Distinguishing bipolar depression, bipolar mania, and major depressive disorder by gut microbial characteristics

BACKGROUND

Gut microbial disturbance has been widely confirmed in mood disorders. However, little is known about whether gut microbial characteristics can distinguish major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar depression (BP-D), and bipolar mania (BP-M).

METHODS

This was a prospective case-control study. The composition of gut microbiota was profiled using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing of fecal samples and compared between healthy controls (HC; n = 46), MDD (n = 51), BP-D (n = 44), and patients with BP-M (n = 45).

RESULTS

Gut microbial compositions were remarkably changed in the patients with MDD, BP-D, and BP-M. Compared to HC, distinct gut microbiome signatures were found in MDD, BP-D, and BP-M, and some gut microbial changes were overlapping between the three mood disorders. Furthermore, we identified a signature of 7 operational taxonomic units (OUT; Prevotellaceae-related OUT22, Prevotellaceae-related OUT31, Prevotellaceae-related OTU770, Ruminococcaceae-related OUT70, Bacteroidaceae-related OTU1536, Propionibacteriaceae-related OTU97, Acidaminococcaceae-related OTU34) that can distinguish patients with MDD from those with BP-D, BP-M, or HC, with area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.910 to 0.996.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide the clinical rationale for the discriminative diagnosis of MDD, BP-D, and BP-M by characteristic gut microbial features.

The impacts of exposure to risk factors during youth on the increasing global trend of early-onset pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVES

An increasing trend of pancreatic cancer in young adults has emerged in some countries. This study aimed to investigate global trends of pancreatic cancer in young adults and explore the impact of exposure to risk factors on pancreatic cancer incidence during youth.

METHODS

Global and national data on pancreatic cancer incidence, disability-adjusted life-years, attributive mortality, and summary exposure values of risk factors were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease 2019. The average annual percent change (AAPC) of incidence and mortality was calculated. Additionally, generalized additive models were applied to explore the non-linear associations between the levels and changes in the Human Development Index and AAPC.

RESULTS

Global pancreatic cancer incidence increased during various periods from 1990 to 2019, particularly in adults aged <45 years from 2010 to 2019, at an average annual increase rate of 0.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.4-1.0%). The AAPC of early-onset pancreatic cancer incidence from 2010 to 2019 was negatively correlated with Human Development Index levels in both 2010 and 2019 but positively correlated with Human Development Index acceleration. Significant increases in early-onset pancreatic cancer incidence were observed over this period in 32 of 88 countries, primarily in South America, North America, Oceania, and Africa. Early-onset pancreatic cancer mortality attributed to high body mass index and fasting plasma glucose increased, while that attributed to tobacco use declined.

CONCLUSIONS

An increasing trend has emerged in the global incidence and burden of early-onset pancreatic cancer over the last few decades. This rise may partly be attributed to global epidemics of high body mass index and fasting plasma glucose.

Magnetic properties and critical behaviors of the nodal-line semimetal candidate ErIn3

The AuCu3-type intermetallic compoundsReIn3(Re= a rare earth ion) with type-IV magnetic space groups are predicted to show topologically nontrivial electronic states. Here, we grow ErIn3single crystals, and study their magnetic properties and critical behaviors by means of the magnetic susceptibility, and magnetization isotherm measurements. Combining a detailed analysis of the magnetic susceptibility and isothermal magnetization, we find that this compound harbors a complicated magnetic phase diagram, and its magnetic moment arrangement appears not to simply follow the fashion as observed in the isostructural counterpart GdIn3(it adopts a conventional type-Cmagnetic structure that belongs to type-IV magnetic space groups). A careful study of the magnetic properties around the antiferromagnetic (AFM)-paramagnetic transition yields the critical exponentsβ= 0.309 (0.297),γ= 1.117 (1.038), andδ= 4.617 (4.454), indicating that the tricritical mean field model or the three-dimensional Ising model works for ErIn3's magnetic behaviors and the presence of a long-range AFM interaction therein. Besides, the exchange interaction distanceJ(r) ∼r-4.665as well confirms a long-range magnetic coupling in ErIn3. Our results offer the clues that the magnetic structure varies from one member ofReIn3family to another, and to confirm their electronic features in the AFM phases further experimental and theoretical studies are still desired.

Childhood trauma and social support affect symptom profiles through cortical thickness abnormalities in major depressive disorder: A structural equation modeling analysis

BACKGROUND

Childhood trauma, low social support, and alexithymia are recognized as risk factors for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the mechanisms of risk factors, symptoms, and corresponding structural brain abnormalities in MDD are not fully understood. Structural equation modeling (SEM) has advantages in studying multivariate interrelationships. We aim to illustrate their relationships using SEM.

METHODS

313 MDD patients (213 female; mean age 42.49 years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging and completed assessments. We integrated childhood trauma, alexithymia, social support, anhedonia, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and cortical thickness into a multivariate SEM.

RESULTS

We first established the risk factors-clinical phenotype SEM with an adequate fit. Cortical thickness results show a negative correlation of childhood trauma with the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) (p = 0.012), and social support was negatively correlated with the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) (p < 0.001). The final good fit SEM (χ2 = 32.92, df = 21, χ2/df = 1.57, CFI = 0.962, GFI = 0.978, RMSEA = 0.043) suggested two pathways, with left PCC thickness mediating the relationship between social support and suicidal ideation, and left MTG thickness mediating between childhood trauma and anhedonia/anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide evidence for the impact of risk factor variables on the brain structure and clinical phenotype of MDD patients. Insufficient social support and childhood trauma might lead to corresponding cortical abnormalities in PCC and MTG, affecting the patient's mood and suicidal ideation. Future interventions should aim at these nodes.

An SI3-σ arch stabilizes cyanobacteria transcription initiation complex

Multisubunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) associate with initiation factors (σ in bacteria) to start transcription. The σ factors are responsible for recognizing and unwinding promoter DNA in all bacterial RNAPs. Here, we report two cryo-EM structures of cyanobacterial transcription initiation complexes at near-atomic resolutions. The structures show that cyanobacterial RNAP forms an "SI3-σ" arch interaction between domain 2 of σ^A (σ₂) and sequence insertion 3 (SI3) in the mobile catalytic domain Trigger Loop (TL). The "SI3-σ" arch facilitates transcription initiation from promoters of different classes through sealing the main cleft and thereby stabilizing the RNAP-promoter DNA open complex. Disruption of the "SI3-σ" arch disturbs cyanobacteria growth and stress response. Our study reports the structure of cyanobacterial RNAP and a unique mechanism for its transcription initiation. Our data suggest functional plasticity of SI3 and provide the foundation for further research into cyanobacterial and chloroplast transcription.

