]

Objectives: To examine the impact of probiotics on the lung development of preterm birth of Bama pig. Methods: From April 2020 to October 2021, this animal experimental research was performed by setting up preterm (birth at gestation 104 d), full-term (birth at gestation 113 d), preterm with probiotics (birth at gestation 104 d treated with probiotics given at 3 d after birth), and full-term with probiotics (birth at gestation 113 d treated with probiotics given at 3 d after birth) groups and using the preterm Bama minipig model, the body weights were recorded and lung, ileum, and intestinal content samples were collected at birth, 4 days, 9 days, and 21 days after births of the piglets in preterm and full-term groups, the same samples were collected on 9 days after births of the piglets in preterm with probiotics and full-term with probiotics groups. The body weight and radial alveolar counts (RAC) were compared to evaluate the lung development of the piglets. The lengths of ileal villus were compared to evaluate the development of ileum. The composition structures of bacteria in ileum were analyzed by 16 S rRNA sequencing. The statistical analyses between different groups were performed by t test. Results: There were totally 30 piglets (16 female piglets and 14 male piglets) involving 12 piglets in preterm and full-term groups respectively and 3 piglets in preterm with probiotics and full-term with probiotics groups respectively. The body weights of the piglets in preterm group were lower than those in full-term group at 4, 9 and 21 d after birth ((507±27) vs. (694±56) g, (620±35) vs. (1 092±154) g, (1 660±210) vs. (2 960±418) g,t=2.96, 2.99, 2.78, all P<0.05). The alveolarization of the preterm piglets at 9 days after birth was significantly lower than that of the full-term piglets at the equivalent time point (4.00±0.29 vs. 6.11±0.35, t=4.64, P<0.01). The bacteria genus with the highest abundance in ileum were all different between the preterm and the full-term groups at 4, 9 and 21 d after birth (4 d Escherichia-Shigella (26.63%) and Enterococcus (30.48%) respectively;9 d Turicibacter (35.94%) and Lactobacillus (27.33%) respectively;21 d Escherichia-Shigella (28.02%) and Lactobacillus (46.29%) respectively). The heights of ileal villus of the preterm piglets at 9 d after birth were significantly lower than those of the full-term minipigs at the equivalent time point ((297±21) vs. (411±32) μm, t=3.01, P=0.007).There were both no differences in the body weight and alveolarization ((692±36) vs. (767±67) g, 5.44±0.34 vs. 5.89±0.26, t=0.74, 1.04, both P>0.05) between the piglets in preterm with probiotics group and those in full-term with probiotics group. Turicibacter was the dominant genus in the piglets of both preterm with probiotics and the full-term with probiotics groups. The heights of ileal villus of the piglets in preterm with probiotics group were significantly longer that those of the piglets in preterm group ((371±13) vs. (297±21) μm, t=3.04, P=0.006), and were both not significantly different from those of the piglets in full-term with probiotics group and full-term group ((371±13) vs. (338±12) and (411±32) μm, t=1.90, 1.15, both P>0.05). Conclusions: Premature birth could impact the lung alveolarization of piglets. The probiotics could improve the lung alveolarization of preterm minipigs by promoting the development of ileum.

Efficacy and Safety of Remimazolam Tosilate versus Propofol for General Anesthesia in Cirrhotic Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Variceal Ligation

Introduction

The best candidate intravenous anesthetic agent for patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) remains unclear. Remimazolam tosilate (RT) is a new type of benzodiazepine with quick onset, rapid recovery, and no accumulation. Here, we investigated the efficacy and safety of RT for general anesthesia in cirrhotic patients undergoing EVL.

Methods

Patients undergoing EVL were randomly classified into the remimazolam tosilate (group R) and the propofol group (group P). RT was administered as a slow bolus of 0.2 mg/kg for induction and followed by 1.0–2.0 mg/kg/h for maintenance of general anesthesia. Propofol was started at 2 mg/kg, followed by 4–10 mg/kg/h until the end of surgery. Flumazenil was routinely administered to group R and the same volume of saline was given to group P immediately after surgery. The efficacy and safety of RT for general anesthesia during EVL were compared with propofol.

