A Novel Signature Based on m6A Regulator-Mediated Genes Along Glycolytic Pathway Predicts Prognosis and Immunotherapy Responses of Gastric Cancer Patients

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is involved in many aspects of gastric cancer (GC). Moreover, m6A and glycolysis-related genes (GRGs) play important roles in immunotherapeutic and prognostic implication of GC. However, GRGs involved in m6A regulation have never been analyzed comprehensively in GC. Herein, the study aims to identify and validate a novel signature based on m6A-related GRGs in GC patients. Therefore, a m6A-related GRGs signature is established, which can predict the survival of patients with GC and remain an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analyses. Clinical significance of the model is well validated in internal cohort and independent validation cohort. In addition, the expression levels of risk model-related GRGs in clinical samples are validated. Consistent with the database results, all model genes are up-regulated in expression except DCN. After regrouping the patients based on this risk model, the study can effectively distinguish between them in respect to immune-cell infiltration microenvironment and immunotherapeutic response. Additionally, candidate drugs targeting risk model-related GRGs are confirmed. Finally, a nomogram combining risk scores and clinical parameters is created, and calibration plots show that the nomogram can accurately predict survival. This risk model can serve as a reliable assessment tool for predicting prognosis and immunotherapeutic responses in GC patients.

The impact of chemical properties of the solid-liquid-adsorbate interfaces on the entropy-enthalpy compensation involved in adsorption

Despite extensive studies on the thermodynamic mechanism governing molecular adsorption at the solid-water interface, a comprehensive understanding of the crucial role of interface properties in mediating the entropy-enthalpy compensation during adsorption is lacking, particularly at a quantitative level. Herein, we employed two types of surface models (hydroxyapatite and graphene) along with a series of amino acids to successfully elucidate how distinct interfacial features dictate the delicate balance between entropy and enthalpy variations. The adsorption of all amino acids on the hydroxyapatite surface is an enthalpy-dominated process, where the water-induced enthalpic component of the free energy and the surface-adsorbate electrostatic interaction term alternatively act as the driving force for adsorption in different regions of the surface. Although favorable interactions are observed between amino acids and the graphene surface, the entropy-enthalpy compensation exhibits dependence on the molecular size of the adsorbates. For small amino acids, favorable enthalpy changes predominantly determine their adsorption behavior; however, larger amino acids tend to bind more tightly with the graphene surface, which is thermodynamically dominated by the entropy variations despite the structural characteristics of amino acids. This study reveals specific entropy-enthalpy mechanisms underlying amino acid adsorption at the solid-liquid interface, providing guidance for surface design and synthesis of new biomolecules.

[Bilateral visual pathway invasion of occipital astrocytoma: a case report]

A 33-year-old female presented to the ophthalmology clinic with right periorbital redness and pain for 12 hours. CT revealed right optic nerve thickening and enlargement. Cranial MRI demonstrated abnormalities in the corpus callosum, bilateral hippocampi, thalamus, basal ganglia, temporal-parietal lobes, and the left frontal lobe. Ocular B-scan ultrasound showed elevated optic disc and high echogenic signals in the right vitreous cavity. The patient had a history of surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy for a left occipital glioma two years prior, with pathology indicating astrocytoma (World Health Organization Grade Ⅱ). Combining the patient's history and diagnostic findings, the confirmed diagnosis is bilateral occipital astrocytoma with invasion into the right transverse sinus, bilateral optic pathways involvement related to the left occipital astrocytoma, and seeding of astrocytoma in the right vitreous cavity.

A novel clinical-imaging nomogram for predicting primary aldosteronism in patients with hypertension

This study aimed to develop and validate the accuracy of a clinical-imaging index nomogram in predicting primary aldosteronism (PA) in patients with hypertension. This case-control study enrolled 404 hypertension patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China, from April 2017 to September 2021. The patients were randomly divided into the training set (n = 283, 70%) and the validation set (n = 121, 30%). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of PA, which were then used construct a nomogram. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration plot were drawn to assess the predictive value. The accuracies of our nomogram and other known prediction models were compared using decision curve analyses (DCA). Four significant variables (history of hypokalemia [OR = 2.684, 95% CI: 1.281-5.623, P < 0.001], typical imaging feature [OR = 2.316, 95% CI: 1.166-4.601, P = 0.003], 24 h urine potassium [OR = 0.956, 95% CI: 0.932-0.980, P < 0.001], plasma renin activity [PRA] [OR = 1.423, 95% CI: 1.161-1.744, P < 0.001]) in the multivariate logistic regression analysis were sifted out, and used to build the nomogram. The predictive nomogram yielded an AUC of 0.890 (95% CI, 0.853-0.927) in the training set and 0.860 (95% CI, 0.793-0.927) in the validation set. Predicted and actual probability of PA matched well in the nomogram. Moreover, the DCA showed that the nomogram gained a net benefit in clinical practice in predicting PA when the threshold value was set between 0.1 and 1.0. Our four-variable nomogram was accurate in predicting PA patients and might be introduced into clinical management.

Occupational stress, respect, and the need for psychological counselling in Chinese nurses: a nationwide cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore occupational stress, perceived respect, and the need for psychological counselling among nurses in China.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a nationwide cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Chinese nurses from 311 cities were randomly selected through a simple random sampling method. Occupational stress, perceived respect, and psychological counselling need were assessed using an online questionnaire validated by experts. The underlying associated factors were analysed using multiple logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

We collected and analysed 51,406 valid online questionnaires. Family factors and low income were the most commonly cited sources of occupational stress, and 91.9% and 80.0% of nurses, respectively, perceived that individuals in society and patients did not give adequate respect. Furthermore, 75.5% and 79.7%, respectively, believed they were not respected by clinical managers and doctors. As a result, 64.7% nurses believed they had a moderate or high need for psychological counselling. However, 80.7% indicated that receiving adequate respect could decrease the need for stress-related psychological counselling. Indeed, multiple logistic regression analyses showed that lower respect perceived by nurses was associated with higher need for psychological counselling, particularly regarding criticism that nurses perceived from nursing managers (a little: odds ratio [OR], 1.597; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.176-2.170; P = 0.003; moderately: OR, 1.433; 95% CI, 1.180-1.741; P < 0.001) and the difficulty of receiving respect from patients and their families (a little: OR, 1.389; 95% CI, 1.044-1.850; P = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses in China perceive high levels of occupational stress and low levels of respect and often seek psychological counselling.