Serum metabolomic profiling revealed potential diagnostic biomarkers in patients with panic disorder

BACKGROUND

Currently, specific metabolites and diagnostic biomarkers of panic disorder (PD) patients have not been identified in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to explore metabolites and metabolic pathways in serum through a metabolomics method.

METHODS

Fifty-five PD patients who completed 2 weeks of inpatient treatment and 55 healthy control subjects (HCs) matched for age, sex and BMI were recruited. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was used to detect metabolites in serum. Multivariate Statistical Analysis was used to identify differential metabolites. The relevant biometabolic pathways were further identified by the online tool MetaboAnalyst 5.0.

RESULTS

43 different metabolites in PD patients compared to HCs (P < 0.05) were screened. Pathway analysis showed that these small molecules were mainly associated with amino acid metabolism. 14 metabolites were significantly changed after 2 weeks of drug treatment (P < 0.05), which were mainly associated with tryptophan metabolism.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our analysis of metabolomics of PD patients at baseline and two weeks after treatment screened for differential metabolites that could be potential diagnostic biomarkers involved in PD pathogenesis and influence some biometabolic pathways such as phenylalanine metabolism and tryptophan metabolism. In the future, we can summarize and observe the dynamic changes of differential metabolites that appear more frequently in similar studies to further explore the underlying mechanisms of PD evolution.

Common susceptibility variants of KDR and IGF-1R are associated with poststroke depression in the Chinese population

Background

Depression, one of the most frequent complications after stroke, increases the disease's burden and physical disability. Poststroke depression (PSD) is a multifactorial disease with genetic, environmental and biological factors involved in its occurrence. Genetic studies on PSD to date have mainly focused on the monoamine system and brain-derived neurotrophic factors. However, understanding is still limited about the influence of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of other neurotrophic factors on PSD.

Aims

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between seven vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family gene variants that occur with PSD.

Methods

A multicentre candidate gene study from five hospitals in Jiangsu Province from June 2013 to December 2014 involved 121 patients with PSD and 131 patients with non-PSD. Demographic characteristics and neuropsychological assessments were collected. The χ² test was used to evaluate categorical variables, while the independent t-test was applied to continuous variables. SNPs in seven genes (VEGFA, VEGFB, KDR, FLT-1, IGF-1, IGF-1R and PlGF) were genotyped. Single-marker association for PSD was analysed by χ² tests and logistic regression using SPSS and PLINK software.

Results

Patients with PSD included more women and those with lower education levels, lower body mass indexes, lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores, and higher scores on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale than non-PSD patients. Ninety-two SNPs with seven genes were genotyped and passed quality control. The rs7692791 CC genotypes, the C allele of KDR and the rs9282715 T allele of IGF-1R increased the risk for PSD (χ²=7.881, p=0.019; χ²=4.259, p=0.039; χ²=4.222, p=0.040, respectively). In addition, the SNP rs7692791 of KDR was significantly associated with PSD by the logistic regression of an additive model (p=0.015, OR=9.584, 95% CI: 1.549 to 59.31).

Conclusions

Patients with rs7692791 C allele carriers or the CC genotype of KDR and the rs9282715 T allele of IGF-1R may have PSD susceptibility. Findings such as these may help clinicians to identify the high-risk population for PSD earlier and, thus, enable them to provide more timely interventions.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR-OCH-13003133.

Structural basis for intrinsic transcription termination

Efficient and accurate termination is required for gene transcription in all living organisms^1,2. Cellular RNA polymerases in both bacteria and eukaryotes can terminate their transcription through a factor-independent termination pathway^3,4-called intrinsic termination transcription in bacteria-in which RNA polymerase recognizes terminator sequences, stops nucleotide addition and releases nascent RNA spontaneously. Here we report a set of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy structures of Escherichia coli transcription intrinsic termination complexes representing key intermediate states of the event. The structures show how RNA polymerase pauses at terminator sequences, how the terminator RNA hairpin folds inside RNA polymerase, and how RNA polymerase rewinds the transcription bubble to release RNA and then DNA. These macromolecular snapshots define a structural mechanism for bacterial intrinsic termination and a pathway for RNA release and DNA collapse that is relevant for factor-independent termination by all RNA polymerases.

[Research progress in the evaluation of post-intensive care syndrome]

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is the most common complication in patients discharged from intensive care unit (ICU), which seriously affects the life quality of the patients. At present, there is still lack of standardevaluation methods for PICS. Continuous and dynamic assessment can earlyidentify PICS, moreover, early identification and intervention of PICS can improve the life quality of patients those patients, which is critical to improve the long-term outcome of the patients. In this paper, we reviewed the current research states of evaluation timing, contents, tools and modalities of PICS domestic and abroad, analyzed the problems and prospects of the existing evaluation methods, aiming to provide a reference for clinical staff to effectively and comprehensively evaluate PICS.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa SutA wedges RNAP lobe domain open to facilitate promoter DNA unwinding

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pae) SutA adapts bacteria to hypoxia and nutrition-limited environment during chronic infection by increasing transcription activity of an RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme comprising the stress-responsive σ factor σ^S (RNAP-σ^S). SutA shows no homology to previously characterized RNAP-binding proteins. The structure and mode of action of SutA remain unclear. Here we determined cryo-EM structures of Pae RNAP-σ^S holoenzyme, Pae RNAP-σ^S holoenzyme complexed with SutA, and Pae RNAP-σ^S transcription initiation complex comprising SutA. The structures show SutA pinches RNAP-β protrusion and facilitates promoter unwinding by wedging RNAP-β lobe open. Our results demonstrate that SutA clears an energetic barrier to facilitate promoter unwinding of RNAP-σ^S holoenzyme.

SutA is a transcription factor which increases transcription activity of an RNA polymerase (RNAP). Here, authors present cryo-EM structures of SutA-bound RNAP-σ^S holoenzyme and SutA-bound transcription initiation complex, which reveals SutA wedging the RNAP-β lobe open to aid unwinding.

Clinical Efficacy of the Chinese Herbal Medicine Shumian Capsule for Insomnia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

Shumian capsule (SMC) is a patent Chinese herbal medicine that can soothe the liver and relieves depression, quiet the spirit. Here, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of SMC for treating insomnia using both scales and polysomnography (PSG).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed. Twenty-six insomnia patients randomly received SMC (n = 11) or placebo (n = 15) for four weeks. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), 9-items Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 7-items Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) were applied at the baseline and the 2nd, 4th week after treatment. Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale was used to assess adverse reactions. We used PSG to record and analyze sleep features at baseline and after four weeks.

