Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) to aggravate liver fibrosis into cirrhosis and portal hypertension (PHT) via ROS/TGF-β1/Snail-1 signalling pathway in adult rats

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the toxicological impact of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) on the process of liver fibrosis transitioning into cirrhosis and the subsequent development of portal hypertension (PHT) through the mechanism of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mediated by the ROS/TGF-β/Snail-1 signaling pathway.

METHOD

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) (1 mg/kg) was introduced in adult rats by oral feeding in CCl4 and CCl4+DBP groups twice a week for 8 weeks, and twice for another 8 week in CCl4 group. DBP was introduced by oral feeding in the CCl4+DBP group twice over the following 8 weeks. We subsequently analyzed hemodynamics measurements and liver cirrhosis degree, hepatic inflammation and liver function in the different groups. EMT related genes expression in rats in the groups of Control, DBP, CCl4 and CCl4+DBP were measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), qRT-PCR, western blot were used to detect the EMT related proteins and mRNA gene expression levels in rats and primary hepatocytes (PHCs). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were examined with a ROS detection kit.

RESULTS

The results showed that the CCl4+DBP group had higher portal pressure (PP) and lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) than the other groups. Elevated collagen deposition, profibrotic factor, inflammation, EMT levels were detected in DBP and CCl4+DBP groups. ROS, TGF-β1 and Snail-1 were highly expressed after DBP exposure in vitro. TGF-β1 had the potential to regulate Snail-1, and both of them were subject to regulation by ROS.

CONCLUSION

DBP could influence the progression of EMT through its toxicological effect by ROS/TGF-β1/Snail-1 signalling pathway, causing cirrhosis and PHT in final. The findings of this research might contribute to a novel comprehension of the underlying toxicological mechanisms and animal model involved in the progression of cirrhosis and PHT, and potentially offered a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of the disease.

Role of the histone variant H2A.Z.1 in memory, transcription, and alternative splicing is mediated by lysine modification

Creating long-lasting memories requires learning-induced changes in gene expression, which are impacted by epigenetic modifications of DNA and associated histone proteins. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones are key regulators of transcription, with different PTMs producing unique effects on gene activity and behavior. Although recent studies implicate histone variants as novel regulators of memory, effects of PTMs on the function of histone variants are rarely considered. We previously showed that the histone variant H2A.Z suppresses memory, but it is unclear if this role is impacted by H2A.Z acetylation, a PTM that is typically associated with positive effects on transcription and memory. To answer this question, we used a mutation approach to manipulate acetylation on H2A.Z without impacting acetylation of other histone types. Specifically, we used adeno-associated virus (AAV) constructs to overexpress mutated H2A.Z.1 isoforms that either mimic acetylation (acetyl-mimic) by replacing lysines 4, 7 and 11 with glutamine (KQ), or H2A.Z.1 with impaired acetylation (acetyl-defective) by replacing the same lysines with alanine (KA). Expressing the H2A.Z.1 acetyl-mimic (H2A.Z.1KQ) improved memory under weak learning conditions, whereas expressing the acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1KA generally impaired memory, indicating that the effect of H2A.Z.1 on memory depends on its acetylation status. RNA sequencing showed that H2A.Z.1KQ and H2A.Z.1KA uniquely impact the expression of different classes of genes in both females and males. Specifically, H2A.Z.1KA preferentially impacts genes involved in synaptic function, suggesting that acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1 impairs memory by altering synaptic regulation. Finally, we describe, for the first time, that H2A.Z is also involved in alternative splicing of neuronal genes, whereby H2A.Z depletion, as well as expression of H2A.Z.1 lysine mutants influence transcription and splicing of different gene targets, suggesting that H2A.Z.1 can impact behavior through effects on both splicing and gene expression. This is the first study to demonstrate that direct manipulation of H2A.Z post-translational modifications regulates memory, whereby acetylation adds another regulatory layer by which histone variants can fine tune higher brain functions through effects on gene expression and splicing.

The fatty acid-related gene signature stratifies poor prognosis patients and characterizes TIME in cutaneous melanoma

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to build a prognostic model for cutaneous melanoma (CM) using fatty acid-related genes and evaluate its capacity for predicting prognosis, identifying the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) composition, and assessing drug sensitivity.

METHODS

Through the analysis of transcriptional data from TCGA-SKCM and GTEx datasets, we screened for differentially expressed fatty acids-related genes (DEFAGs). Additionally, we employed clinical data from TCGA-SKCM and GSE65904 to identify genes associated with prognosis. Subsequently, utilizing all the identified prognosis-related fatty acid genes, we performed unsupervised clustering analysis using the ConsensusClusterPlus R package. We further validated the significant differences between subtypes through survival analysis and pathway analysis. To predict prognosis, we developed a LASSO-Cox prognostic signature. This signature's predictive ability was rigorously examined through multivariant Cox regression, survival analysis, and ROC curve analysis. Following this, we constructed a nomogram based on the aforementioned signature and evaluated its accuracy and clinical utility using calibration curves, cumulative hazard rates, and decision curve analysis. Using this signature, we stratified all cases into high- and low-risk groups and compared the differences in immune characteristics and drug treatment responsiveness between these two subgroups. Additionally, in this study, we provided preliminary confirmation of the pivotal role of CD1D in the TIME of CM. We analyzed its expression across various immune cell types and its correlation with intercellular communication using single-cell data from the GSE139249 dataset.

RESULTS

In this study, a total of 84 DEFAGs were identified, among which 18 were associated with prognosis. Utilizing these 18 prognosis-related genes, all cases were categorized into three subtypes. Significant differences were observed between subtypes in terms of survival outcomes, the expression of the 18 DEFAGs, immune cell proportions, and enriched pathways. A LASSO-Cox regression analysis was performed on these 18 genes, leading to the development of a signature comprising 6 DEFAGs. Risk scores were calculated for all cases, dividing them into high-risk and low-risk groups. High-risk patients exhibited significantly poorer prognosis than low-risk patients, both in the training group (p < 0.001) and the test group (p = 0.002). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that this signature could independently predict outcomes [HR = 2.03 (1.69-2.45), p < 0.001]. The area under the ROC curve for the training and test groups was 0.715 and 0.661, respectively. Combining risk scores with clinical factors including metastatic status and patient age, a nomogram was constructed, which demonstrated significant predictive power for 3  and 5 years patient outcomes. Furthermore, the high and low-risk subgroups displayed differences in the composition of various immune cells, including M1 macrophages, M0 macrophages, and CD8+ T cells. The low-risk subgroup exhibited higher StromalScore, ImmuneScore, and ESTIMATEScore (p < 0.001) and demonstrated better responsiveness to immune therapy for patients with PD1-positive and CTLA4-negative or positive expressions (p < 0.001). The signature gene CD1D was found to be mainly expressed in monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells within the TIME. Through intercellular communication analysis, it was observed that cases with high CD1D expression exhibited significantly enhanced signal transductions from other immune cells to monocytes/macrophages, particularly the (HLA-A/B/C/E/F)-CD8A signaling from natural killer (NK) cells to monocytes/macrophages (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The prognostic signature constructed in this study, based on six fatty acid-related genes, exhibits strong capabilities in predicting patient outcomes, identifying the TIME, and assessing drug sensitivity. This signature can aid in patient risk stratification and provide guidance for clinical treatment strategies. Additionally, our research highlights the crucial role of CD1D in the CM's TIME, laying a theoretical foundation for future related studies.

