Rechallenge in idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury: An analysis of cases in two large prospective registries according to existing definitions

INTRODUCTION

Data on positive rechallenge in idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) are scarce. We aim to analyse the clinical presentation, outcome and drugs associated with positive rechallenge in two DILI registries.

METHODS

Cases from the Spanish and Latin American DILI registries were included. Demographics, clinical characteristics and outcome of cases with positive rechallenge according to CIOMS/RUCAM and current definitions were analysed.

RESULTS

Of 1418 patients with idiosyncratic DILI, 58 cases had positive rechallenge (4.1%). Patients with positive rechallenge had shorter duration of therapy (p=0.001) and latency (p=0.003). In patients with rechallenge, aspartate transaminase levels were increased (p=0.026) and showed a prolonged time to recovery (p=0.020), albeit no differences were seen in terms of fatal outcomes. The main drug implicated in rechallenge was amoxicillin-clavulanate (17%). The majority of re-exposure events were unintentional (71%). Using both existing definitions of positive rechallenge, there were four cases which exclusively fulfilled the current criteria and five which only meet the historical definition. All cases of positive rechallenge, irrespective of the pattern of damage, fulfilled the criteria of either alanine transaminase (ALT) ≥3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) and/or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) ≥2 times ULN.

CONCLUSIONS

Episodes of rechallenge were characterised by shorter duration of therapy and latency, and longer time to resolution, but did not show an increased incidence of fatal outcome. Based on our findings, ALT ≥3 times ULN and/or ALP ≥2 times ULN, regardless of the pattern of damage, is proposed as a new definition of rechallenge in DILI.

Layer-by-layer phase transformation in Ti3O5 revealed by machine-learning molecular dynamics simulations

Reconstructive phase transitions involving breaking and reconstruction of primary chemical bonds are ubiquitous and important for many technological applications. In contrast to displacive phase transitions, the dynamics of reconstructive phase transitions are usually slow due to the large energy barrier. Nevertheless, the reconstructive phase transformation from β- to λ-Ti3O5 exhibits an ultrafast and reversible behavior. Despite extensive studies, the underlying microscopic mechanism remains unclear. Here, we discover a kinetically favorable in-plane nucleated layer-by-layer transformation mechanism through metadynamics and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. This is enabled by developing an efficient machine learning potential with near first-principles accuracy through an on-the-fly active learning method and an advanced sampling technique. Our results reveal that the β-λ phase transformation initiates with the formation of two-dimensional nuclei in the ab-plane and then proceeds layer-by-layer through a multistep barrier-lowering kinetic process via intermediate metastable phases. Our work not only provides important insight into the ultrafast and reversible nature of the β-λ transition, but also presents useful strategies and methods for tackling other complex structural phase transitions.

"Triple-low" radiation dose bronchial artery CT angiography before bronchial artery embolisation: a feasibility study

AIM

To explore the feasibility of a "triple-low" dose (low tube voltage, low tube current, and low contrast agent volume) bronchial artery computed tomography (CT) angiography (CTA) to replace routine dose bronchial artery CTA before bronchial artery embolisation (BAE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CTA was obtained from 60 patients with body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m2 using a 256 multi-section iCT system, and they were divided into two groups: (1) group A: 100 kVp, 100 mAs, 50 ml contrast medium (CM); (2) group B: 120 kVp, automatic tube current modulation (ACTM), 80 ml CM. CT attenuation of the thoracic aorta, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated, and subjective image quality scores and traceability scores assessed. The effective radiation dose was calculated.

RESULTS

The radiation dose was reduced by 79.7% in group A compared to group B (p<0.05). The CT attenuation of the thoracic aorta was increased by approximately 13% in group A compared to group B (p<0.05). Higher image noise, lower SNR, and CNR were obtained in group A compared to group B (all p<0.05). Both subjective image quality scores and traceability scores did not differ between groups A and B (both p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to use the "triple-low" dose CTA protocol for patients with a body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m2. The radiation dose was reduced by 79.7%, and the dose of contrast medium was reduced by 37.5% to ensure the diagnostic value.

Unlocking the mysterious polytypic features within vaterite CaCO3

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), the most abundant biogenic mineral on earth, plays a crucial role in various fields such as hydrosphere, biosphere, and climate regulation. Of the four polymorphs, calcite, aragonite, vaterite, and amorphous CaCO3, vaterite is the most enigmatic one due to an ongoing debate regarding its structure that has persisted for nearly a century. In this work, based on systematic transmission electron microscopy characterizations, crystallographic analysis and machine learning aided molecular dynamics simulations with ab initio accuracy, we reveal that vaterite can be regarded as a polytypic structure. The basic phase has a monoclinic lattice possessing pseudohexagonal symmetry. Direct imaging and atomic-scale simulations provide evidence that a single grain of vaterite can contain three orientation variants. Additionally, we find that vaterite undergoes a second-order phase transition with a critical point of ~190 K. These atomic scale insights provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure of vaterite and offer advanced perspectives on the biomineralization process of calcium carbonate.

A CT-based radiomics nomogram for distinguishing between malignant and benign Bosniak IIF masses: a two-centre study

AIM

To establish and assess a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics nomogram for identifying malignant and benign Bosniak IIF masses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In total, 150 patients with Bosniak IIF masses were separated into a training set (n=106) and a test set (n=44) in a ratio of 7:3. A radiomics signature was calculated based on extracted features from the three phases of CT images. A clinical model was constructed based on clinical characteristics and CT features, and a nomogram incorporating the radiomics signature and independent clinical variables was established. The calibration ability, discrimination accuracy, and clinical value of the nomogram model were assessed.