Development of a sensitive droplet digital PCR according to the HPV infection specificity in Chinese population

HPV16 and 18 are positively correlated with cervical carcinogenesis. However, HPV prevalence tends to vary according to region, nationality, and environment. The most prevalent high-risk (HR) HPV genotypes are HPV16, 52, 58, 56, 18, 33, and 45), while the low-risk (LR) genotypes are HPV6 and 11 in the Chinese population. Importantly, undetectable low-copy HPV DNA could be an important indicator of integration into the human genome and may be a precursor to cancer progression. The HPV viral load changes dramatically, either increasing or decreasing rapidly during carcinogenesis, and traditional quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) cannot accurately capture this subtle change. Therefore, in this study, a reliable droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) method was developed to simultaneously detect and quantify HPV genotypes. The ddPCR quantitative results showed high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity compared to qPCR results employing the same clinical specimens and supplemented the ddPCR assay for HPV52/56/58/6 genotypes according to the infection specificity of the Chinese population. In summary, this procedure is valuable for quantifying HPV DNA, especially under conditions of low template copy number in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and/or cervical cancer. Additionally, this method can dynamically observe the prognosis and outcome of HPV infection and thus be used as an effective means for real-time monitoring of tumor load.

Effect of Low Temperature on Insecticidal Protein Contents of Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.) in the Boll Shell and Its Physiological Mechanism

Low temperature is the main factor for global natural disasters affecting the growth and distribution of plants, and cotton may be affected by low temperature and cold damage at all growth stages. In addition, the insecticidal resistance of cultivars has been reported to perform poorly or unstably due to adverse environments. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of low temperature on the levels of insecticidal protein in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic cotton plants during the peak boll stage. To achieve this, two Bt cotton cultivars, Sikang1 (SK1) and Sikang3 (SK3), were subjected to different temperature regimes and durations. The findings of the study demonstrated that the expression of insecticidal protein in the boll shell of Bt transgenic cotton plants was significantly inhibited under low-temperature stress. Specifically, in 2020, compared to the CK (27 °C), the insecticidal protein content in the boll shell of SK3 decreased by 28.19% after a 48 h of a 16 °C temperature. These results suggest that low-temperature stress can negatively impact the expression of insecticidal protein in Bt transgenic cotton, highlighting the need for appropriate measures to minimize its adverse effects on cotton production. In addition, the threshold temperature that leads to a significant decrease in the content of insecticidal proteins symbolizes an upward trend as the duration of stress prolongs. Decreased Bt protein content at low temperatures is associated with changes in the N metabolism. The present study revealed a significant positive correlation between the levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activities, as well as in the soluble protein levels in the boll shell and the content of the Bt protein. On the other hand, a significant negative correlation was observed between the levels of free amino acids, peptidase, and protease activities, as well as of Bt protein content. These findings suggest that, in Bt cotton production, it is crucial to remain vigilant of prolonged low-temperature disasters, which last for over 12 h and drop below 17-20 °C during the peak boll stage. Such conditions may reduce insecticidal resistance, leading to substantial economic losses.

PHKG2 regulates RSL3-induced ferroptosis in Helicobacter pylori related gastric cancer

Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of regulatory cell death induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is regarded as a high-risk factor for the development of gastric cancer (GC) and is associated with an increase in the levels of reactive oxygen species with activation of oncogenic signaling pathways. However, whether GC arising in the context of infection with H. pylori is correlated with ferroptosis is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that H. pylori infection increased the sensitivity of GC cells to RSL3 (RAS-selective lethal3)-induced ferroptosis. The molecular subtypes mediated by ferroptosis-related genes are associated with tumor microenvironment (TME) cell infiltration and patient survival. Importantly, we identified that the expression of phosphorylase kinase G2 (PHKG2) was remarkably correlated with H. pylori infection, metabolic biological processes, patient survival and therapy response. We further found the mechanism of H. pylori-induced cell sensitivity to ferroptosis, which involves PHKG2 regulation of the lipoxygenase enzyme Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase (ALOX5). In conclusion, PHKG2 facilitates RSL3-induced ferroptosis in H. pylori-positive GC cells by promoting ALOX5 expression. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the unique pathogenesis of H. pylori-induced GC and allow for maximum efficacy of genetic, cellular, and immune therapies for controlling ferroptosis in diverse contexts.

[Intraocular invasion of bilateral primary ocular adnexal mantle cell lymphoma: a case report]

A male patient presented to department of ophthalmology for progressive left eye blurred vision with visual deformation for 1 month. Imaging findings were typical intraocular lymphoma infiltration, and head MRI and positron emission tomography-CT showed no mass in other parts of the body. After review of the medical history, the patient first presented with extrocular signs such as lacrimal gland enlargement, eyeball protrusion and extraocular myoedema, without any abnormal changes in the fundus. Combined with the history, the patient was diagnosed as a binocular primary accessory mantle cell lymphoma with intraocular infiltration. After 9 months of systemic treatment with rituximab combined with zbrutinib, the patient's binocular visual acuity was significantly improved and the intraocular and intraocular manifestations disappeared.

