Rational design of a rapidly responsive and highly selective fluorescent probe for SO2 derivatives detection and imaging

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is emerging as a double-edged molecule, while plays vital roles in food and biological system. However, the fast, highly sensitive, and versatile fluorescent probe still remains a tough challenge among current reports. Herein, we developed a novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescent probe TPE-PN for specifically sensing SO2 derivatives with high sensitivity (150 nmol/L) and rapid response time (10 s) based on intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. And the fluorescence at 575 nm decreased tremendously with 31-fold after the probe was treated with HSO3-. Employing the probe, the accurate analysis of HSO3- was successfully realized in food samples, cells, plant tissues, and zebrafishes. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrate the eruption of SO2 derivatives within plant during drought and salt stress processes. Therefore, probe TPE-PN illustrates significant potential for applications in food analysis and monitoring of SO2 derivatives levels in biological systems under stress conditions.

The analysis of multiple omics and examination of pathological images revealed the prognostic and therapeutic significances of CD93 in lung squamous cell carcinoma

As a potent pro-angiogenic factor, the role of CD93 in the prognosis and therapeutic outcomes of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) merits exploration. In this study, we systematically collected transcriptomic, genomic, and clinical data from various public databases, as well as pathological images from hospital-operated patients. Employing statistical analysis software like R (Version 4.2.2) and GraphPad (Version 8.0), we conducted comprehensive analyses of multi-omics data. The results revealed elevated CD93 expression in LUSC tissues, closely associated with various cancer-related pathways. High CD93 expression indicated advanced clinical stage and poorer prognosis. Furthermore, CD93 contributed to resistance against chemotherapy and immunotherapy by enhancing tumor cell stemness, reducing immune cell infiltration, and inducing T cell exhaustion. Patients with low CD93 expression exhibited higher response rates to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Immunohistochemistry validated the significance of CD93 in LUSC. CD93 emerges as a biomarker signaling unfavorable prognosis and influencing therapeutic outcomes, suggesting a potential LUSC treatment avenue.

Presence, Subtypes, and Prognostic Significance of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the presence and subtypes of tertiary lymphatic structures (TLSs) in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) and to analyze their associated clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic significance.

METHODS

The study enrolled 580 patients with surgically treated UCB, including 313 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and 267 muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The presence and subtypes of TLSs were identified by immunohistochemistry (CD20, CD3, Bcl-6, and CD21). TLSs were classified into non-GC (nGC) TLS and GC TLS subtypes based on germinal center (GC) formation. Disease-free survival (DFS) was used as an endpoint outcome to evaluate the prognostic significance of TLS and its subtypes in UCB.

RESULTS

TLSs were more common in MIBC than in NMIBC (67.8% vs 48.2%, P < .001), and the tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) mean density was significantly higher in MIBC than in NMIBC (24.0% vs 17.5%, P < .001). Moreover, a positive correlation was found between TLS presence and GC structure formation and TIL infiltration in UCB. Endpoint events occurred in 191 patients. Compared to patients with endpoint events, patients without disease progression exhibited higher TIL density and more TLSs (P < .05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that TLS was associated with better DFS in NMIBC (P = .041) and MIBC (P = .049). However, the Cox multivariate analysis did not demonstrate the prognostic significance of TLS.

CONCLUSIONS

TLS is heterogeneous in UCB, and that TLS and GC structures are related to TIL density and prognostic events. However, TLS as a prognostic indicator remains unclear, warranting further investigation.

Intratumoral and Peritumoral Radiomics Based on Preoperative MRI for Evaluation of Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 Expression in Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is a promising target for immune checkpoint blockade therapy in breast cancer. However, the preoperative evaluation of PD-L1 expression in breast cancer is rarely explored.

PURPOSE

To determine the ability of radiomics signatures based on preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI to evaluate PD-L1 expression in breast cancer.

STUDY TYPE

Retrospective.

POPULATION

196 primary breast cancer patients with preoperative MRI and postoperative pathological evaluation of PD-L1 expression, divided into training (n = 137, 28 PD-L1-positive) and test cohorts (n = 59, 12 PD-L1-positive).

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE

3.0T; volume imaging for breast assessment DCE sequence.

ASSESSMENT

Radiomics features were extracted from the first phase of DCE-MRI by using the minimum redundancy maximum relevance method and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm. Three radiomics signatures were constructed based on the intratumoral, peritumoral, and combined intra- and peritumoral regions. The performance of the signatures was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.

STATISTICAL TESTS

Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis, t-tests, chi-square tests, Fisher exact test or Yates correction, ROC analysis, and one-way analysis of variance. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

In the test cohort, the combined radiomics signature (AUC, 0.853) exhibited superior performance compared to the intratumoral (AUC, 0.816; P = 0.528) and peritumoral radiomics signatures (AUC, 0.846; P = 0.905) in PD-L1 status evaluation, although the differences did not reach statistical significance.

DATA CONCLUSION

Intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics signatures based on preoperative breast MRI showed some potential accuracy for the non-invasive evaluation of PD-L1 status in breast cancer.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Evaluation of Lymphatic Vessel Invasion Determined by D2-40 Using Preoperative MRI-Based Radiomics for Invasive Breast Cancer

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Preoperative prediction of LVI status can facilitate personalized therapeutic planning. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of preoperative MRI-based radiomics for predicting lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) determined by D2-40 in patients with invasive breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 203 patients with pathologically confirmed invasive breast cancer, who underwent preoperative breast MRI, were retrospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to the following cohorts: training cohort (n=141) and test cohort (n=62). Then, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to select independent risk factors and build a clinical model. Afterwards, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression was performed to select predictive features extracted from the early and delay enhancement dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI images, and a radiomics signature was established. Subsequently, a nomogram model was constructed by incorporating the radiomics score and risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were performed to determine the performance of various models. The efficacy of the various models was evaluated using calibration and decision curves.

RESULTS

Fourteen radiomics features were selected to construct the radiomics model. The size of the lymph node was identified as an independent risk factor of the clinical model. The nomogram model demonstrated the best calibration and discrimination performance in both the training and test cohorts, with an area under the curve of 0.873 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.807-0.923) and 0.902 (95% CI: 0.800-0.963), respectively. The decision curve illustrated that the nomogram model added more net benefits, when compared to the radiomics signature and clinical model.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram model based on preoperative DCE-MRI images exhibits satisfactory efficacy for the noninvasive prediction of LVI determined by D2-40 in invasive breast cancer.

Is HER2 ultra-low breast cancer different from HER2 null or HER2 low breast cancer? A study of 1363 patients

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to analyze whether there are any differences in clinicopathological features and prognosis between HER2 ultra-low, HER2-null, and HER2-low expression in Chinese breast cancer (BC) patients.

METHODS

The clinicopathological data of 1363 HER2-negative BC patients were retrospectively collected (from January 2018 to December 2019). HER2 status was further classified into HER2-null, HER2 ultra-low, and HER2-low. HER2-null expression is defined as infiltrating cancer cells completely free of staining. HER2 ultra-low expression is defined as ≤10% of infiltrating cancer cells showing incomplete and faint/weak membrane staining. HER2-low expression is defined as HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) 1+ or 2+ with negative in situ hybridization (ISH) assay.