Results

All patients in the two groups had satisfactory anesthetic effects and the efficacy rates were 100%. The time to loss of consciousness (LoC) was longer in group R than in group P (P > 0.05). The return of consciousness (RoC) time, extubation time, and transfer time in group R were significantly shorter than that in group P (P < 0.05). The incidence of intraoperative hypotension and postoperative low SpO₂ in group R were lower than that in the group P (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to the satisfaction degree of patients and operators (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Remimazolam tosilate can provide satisfactory anesthetic effects for surgery. Group R patients recovered faster and had a shorter PACU stay time than group P patients. Moreover, RT decreased the incidence of hypotension and low SpO₂. RT was a safer and more effective alternative for general anesthesia in cirrhotic patients undergoing EVL than propofol.

The Efficacy and Safety of Remimazolam Tosilate versus Etomidate-Propofol in Elderly Outpatients Undergoing Colonoscopy: A Prospective, Randomized, Single-Blind, Non-Inferiority Trial

Objective

The optimal sedation regime during endoscopy remains controversial, especially for elderly outpatients. In this study, we compared the efficacy and safety between remimazolam tosilate (RT) and etomidate-propofol (EP) in elderly outpatients undergoing colonoscopy.

Methods

A total of 260 elderly outpatients undergoing sedative colonoscopy were randomized into two groups. Patients in the RT group received a 0.075-mg/kg maintenance dose of remimazolam following an initial dose of 0.15 mg/kg, whereas patients in the EP group (10 mL:20 mg etomidate plus 10 mL:100 mg propofol) received a 0.05-mL/kg maintenance dose following an initial dose of 0.1 mL/kg to maintain a Modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation score of ≤3 during the procedure. The primary endpoint was the success of the procedure. Secondary endpoints included time metrics, hemodynamics, consumption of fentanyl, etomidate, propofol, and remimazolam, intraoperative body movement, patient and endoscopist satisfaction scores, supplemental dose of sedative and fentanyl, and incidence and severity of adverse events.

Results

The procedure success rate was 96.52% in the RT group and 100% in the EP group. The difference in procedure success rate between the RT and EP groups was −3.48% (95% confidence interval: −6.81%, −0.15%). Four patients in the RT group required rescue midazolam. Compared with patients in the RT group, the onset time of the EP group was significantly lower (p < 0.05), whereas time to fully alert (p = 0.001), ready for discharge (p = 0.001), and hospital discharge (p = 0.002) were all significantly higher in the EP group. However, there were no significant differences in procedure time (p = 0.846) or cecal intubation time (p = 0.320) between the two groups. Although the frequency of intraoperative body movement was higher in the RT group, the difference was not significant (p = 0.508). There were no significant differences in patients’ demographic and baseline characteristics, supplemental doses of sedative and fentanyl, or patient and endoscopist satisfaction scores (p > 0.05). Muscular tremor and pain on injection were recorded more frequently in the EP group (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in hypoxia, respiratory depression, or incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. The severity of adverse events was all mild (grade 1) across both groups.

Conclusion

RT may have non-inferior efficacy and a higher safety profile than EP in elderly outpatients undergoing colonoscopy, which suggests that RT may be more suitable for elderly outpatients undergoing colonoscopy.

Abnormal Y chromosome detection in infertile males using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification

Y chromosome abnormalities are the leading cause of male infertility. The clinical detection of abnormalities is necessary for appropriate genetic counselling. This study describes the prevalence, distribution and characteristics of Y chromosome abnormalities, which should be considered in the clinical management of infertile males. A total of 121 patients with oligozoospermia, 120 with azoospermia and 88 normal individuals were recruited between June 2019 and July 2021. Y chromosome microdeletions were assessed using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). The abnormal Y chromosome prevalence was 30.70%, and it was most common in patients aged 26-40 years. The frequencies of azoospermia factor (AZF) deletion, duplication and deletions/duplications were 19.76%, 9.42% and 1.52% respectively. The most common abnormalities were AZFc deletion (19.80%), AZFc partial deletion (40.59%) and AZFc partial duplication (17.82%). Oligozoospermia was associated with an increased incidence of AZF deletion. In the subgroup analysis, patients <30 years old with azoospermia exhibited elevated follicle-stimulating hormone levels and oestradiol. Moreover, the incidence of AZF deletion was higher in those with azoospermia (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.05-5.28; p = 0.023) or oligozoospermia (OR: 2.54; 95% CI: 1.13-5.79; p = 0.008) than in normal individuals for ages ≥30 years.