RESULTS

Twelve features derived from CT images were applied to establish the radiomics signature. The performance levels of three machine-learning models were improved by adding the synthetic minority oversampling technique algorithm. The optimised machine learning model was a combination of the minimum redundancy maximum relevance-least absolute shrinkage and selection operator feature screening method + logistic regression classifier + synthetic minority oversampling technique algorithm, which demonstrated excellent identification ability on the test set (area under the curve [AUC], 0.970; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.940-1.000). The nomogram model displayed outstanding discrimination ability on the test set (AUC, 0.972; 95% CI, 0.942-1.000).

CONCLUSIONS

The CT-based radiomics nomogram was useful for discriminating between malignant and benign Bosniak IIF masses, which improved the precision of preoperative diagnosis.

Prognostic Value of Four Preimplantation Malnutrition Estimation Tools in Predicting Heart Failure Hospitalization of the Older Diabetic Patients with Right Ventricular Pacing

OBJECTIVES

The prognostic value of preimplantation nutritional status is not yet known for older diabetic patients that received right ventricular pacing (RVP). The study aimed to investigate the clinical value of the four malnutrition screening tools for the prediction of heart failure hospitalization (HFH) in older diabetic patients that received RVP.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational cohort study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

This study was conducted between January 2017 and January 2018 at the Fuwai Hospital, Beijing, China, and included older (age ≥ 65 years) diabetic patients that received RVP for the first time Measurements: The Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), Naples Prognostic Score (NPS), and the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score were used to estimate the preimplantation nutritional status of the patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between preimplantation malnutrition and HFH.

RESULTS

Overall, 231 older diabetic patients receiving RVP were included. The median follow-up period after RVP was 53 months. HFH was reported for 19.9% of the included patients. Our results showed preimplantation malnutrition for 18.2%, 15.2%, 86.6% and 66.2% of the included patients based on the PNI, GNRI, NPS, and CONUT score, respectively. The cumulative rate of HFH during follow-up period was significantly higher for patients in the preimplantation malnutrition group based on the PNI (log-rank = 13.0, P = 0.001), GNRI (log-rank = 8.5, P = 0.01), and NPS (log-rank = 15.7, P < 0.001) compared to the normal nutrition group, but was not statistically significant for those in the preimplantation malnutrition group based on the CONUT score (log-rank = 2.7, P = 0.3). As continuous variables, all the nutritional indices showed significant correlation with HFH (all P < 0.05). However, multivariate analysis showed that only GNRI was independently associated with HFH (HR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.937-0.997, P = 0.032). As categorical variables, PNI, GNRI, and NPS showed significant correlation with HFH. After adjustment of confounding factors, moderate-to-severe degree of malnutrition was an independent predictor of HFH based on the PNI (HR = 4.66, 95% CI: 1.03-21.00, P = 0.045) and GNRI (HR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.02-9.00, P = 0.047).

CONCLUSION

Preimplantation malnutrition was highly prevalent in older diabetic patients that received RVP. The malnutrition prediction tools, PNI and GNRI, showed significant prognostic value in accurately predicting HFH in older diabetic patients with RVP.

Phase Transition between Crystalline Variants of Ordinary Ice

Water is one of the most abundant molecules on Earth. However, this common and "simple" material has more than 18 different phases, which poses a great challenge to theoretically study the nature of water and ice. We designed two reaction coordinates that can distinguish between water and various ice states and used them to efficiently sample all possible states of the system in all-atom molecular dynamics simulation at ambient temperature and pressure. Various structural and thermodynamics properties, including the water-ice phase diagrams, can thus be calculated. We also present a simple model that successfully explains the thermodynamic stability of different ice states. Our work provides effective methods and data for theoretical studies of different phases of water and ice.

Coherent Picture on the Pure Spin Transport between Ag/Bi and Ferromagnets

In a joint effort of both experiments and first-principles calculations, we resolve a hotly debated controversy and provide a coherent picture on the pure spin transport between Ag/Bi and ferromagnets. We demonstrate a strong inverse Rashba-Edelstein effect (IREE) at the interface in between Ag/Bi with a ferromagnetic metal (FM) but not with a ferromagnetic insulator. This is in sharp contrast to the previously claimed IREE at Ag/Bi interface or inverse spin Hall effect dominated spin transport. A more than one order of magnitude modulation of IREE signal is realized for different Ag/Bi-FM interfaces, casting strong tunability and a new direction for searching efficient spintronics materials.

Improved robot-assisted laparoscopic telesurgery: feasibility of network converged communication

The converged transmission-assisted network communication architecture used in this study could meet the requirements of telesurgery, and effectively guarantee the security and immediacy of communication. With the security, flexibility, and universality of the network converged transmission, the clinical practical application of telesurgery and telemedicine would step up to a higher level.

Long noncoding RNA MGC27382 inhibits proliferation and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer cells via down-regulating AKT/GSK3β pathway

PURPOSE

Persistent abnormal proliferation and long distant metastasis of tumors contribute to high mortality rate in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Strategies that prevent NSCLC proliferation and/or metastasis have been studied but still need to be further explored. Numerous studies have proved the diversity functions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exerted in cancer, including NSCLC. In this study, we aim to identify and investigate the role of novel lncRNAs in NSCLC progression.

METHODS

RNA sequence data were retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) were screened out based on the R language, then real-time PCR experiment was introduced to detect the DElncRNA expression levels. A series of experiments including MTT, cell cycle, transwell, and wound healing assays were employed to explore the effect of DElncRNA MGC27382 on cell proliferation and invasion ability.