RESULTS

PSQI, ISI, PHQ-9, HAMD-17, and HAMA scores decreased significantly after SMC treatment. Also, the total sleep time, rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep latency, stage 2 sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep, and sleep efficiency improved significantly after SMC treatment. In the placebo group, the only significant change was the decrease of PHQ-9 at week-2. Furthermore, both SMC and placebo reported no adverse events.

CONCLUSION

SMC could safely improve sleep quality with depression and anxiety remission in insomnia patients.

Efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, BB-12® on infant colic - a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study

To evaluate the administration of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, BB-12^® (BB-12) on infant colic in breastfed infants, a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised study was conducted in Chengdu, China from April 2016 to October 2017 with 192 full-term infants less than 3 months of age and meeting the ROME III criteria for infant colic. After a 1-week run-in the infants were randomly assigned to receive daily BB-12 (1×10⁹ cfu/day) or placebo for 3 weeks. Crying/fussing time were recorded using a 24 h structured diary. The primary endpoint was the proportion of infants achieving a reduction in crying and fussing time of ≥50% from baseline. Parent's/caregiver's health related quality of life was measured using a modified PedsQL^™ 2.0 Family Impact Module and immunological biomarkers were evaluated from faecal samples at baseline and after the 21-day intervention. The percentage of infants achieving a reduction in the daily crying/fussing time ≥50% after the 21-day intervention was significantly higher in the infants supplemented with BB-12 (P<0.001). The mean number of crying episodes was significantly reduced in the BB-12 group compared to the placebo group (10.0±3.0 to 5.0±1.87 vs 10.5±2.6 to 7.5±2.8, respectively) (P<0.001) and the mean daily sleep duration was markedly increased from baseline to end of intervention in the BB-12 group compared to the infants in the placebo group (60.7±104.0 vs 31.9±102.7 min/day, respectively) (P<0.001). The faecal levels of human beta defensin 2, cathelicidin, slgA, calprotectin and butyrate were statistically higher in the BB-12 group compared to the placebo group after the 21-day intervention. At the end of the intervention the parent's/caregiver's physical, emotional and social functioning scores were significantly higher for the BB-12 group compared to the placebo group (all P<0.05). Supplementation of BB-12 is effective in reducing crying and fussing in infants diagnosed with infant colic.

Worldwide cancer statistics of adolescents and young adults in 2019: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background

The cancer burden in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) deserves more attention. However, global cancer statistics for AYAs are often presented as aggregates, concealing important heterogeneity. This study aimed to describe the worldwide profile of cancer incidence, mortality, and corresponding trends from 1990 to 2019 among 15-39-year olds by focusing on the patterns by age, sex, sociodemographic index (SDI), and regions.

Patients and methods

Global, regional, and country data on the number of cancer cases and cancer-related deaths for 29 cancer types were collected from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study. We also summarized the results using five levels of the SDI and 21 GBD regions.

Results

In 2019, an estimated 1 335 100 new cancer cases and 397 583 cancer-related deaths occurred among AYAs worldwide. While the incidence rate increased mildly, the death rate decreased significantly between 1990 and 2019, with an estimated annual percentage change of 0.38 (95% confidence interval 0.36-0.39) and −0.93 (95% confidence interval −0.95 to −0.92), respectively. The cancer burden was disproportionally greater among women than among men. The cancer profiles varied substantially across geographical regions, with the highest burden being in South Asia and East Asia. Besides, the cancer incidence in the high SDI regions was four times higher than that in the low SDI regions; however, the mortality burden in the high SDI region was lower than that in the low SDI region, which reflected the differences in cancer profiles across SDI regions and the inferior outcomes in the low SDI regions.

Conclusion

This study updates the previous epidemiological data of the cancer burden of AYAs. The cancer burden in AYAs varied substantially according to age, sex, SDI, and geographical regions. These findings highlight that the specific cancer profile of AYA patients requires targeted cancer control measures to reduce the cancer burden in this age group.

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The cancer burden in AYAs varied substantially according to age, sex, SDI, and geographical regions.

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Cancer burden in AYAs was disproportionally greater among women than among men.

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Cancer profiles of AYAs varied across different geographical regions and SDI regions.

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Cancer burden in AYAs was still considerable in the low SDI regions.

[Trend analysis on morbidity and mortality of pancreatic cancer in China, 2005-2015]

Objective: To analyze the trend of morbidity and mortality of pancreatic cancer in China from 2005 to 2015 and estimate the related age, period and cohort effect, respectively. Methods: Joinpoint regression analysis was used to analyze the trend of morbidity rate and mortality rate of pancreatic cancer during 2005-2015 and calculate the annual percentage change and average annual percentage change based on the data in the annual report of China Cancer Registry. Population aged 20-84 years was fitted by the Age-Period-Cohort model to estimate the effect parameters of age, period and cohort. Results: The trend variations of the crude morbidity rate and crude mortality rate of pancreatic cancer were consistent. The morbidity rate of pancreatic cancer firstly increased before 2008 and then decreased. The morbidity rate and mortality rate of pancreatic cancer were higher in men than women, and higher in urban areas than in rural areas. From 2005 to 2015, the overall age-standardized morbidity rate of pancreatic cancer increased by 2.78% annually and the overall age standardized mortality rate of pancreatic cancer increased by 2.24% annually. The age standardized morbidity of pancreatic cancer in rural men changed more rapidly, with an average annual increase of 3.74%, and the age standardized mortality rate of pancreatic cancer in urban men changed more rapidly, with an average annual increase of 3.57%. The age effect on the morbidity and mortality of pancreatic cancer increased with age, and the effect was most obvious in age group 70-80 years, the period effect increased over time and the cohort effect decreased with year, but rebound or fluctuation was observed after 1976. Conclusions: The morbidity rate and mortality rate of pancreatic cancer in China increased slightly in past decades. Strategies on effective prevention and control of pancreatic cancer should be developed in the future.

