Novel alternative tools for metastatic pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas prediction

OBJECTIVE

The existing prediction models for metastasis in pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas (PPGLs) showed high heterogeneity in different centers. Therefore, this study aimed to establish new prediction models integrating multiple variables based on different algorithms.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Data of patients with PPGLs undergoing surgical resection at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2007 to 2022 were collected retrospectively. Patients were randomly divided into the training and testing sets in a ratio of 7:3. Subsequently, decision trees, random forest, and logistic models were constructed for metastasis prediction with the training set and Cox models for metastasis-free survival (MFS) prediction with the total population. Additionally, Ki-67 index and tumor size were transformed into categorical variables for adjusting models. The testing set was used to assess the discrimination and calibration of models and the optimal models were visualized as nomograms. Clinical characteristics and MFS were compared between patients with and without risk factors.

RESULTS

A total of 198 patients with 59 cases of metastasis were included and classified into the training set (n = 138) and testing set (n = 60). Among all models, the logistic regression model showed the best discrimination for metastasis prediction with an AUC of 0.891 (95% CI, 0.793-0.990), integrating SDHB germline mutations [OR: 96.72 (95% CI, 16.61-940.79)], S-100 (-) [OR: 11.22 (95% CI, 3.04-58.51)], ATRX (-) [OR: 8.42 (95% CI, 2.73-29.24)] and Ki-67 ≥ 3% [OR: 7.98 (95% CI, 2.27-32.24)] evaluated through immunohistochemistry (IHC), and tumor size ≥ 5 cm [OR: 4.59 (95% CI, 1.34-19.13)]. The multivariate Cox model including the above risk factors also showed a high C-index of 0.860 (95% CI, 0.810-0.911) in predicting MFS after surgery. Furthermore, patients with the above risk factors showed a significantly poorer MFS (P ≤ 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Models established in this study provided alternative and reliable tools for clinicians to predict PPGLs patients' metastasis and MFS. More importantly, this study revealed for the first time that IHC of ATRX could act as an independent predictor of metastasis in PPGLs.

Claudin 18.2 expression in digestive neuroendocrine neoplasms: a clinicopathological study

BACKGROUND

Claudin 18.2-targeted therapy has shown significant efficacy in treating claudin 18.2-positive cancers. However, limited systematic studies have investigated characteristics of claudin 18.2 expression in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs).

METHODS

Data and specimens from 403 cases of digestive NENs were retrospectively collected, and claudin 18.2 expression was detected using immunochemical staining.

RESULTS

Claudin 18.2 was positive in 19.6% (79/403) of the digestive NENs. The highest positive rate of claudin 18.2 was observed in gastric NENs (72/259, 27.8%), accounting for 91.1% (72/79) of all positive cases. The positivity rate was significantly higher in gastric NENs compared to pancreatic (2/78, 2.6%) or colorectal NENs (2/38, 5.3%; p < 0.05). For digestive NENs, claudin 18.2 positivity was significantly higher in neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) (37/144, 25.7%) than in neuroendocrine tumours (NETs; 14/160, 8.8%; p < 0.001), but no significant difference was found between gastric NECs (59/213, 27.7%) and gastric NETs (13/46, 28.3%; p > 0.05). The positivity was significantly higher in large-cell NECs (LCNECs; 28/79, 35.4%) and MiNEN (mixed neuroendocrine-non- neuroendocrine neoplasms)-LCNECs (23/66, 34.8%) compared to small-cell NECs (SCNECs; 9/65, 13.8%) and MiNEN-SCNECs (5/33, 15.2%; p < 0.05). Claudin 18.2 expression was more prevalent in gastric NENs than in pancreatic (12.5 ×; p = 0.001) and colorectal NENs (5.9 ×; p = 0.021). Claudin 18.2 staining was a useful method for identify the gastric origins of NETs, with a sensitivity of 28.3% and a specificity of 99.1%.

CONCLUSION

The expression characteristics of claudin 18.2 in NENs were characterized, which may provide a clinicopathological reference for targeted therapies in patients with NENs.