The role and mechanisms of long non-coding RNA LINC00662 in promoting the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells and the subsequent effect on the progression of gastric cancer

A large body of evidence indicates that long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) is widely involved in various cellular processes and tumor progression. LINC00662, an lncRNA, has been reported to play a role in lung cancer. However, the biological function of LINC00662 in gastric cancer (GC) has not yet been explored. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanisms of LINC00662 in promoting the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells and the subsequent effect on the progression of GC. The expression level of LINC00662 in GC tissues and cells was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Small interfering RNA was used to silence LINC00662 in BGC-823 and HGC-27 GC cells in vitro for an MTT assay, a colony formation assay, and a transwell assay to determine cell proliferation and invasion ability. LINC00662-silenced BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells were also injected into zebrafish to detect the proliferation and invasion ability of the cells. Co-cultures in vitro of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with silenced LINC00662 and in vivo experiments were also performed. The upregulation of LINC00662 was observed in GC tissues and cell lines. Functional studies in vitro showed that knocking down LINC00662 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of GC cells. In vivo experiments in zebrafish also confirmed that knocked-down LINC00662 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of GC cells, and in vitro angiogenesis experiments showed that the supernatant of GC with knocked-down LINC00662 inhibited the angiogenesis of HUVECs. LINC00662 promoted the proliferation, invasion, and migration of GC cells and promoted angiogenesis. These findings suggest that LINC00662 may be a potential therapeutic target for GC.

[Application of the "virtual-real combination" experimental teaching model in Human Parasitology teaching: a case study of comprehensive schistosome experiments]

Information technology has become an important driver to facilitate higher education developments in the context of new medical sciences. A new "virtual-real combination" experimental teaching model was designed and created through integrating information technology with experimental teaching by Experimental Teaching Center of Basic Medical Sciences and Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University and was applied in Human Parasitology teaching, which achieved satisfactory teaching effectiveness. This new model showed effective to deepen the understanding of the basic human parasitology knowledge, improve the operative skills, and cultivate the moral literacy and comprehensive capability among medical students. This report presents the teaching protocols and implementation, teaching effectiveness and evaluation, and experiences of comprehensive schistosome experiments.

[A case of dislocation of the empty capsular bag into the anterior chamber]

A highly myopic patient complained of 2 months of visual acuity loss and 4 months of ocular pain in the right eye after 16 years after bilateral cataract extraction. The slit lamp microscopy examination showed a residual lens capsule dislocation in the right anterior chamber of the eye, which was diagnosed as a residual lens capsule dislocation in the right eye. After diagnosis and timely treatment, the patient's postoperative vision and visual field recovered well.

[Safety and efficacy of a new domestic distal perforated stent graft in the treatment of Stanford type B aortic dissection]

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new domestic distal perforated stent graft (Talos stent) in the treatment of Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Methods: Twenty-five patients with TBAD treated with Talos stent in Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University from February 2018 to December 2019 were selected as the research subjects. Intraoperative angiography was performed to determine the number of branch arteries that remained after stent release. On postoperative day 5 (POD5), the pain intensity of the patients was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS). The computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the patients before operation, 6 months and 12 months after operation were compared including aortic diameter, true lumen diameter, and false lumen diameter at the level of tracheal bifurcation. Follow-up was performed 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after surgery, and the occurrence of stent-related adverse events, reoperation and survival rate were recorded. Results: The enrolled patients included 19 males and 6 females, aged (52.6±11.1) years. Intraoperative angiography showed that 4 (1, 7) branch arteries were preserved, and the VAS score was 1 (0, 1) on POD5. The aortic diameters at the level of the tracheal bifurcation were (34.9±1.1) mm, (34.6±0.9) mm and (34.8±1.0) mm before surgery, 6 months and 12 months after surgery, and there was no significant difference (P=0.926); the diameters of the main true lumen at the level of the tracheal bifurcation were (13.3±1.6) mm, (21.8±1.0) mm and (22.3±1.1) mm before surgery, 6 months and 12 months postoperatively, while the diameters of the main false lumen at the level of the tracheal bifurcation were (20.8±2.2) mm, (4.5±1.5) mm, and (4.6±1.7) mm, respectively. Compared with before surgery, the diameter of true lumen increased significantly 6 months and 12 months after surgery (both P<0.001), while the diameter of false lumen decreased (both P<0.001). No stent-related adverse events occurred within 30 days after surgery, no secondary operations occurred within 12 months after surgery, no type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ endoleaks, no deaths or cases of paraplegia were reported, and the stent structure and position remained good. There were no deaths or paraplegia cases 24 months postoperatively, and no stent-related adverse events occurred. Conclusion: Using Talos stent in the treatment of TBAD can effectively help remodel the aorta, while preserve the intercostal artery and spinal artery, with good clinical effect and safety.

[Effect of phacoemulsification on the Berger space]

Objective: To investigate the effect of phacoemulsification on the Berger space (BS). Methods: A prospective cohort study. Patients with cataract who underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in the Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from May 2021 to October 2021 were enrolled. The BS was observed by slit-lamp microscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and 1 month after operation. Intraoperative optical coherence tomography with a 25G optical fiber was performed to observe the BS. The number of eyes with the BS and materials in the BS (MIB) detected perioperatively was counted, and the width of the BS was measured. Statistical analysis was carried out by the Chi-square test, generalized estimating equations, Mann-Whitney U test and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 119 patients (119 eyes) were included [44 males, 75 females; mean age, (65±12) years]. Preoperatively, the BS was identified in only 4 eyes (3.4%), and no MIB was found. Intraoperatively, the BS was identified in 47 eyes (39.5%), and the MIB was observed in 20 eyes (16.8%). At one month postoperatively, the BS was identified in 33 eyes (27.7%), of which 16 eyes (13.4%) still had MIB. There were significant differences in the detection rates of the BS and MIB between intraoperative and preoperative groups (both P<0.001). The difference in the detection rate of the BS postoperatively compared to intraoperatively was statistically significant (P=0.001), while the difference in the detection rate of MIB was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The intraoperative and postoperative width of the BS [M (Q₁, Q₃)] was 160.3 (61.6, 273.1) μm and 106.8 (0, 259.4) μm, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (Z=-2.28, P=0.023). In addition, the detection rate of the BS and MIB in patients with a high risk of zonular fiber weakness [60.7% (17/28) and 42.9% (12/28)] was significantly higher than that in patients without this risk factor [33.0% (30/91) and 8.8% (8/91)] (χ²=6.90, P=0.009; P<0.001). In the multivariable model, weakness of zonular fibers (OR=0.214, 95%CI: 0.081 to 0.561) and higher cumulative dissipated energy (OR=1.255, 95%CI: 1.047 to 1.504) were the main risk factors for structural changes of the BS intraoperatively. Conclusion: Phacoemulsification can damage the normal anatomical structure of the BS, resulting in intraoperative entrance of fluid and particulates to the BS.