Mycobacterial fatty acid catabolism is repressed by FdmR to sustain lipogenesis and virulence

Host-derived fatty acids are an important carbon source for pathogenic mycobacteria during infection. How mycobacterial cells regulate the catabolism of fatty acids to serve the pathogenicity, however, remains unknown. Here, we identified a TetR-family transcriptional factor, FdmR, as the key regulator of fatty acid catabolism in the pathogen Mycobacterium marinum by combining use of transcriptomics, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing, dynamic 13C-based flux analysis, metabolomics, and lipidomics. An M. marinum mutant deficient in FdmR was severely attenuated in zebrafish larvae and adult zebrafish. The mutant showed defective growth but high substrate consumption on fatty acids. FdmR was identified as a long-chain acyl-coenzyme A (acyl-CoA)-responsive repressor of genes involved in fatty acid degradation and modification. We demonstrated that FdmR functions as a valve to direct the flux of exogenously derived fatty acids away from β-oxidation toward lipid biosynthesis, thereby avoiding the overactive catabolism and accumulation of biologically toxic intermediates. Moreover, we found that FdmR suppresses degradation of long-chain acyl-CoAs endogenously synthesized through the type I fatty acid synthase. By modulating the supply of long-chain acyl-CoAs for lipogenesis, FdmR controls the abundance and chain length of virulence-associated lipids and mycolates and plays an important role in the impermeability of the cell envelope. These results reveal that despite the fact that host-derived fatty acids are used as an important carbon source, overactive catabolism of fatty acids is detrimental to mycobacterial cell growth and pathogenicity. This study thus presents FdmR as a potentially attractive target for chemotherapy.

Structural basis of Mfd-dependent transcription termination

Mfd-dependent transcription termination plays an important role in transcription-coupled DNA repair, transcription-replication conflict resolution, and antimicrobial resistance development. Despite extensive studies, the molecular mechanism of Mfd-dependent transcription termination in bacteria remains unclear, with several long-standing puzzles. How Mfd is activated by stalled RNA polymerase (RNAP) and how activated Mfd translocates along the DNA are unknown. Here, we report the single-particle cryo-electron microscopy structures of T. thermophilus Mfd-RNAP complex with and without ATPγS. The structures reveal that Mfd undergoes profound conformational changes upon activation, contacts the RNAP β1 domain and its clamp, and pries open the RNAP clamp. These structures provide a foundation for future studies aimed at dissecting the precise mechanism of Mfd-dependent transcription termination and pave the way for rational drug design targeting Mfd for the purpose of tackling the antimicrobial resistance crisis.

Vitamin D Supplementation Is Associated with a Reduction in Self-Reported Falls among Older Adults with Previous Fall History – Feasibility Study

Background: Vitamin D insufficiency contributes to muscle weakness and a higher risk of falls in older adults. Objectives: This study explored the impact of vitamin D supplementation on self-reported falls and physical function in older adults with low vitamin D levels and a recent fall history. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five older adults ≥ 70 years with two or more falls during the past year, low vitamin D blood levels (≥10 ng/ml and < 30 ng/mL), and slow gait speed (1.2 m/s) participated in a 6-month vitamin D supplementation (800 IU/day) study. A modified version of the Morse Fall Scale questionnaire was used to assess frequency of falls over one-year prior to study enrollment. Functional outcomes (short physical performance battery, handgrip strength, gait Timed Up and Go, and six-minute walk), and vitamin D levels were assessed at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Results: Based on diaries and pill counts, participants were generally adherent to the intervention (6 of 7 days per week). Supplementation with 800 IU/day of vitamin D for 6 months increased blood vitamin D levels from 23.25±4.8 ng/ml to 29.13±6.9 ng/ml (p<0.001). Self-reported number of falls decreased from an average of 3.76 ± 2.2 falls in one-year to 0.76 ± 1.4 falls (p <0.0001) over the 6-month intervention. No changes in functional outcome measures were observed. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation at the currently recommended dose of 800 IU/day increased blood vitamin D levels and reduced frequency of falls in older adults with low vitamin D levels and a recent fall history.

The bacterial multidrug resistance regulator BmrR distorts promoter DNA to activate transcription

The MerR-family proteins represent a unique family of bacteria transcription factors (TFs), which activate transcription in a manner distinct from canonical ones. Here, we report a cryo-EM structure of a B. subtilis transcription activation complex comprising B. subtilis six-subunit (2αββ'ωε) RNA Polymerase (RNAP) core enzyme, σA, a promoter DNA, and the ligand-bound B. subtilis BmrR, a prototype of MerR-family TFs. The structure reveals that RNAP and BmrR recognize the upstream promoter DNA from opposite faces and induce four significant kinks from the -35 element to the -10 element of the promoter DNA in a cooperative manner, which restores otherwise inactive promoter activity by shortening the length of promoter non-optimal -35/-10 spacer. Our structure supports a DNA-distortion and RNAP-non-contact paradigm of transcriptional activation by MerR TFs.

Over-expression of RNA interference (RNAi) core machinery improves susceptibility to RNAi in silkworm larvae

RNA interference (RNAi), one of the strategies that organisms use to defend against invading viruses, is an important tool for functional genomic analysis. In insects, the efficacy of RNAi varies amongst taxa. Lepidopteran insects are, in large part, recalcitrant to RNAi. The overall goal of this study is to overcome such insensitivity in lepidopterans to RNAi. We hypothesize that over-expression of core RNAi machinery enzymes can improve RNAi efficacy in traditionally recalcitrant species. A transgenic Bombyx mori strain, Baculovirus Immediate-Early Gene, ie1, promoter driven expression of silkworm Dicer2 coding sequence (IE1-BmDicer2), which over-expresses BmDicer2, was generated by piggyBac transposon-mediated transgenesis. Two indexes, the ratio of animals that showed a silencing phenotype and the duration of silencing, were used to evaluate silencing efficiency. Significant knockdown of target gene expression was observed at 48 h postinjection at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Furthermore, we coexpressed B. mori Argonaute 2 BmAgo2）and BmDicer 2 and found that 22% of the animals (n = 18) showed an obvious silencing effect even at 72 h, suggesting that coexpression of these two RNAi core machinery enzymes further increased the susceptibility of B. mori to injected double-stranded RNAs. This study offers a new strategy for functional genomics research in RNAi-refractory insect taxa in general and for lepidopterans in particular.