[Application of three dimensional printed personalized guide plate assisted arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis in the treatment of ankle arthritis]

Objective: To compare the efficacy of conventional open ankle fusion and three dimensional(3D) printed guide plate assisted arthroscopic ankle fusion. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 256 patients with advanced traumatic ankle arthritis, who were admitted to the Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from May 2018 to February 2023 and underwent ankle fusion procedures. The study cohort comprised 119 males and 137 females, with an age of (59.6±9.5) years (range: 37 to 83 years). Among them, 175 cases underwent internal fixation with plates and screws (58 cases through the combined medial and lateral approach, and 117 cases through the simple lateral approach), 48 cases underwent internal fixation with screws through the anterior approach (conventional open group), and 33 cases underwent minimally invasive arthroscopic ankle fusion assisted by 3D printed guide plate (3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group). Propensity score matching was employed to achieve a 1∶1 match(caliper value=0.02) between the baseline characteristics of patients in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and the conventional open group. Perioperative and follow-up data between the two groups were compared using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed rank test,χ² test, or Fisher's exact probability method, as appropriate. Results: Matching was successfully achieved with 20 cases in both the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and the conventional open group, and there were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups (all P>0.05). The operation time in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group was significantly longer than that in the conventional open group ((88.9±5.6) minutes vs. (77.9±11.7) minutes;t=-2.392, P=0.022), while the frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopies ((1.7±0.8) times vs. (5.2±1.2) times; t=10.604, P<0.01) and length of hospitalization ((5.5±0.9) days vs. (6.4±1.5) days;t=2.480, P=0.018) were significantly lower in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group compared to the conventional open group. The fusion rate was 95.0% (19/20) in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and 85.0% (17/20) in the conventional open group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (χ²=1.111,P=0.605). The fusion time was (12.1±2.0) weeks in the conventional open group and (11.1±1.7) weeks in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (t=1.607, P=0.116). At the final follow-up, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle hindfoot scale was (72.6±5.5)points in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and (70.5±5.8)points in the conventional open group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (t=-1.003, P=0.322). The VAS score of the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group was (M(IQR)) 1.50 (1.00) points, lower than that of the conventional open group by 3.00 (1.00) points, with statistically significant differences (Z=-3.937, P<0.01). The complication rate was significantly higher in the conventional open group (25.0%(5/20) vs. 5.0%(1/20), P=0.182). Conclusion: 3D printed guide plate assisted arthroscopic ankle fusion exhibited several advantages, including reduced frequency of fluoroscopies, alleviation of postoperative pain, and decreased complications and length of hospitalization.

A high resolution reaction microscope with universal two-region time-focusing method

This paper presents a novel reaction microscope designed for ion-atom collision investigations, established at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China. Its time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer employs an innovative flight-time focusing method consisting of two acceleration regions, providing optimal time focusing conditions for charged fragments with diverse initial velocities. The TOF spectrometer's axis intentionally tilts by 12° relative to the ion beam direction, preventing potential obstructions from the TOF grid electrodes. The introduced focusing method allows for a flexible time-focusing TOF spectrometer design without restricting the length ratio of the two regions. In addition, this configuration in our case significantly suppresses noise on the recoil ion detector produced by residual gas in the ion beam trajectory, which is a considerable challenge in longitudinal spectrometers. In a test experiment on the single electron capture reaction involving 62.5 keV/u He2+ ions and a helium atomic beam, the recoil longitudinal momentum resolution achieved 0.068 atomic units. This novel configuration and successful test run show excellent precision for ion-atom collision studies.

Exhalomics as a noninvasive method for assessing rumen fermentation in dairy cows: Can exhaled-breath metabolomics replace rumen sampling?

Previously, we used secondary electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (SESI-MS) to investigate the diurnal patterns and signal intensities of exhaled (EX) volatile fatty acids (VFA) of dairy cows. The current study aimed to validate the potential of an exhalomics approach for evaluating rumen fermentation. The experiment was conducted in a switchback design, with 3 periods of 9 d each, including 7 d for adaptation and 2 d for sampling. Four rumen-cannulated original Swiss Brown (Braunvieh) cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 diet sequences (ABA or BAB): (A) low starch (LS; 6.31% starch on a dry matter basis) and (B) high starch (HS; 16.2% starch on a dry matter basis). Feeding was once per day at 0830 h. Exhalome (with the GreenFeed System), and rumen samples were collected 8 times to represent every 3 h of a day, and EX-VFA and ruminal (RM)-VFA were analyzed using SESI-MS and HPLC, respectively. Furthermore, the VFA concentration in the gas phase (HR-VFA) was predicted based on RM-VFA and Henry's Law (HR) constants. No interactions were identified between the types of diets (HS vs. LS) and the measurement methods on daily average VFA profiles (RM vs. EX or HR vs. EX), suggesting a consistent performance among the methods. Additionally, when the 3-h interval VFA data from HS and LS diets were analyzed separately, no interactions were observed between methods and time of day, indicating that the relative daily pattern of VFA molar proportions was similar regardless of the VFA measurement method used. The results revealed that the levels of acetate sharply increased immediately after feeding, trailed by an increase in the acetate:propionate ratio and a steady increase for propionate (2 h after feeding the HS diet, 4 h for LS), and butyrate. This change was more pronounced for the HS diet than the LS diet. However, there was no overall diet effect on the VFA molar proportions, although the measurement methods affected the molar proportions. Furthermore, we observed a strong positive correlation between the levels of RM and EX acetate for both diets (HS: r = 0.84; LS: r = 0.85), RM and EX propionate (r = 0.74), and RM and EX acetate:propionate ratio (r = 0.80). Both EX-VFA and RM-VFA exhibited similar responses to feeding and dietary treatments, suggesting that EX-VFA could serve as a useful proxy for characterizing RM-VFA molar proportions to evaluate rumen fermentation. Similar relationships were observed between RM-VFA and HR-VFA. In conclusion, this study underscores the potential of exhalomics as a reliable approach for assessing rumen fermentation. Moving forward, research should further explore the depth of exhalomics in ruminant studies to provide a comprehensive insight into rumen fermentation metabolites, especially across diverse dietary conditions.