Cell-free DNA from bile outperformed plasma as a potential alternative to tissue biopsy in biliary tract cancer

BACKGROUND

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are rare and highly heterogenous malignant neoplasms. Because obtaining BTC tissues is challenging, the purpose of this study was to explore the potential roles of bile as a liquid biopsy medium in patients with BTC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty-nine consecutive patients with suspected BTC were prospectively enrolled in this study. Capture-based targeted sequencing was performed on tumor tissues, whole blood cells, plasma, and bile samples using a large panel consisting of 520 cancer-related genes.

RESULTS

Of the 28 patients enrolled in this cohort, tumor tissues were available in eight patients, and plasma and bile were available in 28 patients. Somatic mutations were detected in 100% (8/8), 71.4% (20/28), and 53.6% (15/28) of samples comprising tumor tissue DNA, bile cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and plasma cfDNA, respectively. Bile cfDNA showed a significantly higher maximum allele frequency than plasma cfDNA (P = 0.0032). There were 56.2% of somatic single-nucleotide variant (SNVs)/insertions and deletions (indels) shared between bile and plasma cfDNA. When considering the genetic profiles of tumor tissues as the gold standard, the by-variant sensitivity and positive predictive value for SNVs/indels in bile cfDNA positive for somatic mutations were both 95.5%. The overall concordance for SNVs/indels in bile was significantly higher than that in plasma (99.1% versus 78.3%, P < 0.0001). Moreover, the sensitivity of CA 19-9 combined with bile cfDNA achieved 96.4% in BTC diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that bile cfDNA was superior to plasma cfDNA in the detection of tumor-related genomic alterations. Bile cfDNA as a minimally invasive liquid biopsy medium might be a supplemental approach to confirm BTC diagnosis.

MicroRNA-regulated transcriptome analysis identifies four major subtypes with prognostic and therapeutic implications in prostate cancer

MicroRNA (miRNA) deregulation plays a critical role in the heterogeneous development of prostate cancer (PCa) by tuning mRNA levels. Herein, we aimed to characterize the molecular features of PCa by clustering the miRNA-regulated transcriptome with non-negative matrix factorization. Using 478 PCa samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas, four molecular subtypes (S-I, S-II, S-III, and S-IV) were identified and validated in two merged microarray and RNAseq datasets with 656 and 252 samples, respectively. Interestingly, the four subtypes showed distinct clinical and biological features after comprehensive analyses of clinical features, multiomic profiles, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity. S-I is basal/stem/mesenchymal-like and immune-excluded with marked transforming growth factor β, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and hypoxia signals, increased sensitivity to olaparib, and intermediate prognosis. S-II is luminal/metabolism-active and responsive to androgen deprivation therapy with frequent TMPRSS2-ERG fusion and a good prognosis. S-III is characterized by moderate proliferative and metabolic activity, sensitivity to taxane-based chemotherapy, and intermediate prognosis. S-IV is highly proliferative with moderate EMT and stemness, frequent deletions of TP53, PTEN and RB, and the poorest prognosis; it is also immune-inflamed and sensitive to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Overall, based on miRNA-regulated gene profiles, this study identified four distinct PCa subtypes that could improve risk stratification at diagnosis and provide therapeutic guidance.

A pathogenic DMC1 frameshift mutation causes nonobstructive azoospermia but not primary ovarian insufficiency in humans

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) are two disorders that can lead to infertility in males and females. Genetic factors have been identified to contribute to NOA and DOR. However, the same genetic factor that can cause both NOA and DOR remains largely unknown. To explore the candidate pathogenic gene that causes both NOA and DOR, we conducted whole-exome sequencing (WES) in a non-consanguineous family with two daughters with DOR and a son with NOA. We detected one pathogenic frameshift variant (NM_007068:c.28delG, p. Glu10Asnfs*31) following a recessive inheritance mode in a meiosis gene DMC1 (DNA meiotic recombinase 1). Clinical analysis showed reduced antral follicle number in both daughters with DOR, but metaphase II oocytes could be retrieved from one of them. For the son with NOA, no spermatozoa were found after microsurgical testicular sperm extraction. A further homozygous Dmc1 knockout mice study demonstrated total failure of follicle development and spermatogenesis. These results revealed a discrepancy of DMC1 action between mice and humans. In humans, DMC1 is required for spermatogenesis but is dispensable for oogenesis, although the loss of function of this gene may lead to DOR. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the homozygous frameshift mutation as causative for both NOA and DOR and demonstrating that DMC1 is dispensable in human oogenesis.