Physical insight into the entropy-driven ion association

The ion association is widely believed to be dominated by the favorable entropy change arising from the release of water molecules from ion hydration shells. However, no direct thermodynamic evidence exists to validate the reliability and suitability of this view. Herein, we employ complicated free energy calculations to rigorously split the free energy including its entropic and enthalpic components into the water-induced contributions and ion-ion interaction terms for several ion pairs from monatomic to polyatomic ions, spanning the size range from small kosmotropes to large chaotropes (Na⁺ , Cs⁺ , Ca²⁺ , F^- , I^- , CO₃ ^2- , and HPO₄ ^2- ). Our results successfully reveal that though ion associations are indeed determined by a delicate balance between the favorable entropy variation and the repulsive enthalpy change, the entropy gain dominated by the solvent occurs only for the monatomic ion pairing. The water-induced entropic contribution significantly goes against the ion pairing between polyatomic anion and cation, which is, alternatively, dominated by the favorable entropy from the ion-ion interaction term, due to the configurational arrangement of polyatomic anions involved in ion association. The structural and dynamic analysis demonstrates that the entropy penalty from the water phase is primarily ascribed to the enhanced stability of water molecules around the cation imposed by the incoming anion. Our study successfully provides a fundamental understanding of water-mediated ion associations and highlights disparate lengthscale dependencies of the dehydration thermodynamics on the specific types of ions.

[The role of preventive pancreatic duct stent placement in preventing acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography]

The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive effect of pancreatic duct stent on acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. A retrospective analysis of the case data of patients who first underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for choledocholithiasis in the Beijing Friendship Hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 for 5 years. According to whether the pancreatic duct stent was indwelled during the operation, they were divided into pancreatic duct stent group (147 cases) and non-indwelling pancreatic duct stent group (192 cases). The incidence of acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was compared between the two groups according to COTTON criteria. Independent sample t test, Pearson Chi-square test (χ²) and Fisher's exact test were used to compare groups' differences. There were 2 cases of acute pancreatitis in the pancreatic duct stent group, all of which improved after 48 hours. There were 22 cases of acute pancreatitis in the non-indwelling pancreatic duct stent group, of which 20 cases improved within 48 hours, and the other 2 cases had severe pancreatitis, which improved and discharged after 30 days of treatment. There was significant difference in the incidence of acute pancreatitis between the pancreatic duct stenting group (1.4%) and the group without placement of pancreatic duct stents (11.5%) (χ²=12.905,P<0.001). In conclusion, Pancreatic duct stent may be an effective method to prevent PEP.

Opinion Polls and Antibody Response Dynamics of Vaccination with COVID-19 Booster Vaccines

As the third year of the global COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination remains the most effective tool against infections and symptomatic illness. Comprehension regarding immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is limited, and the durability of immune responses after vaccination is currently not clear. In this study, we randomly collected 395 questionnaires to analyze the current state of COVID-19 vaccination. At the same time, the serum of 16 individuals who had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were collected at different times before and after the booster vaccination. We analyzed the dynamic changes of SARS-CoV-2 S-specific binding antibodies in serum and immunological indicators. By collecting public opinion surveys and analyzing variational trends of SARS-CoV-2 S-specific binding antibodies and immune indicators after COVID-19 booster vaccination, we endeavored to demonstrate the concerns affecting people's booster vaccinations, as well as the frequency, timing, and necessity of COVID-19 booster vaccinations. The analysis of antibody results in 16 vaccinated volunteers showed that the antibody concentration decreased six months after the second dose and the protective effect of the virus was reduced. The third dose of COVID-19 vaccination is necessary to maintain the antibody concentration and the protective effect of the virus. The vaccination with the vaccine booster depends not only on the time interval but also on the initial concentration of the SARS-CoV-2 S-specific binding antibody before the booster. Our study has important implications for raising public awareness of vaccinating against SARS-CoV-2 and the necessity of COVID-19 booster vaccinations.

Association and mechanism of garlic consumption with gastrointestinal cancer risk: A systematic review and meta‑analysis

Gastrointestinal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer type worldwide, with millions of cases per year. The aim of this review was to investigate the relationship between garlic intake and the risk reduction of gastrointestinal cancer. We performed saturated data mining on various public domain databases, including PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/), Embase (https://www.embase.com/landing?status=grey), and Cochrane Library (https://www.cochranelibrary.com/), with key terms including: ‘garlic’, ‘allium’, ‘stomach’, ‘gastric’, ‘colon’, ‘neoplasms’, ‘cancer’ and ‘tumor’. Furthermore, we identified additional references through expert manual curation. Finally, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether garlic intake reduces the risk of gastric and/or colorectal cancer. The association between garlic intake and reduction in the risk of gastric cancer [odds ratio (OR)=0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.49-0.87, P<0.001] were clear. Nine studies on garlic intake and colorectal cancer showed that garlic reduced cancer risk with a statistical significance (OR=0.75, 95% CI=0.65-0.87, P<0.001). We summarized that four main organic sulfides in garlic, diallyl disulfide (DADS), diallyl trisulfide (DATS), S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) and allicin, may contribute to the regulation of tumor cell apoptosis, migration and the cell cycle. We identified the association between garlic intake and reduced risk of gastric and colorectal cancers and hypothesized that the active ingredients in garlic may act on multiple pathways to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal tumors according to published papers. Importantly, the potential tumor-preventing effect of these garlic ingredients warrants further investigation in regards to the specific mechanism of the underlying antitumor activities.