First report of the within-farm prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis in Chinese Holstein dairy cows in Jiangsu, China: A Bayesian modelling approach

Digital dermatitis is one of the most important causes of lameness in dairy cattle, particularly in housed, intensively-managed cattle. The number of modern intensive dairy farms in China has increased markedly in recent years; however, we lack research on digital dermatitis in Chinese dairy cattle. This preliminary study aimed to estimate the prevalence of digital dermatitis on three conveniently selected farms in Jiangsu, China. The washed hind feet of all lactating cows on all three farms were examined during milking with the aid of a mobile phone light source. True prevalence was then estimated from the apparent prevalence using a Bayesian superpopulation approach to account for the imperfect nature of identifying digital dermatitis in cows during milking. Despite none of the farms having thought it necessary to implement routine digital dermatitis monitoring or control, the disease was found on all three sampled farms. All lesions observed were either chronic M4 or M4.1 type-lesions, with no M2 lesions (i.e. acute ulcerated lesions) observed. The estimated true prevalences on the farms were 7.3% (95% credible interval [CrI]: 5.4%-9.6%), 8.3% (95%CrI: 6.3%-10.8%), and 29.8% (95%CrI: 22.9%-37.2%).

[Analysis of 9 patients with adolescence-onset methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency]

Objective: To explore the diagnosis and treatment of adolescence-onset methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency. Methods: This was a retrospective case study. Nine patients with adolescence-onset MTHFR deficiency were diagnosed at Peking University First Hospital from January 2016 to December 2022, and followed up for more than 1 year. Their general information, clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, cranial images, MTHFR gene variants, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The 9 patients came from 8 families. They had symptoms at age of 8.0 years to 17.0 years and diagnosed at 9.0 years to 17.5 years. Eight were male and 1 was female. Two patients were brothers, the elder brother developed abnormal gait at 17.0 years; and the younger brother was then diagnosed at 15.0 years of age and treated at the asymptomatic stage, who was 18.0 years old with normal condition during this study. The main manifestations of the 8 symptomatic patients included progressive dyskinesia and spastic paralysis of the lower limbs, with or without intellectual decline, cognitive impairment and behavioral abnormalities. Totally, 15 variants of MTHFR gene were identified in the 9 patients, including 8 novel variants. Five patients had brain image abnormalities. Increased plasma total homocysteine level (65-221 μmol/L) was found in all patients, and decreased to 20-70 μmol/L after treatment with betaine and calcium folinate. Besides, the 8 symptomatic patients had their behavior and cognitive problems significantly improved, with a legacy of lower limb motor disorders. Conclusions: Late-onset MTHFR deficiency can occur in adolescence. The diagnosis is usually delayed because of non-specific clinical symptoms. The test of blood total homocysteine could be used as a selective screening test. Eight novel varients of MTHFR gene were identified. Timely treatment can improve clinical condition significantly, and pre-symptomatic treatment may prevent brain damage.

[Haploidentical donor peripheral blood stem cell transplantation using third-party cord blood compared with matched unrelated donor transplantation for patients with hematologic malignancies]