[Indications, selection, and effect of flap application in repairing scar carcinoma in the lower leg and ankle]

Objective: To explore the indications, selection, and effect of flap application in repairing scar carcinoma in the lower leg and ankle. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. From June 2008 to December 2018, six male patients with scar carcinoma in the lower leg and ankle were treated in Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, aged 48-64 years, with the area of lesion ranging from 3 cm×2 cm to 15 cm×6 cm. After extended resection, the defect area ranged from 8 cm×5 cm to 22 cm×9 cm, with tissue of tendon or bone exposed. Free anterolateral thigh perforator flap, latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, or pedicled sural neurovascular flap was selected to repair the wound according to the location of wound in the lower extremity, selection of operation position, the location of the anastomotic vessels in the recipient area, and whether there was good skin and soft tissue available in the lower leg. The size of flap was 11 cm×8 cm-26 cm×10 cm. The donor site of free flap or myocutaneous flap was closed directly by suturing in 5 cases, and the donor site of pedicled flap was repaired with full-thickness skin graft in 1 case. The blood supply and survival of flap, quality of skin graft survival, and complication were observed postoperatively. During the follow-up period, the recurrence and metastasis of scar carcinoma, and the appearance and function of donor and recipient sites were observed. Results: All the patients completed the operation successfully, all the transplanted flaps survived with good blood supply, and the skin graft in one donor site survived well. The wounds in the donor and recipient sites of all the patients healed well without infection, effusion, or dehiscence, etc. All the patients were followed up for 1-5 years. No local recurrence or distant metastasis of scar carcinoma was found. The quality of the transplanted flaps was good. The shape of the recipient area was quite good, and the function of the affected limb was fine. The appearance of the donor area was good without dysfunction. Conclusions: Flap transplantation is suitable for the patients with tendon and bone exposure after the excision of scar carcinoma in the lower leg and ankle. The flap can be selected according to the location of scar carcinoma, operation position, the location of anastomotic vessels in the recipient area, and whether there is good skin and soft tissue available in the lower leg. The free anterolateral thigh perforator flap or latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap is an ideal choice for repair, which can be obtained in a large area, and the donor site can be directly sutured without affecting the function.

Excitation functions of proton induced reactions on titanium and copper

Excitation functions of the Tnati(p,x)S43,47c, V48 and Cnatu(p,x)⁶⁴Cu, Z62,65n reactions were measured in the energy range of 8.8-18.4 MeV by using the stacked-foil activation technique and off-line gamma spectroscopy. The irradiation was carried out at the superconducting linac of the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Besides, the reliability and effectiveness of theoretical data from the TALYS code, recommended data of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and evaluated nuclear data of the ENDF/B-VIII.0, JENDL-4.0/HE and PADF-2007 libraries were evaluated and verified by comparing with experimental data. Our experimental results agree with most of the available literature data. TALYS-1.95 code could not reproduce, in most cases, the experimental data. Evaluated nuclear data from the ENDF/B-VIII.0, JENDL-4.0/HE and PADF-2007 libraries are able to reproduce, in most cases, the experimental data trend. Recommended data of the IAEA are in good consistent with our work and most of the available literature data.

[Studies on resistance of Schistosoma to praziquantel XVIII Sensitivity to praziquantel in filial generations of praziquantel-resistant and -sensitive Schistosoma japonicum mixed infections]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the sensitivity of adult worms of filial generations from praziquantel-resistant and -sensitive Schistosoma japonicum mixed infections to praziquantel.

METHODS

Mice were infected with the cercariae of an experimentally generated praziquantel-resistant S. japonicum isolate [median effective dose (ED₅₀) = 277.4 mg/kg] and a laboratory-maintained praziquantel-sensitive S. japonicum isolate (ED₅₀ = 99.6 mg/kg) at a mixture ratio of 1:1 and 2:1, which was maintained in the laboratory via the mouse-snail cycle for 8 generations. Then, mice were infected with the cercariae of the 8th filial-generation parasite, and grouped 35 days post-infection. Mice in the 5 treatment groups were given praziquantel treatment by gavage at a single oral dose of 37.5, 75, 150, 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg, while animals in the control group was administered orally with 2.5% cremophor EL. All mice were sacrificed 14 days post-treatment and adult worms were collected by perfusion of the portal vein. The worm burden reductions and praziquantel ED₅₀ values were calculated. The praziquantel-resistant S. japonicum isolate generated from experimental induction with 12 rounds of praziquantel treatment with sub-curative doses was maintained in the laboratory via the mouse-snail cycle, and mice were infected with the cercariae of the 8th filial-generation parasite. The praziquantel ED₅₀ value against the 8th filial-generation adults was measured.