RESULTS

We detected that DElncRNA MGC27382 is down-regulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. Overexpression of MGC27382 prevented NSCLC cell proliferation via down-regulating cyclin D1 and cyclin E. Moreover, wound healing and transwell assays indicated that the ability of cell invasion and migration could be impaired when cells were treated with MGC27382 overexpression. Further studies demonstrated that MGC27382-mediated inhibition on NSCLC progression can be impaired by LY294002, which is a frequently used inhibitor of AKT/GSK3β pathway.

CONCLUSION

MGC27382 is down-regulated in NSCLC. It exerts an inhibitory role in NSCLC development through suppressing the AKT/GSK3β pathway. Our results indicate that the lncRNA MGC27382 might be a tumor-suppressor gene in NSCLC. Overexpression of MGC27382 is thought to be a potential strategy for overcoming NSCLC progression.

A combined molecular dynamics and experimental study of two-step process enabling low-temperature formation of phase-pure α-FAPbI3

It is well established that the lack of understanding the crystallization process in a two-step sequential deposition has a direct impact on efficiency, stability, and reproducibility of perovskite solar cells. Here, we try to understand the solid-solid phase transition occurring during the two-step sequential deposition of methylammonium lead iodide and formamidinium lead iodide. Using metadynamics, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy, we reveal the microscopic details of this process. We find that the formation of perovskite proceeds through intermediate structures and report polymorphs found for methylammonium lead iodide and formamidinium lead iodide. From simulations, we discover a possible crystallization pathway for the highly efficient metastable α phase of formamidinium lead iodide. Guided by these simulations, we perform experiments that result in the low-temperature crystallization of phase-pure α-formamidinium lead iodide.

Breast milk flora plays an important role in infantile eczema: cohort study in Northeast China

AIMS

Infantile eczema, usually coupled with a range of hypersensitive phenotypes, has come into notice with its rising prevalence and unclear pathogenesis. Recent studies show close ties between eczema and an infant's intestinal flora. To gain a further understanding of the interactions between microbiota and eczema, we studied the breast milk flora as a new factor and present the links among breast milk flora, infant intestinal flora and infantile eczema through a cohort study in Northeast China.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Fifty-two families were recruited with either an eczema or healthy infant younger than 6 months. Analysis and predictions using amplicon sequencing of microbiota found that Bifidobacterium and Bacteroidetes were enriched in healthy and eczema infant stools, respectively, consistent with previous reports. For breast milk flora, more 'positive' bacteria such as Akkermansia were enriched in breast milk from healthy infants' mothers. Further, higher bacterial delivery efficiencies were found in pairs of breast milk flora and infants' stool flora of families with eczema infants compared with families with healthy infants. Bacteroidetes, a widely known indicator of eczema, was found delivered more in eczema pairs. Further metagenomic predictions revealed that the breast milk microbiota participated significantly less in metabolism and immune system pathways, particularly in antigen processing and presentation and in Th17 cell-related pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, as with other components of breast milk, the breast milk microbiota closely associates with infants' health via mother-infant bacterial delivery and metabolic functions.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Our research aimed to fill the gap between the eczema and breast milk flora and describe the connections among breast milk and intestinal flora and eczema.

Polyester microfiber and natural organic matter impact microbial communities, carbon-degraded enzymes, and carbon accumulation in a clayey soil

Microplastics can alter microbial communities and enzymatic activities in soils. However, the influences of microplastics on soil carbon cycling which driven by microbial communities remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of polyester microfiber (PMF) and natural organic matter（OM）on soil microbial communities, carbon-degraded enzymes, and carbon accumulation through an incubation experiment. Our results showed that the addition of PMF increased the activities of soil cellulase and laccase but did not impact soil bacterial and fungal communities too much. However, the addition of OM largely altered soil microbial communities and the activities of carbon-degraded enzymes, then mitigated the PMF effects on the activities of soil cellulase and laccase. On the other hand, greater alpha diversity of bacterial community attached on PMF was observed than those in the surrounding soils. The interaction of PMF and OM increased the richness of bacterial community in soils and on PMF. More importantly, we observed that the accumulation of natural organic carbon in soils reduced with increasing PMF. Thus, our results provide valuable insights into the effects of microplastics on soil organic carbon dynamics and microbial communities, and further work is required to clarify the biochemical processes at the surface of microplastics.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for the Treatment of Cognitive Frailty

As life expectancy increases, frailty and cognitive impairment have become major factors influencing healthy aging in elderly individuals. Frailty is a complicated clinical condition characterized by decreased physiological reserve and multisystem abnormalities. Cognitive frailty is a subtype of frailty that has aroused widespread concern among the scientific community and public health organizations. We herein review the pathogenesis of cognitive frailty, such as chronic inflammatory response, immunological hypofunction, imbalanced oxidative stress, reduced regenerative function, endocrine dysfunction, and energy metabolism disorder. Although existing interventions show some therapeutic effects, they do not meet the current clinical needs. To date, studies using stem cell technology for treating age-related diseases have achieved remarkable success. This suggests the possibility of applying stem cell treatment to cognitive frailty. We analyzed stem cell-based strategies for targeting anti-inflammation, antioxidation, regeneration, and immunoregulation using mesenchymal stem cells, as well as potential therapeutic targets for cognitive frailty. Based on this investigation, we propose a highly effective and low-cost stem cell-based replacement strategy. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the prospect of stem cell transplantation for improving cognitive frailty. In this review, we aim to provide the scientific background and a theoretical basis for testing cell therapy in future research.