Objectives: To assess the efficacy of cord blood-assisted haploid peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (haplo-cord-PBSCT) versus unrelated donor peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (UD-PBSCT) in the treatment of malignant hematological diseases. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on one hundred and four patients with malignant hematological diseases who underwent haplo-cord-PBSCT and fifty-two patients who underwent UD-PBSCT at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between January 2016 and December 2021. Results: ①The median implantation time for neutrophils in the haplo-cord-PBSCT and UD-PBSCT groups was 13 (9-22) days and 13 (10-24) days, respectively (P=0.834), whereas the median implantation time for platelets was 15 (7-103) days and 14 (8-38) days, respectively (P=0.816). The cumulative implantation rate of neutrophils at 30 days after transplantation in the haplo-cord-PBSCT group and the UD-PBSCT group was 100% (P=0.314), and the cumulative platelet implantation rate at 100 days after transplantation was 95.2% (95% CI 88.3% - 98.1% ) and 100% (P=0.927), respectively. 30 days after transplantation, both groups of patients achieved complete donor chimerism, and no umbilical cord blood stem cells were implanted. ②The cumulative incidence rates of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ acute GVHD within 100 days after transplantation in the haplo-cord-PBSCT group and the UD-PBSCT group were 29.1% (95% CI 20.1% -38.1% ) and 28.8% (95% CI 17.2% -41.6% (P=0.965), respectively. The cumulative incidence rates of grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ acute GVHD were 7.8% (95% CI 3.6% -14.0% ) and 9.6% (95% CI 3.5% -19.5% ) (P=0.725). The cumulative incidence rates of 2-year chronic GVHD in the haplo-cord-PBSCT group and the UD-PBSCT group were 45.3% (95% CI 36.1% -56.1% ) and 35.1% (95% CI 21.6% -44.1% ), respectively (P=0.237). The cumulative incidence rates of severe chronic GVHD at 2 years after transplantation were 13.6% (95% CI 7.6% -21.3% ) and 12.9% (95% CI 5.1% -24.3% ), respectively (P=0.840). ③The 2-year CIR after transplantation in the haplo-cord-PBSCT group and UD-PBSCT group were 12.8% (95% CI 7.0% -20.5% ) and 10.0% (95% CI 3.6% -20.2% ), respectively (P=0.341), and the NRM were 14.7% (95% CI 8.4% -22.6% ) and 16.2% (95% CI 7.4% -28.0% ), respectively (P=0.681). ④The 2-year OS rates in the haplo-cord-PBSCT and UD-PBSCT groups after transplantation were 82.2% (95% CI 74.8% -90.3% ) and 75.5% (95% CI 64.2% -88.7% ), respectively (P=0.276). The 2-year DFS rates were 69.9% (95% CI 61.2% -79.8% ) and 73.8% (95% CI 62.4% -87.3% ), respectively (P=0.551). The 2-year rates of GVHD-free/recurrence-free survival (GRFS) were 55.3% (95% CI 44.8% -64.8% ) and 64.7% (95% CI 52.8% -79.3% ), respectively (P=0.284) . Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that haplo-cord-PBSCT and UD-PBSCT have comparable efficacy and safety in the treatment of malignant hematological diseases and can be used as an alternative treatment options.

The pathogenicity and immune effects of different generations of Mycoplasma synoviae on chicken embryos

1. Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is the primary causative agent of synovitis in avian species. In order to investigate the pathogenicity and immunological responses associated with MS in specific pathogen-free chicken embryos, a series of generations (F1, F95, F120, F160 and F200) of MS were introduced into 7-day-old SPF chicken embryos and subsequent mortality rates were recorded and analysed2. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect expression of heat shock proteins HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 and inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1β, caspase-1 and IL-18 in the tracheal tissue.3. The results showed that the mortality rate of SPF chicken embryos decreased with an increase in the number of passages, with the highest being 80% (8/10) for F1 generation and the lowest being 10% (1/10) for F200. The expression of HSP27, IL-1β, HSP40, caspase-1, HSP70 and HSP90 showed a significant downregulation trend with an increase in the generation (except IL-18; P < 0.05). The HSP60 expression was significantly upregulated with increasing generations (P < 0.05).4. A relationship between pathogenicity and the number of passages was observed and the decrease in pathogenicity appeared to be associated with HSP and genes related to inflammatory factors. The present work offers a scientific foundation for screening potential MS strains that might be employed to develop attenuated vaccines.

Bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumour: advancing clinical, pathological, and imaging insights for future perspectives

Bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumour (BA/CMPT) is a benign peripheral lung tumour composed of bilayered bronchiolar-type epithelium containing a continuous basal cell layer; however, the similarities in imaging and tissue biopsy findings at histopathology between BA/CMPT and malignant tumours, including lung adenocarcinoma, pose significant challenges in accurately diagnosing BA/CMPT preoperatively. This difficulty in differentiation often results in misdiagnosis and unnecessary overtreatment. The objective of this article is to provide a comprehensive and systematic review of BA/CMPT, encompassing its clinical manifestations, pathological basis, imaging features, and differential diagnosis. By enhancing healthcare professionals' understanding of this disease, we aim to improve the accuracy of preoperative BA/CMPT diagnosis. This improvement is crucial for the development of appropriate therapeutic strategies and the overall improvement of patient prognosis.