RESULTS

Of 1363 patients, there were 86 (6.3%) HER2-null patients, 395 (29.0%) HER2 ultra-low patients, and 882 (64.7%) HER2-low patients. HER2 ultra-low patients were different from HER2-low patients in terms of N stage, hormone receptor (HR) status, Ki-67 expression, and type of surgery. There were also significant differences in histologic type and postoperative endocrine therapy between HER2 ultra-low and HER2-null patients. HR+ (81.0%) tumors was more common than HR- (19.0%) in HER2 ultra-low patients. In addition, there was a significant difference in HR status between HER2 ultra-low and HER2-low patients (P = 0.001). The survival analysis showed that HER2 status had no effect on disease-free survival (DFS) in HER2-negative patients (all P > 0.05). However, regardless of HER2 status, HR+ patients had better DFS than HR- patients (P = 0.003). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that age (HR [95% CI] = 0.950 [0.928, 0.972], P < 0.001), HR status (HR [95% CI] = 3.342 [1.658, 6.736], P = 0.001), and postoperative endocrine therapy (HR [95% CI] = 0.048 [0.048, 0.023], P < 0.001) were important influencing factors of DFS in HER2-negative BC patients.

CONCLUSION

HER2 ultra-low BC patients demonstrated distinct clinicopathological features from HER2-null and HER2-low tumors; while, HER2 status (null, ultra-low, or low) had no prognostic value in these HER2-negative BC population. Consistent with the published literature, HR status was an independent prognostic factor for DFS in HER2-negative BC patients.

A single administration of FGF2 after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury alleviates post-injury interstitial fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Despite lack of clinical therapy in acute kidney injury (AKI) or its progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD), administration of growth factors shows great potential in the treatment of renal repair and further fibrosis. At an early phase of AKI, administration of exogenous fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) protects against renal injury by inhibition of mitochondrial damage and inflammatory response. Here, we investigated whether this treatment attenuates the long-term renal interstitial fibrosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury.

METHODS

Unilateral renal I/R with contralateral nephrectomy was utilized as an in vivo model for AKI and subsequent CKD. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: Sham-operation group, I/R group, I/R-FGF2 group and FGF2-3D group. These groups were monitored for up to 2 months. Serum creatinine, inflammatory response and renal histopathology changes were detected to evaluate the role of FGF2 in AKI and followed renal interstitial fibrosis. Moreover, the expression of vimentin, α-SMA, CD31 and CD34 were examined.

RESULTS

Two months after I/R injury, the severity of renal interstitial fibrosis was significantly attenuated in both of I/R-FGF2 group and FGF2-3D group, compared with the I/R group. The protective effects of FGF2 administration were associated with the reduction of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)-mediated inflammatory response, the inhibition of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1)/Smads signaling-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the maintenance of peritubular capillary structure.

CONCLUSIONS

A single dose of exogenous FGF2 administration 1 h or 3 days after reperfusion inhibited renal fibrogenesis and thus blocked the transition of AKI to CKD. Our findings provided novel insight into the role of FGF signaling in AKI-to-CKD progression and underscored the potential of FGF-based therapy for this devastating disease.

An MRI-Based Radiomics Nomogram to Distinguish Ductal Carcinoma In Situ with Microinvasion From Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of Breast Cancer

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Accurate preoperative differentiation between ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (DCISM) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) could facilitate treatment optimization and individualized risk assessment. The present study aims to build and validate a radiomics nomogram based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) that could distinguish DCISM from pure DCIS breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MR images of 140 patients obtained between March 2019 and November 2022 at our institution were included. Patients were randomly divided into a training (n = 97) and a test set (n = 43). Patients in both sets were further split into DCIS and DCISM subgroups. The independent clinical risk factors were selected by multivariate logistic regression to establish the clinical model. The optimal radiomics features were chosen by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and a radiomics signature was built. The nomogram model was constructed by integrating the radiomics signature and independent risk factors. The discrimination efficacy of our nomogram was assessed by using calibration and decision curves.

RESULTS

Six features were selected to construct the radiomics signature for distinguishing DCISM from DCIS. The radiomics signature and nomogram model exhibited better calibration and validation performance in the training (AUC 0.815, 0.911, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.703-0.926, 0.848-0.974) and test (AUC 0.830, 0.882, 95% CI, 0.672-0.989, 0.764-0.999) sets than in the clinical factor model (AUC 0.672, 0.717, 95% CI, 0.544-0.801, 0.527-0.907). The decision curve also demonstrated that the nomogram model exhibited good clinical utility.

CONCLUSION

The proposed noninvasive MRI-based radiomics nomogram model showed good performance in distinguishing DCISM from DCIS.

[Protective effects of total saponins from Panax japonicus against high-fat diet-induced testicular Sertoli cell junction damage in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective effects of total saponins from Panax japonicus (TSPJ) against high-fat dietinduced testicular Sertoli cell junction damage in mice.

METHODS

Forty male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into normal diet group, high-fat diet group, and low-dose (25 mg/kg) and high-dose (75 mg/kg) TSPJ treatment groups (n=10). The mice in the normal diet group were fed a normal diet, while the mice in the other groups were fed a high-fat diet. After TSPJ treatment via intragastric administration for 5 months, the testes and epididymis of the mice were collected for measurement of weight, testicular and epididymal indices and sperm parameters. HE staining was used for histological evaluation of the testicular tissues and measurement of seminiferous tubule diameter and seminiferous epithelium height. The expression levels of ZO-1, occludin, claudin11, N-cadherin, E-cadherin and β-catenin in Sertoli cells were detected with Western blot, and the localization and expression levels of ZO-1 and β-catenin in the testicular tissues were detected with immunofluorescence assay. The protein expressions of LC3B, p-AKT and p-mTOR in testicular Sertoli cells were detected using double immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTS

Treatment with TSPJ significantly improved high-fat diet-induced testicular dysfunction by reducing body weight (P < 0.001), increasing testicular and epididymal indices (P < 0.05), and improving sperm concentration and sperm viability (P < 0.05). TSPJ ameliorated testicular pathologies and increased seminiferous epithelium height of the mice with high-fat diet feeding (P < 0.05) without affecting the seminiferous tubule diameter. TSPJ significantly increased the expression levels of ZO-1, occludin, N-cadherin, E-cadherin and β-catenin (P < 0.05) but did not affect claudin11 expression in the testicular tissues. Immunofluorescence assay showed that TSPJ significantly increased ZO-1 and β-catenin expression in the testicular tissues (P < 0.001), downregulated LC3B expression and upregulated p-AKT and p-mTOR expressions in testicular Sertoli cells.

CONCLUSION

TSPJ alleviates high-fat diet-induced damages of testicular Sertoli cell junctions and spermatogenesis possibly by activating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and inhibiting autophagy of testicular Sertoli cells.