MiR-137-5p alleviates inflammation by upregulating IL-10R1 expression in rats with spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the potential functions of miR-137-5p and interleukin-10R1 (IL-10R1) in mediating the immune inflammation after spinal cord injury (SCI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, primary microglia were isolated from the spinal cord of newborn rats. Expression levels of miR-137-5p and IL-10R1 in LPS-induced microglia were determined by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). In addition, mRNA expressions of Janus kinase (Jak1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were also examined by qRT-PCR. SCI model in rats was established and randomly assigned to three different groups: Sham group, SCI group and miR-137-5p mimic group. Within one week of spinal injury, relative levels of miR-137-5p and IL-10R1 in rats of different groups were detected by qRT-PCR. The mRNA levels of JAK1, tyrosine kinase (Tyk2) and STAT3 in rats were also measured. Moreover, protein expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 in rats was measured by Western blotting. Finally, the improvement of locomotor function in three groups of rats within 4 weeks via BBB rating scale.

RESULTS

Transfection of miR-137-5p mimics upregulated relative levels of IL-10R1, JAK1 and STAT3 in in vitro cultured microglia. Similarly, IL-10R1/JAK1/STAT3 pathway was activated in rats administrated with miR-137-5p mimics. Nevertheless, relative levels of classical inflammatory stimulators IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 were downregulated accordingly by miR-137-5p overexpression. Moreover, miR-137-5p effectively improved the locomotor function of rats after SCI.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-137-5p exerts an anti-inflammatory response by upregulating IL-10R1, thus improving locomotor function and alleviating spinal cord injury.

Effects of MiR-146a on repair and inflammation in rats with spinal cord injury through the TLR/NF-κB signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the effects of micro ribonucleic acid-34a (miR-34a) on repair and inflammation of rats with spinal cord injury (SCI) through the toll-like receptor (TLR)/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, 12 healthy rats (control group (CG)) and 24 SCI rats (experimental group (EG-1)) were selected as subjects. A total of 12 experimental rats randomly selected from EG-1 were injected with 5 µL agomiR-146 as EG-2 group. Serum levels of miR-146a, TLR, NF-κB, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and IL-6 of rats in CG and EG-1 were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, the protein levels of miR-146a, TLR, NF-κB, IL-8 and IL-6 in rats of CG and EG were detected via Western blotting. Spinal cord tissue sections of SCI rats after treatment with agomiR-146 were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) staining.

RESULTS

The mRNA level of miR-146a in SCI rats was significantly lower than that in healthy rats, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The mRNA levels of TLR, NF-κB, IL-8 and IL-6 in SCI rats were markedly higher than those in healthy rats, showing significant differences (p < 0.05). However, the relative mRNA level of miR-146a in EG-2 group was significantly higher than that in EG-1 group, with a significant difference (p < 0.05). Relative level of miR-146a was not significantly different between EG-2 group and CG group (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, the mRNA levels of TLR, NF-κB, IL-8 and IL-6 in EG-2 group were evidently lower than those in EG-1 group, displaying significant differences (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-146a can promote the repair of SCI and reduce inflammatory responses in rats through the TLR/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Systemic lupus erythematosus aggravates atherosclerosis by promoting IgG deposition and inflammatory cell imbalance

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients experience a premature and more severe presentation of coronary artery disease. The underlying mechanisms of accelerated coronary artery disease in SLE patients remain to be elucidated.

Methods

By using atherosclerosis combining a SLE murine model, we proved that the onset of SLE aggravates atherosclerosis. Although the onset of SLE reduced blood lipids slightly, immune deviation contributed to aggravated atherosclerosis in lupus mice. Lupus atheroma were characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration, such as gathered dendritic cells, macrophages, and IgG deposition.

Results

Decreased lymphocytes and magnified dendritic cells in the spleen were also observed in lupus mice. Hydroxychloroquine prevented atherosclerosis progression mainly by reversing immune status abnormality caused by SLE. Serum interferon alfa levels were not changed in lupus mice.

Conclusion

These findings strongly suggested that anti-inflammatory therapies and hydroxychloroquine provide a new possible strategy for treating SLE patients with atherosclerosis.

[Effects on the respiration and nervous system of rat exposed to the thermobaric bomb simulated gas]

Objective: To investigate the effects of simulated-thermobaric explosive gas on the respiration and nervous system in rats. Methods: 70 of SPF SD rats were randomly divided into four thermobaric explosive gas groups, two restoration observation groups and control group from April to August in 2018. The exposure time of in four thermobaric explosive gas groups were 3.75, 7.5, 15.0 and 30 min, respectively. The restoration observation groups were designed to observe for 30 and 120 min after exposure thermobaric explosive gas 30 min. The bloods were collected and analyzed at the end of exposure and recovery observation. The endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) , nitric oxide (NO) , glutamic acid (GLU) , acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and dopamine (DA) were detected in brain tissues, respectively. Results: The blood gas index (pH, PCO(2), PO(2), COHb, O(2)Hb, MeHbt) and blood electrolytes (Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+) and Cl(-)) in exposure groups have significant differences with these in control (P<0.05) . The pH value decreased with the exposure time longer. However, it basically returned to normal level when terminating exposure for 120 min. The concentration of PCO(2), MeHb and CoHb increased first and then decreased with the exposure time extension. Conversely, The PO(2) and O(2)Hb decreased first and then increased with the exposure time longer. The concentration of endogenous CO, GLU, and AchE decreased and NO increased in exposure group 4 and the restoration observation group 1 compared with those in control (P<0.01) . In addition, there were pathological changes in lung and brain tissue of exposure group, such as inflammatory cell infiltration and edema. Conclusion: The blood gas index, electrolytes, neurotransmitter, histopathology of lung and brain were changed to various degrees by thermobaric bomb gas exposure. These findings would provide some beneficial support for evaluating the damage effect of thermobaric bomb gas on organisms.

Relationship between Hashimoto's thyroiditis and papillary thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the relationship between Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in children and adolescents.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We carried out a retrospective study of thyroidectomies performed from 2004 to 2017 at The First People's Hospital and the Tumor Hospital of Yunnan Province (Kunming, China). The occurrence and features of PTC and benign thyroid disease (BTD) in children and adolescents (age ≤ 20 years) were compared.