Effect evaluation of new dressing URGOTULRANGE in the treatment of pressure injury

BACKGROUND

Pressure injury (PI) is a local injury of the skin and/or soft tissue located at the bone caused by medical or other equipment and is common in long-term bedridden patients.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical effect of Urgotul foam dressing in the treatment of stage 3 ∼ 4 PI and deep tissue PI.

METHODS

A total of 38 patients with stage 3 ∼ 4 PI and deep tissue PI admitted to Jinan Central Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were selected and randomly divided into a control group (dressing change plus silver ion cream dressing) and an observation group (dressing change plus Urgotul Absorb non-border foam dressing), with 19 cases in each group. After 4 weeks of treatment, the pain intensity during dressing change and the treatment efficacy for PI wounds were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were no differences in gender (P= 0.740), age (P= 0.130), single wound area (P= 0.673), consultation department (P= 0.972), stage (P= 0.740), presence of undermining (P= 0.721), deep tissue PI (P= 0.721), and systemic antibiotic therapy (P= 1.000) between the two groups, which were comparable. The treatment effect of the observation group was better than that of the control group (P= 0.003), and the pain score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P< 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Urgotul Absorb non-border foam dressing has a good effect in the treatment of stage 3 ∼ 4 PI and deep tissue PI and can relieve patients' pain, and is thus worth promoting.

Molecular Ionization Dissociation Induced by Interatomic Coulombic Decay in an ArCH_{4}-Electron Collision System

Interatomic Coulombic decay (ICD) is a significant fragmentation mechanism observed in weakly bound systems. It has been widely accepted that ICD-induced molecular fragmentation occurs through a two-step process, involving ICD as the first step and dissociative-electron attachment (DEA) as the second step. In this study, we conducted a fragmentation experiment of ArCH_{4} by electron impact, utilizing the coincident detection of one electron and two ions. In addition to the well-known decay pathway that induces pure ionization of CH_{4}, we observed a new channel where ICD triggers the ionization dissociation of CH_{4}, resulting in the cleavage of the C-H bond and the formation of the CH_{3}^{+} and H ion pair. The high efficiency of this channel, as indicated by the relative yield of the Ar^{+}/CH_{3}^{+} ion pair, agrees with the theoretical prediction [L. S. Cederbaum, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 11, 8964 (2020).JPCLCD1948-718510.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02259; Y. C. Chiang et al., Phys. Rev. A 100, 052701 (2019).PLRAAN2469-992610.1103/PhysRevA.100.052701]. These results suggest that ICD can directly break covalent bonds with high efficiency, bypassing the need for DEA. This finding introduces a novel approach to enhance the fragmentation efficiency of molecules containing covalent bonds, such as DNA backbone.

Efficacies of different ovarian hyperstimulation protocols in elderly patients with poor ovarian response

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to explore which controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) protocol is most suitable for elderly patients with poor ovarian response (POR) undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort study evaluated clinical data from 2,660 patients from January 2017 and October 2020. The patients were divided into three groups: modified Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist protocol (1,225 patients), GnRH antagonist protocol (1,038 patients), and Mild stimulation protocol (397 patients). Clinical variables and pregnancy outcomes were compared among the three groups.

RESULTS

The GnRH agonist protocol was associated with a higher number of oocyte number (3.99±2.82 vs. 3.02±1.34 vs. 2.51±1.14, p<0.001), a higher number of transferable embryos (1.39±1.32 vs. 1.24±1.24 vs. 1.18±1.11, p = 0.035), higher cumulative live birth rate [26.53% (323/1,225) vs. 22.44% (233/1,038) vs. 21.66% (86/397), p = 0.043], lower OHSS rate [5.14% (63/1,225) vs. 3.08% (32/1,038) vs. 2.02% (8/397), p = 0.005] than GnRH antagonist protocol and Mild stimulation protocol, the Mild stimulation protocol was associated with higher miscarriage rates [30.4% (24/71) vs. 25.0% (33/192) vs. 29.6% (35/168), p = 0.014] than the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The three protocols can be used in elderly patients with POR; however, if patients require more frozen-thawed embryo transfers to achieve better cumulative live birth rates, the modified GnRH agonist protocol may be the better choice. It should be emphasized that the mild stimulation had a slightly higher miscarriage rate than the other two groups.

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

OBJECTIVES

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

STUDY DESIGN

This was a nationwide cross-sectional study.