Effect of algae or fish oil supplementation and porcine maternal stress on the adrenal transcriptome of male offspring fed a low-quality protein diet

Offspring adrenal function may be negatively affected in utero by maternal stressors such as microbial infection. Maternal supplementation with immunomodulatory compounds such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) may help minimize the adverse effects of maternal stress on fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal development and improve offspring health. Presently, n-3 PUFA sources are primarily fish-based, but n-3 PUFA microalgae (AL) may be an alternative. Previously, it was determined that maternal AL or fish oil (FO) supplementation to sows, in addition to maternal stress induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge appeared to have a greater influence on the stress response of male offspring compared to females. To further elaborate on these findings, this study assessed the effects of maternal AL or FO supplementation combined with a maternal LPS challenge on adrenal gene expression in male offspring fed a nursery diet containing low-quality protein sources. Forty-eight sows were fed gestation diets starting on gestation day (gd) 75 containing either 3.12% AL, 3.1% FO, or a control diet containing 1.89% corn oil. On gd 112, half the sows in each treatment were administered 10 ​μg/kg LPS i.m. Piglets were weaned at 21 days of age onto a common low-quality plant-based protein diet, and one week after weaning, four piglets per sow were administered 40 ​μg/kg LPS i.m. Two hours later, the piglets were euthanized to obtain adrenal tissue, and total RNA was extracted to carry out transcriptome analysis using the Affymetrix GeneChip WT Plus assay and subsequent validation by real-time PCR. Analysis revealed that adrenal steroidogenesis, fatty acid metabolism and immune function were significantly influenced by maternal diet and stress. Increased expression of immune-related genes including lymphocyte antigen 96, TLR-2 and NF-κB suggests that maternal AL supplementation may increase offspring sensitivity to inflammation after weaning. Decreased expression of lymphocyte antigen 96 in male offspring from sows receiving maternal LPS challenge also suggests a possible role of maternal stress in diminishing the offspring immune response to immune stress challenge. Increased expression of the genes encoding the 11BHSD2 enzyme in offspring from sows fed FO may also reduce the magnitude of the stress response. These data provide insight to the immune and metabolic mechanisms that may be influenced by maternal diet and stress.

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Expression of adrenal steroidogenesis genes were influenced by maternal treatment.

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Expression of lipid metabolism genes and immune function genes were enriched.

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Maternal algae supplementation may increase offspring sensitivity to inflammation.

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Maternal stress may reduce the offspring immune response to immune challenges.

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Maternal fish oil supplementation may reduce the offspring stress response.

Higher dose of resveratrol elevated cardiovascular disease risk biomarker levels in overweight older adults - A pilot study

Older adults are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pre-clinical studies indicate that resveratrol (RSV), a polyphenol commonly found in grapes and red wine, may help prevent development of CVD. Based on our previous reports where the 300 mg and 1000 mg doses appeared safe and improved psychomotor function in a dose-dependent manner, our hypothesis was that RSV would reduce biomarkers of CVD risk in overweight, but otherwise healthy older adults and that 1000 mg would lower CVD biomarkers >300 mg. This analysis was performed on samples from older participants (65 years and older) who were randomized to a 90 day RSV treatment with 300 mg (n = 10), 1000 mg (n = 9) or placebo (n = 10). We measured levels of CVD risk biomarkers i.e. oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), soluble E-selectin-1 (sE-selectin), soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1), Soluble Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), total plasminogen activator inhibitor (tPAI-1). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Both sVCAM-1 and tPAI increased significantly more in the 1000 mg vs. 300 mg and placebo groups. Other biomarkers (300 mg vs. 1000 mg vs. placebo: oxLDL, sEselectin-1 and sICAM-1) followed the same trend toward higher levels in the 1000 mg group compared to the 300 mg and placebo groups, without reaching statistical significance. This pilot project suggests that a higher dose of RSV may increase the levels of CVD risk biomarkers in overweight older adults. Given no change in the CVD risk biomarkers in response to a lower dose, future studies should test the effects of different doses of RSV to evaluate potential detrimental effects of higher doses on CVD biomarkers and measures of cardiovascular function in older adults at risk for CVD.

Boson Sampling with 20 Input Photons and a 60-Mode Interferometer in a 10^{14}-Dimensional Hilbert Space

Quantum computing experiments are moving into a new realm of increasing size and complexity, with the short-term goal of demonstrating an advantage over classical computers. Boson sampling is a promising platform for such a goal; however, the number of detected single photons is up to five so far, limiting these small-scale implementations to a proof-of-principle stage. Here, we develop solid-state sources of highly efficient, pure, and indistinguishable single photons and 3D integration of ultralow-loss optical circuits. We perform experiments with 20 pure single photons fed into a 60-mode interferometer. In the output, we detect up to 14 photons and sample over Hilbert spaces with a size up to 3.7×10^{14}, over 10 orders of magnitude larger than all previous experiments, which for the first time enters into a genuine sampling regime where it becomes impossible to exhaust all possible output combinations. The results are validated against distinguishable samplers and uniform samplers with a confidence level of 99.9%.

Crl activates transcription by stabilizing active conformation of the master stress transcription initiation factor

σ^S is a master transcription initiation factor that protects bacterial cells from various harmful environmental stresses including antibiotic pressure. Although its mechanism remains unclear, it is known that full activation of σ^S-mediated transcription requires a σ^S-specific activator, Crl. In this study, we determined a 3.80 Å cryo-EM structure of an Escherichia coli transcription activation complex (E. coli Crl-TAC) comprising E. coli σ^S-RNA polymerase (σ^S-RNAP) holoenzyme, Crl, and a nucleic-acid scaffold. The structure reveals that Crl interacts with domain 2 of σ^S (σ^S₂) and the RNAP core enzyme, but does not contact promoter DNA. Results from subsequent hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) indicate that Crl stabilizes key structural motifs within σ^S₂ to promote the assembly of the σ^S-RNAP holoenzyme and also to facilitate formation of an RNA polymerase–promoter DNA open complex (RPo). Our study demonstrates a unique DNA contact-independent mechanism of transcription activation, thereby defining a previously unrecognized mode of transcription activation in cells.

Structural basis of σ appropriation

Bacteriophage T4 middle promoters are activated through a process called σ appropriation, which requires the concerted effort of two T4-encoded transcription factors: AsiA and MotA. Despite extensive biochemical and genetic analyses, puzzle remains, in part, because of a lack of precise structural information for σ appropriation complex. Here, we report a single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of an intact σ appropriation complex, comprising AsiA, MotA, Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP), σ70 and a T4 middle promoter. As expected, AsiA binds to and remodels σ region 4 to prevent its contact with host promoters. Unexpectedly, AsiA undergoes a large conformational change, takes over the job of σ region 4 and provides an anchor point for the upstream double-stranded DNA. Because σ region 4 is conserved among bacteria, other transcription factors may use the same strategy to alter the landscape of transcription immediately. Together, the structure provides a foundation for understanding σ appropriation and transcription activation.

