[Dynamic observation on capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells induced by Echinococcus multilocularis infection]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and its association with hepatic fibrosis during the development of alveolar echinococcosis, so as to provide the basis for unraveling the mechanisms underlying the role of LSEC in the development and prognosis of hepatic injuries and hepatic fibrosis caused by alveolar echinococcosis.

METHODS

Forty C57BL/6 mice at ages of 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into a control group and 1-, 2- and 4-week infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. Each mouse in the infection groups was intraperitoneally injected with 2 000 Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces, while each mouse in the control group was given an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline using the same method. All mice were sacrificed 1, 2 and 4 weeks post-infection and mouse livers were collected. The pathological changes of livers were observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and hepatic fibrosis was evaluated through semi-quantitative analysis of Masson's trichrome staining-positive areas. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition were examined using immunohistochemical staining of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), and the fenestrations on the surface of LSECs were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Primary LSECs were isolated from mouse livers, and the mRNA expression of LSEC marker genes Stabilin-1, Stabilin-2, Ehd3, CD209b, GATA4 and Maf was quantified using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay.

RESULTS

Destruction of local liver lobular structure was observed in mice 2 weeks post-infection with E. multilocularis protoscoleces, and hydatid cysts, which were surrounded by granulomatous tissues, were found in mouse livers 4 weeks post-infection. Semi-quantitative analysis of Masson's trichrome staining showed a significant difference in the proportion of collagen fiber contents in mouse livers among the four groups (F = 26.060, P < 0.001), and a higher proportion of collagen fiber contents was detected in mouse livers in the 4-week infection group [(11.29 ± 2.58)%] than in the control group (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining revealed activation of a few HSCs and ECM deposition in mouse livers 1 and 2 weeks post-infection, and abundant brown-yellow stained α-SMA and COL1A1 were deposited in the lesion areas in mouse livers 4 weeks post-infection, which spread to surrounding tissues. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed significant differences in α-SMA (F = 7.667, P < 0.05) and COL1A1 expression (F = 6.530, P < 0.05) in mouse levers among the four groups, with higher α-SMA [(7.13 ± 3.68)%] and COL1A1 expression [(13.18 ± 7.20)%] quantified in mouse livers in the 4-week infection group than in the control group (both P values < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant differences in the fenestration frequency (F = 37.730, P < 0.001) and porosity (F = 16.010, P < 0.001) on the surface of mouse LSECs among the four groups, and reduced fenestration frequency and porosity were observed in the 1-[(1.22 ± 0.48)/μm2 and [(3.05 ± 0.91)%] and 2-week infection groups [(3.47 ± 0.10)/μm2 and (7.57 ± 0.23)%] groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the average fenestration diameter on the surface of mouse LSECs among the four groups (F = 15.330, P < 0.001), and larger average fenestration diameters were measured in the 1-[(180.80 ± 16.42) nm] and 2-week infection groups [(161.70 ± 3.85) nm] than in the control group (both P values < 0.05). In addition, there were significant differences among the four groups in terms of Stabilin-1 (F = 153.100, P < 0.001), Stabilin-2 (F = 57.010, P < 0.001), Ehd3 (F = 31.700, P < 0.001), CD209b (F = 177.400, P < 0.001), GATA4 (F = 17.740, P < 0.001), and Maf mRNA expression (F = 72.710, P < 0.001), and reduced mRNA expression of Stabilin-1, Stabilin-2, Ehd3, CD209b, GATA4 and Maf genes was quantified in three infection groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

E. multilocularis infections may induce capillarization of LSECs in mice, and result in a reduction in the expression of functional and phenotypic marker genes of LSECs, and capillarization of LSECs occurs earlier than activation of HSC and development of hepatic fibrosis.

[Preliminary survey report on the clinical validation of in-use electronic sphygmomanometers in China]

Objective: To explore the percentage of in-use electronic sphygmomanometers independently validated clinically in China. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey and Beijing, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Datong, and Shihezi were selected according to the geographical location and economic level. In each site, one tertiary hospital, two community health centers, and 20 families with electronic sphygmomanometers in use were chosen. The information of electronic sphygmomanometers including brand, model, manufacturer and production date were obtained by the trained staff. Ten electronic sphygmomanometers from each hospital, five electronic sphygmomanometers from each community health center, and one electronic sphygmomanometer from each family were surveyed, and the user's subjective judgment results and judgment basis on the accuracy of the electronic sphygmomanometer measurement were collected. We searched six registration websites (Medaval, Stride BP, dabl Educational Trust, British and Irish Hypertension Society, American Medical Association and Hypertension Canada) and two research databases (PubMed and CNKI) for the clinical validation status of each electronic sphygmomanometer. Results: A total of 200 electronic sphygmomanometers were investigated in this study, of which only 29.0% (58/200) passed independent clinical validation. When stratified by users, the percentage of being clinical validated was 46.0% (23/50) for electronic sphygmomanometers in hospitals, 42.0% (21/50) for those in community health centers and 14.0% (14/100) for those in home use, respectively, and the proportions between the three groups were significantly difference (P<0.001). Doctors in tertiary hospitals and community health service centers judged the accuracy of electronic sphygmomanometers mainly on the basis of "regular correction" (41.0% (41/100)) and "comparison with other electronic sphygmomanometers" (20.0% (20/100)), while among home users, 41.0% (41/100) were not clear about the accuracy of electronic sphygmomanometers, and 40.0% (40/100) made the judgment by "comparison with the devices in hospitals". Conclusion: The clinical validation of in-use electronic sphygmomanometers in China is low. Most of users, including healthcare professionals, are not aware of clinical validation of electronic sphygmomanometers.

A prognostic model based on ferroptosis-related long non-coding RNA signatures and immunotherapy responses for non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ranks high in the incidence of malignant tumors, with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered cell death mechanism based on iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The role of ferroptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and associated prognostic mechanisms in NSCLC require investigation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We constructed a prognostic multi-lncRNA signature based on ferroptosis-related differentially expressed lncRNAs in NSCLC. The levels of ferroptosis-related lncRNA in normal lung cells and lung adenocarcinoma cells were verified by RT-PCR.