Maternal exposure to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) impairs angiogenesis and AR signalling pathway through suppression of TGFB1I1 in hypospadias offspring

Early exposure to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) can cause hypospadias in newborn foetuses. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is not well defined. Aberrant angiogenesis is associated with various dysplasias including urogenital deficits. In vivo and in vitro angiogenesis assays showed reduced angiogenesis in the hypospadias group and DBP exposed group. RNA-sequencing analysis of DBP-treated HUVECs revealed decreased expression of transforming growth factor beta 1-induced transcript 1 (TGFB1I1) and a significantly enriched angiogenesis-associated pathway. Further experiments revealed that decreased TGFB1I1 expression was associated with disrupted tube formation and migration, which resulted in decreased angiogenesis. Functional assays revealed that the overexpression of TGFB1I1 promoted tube formation and migration of HUVECs in the DBP-treated group. Moreover, we showed that the transcription factor AR was regulated by TGFB1I1 through inhibiting its translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Together, our results identified TGFB1I1 as a component of aberrant angiogenesis in hypospadias rats and its interaction with AR might be a potential target for hypospadias development.

Incidence and risk factors of asymptomatic bacteriuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing each year and has become one of the most prominent health concerns worldwide. Patients with T2DM are prone to infectious diseases, and urinary tract infections are also widespread. Despite a comprehensive understanding of urinary tract infection (UTI), there is a lack of research regarding primary prevention strategies for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB).

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the incidence and risk factors of asymptomatic urinary tract infection in patients with T2DM by meta-analysis to provide evidence for preventing UTI. Help patients, their families, and caregivers to identify the risk factors of patients in time and intervene to reduce the incidence of ASB in patients with T2DM. Fill in the gaps in existing research.

STUDY DESIGN

Meta-analyses were conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines.

METHODS

Eleven databases were systematically searched for articles about ASB in T2DM, and the retrieval time was selected from the establishment of the database to February 5, 2023. Literature screening, quality evaluation, and meta-analysis were independently performed by two researchers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a meta-analysis was performed using Stata 17.0.

RESULTS

Fourteen articles were included, including cohort and case-control studies. A meta-analysis of 4044 patients with T2DM was included. The incidence of ASB in patients with T2DM was 23.7%(95% CI (0.183, 0.291); P < 0.001). After controlling for confounding variables, the following risk factors were associated with ASB in patients with T2DM: age (WMD = 3.18, 95% CI (1.91, 4.45), I2 = 75.5%, P < 0.001), female sex (OR = 1.07, 95% CI(1.02, 1.12), I2 = 79.3%, P = 0.002), duration of type 2 diabetes (WMD = 2.54, 95% CI (1.53, 5.43), I2 = 80.7%, P < 0.001), HbA1c (WMD = 0.63, 95% CI (0.43, 0.84), I2 = 62.6,%. P < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 1.59, 95% CI (1.24, 2.04), I2 = 0%, <0.001), hyperlipidemia (OR = 1.66, 95% CI (1.27, 2.18), I2 = 0%, P < 0.001), Neuropathy (OR = 1.81, 95% CI (1.38, 2.37), I2 = 0%, P < 0.001), proteinuria (OR = 3.00, 95% CI (1.82, 4.95), I2 = 62.7%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The overall prevalence of ASB in T2DM is 23.7%. Age, female sex, course of T2DM, HbA1C, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, neuropathy, and proteinuria were identified as related risk factors for ASB in T2DM. These findings can provide a robust theoretical basis for preventing and managing ASB in T2DM.

Transforming Growth Factor Beta Promotes Inflammation and Tumorigenesis in Smad4-Deficient Intestinal Epithelium in a YAP-Dependent Manner

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), a multifunctional cytokine, plays critical roles in immune responses. However, the precise role of TGF-β in colitis and colitis-associated cancer remains poorly defined. Here, it is demonstrated that TGF-β promotes the colonic inflammation and related tumorigenesis in the absence of Smad family member 4 (Smad4). Smad4 loss in intestinal epithelium aggravates colitis and colitis-associated neoplasia induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS), leading to over-activated immune responses and increased TGF-β1 levels. In Smad4-deficient organoids, TGF-β1 stimulates spheroid formation and impairs intestinal stem cell proliferation and lineage specification. YAP, whose expression is directly upregulated by TGF-β1 after Smad4 deletion, mediates the effect of TGF-β1 by interacting with Smad2/3. Attenuation of YAP/TAZ prevents TGF-β1-induced spheroid formation in Smad4-/- organoids and alleviates colitis and colitis-associated cancer in Smad4-deficient mice. Collectively, these results highlight an integral role of the TGF-β/Smad4 axis in restraining intestinal inflammation and tumorigenesis and suggest TGF-β or YAP signaling as therapeutic targets for these gastrointestinal diseases intervention.

Di-n-butyl phthalate induces oversecretion of vascular endothelium-derived NAP-2 and promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of urothelial cells in newborn hypospadias rats

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) is a plasticizer commonly used in industrial production and is present in our daily life. It has been confirmed that DBP causes genitourinary malformations, especially hypospadias. However, the research of hypospadias mainly focusses on the genital tubercle in previous studies. In this study, we found DBP could affect the exocrine function of the vascular endothelium which disturb the development of genital nodules and induced hypospadias. We used cytokine array to find that vascular endothelium-derived NAP-2 may be a major abnormal secreted cytokine with biological functions. The transcriptomic sequencing analysis showed that abnormal activation of the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway was the main reason for increased NAP-2 secretion. The expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers and NAP-2 in hypospadias animal models were detected with Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, Immunofluorescence, and ELISA methods. The expression levels of NAP-2, RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway related proteins, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in HUVEC cells, EMT biomarkers and migration capacity of urothelial cells cocultured with HUVEC were measured with ELISA, flow cytometry, Western blot or Transwell assay for further cell experiments. The results showed that DBP leaded to NAP-2 oversecretion from vascular endothelium mainly rely on the activation of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway and ROS accumulation. The RhoA/ROCK inhibitor fasudil could partially decrease ROS production, and both fasudil and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) could decrease NAP-2 secretion. Meanwhile, the oversecretion of NAP-2 from HUVEC in coculture system promoted EMT and migration capacity of urothelial cells, and TGF-β inhibitor LY219761 could block the aberrant activation of EMT process. Therefore, it could be concluded that DBP increase NAP-2 secretion from vascular endothelium by RhoA/ROCK/ROS pathway, and further promote EMT in urothelial cells through TGF-β pathway. This study provided a novel direction for studying the occurrence of hypospadias and may provide a hypospadias predictive marker in the future.

A nomogram for predicting the risk of residual stone fragments after ureteroscopy

Background

The residual stone fragment is a tremendous issue after ureteroscopic lithotripsy and requires urologists to evaluate the condition of patients comprehensively. Our study aimed to construct a nomogram to make a personalized prediction of postoperative residual stone rate (RSR).