[Pediatric myofibroma/myofibromatosis of the soft tissue and bone: a clinicopathological analysis of 28 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pediatric myofibroma/myofibromatosis of the soft tissue and bone. Methods: All cases of pediatric myofibroma/myofibromatosis of the soft tissue and bone diagnosed between January 2011 and December 2018 were retrieved from the surgical pathology records in the Department of Pathology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China. Clinical and radiological data were collected. H&E and immunohistochemistry were used to examine histological and immunophenotypic features and to make the diagnosis and differential diagnosis. The relevant literature was also reviewed. Results: Twenty-eight cases of pediatric myofibroma/myofibromatosis of the soft tissue and bone were respectively collected. The patients' ages ranged from 2 months to 14 years, with a mean age of 7 years. There were 7 females and 21 males. There were 12 cases located in soft tissue, including the finger (n=9), upper arm (n=1) and foot (n=2). There were 14 cases located in the bone of limb, including the femur (n=8), tibia (n=4), clavicle (n=2), fibula (n=2) and radius (n=1). There were 2 cases of myofibromatosis involving multiple bones. Radiology showed lytic lesions in the bone. The proliferation of spindle-shaped myofibroblasts arranged in fascicles with indistinct eosinophilic cytoplasm and bland nuclei, with no pleomorphism and cytological atypia. The characteristic histologic structure was the biphasic nodular growth pattern with cellular and paucicellular regions. The tumors might arrange in a hemangiopericytoma-like pattern. The stroma varied between dense fibrosis and myxoid changes. The reactive new bone formation and inflammatory cell infiltration also existed. Immunohistochemical study showed that the SMA was positive. The surgical resections were performed. One of the patients had tumor recurrence as a result of 11-month follow-up. Conclusions: The pediatric myofibroma/myofibromatosis of the soft tissue and bone is a very rare benign tumor and has a good prognosis. It has a characteristic morphology and its differential diagnosis from other spindle cell tumors could be made with the immunohistochemical analysis.

Effects of MCU-mediated Ca2+ Homeostasis on Ovarian Cancer Cell SKOV3 Proliferation, Migration and Transformation

BACKGROUND

Atlas human proteomics database showed MCU as highly expressed in various tumor tissues, especially in ovarian cancer. Rare studies on the role of MCU and its regulation in ovarian cancer have been reported.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine role of MCU in ovarian cancer cell SKOV3 proliferation, migration, and transformation, and explore the possible mechanism.

METHODS

MCU siRNA on lentiviral particles were stably transfected into SKOV3 cells. CCK-8 assay was performed to analyze cell proliferation. Soft-agar colony formation assay was employed to evaluate tumorigenesis. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to evaluate the expression of MCU, MICU1 and phosphorylate of Akt in the ovarian cancer cell and tissue specimens. Scratch assay was combined with trans-well plates assay to detect the migration ability of cancer cells. The ROS production and Ca2+ expression were also determined.

RESULTS

MCU expression was significantly higher in ovarian cancer tissues than normal tissues. MCU silencing decreased SKOV3 cell proliferation, migration, and transformation. ROS production was decreased after MCU silencing, depending on disturbed Ca2+ homeostasis. MICU1 expression has been found to be decreased and phosphorylation of Akt increased when MCU was silenced.

CONCLUSION

Down-regulation of MCU inhibited SKOV3 cell proliferation, migration, and transformation via disturbing Ca2+ homeostasis and decreasing ROS production. MICU1 and phosphorylation of Akt are associated with MCU-mediated ovarian cancer malignancy.

N6-methyladenosine methylation-related genes YTHDF2, METTL3, and ZC3H13 predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common primary malignant tumor and cause of cancer-related death in humans. Increasing evidence indicates that an imbalance in N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is strongly linked to the occurrence and development of cancer. We used comprehensive bioinformatics to establish a potential prognostic model of HCC based on m6A methylation-related genes. And case analyses were used to verify the results.

Methods

The clinical data and gene expressions were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. The prognostic value of m6A methylation-related genes in HCC patients and their relationship with the immune microenvironment were explored by comprehensive bioinformatics analyses. We also collected pathological specimens from 70 patients with HCC from the Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, and performed immunohistochemical staining on the specimens. We compared tumor specimens from 27 patients positive for METTL3, YTHDF2, and ZC3H13 staining with their adjacent normal tissues and against 27 patient specimens negative for METTL3, YTHDF2, and ZC3H13. The influence of METTL3, YTHDF2, and ZC3H13 on survival was analyzed, and the prognostic model for METTL3, YTHDF2, and ZC3H13 in HCC was verified by clinical data.

Results

Most m6A methylation-related genes showed significantly different expressions between cancer and normal tissues. Three candidate m6A methylation-related genes (YTHDF2, METTL3, and ZC3H13) were significantly correlated with the overall survival (OS) of HCC patients. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated a worse prognosis of high-risk patients than that of low-risk patients. Immunological analysis showed that the high-risk group was more likely to have higher follicular helper T cell counts and lower resting memory CD4 T cell counts. The expression of YTHDF2, METTL3, and ZC3H13 was validated by other databases, including the Oncomine database, the Human Protein Atlas (HPA), and the Kaplan-Meier plotter.

Conclusions

Our prognostic model based on m6A methylation-related genes effectively predicted the prognosis of HCC patients.

Proteome Analysis of Temporomandibular Joint with Disc Displacement

Disc displacement without reduction is a common disorder of the temporomandibular joint, causing clinical symptoms and sometimes condylar degeneration. In some cases, bone regeneration is detected following disc-repositioning procedures. Until now, however, systems-wide knowledge of the protein levels for condylar outcome with disc position is still lacking. Here, we performed comprehensive expression profiling of synovial fluid from 109 patients with disc displacement without reduction using high-resolution data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry and characterized differences in 1,714 proteins. Based on magnetic resonance imaging, samples were divided into groups with versus without condylar absorption and subgroups with versus without new bone. For the proteomic analysis, 32 proteins in groups presented with statistical significance (>2-fold, P < 0.05). Pathways such as response to inorganic substances, blood coagulation, and estrogen signaling were significantly expressed in the group with bone absorption as compared with pathways such as regulation of body fluid levels, vesicle-mediated transport, and focal adhesion, which were enriched in the group without bone absorption. In subgroup analysis, 45 proteins of significant importance (>2-fold, P < 0.05) were associated with pathways including would healing, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, and amino acid metabolism. Combined with clinical examination, molecules such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta (ACACB) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) were related to features such as visual analog scale and maximum interincisal opening (P < 0.05). In addition, 7 proteins were examined by Western blotting, including progesterone immunomodulatory binding factor 1 (PIBF1), histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), and protein kinase C and casein kinase substrate in neurons 2 (PACSIN2). In conclusion, this study provides the first proteome analysis of condylar absorption at disc displacement without reduction and postoperative new bone formation after disc reposition. Integrated with clinical data, this analysis provides an important insight into the proteomics of condylar modification at disc position.

Systolic blood pressure time in range and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy

Background

The relationship between systolic blood pressure (SBP) control and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy remains unclear. It has been previously reported that either too high or too low SBP may lead to a poorer prognosis. But current SBP control metrics may not take into account the possible effects of fluctuating SBP overtime on patients.

Purpose

This study aimed to estimate the association between time in range (TIR) of SBP and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

Methods

This study was a post-hoc analysis of The Surgical Treatment of Ischaemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial, a randomized controlled trial with two hypotheses that enrolled participants with coronary artery disease and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%. The SBP target range of the TIR was defined as 110 to 130 mmHg and the SBP TIR was calculated by linear interpolation method. Patients were equally divided into four groups by quartiles of TIR. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were constructed to compare the effects of different levels of TIR on a 10-year prognosis. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Subgroup analyses were performed according to whether patients were assigned to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or medical therapy (MED), and in populations with different baseline SBP.