RESULTS

We identified eight differentially expressed lncRNAs associated with NSCLC prognosis. The expression of AC125807.2, AL365181.3, AL606489.1, LINC02320, and AC099850.3 was upregulated, while SALRNA1, AC026355.1, and AP002360.1 were downregulated in NSCLC cell lines. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that a high-risk patient group was associated with poor NSCLC prognosis. A risk assessment model based on ferroptosis-related lncRNAs was superior to NSCLC prognosis based on traditional clinicopathological features. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) identified immune- and tumor-related pathways in low-risk group patients. In addition, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) showed that T cell function during APC co-inhibition, APC co-stimulation, chemokine receptor (CCR), MHC class I, parainflammation, T cell co-inhibition, and check-point expression differed significantly between low- and high-risk groups. M6A-related mRNA comparisons between these groups also revealed significant differences in ZC3H13, RBM15, and METTL3 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our new model of lncRNA-associated ferroptosis effectively predicted NSCLC prognoses.

[Immunoprotective effect of recombinant peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase from Babesia microti against B. microti infection in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the immunoprotective effect of active immunization with recombinant peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase from Babesia microti against B. microti infection in mice.

METHODS

Female BALB/c mice at 6 weeks of age, each weighing approximately 20 g, were divided into the recombinant protein immunization group, the infection control group and the normal control group, of 25, 18, 15 mice in each group, respectively. Mice in the recombinant protein immunization group were given active immunization with recombinant BmPPIase protein, and 18 mice with the highest antibody titers were intraperitoneally injected with 100 μL of B. microti-infected whole blood 2 weeks after the last immunization. Mice in the infection control group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 μL of B. microti-infected whole blood, while 15 mice in the normal control group received no treatment. Blood samples were collected from mice in the recombinant protein immunization group and the infection control group on days 0 to 30 post-immunization for detection of B. microti infection, and blood samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-immunization for routine blood tests with a blood cell analyzer and for detection of serum cytokines using cytometric bead array.

RESULTS

Anti-BmPPIase antibodies were detected in 25 mice in the recombinant protein immunization group 2 weeks after the last immunization, with titers of 5 × 10³ to 8 × 10⁴. B. microti infection rate peaked in mice in both the recombinant protein immunization and the infection control group on day 7 post-immunization, with positive infection rates of 13.3% and 50.0%, and there were significant differences between the two groups in terms of B. microti infection rate on days 3 (χ²= 113.18, P < 0.01), 5 (χ² = 475.22, P < 0.01), 7 (χ² = 465.98, P < 0.01) and 9 post-infection (χ²= 18.71, P < 0.01), while the B. microti infection rate tended to be 0 in both groups on day 11 post-immunization. Routine blood tests showed higher red blood cell counts [(5.30 ± 0.50) × 10¹² to (9.87 ± 0.24) × 10¹² counts/L)] and hemoglobin levels [(89.67 ± 22.80) to (148.60 ± 3.05) g/L)] in the recombinant protein immunization group than in the infection control group on days 0 to 28 post-immunization. Cytometric bead array detected higher serum interferon-γ [(748.59 ± 17.56) to (3 858.28 ± 1 049.10) fg/mL], tumor necrosis factor-α [(6 687.34 ± 1 016.64) to (12 708.13 ± 1 629.79) fg/mL], interleukin (IL)-6 [(611.05 ± 75.60) to (6 852.68 ± 1 554.00) fg/mL] and IL-17a [(167.68 ± 185.00) to (10 849.27 ± 355.40) fg/mL] and lower IL-10 levels [(247.65 ± 138.00) to (18 787.20 ± 2 830.22) fg/mL] in the recombinant protein immunization group than in the infection control group during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Recombinant BmPPIase protein induces up-regulation of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and presents a high immunoprotective activity against B. microti infection in mice, which is a potential vaccine candidate protein.

[Mechanism of hepatic fibrosis associated with Echinococcus: a review]

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus infections, and this disorder may cause fibrosis of multiple vital organs, which may further progress into cirrhosis. Early-stage hepatic fibrosis is reversible, and unraveling the mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrosis induced by Echinococcus infections is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of early-stage hepatic fibrosis. Recently, the studies pertaining to hepatic fibrosis associated with Echinococcus infections focus on cytokines and immune cells. This review summarizes the advances in the mechanisms underlying host immune cells- and cytokines-mediated hepatic fibrosis in humans or mice following Echinococcus infections.

Advances in the study of molecular identification technology of Echinococcus species

The larvae of Echinococcus (hydatidcyst) can parasitize humans and animals, causing a serious zoonotic disease-echinococcosis. The life history of Echinococcus is complicated, and as the disease progresses slowly after infection, early diagnosis is difficult to establish. Due to the limitations of imaging and immunological diagnosis in this respect, domestic and foreign scholars have established a variety of molecular detection techniques for the pathogen Echinococcus over recent years, mainly including nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multiplex PCR, real-time quantitative PCR, and nucleic acid isothermal amplification technology. In this article, the research progress of molecular detection technology for Echinococcus infection currently was reviewed and the significance of these methods in the detection and diagnosis of hydatid and hydatid diseases was also discussed.

Feasibility of an ultra-low dose contrast media protocol for coronary CT angiography

AIM

To evaluate the feasibility of an ultra-low volume contrast media (CM) protocol for coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In total, 214 patients receiving coronary CTA were enrolled prospectively and divided into group A (n=107) receiving a conventional dose of CM and group B (n=107) receiving an ultra-low dose. CT values of the right coronary artery (RCA), left anterior descending artery (LAD), and left circumflex artery (LCX) were measured and radiation doses recorded. The image quality was compared between the groups. Changes in renal function indices and proteinuria before, 24, and 72 hours after coronary CTA among those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were also assessed.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in CT values and radiation doses between groups A and B. In group A, the average RCA, LAD, and LCX CT values were 412.5 ± 79.2, 423.5 ± 73.7, and 422.0 ± 88.1 HU, respectively. In group B, the average RCA, LAD, and LCX CT values were 275.2 ± 16.2, 277.8 ± 16.4, and 278.9 ± 16.5 HU, respectively. The radiation dose in the ultra-low protocol recipients (118.70 ± 18.52 mGy·cm) was significantly lower than that used in conventional coronary CTA (131.75 ± 20.96 mGy·cm). The image quality of group B was comparable to that of group A, satisfying the diagnostic requirement. In patients with mild CKD, there were no significant differences in renal functions after coronary CTA.