RESULTS

After mice were infected with the mixture of cercariae of PZQ-resistant and -sensitive S. japonicum isolates at a ratio of 1:1, the praziquantel ED₅₀ was 135.2 mg/kg against the adults of the 8th filial-generation parasite. After mice were infected with the mixture of cercariae of PZQ-resistant and -sensitive S. japonicum isolates at a ratio of 2:1, the praziquantel ED₅₀ was 129.2 mg/kg against the adults of the 8th filial-generation parasite. In addition, the praziquantel ED₅₀ was 208.4 mg/kg against the adults of the 8th filial-generation S. japonicum without the selection pressure of praziquantel.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the experimentally induced praziquantel-resistant S. japonicum isolate, the adult worms of the filial-generation S. japonicum show a reduced sensitivity to praziquantel in the same host following infection with the mixture of cercariae of praziquantel-resistant and -sensitive S. japonicum isolates. The adult worms of the filial generation of the praziquantel-resistant S. japonicum isolate without the selection pressure of praziquantel may still maintain the resistance to praziquantel.

MiR-129-2 weakens proliferation and promotes apoptosis of liver cancer cells by suppressing the Wnt signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of micro ribonucleic acid-129-2 (miR-129-2) on proliferation and migration of liver cancer cells and its possible mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression level of miR-129-2 was measured in liver cancer tissues and adjacent tissues from patients with liver cancer. Its level in liver cancer HepG2 cells and normal liver cells L-02 was also detected via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). MiR-192-2 overexpression model was established in the HepG2 cell line. The proliferation and apoptosis levels of cells were determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Wound healing assay was performed to detect the migration ability of cells. The expressions level of genes in the Wnt signaling pathway were measured through Western blotting. Xenograft tumor model was conducted in nude mice for exploring the in vivo effects of miR-129-2 on liver cancer growth.

RESULTS

The expression level of miR-129-2 was significantly lower in liver cancer tissues than that in adjacent tissues (p<0.01), and it was overtly lower in HepG2 cells than that in L-02 cells (p<0.01). Overexpression of miR-129-2 weakened proliferation and migration abilities of liver cancer cells (p<0.01), and evidently increased apoptosis level (p<0.01). Sex-determining region Y-related HMG-box 4 (Sox4) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were downregulated, while phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (p-GSK3β) was upregulated in liver cancer cells overexpressing miR-129-2. Besides, the weight and volume of tumors in nude mice bearing liver cancer were significantly smaller after overexpression of miR-129-2.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-129-2 weakens proliferation and migration and stimulates apoptosis in liver cancer cells mainly by downregulating Sox4 and inactivating the Wnt signaling pathway.

Antifungal activity screening for mint and thyme essential oils against Rhizopus stolonifer and their application in postharvest preservation of strawberry and peach fruits

AIMS

With a goal to identify specific essential oils that can control postharvest Rhizopus rot on strawberry and peach fruits, we performed screening for 26 essential oils based on their antifungal activity against Rhizopus stolonifer in vitro and investigated the underlying mechanism.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Mentha spicata (Ms), Mentha piperita (Mp), Thymus vulgaris CT carvacrol (Tc) and Thymus vulgaris CT thymol (Tt) exhibited strong inhibition on R. stolonifer growth in the screening. These essential oils increased plasma membrane permeability of R. stolonifer and resulted in the outflow of intercellular electrolyte, nucleic acid, protein and soluble sugar. Morphology of R. stolonifer mycelia was greatly altered by these essential oils. Hyphae treated by these essential oils exhibited high accumulation of superoxide anion and malonaldehyde. Combination of these essential oils in commercial package reduced Rhizopus rot on strawberry and peach fruits, with Mp showing the strongest efficiency.