Results

A total of 1194 eligible patients were included according to the purpose of our study. Compared with patients in the quartile 4 group (TIR 77.87–100%), the fully adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause mortality were 1.32 (0.98–1.78) for quartile 3 group (TIR 54.81–77.63%), 1.40 (1.03–1.90) for quartile 2 group (TIR 32.59–54.67%), and 1.53 (1.14–2.04) for quartile 1 group (TIR 0–32.56%) (P for trend = 0.005). When evaluated TIR as a continuous variable, per 1-SD decrement (29.28%) in TIR significantly increased the incidence of all-cause mortality [1.15 (1.04–1.26)]. Similarly, the decrement in TIR significantly elevated the risk of cardiovascular (CV) mortality and the risk of all-cause mortality plus CV rehospitalization. Consistent results were also observed in subgroup analyses of either CABG or MED, or different baseline SBP, indicating the robustness of our findings.

Conclusions

This study suggested that in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy, a higher SBP TIR was significantly associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality, CV mortality and the composite of all-cause mortality plus CV rehospitalization, regardless of whether the patient received CABG or MED, and the level of baseline SBP. Our findings support that TIR might be a substitutable metric of SBP control for long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Evolution and clinical implications of right ventricular dysfunction in ischemic cardiomyopathy with or without coronary artery bypass surgery

Background

The Surgical Treatment of Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial demonstrated that coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) provides additional survival benefits to patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. However, it remains unclear whether this benefit is affected by preoperative right ventricular (RV) function and how post-therapeutic evolution of RV function influences long-term outcomes.

Purpose

We sought to investigate the implications of baseline RV function on therapeutic decision-making in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, and to evaluate the prognostic implications of post-therapeutic evolution of RV function.

Methods

Patients with available baseline echocardiographic RV function assessed by experienced Echocardiography Core Laboratory physicians were included from the hypothesis 1 of the STICH trial. The primary outcome was long-term all-cause mortality.

Results

A total of 1042 patients were included, among them 757 (72.7%) had normal RV function, 143 (13.7%) mild right ventricular dysfunction (RVD), and 142 (13.6%) moderate to severe RVD. After a median follow-up of 9.8 years, patients with RVD had a higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with patients with normal RV function [mild RVD: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.64; moderate to severe RVD: aHR, 1.74; 95% CI 1.39–2.18]. Although no significant interaction was detected between RVD degree and treatment allocation (P for interaction = 0.399), a gradually decreasing survival benefit associated with CABG was observed among patients with normal RV function (aHR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.65–0.96), mild RVD (aHR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.56–1.29), and moderate to severe RVD (aHR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.67–1.43). Among 746 patients with available RV function assessed at baseline and post-therapeutic 4-month follow-up, there was a gradient of increasing risk for all-cause mortality across patients with consistent normal RV function, recovery of RVD (aHR: 1.20; 95% CI: 0.88–1.64), newly developed RVD (aHR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.18–2.14), and consistent RVD (aHR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.60–2.67). Independent predictors of RVD recovery included baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (per 1-percent increment, adjusted odds ratio: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00–1.09) and mitral regurgitation ≥ grade 2 (adjusted odds ratio: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.21–0.84).

Conclusions

Baseline RVD was associated with an increased risk of long-term mortality in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, and adding CABG to medical therapy might provide limited survival benefits in patients with moderate to severe RVD. A gradient of increasing risk for mortality was observed across different categories of RV function evolution, which emphasizes the necessity of pre- and post-therapeutic RV assessment for prognostic evaluation.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Survival-associated N6-adenosine methyltransferase signatures in lung squamous cell carcinoma and clinical verification

Background

N⁶-methyladenine (m⁶A) is the most common modification of mRNA and IncRNA in higher organisms. m⁶A has been confirmed to be related to the formation and progression of tumors and m⁶A-related genes can be used as prognostic biomarkers in a variety of tumors. However, there have been no similar studies on lung squamous cell carcinoma. The main purpose of this study was aimed to explore the differential expression of m⁶A-related genes in lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues and its relationship with patient clinical prognosis.

Methods

We integrated three m⁶A writers that catalyze the methylation of adenine on mRNA molecules. The training set including 501 patients with LUSC was collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the test set including 181 patients with LUSC was collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Based on the expression level of the m⁶A methylase gene, we established a tumor subgroup and risk-prognosis model to quantify the risk index and long-term patient prognosis, which were confirmed by principal component analysis (PCA) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. After lung squamous cell carcinoma tissue specimens were obtained during surgery, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to verify the results in vitro.

Results

The results of the study showed that the expression of the three m⁶A methylases in tumor tissues and normal tissues was significantly different (P < 0.05). The survival-prognostic model based on METTL3 gene expression showed better predictive performance (AUC: 0.706). Patients in the high-risk and low-risk groups exhibited significant differences in terms of survival time and 5-year and 10-year survival rates. Immunohistochemistry revealed that patients with high METTL3 expression exhibited a longer survival time than those with low METTL3 expression.

Conclusions

Our study showed that the molecular phenotype based on the expression of METTL3 may be an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of lung squamous cell carcinoma. These findings not only prove the important role of m⁶A methylase in lung squamous cell carcinoma, but are also expected to provide more accurate prognostic assessment and individualized treatment for patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma.

High precision machine learning-enabled ECG algorithm for predicting sites of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmia origin

Introduction

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (CA) is an efficient antiarrhythmic treatment with a class I indication for idiopathic ventricular arrhythmia (IVA). The accurate prediction of the origins of IVA can significantly increase the procedure success rate, reduce operation duration and decrease the risk of complications. The present work proposes an ECG analysis algorithm to estimate 21 possible origins of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmia at a clinical-grade level accuracy, which include left coronary cusp (LCC), right coronary cusp (RCC), aortomitral continuity (AMC), summit, LCC-RCC commissure, left His bundle, mitral valve (MV), left septal including left anterior fascicle (LAF), left posterior fascicle (LPF), left anterior papillary muscle (LAPM), left posterior papillary muscle (LPPM), anterior cusp (AC), left cusp (LC), right cusp (RC), RVOT septal, free wall, right His bundle, tricuspid valve (TV), and right anterior papillary muscle (RAPM).

Method

A total of 18,612 ECG recordings extracted from 545 patients who underwent successful CA to treat IVA were proportionally sampled into training, validation and testing cohorts. We designed four classification schemes responding to different hierarchical levels of the possible IVA origins. The first scheme will help the operators to figure out the origin from epicardium of left ventricular summit, right, and left ventricle. The second one can separate origins from left/right outflow tract and left/right non-out flow tract, respectively. The third one is able to predict 18 anatomical locations, and the fourth scheme can distinguish 21 possible sites. For every classification scheme, we compared 98 distinct machine learning models with optimized hyperparameter values obtained through extensive grid search and reported an optimal algorithm with the highest accuracy scores attained on the validation cohorts.