RESULTS

We evaluated 258 consecutive thyroidectomies. Among children and adolescents with PTC, 23 cases were histopathologically confirmed as HT. Mean tumor diameter was smaller in children and adolescents with PTC than in those with BTD. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level was abnormally elevated in a greater proportion of children and adolescents with PTC as compared to those with BTD or youths with PTC. The proportion of thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb)- and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TpoAb)-positive children and adolescents was higher in the PTC than in the BTD group. Among children and adolescents with PTC, 23 had HT as compared to two in the BTD group. The proportion of children/adolescents with abnormally elevated TSH levels was higher for the PTC combined with HT group than for the PTC without HT group. A multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that elevated TGAb was an independent risk factor for PTC in children and adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

HT is associated with an increased occurrence of PTC in children and adolescents.

Temperature Dependence of Homogeneous Nucleation in Ice

Ice nucleation is a process of great relevance in physics, chemistry, technology, and environmental sciences; much theoretical effort has been devoted to its understanding, but it still remains a topic of intense research. We shed light on this phenomenon by performing atomistic based simulations. Using metadynamics and a carefully designed set of collective variables, reversible transitions between water and ice are able to be simulated. We find that water freezes into a stacking disordered structure with the all-atom transferable intermolecular potential with 4 points/ice (TIP4P/ice) model, and the features of the critical nucleus of nucleation at the microscopic level are revealed. We have also estimated the ice nucleation rates along with other nucleation parameters at different undercoolings. Our results are in agreement with recent experimental and other theoretical works, and they confirm that nucleation is preceded by a large increase in tetrahedrally coordinated water molecules.

Phenotypic analysis of atopic dermatitis in children aged 1-12 months: elaboration of novel diagnostic criteria for infants in China and estimation of prevalence

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common skin disorder in infancy. However, the diagnosis and definite significance of infantile AD remains a debated issue.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the phenotypes of AD in infancy, to establish diagnostic criteria and to estimate the prevalence of this condition in China.

METHODS

This is a multicentric study, in which 12 locations were chosen from different metropolitan areas of China. Following careful and complete history-taking and skin examination, the definite diagnosis of AD was made and the severity based on the SCORAD index was determined by local experienced dermatologists. Based on the detailed phenotyping, the major and representative clinical features of infantile AD were selected to establish the diagnostic criteria and evaluate their diagnostic efficacy.

RESULTS

A total of 5967 infants were included in this study. The overall point prevalence of AD was 30.48%. The infantile AD developed as early as at the second month of life, and its incidence peaked in the third month of life at 40.81%. The proportion of mild, moderate and severe AD was 67.40%, 30.57% and 2.03%, respectively. The most commonly seen manifestations in the infantile AD were facial dermatitis (72.07%), xerosis (42.72%) and scalp dermatitis (27.93%). We established the novel diagnostic criteria of infants, which included: (i) onset after 2 weeks of birth; (ii) pruritus and/or irritability and sleeplessness comparable with lesions; and (iii) all two items above with one of the following items can reach a diagnosis of AD: (i) eczematous lesions distributed on cheeks and/or scalp and/or extensor limbs, and (ii) eczematous lesions on any other parts of body accompanied by xerosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In China, the prevalence of AD in infancy is 30.48% according to clinical diagnosis of dermatologists. The novel Chinese diagnostic criteria for AD in infants show a higher sensitivity and comparable specificity.

Improving collective variables: The case of crystallization

Several enhanced sampling methods, such as umbrella sampling or metadynamics, rely on the identification of an appropriate set of collective variables. Recently two methods have been proposed to alleviate the task of determining efficient collective variables. One is based on linear discriminant analysis; the other is based on a variational approach to conformational dynamics and uses time-lagged independent component analysis. In this paper, we compare the performance of these two approaches in the study of the homogeneous crystallization of two simple metals. We focus on Na and Al and search for the most efficient collective variables that can be expressed as a linear combination of X-ray diffraction peak intensities. We find that the performances of the two methods are very similar. Wherever the different metastable states are well-separated, the method based on linear discriminant analysis, based on its harmonic version, is to be preferred because simpler to implement and less computationally demanding. The variational approach, however, has the potential to discover the existence of different metastable states.

Serum SIRT1 Is Associated with Frailty and Adipokines in Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Because frailty is a major health concern among older patients, identifying frailty-related biomarkers will help in the early detection and prevention of frailty. Thus, we aimed to determine the association between circulating levels of silent mating-type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) and frailty.

METHODS

We assessed circulating SIRT1 levels in 16 robust, 74 prefrail, and 40 frail older adults. Frailty was diagnosed based on the Fried phenotype. Circulating cytokine and adipokine (e.g., vaspin, adiponectin, and leptin) levels were assessed. Differences in SIRT1 levels among the three subject groups were compared; correlations of SIRT1 levels with physical function and adipokine and cytokine levels were analyzed.

RESULTS

Serum SIRT1 levels were significantly higher among frail older adults than among robust ones. Older adults with slowness or weight loss had high SIRT1 levels. Serum SIRT1 levels negatively correlated with gait speed, even after adjustment for age and sex; age; and insulin, vaspin, and leptin levels; they correlated negatively with phospholipase A2 levels.

CONCLUSIONS

High SIRT1 levels were observed in frail elderly patients and were correlated with decreased physical function. Insulin and adipokine levels might be the link between SIRT1 and frailty, whereas inflammation may not be involved in this process.