Methods

We implemented a retrospective cohort study in the Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital. A total of 277 patients undergoing ureteroscopy (URS) were enrolled in our study. Among them, 186 patients were included in the training group and the remaining 91 patients comprised the testing group. We utilized stepwise forward algorithm and logistic regression analysis to build predictive models and selected the best model based on Akaike's information criterion (AIC). The model was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test. We also conducted decision curve analysis (DCA) to demonstrate the net benefit of the model. The independent testing group was used to validate the practicability of the nomogram.

Results

The severity of hydronephrosis, stone location, the transverse diameter of stone, hypertension, and white blood cell (WBC) were found to be significant predictive variables for RSR after URS. The area under the curve (AUC) of the training group was 0.7203 and that of the testing group was 0.7280. Besides, the nomogram also presented great calibration and accepted net benefit in a wide range of probabilities.

Conclusions

Our study achieved a predictive nomogram with excellent application value for urologists to assess RSR and make personalized treatment decisions.

Tumour microenvironment landscape and immunotherapy response in bladder cancer decoded by stromal MOXD1 based on copper-related genes signature

Introduction

We aimed to develop a copper-related gene (CRG) signature that can be used to evaluate prognosis and guide therapeutic management in bladder cancer patients.

Methods

The raw transcriptome profiles and clinical data of 405 bladder samples were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and differentially expressed copper-related genes were identifified using the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) database and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. A multigene prognostic signature based on 14 CRGs was developed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) analysis in the TCGA cohort and validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. Multiple analyses were then conducted in which the nomograms, clinicopathological features, immune-related cell infifiltration characteristics, and therapy responses of the high- and low-risk score groups were compared.

Results

A 14 CRGs signature was constructed and used to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Compared to patients classifified as high-risk, low-risk patients in both the TCGA cohort and the GEO cohort had better overall survival. Patients in high-risk groups had more aggressive clinical features, immunologically "cold" infifiltrating characteristics, and experienced lower therapeutic effificacy. We identifified a CRG signature of bladder cancer and validated it using unsupervised clustering analysis. Monooxygenase DBH-like 1 (MOXD1) was further identifified, and its potential for evaluating the tumor immune microenvironment and predicting the immunotherapy response was explored.

Discussion

These results suggest a novel research direction for precision therapy of bladder cancer and demonstrate that copper-related genes can play a promising role in predicting prognosis and may serve as therapeutic targets for bladder cancer.

Identification and validation of a prognostic model of necroptosis-related lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: The study focused on establishing a prognostic survival model with six necroptosis-related lncRNAs to predict overall survival (OS) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The data of gene expression and clinical information of HCC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Cox regression with LASSO was used for constructing a necroptosis-related lncRNA survival model, which we further validated with qRT-PCR in vitro. The relative bioinformatics analysis and consensus cluster analysis were performed based on six differentially expressed lncRNAs.

Results: The survival prognostic model was constructed by using data from TCGA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed a good survival prediction by this model. GSEA showed that several signaling pathways were related to HCC progression. Immune-related functional analysis showed that aDCs, macrophages, Th2 cells, and Tregs have stronger correlation with the high-risk group. The consensus cluster analysis further validated the 6-lncRNA prognostic model.

Conclusion: A novel 6-lncRNA (AL606489.1, NRAV, LINC02870, DUXAP8, “ZFPM2-AS1,” and AL031985.3) prognostic model had an accurately predictive power in HCC prognosis, which might be worthy of clinical application.

Migration and Deposition Law of Pollutants in Urban Sewage Confluence Pipe Network from the Perspective of Ecology

Aiming at the problem of pollutant migration and deposition in urban sewage confluence pipe, an experimental simulation system of sewage confluence pipe was established. The confluence conditions of three flow patterns (velocity ratio Vaccess/Vtrunk = 0.1/0.2, Vaccess/Vtrunk = 0.1/0.3, and Vaccess/Vtrunk = 0.2/0.3) were simulated. The changes of sediment thickness, carbon pollutants, nitrogen pollutants, and phosphorus pollutants in different confluence areas were analyzed, and the migration and deposition laws of various pollutants in urban sewage confluence pipe network under different flow patterns were revealed. The results show that when the flow velocity of trunk and branch roads changes, the deposition of various pollutants and the carrying capacity of water flow in the pipeline change, resulting in the change of sediment layer thickness and pollutant content. With the increase of trunk velocity, the sediment thickness in the area before and after confluence decreases, while the increase of branch velocity only reduces the sediment thickness in the area at the back of confluence. Under any flow pattern, the sediment thickness in the retention area (G3 and G4) shows an increasing trend, which is the key area of pollution removal. Under the three flow patterns, the content of carbon pollutants reaches the peak at the TCOD and SCOD values of G4 monitoring point. Increasing the trunk velocity can effectively reduce the content of carbon pollutants. The content of nitrogen pollutants in each flow pattern also reaches the maximum at G4 point, which are 213.6 mg/g, 205.2 mg/g, and 212.8 mg/g, respectively. Increasing the trunk velocity can effectively reduce the nitrogen content at points G1-G4, while increasing the flow velocity of the branch road can reduce the nitrogen content at points G5-G7. The distribution of phosphorus pollutants is complex, and the flow pattern needs to be adjusted according to different monitoring points.

Identification and validation of an immune-related gene prognostic signature for clear cell renal carcinoma

Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma (ccRCC) accounts for nearly 80% of renal carcinoma cases, and immunotherapy plays an important role in ccRCC therapy. However, the responses to immunotherapy and overall survival for ccRCC patients are still hard to predict. Here, we constructed an immune-related predictive signature using 19 genes based on TCGA datasets. We also analyzed its relationships between disease prognosis, infiltrating immune cells, immune subtypes, mutation load, immune dysfunction, immune escape, etc. We found that our signature can distinguish immune characteristics and predict immunotherapeutic response for ccRCC patients with better prognostic prediction value than other immune scores. The expression levels of prognostic genes were determined by RT-qPCR assay. This signature may help to predict overall survival and guide the treatment for patients with ccRCC.

Identification of Feature Genes of a Novel Neural Network Model for Bladder Cancer

Background: The combination of deep learning methods and oncogenomics can provide an effective diagnostic method for malignant tumors; thus, we attempted to construct a reliable artificial neural network model as a novel diagnostic tool for Bladder cancer (BLCA). Methods: Three expression profiling datasets (GSE61615, GSE65635, and GSE100926) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GSE61615 and GSE65635 were taken as the train group, while GSE100926 was set as the test group. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered out based on the logFC and FDR values. We also performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses to explore the biological functions of the DEGs. Consequently, we utilized a random forest algorithm to identify feature genes and further constructed a neural network model. The test group was given the same procedures to validate the reliability of the model. We also explored immune cells' infiltration degree and correlation coefficients through the CiberSort algorithm and corrplot R package. The qRT-PCR assay was implemented to examine the expression level of the feature genes in vitro. Results: A total of 265 DEGs were filtered out and significantly enriched in muscle system processes, collagen-containing and focal adhesion signaling pathways. Based on the random forest algorithm, we selected 14 feature genes to construct the neural network model. The area under the curve (AUC) of the training group was 0.950 (95% CI: 0.850-1.000), and the AUC of the test group was 0.667 (95% CI: 0.333-1.000). Besides, we observed significant differences in the content of immune infiltrating cells and the expression levels of the feature genes. Conclusion: After repeated verification, our neural network model had clinical feasibility to identify bladder cancer patients and provided a potential target to improve the management of BLCA.