CONCLUSION

An ultra-low CM protocol was established for coronary CTA, providing comparable image quality and diagnostic yields but significantly lower radiation dose compared with a conventional protocol. This new protocol might be applicable to patients with mild CKD.

Association between Sleep Duration and Mild Cognitive Impairment at Different Levels of Metabolic Disease in Community-Dwelling Older Chinese Adults

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS), sleep duration and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in community-dwelling older Chinese adults.

METHODS

The study comprised of 1367 community-dwelling Chinese participants (563 men; mean age: 71.0 years) recruited from Tianjin and Shanghai, China who were invited to participate in a comprehensive geriatric assessment. The International Diabetes Federation metabolic syndrome guidelines were used to define MetS. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale were used for the initial classification of patients with MCI. We divided sleep duration into five groups (≤6 h, 6-8 h which was used as the reference, 8-9 h, 9-10 h, and >10 h). Nutritional status was assessed by Mini Nutrition Assessment Short Form.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of metabolic syndrome was 46.7%, the overall incidence of mild cognitive impairment was 17.4%. In logistic regression analysis model, after adjusting for multiple confounding factors such as nutritional status and physical activity level, there was a significant positive association between long sleep duration (> 10h) and mild cognitive impairment in general population and metabolic syndrome population (p<0.05), but the association was not significant in non-metabolic syndrome group. In addition, in the long sleep duration group, the components of metabolic syndrome, elevated blood glucose were significantly associated with mild cognitive impairment (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Long sleep duration was significantly associated with increased risk of MCI in older adults with MetS, but not in those without MetS. The prevention of MCI may be more effective in the population of MetS with long sleep duration.

Mediating Effects of Malnutrition on the Relationship between Depressive Symptoms Clusters and Muscle Function Rather than Muscle Mass in Older Hemodialysis Patients

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association and mediation pathways among muscle mass, muscle function (muscle strength and physical performance), and malnutrition with depressive symptoms clusters in the older hemodialysis patients.

DESIGN

A multi-center cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 499 patients aged ≥ 60 on hemodialysis from seven facilities in Shanghai of China from 2020 to 2021.

MEASUREMENTS

Muscle mass was assessed by skeletal muscle index(SMI). Muscle strength was measured by handgrip strength, and physical performance was measured via gait speed and Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT). Nutritional status was assessed by Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS). Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Logistic regression and mediation analyses fully adjusted for all potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Among 499 participants (312 men, mean age 69.2±6.6 years), 108 (21.6%) had depressive symptoms. The muscle strength, physical performance and malnutrition were associated with depressive symptoms. Furthermore, malnutrition significantly mediated the association of muscle function with total, cognitive-affective symptoms. The association of the muscle function with somatic symptoms were mediated by the nutritional status. The mediated proportions of malnutrition in the relationship between physical performance and depressive symptoms clusters were stronger in somatic symptoms than in cognitive-affective symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that muscle function rather than muscle mass may contribute substantially to the development of depressive symptoms clusters in the hemodialysis via malnutrition. The malnutrition mediated stronger in the association of muscle function with somatic symptoms. These findings may help guide clinicians to better diagnose and manage depression in the context of concomitant muscle function and malnutrition.

Advances in research on the relationship between the gut microbiome and cancer

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to provide currently available information on the relationship between the gut microbiome and cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this mini-review, we explored the PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar electronic databases, with regards to the searching terms "gut microbiome, cancer, intestinal flora, immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitor". By reviewing and analyzing the literature, we analyzed how the bacterial microbiome influences the immune system and cancer, as well as how changes in symbiotic flora may be applied to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.

RESULTS

The microbiota is related to the development of tumors and may promote canceration. In recent years, a number of studies have confirmed the influence of intestinal flora on immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients, and studies have also shown the link between the intestinal microbiome and treatment-related immune toxicity. Antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors, and hormones affect the composition of the gut microbiota.

CONCLUSIONS

Intestinal flora is closely related to cancer. Intestinal flora has a certain impact on cancer occurrence, cancer treatment, cancer immunotherapy efficacy, and side effects.

[Construction of a cDNA library for Sparganum mansoni and screening of diagnostic antigen cadidates]

OBJECTIVE

To construct a cDNA library of Sparganum mansoni and immunoscreen antigen candidates for immunodiagnosis of sparganosis mansoni.

METHODS

Total RNA was extracted from S. mansoni, and reversely transcribed into cDNA, which was ligated into the phage vector. These recombinant vectors were packaged in vitro to construct the SMART cDNA library of S. mansoni. Then, the cDNA library was immunoscreened with sera from patients with sparganosis mansoni to yield positive clones. The inserted fragments of positive clones were sequenced and subjected to homology analyses, and the structure and functions of the coding proteins were predicted.

RESULTS

The SMATR cDNA library of S. mansoni was successfully constructed. The titer of the cDNA library was 6.25 × 10⁶ pfu/mL, with a recombinant efficiency of 100%, and the mean length of the inserted fragments in the library was larger than 1 100 bp. A total of 12 positive clones were obtained by immunoscreening, and were categorized into Sm-I (Sm60-1), Sm-II (Sm58-1), Sm-III (Sm20-1) and Sm-IV (Sm22-3), with 1 134, 1 063, 883 bp and 969 bp long inserted fragments. Their coding proteins were highly homologous with the Spirometra erinaceieuropaei antigenic polypeptide, cytoplasmic antigen, ribosomal protein S4-like protein and unnamed protein product, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A SMART cDNA library of S. mansoni has been successfully constructed and 4 categories of positive clones have been identified, which provides a basis for further studies on diagnostic antigens for sparganosis mansoni.