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSIONS

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

Live-cell three-dimensional single-molecule tracking reveals modulation of enhancer dynamics by NuRD

To understand how the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex regulates enhancers and enhancer-promoter interactions, we have developed an approach to segment and extract key biophysical parameters from live-cell three-dimensional single-molecule trajectories. Unexpectedly, this has revealed that NuRD binds to chromatin for minutes, decompacts chromatin structure and increases enhancer dynamics. We also uncovered a rare fast-diffusing state of enhancers and found that NuRD restricts the time spent in this state. Hi-C and Cut&Run experiments revealed that NuRD modulates enhancer-promoter interactions in active chromatin, allowing them to contact each other over longer distances. Furthermore, NuRD leads to a marked redistribution of CTCF and, in particular, cohesin. We propose that NuRD promotes a decondensed chromatin environment, where enhancers and promoters can contact each other over longer distances, and where the resetting of enhancer-promoter interactions brought about by the fast decondensed chromatin motions is reduced, leading to more stable, long-lived enhancer-promoter relationships.

Comparison of the Time and Accuracy of Intraoral Scans Performed by Dentists, Nurses, Postgraduates, and Undergraduates

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the scanning time (ST) and accuracy of 10 repeated upper and lower dentition scans by four groups of operators with different professional backgrounds.

METHODS

There were a total of 32 participants, including dentists, nurses, postgraduates, and undergraduates (n=8). They received the same training about intraoral scanning and then performed 10 repeat scans on the plaster maxillary and mandibular dentition models in a manikin head, with the first five scans being the T1 phase and the last five scans being the T2 phase. Each ST was recorded. Trueness and precision were evaluated by root mean square (RMS) value gained from alignments of corresponding virtual models. For statistical analysis, the paired-sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation tests were employed (α=0.05).

RESULTS

Limiting the comparison in scan phase and scan target the sequence of STs for the four groups was the same (p<0.05), by which undergraduates, postgraduates, nurses, and dentists were in descending order. Undergraduates gained the best precision, followed by postgraduates, dentists, and nurses, in both maxillary and mandibular scanning (p<0.05). Compared with corresponding items of the T1 phase, the trueness of the T2 phase was much higher (p<0.05), while the ST of the T2 phase was much shorter (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The operator's professional background affects the precision and scanning time but not the trueness. Most dental personnel have good access to the intraoral scanner. As the number of scans increased, the accuracy and scanning efficiency also improved.

Exhaled volatile fatty acids, ruminal methane emission, and their diurnal patterns in lactating dairy cows

To date, the commonly used methods to assess rumen fermentation are invasive. Exhaled breath contains hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOC) that can reflect animal physiological processes. In the present study, for the first time, we aimed to use a noninvasive metabolomics approach based on high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify rumen fermentation parameters in dairy cows. Enteric methane (CH4) production from 7 lactating cows was measured 8 times over 3 consecutive days using the GreenFeed system (C-Lock Technology Inc.). Simultaneously, exhalome samples were collected in Tedlar gas sampling bags and analyzed offline using a secondary electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry system. In total, 1,298 features were detected, among them targeted exhaled volatile fatty acids (eVFA; i.e., acetate, propionate, butyrate), which were putatively annotated using their exact mass-to-charge ratio. The intensity of eVFA, in particular acetate, increased immediately after feeding and followed a similar pattern to that observed for ruminal CH4 production. The average total eVFA concentration was 35.5 count per second (CPS), and among the individual eVFA, acetate had the greatest concentration, averaging 21.3 CPS, followed by propionate at 11.5 CPS, and butyrate at 2.67 CPS. Further, exhaled acetate was on average the most abundant of the individual eVFA at around 59.3%, followed by 32.5 and 7.9% of the total eVFA for propionate and butyrate, respectively. This corresponds well with the previously reported proportions of these VFA in the rumen. The diurnal patterns of ruminal CH4 emission and individual eVFA were characterized using a linear mixed model with cosine function fit. The model characterized similar diurnal patterns for eVFA and ruminal CH4 and H2 production. Regarding the diurnal patterns of eVFA, the phase (time of peak) of butyrate occurred first, followed by that of acetate and propionate. Importantly, the phase of total eVFA occurred around 1 h before that of ruminal CH4. This corresponds well with existing data on the relationship between rumen VFA production and CH4 formation. Results from the present study revealed a great potential to assess the rumen fermentation of dairy cows using exhaled metabolites as a noninvasive proxy for rumen VFA. Further validation, with comparisons to rumen fluid, and establishment of the proposed method are required.