The crystal structure of 6,6′-(((2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)azanediyl)bis(methylene))bis(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-ol ato-κ4 N,N′,O,O′)-(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylato-N,O,O′)-titanium(IV)-dichloromethane(1/1), C27H25N3O10Ti

C27H25N3O10Ti, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 11.3366(11) Å, b = 11.0253(11) Å, c = 23.7160(2) Å, β = 100.839(2)°, V = 2911.4(5) Å3, Z = 4, R gt (F) = 0.0615, wR ref (F 2) = 0.1411, T = 296(2) K.

The crystal structure of 1,1′-(((2 (dimethylamino)ethyl)azanediyl)bis(methylene)) bis(naphthalen-2-olato-κ4 N,N′,O,O′)-(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylato-N,O,O′)- titanium(IV) ─ dichloromethane (2/1), C33H29N3O6Ti

C33H29N3O6Ti, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 27.4022(15) Å, b = 14.0345(7) Å, c = 17.0047(10) Å, β = 116.009(3)°, V = 5877.3(6) Å3, Z = 8, R gt (F) = 0.0369, wRref (F 2) = 0.1125, T = 100(2) K.

[Diagnostic value of the combinations of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid pathogen detection and cryptococcal antigen test in pulmonary cryptococcosis]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid pathogen detection combined with cryptococcal antigen test(CrAg) for pulmonary cryptococcosis(PC). Methods: A retrospective case analysis was performed on non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients admitted to Ninghai First Hospital for suspected PC from January 2018 to December 2019. Fifty-nine patients were included. Sixteen cases (8 males and 8 females) were diagnosed with PC, aged from 18 to 76 years[an average age of (52±14) years], while 43 cases were diagnosed as having Non-PC. All patients had undergone both serum CrAg test and BALF pathogen detection(cultures and direct examination) combined with BALF-CrAg test. The sensitivity and specificity of the combined method of BALF was evaluated, and a parallel comparison of the diagnostic efficiencies of the two methods were made. Results: Of the 16 confirmed PC cases, serum CrAg tests were positive in 11 and negative in 5 cases, while the combined method showed that 14 were positive and 2 were negative. Compared with the clinical final diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value showed that the serum CrAg tests were 68.8% (11/16), 97.7% (42/43), 91.7% (11/12), 89.3% (42/47) respectively, versus 87.5% (14/16), 100.0% (43/43), 100% (14/14), 95.6% (43/45) by the combined method of BALF. The results displayed no statistical difference between the two diagnostic methods (P =1.000). Among the 5 initially serum CrAg-negative cases, 4 were later confirmed as proven PC via the combined method of BALF and the other one by percutaneous lung biopsy. Conclusion: The combined method of BALF pathogen detection with BALF-CrAg showed a similar statistical efficiency rate for diagnosing pulmonary cryptococcosis compared with serum CrAg tests. It may serve as an efficient diagnosis method for PC cases with negative serum CrAg tests.

Physicochemical properties of red palm oil extruded potato and sweet potato snacks

Extruded potato (P) and sweet potato (SP) products with red palm oil (RPO) were prepared under different conditions. Superior product characteristics such as sensory score, expansion ratio, and water solubility index, among others, were obtained at high extrusion temperature (150-155 °C) and low water feed rate to the extruder (50.4-50.8 mL/min). The optimal products, P1 and SP1, had high micronutrients as their total contents of β-carotene, squalene, tocopherols, and tocotrienols were 883.2, 304.4, 262.4, and 397.0 mg/kg of oil, respectively. The average peroxide value was 4.3 meq O2/kg oil, p-anisidine value 3.3, and induction period (100 °C) 11.4 h. Moreover, RPO extruded with P showed a better extrusion behavior but lower micronutrient retention and oxidative stability than that extruded with SP. Thus, the finding herein is important for investigating extrusion conditions, increasing variety, improving nutritional quality, assessing applicability and predicting the shelf-life of RPO-P/SP-extruded food.

[Analysis of perioperative complications and influencing factors of complications in 1 000 cases of robotic gynecological surgery]