[The possibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy course adjustment for delayed operation of patients with esophageal cancer in special period]

Objective: To investigate the effect of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy course adjustment on the patients with esophageal cancer underwent delayed operation. Methods: The clinical data of patients with esophageal cancer treated in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2019-2020, who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy strategy adjustment (multiple course chemotherapy group) or not (control group), were retrospectively studied. The clinical pathological characteristics and postoperative complication of these two group were compared and analyzed. Results: The cases who underwent the interval between chemotherapy and operation more than 4 weeks in multiple course chemotherapy group and control group were 17 and 6, with significant difference (P<0.05). The average operative blood loss of these two groups were 88.6 ml and 46.1 ml, the average postoperative hospital stays were 14.7 days and 10.0 days, with significant difference (P<0.05). The incidence rate of postoperative complication in the multiple course chemotherapy group was 40.9% (9/22), not significantly different from 31.8% (7/22) of control group (P>0.05). There were no death within postoperative 7 days and 30 days in both groups. Cases with apparent tumor regression [tumor regression grade (TRG) 1 to 3] in multiple course chemotherapy group were 14, with marginal tumor regression (TRG 4 to 5) were 8, while there were 7 and 15 in the control group, respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05). After multiple neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the imaging examination of patients indicated an almost total tumor degradation and the postoperative pathology showed no residual malignant tumor tissue was observed. Conclusions: Increased neoadjuvant chemotherapy course for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer can obtain more obvious tumor degradation response. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy adjustment according to the operation schedule is recommended.

[Progress in diagnosis and treatment of lung adenocarcinomas imaging manifesting as radiological part-solid nodule]

The incidence and mortality of lung cancer ranked the first in China. China had 787, 000 new cases of lung cancer in 2015, and a majority of these patients with advanced lung cancer. With the development and popularization of high-resolution computed tomography, more and more early-stage lung adenocarcinomas are found in screening. The imaging finding of early-stage lung adenocarcinomas often manifests as part solid nodule (PSN) containing ground glass opacity (GGO). Although the imaging manifestation of the nodules can't accurately predict the pathologic type of nodules, the parts of solid nodule and GGO still have some pathologic indications, and the prognostic evaluation effect of the maximum diameter of PSN is superior to that of the whole nodule. With the development of the molecular radiography and molecular pathology, the relationship of imaging manifestation of the PSN and metastasis were focused on. Some PSNs with special nature are more active and rapidly progressed than the pure GGOs. While compared to the pure solid nodules, the aggressiveness of PSNs are insufficient, with lower metastatic rates of lymph node and better prognoses. Currently, international acknowledge recommends to take active intervention measure for PSNs which are highly suspected to be malignant. We focus on the diagnosis and treatment of PSNs, systemically depict their staging, follow-up, surgical treatment, gene detection and immunotherapy.

[COⅠ and 16S rDNA Sequence Identification of Common Necrophagous Flies in Fujian Province]

Abstract

Objective To identify the species of common necrophagous flies in Fujian Province by gene fragment sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit Ⅰ （COⅠ） and 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid （16S rDNA）, and to explore the identification efficacy of these two molecular markers. Methods In total 22 common necrophagous flies were collected from the death scenes in 9 different regions in Fujian Province and DNA was extracted from the flies after morphological identification. The gene fragments of COⅠ and 16S rDNA were amplified and sequenced. All the sequences were uploaded to GeneBank and BLAST and MEGA 10.0 software were used to perform sequence alignment, homology analysis and intraspecific and interspecific genetic distance analysis. The phylogenetic trees of DNA fragment sequences of COⅠ and 16S rDNA of common necrophagous flies in Fujian Province were established by unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means （UPGMA）, respectively. Results The flies were classified into 6 species, 5 genera and 3 families by morphological identification. The results of gene sequence analysis showed that the average number of interspecific and intraspecific genetic distance of 16S rDNA ranged from 1.8% to 8.9% and 0.0% to 2.4%, respectively. The average number of interspecific and intraspecific genetic distance of COⅠ ranged from 7.2% to 13.6% and 0.0% to 6.3%, respectively. Conclusion The gene sequences of COⅠ and 16S rDNA can accurately identify the species of different necrophagous flies, and 16S rDNA showed higher value in species identification of common calliphoridae necrophagous flies in Fujian Province.

Concomitant botanical medicine use among patients participating in commercial prostate cancer trials

OBJECTIVES

Patients with cancer frequently use botanical medications. The concomitant use of such medications by patients on commercial trials has not been well-described, despite the importance of these trials for evaluating the safety and efficacy of new agents. We sought to describe the use of botanical medications taken by patients with prostate cancer enrolled on global commercial trials.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Regulatory repository of commercial clinical trial data.

INTERVENTIONS

Anti-cancer therapy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Botanical and medication use data were pooled across six international commercial randomized trials for metastatic prostate cancer with detailed information on medication and indications. Botanical products were considered to have potential for drug interaction if they led to a change in drug exposure in human trials. Potential for interaction was ascertained by PubMed review. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

RESULTS

Of 7318 enrolled patients, 700 (10 %) reported botanical use at any time and 653 (9%) reported use of botanical products while on trial. Nearly half of botanical product types were not classified by plant (43 %). The highest proportion of botanical use was among patients in Asian countries (32 %), followed by patients in North America (13 %). Eighty-six different types of botanical products were used; of these, nineteen had a patient-reported anti-cancer indication.

CONCLUSIONS

Botanical medicine use among patients with prostate cancer in commercial trials is moderate, although it varies by region. Practitioners should be aware of the use of botanical interventions in a clinical trial context.

Blockage of PAK1 alleviates the proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells via inhibiting ERK and AKT signaling activity

PURPOSE

P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), a serine/threonine protein kinase which functions downstream of RAC and CDC42 GTPase, is activated by a variety of stimuli, including RAS and other growth signaling factors. The extracellular signal kinase (ERK) and protein kinase B (AKT) signal pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cancers. Whether PAK1 is sensitive to KRAS mutation signals and plays a role through ERK and AKT signaling pathways in NSCLC needs to be studied.

METHODS

The expression of PAK1, ERK and AKT was detected in both lung cancer cell lines and clinical samples. PAK1 RNA interference and specific inhibitor of PAK1(IPA-3) were applied to lung cancer cell lines and mouse xenograft tumors. Cell growth was measured by MTT and colony formation assays. Cell migration and invasion were detected by wound healing and transwell assays. RAS mutation was detected by Taqman probe method. Correlation between KRAS, PAK1, ERK and AKT activities was analyzed in lung cancer patients.