Results

In the first classification scheme used to predict right ventricular endocardium, left ventricular endocardium, and epicardium of left ventricular summit, the model achieved an accuracy of 99.79 (99.41–99.89) and a F1-score of 99.84 (99.6–99.96). For scheme 2, the proposed method reached an accuracy of 99.62 (99.09–99.78) and a F1-score of 99.42 (98.79–99.75). For scheme 3, the model achieved an accuracy of 97.78 (96.76–98.41), a F1-score of 97.74 (94.15–99.73), and an adjusted accuracy of 98.53 (98.33–99.15). For scheme 4 that can distinguish 21 origin sites, the proposed model attained an accuracy of 98.24 (97.36–98.71), a F1-score of 98.56 (97.88–99.12) and an adjusted accuracy of 98.75 (98.35–99.38).

Conclusion

The proposed machine learning model can be immediately and effortlessly deployed to electrophysiology labs allowing cardiologists to predict the exact origins of arrhythmia and provide an optimum treatment plan both before and during the CA procedure. This approach will significantly reduce the CA procedure duration and the risk of complications.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): 2020 Natural Science Foundation of Zhengjiang Province Confusion matrix for classification schemes

Comparison between a novel sirolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold with everolimus-eluting metallic stent in patients with coronary artery disease: three-year follow-up from the neovas rct study

Background

Previous trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that risk of adverse clinical events, especially thrombosis and target vessel myocardial infarction is increasing between 1 and 3 years after Bioresorbable Scaffolds (BRS) implantation.

Purpose

We sought to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of a novel NeoVas BRS in comparison with cobalt chromium everolimus-eluting stent (EES) following implantation in patients with coronary artery disease by 3-year follow-up results from the NeoVas RCT.

Methods

Overall, 560 patients with a single de novo native coronary artery lesion with reference vessel diameter 2.5–3.75 mm and lesion length ≤20 mm were randomized 1:1 to NeoVas BRS vs. cobalt-chromium everolimus-eluting stents (CoCr-EES). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) were both performed in a pre-specified subgroup at 3-year follow-up. Clinical outcomes from NeoVas RCT were analyzed by randomized device (intention to treat) cumulative to 3 years.

Results

Over 3 years, the overall target lesion failure (TLF) rate was 6.9% in the NeoVas group and 6.1% in the CoCr-EES group (HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.59 to 2.18; p=0.71). There was no statistically significant difference of the definite or probable stent thrombosis between the NeoVas group and the CoCr-EES group (1.1% vs. 0.7%, HR 1.51, 95% CI 0.26 to 8.73, p=0.64). In a landmark analysis of TLF, we found no difference in rate of late events from 2 to 3 years between two groups. FFR was not significantly different between the two group at 3 years (NeoVas vs. CoCr-EES, 0.89±0.07 vs. 0.90±0.05). NeoVas was largely absorbed (72.26% ± 13.21%) examined by OCT follow-up. Of 55 patients who finished 3-year absorption analysis, NeoVas was totally absorbed in 4 patients.

Conclusions

At the 3-year follow-up in the Neovas RCT trial, overall TLF rates were comparable between Neovas BRS and CoCr-EES, and adverse event rates relating to device safety were not increased with Neovas BRS compared with CoCr-EES up to 3 years after implantation.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

A Retrospective Study on the Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Outcomes of 179 Cases of Synchronous and Metachronous Bilateral Breast Cancer in China

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcome of bilateral breast cancer (BBC) in the Chinese population.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 7797 cases with primary breast cancer, including 7618 cases of unilateral breast cancer (UBC) and 179 cases of BBC. Among the latter, there were 108 cases of synchronous BBC (SBBC) and 71 cases of metachronous BBC (MBBC).

RESULTS

In the present study, the incidence of SBBC and MBBC are 1.39% and 0.91% among the general population, respectively. In comparison of UBC and BBC, SBBC and MBBC, there are significant differences in the common clinicopathological characteristics, such as pathologic stage, hormone receptor (HR) status and molecular type. In respect of the surgical treatment of BBC, 49.72% of the patients chose mastectomy. The 3-year disease free survival (DFS) for SBBC and MBBC are 94.4% and 96.9%, respectively. There is no difference in the overall survival (OS) and DFS between SBBC and MBBC. The histological grade and type of surgery on tumors of both sides are important influencing factors of DFS in the BBC patients.

CONCLUSION

There are statistical differences in the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes between SBBC and MBBC among the Chinese population. Therefore, the treatment of BBC patients should be individualized.

[Preliminary results of surgical treatment of fibrous dysplasia of proximal femur in children]

Objective: To investigate the surgical treatment, clinical effect and revision reasons of children with proximal femoral fibrous dysplasia(FD). Methods: The clinical data of 26 children with polyostotic FD of proximal femur who underwent surgery at Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from June 2016 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 18 males and 8 females with a mean age of 9.2 years (range:5 to 16 years).One of them was McCune Albright syndrome. Fifteen cases were in first operation and 11 cases were in revision operation. The operation methods and results were reviewed,and the causes of revision were analyzed. Results: Among the 15 children who underwent the first operation,13 cases underwent osteotomy or fracture reduction and interlocking intramedullary nail(IMN) fixation;One case underwent valgus osteotomy and pediatric hip plate(PHP)internal fixation;One case underwent valgus osteotomy+lesion curettage+allogeneic bone graft+PHP fixation. Among the 11 children who underwent revision surgery,9 cases were treated with IMN fixation,1 case with PHP fixation,and 1 case with PHP fixation+allogeneic bone graft. The causes of revision included distal fixation failed in 6 cases,proximal fixation failed in 3 cases,plate fixation failed in 5 cases,and recurrence occurred after curettage and artificial bone graft in 2 cases. Patients were followed up for 1.4 years(range:1.0 to 3.5 years) after recent operation. The osteotomy or fracture healed well with good deformity correction. Postoperative complications included infection in 1 case and local bone partial resorption in 1 case. Conclusions: Osteotomy combined with rigid internal fixation is an effective surgical treatment for fibrous dysplasia of proximal femur in children. Internal fixation should cover the whole length of lesion. Intramedullary nail is the most common choice. Because the growth of height and the progress of the disease itself,this deformity is prone to recur in children,needing closely follow-up after operation.

Evaluating Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer Using Preoperative MRI-Based Radiomics

BACKGROUND

Evaluating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with breast cancer using radiomics has been rarely explored.

PURPOSE

To establish a radiomics nomogram based on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for preoperatively evaluating TIL level.

STUDY TYPE

Retrospective.

POPULATION

A total of 154 patients with breast cancer were divided into a training cohort (N = 87) and a test cohort (N = 67), who were further divided into low TIL (<50%) and high TIL (≥50%) subgroups according to the histopathological results.

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE

3.0 T; axial T2-weighted imaging (fast spin echo), diffusion-weighted imaging (spin echo-echo planar imaging), and the volume imaging for breast assessment DCE sequence (gradient recalled echo).

ASSESSMENT

A radiomics signature was developed from the training dataset and independent risk factors were selected by multivariate logistic regression to build a clinical model. A nomogram model was built by combining radiomics score and risk factors. The performance of the nomogram was assessed using calibration curves and decision curves. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated.

STATISTICAL TESTS

The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, t-tests and chi-squared tests or Fisher's exact test, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, ROC analysis, and decision curve analysis were conducted. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The radiomics signature and nomogram model exhibited better calibration and validation performance in the training (radiomics: area under the curve [AUC] 0.86; nomogram: AUC 0.88) and test (radiomics: AUC 0.83; nomogram: AUC 0.84) datasets compared with clinical model (training: AUC 0.76; test: AUC 0.72). The decision curve demonstrated that the nomogram model exhibited better performance than the clinical model, with a threshold probability between 0.15 and 0.9.