Objective: To investigate the occurrence and influencing factors of perioperative complications after robotic gynecologic surgery. Methods: The clinical data and occurrence of perioperative complications in 1 000 cases robotic surgery completed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were retrospectively analyzed. Results: (1) Clinical data: the average age of the patients was (50.2±10.4) years old, and the average body mass index (BMI) was (24.4±3.6) kg/m². Among 1 000 cases, 811 cases of them were malignant tumors, including 405 cases of cervical cancer, 279 cases of endometrial carcinoma, 112 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), 15 cases of vulvar cancer; 189 cases of them were benign diseases, including 43 cases of uterine prolapse, 57 cases hysterectomy of uterine leiomyoma and adenomyosis of the uterus ≥12 weeks, 84 cases myomectomy of uterine leiomyoma, and 5 cases of fallopian tubal ligation requiring anastomosis. Surgical methods: in patients with malignant tumors, cervical cancer, hysterectomy plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy for stage Ⅰa1, and radical hysterectomy plus pelvic lymphatic dissection plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy for stage Ⅰa2-Ⅱb. Endometrial carcinoma, performed by staging surgery. Staging surgery for EOC with early stage and cytoreductive surgery with advanced EOC. Vulvar cancer, extensive vulvar resection plus inguinal lymphadenectomy. In patients with benign diseases, uterine prolapse, hysterectomy plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy plus sacrocolpopexy. Uterine leiomyoma or adenomyosis with uterus ≥ 12 weeks, hysterectomy plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy. Myomectomy for patients requiring uterine preservation with uterine leiomyoma. Tubal anastomosis for patients with fallopian tubal ligation. (2) Surgical complications: intraoperative complications occurred in 25 patients (2.5%, 25/1 000), including 11 patients with vascular laceration, 11 patients with ureteral injury, 2 patients with bladder injury, and 1 patient with intestinal injury. Postoperative complications occurred in 130 patients (13.0%, 130/1 000), including 66 cases of lower limb venous thrombosis, 20 cases of lymphatic cyst, 8 cases of hydronephrosis, 9 cases of ileus, 16 cases with infection, 6 cases with genital fistula, 4 cases with trocar site herniation and 1 case with subcutaneous emphysema. The incidence of intraoperative complications was 3.1% (25/811) in malignant tumors and no case in benign diseases, the incidence rate in malignant tumors was significantly higher than that in benign diseases (χ²=4.778, P=0.029). The incidence rate in cervical cancer (4.2%, 17/405) and EOC (3.6%, 4/112) were significantly higher than those in endometrial carcinoma (1.4%, 4/279) and vulvar cancer (0/15; P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was 15.2% (123/811) in malignant tumors and 3.7% (7/189) in benign diseases. The incidence rate in malignant tumors was significantly higher than that in benign diseases (χ²=17.807, P<0.01), but there were no significant difference among different malignant tumors (χ²=4.318, P=0.229). (3) The correlative factors affecting the occurrence of surgical complications: patient's age, BMI, previous pelvic or abdominal surgery history, the nature of disease (malignant or benign), operation time, and comorbidities had a significant impact on the incidence of postoperative complications (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the patient's age ≥40 years old, BMI ≥25 kg/m², previous pelvic or abdominal surgery history, malignant tumors and comorbidities were independent influential factors of the postoperative complications (P<0.05). Conclusions: Perioperative complications vary according to the type of the surgery. The age, BMI, previous pelvic or abdominal surgery history, malignant tumors, and comorbidities are influential factors of postoperative complications.

Sensitivity evaluation of 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR detection kits and strategy to reduce false negative

The early detection and differential diagnosis of respiratory infections increase the chances for successful control of COVID-19 disease. The nucleic acid RT-PCR test is regarded as the current standard for molecular diagnosis. However, the maximal specificity confirmation target ORF1ab gene is considered to be less sensitive than other targets in clinical application. In addition, recent evidence indicated that the initial missed diagnosis of asymptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 and discharged patients with "re-examination positive" might be due to low viral load, and the ability of rapid mutation of SARS-CoV-2 also increases the rate of false-negative results. Moreover, the mixed sample nucleic acid detection is helpful in seeking out the early community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 rapidly, but the detection kit needs ultra-high detection sensitivity. Herein, the lowest detection concentration of different nucleic acid detection kits was evaluated and compared to provide direct evidence for the selection of kits for mixed sample detection or make recommendations for the selection of validation kit, which is of great significance for the prevention and control of the current epidemic and the discharge criteria of low viral load patients.

Deterministic risk assessment of firefighting water additives to aquatic organisms

Past firefighting water additives were found to contain perfluorinated compounds that could persist in the environment resulting in potential adverse effects to biota. Since this revelation, manufacturers have introduced alternative firefighting water additives that are fluorine free, but few studies have investigated the fate and effects in the environment of these new additives. Firefighting water additives could enter aquatic ecosystems through run-off, leaching or direct application. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the potential effect that firefighting water additives could have on aquatic biota. This study investigated the toxicity of six firefighting water additives: Eco-Gel™, Thermo-Gel™, FireAde™, Fire-Brake™, Novacool Foam™, and F-500™ to aquatic biota. The toxicities of firefighting water additives to Lemna minor (duckweed), Daphnia magna (water flea), Hexagenia spp. larvae (mayfly), Lampsilis fasciola (wavy-rayed lampmussel) and Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) were investigated through acute and chronic static and semi-static tests to estimate LC50 values for survival and EC50 values for immobility and/or reproduction endpoints. A large variation in toxicities among the firefighting water additives and among the test species was observed. Based on a worst-case exposure scenario of direct application, several firefighting water additives were found to pose a hazard to aquatic organisms. An exposure rate representative of a direct overhead application by a water bomber during a forest fire was used in the hazard assessment. For example, the hazard quotients determined for the D. magna acute toxicity tests ranged from 0.20 for Eco-Gel to 317 for F-500 in the forest pool (15 cm) scenario. This study presents the first deterministic risk assessment of firefighting water additives in aquatic ecosystems.

[Long-term oncological outcomes of laparoscopic versus abdominal surgery in stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI+）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer patients with different tumor size: a big database in China]

Objective: To compare the long-term oncological outcomes between laparoscopic and abdominal surgery in stage Ⅰa1 （lymph-vascular space invasion-positive, LVSI⁺）- Ⅰb1 cervical cancer patients with different tumor sizes. Methods: Based on the Big Database of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Cancer in China (1538 project database), patients with stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI⁺）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer who treated by laparoscopic or abdominal surgery were included. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) between the two surgical approaches were compared under 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM) in different tumor diameter stratification. Results: (1) A total of 4 891 patients with stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI⁺）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2016 were included in the 1538 project database. Among them, 1 926 cases in the laparoscopic group and 2 965 cases in the abdominal group. There were no difference in 5-year OS and 5-year DFS between the two groups before matching. Cox multivariate analysis suggested that laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower 5-year DFS (HR=1.367, 95%CI: 1.105-1.690, P=0.004). After 1∶1 PSM matching, 1 864 patients were included in each group, and there was no difference in 5-year OS between the two groups （94.1% vs 95.4%, P=0.151）. While, the inferior 5-year DFS was observed in the laparoscopic group (89.0% vs 92.3%, P=0.004). And the laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower 5-year DFS (HR=1.420, 95%CI: 1.109-1.818, P=0.006). (2) In stratification analysis of different tumor sizes, and there were no difference in 5-year OS and 5-year DFS between the laparoscopic group and abdominal group in tumor size ≤1 cm, >1-2 cm and >2-3 cm stratification (all P>0.05). Cox multivariate analysis showed that laparoscopic surgery were not related to 5-year OS and 5-year DFS (P>0.05). In the stratification of tumor size >3-4 cm, there was no difference in 5-year OS between the two groups (P>0.05). The 5-year DFS in the laparoscopic group was worse than that in the abdominal group (75.7% vs 85.8%, P=0.025). Cox multivariate analysis suggested that laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower 5-year DFS (HR=1.705, 95%CI: 1.088-2.674, P=0.020). Conclusions: For patients with stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI⁺）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer, laparoscopic surgery is associated with lower 5-year DFS, and the adverse effect of laparoscopic surgery on oncology prognosis is mainly reflected in patients with tumor size >3-4 cm. For patients with tumor sizes ≤1 cm, >1-2 cm and >2-3 cm, there are no difference in oncological prognosis between the two surgical approaches.