RESULTS

PAK1 was highly expressed not only in RAS mutant but also in RAS wild-type lung cancer cells. Using specific inhibitor of PAK1, IPA-3 and PAK1 RNA interference, cell proliferation, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells were reduced significantly, accompanied by decreased activities of ERK and AKT. Dual inhibition of ERK and AKT suppressed these cellular processes to levels comparable to those achieved by reduction in PAK1 expression. In NSCLC patients, PAK1 was not correlated with KRAS mutation but was significantly positively correlated with pERK and pAKT.

CONCLUSION

PAK1 played roles in NSCLC proliferation and invasion via ERK and AKT signaling and suggested a therapeutic target for NSCLC.

[Treatment and prognostic analysis of patients with primary esophageal small-cell carcinoma]

Objective: The study aimed to analyze the clinicopathological features, treatment, and prognosis factors of primary esophageal small-cell carcinoma (PESC). Methods: The clinical records and follow-up data of 100 patients with PESC were collected, and the clinicopathological features and treatments were examined. Log-rank test and Cox regression model were performed to identify the independent prognostic factors. Results: Progressive dysphagia, weight loss, and abdominal pain were the most common initial symptoms in the 100 patients with PESC. The primary tumor site mainly occurred in the middle of the chest (51%, 51/100), and the ulcer type was the most common under gastroscope (31%, 31/100). One or more positive markers of epithelial origin were present in all of the enrolled patients. At the time of diagnosis, 80 cases had limited disease (LD) and 20 cases had extensive disease (ED). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of PESC patients were 57.0%, 18.0%, and 11.0%, respectively, with a median survival time (MST) of 13.8 months. In all PESC patients, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the significant prognostic factors included the lesion length (OR=2.661, P<0.001), TNM staging (OR=1.464, P=0.016), and treatment methods (OR=0.333, P<0.001). Besides, in patients with LD, the lesion length (OR=2.638, P=0.001) and treatment methods (OR=0.285, P<0.001) were independent prognostic factors. The MST of patients in surgery + chemotherapy group (21.6 months) was longer than that of the surgery only group (8.3 months, P=0.021), while patients in surgery+ chemotherapy+ radiotherapy group were also associated with a longer MST than the chemotherapy + radiotherapy group (31.0 months, 9.8 months, respectively; P<0.001). Conclusions: PESC is a rare esophageal malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Our findings reveal that the lesion length, TNM staging, and treatment method are independent prognostic factors for PESC patients. Moreover, surgery-based comprehensive treatments may prolong the survival of patients with LD.

[The clinical characteristics and surgical management of ciliated muconodular papillary tumor]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and surgical management based on the clinical manifestation, pathological feature and the medical imaging finding of ciliated muconodular papillary tumor (CMPT). Methods: The data of clinical manifestation, pathological feature and the medical imaging finding of 15 patients with CMPT who received surgical treatment from January 2017 to April 2019 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results: CMPT generally occurred in the elderly people. Most of the diameter of the tumor was less than 1 cm, while the diameters of other 3 patient were 1~2 cm. The computed tomography (CT) scan of 9 patients displayed solid nodule, while 4 displayed ground glass opacity (GGO), and other 2 showed no significant abnormal. Thirteen patients received minimally invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), the other 2 received open surgery. Eight patients received lobectomy, 3 received thoracoscopic anatomical partial-lobectomy, 4 received wedge resection. The frozen section diagnostic results of 8 patients were adenocarcinoma, including 3 mucinous adenocarcinoma. Other 5 patients were diagnosed as CMPT and 2 were reported as infection nodule. During the perioperative period, 2 patients occurred cardiac arrhythmia, 1 occurred pulmonary infection. None of the patients had local recurrence or distant metastasis during the follow-up. Conclusions: CMPT usually presents as solitary peripheral lung nodules without obvious symptoms. Most CMPTs are incidentally detected by routine CT scan. Some of the cases are accompanied by primary lung cancer probably. Surgical treatment is the major therapy for CMPT. The imaging feature of CT scam usually shows a solid nodule or a GGO locates in peripheral pulmonary. Frozen section diagnosis for CMPTs can be easily confused with adenocarcinoma or mucinous adenocarcinoma.

Parasitological and molecular detection of human fascioliasis in a young man from Guizhou, China

A 24-year-old man born in Guizhou province was diagnosed with obstructive jaundice and bile duct stones in 2013. Four living trematodes were found during laparotomy and cholecystectomy. Based on the morphology and molecular genetics analysis of internal transcribed spacer and pcox1 genes of the flatworm specimens, the trematodes from the patient were confirmed to be Fasciola hepatica. This report provided the clinical and molecular diagnosis information on human fascioliasis, which is an emerging sanitary problem still ignored in China. Human fascioliasis constantly occurs due to climatic changes and frequency of human travel. Therefore, it deserves more attention from physicians working in both developing and developed countries.

MR Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging-Based Assessment of Brain Microstructural Changes in Patients with Moyamoya Disease before and after Revascularization

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Conventional imaging examinations are insufficient to accurately assess brain damage in patients with Moyamoya disease. Our aim was to observe brain microstructural changes in patients with Moyamoya disease by diffusional kurtosis imaging and provide support data for application of this technique in individualized assessment of disease severity and surgical outcome among patients with Moyamoya disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 64 patients with Moyamoya disease and 15 healthy volunteers underwent diffusional kurtosis imaging, and a second scanning was offered to surgical patients 3-4 months after revascularization. The diffusional kurtosis imaging parameter maps were obtained for mean kurtosis, axial kurtosis, radial kurtosis, fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity. The parameter values were measured in sensory pathway-related regions for all subjects. Differences in diffusional kurtosis imaging parameters of these brain regions were examined for healthy volunteers, patients without acroparesthesia, and asymptomatic and symptomatic sides of patients with acroparesthesia. Changes in diffusional kurtosis imaging parameters of patients with Moyamoya disease before and after revascularization were compared.