CONCLUSION

Ms, Mp, Tc and Tt essential oils inhibited R. stolonifer growth by targeting its plasma membrane and reduced Rhizopus rot on strawberry and peach fruits.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study provides potential applications of natural plant extract, as alternatives to tradition fungicides, to control postharvest decay on fruits and vegetables.

GABAA receptors in the basal forebrain mediates emergence from propofol anaesthesia in rats

PURPOSE

The aim of the current study was to explore the role of the basal forebrain (BF) in propofol anaesthesia.

METHODS

In the present study, we observed the neural activities of the BF during propofol anaesthesia using calcium fibre photometry recording. Subsequently, ibotenic acid was injected into the BF to verify the role of the BF in propofol anaesthesia. Finally, to test whether GABA_A receptors in the BF were involved in modulating propofol anaesthesia, muscimol (GABA_A receptor agonist) and gabazine (GABA_A receptor antagonist) were microinjected into the BF. Cortical electroencephalogram (EEG), time to loss of righting reflex (LORR), and recovery of righting reflex (RORR) under propofol anaesthesia were recorded and analysed.

RESULTS

The activity of BF neurons was inhibited during induction of propofol anaesthesia and activated during emergence from propofol anaesthesia. In addition, non-specifical lesion of BF neurons significantly prolonged the time to RORR and increased delta power in the frontal cortex under propofol anaesthesia. Next, microinjection of muscimol into the BF delayed emergence from propofol anaesthesia, increased delta power of the frontal cortex, and decreased gamma power under propofol anaesthesia. Conversely, infusion of gabazine accelerated emergence times and decreased EEG delta power.

CONCLUSIONS

The basal forebrain is involved in modulating frontal cortex delta activity and emergence from propofol anaesthesia. Additionally, the GABA_A receptors in the basal forebrain are involved in regulating emergence propofol anaesthesia.

TaSPL13 regulates inflorescence architecture and development in transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The SQUAMOSA promoter-binding protein-like (SPL) proteins play vital roles in plant growth and development in rice (Oryza sative L.) and Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. However, few studies regarding the SPL proteins have been reported in wheat. In this study, 56 TaSPLs were clustered into eight groups according to an OsSPL phylogenetic comparison analysis. The expression patterns of TaSPLs in different tissues were analysed by RNA-seq data, and partial results were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Based on the above results, genes such as TaSPL13 and TaSPL15 may be involved in spike or seed development in wheat. Multiple genes that regulate the inflorescence architecture of rice have been identified. Additionally, studies on the genes associated with spikelet development in wheat have been reported relatively rarely. Here, TaSPL13-2B was transferred into wheat cv. Bobwhite. Compared with the wild type, the transgenic lines showed significant increases in the number of florets and grains per spike, indicating that TaSPL13-2B could influence the floret development of wheat. TaSPL13-2B was transferred into rice cv. Nipponbare, which demonstrated that TaSPL13-2B can modify panicle architecture in transgenic rice, with significant increases in panicle length, the number and length of primary branches, and the number of secondary branches.

[Correlation between elevation of brachial artery pulse pressure increased and coronary heart disease in different genders]

Objective: To explore the relationship between elevation of brachial pulse pressure and coronary heart disease in different genders. Methods: A total of 5 116 inpatients with suspected stable coronary heart disease were consecutively enrolled from December 2011 to June 2017 in the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College, and divided into coronary heart disease group (n=3 694) and non-coronary heart disease group (n=1 422). The clinical data of all inpatients were collected. A binary logistic regression model of coronary heart disease in different genders were separately established. Results: The morbidity of hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, ischemic stroke and elevated pulse pressure were all higher in the coronary heart disease group than those in the non-coronary heart disease group (all P<0.05). The area under curve (AUC) of pulse pressure in the male group was 0.540, with an optimal diagnostic threshold of 50 mmHg. The AUC of pulse pressure in the female group was 0.612, with an optimal diagnostic threshold of 60 mmHg. Besides hypertension, type 2 diabetes, increase of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, ischemic stroke, smoking, and aging, elevated pulse pressure was also an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease in both male and female groups (all P<0.05). Additionally, the risk of elevated pulse pressure for coronary heart disease was higher in female group than that of male group (odds ratio (OR): 1.741 vs 1.284, P<0.05). Conclusion: Elevated pulse pressure may be a new risk factor for coronary heart disease, and its risk for coronary heart disease is higher in women than in men.