Synchronous crop failures and climate-forced production variability

Large-scale modes of climate variability can force widespread crop yield anomalies and are therefore often presented as a risk to food security. We quantify how modes of climate variability contribute to crop production variance. We find that the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), tropical Atlantic variability (TAV), and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) together account for 18, 7, and 6% of globally aggregated maize, soybean, and wheat production variability, respectively. The lower fractions of global-scale soybean and wheat production variability result from substantial but offsetting climate-forced production anomalies. All climate modes are important in at least one region studied. In 1983, ENSO, the only mode capable of forcing globally synchronous crop failures, was responsible for the largest synchronous crop failure in the modern historical record. Our results provide the basis for monitoring, and potentially predicting, simultaneous crop failures.

Two Fungicides Alter Reproduction of the Small Brown Planthopper Laodelphax striatellus by Influencing Gene and Protein Expression

Aside from their intended actions, fungicides can drive pest insect outbreaks due to virtually continuous use and pest evolution. Small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus, outbreaks occurred recently in many provinces in China, with devastating rice losses. Because exposure to the fungicide jinggangmycin (JGM) increased reproduction of the brown plant hopper, Nilaparvata lugens, via its influence on fatty acid synthase, we posed the hypothesis that JGM and carbendazim (CBM) influence SBPH reproduction via their influence on enzymes involved in other aspects of lipid metabolism. Exposure to the fungicide CBM stimulated SBPH reproduction (egg-laying up by 78%) and to another fungicide, JGM, led to decreased egg-laying (down by 47.3%). These inverse effects are mediated by down-regulated expression of l-3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (LCHAD) in JGM-treated females and up-regulated expression of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-like protein 2-like (HSD) in CBM-treated females. RNAi knockdown of, separately, LCHAD and HSD led to reduced egg-laying (down by 52% for dsLCHAD and by 73% for dsHSD). dsLCHAD, dsHSD, and JGM treatments also led to severely reduced ovarian development in experimental SBPH, with shorted and thinned valvula and lack of egg cells in ovaries. Valvula of CBM-treated females enlarged, with banana-shaped eggs in ovaries. These data strongly support our hypothesis.

Symmetry-Breaking Assisted Landau-Zener Transitions in Rydberg Atoms

We report the observation of a controlled Landau-Zener transition (LZT) in Rydberg atoms by breaking the symmetry of the underlying Hamiltonian. For a nonhydrogenic Rydberg atom inside a changing electric (F) field, a LZT occurs between the avoided crossing energy levels of neighboring Rydberg states only for a sufficiently high changing rate. If a transverse magnetic (B) field is applied as we implement, the atomic level symmetry is broken, which causes the Stark manifolds denoted by a different |m| (m is the magnetic quantum number) to interact with each other. The mixed state levels end up pushing the adiabatically repelled target states closer and additionally they serve as stepping stones for the sequential LZTs between the neighboring sublevels. Such a feature significantly decreases the changing rate required for an efficient LZT inside a pure electric field. We report experimental observations that support the above scenario. It opens a versatile approach for engineering a controlled LZT in more general systems.

Electronic properties and structure of single crystal perylene

The transport properties of electronic devices made from single crystalline molecular semiconductors typically outperform those composed of thin-films of the same material. To further understand the superiority of these extrinsic device properties, an understanding of the intrinsic electronic structure and properties of the organic semiconductor is necessary. An investigation of the electronic structure and properties of single crystal α-phase perylene (C₂₀H₁₂), a five-ringed aromatic molecule, is presented using angle-resolved ultraviolet photoemission, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and field-effect transistor measurements. Key aspects of the electronic structure of single crystal α-perylene critical to charge transport are determined, including the energetic location of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), the HOMO bandwidth, and surface work function. In addition, using high resolution XPS, we can distinguish between inequivalent carbon atoms within the perylene crystal and, from the shake-up satellite structure in XPS, gain insight into the intramolecular properties in α-perylene. From the device measurements, the charge carrier mobility of α-perylene is found to depend on the device structure and the choice of dielectric, with values in the range of 10^-3 cm² V^-1 s^-1.

Microfluidic co-culture platform for investigating osteocyte-osteoclast signalling during fluid shear stress mechanostimulation

Bone cells exist in a complex environment where they are constantly exposed to numerous dynamic biochemical and mechanical stimuli. These stimuli regulate bone cells that are involved in various bone disorders, such as osteoporosis. Knowledge of how these stimuli affect bone cells have been utilised to develop various treatments, such as pharmaceuticals, hormone therapy, and exercise. To investigate the role that bone loading has on these disorders in vitro, bone cell mechanotransduction studies are typically performed using parallel plate flow chambers (PPFC). However, these chambers do not allow for dynamic cellular interactions among different cell populations to be investigated. We present a microfluidic approach that exposes different cell populations, which are located at physiologically relevant distances within adjacent channels, to different levels of fluid shear stress, and promotes cell-cell communication between the different channels. We employed this microfluidic system to assess mechanically regulated osteocyte-osteoclast communication. Osteoclast precursors (RAW264.7 cells) responded to cytokine gradients (e.g., RANKL, OPG, PGE-2) developed by both mechanically stimulated (fOCY) and unstimulated (nOCY) osteocyte-like MLO-Y4 cells simultaneously. Specifically, we observed increased osteoclast precursor cell densities and osteoclast differentiation towards nOCY. We also used this system to show an increased mechanoresponse of osteocytes when in co-culture with osteoclasts. We envision broad applicability of the presented approach for microfluidic perfusion co-culture of multiple cell types in the presence of fluid flow stimulation, and as a tool to investigate osteocyte mechanotransduction, as well as bone metastasis extravasation. This system could also be applied to any multi-cell population cross-talk studies that are typically performed using PPFCs (e.g. endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts).

Harmonic trap resonance enhanced synthetic atomic spin-orbit coupling

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) plays an essential role in many exotic and interesting phenomena in condensed matter physics. In neutral-atom-based quantum simulations, synthetic SOC constitutes a key enabling element. The strength of SOC realized so far is limited by various reasons or constraints. This work reports tunable SOC synthesized with a gradient magnetic field (GMF) for atoms in a harmonic trap. Nearly ten-fold enhancement is observed when the GMF is modulated near the harmonic-trap resonance in comparison with the free-space situation. A theory is developed that well explains the experimental results. Our work offers a clear physical insight into and analytical understanding of how to tune the strength of atomic SOC synthesized with GMF using harmonic trap resonance.