RESULTS

Compared with healthy volunteers, patients with Moyamoya disease showed decreased mean kurtosis, axial kurtosis, radial kurtosis, and fractional anisotropy in the corona radiata. Similarly, mean kurtosis, radial kurtosis, and fractional anisotropy decreased in the posterior limb of the internal capsule, whereas axial kurtosis decreased and radial kurtosis increased in the thalami of patients with Moyamoya disease compared with healthy volunteers. Compared with the asymptomatic contralateral hemisphere, the symptomatic group showed increased mean kurtosis in the contralateral primary somatosensory cortex, increased fractional anisotropy in the contralateral corona radiata and posterior limb of the internal capsule, and decreased axial kurtosis in the contralateral thalamus. Among patients with Moyamoya disease with acroparesthesia, mean kurtosis decreased in the primary somatosensory cortex on the operated side following revascularization.

CONCLUSIONS

The diffusional kurtosis imaging technique is applicable to patients with Moyamoya disease for detecting brain microstructural changes in white and gray matter before and after revascularization; this feature is useful in the assessment of disease severity and surgical outcome.

[The influence of TP53 mutation on the therapeutic effect of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor and prognosis of EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer patients]

Gene mutations can impair the sensitivity of cancer cells to targeted drugs, and lead to individual differences of clinical therapeutic effects. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation plays an important role in therapeutic decision-making. Furthermore, some co-existing gene mutations, such as TP53 mutation, can also affect the therapeutic effect and prognosis of patients. Whether EGFR mutation combined with TP53 mutation affects the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and long-term prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is still unknown and has attracted more attentions. However, in the current clinical practice, TP53 mutation is not a key factor of therapeutic decision-making, so further studies are needed to clarify the impact of TP53 mutation (including each subtype) on the potential benefits of EGFR-targeted therapy of NSCLC.

Combined Effect of Osteoporosis and Poor Dynamic Balance on the Incidence of Sarcopenia in Elderly Chinese Community Suburban-Dwelling Individuals

OBJECTIVES

Given the increasing prevalence of osteoporosis and the important role dynamic balanced plays in the assessment of muscle function, we aimed to examine the joint and separate effects of osteoporosis and poor dynamic balance on the incidence of sarcopenia in Chinese elderly individuals.

DESIGN

This study was conducted on 658 (44.4% male) Chinese suburban-dwelling participants with a mean age of 68.42 ± 5.43 years who initially had no sarcopenia and were aged ≥60 years. A quantitative ultrasound scan of each participant's calcaneus with a T score less than -2.5 was used to identify the prevalence of osteoporosis. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria. We assessed dynamic balance using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT). Participants who scored in the top 20% on the TUGT were defined as having poor dynamic balance.

RESULTS

After a follow-up of three years, the incidence of sarcopenia in the general population was 8.1% (9.6% in males, 6.8% in females). The incidence of sarcopenia was progressively greater in people suffering from both osteoporosis and poor dynamic balance (OR=2.416, 95%CI=1.124-5.195) compared to those who only had osteoporosis (OR=0.797, 95%CI=0.378-1.682) or poor dynamic balance (OR=1.226, 95%CI=0.447-3.363) in models without adjustments. Even after adjusting for potential confounders, the result still held true (OR=2.431, 95%CI=1.053-5.614).

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, we found individuals who suffered from both osteoporosis and poor dynamic balance simultaneously had a significantly higher incidence of sarcopenia than those who suffered from either one or the other.

The Predictive Value of Sarcopenia and Its Individual Criteria for Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality in Suburb-dwelling Older Chinese

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study is to investigate the associations between the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) sarcopenic definition, and its individual criteria, and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in the Chinese elderly.

METHODS

Longitudinal analysis of 1,264 participants aged 60 years or older at baseline (2013-2014) living in suburban areas, China. Sarcopenia was defined according to the recommended algorithm of AWGS. Muscle mass was measured by a direct segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Muscle strength was assessed by handgrip strength, and physical performance measured via usual walking speed.

RESULTS

Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality. After 40 months of follow-up, forty-eight deaths (4.2%) died in this cohort. The mortality rate with sarcopenia was 4.7% in men and 3.8% in women. After adjusting for potential confounders, the risk of all-cause death was 4.15 times higher in subjects with sarcopenia. Furthermore, low muscle mass (HR: 2.62, 95% CI 1.34-5.13) and low grip strength (HR: 5.79; 95% CI 2.28-14.71), but not walking speed, were found to be significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Risk of CVD mortality was significantly greater in sarcopenia. Low grip strength and low walking speed were associated with 11 times (HR: 11.03, 95% CI 1.58-77.02) and 13 times (HR: 13.02; 95% CI 1.18-143.78) higher risk of CVD mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia and components of sarcopenia were associated with greater CVD and all-cause mortality. Pertinent prevention or rehabilitation programs projects should look to promote healthy aging in different types of sarcopenia group.

Complicated intraoral defects: reconstruction using a three-paddle perforator free flap. A case report

A 34-year-old woman presented with a progressive oral ulcer, and redness and swelling of the skin over the mandible. Radiological and histological examination showed adenoid cystic carcinoma of the mandible and floor of the mouth with extensive invasion. We radically resected the tumour with sufficient margins, and cut off segments of fibula, reshaped them and fixed them into the mandibular angles bilaterally. We used three perforator flaps, (the soleus muscle, the third, and fourth perforator flaps) to reconstruct the defects of the tongue, mentum, and oral floor, respectively. Recovery was good postoperatively, and there was no infection or any other complications.