External Validation of the Prognostic Value of an Immune-Associated Gene Panel for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinomas

Clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs) are highly immune infiltrates, and many of them respond to immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors including anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD1 agents. However, the effect of immune genes on clinical outcomes in ccRCCs has not been fully studied. Here, we show in this study that an immune-associated gene panel has a prognostic value for clear cell renal cell carcinomas. We performed single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and cell type identification by estimating subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithms on patient-matched normal renal and RCC tissues to characterize two immunophenotypes and immunological characteristic subpopulations. Furthermore, LASSO Cox regression was applied to develop a novel prognosis-associated model for ccRCC patients based on an immune-gene panel. The results were verified by the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset and coordinated with the clinicopathological characteristics of ccRCCs, along with genomic signatures. Finally, based on the above perspectives, we generated a nomogram with a high prognostic efficiency for ccRCC patients. Overall, this study offers a unique perspective that can contribute to improving the accuracy of prognosis prediction and treatment with immunotherapy.

Insight into the performance and mechanism of persimmon tannin functionalized waste paper for U(VI) and Cr(VI) removal

Herein, using dialdehyde waste paper (DAWP) as a cross-linking agent to immobilize persimmon tannin (PT) was first used to remove the U(VI) and Cr(VI) via the "waste control by waste" concept. The microscopic and macroscopic surface properties of the as-prepared adsorbent was characterized by the advanced characterization techniques. Factors that affected the elimination process such as variable pH, coexistence ions and equilibrium time were investigated by batch techniques. The results showed that the maximal removal capacities of U(VI) and Cr(VI) on DAWP-PT were 242.3 mg/g (pH = 6.0) and 178.7 mg/g (pH = 2.0) at 298 K, which exhibited competitiveness with most of the reported solid materials. Meanwhile, adsorption data were fitted perfectly to the Langmuir and Pseudo-second-order equations, which indicated that the monolayer and homogenous chemisorption dominated the removal process. The SEM-EDX, DFT and XPS analysis conformed that adsorption of U(VI) was mainly via surface complexation, while the elimination of Cr(VI) was a redox reaction process, and about 65.33% of Cr(III) and 34.67% of Cr(VI) co-existed onto the surface of DAWP-PT. Thus, this study would provide a high-efficiency and low-cost adsorbent for radionuclide and heavy metal treatment.

Development and Validation of Prognostic Model in Transitional Bladder Cancer Based on Inflammatory Response-Associated Genes

Background

Bladder cancer is a common malignant type in the world, and over 90% are transitional cell carcinoma. While the impact of inflammatory response on cancer progression has been reported, the role of inflammatory response-associated genes (IRAGs) in transitional bladder cancer still needs to be understood.

Methods

In this study, IRAGs were download from Molecular Signature Database (MSigDB). The transcriptional expression and matched clinicopathological data were separately obtained from public databases. The TCGA-BLCA cohort was used to identify the differentially expressed IRAGs, and prognostic IRAGs were filtrated by univariate survival analysis. The intersection between them was displayed by Venn diagram. Based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis method, the TCGA-BLCA cohort was used to construct a risk signature. Survival analysis was conducted to calculate the overall survival (OS) in TCGA and GSE13507 cohort between two groups. We then conducted univariate and multivariate survival analyses to identify independently significant indicators for prognosis. Relationships between the risk scores and age, grade, stage, immune cell infiltration, immune function, and drug sensitivity were demonstrated by correlation analysis. The expression level of prognostic genes in vivo and in vitro were determined by qRT-PCR assay.

Results

Comparing with normal tissues, there were 49 differentially expressed IRAGs in cancer tissues, and 12 of them were markedly related to the prognosis in TCGA cohort for transitional bladder cancer patients. Based on LASSO regression analysis, a risk model consists of 10 IRAGs was established. Comparing with high-risk groups, survival analysis showed that patients in low-risk groups were more likely to have a better survival time in TCGA and GSE13507 cohorts. Besides, the accuracy of the model in predicting prognosis is acceptable, which is demonstrated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Age, stage, and risk scores variables were identified as the independently significant indicators for survival in transitional bladder cancer. Correlation analysis represented that the risk score was identified to be significantly related to the above variables except gender variable. Moreover, the expression level of prognostic genes in vivo and in vitro was markedly upregulated for transitional bladder cancer.

Conclusions

A novel model based on the 10 IRAGs that can be used to predict survival time for transitional bladder cancer. In addition, this study may provide treatment strategies according to the drug sensitivity in the future.

Efficacy of Huaiqihuang granules as adjuvant therapy for bronchial asthma in children: a real-world study

OBJECTIVES

To study the efficacy of Huaiqihuang granules as adjuvant therapy for bronchial asthma in children.

METHODS

A multicenter, prospective, and registered real-world study was performed for the children, aged 2-5 years, who had a confirmed diagnosis of bronchial asthma in the outpatient service of 21 hospitals in China. Among these children, the children treated with medications for long-term asthma control (inhaled corticosteroid and/or leukotriene receptor antagonist) without Huaiqihuang granules were enrolled as the control treatment group, and those treated with medications for long-term asthma control combined with Huaiqihuang granules were enrolled as the combined treatment group. The medical data of all children were collected. Outpatient or telephone follow-up was performed at weeks 4, 8, 12, 20, 28, and 36 after treatment, including asthma attacks and rhinitis symptoms. A statistical analysis was performed for the changes in these indices.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the frequency of asthma attacks or rhinitis attacks between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the combined treatment group had significantly lower frequencies of asthma attacks, severe asthma attacks, and rhinitis attacks compared with the control treatment group (P<0.05). There was no signification difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions between the two groups (P=0.667).

CONCLUSIONS

Huaiqihuang granules in addition to medications for long-term asthma control can alleviate the symptoms of bronchial asthma and rhinitis and improve the level of asthma control in children with bronchial asthma, with good safety and little adverse effect. Citation.

Adsorption and reduction of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using cost-effective caffeic acid functionalized corn starch

Herein, a potential bio-adsorbent (DACS-CA) was formed via immobilizing caffeic acid (CA) on dialdehyde corn starch (DACS) for Cr(VI) removal. The characterization techniques such as IR, Raman, XPS and ¹³C NMR were performed to analyze surface elements and functional groups on the as-prepared sorbents. Batch experiments revealed that the maximum Cr(VI) removal amount (96.45 mg/g) took place at a pH value of 3.0, adsorption temperatures of 333 K and solid-liquid ratio of 0.2. The isotherms studies found that the Cr(VI) removal of DACS-CA was monolayer adsorption, while the kinetics analysis revealed that chemisorption was the main power for removal process. Characterization analysis found that about Cr(VI) (53.02%) and Cr(III) (46.98%) species co-existed onto the surface of DACS-CA, which implied that a redox reaction may be occurred between Cr(VI) and the bio-adsorbent. Namely, Cr(VI) was first loaded on DACS-CA via electrostatic interaction, subsequently Cr(VI) was partially transformed into Cr(III) by reductive functional groups, meanwhile the resulting Cr(III) was immobilized by the carboxyl groups of DACS-CA. Thus, this bio-adsorbent could serve as an efficient sorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater in environmental pollution cleanup.