Direct regeneration of cathode materials from spent lithium iron phosphate batteries using a solid phase sintering method

A direct regeneration of cathode materials from spent LiFePO₄ batteries using a solid phase sintering method has been proposed in this article.

Cadmium sulphide quantum dots with tunable electronic properties by bacterial precipitation

We present a new method to fabricate semiconducting, transition metal nanoparticles (NPs) with tunable bandgap energies using engineered Escherichia coli. These bacteria overexpress the Treponema denticola cysteine desulfhydrase gene to facilitate precipitation of cadmium sulphide (CdS) NPs. Analysis with transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveal that the bacterially precipitated NPs are agglomerates of mostly quantum dots, with diameters that can range from 3 to 15 nm, embedded in a carbon-rich matrix. Additionally, conditions for bacterial CdS precipitation can be tuned to produce NPs with bandgap energies that range from quantum-confined to bulk CdS. Furthermore, inducing precipitation at different stages of bacterial growth allows for control over whether the precipitation occurs intra- or extracellularly. This control can be critically important in utilizing bacterial precipitation for the environmentally-friendly fabrication of functional, electronic and catalytic materials. Notably, the measured photoelectrochemical current generated by these NPs is comparable to values reported in the literature and higher than that of synthesized chemical bath deposited CdS NPs. This suggests that bacterially precipitated CdS NPs have potential for applications ranging from photovoltaics to photocatalysis in hydrogen evolution.

CITY FEED

Crowdsourcing implies user collaboration and engagement, which fosters a renewal of city governance processes. In this article, we address a subset of crowdsourcing, named citizen-sourcing, where citizens interact with authorities collaboratively and actively. Many systems have experimented citizen-sourcing in city governance processes; however, their maturity levels are mixed. In order to focus on the service maturity, we introduce a city service maturity framework that contains five levels of service support and two levels of information integration. As an example, we introduce CITY FEED, which implements citizen-sourcing in city issue management process. In order to support such process, CITY FEED supports all levels of the maturity framework (publishing, transacting, interacting, collaborating, and evaluating) and integrates related information relationally and heterogeneously. In order to integrate heterogeneous information, it implements a threefold feed deduplication mechanism based on the geographic, text semantic, and image similarities of feeds. Currently, CITY FEED is in a pilot stage.

Selecting optimal surgical procedures for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN): An analysis based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result registry database

INTRODUCTION

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a field defect disease of pancreas that has malignant potential. Many studies have recommended surgery as the preferred treatment. We investigated whether a total pancreatectomy (TP) can improve patient prognosis compared to a pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) and the indications for each approach.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We obtained data of 548 malignant IPMN patients who underwent either a TP or a PD from SEER database. The survival rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox regression model. Cases were subdivided to investigate the advantages of each procedure.

RESULTS

The surgical procedures (PD and TP) did not significantly affect either cancer-specific survival (CSS) times or overall survival (OS) times in both Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression (Kaplan-Meier: PCSS = 0.919, POS = 0.996; Cox: PCSS = 0.735, POS = 0.820). In the subgroup analyses, patients in stage T4 and AJCC stage III in the TP group had a longer survival time than did those in the PD group (33 months vs 14 months), but not significant (T4: PCSS = 0.124, AJCC III: PCSS = 0.102). In addition, PD had the trend to be better for poorly differentiated patients (Pos = 0.055) and older patients.

CONCLUSION

TP did not offer any significant OS and CSS benefits as compared to PD. However, for patients in stage T4 and AJCC stage III, TP may extend survival time in some degree. In older or histologically poorly differentiated patients, PD may be preferable to TP. The results are rational, but still warrant further verification due to limited sample volumes of specific subgroups.

Tunable atomic spin-orbit coupling synthesized with a modulating gradient magnetic field

We report the observation of synthesized spin-orbit coupling (SOC) for ultracold spin-1 ⁸⁷Rb atoms. Different from earlier experiments where a one dimensional (1D) atomic SOC of pseudo-spin-1/2 is synthesized with Raman laser fields, the scheme we demonstrate employs a gradient magnetic field (GMF) and ground-state atoms, thus is immune to atomic spontaneous emission. The strength of SOC we realize can be tuned by changing the modulation amplitude of the GMF, and the effect of the SOC is confirmed through the studies of: 1) the collective dipole oscillation of an atomic condensate in a harmonic trap after the synthesized SOC is abruptly turned on; and 2) the minimum energy state at a finite adiabatically adjusted momentum when SOC strength is slowly ramped up. The condensate coherence is found to remain very good after driven by modulating GMFs. Our scheme presents an alternative means for studying interacting many-body systems with synthesized SOC.

Modeling for regional ecosystem sustainable development under uncertainty--A case study of Dongying, China

In this study, a superiority-inferiority two-stage stochastic programming (STSP) method is developed for planning regional ecosystem sustainable development. STSP can tackle uncertainties expressed as fuzzy sets and probability distributions; it can be used to analyze various policy scenarios that are associated with different levels of economic penalties when the promised targets are violated. STSP is applied to a real case of planning regional ecosystem sustainable development in the City of Dongying, where ecosystem services valuation approaches are incorporated within the optimization process. Regional ecosystem can provide direct and indirect services and intangible benefits to local economy. Land trading mechanism is introduced for planning the regional ecosystem's sustainable development, where wetlands are buyers who would protect regional ecosystem components and self-organization and maintain its integrity. Results of regional ecosystem activities, land use patterns, and land trading schemes have been obtained. Results reveal that, although large-scale reclamation projects can bring benefits to the local economy development, they can also bring with negative effects to the coastal ecosystem; among all industry activities oil field is the major contributor with a large number of pollutant discharges into local ecosystem. Results also show that uncertainty has an important role in successfully launching such a land trading program and trading scheme can provide more effective manner to sustain the regional ecosystem. The findings can help decision makers to realize the sustainable development of ecological resources in the process of rapid industrialization, as well as the integration of economic and ecological benefits.