Combining Metadynamics and Integrated Tempering Sampling

The simulation of rare events is one of the key problems in atomistic simulations. Toward its solution, a plethora of methods have been proposed. Here we combine two such methods: metadynamics and integrated tempering sampling. In metadynamics, the fluctuations of a carefully chosen collective variable are amplified, while in integrated tempering sampling the system is pushed to visit an approximately uniform interval of energies and allows exploring a range of temperatures in a single run. We describe our approach and apply it to the two prototypical systems a S_N2 chemical reaction and to the freezing of silica. The combination of metadynamics and integrated tempering sampling leads to a powerful method. In particular in the case of silica we have measured more than 1 order of magnitude acceleration.

Birth population survey in Huai'an in 2015: perinatal-neonatal mortality and preterm birth rate in emerging regions in China

Objective: This survey followed the birth population-based study conducted in 2010 in Huai'an, Jiangsu Province, with the aim to estimate perinatal-neonatal mortality and preterm birth rate in emerging regions with similar maternal-fetal and neonatal care conditions in China.Materials and methods: Data of total births in 2015 were prospectively collected by regional perinatal network collaboration in Huai'an, a subprovincial region with a population of 5,644,500 and gross domestic production of 9082 USD per capita.Results: The 59,424 birth registries (including 59,023 live births and 167 stillbirths) corresponded to a birth rate of 10.5‰ and a Male-to-female ratio of 113.7:100. All births there were from 85, 16, and 6 level I, II, and III hospitals, with a delivery rate of 30.4, 40.2, and 29.4%, respectively. Of all births, 14.1% had pregnancy-associated comorbidities and complications, 54.4% (32,226/59,190) had cesarean delivery, and multiple pregnancies and birth defects occurred in 2.1% (1,250) and 5.5‰ (324), respectively. The mean birth weight was 3448 ± 507 g with 13.9% being macrosomia, and 2.86% (1695/59,190) low birth weight. Preterm birth rate was 4.06% (2404/59,190) with a mortality rate of 8.5%. There were 94.5% recorded as healthy newborns and 5.5% (3263) requiring hospitalization after birth. The perinatal and neonatal mortality rate was 5.2‰ (167 stillbirths, 139 early neonatal deaths) and 4.0‰, respectively. Compared with the 2010 survey, these data demonstrated generally improved status of perinatal-neonatal healthcare.Conclusions: The low rates of perinatal-neonatal mortality, preterm birth and preterm mortality suggest that the concept and study protocol of perinatal-neonatal healthcare in Huai'an may serve as the benchmark for estimating regional vital statistics and perinatal and neonatal outcomes.

Meta-analysis of prevalence of wheezing and recurrent wheezing in infants

BACKGROUND

Wheezing affects children's quality of life, and is related with asthma in childhood. Although prevalence of wheezing has been previously studied in several countries, there is no reference of worldwide prevalence in infants. The aim of this meta-analysis is to estimate the prevalence of wheezing and recurrent wheezing in infants aged up to two years, and compare the prevalence across world regions.

METHODS

Literature search was conducted in MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases, looking for observational studies published up to June 2016, including as keywords "prevalence" or "epidemiology" combined with "wheeze", "wheezing" or "asthma symptoms" and "infant" or "preschool". Fast*Pro software and random effects Bayesian model were used. Heterogeneity was estimated using I² statistic, and sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

We identified 109 studies after duplicates were removed. After exclusions, 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Prevalence of wheezing and recurrent wheezing were 36.06% (95% CI 35.17-36.96), and 17.41% (95% CI 16.74-18.09), respectively. In European countries, prevalence of wheezing was 30.68% (95% CI 28.97-32.45), and 12.35% (95% CI 11.27-13.47) for recurrent wheezing. Prevalence of wheezing and recurrent wheezing in Latin America were higher, 40.55% (95% CI 39.40-41.71), and 19.27% (95% CI 18.44-20.11), respectively. In Africa, prevalence of wheezing was 15.97% (95% CI 14.05-18.00). Low or no heterogeneity was found in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

More than one third of infants suffer from wheezing and almost one fifth from recurrent wheezing, being these illnesses especially prevalent in Latin American countries, pointing out an important public health problem.

Subunit Vaccines Consisting of Antigens from Dormant and Replicating Bacteria Show Promising Therapeutic Effect against Mycobacterium Bovis BCG Latent Infection

To screen effective antigens as therapeutic subunit vaccines against Mycobacterium latent infection, we did bioinformatics analysis and literature review to identify effective antigens and evaluated the immunogenicity of five antigens highly expressed in dormant bacteria, which included Rv2031c (HspX), Rv2626c (Hrp1), Rv2007c (FdxA), Rv1738 and Rv3130c. Then, several fusion proteins such as Rv2007c-Rv2626c (F6), Rv2031c-Rv1738-Rv1733c (H83), ESAT6-Rv1738-Rv2626c (LT40), ESAT6-Ag85B-MPT64_<190-198> -Mtb8.4 (EAMM), and EAMM-Rv2626c (LT70) were constructed and their therapeutic effects were evaluated in pulmonary Mycobacterium bovis Bacilli Calmette-Guérin (BCG) - latently infected rabbit or mouse models. The results showed that EAMM and F6 plus H83 had therapeutic effect against BCG latent infection in the rabbit model, respectively, and that the combination of EAMM with F6 plus H83 significantly reduced the bacterial load. In addition, the fusion proteins LT40 and LT70 consisting of multistage antigens showed promising therapeutic effects in the mouse model. We conclude that subunit vaccines consisting of both latency and replicating-associated antigens show promising therapeutic effects in BCG latent infection animal models.

Bio-informatics analysis of renal carcinoma gene matrix metalloproteinase-7

BACKGROUND

Renal cancer is one of the common malignant tumors of the urinary system, seriously threatening human being's health. The current discoveries, however, are far enough for efficient and secure treatment of renal cancer.