Identification and Validation of a Novel Immune-Related lncRNA Signature for Bladder Cancer

Purpose

We aimed to construct an immune-related long noncoding ribonucleic acids (irlncRNA) signature to evaluate the prognosis of patients without specific expression level of these irlncRNA.

Methods

The raw transcriptome data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), irlncRNAs were filtered out using an online immune related gene database and coexpression analysis, differently expressed irlncRNA (DEirlncRNA) pairs were identified by univariate analysis. The areas under curve (AUC) were compared and the Akaike information criterion (AIC) values of receiver operating curve (ROC) was counted, the most optimal model was constructed to divide bladder cancer patients into high- and low-risk groups usingõ the cut-off point of ROC. Then, we evaluated them from multiple perspectives, such as survival time, clinic-pathological characteristics, immune-related cells infiltrating, chemotherapeutics efficacy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Results

14 DEirlncRNA pairs were included in this signature. Patients in high-risk groups demonstrated apparent shorter survival time, more aggressive clinic-pathological characteristics, different immune-related cells infiltrating status, lower chemotherapeutics efficacy.

Conclusion

The irlncRNA signature demonstrated a promising prediction value for bladder cancer patients and was important in guiding clinical treatment.

Application of nanotechnology in drug delivery systems for respiratory diseases (Review)

Respiratory disease is a common disease with a high incidence worldwide, which is a serious threat to human health, and is considered a societal and economic burden. The application of nanotechnology in drug delivery systems has created new treatments for respiratory diseases. Within this context, the present review systematically introduced the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs); reviewed the current research status of different nanocarriers in the treatment of respiratory diseases, including liposomes, solid lipid nanocarriers, polymeric nanocarriers, dendrimers, inorganic nanocarriers and protein nanocarriers; and discussed the main advantages and limitations of therapeutic nanomedicine in this field. The application of nanotechnology overcomes drug inherent deficiencies to a certain extent, and provides unlimited potential for the development of drugs to treat respiratory diseases. However, most of the related research work is in the preclinical experimental stage and safety assessment is still a challenging task. Future studies are needed to focus on the performance modification, molecular mechanism and potential toxicity of therapeutic nanomedicine.

Geometric Positioning and Color Recognition of Greenhouse Electric Work Robot Based on Visual Processing

With the continuous development of science and technology, industrial production technology is also constantly developing, and production efficiency is also constantly improving. Greenhouse electric working robots are industrial production tools with automatic control technology as the core, which affects the quality of industrial products and thus affects the profitability of the factory. According to the set programming work, the greenhouse electric working robot can realize the reproduction production and reduce the workload of the workers. In today’s era, the industrial production steps are more complicated, the production process is more flexible, and the robot’s unchanging posture and movement cannot meet the needs of modern industry, which restricts the development of the factory. In order to better complete the work of industrial robots, it is necessary to study the geometric positioning and color recognition of industrial robots based on machine vision to improve the working efficiency of industrial robots. This paper established an active positioning machine vision system for precise positioning of robot parts greenhouse electric working stations. The matching method using image processing and feature recognition area based on the shape of the binding phase combines the threshold shape criterion to identify object features. The experiments prove that the method can quickly and accurately obtain the object boundaries and centroid calculations and identification data, the robot kinematics combined with real-time motion control of the robot in order to eliminate this error, meet the requirements of the industrial robot self-aligned.

Development and characterization of chitosan functionalized dialdehyde viscose fiber for adsorption of Au(III) and Pd(II)

A highly efficient fiber-based adsorbent (DAVFs-CS) was developed via decoration of chitosan (CS) on the dialdehyde viscose fibers (DAVFs) substrate, and employed to selective separation of precious metals from simulated contaminated water. The surface functionalization of the solid material was probed using the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The batch characteristic results showed that the maximum uptake capacities of DAVFs-CS were higher up to 322 mg/g and 207 mg/g for Au(III) and Pd(II) at optimal pH 2.0 and 3.0, which exhibited competitiveness with the majority of the reported adsorbents. Meanwhile, the adsorption data were in accordance with Langmuir and PSO equations, which indicated that the monolayer chemisorption dominated the adsorption process. The competitive adsorption study showed that the removal efficiency of Au(III) was not susceptible to the co-existing impurities. Adsorption mechanism study revealed that the negative Au(III) or Pd(II) species were firstly adsorbed on DAVFs-CS via the protonated amino groups, subsequently the partially reduction of them to zero-valent gold and palladium with the help of reductive functional groups. Thus, DAVFs-CS could be as a promising adsorbent to recovery of precious metals owning to its unique adsorption mechanism and excellent adsorption performance.

Application of Image Filtering Technique Based on Bounded Mean Oscillation Model in Studying on Rice Grain Morphology

This study constructed a bounded mean oscillation (BMO) filter via the BMO algorithm and anisotropic nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) to both denoise and enhance the digital image of rice grains. The Perona–Malik PDE model was used as control filter. Based on the quantitative evaluation of the morphological characteristics of rice grains, as obtained from preprocessed images, the BMO filtering effect is discussed. The results showed that grain length, grain width, and the length–width ratio obtained from BMO filter processed images did not significantly differ from manual measurements ([Formula: see text]). Moreover, a strong positive correlation was found between the average grain area and the thousand grain weight ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). The BMO filter was less disturbed by noise and the structure of the utilized algorithm was simpler compared with the Perona–Malik filter. The developed BMO filter was also superior to the Perona–Malik filter in retaining fine edge features of digital images. Moreover, its filtering effect remained stable for grain images of different rice varieties.

Associations of changes in fat free mass with risk for type 2 diabetes: Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

AIMS

To determine whether loss of muscle mass (approximated using fat free mass [FFM]) is associated with risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States.

METHODS

Participants were Hispanic/Latino adults (18-74-year-olds) who completed Visit 2 of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL; multi-site, prospective cohort study; 6.1-year follow-up) and did not have T2DM at baseline (n = 6264). At baseline and Visit 2, FFM was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis and fasting glucose, HbA1c, and fasting insulin were measured by examiners. Diabetes was defined according to American Diabetes Association criteria. Survey-weighted Poisson regression models examined the association of percent change in relative FFM (%ΔFFM) with incident prediabetes and T2DM. Survey-weighted multivariable regression models examined associations of %ΔFFM with changes in glucose and insulin measures.

RESULTS

Relative FFM declined by 2.1% between visits. %ΔFFM was inversely associated with incident prediabetes (p-for-trend = 0.001) and with changes in glucose and insulin measures (p-for-trend <0.0001). Findings were null, except for HOMA-IR, after adjustment for changes in adiposity measures. Associations were generally stronger for individuals with baseline overweight/obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing loss of FFM during adulthood may reduce prediabetes risk (primarily insulin resistance), particularly among individuals with overweight/obesity.

Café-au-lait macules overlying segmental macular hyperpigmentation in a pediatric patient: an early sign for mosaic neurofibromatosis type 1

The presentation of multiple café-au-lait macules (CALMs) in children is a common reason for referral to a dermatologist. Segmental CALMs, a subtype of CALMs, is usually limited to a specific part of the body. Mosaic neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1; OMIM 162200) is a common congenital disorder associated with segmental CALMs with an incidence of about 1 case/40000 patients, which is lower than the prevalence of patients with germline NF1 mutations1,2 .