WDHD1 facilitates G1 checkpoint abrogation in HPV E7 expressing cells by modulating GCN5

Background

Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer. The G1 checkpoint allows cells to repair damaged DNA that may lead to genomic instability. The high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E7 gene can abrogate the G1 checkpoint, yet the mechanism is still not fully understood. Our recent study showed that WDHD1 (WD repeat and high mobility group [HMG]-box DNA-binding protein 1) plays a role in regulating G1 checkpoint of E7 expressing cells. In this study, we explored the mechanism by which WDHD1 regulates G1 checkpoint in HPV E7 expressing cells.

Methods

NIKS and RPE1 derived cell lines were used. Real-time PCR, Rescue experiment, FACS and BrdU labeling experiments were performed to examine role of GCN5 in G1 checkpoint abrogation in HPV-16 E7 expressing cells.

Results

In this study, we observed that WDHD1 facilitates G1 checkpoint abrogation by modulating GCN5 in HPV E7 expressing cells. Notably, depletion of WDHD1 caused G1 arrest while overexpression of GCN5 rescued the inhibitory effects of WDHD1 knockdown on G1/S progression. Furthermore, siWDHD1 significantly decreased cell cycle proliferation and DNA synthesis that was correlated with Akt phosphorylation (p-Akt), which was reversed by GCN5 overexpression in HPV E7 expressing cells.

Conclusions

In summary, our data identified a WDHD1/GCN5/Akt pathway leading to the abrogation of G1 checkpoint in the presence of damaged DNA, which may cause genomic instability and eventually HPV induced tumorigenesis.

Astrochemical relevance of VUV ionization of large PAH cations. Astron Astrophys 2020;641:A98. [PMID: 33154599 PMCID: PMC7116310 DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202038139]

CONTEXT

As a part of interstellar dust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are processed by the interaction with vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) photons that are emitted by hot young stars. This interaction leads to the emission of the well-known aromatic infrared bands but also of electrons, which can significantly contribute to the heating of the interstellar gas.

AIMS

Our aim is to investigate the impact of molecular size on the photoionization properties of cationic PAHs.

METHODS

Trapped PAH cations of sizes between 30 and 48 carbon atoms were submitted to VUV photons in the range of 9 to 20 eV from the DESIRS beamline at the synchrotron SOLEIL. All resulting photoproducts including dications and fragment cations were mass-analyzed and recorded as a function of photon energy.

RESULTS

Photoionization is found to be predominant over dissociation at all energies, which differs from an earlier study on smaller PAHs. The photoionization branching ratio reaches 0.98 at 20 eV for the largest studied PAH. The photoionization threshold is observed to be between 9.1 and 10.2 eV, in agreement with the evolution of the ionization potential with size. Ionization cross sections were indirectly obtained and photoionization yields extracted from their ratio with theoretical photoabsorption cross sections, which were calculated using time-dependent density functional theory. An analytical function was derived to calculate this yield for a given molecular size.

CONCLUSIONS

Large PAH cations could be efficiently ionized in H i regions and provide a contribution to the heating of the gas by photoelectric effect. Also, at the border of or in H ii regions, PAHs could be exposed to photons of energy higher than 13.6 eV. Our work provides recipes to be used in astronomical models to quantify these points.

Antibiotic-induced role interchange between rare and predominant bacteria retained the function of a bacterial community for denitrifying quinoline degradation

AIM

Quinoline is a recalcitrant pollutant in coking wastewater which has been broadly investigated with many isolates possessing aerobic quinoline-degrading ability. However, studies on anaerobic degradation and the corresponding bacteria are very scarce. This study attempted to investigate the role of diverse functional members and the redundancy of quinoline degradation in a lab-scale quinoline denitrifying bioreactor.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Antibiotics were added to the batch culture under denitrifying conditions to disturb the microbial community of the quinoline-degrading bioreactor. According to the results, the nitrate removal rate remained stable, and the quinoline removal rate increased by 9·7% after treatment with streptomycin. However, PCoA analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data of these samples indicated a significant shift in microbial community structures. Specifically, 12 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), including OTU1 (Pseudomonas) and OTU2 (Achromobacter), were significantly enriched. OTU1 replaced OTU8 (Thauera) as the most predominant denitrifying quinoline-degrading member. However, OTU8 and other predominant OTUs (Comamonas and Pseudoxanthomonas), which were hypothesized to contribute essentially to quinoline degradation in the origin bioreactor, became almost undetectable.

CONCLUSION

Functional redundancy due to high biological diversity allowed the role reversal of predominant quinoline-degrading bacteria and other rare bacteria when disturbed by antibiotic stress. Although the abundance of OTU1 was much lower initially, it replaced the essential role of the predominant member OTU8 in the bioreactor community for quinoline degradation once the environmental condition changed.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study indicated that the high biological diversity in a wastewater treatment bacterial community is crucial for maintaining the degrading function of organic pollutants, especially in a changing environment due to external disturbance or stress.