AIMS

The aim was to explore the mechanism of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) protein in renal carcinoma cell metastasis by bioinformatics analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the composition of amino acids, as well as transmembrane structure, coiled coils, subcellular localization, signal peptide, functions and structures at all levels.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

It showed that the gene MMP-7 totally had 1131 bp. A peptide chain containing 267 amino acids was encoded in the coding region. Based on random coil, α helix, and further super-helix, it had formed a stable neutral hydrophilic protein. The subcellular location analysis indicated that the protein was located outside the cell. The mature peptide started from the 18th amino acid, and its front-end was the sequence of the signal peptide, belonging to the secreted protein. Analysis of the functional domain showed that this protein had two functional domains, the PG binding domain, and the zinc finger binding domain. Moreover, the protein, which was cross-linked with it, was also one related to cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. To sum up, MMP-7 is a stable neutral hydrophilic secreted protein, and it may play a vital role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.

Inhibition of DNA2 nuclease as a therapeutic strategy targeting replication stress in cancer cells

Replication stress is a characteristic feature of cancer cells, which is resulted from sustained proliferative signaling induced by activation of oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressors. In cancer cells, oncogene-induced replication stress manifests as replication-associated lesions, predominantly double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). An essential mechanism utilized by cells to repair replication-associated DSBs is homologous recombination (HR). In order to overcome replication stress and survive, cancer cells often require enhanced HR repair capacity. Therefore, the key link between HR repair and cellular tolerance to replication-associated DSBs provides us with a mechanistic rationale for exploiting synthetic lethality between HR repair inhibition and replication stress. DNA2 nuclease is an evolutionarily conserved essential enzyme in replication and HR repair. Here we demonstrate that DNA2 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancers, one of the deadliest and more aggressive forms of human cancers, where mutations in the KRAS are present in 90–95% of cases. In addition, depletion of DNA2 significantly reduces pancreatic cancer cell survival and xenograft tumor growth, suggesting the therapeutic potential of DNA2 inhibition. Finally, we develop a robust high-throughput biochemistry assay to screen for inhibitors of the DNA2 nuclease activity. The top inhibitors were shown to be efficacious against both yeast Dna2 and human DNA2. Treatment of cancer cells with DNA2 inhibitors recapitulates phenotypes observed upon DNA2 depletion, including decreased DNA double strand break end resection and attenuation of HR repair. Similar to genetic ablation of DNA2, chemical inhibition of DNA2 selectively attenuates the growth of various cancer cells with oncogene-induced replication stress. Taken together, our findings open a new avenue to develop a new class of anticancer drugs by targeting druggable nuclease DNA2. We propose DNA2 inhibition as new strategy in cancer therapy by targeting replication stress, a molecular property of cancer cells that is acquired as a result of oncogene activation instead of targeting currently undruggable oncoprotein itself such as KRAS.

First-principles study of Zr–N crystalline phases: phase stability, electronic and mechanical properties

Using a variable-composition ab initio evolutionary algorithm, we investigate stability of various Zr–N compounds.

Prevalence and risk factors for wheezing in infants in the region of Pamplona, Spain

BACKGROUND

Wheezing in the first year of life affects the baby's and family's quality of life. Risk factors such as male gender, nursery attending or a family history of asthma, and protective factors such as breastfeeding more than six months have been previously described. The aim of this study is to study the prevalence and risk factors for wheezing ever and recurrent wheezing in the first year of life in infants in the region of Pamplona, Spain.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was part of the International Study of Wheezing in Infants (Estudio Internacional de Sibilancias en Lactantes, EISL). Between 2006 and 2008, participating families answered a standardised validated questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, environmental factors or family issues. An analysis with the chi square test (statistical significance p<0.05) identified the risk factors for wheezing ever and recurrent wheezing, which were assessed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

1065 questionnaires were answered. The prevalence of wheezing ever and recurrent wheezing were 31.2% and 12.3%, respectively. Male gender (p=<0.001), a history of pneumonia (p=<0.001) or nursery attendance (p=<0.001) were some of the risk factors found for wheezing ever. Infant eczema (p=<0.001), nursery attendance (p=<0.001) or prematurity (p=<0.001) were risk factors for recurrent wheezing. No associations with duration of breastfeeding (p=0.116 and p=0.851) or mould stains at home (p=0.153 and p=0.992) were found.

CONCLUSION

The study of prevalence and risk factors for wheezing shows the importance of this public health problem, and allows the development of control and treatment strategies against preventable factors.

Levator resection with suspensory ligament of the superior fornix suspension for correction of pediatric congenital ptosis with poor levator function

PurposeTo evaluate the surgical outcome of levator resection with suspensory ligament of the superior fornix (SLSF) suspension in severe congenital ptosis with poor levator function (LF).Patients and methodsThe medical records of 25 patients who underwent levator resection with SLSF suspension between March 2011 and January 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. All of the patients had severe congenital ptosis (>4 mm) and poor LF (<4 mm). The follow-up time ranged from 12 to 18 months (median, 15 months). Data regarding eyelid position, cosmetic outcomes, and postoperative complications were evaluated.ResultsThe average preoperative margin reflex distance-1 (MRD1) measured -0.30±0.11 mm. The average postoperative MRD1 measured 3.1±1.25 mm at the last follow-up visit. There was a statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative MRD1 values (P<0.001). Excellent cosmetic results occurred in 14 patients, good cosmetic results occurred in eight patients and poor cosmetic results did not occur. Three patients (12%) underwent reoperation for residual ptosis. No serious postoperative complications occurred.ConclusionLevator resection with SLSF suspension is very effective in the treatment of severe congenital ptosis with poor LF. This surgery technique results in high functional and cosmetic successes in the long term.