Immunocyte density in parathyroid carcinoma is correlated with disease relapse

PURPOSE

Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is an endocrine malignancy with a poor prognosis. The tumour immune microenvironment is a critical factor influencing the outcomes of multiple cancer types. However, knowledge of the immune microenvironment in PC remains limited.

METHODS

The intratumoural density of immunocytes and the Ki-67 index were evaluated immunohistochemically in 51 PC patient samples and were compared with clinicopathological features and parafibromin staining results. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards analysis were used to estimate the effects of these variables on clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Intratumoural immunocyte density was not correlated with age, gender, urolithiasis, or palpation of a neck mass. The Ki-67 index was correlated with the intratumoural density of CD3⁺ cells (P = 0.022) and CD8⁺ cells (P = 0.021) and serum calcium levels (P = 0.022). In the intratumoural area of primary foci, Kaplan-Meier method showed that the risk factors associated with recurrence/metastasis were a low density of CD3⁺ (P = 0.017), CD8⁺ (P = 0.019) and CD45⁺ cells (P = 0.047), a high density of CD163⁺ cells (P = 0.003) and a high Ki-67 index (P = 0.004). Cox regression multivariate analysis revealed that CD163⁺ cell density (hazard ratio (HR) 16.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.99-131.66; P = 0.009) and CD8⁺ cell density (HR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-0.76, P = 0.024) were independent factors associated with PC relapse.

CONCLUSION

The immune microenvironment is an important factor influencing the relapse of PC. The intratumoural density of CD3⁺, CD8⁺, CD45⁺, and CD163⁺ immunocytes was correlated with disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with PC. Immunotherapy based on T lymphocytes or tumour-associated macrophages may be a promising treatment strategy.

Transcription factor-mediated signaling pathways' contribution to the pathology of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome

The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is still spreading rapidly around the world, and one cause of lethality for patients infected with 2019-nCoV is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is a severe syndrome of acute lung injury (ALI) that is predominantly triggered by inflammation and results in a sudden loss of, or damage to, kidney function. Emerging studies reveal that multiple transcription factor-associated signaling pathways are activated in the pathology of ALI/ARDS. Of these pathways, the activation of NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells), AP-1 (activator protein 1), IRFs (interferon regulatory factors), STATs (signal transducer and activator of transcription), Wnt/β-catenin-TCF/LEF (T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer-binding factor), and CtBP2 (C-Terminal binding protein 2)-associated transcriptional complex contributes to ALI/ARDS pathology through diverse mechanisms, such as inducing proinflammatory cytokine levels and mediating macrophage polarization. In this review, we present an updated summary of the mechanisms underlying these signaling activations and regulations, as well as their contribution to the pathogenesis of ALI/ARDS. We aim to develop a better understanding of how ALI/ARDS occurs and improve ALI/ARDS therapy.

Effects of Achyranthes bidentata alcohol on proliferation capacity of osteoblasts and miRNA in Runx2

Achyranthes bidentata is a herbal plant commonly used in the treatment of osteoporosis and bone nonunion with traditional Chinese medicine. Achyranthes bidentata alcohol is a major component extracted from Achyranthes bidentata, which has been proved to be able to exert a variety of pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammation, antipyresis, anti-rheumatism, diuresis and anti-osteoporosis. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 4 weeks were used in the experiment. All primary rat osteoblasts were cultured and amplified for further experiments. The osteoblasts were divided into six groups (5 rats in each group): the culture medium control group, the 25 µg/ml achyranthol group, the 50 µg/ml achyranthol group, the 100 µg/ml achyranthol group, 200 µg/ml achyranthol group, and the 25 µM PD98059+200 µg/ml achyranthol group. In this study, the effect of Achyranthes bidentata alcohol on the proliferation of osteoblasts was detected via methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The effect of Achyranthes bidentata alcohol on the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in osteoblasts was analyzed via ALP assay. The effect of Achyranthes bidentata alcohol on the expression of osteoblast marker gene, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), was detected via reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. Moreover, the phosphorylation or activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in osteoblasts induced by Achyranthes bidentata alcohol was analyzed using western blotting. Achyranthes bidentata alcohol increased cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, increased the micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) level in Runx2, enhanced the ALP activity in osteoblasts, and stimulated the activation of ERK (P<0.05). The expression of Runx2 with the inhibitor PD98059 was decreased significantly compared with that in the Achyranthes bidentata alcohol group (P<0.01). Immunohistochemical results manifested that the percentage of Runx2 positive cells in treated tissues was obviously higher than that in untreated tissues (P<0.01). Therefore, Achyranthes bidentata alcohol promotes the proliferation capacity of osteoblasts in a dose-dependent manner, enhances the expression of miRNA in Runx2, and stimulates the osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts through activating the ERK signal transduction pathway.

Automated Counting of Rice Panicle by Applying Deep Learning Model to Images from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platform

The number of panicles per unit area is a common indicator of rice yield and is of great significance to yield estimation, breeding, and phenotype analysis. Traditional counting methods have various drawbacks, such as long delay times and high subjectivity, and they are easily perturbed by noise. To improve the accuracy of rice detection and counting in the field, we developed and implemented a panicle detection and counting system that is based on improved region-based fully convolutional networks, and we use the system to automate rice-phenotype measurements. The field experiments were conducted in target areas to train and test the system and used a rotor light unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a high-definition RGB camera to collect images. The trained model achieved a precision of 0.868 on a held-out test set, which demonstrates the feasibility of this approach. The algorithm can deal with the irregular edge of the rice panicle, the significantly different appearance between the different varieties and growing periods, the interference due to color overlapping between panicle and leaves, and the variations in illumination intensity and shading effects in the field. The result is more accurate and efficient recognition of rice-panicles, which facilitates rice breeding. Overall, the approach of training deep learning models on increasingly large and publicly available image datasets presents a clear path toward smartphone-assisted crop disease diagnosis on a global scale.

Systematic review of randomized controlled trials on antibiotic treatment for osteomyelitis in diabetes

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of antibiotic therapy in osteomyelitis treatment among people with diabetes.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, AMED, Web of Science, the WHO trial registry, Cochrane library databases, and ClinicalTrials.gov, in addition to hand-searching, was undertaken in July 2018. Two reviewers independently extracted data. The studies' methodological quality was assessed using the modified Jadad scale. Descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Seven randomized controlled trials, with 393 participants in total, were included. The antibiotic regimens, treatments and follow-up durations varied among the trials. The total scores showed that the overall methodological quality of the seven studies was high, despite two studies showing some flaws in double-blinding and withdrawals/drop-outs. Of four studies comparing different antibiotic regimens, three implied a similar remission effect, while one implied that ertapenem ± vancomycin treatment showed a higher remission rate than tigecycline treatment; this conclusion was not robust because of low power and small sample size. In the other three studies, which included two different doses of ciprofloxacin, an antibiotics group and a conservative surgical group, and two durations of the same antibiotic strategy, no significant differences in remission were reported between the groups. No difference was observed in the analyses of microbiological outcomes, superinfections and relapse, except adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no definitive evidence supporting the superiority of any particular antibiotic agent, dose, or administration duration in the treatment of osteomyelitis in diabetes. As the included studies had some flaws and limitations, further research is necessary.