[Curative effect analysis of bile reinfusion combined with enteral nutrition support before surgery of hilar cholangiocarcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of bile reinfusion combined with enteral nutrition support before surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent surgical treatment at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Hepato-biliary-pancreatic Surgery Department from July 2010 to August 2017 was completed.A total of 52 cases were finally enrolled in our study.All the patients included, on the basis of whether they received preoperative drainage and bile reinfusion, were divided into non-drainage group(n=15) and drainage group(n=37). Differences of clinical indicators, including operation time, intraoperative bleeding and serum liver function index levels at day 1, 3, 7 postoperative, postoperative complications(liver failure, biliary fistula, pleural effusion, peritoneal effusion, abdominal cavity infection, death in hospital), tumor classification, R0 resection, postoperative hospitalization time between the 2 groups were analyzed. At the same time, in the drainage group, patients were divided into non-enteral nutrition subgroup(n=13) and enteral nutrition subgroup(n=24) according to whether they received enteral nutrition before operation. The normal distribution data of the group was statistically analyzed by independent sample t test, the non-normal distribution data of the group was statistically analyzed by rank-sum test. The count data was statistically analyzed by non-calibration and correction of the square test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in general infomation such as age, gender, and serum liver function between non-drainage group and drainage group(P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in general information such as age, gender, and serum liver function between non-enteral nutrition group and enteral nutrition group(P>0.05). The rate of vascular resection and reconstruction(33.3%) and operating time(10.8(2.2)h) in drainage group were both higher than those in non-drainage group(6.7% and 8.3(3.0)h), the differences were both statistically significant(χ(2)=4.397, Z=1.595; both P<0.05). The level of AST at the 7th day after surgery in drainage group(32.8(17.3)U/L) was significantly lower than that in non-drainage group(55.0(64.7)U/L), the difference was statistically significant(Z=-2.212, P<0.05). The level of TBil at 1st day after surgery in drainage group(43.6(91.2)μmol/L) was lower than that in non-drainage group(91.2(188.4)μmol/L), the difference was statistically significant(Z=-2.150, P<0.05). The rate of pancreatoduodenectomy(25.0%) and average operating time(11.1(1.3)h) in the enteral nutrition group were both higher than those in the non-enteral nutrition group(0, 9.0(2.6)h). The differences were both statistically significant(χ(2)=3.879, Z=-2.693; P<0.05). The average level of AST at the 1st day after surgery in enteral nutrition group(396.4(268.3)U/L) was significantly lower than that in non-enteral nutrition group(642.5(341.1)U/L), the difference was statistically significant(Z=-2.483, P<0.05). The average level of TBil at the 1st, 3th day after surgery in enteral nutrition group(38.8(21.5)μmol/L and 30.0(25.6)μmol/L) were both lower than those in non-enteral nutrition group(60.9(75.2)μmol/L and 46.5(50.0)μmol/L), the differences were both statistically significant(Z=-2.416, -2.026; P<0.05). The level of CRP at 1st, 3th day after surgery((41.9±31.1)mg/L, (50.8±31.4)mg/L)in enteral nutrition subgroup was lower than that in non-enteral nutrition subgroup((64.4±33.6)mg/L, (74.1±35.3)mg/L), the differences were both statistically significant(t=1.456, 1.675; P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the present study , there is no effective improvement on postoperative recovery using bile reinfusion combined with nutrition support before R0 resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Comparison of the gut microbiota composition between the wild and captive Tibetan wild ass (Equus kiang)

Aims

The gut microbiota has a great effect on the health and nutrition of the host. Manipulation of the intestinal microbiota may improve animal health and growth performance. The objectives of our study were to characterize the faecal microbiota between wild and captive Tibetan wild asses and discuss the differences and their reasons.

Methods and Results

Through high‐throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4‐V5 region, we studied the gut microbiota composition and structure of Tibetan wild asses in winter, and analysed the differences between wild and captive groups. The results showed that the most common bacterial phylum in Tibetan wild ass faeces samples was Bacteroidetes, while the phylum Firmicutes was dominant in captive Tibetan wild ass faecal samples. The relative abundance of Firmicutes, Tenericutes and Spirochaetes were significantly higher (P < 0·01) than in the wild groups.

Conclusions

Captivity reduces intestinal microbial diversity, evenness and operational taxonomic unit number due to the consumption of industrial food, therefore, increasing the risk of disease prevalence and affecting the health of wildlife.

Significance and Impact of the Study

We studied the effect of the captive environment on intestinal micro‐organisms. This article provides a theoretical basis for the ex‐situ conservation of wild animals in the future.

Analysis code development for the direct reactor auxiliary cooling system of the pool-type sodium-cooled fast reactor

Sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is one of the most promising reactors among the six Gen-IV reactor systems due to its significant advantages in close fuel cycle, comprehensive technology foundations and operation experiences. China is designing and constructing a demonstration SFR, in which, to ensure the reactor passive safety, a direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) with the inter-wrapper flow is proposed as the decay heat removal system. Xi'an Jiaotong University is in charge of the DRACS analysis code development. The physical models in the DRACS are extracted and the numerical models for each component are established. The Gear method and the SIMPLE method are adopted as the primary solution algorithm. The code is developed and validated by EBR-II and PHENIX benchmarks, the results of which indicate that the code can predict experimental results very well.

Lack of response to intravenous sodium thiosulfate in three cases of extensive connective tissue disease-associated calcinosis cutis

Dystrophic calcinosis cutis is a debilitating condition of calcium salt deposition in the skin often occurring in association with connective tissue disease (CTD). Available treatments for calcinosis cutis are unsatisfactory, but given the recent use of topical and intralesional sodium thiosulfate (STS) to treat calcifying disorders, we sought to describe the use of intravenous (IV) STS for CTD-associated dystrophic calcinosis cutis. We report three patients with long-standing and extensive CTD-associated calcinosis cutis treated with IV STS after having failed multiple prior therapies. All three patients experienced fatigue and nausea with STS infusions, and none of the patients had notable clinical or symptomatic improvement of calcinosis. It remains to be seen whether the administration of IV STS earlier in the onset of calcinosis might be of benefit given that these patients all had long-standing and refractory CTD-associated calcinosis. Given the small number of patients in this series, further investigation into the use of IV STS in calcinosis cutis is warranted.

Efficient biosynthesis, analysis, solubility and anti-bacterial activities of succinylglycosylated naringenin

A novel water-soluble flavonoid with good anti-bacterial activities, naringenin-6″-succl-7-O-glucoside (7-SGN), was synthesised. It was biotransformed from naringenin by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FJ18 in aqueous miscible organic media, and characterised by LC-MS and NMR analysis. The solubility of 7-SGN in water was approximately 102 times higher than that of naringenin. These results demonstrated that both the water solubility and the anti-bacterial activity of 7-SGN were significantly improved.