Efficacy and Safety of Bromocriptine-QR in Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Bromocriptine-QR (quick release) is a novel treatment for type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of bromocriptine-QR in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus based on randomized controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals or as abstracts. We performed a comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE, Pubmed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library up to May 2015. Randomized controlled trials of bromocriptine-QR therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus were eligible. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of trials based on predefined inclusion criteria. Information was collected concerning basic study data, patient characteristics, efficacy and safety outcomes, and methodological quality. Bromocriptine-QR add-on therapy lowered hemoglobin A1c compared with placebo (weighted mean difference, - 6.52 mmol/mol; 95% CI, - 8.07 to - 4.97 mmol/mol). Bromocriptine-QR exhibited an increase in achieving an HbA1c level ≤ 53 mmol/mol (≤ 7.0%) (32.0 vs. 9.5%; odds ratio, 4.57; 95% CI, 2.42-8.62). Fasting plasma glucose was reduced with bromocriptine-QR compared with placebo (weighted mean difference,-1.04 mmol/l; 95% CI,-1.49 to-0.59 mmol/l). Moreover, bromocriptine-QR had neutral effects on postprandial glycemia, Body Mass Index (BMI), and lipid profile. Bromocriptine-QR had more gastrointestinal side effects of nausea and vomiting. Bromocriptine-QR had no increased risk of hypoglycemia, hypotension, or cardiovascular effects. Bromocriptine-QR therapy offers an alternative option to currently available antidiabetic agents for type 2 diabetes mellitus adults. Neither hypoglycemia nor other metabolic changes occur with this drug. More data for long-term efficacy and safety are needed for further observation.

Alendronate sodium/vitamin D3 combination tablet versus calcitriol for osteoporosis in Chinese postmenopausal women: a 6-month, randomized, open-label, active-comparator-controlled study with a 6-month extension

This study compares efficacy of ALN/D5600 versus that of calcitriol in osteoporotic Chinese postmenopausal women. ALN/D5600 produced greater bone mineral density (BMD) increases, greater bone turnover marker decreases, and less vitamin D insufficiency. This study provided detailed clinical information regarding ALN/D5600 treatment versus calcitriol 0.25 μg/day. The study did not evaluate fracture risk.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to investigate efficacy of alendronate 70 mg/vitamin D3 5600 IU combination tablets (ALN/D5600) versus calcitriol in osteoporotic Chinese postmenopausal women.

METHODS

This study is a 6-month, randomized, open-label, active-comparator study with 6-month extension (clinicaltrials.gov number NCT01350934) in postmenopausal women aged >55 years with osteoporosis (low bone mineral density (BMD) with/without prior fragility fracture). Patients were randomized to ALN/D5600 once weekly or calcitriol 0.25 μg daily. The primary efficacy end point of the base study was percent change from baseline in lumbar spine BMD (month 6). Hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria were safety events of special interest.

RESULTS

A total of 219 patients (ALN/D5600 n = 111, calcitriol n = 108) were randomized. Baseline characteristics were similar, 30.3 % baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) ≤15 ng/mL. At months 6 and 12, changes in lumbar spine BMD from baseline were 3.5 versus 1.6 % and 5.2 versus 2.3 % for ALN/D5600 versus calcitriol (between-group differences p < 0.001), respectively. Between-group differences for ALN/D5600 versus calcitriol were significant (p < 0.001) at months 6 and 12 for change from baseline in procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (-59.1 versus -16.8 %, -68.1 versus -17.0 %) and serum C-telopeptides (-79.2 versus -27.2 %, -76.2 versus -24.2 %). Drug-related adverse events (AEs) and discontinuations due to drug-related AEs occurred in 15 (14.0 %) versus 8 (7.4 %) patients and 3 (2.8 %) versus 0 patients in the ALN/D5600 and calcitriol group, respectively. Hypercalciuria 12-month incidence (24-h urine Ca >300 mg) was 8.4 (ALN/D5600) versus 13.9 % (calcitriol) (p > 0.05). One patient (calcitriol) had hypercalcemia.

CONCLUSIONS

ALN/D5600 produced greater increases in lumbar spine BMD and greater decreases in bone turnover markers versus calcitriol in osteoporotic Chinese women. It is not known whether the greater increase in BMD results in fewer fractures. ALN/D5600 was generally well tolerated in Chinese patients.

Application of a High-Throughput Enantiomeric Excess Optical Assay Involving a Dynamic Covalent Assembly: Parallel Asymmetric Allylation and Ee Sensing of Homoallylic Alcohols

Parallel synthesis and high-throughput ee screening.

Asymmetric Ir-catalyzed C–C coupling of primary alcohols with allyl-acetates, as described by Krische, to form chiral secondary homo-allylic alcohols were performed in parallel as a means to optimize the ee values thereof. Specifically, approximately 400 examples of this reaction were performed by varying the catalyst, added acids and bases, and starting reactants, to form 4-phenyl-1-butene-4-ol (1). The ee values for the transformations were determined in a high-throughput fashion using a 4-component assembly that creates a circular dichroism signal indicative of the extent of asymmetric induction. Further, a parallel and rapid quantitative TLC method measures the yield of each reaction, revealing which reactions give reliable ee values in the CD-based assay. Overall, the nearly 200 reactions whose ee values were determined could be quantitated in under two hours. Using a combination of the TLC method to measure yield with the CD-assay to measure ee values, several trends in reaction conditions were revealed. For example, it was found that the cyclometalated iridium catalyst modified by BINAP and m-nitro-p-cyano-benzoic acid delivered adduct 1 with the highest levels of enantiomeric enrichment (94%), whereas the corresponding SEGPHOS-modified catalyst gave a comparable yield but lower ee (91%). Most importantly, this study shows that supramolecular assemblies can report hundreds of ee values in a rapid and reliable fashion to analyze parallel synthesis routines.

MicroRNA-219-5p functions as a tumor suppressor partially by targeting platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha in colorectal cancer

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) signaling pathway was involved in the progress of colorectal cancer (CRC). By using the bioinformatic system online, we found that PDGFRα is a potential target of miR-219-5p. However, the expression pattern and underlying mechanisms of miR-219-5p had not been elucidated in CRC. Herein, we first evaluated the expression of miR-219-5p in tumor tissues by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Next, we confirmed that PDGFRα is the target of miR-219-5p by using luciferase report. And then, we investigated the biological functions of miR-219-5p in vitro in cell proliferation and apoptosis as well as cell cycle by gain and loss of function strategies. Data shown that miR-219-5p is down-regulated in CRC tissues compared with the corresponding matched normal tissues. PDGFRα was a direct target of miR-219-5p. Overexpression of miR-219-5p could inhibit cell proliferation, promote cell apoptosis and induce cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. Furthermore, miR-219-5p suppressed the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway and downregulated G1 cell-cycle-related protein cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4, and CDK6. Taken together, our results demonstrate that miR-219-5p functions as a tumor suppressor partially by targeting PDGFRα in colorectal cancer.