Interleukin-33 in children with asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that serum interleukin 33 serving as an "alarmin" is increased in children with asthma. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of serum IL33 test for early diagnosis of childhood asthma.

METHODS

A literature search was performed in June 2016 using PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and other Chinese Medical Databases to identify studies. The search terms used were "cytokine", "interleukin-33", "asthma" and "children". The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 software. Random-effects model was used to estimate the standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

A total of eight studies were included into this meta-analysis, involving 330 asthmatic children and 248 healthy children. The meta-analysis results revealed that the serum IL33 level was higher in asthmatic children compared to that in healthy children (SMD=1.29, 95%CI=0.53-2.05, P=0.0009), with significant heterogeneity across studies (I²=94% and P<0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS

The meta-analysis showed that serum IL33 is a helpful biomarker for early diagnosis of childhood asthma. However, owing to lack of enough data, the increased serum concentration of IL33 cannot be an indicator for the asthma severity.

Remediation of organochlorine pesticides contaminated lake sediment using activated carbon and carbon nanotubes

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediment were a potential damage for humans and ecosystems. The aim of this work was to determine the effectiveness of carbon materials remedy hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) in sediment. Two different carbon materials including activated carbon (AC) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used in the present research. Sediment treated with 2 wt% AC and MWCNTs after 150 d contact showed 97%, and 75% reduction for HCH, and 93% and 59% decrease for DDTs in aqueous equilibrium concentration, respectively. Similarly, the reduction efficiencies of DDT and HCH uptake by semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) treated with AC (MWCNTs) were 97% (75%) and 92% (63%), respectively under the identical conditions. Furthermore, for 2 wt% AC (MWCNTs) system, a reduction of XAD beads uptake up to 87% (52%) and 73% (67%) was obtained in HCH and DDT flux to overlying water in quiescent system. Adding MWCNTs to contaminated sediment did not significantly decrease aqueous equilibrium concentration and DDTs and HCH availability in SPMDs compared to AC treatment. A series of results indicated that AC had significantly higher remediation efficiency towards HCH and DDTs in sediment than MWCNTs. Additionally, the removal efficiencies of two organic pollutants improved with increasing material doses and contact times. The greater effectiveness of AC was attributed to its greater specific surface area, which was favorable for binding contaminants. These results highlighted the potential for using AC as in-situ sorbent amendments for sediment remediation.

HLA-B*57 and IFNL4-related polymorphisms are associated with protection against HIV-1 disease progression in controllers

Background

HIV-1-controllers maintain HIV-1 viremia at low levels (normally <2000 HIV-RNA copies/mL) without antiretroviral treatment. However, some HIV-1-controllers have evidence of immunologic progression with marked CD4⁺T-cell decline. We investigated host genetic factors associated with protection against CD4⁺T-cell loss in HIV-1-controllers.

Methods

We analysed the association of interferon lambda 4 (IFNL4)-related polymorphisms and HLA-B haplotypes within Long Term Non-Progressor HIV-1-controllers ((LTNP-C), defined by maintaining CD4⁺T-cells counts >500 cells/mm³ for more than 7 years after HIV-1 diagnosis) versus non-LTNP-C, who developed CD4⁺T-cells counts <500 cells/mm³ Both a Spanish study cohort (n=140) and an international validation cohort (n=914) were examined. Additionally, in a subgroup of individuals HIV-1-specific T-cell responses and soluble cytokines were analysed RESULTS: HLA-B*57 was independently associated with the LTNP-C phenotype (OR=3.056 (1.029-9.069) p=0.044 and OR=1.924 (1.252-2.957) p=0.003) while IFNL4 genotypes represented independent factors for becoming non-LTNP-C (TT/TT, ss469415590, OR=0.401 (0.171-0.942) p=0.036 or A/A, rs12980275, OR=0.637 (0.434-0.934) p=0.021) in the Spanish and validation cohort, respectively, after adjusting for sex, age at HIV-1 diagnosis, IFNL4-related polymorphisms and different HLA-B haplotypes. LTNP-C showed lower plasma IP-10 (p=0.019) and higher IFN-γ (p=0.02) levels than the HIV-1-controllers with diminished CD4⁺T-cell numbers. Moreover, LTNP-C exhibited higher quantities of IL2⁺CD57^- and IFN-γ⁺CD57^- HIV-1-specific CD8⁺T-cells (p=0.002 and 0.041, respectively) than non-LTNP-C.

Conclusions

We have defined genetic markers able to segregate stable HIV-1-controllers from those who experience CD4⁺T-cell decline. These findings allow for identification of HIV-1-controllers at risk for immunologic progression, and provide avenues for personalized therapeutic interventions and precision medicine for optimizing clinical care of these individuals.

Complex evolutionary patterns revealed by mitochondrial genomes of the domestic horse

The domestic horse is the most widely used and important stock and recreational animal, valued for its strength and endurance. The energy required by the domestic horse is mainly supplied by mitochondria via oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, selection may have played an essential role in the evolution of the horse mitochondria. Besides, demographic events also affect the DNA polymorphic pattern on mitochondria. To understand the evolutionary patterns of the mitochondria of the domestic horse, we used a deep sequencing approach to obtain the complete sequences of 15 mitochondrial genomes, and four mitochondrial gene sequences, ND6, ATP8, ATP6 and CYTB, collected from 509, 363, 363 and 409 domestic horses, respectively. Evidence of strong substitution rate heterogeneity was found at nonsynonymous sites across the genomes. Signatures of recent positive selection on mtDNA of domestic horse were detected. Specifically, five amino acids in the four mitochondrial genes were identified as the targets of positive selection. Coalescentbased simulations imply that recent population expansion is the most probable explanation for the matrilineal population history for domestic horse. Our findings reveal a complex pattern of non-neutral evolution of the mitochondrial genome in the domestic horses.

[Characteristics of pulmonary function in children with atypical asthma with chest tightness as chief complaint before and after bronchial provocation test]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics of pulmonary function in children with atypical asthma with chest tightness as the chief complaint before and after a bronchial provocation test.

METHODS

This study included 34 children with atypical asthmas who underwent bronchial provocation test between January 2010 and December 2013. Thirty-four children with typical asthmas were selected as the control group. The pulmonary function of the atypical asthma group was examined before and after the bronchial provocation test and compared with that of the control group in the acute episode and remission stages.

RESULTS

The forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow, forced expiratory flow 25%, 50%, 75% (FEF25, FEF50, FEF75), and maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF75/25) in the atypical asthma group before the bronchial provocation test were (105±12)%, (104±12)%, (100±7)%, (88±13)%, (90±14)%, (81±17)%, (73±25)%, and (80±17)%, respectively; these functional indices were significantly higher than in the control group in the acute episode stage (P<0.05), but were similar to those of the control group in the remission stage (P>0.05). In addition, no significant difference in pulmonary indices was observed between the atypical asthma group after the bronchial provocation test and the control group in the acute episode stage (P>0.05), but functional indices above were significantly lower in the atypical asthma group after the bronchial provocation test than in the control group in the remission stage and the atypical asthma group before the bronchial provocation test (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Bronchial provocation test is useful in the diagnosis of atypical asthma in children.