Diverse Chemistry of Stable Hydronitrogens, and Implications for Planetary and Materials Sciences

Nitrogen hydrides, e.g., ammonia (NH3), hydrazine (N2H4) and hydrazoic acid (HN3), are compounds of great fundamental and applied importance. Their high-pressure behavior is important because of their abundance in giant planets and because of the hopes of discovering high-energy-density materials. Here, we have performed a systematic investigation on the structural stability of N-H system in a pressure range up to 800 GPa through evolutionary structure prediction. Surprisingly, we found that high pressure stabilizes a series of previously unreported compounds with peculiar structural and electronic properties, such as the N4H, N3H, N2H and NH phases composed of nitrogen backbones, the N9H4 phase containing two-dimensional metallic nitrogen planes and novel N8H, NH2, N3H7, NH4 and NH5 molecular phases. Another surprise is that NH3 becomes thermodynamically unstable above ~460 GPa. We found that high-pressure chemistry of hydronitrogens is much more diverse than hydrocarbon chemistry at normal conditions, leading to expectations that N-H-O and N-H-O-S systems under pressure are likely to possess richer chemistry than the known organic chemistry. This, in turn, opens a possibility of nitrogen-based life at high pressure. The predicted phase diagram of the N-H system also provides a reference for synthesis of high-energy-density materials.

Prevalence and incidence of Alzheimer's disease in Europe: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A disease of unknown aetiology, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. As the elderly population grows worldwide, the number of patients with AD also increases rapidly. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the prevalence and incidence of AD in Europe.

METHODOLOGY

We conducted a literature search on Medline, Scopus, and CINAHL Complete using the keywords «Alzheimer», «Alzheimer's disease», and «AD» combined with «prevalence», «incidence», and «epidemiology». A Bayesian random effects model with 95% credible intervals was used. The I² statistic was applied to assess heterogeneity.

RESULTS

The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in Europe was estimated at 5.05% (95% CI, 4.73-5.39). The prevalence in men was 3.31% (95% CI, 2.85-3.80) and in women, 7.13% (95% CI, 6.56-7.72), and increased with age. The incidence of Alzheimer's disease in Europe was 11.08 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 10.30-11.89). Broken down by sex, it was 7.02 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 6.06-8.05) in men and 13.25 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 12.05-14.51) in women; again these rates increased with age.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our meta-analysis allow a better grasp of the impact of this disease in Europe.

Influence of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding rate on pAOX1 induction in a Pichia pastoris Mut+ strain in bioreactor with limited oxygen transfer rate

High Pichia pastoris biomass density could be obtained using high co-feeding rate of methanol and sorbitol in a fed-batch or continuous culture, while further higher feeding rate finally leads to oxygen limitation in bioreactor. In the literature, there is lack of report about AOX1 promoter regulation with regard to dissolved oxygen level (DO). Therefore, in this work, chemostat cultures were performed to investigate the cell growth, metabolism and regulation of the AOX1 promoter (pAOX1) regarding co-feeding rate of optimized methanol/sorbitol mixture (methanol fraction 0.60 C-mol/C-mol) using a P. pastoris Mut+/pAOX1-lacZ strain. The oxygen transfer rates (OTR) in bioreactor were kept in the range of typical values of large bioreactor, i.e., 4–8 g/(L h) if DO equals 30 % saturation or 5–10 g/(L h) if DO nears zero. For DO &gt;0, an increase of the carbon fed led to an increase of pAOX1 induction. By contrast, when dissolved oxygen was completely depleted, methanol accumulated, causing a 30 % decrease of pAOX1 induction. However, this decrease is more likely to be lined to methanol accumulation than to low level of dissolved oxygen (&lt;4 % DO). Methanol/sorbitol co-feeding allowed cells to adapt to oxygen transient limitations that often occur at industrial scale with reduced effect on pAOX1 induction. The optimal feeding rate tested here was 6.6 mmol C (DCW h)−1 at an OTR of 8.28 g O2(L h)−1 with over fivefold pAOX1 induction (probably directly associated with target protein productivity) compared with previous work.

Prediction of novel stable compounds in the Mg-Si-O system under exoplanet pressures

The Mg-Si-O system is the major Earth and rocky planet-forming system. Here, through quantum variable-composition evolutionary structure explorations, we have discovered several unexpected stable binary and ternary compounds in the Mg-Si-O system. Besides the well-known SiO₂ phases, we have found two extraordinary silicon oxides, SiO₃ and SiO, which become stable at pressures above 0.51 TPa and 1.89 TPa, respectively. In the Mg-O system, we have found one new compound, MgO₃, which becomes stable at 0.89 TPa. We find that not only the (MgO)_x·(SiO₂)_y compounds, but also two (MgO₃)_x·(SiO₃)_y compounds, MgSi₃O₁₂ and MgSiO₆, have stability fields above 2.41 TPa and 2.95 TPa, respectively. The highly oxidized MgSi₃O₁₂ can form in deep mantles of mega-Earths with masses above 20 M_⊕ (M_⊕:Earth’s mass). Furthermore, the dissociation pathways of pPv-MgSiO₃ are also clarified, and found to be different at low and high temperatures. The low-temperature pathway is MgSiO₃ ⇒ Mg₂SiO₄ + MgSi₂O₅ ⇒ SiO₂ + Mg₂SiO₄ ⇒ MgO + SiO₂, while the high-temperature pathway is MgSiO₃ ⇒ Mg₂SiO₄ + MgSi₂O₅ ⇒ MgO + MgSi₂O₅ ⇒ MgO + SiO₂. Present results are relevant for models of the internal structure of giant exoplanets, and for understanding the high-pressure behavior of materials.