Piperine, a functional food alkaloid, exhibits inhibitory potential against TNBS-induced colitis via the inhibition of IκB-α/NF-κB and induces tight junction protein (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1) signaling pathway in experimental mice

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic immunoinflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Piperine, an alkaloid, has been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antiulcer potential.

AIM

To elucidate the plausible mechanisms of action of piperine on experimental trinitrobenzenesufonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis by assessing various biochemical, molecular, histological, and ultrastructural modifications.

METHODS

Colitis was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats via intrarectal instillation of TNBS. Then, the rats were treated with piperine (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) for 14 days.

RESULTS

TNBS induced significant (p < 0.05) colonic damage, which was assessed by disease activity index, macroscopic score, and stool consistency. The administration of piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) these damages. Treatments with piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) notably inhibited (p < 0.05) the TNBS-induced elevation of oxido-nitrosative stress (superoxide dismutase, glutathione, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide), 5-hydroxytryptamine, and hydroxyproline content in the colon. Furthermore, colonic inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOs), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, interferon-gamma, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions were upregulated after TNBS instillation and piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) these elevated mRNA expressions. TNBS decreased the expressions of tight junction (TJ) protein (claudin-1, occludin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)) and increased the expressions of proapoptotic (caspase-1) protein. These expressions were markedly inhibited (p < 0.05) by piperine treatment. Histological and ultrastructural studies of transmission electron microscopy suggested that piperine significantly ameliorated (p < 0.05) TNBS-induced colonic aberrations.

CONCLUSION

Piperine ameliorated the progression of TNBS-induced colitis by modulating the nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor-alpha/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway, thus inhibiting the overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL's), COX-2, iNOs, oxido-nitrosative stress, and proapoptotic proteins (caspase-1) that may improve the expression of TJ protein (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1).

A novel, rapid and simple method for detecting brucellosis based on rapid vertical flow technology

AIMS

To prevent the spread of brucellosis, a simple and rapid vertical flow technology (RVFT) for the detection of antibodies targeting brucellosis was developed.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this study, Brucella sp. lipopolysaccharide was purified and used to detect brucellosis antibodies. Sheep IgG was used as a negative control. Colloidal gold-labeled recombinant staphylococcus aureus protein A was sprayed on a fibreglass membrane to prepare immunogold pads. Rapid vertical flow technology was used to detect Brucella in 1668 Sheep, 2743 bovine, 674 red deer and 420 human samples. The results indicated that the accuracy of this assay can reach 98%.

CONCLUSIONS

The established RVFT uses a single multifunctional buffer that can be used to detect antibodies in serum, plasma, whole blood and other biological samples while preserving the advantages of lateral-flow immunoassays.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This technology would be of great use in primary medical units and veterinary stations, and it is of great significance for the control of epidemic diseases.

Novel Diarylethene-Based Fluorescent Switching for the Detection of Al3+ and Construction of Logic Circuit

A novel photochromic diarylethene was synthesized successfully containing a phthalazine unit. Its multistate fluorescence switching properties were investigated by stimulating with UV/vis lights and Al3+/EDTA. The synthesized diarylethene displayed excellent selectivity to Al3+ with a distinct fluorescence change, revealing that it could be used as a sensor for fluorescence identification of Al3+, and a logic circuit was constructed by utilizing this diarylethene molecular platform. Moreover, it also exhibited a high accuracy for the determination of Al3+ in practical water samples.

Inhibition of ubiquitin specific protease 17 restrains prostate cancer proliferation by regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via ROS production

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed neoplasms among men in the world. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of prostate cancer are still unclear. In the study, we investigated the effects of ubiquitin specific protease 17 (USP17) on prostate cancer growth. The results indicated that USP17 expression was markedly increased in prostate cancer tissues and cell lines. Repressing USP17 expression significantly reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation and transwell assays. In addition, apoptosis was significantly induced by USP17 knockdown via increasing the expression of cleaved Caspase-9/-3 and poly (ADP)-ribose polymerase (PARP), as well as Cyto-c. Further, USP17 silence evidently promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in prostate cancer cells. Nuclear nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)/p65 expression and total NF-κB/p65 phosphorylation were markedly down-regulated by USP17 repression. Intriguingly, blocking ROS generation using its scavenger of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) significantly abrogated USP17 knockdown-induced apoptosis and -inhibited NF-κB/p65 signaling in vitro. Our data also showed that USP17 silence impaired tumor growth in the subcutaneous mouse model in vivo. Taken together, our results suggested that USP17 decrease might exert anti-tumor activities against prostate cancer growth by inducing apoptosis and suppressing NF-κB/p65 signaling via the promotion of ROS. Thus, USP17 could be served as a promising candidate to develop effective therapeutic strategy against prostate cancer progression.