Surgical treatment of combined posterior root tears of the lateral meniscus and ACL tears

BACKGROUND

The treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture complicated with posterior lateral meniscus root (PLMR) tears remains controversial. The goal of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of PLMR tear refixation versus left untreated at the time of reconstruction.

MATERIAL/METHODS

From August 2001 to January 2012, 31 patients who undergone repair of PLMR tears were evaluated and compared with a matched control group with untreated PLMR tears. Clinical evaluation consisted of the Lysholm scale, subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) questionnaires, and radiographic evaluation with MRI.

RESULTS

Regarding to the Lysholm score and the subjective questionnaire score, there were no statistical difference between the 2 groups. However, patients after operative treatment reach higher functional scores and lower rates of osteoarthritis (normal: group A, 80%, and group B, 48%, respectively) with statistical significance (P<0.05) compared to the matched control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical and conservative treatment of the PLMR can both effectively improve knee function. However, a tendency towards higher functional scores and lower rates of osteoarthritis for patients with operative treatment was observed.

P53-Mediated Repression of the Reprogramming in Cloned Bovine Embryos Through Direct Interaction with HDAC1 and Indirect Interaction with DNMT3A

P53 is a transcriptional activator, regulating growth arrest, DNA repair and apoptosis. We found that the expression level of P53 and the epigenetic profiles were significantly different in bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos from those in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos. So we inferred that abnormally expression of P53 might contribute to the incomplete reprogramming. Using bovine foetal fibroblasts, we constructed and screened a highly efficient shRNA vector targeting bovine P53 gene and then reconstituted somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos (RNAi-SCNT). The results indicated that expression levels of P53 were downregulated significantly in RNAi-SCNT embryos, and the blastulation rate and the total number of cell increased significantly. Moreover, methylation levels of CpG islands located 5' region of OCT4, NANOG, H19 and IGF2R in RNAi -SCNT embryos were significantly normalized to that IVF embryos, and the methylation levels of genome DNA, H3K9 and H4K5 acetylation levels were also returned to levels similar to the IVF embryos. Differentially expressed genes were identified by microarray, and 28 transcripts were found to be significantly different (> twofolds) in RNAi-SCNT embryos compared to the control nuclear transfer embryos (SCNT). Among the 28 differentially expressed transcripts, just HDAC1 and DNMT3A were closely associated with the epigenetic modifications. Finally, ChIP further showed that P53 might repress the epigenetic reprogramming by regulating HDAC1 directly and DNMT3A indirectly. These findings offer significant references to further elucidate the mechanism of epigenetic reprogramming in SCNT embryos.

Genetic susceptibility of early aseptic loosening after total hip arthroplasty: the influence of TIMP-1 gene polymorphism on Chinese Han population

Objective

Genetic factor plays an important role in early failure of total hip arthroplasty (aseptic loosening) etiology, and TIMP-1 gene may be involved. The present study was conducted to reveal possible association between TIMP-1 polymorphisms with the risk of early failure of total hip arthroplasty (THA) (aseptic loosening).

Methods

The TIMP-1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs4898, rs6609533, and rs2070584 were genotyped in 59 subjects who were diagnosed as aseptic loosening after total hip arthroplasty and in 100 controls.

Results

The TIMP-1 SNP rs4898 T allele in the case group was found to be 1.32 fold (P = 0.0013, 95% CI = 1.16 to 1.58) than the control group. Similarly, the G allele of rs6609533 was found to be associated with increased risk of aseptic loosening (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.52 to 2.17, P < 0.0001). For SNP rs2070584, no statistical association was found (A vs. G, OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.97 to 1.40, P = 0.2028).

Conclusion

The results showed that the TIMP-1 SNPs rs4898 and rs6609533 were associated with the increased risk of early aseptic loosening susceptibility.

Downregulation of FAP suppresses cell proliferation and metastasis through PTEN/PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma

It is largely recognized that fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) of many human carcinomas. Furthermore, FAP was recently also reported to be expressed in carcinoma cells of the breast, stomach, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, colorectum, and uterine cervix. The carcinoma cell expression pattern of FAP has been described in several types of cancers, but the role of FAP in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unknown. The role of endogenous FAP in epithelium-derived tumors and molecular mechanisms has also not been reported. In this study, FAP was found to be expressed in carcinoma cells of OSCC and was upregulated in OSCC tissue samples compared with benign tissue samples using immunohistochemistry. In addition, its expression level was closely correlated with overall survival of patients with OSCC. Silencing FAP inhibited the growth and metastasis of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, knockdown of FAP inactivated PTEN/PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK and its downstream signaling regulating proliferation, migration, and invasion in OSCC cells, as the inhibitory effects of FAP on the proliferation and metastasis could be rescued by PTEN silencing. Our study suggests that FAP acts as an oncogene and may be a potential therapeutic target for patients with OSCC.

Thalamic physiology of intentional essential tremor is more like cerebellar tremor than postural essential tremor

The neuronal physiological correlates of clinical heterogeneity in human essential tremor are unknown. We now test the hypothesis that thalamic neuronal and EMG activities during intention essential tremor are similar to those of the intention tremor which is characteristic of cerebellar lesions. Thalamic neuronal firing was studied in a cerebellar relay nucleus (ventral intermediate, Vim) and in a pallidal relay nucleus (ventral oral posterior, Vop) during stereotactic surgery for the treatment of tremor. Nine patients with essential tremor were divided clinically into two categories: one with a substantial component of tremor with intention (termed intention ET) and the other without (postural ET). These types of essential tremor were compared with patients having intention tremor plus other clinical signs of cerebellar disease (cerebellar tremor). Neurons in patients with either intention ET or cerebellar tremor had lower firing rates and lower spike×EMG coherence than those in patients with postural ET. Patients with intention ET had a lower spike×EMG phase lead than those with postural ET. Overall, thalamic activity measures of intention ET were different from postural ET but not apparently different from those of cerebellar tremor. One patient with the intention ET (number 4) had a good response to a left thalamotomy and then suffered a right cerebellar hemispheric infarct five years later. After the stroke the intention ET recurred, which is consistent with our hypothesis that intention ET is similar to that of the intention tremor which is characteristic of cerebellar lesions.

Increased circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells correlated negatively with Th17 cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have recently been identified as an important mediator in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases through the production of arginase (Arg)-1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of MDSCs in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and evaluate their correlation with T-helper (Th)17 cells.

METHOD

The frequency of MDSCs and Th17 cells and the mRNA expression of transcriptional factor RORγ-t and iNOS in the peripheral blood of RA patients and healthy controls (HC) were determined by flow cytometry and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and Arg-1 were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).

RESULTS

Compared with HC, both the prevalence of circulating MDSCs and plasma Arg-1 increased significantly in RA patients. However, no significant difference was observed in the mRNA level of iNOS between RA patients and HC. The frequency of Th17 cells in RA patients was significantly higher than in HC but correlated negatively with the frequency of MDSCs and plasma Arg-1. A negative correlation between MDSCs and plasma TNF-α was also observed. However, the frequency of MDSCs was not correlated with plasma IL-6 and IL-17, nor with the mRNA level of RORγ-t.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a negative correlation between increased circulating MDSCs and Th17 cells in RA patients, which may provide new insights into the mechanisms involved in RA.