DATA CONCLUSION

The nomogram model based on preoperative MRI exhibited an excellent ability for the noninvasive evaluation of TILs in breast cancer.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

Radiomic signatures derived from multiparametric MRI for the pretreatment prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

Objectives:

To investigate the ability of radiomic signatures based on MRI to evaluate the response and efficiency of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for treating breast cancers.

Methods:

152 patients were included in this study at our institution between March 2017 and September 2019. All patients with breast cancer underwent a preoperative breast MRI and the Miller–Payne grading system was applied to evaluate response to NAC. Quantitative parameters were compared between patients with sensitive and insensitive responses to NAC and between those with pathological complete responses (pCR) and non-pCR. Four radiomic signatures were built based on T2W imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging and their combination, and radiomics scores (Rad-score) were calculated. The combination of the clinical factors and Rad-scores created a nomogram model. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the association between MRI features and independent clinical risk factors.

Results:

20 features and 18 features were selected to build the radiomic signature for evaluating sensitivity and the possibility of pCR, respectively. The combined radiomic signature and nomogram model showed a similar discrimination in the training (AUC 0.91, 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85–0.96, 0.86–0.98) and validation (AUC 0.93, 0.91, 95% CI, 0.86–1.00, 0.82–1.00) sets. The clinical factor model exhibited reduced performance (AUC 0.74, 0.64, 95% CI, 0.64–0.84, 0.46–0.82) in terms of NAC sensitivity and pCR.

Conclusions:

The combined radiomic signature and nomogram model exhibited potential predictive power for predicting effective NAC treatment which can aid in the prognosis and guidance of treatment regimens.

Advances in knowledge:

Identifying a means of assessing the efficacy of NAC before surgery can guide follow-up treatment and avoid chemotherapy-induced toxicity.

Dual roles of misshapen/NIK-related kinase (MINK1) in osteoarthritis subtypes through the activation of TGFβ signaling

OBJECTIVE

To identify the role of misshapen/NIK-related kinase (MINK1) in age-related Osteoarthritis (OA) and injury-induced OA, and the effects of enhanced TGFβ signaling in these progresses.

DESIGN

The effect of MINK1 was analyzed with MINK1 knock out (Mink1-/-) mice and C57BL/6J mice. OA progress was studied in age-related OA and instability-associated OA (destabilization of the medial meniscus, DMM) models. The murine knee joint was evaluated through histological staining, Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scores, immunohistochemistry, and μCT analysis. Primary chondrocytes were isolated from wild type and Mink1-/- mice and subjected to osteogenic induction and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

MINK1 is highly expressed during cartilage development and in normal cartilage. Mink1-/- mice displayed markedly lower OARSI scores, aggrecan degradation neoepitope positive cells and increased Safranin O and pSMAD2 staining in aging-related OA model. However, in injury-induced OA, loss of MINK1 accelerates extracellular matrix (ECM) destruction, osteophyte formation, and subchondral bone sclerosis. Accelerated subchondral bone remodeling in Mink1-/- mice was accompanied with increased numbers of nestin-positive mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and osterix-positive osteoprogenitors. pSMAD2 staining was increased in the subchondral bone marrow of Mink1-/- mice and overexpression of MINK1 inhibited SMAD2 phosphorylation in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows for the first time that activation of TGFβ/SMAD2 by MINK1 deficiency plays opposite roles in aging-related and injury-induced OA. MINK1 deficiency protects cartilage from degeneration in aging joints through increased SMAD2 activation in chondrocytes, while accelerating OA progress in injury-induced model through enhanced osteogenesis of MSCs in the subchondral bone. These findings provide insights for developing precision OA therapeutics targeting TGFβ/SMAD2 signaling.

Analyzing risk factors for recurrence of developmental coxa vara after surgery

PURPOSE

To evaluate the risk factors for developmental coxa vara (DCV) recurrence following valgus osteotomy of the proximal femur.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed records of 32 DCV patients (46 hips) treated surgically (2005 to 2012). Recurrence-related factors, including age at initial surgery, side, sex, fixation methods, diagnosis of coxa vara, premature capital femoral physeal closure and postoperative Hilgenreiner epiphyseal (HE) angle, head-shaft (HS) angle, medial femoral offset and posterior slope angle (PSA) were analyzed.

RESULTS

At 4.7-year mean follow-up, 12 hip deformities recurred (26%). Postoperative HE angle > 41° and negative offset were statistically significant univariate and multivariate risk factors for the deformity recurrence. Increased PSA was common preoperatively, which accounted for 59% of hips. Postoperative PSA > 20° was associated with a high recurrence rate in the univariate analysis. Age was another univariate risk factor for the recurrence. Recurrence rate was 52% in the < 6.5-year age group versus 4% in the > 6.5-year age group. Other factors were not statistically significantly related to recurrence.

CONCLUSION

DCV is a 3D deformity. To prevent recurrence, HE angle should be restored to < 41° in the coronal plane. Sagittal malalignment (abnormal PSA) should be corrected concurrently, so that, the direction of surgical correction is along the true deformity plane. During valgus osteotomy, the distal fragment should be lateralized to maintain a normal mechanical axis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

[Effects of physeal bar resection in treating post-traumatic distal radius partial physeal arrest]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of treatment of post-traumatic distal radius partial physeal arrest with physeal bar resection. Methods: From February 2007 to November 2017, 11 children with distal radius physeal arrest received physeal bar resection in the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. There were 2 females and 9 males. The average age of the patients was (10.1±1.8) years (range,7-13 years). All cases had previous history of distal radius trauma. The average duration from the previous fracture to the physeal bar resection operation was (22.8±3.2) months (range,22 to 41 months). Clinical and radiological evidence of distal radius physeal arrest were suggested in all patients. A CT or MRI scan was performed preoperatively to assess the size of the physeal bridge. Inclusion criteria were patients with a physeal bridge<30% of the physeal area,and with at least 2 years of growth remaining. The physeal bar resection operation was performed with the assistance of either fluoroscopy (5 cases) or intraoperative three dimensional navigation (6 cases). After resection, the void was then filled with bone wax in all cases and distal ulnar epiphysiodesis was conducted in 5 cases. The mean follow-up duration was (3.7±1.6) years (range,1-9 years). The clinical examination data and X ray were obtained during the follow up. Results: Four cases obtained fully recovery from the operation and the deformity got fully correction. The X ray showed no bone bridge recurred. The deformity did not aggravate in 1 case. The deformity aggravated and subsequent osteotomy was conducted in the left 6 cases. Three cases in the navigation group obtained fully recovery. One case in the fluoroscopy group obtained fully recovery. Conclusions: The intraoperative three dimensional navigation can precisely locate the bone bridge. The physeal bar resection is an effective technique in some post-traumatic distal radius partial physeal arrest.