The Risks of Overweight, Obesity and Abdominal Obesity in Middle Age after Exposure to Famine in Early Life: Evidence from the China's 1959-1961 Famine

OBJECTIVE

Several studies have revealed that exposure to famine in early life was associated with higher body mass index(BMI) and waist circumference, and most of them used data from cross-sectional studies and defined those born before or after the famine period as non-exposed participants, which ignored the effects caused by age. Our objective was to study the effects of undernutrition in early life on overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity in those aged 54-56.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study with the status at age of 54-56 as outcomes. 1092 participants born between 1959 and 1961 from 2015 wave of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were defined as exposed and 1616 born between 1955 and 1957 from 2011 wave of CHARLS were defined as control. We used the prevalence odds ratios(ORs) to estimate the risks of overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, and stratified by famine severity and sex separately for comparisons.

RESULTS

Exposed group had higher risks of overweight (OR 1.357, 95%CI 1.067,1.727) and obesity (OR 1.356, 95%CI 1.001,1.836) in women, not in men. Participants in exposed group were more likely to have abdominal obesity (OR 1.362, 95%CI 1.139,1.629), regardless of famine severity and gender.

CONCLUSION

Undernutrition in early life increased the risks of overweight and obesity in women not in men. And the risk of abdominal obesity was increased with the experience of undernutrition at early age both in men and women.

Imidacloprid is hydroxylated by Laodelphax striatellus CYP6AY3v2

Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén) is one of the most destructive pests of rice, and has developed high resistance to imidacloprid. Our previous work indicated a strong association between imidacloprid resistance and the overexpression of a cytochrome P450 gene CYP6AY3v2 in a L. striatellus imidacloprid resistant strain (Imid-R). In this study, a transgenic Drosophila melanogaster line that overexpressed the L. striatellus CYP6AY3v2 gene was established and was found to confer increased levels of imidacloprid resistance. Furthermore, CYP6AY3v2 was co-expressed with D. melanogaster cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (SF9) cells. A carbon monoxide difference spectra analysis indicated that CYP6AY3v2 was expressed predominately in its cytochrome P450 (P450) form, which is indicative of a good-quality functional enzyme. The recombinant CYP6AY3v2 protein efficiently catalysed the model substrate P-nitroanisole to p-nitrophenol with a maximum velocity (V_max ) of 60.78 ± 3.93 optical density (mOD)/min/mg protein. In addition, imidacloprid itself was metabolized by the recombinant CYP6AY3v2/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 2'-phosphate reduced tetrasodium salt (NADPH) CPR microsomes in in vitro assays (catalytic constant (K_cat ) = 0.34 pmol/min/pmol P450, michaelis constant (K_m ) = 41.98 μM), and imidacloprid depletion and metabolite peak formation were with a time dependence. The data provided direct evidence that CYP6AY3v2 is capable of hydroxylation of imidacloprid and conferring metabolic resistance in L. striatellus.

[Effect of ShRNA targeting silencing of VTCN1 gene on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells]

Objective:The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of VTCN1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells and targeting silencing of VTCN1 gene by infected with lentiviral vector to inhibit the proliferation and invasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Method:The VTCN1 expression level of different nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, the cell lines of the most expression level were seleted to conduct the Subsequent experiments; The lentiviral vector of silenced VTCN1 was transfected into HNE2 cells with VTCN1 expression by lipofectamine 2000, and stable cell lines were screened. Then, the silencing efficiency was detect by RT-PCR and Western blotting; The proliferation and invasion abilities of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells after VTCN1 gene silencing were detected by ckk-8 and Transwell invasion assay, respectively. The phosphorylation levels of JAK/STAT proteins in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells with VTCN1 gene silencing were detected by Western blotting. Result:RT-PCR and Western blotting detected that stable transfection of VTCN1ShRNA into HNE2 cells resulted significantly declined expression of VTCN1 (P<0.05); The proliferation and invasion abilities of HNE2 cells were significantly decreased (P<0.05) and phosphorylation level of the JAK, STAT proteins were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion:VTCN1 ShRNA can effectively silence the expression of VTCN1, and significantly inhibits the proliferation and invasion of HNE2 cells. It may be related to down regulation of protein activity in JAK/STAT signaling pathway..

Association of time-varying clearance of nivolumab with disease dynamics and its implications on exposure response analysis

Nivolumab is a human monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2. Nivolumab demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials for various types of cancer. A time-varying clearance was identified for nivolumab. We show that the change of clearance over time is associated with the post-treatment effects: clearance decreases when disease status improves. This interaction between posttreatment effects and drug exposure may lead to a biased steep estimate of the exposure-response (E-R) relationship for efficacy. Under this scenario, simulations were performed to develop a proposed methodology to assess the causal effect of drug exposure upon clinical response. Data from nivolumab trials were subsequently used to verify the proposed methodology for E-R analysis. The results showed that E-R analysis results based on pharmacokinetic (PK) metrics derived from the first dose are more consistent with the true E-R or dose-response relationship than the steady-state PK metrics.

Association and meta-analysis of HLA and non-obstructive azoospermia in the Han Chinese population

The exact aetiology and pathogenesis of most non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) are still unknown. The previous two genomewide association studies (GWASs) have identified three different loci within the HLA region for NOA in the Han Chinese population, including rs3129878, rs498422 and rs7194. To further validate the risk of three GWAS-linked loci for NOA, we conducted a case-control study of these three risk loci in an independent Han Chinese male population, with 603 NOA patients and 610 controls. Furthermore, we also performed a meta-analysis of five studies on these three NOA-risk loci. The case-control study strongly suggested a significant association between loci rs3129878, rs498422 and rs7194 and NOA (P = 6.75 × 10^-21 (OR = 2.2586), P = 0.0060 (OR = 1.4013) and P = 0.0128 (OR = 1.2626) respectively). Our meta-analyses also supported the susceptibility of these three risk loci to NOA (P < 0.01). The risk variants within the HLA region potentially have a strong effect on males at risk of NOA, and may serve as diagnostic markers for male infertility. However, considering genetic difference between different populations, future validating studies in larger independent samples and animal experiments are suggested.