Transmission Routes Analysis of SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review and Case Report

The global outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly throughout the world which transmitted among humans through various routes. Asymptomatic (carriers) and possible fecal-oral transmission, resulted into a large-scale spread. These issues pose great challenges to disease diagnosis and epidemic control. We obtained data on 29 cases of COVID-19 patients in Jinan, China, and reported the clinical data of asymptomatic patients confirmed with stool samples positive. Some patients with gastrointestinal infections are secondary to pulmonary infections, and during the patients' recovery period, the virus may still existin the patient's gastrointestinal tract over 7 days. We combined with epidemiological and clinical data of asymptomatic patients to analyze the possible routes of viral transmission and infection, including eyes-nose, hands-eyes, fecal-oral, and eyes-oral, et al., thus first presented the two-way transmission through eyes-oral. Through associating infection symptoms with the transmission routes of virus and the patient course of the disease, we expect to provide guidelines for clinical diagnosis and the basis for suppressing the spread of the virus and antiviral treatment.

Expression levels of SCCA and CYFRA 21-1 in serum of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and their correlation with tumorigenesis and progression

PURPOSE

To explore the concentration of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), cytokeratin fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and its correlation with tumorigenesis and progression.

METHODS

A total of 78 patients with LSCC admitted to our hospital from February 2010 to January 2016 were enrolled as the research group (RG), and another 41 healthy volunteers from the same period were selected as the control group (CG). The serum concentrations of SCCA and CYFRA21-1 in patients with LSCC were detected by ELISA, whose diagnostic value in LSCC were further analyzed by ROC curve. The prognosis and survival curves of patients with LSCC were observed according to the median value of serum SCCA and CYFRA21-1 concentrations.

RESULTS

The concentration of CYFRA21-1 and SCCA in the RG was significantly higher than that in the CG (p < 0.050). The SCCA and CYFRA21-1 identified a significant difference in smoking, lymphatic metastasis, TNM staging, and differentiation degree (p < 0.050). The survival rate of the SCCA low-concentration group was significantly better than that of the high-concentration group, p < 0.050. The survival rate of the CYFRA21-1 low-concentration group was markedly better than that of the high-concentration group, p < 0.050.

CONCLUSIONS

SCCA and CYFRA21-1 are highly concentrated in LSCC patients, which have good diagnostic efficacy for LSCC. In addition, they play some certain role in the occurrence and development of LSCC, and are expected to be markers for early diagnosis and prognosis of this disease.

1039 Sleep And Daytime Activity Among Mechanically Ventilated Adults During Early Critical Illness

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to report 5 consecutive days’ descriptive data for sleep efficiency (SE), total sleep time (TST), and daytime activity ratio (DAR) among critically ill mechanically ventilated adults from 9 intensive care units (ICU) across two hospitals. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe sleep and activity patterns among mechanically ventilated adults during the early critical illness period.

Methods

We enrolled 31 critically ill mechanically ventilated subjects within 48 hours of ICU admission. Daytime periods were defined as 06:00-21:59; nighttime periods were defined as 22:00-05:59. Actigraphy estimated nighttime SE, TST, and the DAR. We calculated mean DARs [DAR = (daytime activity count per minute / 24-hour activity count per minute) x 100], which may be an indicator of altered rest/activity cycles. In our study, a DAR of &gt;80% was used to define normal rest/activity patterns. Descriptive analyses were used for this sub-analysis of our parent randomized controlled trial.

Results

Among the 31 subjects included, the mean age was 59.6 ± 17.3 years, 41.9% were male, 80.6% were White, and 67.7% were Hispanic/Latino. The mean nighttime SE and TST over the 5-day ICU period were 83.1% ± 16.1 and 6.6 ± 1.3 hours, respectively. The mean DAR over the 5-day ICU period was 66.5% ± 19.2. Only 17.5% of subject days (14 days out of a total of 80 recorded days) met the definition of normal rest/activity patterns (DAR &gt;80%).

Conclusion

Throughout the early ICU period, among mechanically ventilated patients, both the sleep/wake as well as the rest/activity cycle were disturbed. Intervention studies targeting the optimization of nighttime sleep consolidation and daytime activity should be investigated.

Support

This project was supported by a federal grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Nursing Research (R01NR016702). This clinical trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03128671).

Sensitivity evaluation of 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR detection kits and strategy to reduce false negative

The early detection and differential diagnosis of respiratory infections increase the chances for successful control of COVID-19 disease. The nucleic acid RT-PCR test is regarded as the current standard for molecular diagnosis. However, the maximal specificity confirmation target ORF1ab gene is considered to be less sensitive than other targets in clinical application. In addition, recent evidence indicated that the initial missed diagnosis of asymptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 and discharged patients with "re-examination positive" might be due to low viral load, and the ability of rapid mutation of SARS-CoV-2 also increases the rate of false-negative results. Moreover, the mixed sample nucleic acid detection is helpful in seeking out the early community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 rapidly, but the detection kit needs ultra-high detection sensitivity. Herein, the lowest detection concentration of different nucleic acid detection kits was evaluated and compared to provide direct evidence for the selection of kits for mixed sample detection or make recommendations for the selection of validation kit, which is of great significance for the prevention and control of the current epidemic and the discharge criteria of low viral load patients.

Patients With LR-HPV Infection Have a Distinct Vaginal Microbiota in Comparison With Healthy Controls

Condyloma acuminatum (CA) is a benign epithelium hyperplasia mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which is now the second most common viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in China. In total, 90% of CA patients are caused by the low-risk HPV 6 and 11. Aside from low-risk HPV infection there are likely other factors within the local microenvironment that contribute to CA and there has been related research before. In this study, 62 vaginal specimens were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The diversity of the vaginal microbiota was higher and the composition was different with LR-HPV infection. While the relative abundance of dominant Firmicutes was lower, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Fusobacteria phyla were significantly higher; at the genus level Gardnerella, Bifidobacterium, Sneathia, Hydrogenophilus, Burkholderia, and Atopobium were higher. This study firstly confirmed a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the relationship between low-risk HPV infection and vaginal microbiota, in order to provide a theoretical basis for further research on the occurrence and development of CA.