Production and genetic analysis of resynthesized Brassica napus from a B. rapa landrace from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and B. alboglabra

This study aimed to reveal the genetic and epigenetic variations involved in a resynthesized Brassica napus (AACC) generated from a hybridization between a B. rapa (AA) landrace and B. alboglabra (CC). Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism, and the cDNA-AFLP technique were performed to detect changes between different generations at the genome, methylation, and transcription levels. We obtained 30 lines of resynthesized B. napus with a mean 1000-seed weight of over 7.50 g. All of the lines were self-compatible, probably because both parents were self-compatible. At the genome level, the S0 generation had the lowest frequency of variations (0.18%) and the S3 generation had the highest (6.07%). The main variation pattern was the elimination of amplified restriction fragments on the CC genome from the S0 to the S4 generations. At the methylation level, we found three loci that exhibited altered methylation patterns on the parental A genome; the variance rate was 1.35%. At the transcription level, we detected 43.77% reverse mutations and 37.56% deletion mutations that mainly occurred on the A and C genomes, respectively, in the S3 generation. Our results highlight the genetic variations that occur during the diploidization of resynthesized B. napus.

Identification of candidate causal genes and their associated pathogenic mechanisms underlying teratozoospermia based on the spermatozoa transcript profiles

Teratozoospermia with unclear pathomechanism is one of the common causes for failed fertilisation. This study aimed to further explore the pathological mechanism for teratozoospermia. Spermatozoal transcript profiles generated from 13 normal fertile men and eight infertile males with a consistent severe heterogeneous teratozoospermia were used. These data were pre-processed, and differentially expressed genes were screened. Besides, gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis were performed, and then, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and spermatogenesis-related genes in the PPI network were extracted. As a result, 366 up-regulated and 2158 down-regulated genes were identified. Multiple gene ontology terms and pathways including cell-cell signalling and reproduction enriched by differentially expressed genes were obtained. Moreover, four clusters including cluster 1 associated with RNA catabolic process were identified from the PPI network. In addition, genes including cyclin B1, proteasome (prosome, macropain) activator subunit 4, Rac GTPase-activating protein 1 and pituitary tumour-transforming 1 were received. In conclusion, abnormal expression of cyclin B1 and Rac GTPase-activating protein 1, still proteasome (prosome, macropain) activator subunit 4 and pituitary tumour-transforming 1 would impede cell cycle progression during sperm development and maturation, which may contribute to the occurrence and development of teratozoospermia.

Tigecycline exerts an antitumoral effect in oral squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether antibacterial drug tigecycline could exert an antitumoral effect in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two OSCC cell lines Tca8113 and KB were used in this study. To investigate the cytostatic effects of tigecycline in OSCC, cell growth was tested by trypan blue staining, MTT assay, and Brdu immunofluorescence staining. Then, the apoptosis proportion was measured by FITC Annexin-V and PI labeling, and cell cycle was determined by PI staining. The expression of caspase 3 (CASP3) and cell cycle regulatory protein was detected by Western blot assay. Finally, the clonogenesis and tumorigenesis capacity were analyzed by soft agar growth and xenograft model.

RESULTS

Here, we showed that tigecycline significantly inhibited cell growth and proliferation in OSCC cell lines Tca8113 and KB. It did not induce cell apoptosis but led to an increase of cells in G0/G1 phase with down-regulation of cyclin E2 (CCNE2) and cyclin-dependent kinase4 (CDK4) protein expression. We also showed that tigecycline inhibited colony formation in soft agar and reduced tumor growth in a xenograft model.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that tigecycline might be used as a novel candidate agent for the treatment of OSCC.

First Report of Neofusicoccum parvum Causing Panicle Blight and Leaf Spot on Vitis heyneana in China

The climbing vine, Vitis heyneana Roem. & Schult, is a member of the grape family endemic to Asia. Its fruits are used in wine production, and its roots, stems, and leaves can be used in medicinal materials. This plant is grown in Southwest China, as well as in India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Mulao Autonomous County in Guangxi Province is the only artificial cultivation area in China. During the summer of 2013, a panicle blight and leaf spot were detected on V. heyneana on four farms in Mulao Autonomous County. The symptoms were observed from the onset of florescence through fruit harvest. Brown lesions initially appeared at the base of a panicle and then extended to the whole panicle, finally causing the panicle to die and fruit to drop. When the disease developed on leaves, the symptom initially appeared as small dark brown circular spots, later enlarging into irregular spots (average diameter 6 mm) with a light brown center and dark brown rim. With severe disease, some individual leaves were affected by numerous spots, leading to premature senescence. Small sections of diseased tissue excised from 10 panicle and 10 leaf samples were plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 28°C. Fungal colonies developed, initially with abundant white aerial mycelium, which turned olivaceous gray after 5 days and formed black pycnidia after 25 days. The conidia were hyaline, ellipsoidal to fusiform, externally smooth, thin-walled, and nonseptate. Thirty conidia were measured; the dimensions were 12.0 to 17.5 × 4.0 to 6.0 μm. Morphological characteristics of the isolates were similar to the descriptions of Neofusicoccum parvum (3). The isolate MPT-1 was selected as a representative for molecular identification. Genomic DNA was extracted and used for PCR to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α) gene, using primers ITS1/ITS4 and EF1-728F/EF1-986R, respectively. The obtained ITS sequence (GenBank Accession No. KJ599627) and EF1-α sequence (KM921768) showed >99% homology with several GenBank sequences of N. parvum. Morphological and molecular results confirmed the isolate as N. parvum. For pathogenicity tests, detached, young healthy panicles and leaves of V. heyneana were surface-sterilized, wounded by sterile needle, and inoculated with mycelial plugs (3 mm in diameter) of four N. parvum isolates. Ten panicles and 10 leaves were used for every isolate. Control panicles and leaves were treated with sterile PDA plugs. All the samples were placed in a humid chamber (RH 90%, 28°C, 12 h of light) for 3 days. Symptoms similar to those observed in the field developed on all panicles and leaves inoculated with N. parvum isolates. N. parvum was reisolated from all inoculated, symptomatic tissues. The controls remained symptomless. N. parvum has been reported to cause trunk canker on V. vinifera (2), dieback on Cupressus funebris (3), and a leaf spot on Myristica fragrans (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of N. parvum causing panicle blight and leaf spot on V. heyneana in China. Panicle blight caused a large number of fruits to drop and reduced the yield seriously. Some effective measures should be taken to control this disease. References: (1) V. Jayakumar et al. New Dis. Rep. 23:19, 2011. (2) J. Kaliternam et al. Plant Dis. 97:1656, 2013. (3) S. B. Li et al. Plant Dis. 94:641, 2010.

Inhibition of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase prevents angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis in vitro

Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS)-catalysed isoprenoid intermediates are important for the activation of Ras homologue gene family, member A (RhoA) in angiotensin (Ang) II-induced cardiac fibrosis. This study was designed to investigate the specific role of FPPS in the development of cardiac fibrosis. We demonstrated that FPPS expression was elevated in both in-vivo and in-vitro models of Ang II-mediated cardiac fibrosis. FPPS inhibition by zolendronate and FPPS knock-down by a silencing lentivirus decreased the expression of cardiac fibrosis marker genes, including collagen I, collagen III and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. FPPS inhibition was reversed by geranylgeraniol (GGOH) and mimicked by RhoA knock-down with siRhoA. The antagonistic effect of GGOH on the zolendronate-mediated modulation of RhoA activation in Ang II-stimulated cardiac fibroblasts was demonstrated by a pull-down assay. Furthermore, FPPS knock-down also prevented RhoA activation by Ang II in vitro. In conclusion, FPPS and RhoA may be part of a signalling pathway that plays an important role in Ang II-induced cardiac fibrosis in vitro.