Inter-fraction Dynamics during Adaptive Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases with a MR LINAC

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study examined the displacement and deformation in brain metastases (BMs) during adaptive hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) on a magnetic resonance imaging linear accelerator (MR LINAC). In addition, the contouring variability between enhanced T1 (T1+c) and T2/FLAIR (T2f) sequence to define gross tumor volume (GTV) was compared.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with 1-3 BMs and treated with MR LINAC were enrolled. T1+c sequence was acquired at initial planning, while T2/T2f was acquired during each fraction. GTV at initial planning (GTVi) and fraction 1-n (GTV1-n) were contoured in all images. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was used to quantify the contouring variability between different sequences at initial planning. The three-dimensional coordinate values of geometric centers of GTVi and GTV1-n were recorded and the distance was calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using two-sided paired t-test.

RESULTS

Between December 2019 and October 2022, 19 patients with 22 BMs were analyzed. The median age was 64 y (37-84 y) and the major primary tumor was lung cancer (89.5%). The median dose was 52 Gy in 13 fractions (30 Gy/5f- 60 Gy/20 f). The median GTVi on T1c, T2f and T2 sequences were 6.70cc (0.41-84.85 cc), 6.70 cc (0.35-84.14 cc, p = 0.924) and 6.16 cc (0.32-79.44 cc, p = 0.117), respectively. The mean DSC was 0.95 (0.76-1.00) and 0.86 (0.64-0.97) when comparing GTVi on T1c/T2f and T1c/T2, respectively. All of the lesions achieved volume reduction during HFRT and the mean reduction rate was 28.8% (4.8%-71.0%) at the end of HFRT. 54.5% of the BMs were reduced by more than 20%. The median treatment course and BED to get 20% reduction was 2/3 (40%-93%) and 40.8 Gy (24.5-67.5 Gy), respectively. The median shift of center of GTV1-n was 0.8 mm (0-2.5mm). The center of 7 lesions (31.8%) deviated more than 1mm from GTVi.

CONCLUSION

GTV contouring variability was seen between T1c, T2f and T2 sequences. The coincidence of T1+c and T2f was better than T1+c and T2 in BMs. Since reductions in volume and changes of lesion center was observed during HFRT, the use of MR-guided radiation therapy (RT) and treatment adaptation is needed. The optimal timing for treatment plan modification might be when the course of treatment reaches 2/3 for most large BMs. Further research to find out patients who may benefit form MR-guided adaptive RT is ongoing.

Self-reported sleep disorders and the risk of all cancer types: evidence from the Kailuan Cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies that focussed on sleep disturbance have primarily examined specific aspects of sleep disorders rather than considering overall sleep quality. We aimed to investigate different sleep disorders and their combination as risk factors for different types of cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, we included 78,232 participants. A self-reported questionnaire was used to address insomnia, daytime sleepiness, snoring, and sleep duration. Overall sleep quality was evaluated by summarising these four sleep parameters. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate the hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for determining the effect of the overall sleep-quality score and its components on the risk of incident cancer.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 5.67 years, 1266 participants were diagnosed with incident cancer. Compared to participants in the best sleep-quality score group, participants in the worst sleep-quality score group had a higher subsequent risk of overall cancer, and colorectal, breast, uterine or uterine cervical, prostatic, kidney, and bladder cancer. Participants with insomnia and snoring status had an elevated risk of head and neck, breast, uterine or uterine cervical, prostatic, kidney, bladder cancer, and lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor overall sleep-quality scores as well as poor scores for the scale's components, including insomnia and snoring status, elevated the risk of overall and several specific-site cancers.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Kailuan Study, ChiCTR2000029767. Registered 12 February, 2020-Retrospectively registered, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=48316.

[The role of natural killer cells in anti-infection and tumor therapy]

Natural killer (NK) cells are an important part of the body's innate immune system. As the first line of defense against pathogens, they need to be transformed into a mature state under the control of various cell signaling molecules and transcription factors to play cytotoxic and immune regulatory roles. Under the interaction of activated receptors and inhibitory receptors, NK cells are activated to perform a direct cell killing effect by secreting perforin and granzyme, or indirectly eliminate pathogenic microorganisms in the body by secreting various cytokines, such as type I and type II interferons. These functions of NK cells play a very important role in antiviral and anti-autoimmune diseases, especially in anti-tumor.

[Surveillance on dengue vector Aedes albopictus in Ningbo City in 2021]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the density, distribution and insecticide resistance of Aedes albopictus in Ningbo City in 2021, so as to provide insights into formulation of dengue fever control strategies.