LncRNA OIP5-AS1 predicts poor prognosis and regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer

Opa-interacting protein 5 antisense RNA 1 (OIP5-AS1) is a long intergenic noncoding RNA, which has been suggested to be dysregulated in human cancers and served as tumor suppressor or promoter depending on tumor types. However, the role of OIP5-AS1 in bladder cancer was still unknown. In our study, OIP5-AS1 was overexpressed in bladder cancer, and associated with clinical progression and short overall survival. The loss-of-function studies suggested downregulation of OIP5-AS1 expression decreased cell viability, induced cell-cycle arrest and promoted cell apoptosis in bladder cancer. There was a positive association between OIP5-AS1 expression and OIP5 expression in bladder cancer tissues. Moreover, downregulation of OIP5-AS1 expression reduced messenger RNA and protein levels of OIP5 in bladder cancer cell lines. In conclusion, OIP5-AS1 is a useful biomarker for predicting clinical progression and poor prognosis and promotes cell proliferation through modulating OIP5 expression.

Identification of potential key genes associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma based on microarray gene expression profiling

The study aimed to screen potential key genes, and their targeted miRNAs and transcription factors (TFs) that were related to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and explore potential therapeutic targets for the progression of DLBCL. Dataset GSE56315 extracted from human tonsils was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. Limma package was used to identify differential expression genes (DEG) between DLBCL and normal human tonsils samples, and the function and pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Then, functional interaction (FI) networks analyses of DEGs were implemented, and modules were extracted. Additionally, DLBCL-related miRNAs were predicted based on miR2disease database. Thereafter, TF-target DEGs and miRNAs targeted genes were respectively obtained. Finally, the integrated network of TF-target-miRNA was constructed. A total of 4,495 DEGs were identified between DLBCL and NHT samples. Among them, 114 up-regulated DEGs were contained in 8 modules of FI network, while 189 down-regulated DEGs were contained in 12 sub-modules. In addition, most DEGs were enriched in the function of "DNA binding" and pathways of "chemokine signaling pathway", "phosphatidylinositol signaling system" and "RNA degradation". Moreover, 19 miRNAs related with DLBCL were downloaded from Mirwalk2. Furthermore, miRNAs of miR-21-5p, miR-155 and miR-17-5p, the TF of STAT1, and DEGs such as NUF2, CCR1, PIK3R1, SMC1A, FOXK1 and CNOT6L had high degrees in the integrated networks of TF-target-miRNA. DEGs like NUF2, CCR1, PIK3R1, SMC1A, FOXK1 and CNOT6L might be closely associated with the pathogenesis of DLBCL.

Hyaluronic acid/ Hyaluronidase as biomarkers for bladder cancer: a diagnostic meta-analysis

This study aimed to determine the value of HA/HAase for detecting bladder cancer on the basis of preceding statistical performance. PubMed, Springer Link, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were systematically searched to identify potentially relevant published articles by using the key words: "bladder cancer or bladder tumor or bladder carcinoma", "hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan", "hyaluronidase or HAase". The methodological quality of each study was assessed by QUADAS-2. According to the inclusive and exclusive criteria, 8 articles were identified and methodologically analyzed by STATA 12.0 software package.The results showed that the pooled sensitivity of HA and HAase was 0.832 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.798, 0.861) and 0.834 (95% CI: 0.756, 0.891) respectively, the pooled specificity was 0.886 (95% CI: 0.852, 0.913) and 0.860 (95% CI: 0.801, 0.904), and the area under the summary ROC cure (AUC) was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.92) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88, 0.93), respectively. Simultaneously the diagnostic accuracy of the combination of HA and HAase showed that the pooled sensitivity was 0.908 (95% CI: 0.879, 0.931), the pooled specificity was 0.825 (95% CI: 0.789, 0.856) and AUC was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91, 0.95), indicating a relatively higher accuracy than HA and HAase alone. This meta-analysis strongly suggests that HA/HAase could be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of bladder cancer.