Clustering analysis of water distribution systems: identifying critical components and community impacts

Large water distribution systems (WDSs) are networks with both topological and behavioural complexity. Thereby, it is usually difficult to identify the key features of the properties of the system, and subsequently all the critical components within the system for a given purpose of design or control. One way is, however, to more explicitly visualize the network structure and interactions between components by dividing a WDS into a number of clusters (subsystems). Accordingly, this paper introduces a clustering strategy that decomposes WDSs into clusters with stronger internal connections than external connections. The detected cluster layout is very similar to the community structure of the served urban area. As WDSs may expand along with urban development in a community-by-community manner, the correspondingly formed distribution clusters may reveal some crucial configurations of WDSs. For verification, the method is applied to identify all the critical links during firefighting for the vulnerability analysis of a real-world WDS. Moreover, both the most critical pipes and clusters are addressed, given the consequences of pipe failure. Compared with the enumeration method, the method used in this study identifies the same group of the most critical components, and provides similar criticality prioritizations of them in a more computationally efficient time.

First Report of Corynespora cassiicola Causing Leaf Spot on Akebia trifoliate

Akebia species have been used for centuries in medicinal practices in a few Asian countries such as China and Japan. The dried stems of Akebia trifoliata are known as mutong in the Chinese pharmacopoeia (4) and mokutsu in Kampo, the traditional Chinese medicine developed in Japan (2). In China, the plant is grown in the provinces of Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, Gansu, and some provinces in the south of the Yangtze River basin. During the summer of 2012, a leaf spot disease was detected on A. trifoliata grown in Nanning, Guangxi, China. The disease occurred and spread rapidly in July under conditions of high temperature and high humidity. The symptoms appeared on three sites that we inspected; disease incidences were higher than 80%. Initial symptoms consisted of small (less than 5 mm in diameter), circular, purple-brown leaf spots. Spots later enlarged and became elliptical, circular, or irregular with gray-white centers and dark brown rims. The centers were slightly concave. The spots could coalesce with each other, resulting in leaf desiccation and wilting. A fungal isolate was obtained from symptomatic leaf tissue that taken from a field (22°50'N, 108°22'E) in Nanning, Guangxi, China. Single-spore culture of the isolate was incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) for 7 days in the dark at 28°C. Conidiophores were straight to slightly curved, unbranched, and pale brown. Conidia (19.0 to 140.5 μm long and 7.0 to 11.0 μm wide) were formed singly or in chains, obclavate to cylindrical, straight or curved, pale brown, with a rounded apex and truncate base, and 1 to 13 pseudosepta. Morphological characteristics of the isolate were similar to the descriptions of Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) C.T. Wei (1). Genomic DNA of the isolate was extracted and used for PCR amplification of rDNA-ITS (internal transcribed spacer) sequence with primers ITS1 and ITS4. The PCR products were purified and sequenced. The sequence (GenBank Accession No. KC977496) was used in BLAST searches to interrogate GenBank for sequence similarity. High sequence similarity of 100% was obtained with several C. cassiicola strains. Pathogenicity of the isolate was investigated to demonstrate Koch's postulate. Young, healthy, fully expanded green leaves of A. trifoliata were surface sterilized. Fifteen leaves were inoculated with 10-μl drops of conidia suspension (10⁵ conidia per ml) and 10 leaves were inoculated with the same volume of sterile water to serve as controls. All the leaves were placed in a humid chamber for 5 days. Spots with similar symptoms to those observed in the field developed on all inoculated leaves. The pathogen was reisolated and identified as C. cassiicola. The controls remained symptomless. According to previous reports, A. trifoliata was infected by Alternaria tenuissima in China and by Colletotrichum acutatum in Japan (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. cassiicola found on Akebia species worldwide. Furthermore, this new disease primarily affects plantations and reduces the quality and yield of the medicine. Some effective measures should be taken to control this disease. References: (1) M. B. Ellis and P. Holliday. CMI Description of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria, 303, 1971. (2) F. Kitaoka et al. J. Nat. Med. 63:374, 2009. (3) Y. Kobayshi et al. J. Gen. Plant Pathol. 70:295, 2004. (4) L. Li et al. HortScience 45:4, 2010.

Performance assessment of the single photon emission microscope: high spatial resolution SPECT imaging of small animal organs

The single photon emission microscope (SPEM) is an instrument developed to obtain high spatial resolution single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images of small structures inside the mouse brain. SPEM consists of two independent imaging devices, which combine a multipinhole collimator, a high-resolution, thallium-doped cesium iodide [CsI(Tl)] columnar scintillator, a demagnifying/intensifier tube, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupling device (CCD). Collimators have 300- and 450-µm diameter pinholes on tungsten slabs, in hexagonal arrays of 19 and 7 holes. Projection data are acquired in a photon-counting strategy, where CCD frames are stored at 50 frames per second, with a radius of rotation of 35 mm and magnification factor of one. The image reconstruction software tool is based on the maximum likelihood algorithm. Our aim was to evaluate the spatial resolution and sensitivity attainable with the seven-pinhole imaging device, together with the linearity for quantification on the tomographic images, and to test the instrument in obtaining tomographic images of different mouse organs. A spatial resolution better than 500 µm and a sensitivity of 21.6 counts·s^-1·MBq^-1 were reached, as well as a correlation coefficient between activity and intensity better than 0.99, when imaging ^99mTc sources. Images of the thyroid, heart, lungs, and bones of mice were registered using ^99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in times appropriate for routine preclinical experimentation of <1 h per projection data set. Detailed experimental protocols and images of the aforementioned organs are shown. We plan to extend the instrument's field of view to fix larger animals and to combine data from both detectors to reduce the acquisition time or applied activity.

Mapping shape quantitative trait loci using a radius-centroid-contour model

As the consequence of complex interactions between different parts of an organ, shape can be used as a predictor of structural-functional relationships implicated in changing environments. Despite such importance, however, it is no surprise that little is known about the genetic detail involved in shape variation, because no approach is currently available for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control shape. Here, we address this problem by developing a statistical model that integrates the principle of shape analysis into a mixture-model-based likelihood formulated for QTL mapping. One state-of-the-art approach for shape analysis is to identify and analyze the polar coordinates of anatomical landmarks on a shape measured in terms of radii from the centroid to the contour at regular intervals. A procrustes analysis is used to align shapes to filter out position, scale and rotation effects on shape variation. To the end, the accurate and quantitative representation of a shape is produced with aligned radius-centroid-contour (RCC) curves, that is, a function of radial angle at the centroid. The high dimensionality of the RCC data, crucial for a comprehensive description of the geometric feature of a shape, is reduced by principal component (PC) analysis, and the resulting PC axes are treated as phenotypic traits, allowing specific QTLs for global and local shape variability to be mapped, respectively. The usefulness and utilization of the new model for shape mapping in practice are validated by analyzing a mapping data collected from a natural population of poplar, Populus szechuanica var tibetica, and identifying several QTLs for leaf shape in this species. The model provides a powerful tool to compute which genes determine biological shape in plants, animals and humans.