METHODS

Four administrative villages were randomly selected from each county (district) in Ningbo City from April to November, 2021, to investigate the indoor population density of Aedes larvae, and the Breteau index (BI) was calculated. The population density of adult mosquitoes was investigated in residential areas, parks/bamboo forests, waste tire stacking sites/waste stations/construction sites in each county (district). On June 2021, larvae of the natural strain A. albopictus were collected from epidemic sites of dengue fever in Ningbo City in 2018, and raised in laboratory. Then, larvae and female mosquitoes without blood feeding were selected for insecticide resistance bioassays, while insecticide-sensitive strains of A. albopictus served as controls. The resistance of A. albopictus larvae to deltamethrin, beta-cypermethrin, propoxur, temephos and dichlorvos using the impregnation method, and the medium lethal concentration (LC50) and resistance ratio (RR) were calculated. The resistance of adult A. albopictus to beta-cypermethrin, permethrin, deltamethrin, propoxur and malathion was determined using the tube bioassay, and the mosquito mortality was calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 10 072 small water containers from 9 935 households were investigated in Ningbo City in 2021, and there were 1 276 containers with Aedes larvae detected, with an average BI of 12.89. Totally 1 422 mosquito nets were allocated and 954 female A. albopictus were captured, with an average net trapping index of 1.34 mosquitoes/(net·hour). Both larval and adult A. albopictus mosquitoes were found from April to November, and the density of larval A. albopictus peaked in September (BI = 21.21), while the density of adult A. albopictus peaked in August, with a net trapping index of 2.38 mosquitoes/(net·hour). The LC50 values of delta-methrin, beta-cypermethrin, propoxur, temephos and dichlorvos were 0.017 4, 0.000 9, 0.364 1, 0.038 1 mg/L and 0.001 6 mg/L against larvae of natural strains of A. albopicchus, with RRs of 49.66, 25.53, 9.65, 2.24 and 6.06, and the mortality rates of adult mosquitoes were 66.00% (66/100), 69.39% (68/98), 25.00% (25/100), 98.97% (96/97) and 100.00% (98/98) 24 hours post-treatment with 0.08% beta-cypermethrin, 0.03% deltamethrin, 0.4% permethrin, 0.05% propoxur, and 0.5% malathion for 24 h, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A. albopictus is widely distributed in Ningbo City, with a high population density and presents high-level resistance to common pyrethroid insecticides. The population density and insecticide resistance of A. albopictus requires to be reinforced.

[Clinical effects of pedicled omental flap transplantation in repairing secondary rejection wounds after brain pacemaker implantation]

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of pedicled omental flap transplantation in repairing secondary rejection wounds after brain pacemaker implantation. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From January to August 2021, 5 patients with secondary rejection wounds after brain pacemaker implantation who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Wound Repair Center of Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, including 3 males and 2 females, aged 56-69 years, with the wound developed at the pulse generator implantation site in the chest in 2 cases, at the connection site of the wire and electrode behind the ear in 2 cases, and at both the chest and the back of the ear in 1 case. All the wounds were repaired by pedicled omental flap transplantation. The wound area after debridement was 2-15 cm2. After operation, the wound healing and related complications (pain, infection, incisional hernia, omental flap necrosis, etc.) were observed. During follow-up, the recurrence of the wound was observed. Results: The wounds of all 5 patients healed within 2 weeks after operation, without related complications. During follow up of 12-18 months, 1 patient got a recurrence of rejection wound behind the left ear 4 months after surgery and eventually had the brain pacemaker removed; the other 4 patients had no recurrence of wounds. Conclusions: Pedicled omental flap transplantation can repair the secondary rejection wounds after brain pacemaker implantation safely and effectively, with few postoperative complications.

[Humanized anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody as a salvage therapy for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of humanized anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients. Methods: A total of 64 patients with SR-aGVHD between June 2019 and October 2020 in Suchow Hopes Hematology Hospital were enrolled in this study. Humanized anti-CD25 monoclonal antibodies 1 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1) were administered on days 1, 3, and 8, and then once per week according to the disease progression. Efficacy was assessed at days 7, 14, and 28 after humanized anti-CD 25 treatment. Results: Of the 64 patients with a median age of 31 (15-63) years, 38 (59.4%) were male and 26 (40.6%) were female. The overall response (OR) rate of the humanized CD25 monoclonal antibody in 64 patients with SR-aGVHD on days 7, 14, and 28 were 48.4% (31/64), 53.1% (34/64), and 79.7% (51/64), respectively. Liver involvement is an independent risk factor for poor efficacy of humanized CD25 monoclonal antibody for SR-aGVHD at day 28 (OR=9.588, 95% CI 0.004-0.291, P=0.002). The median follow-up time for all patients was 17.1 (0.2-50.8) months from the start of humanized CD25 monoclonal antibody therapy. The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 63.2% (95% CI 57.1% -69.3%) and 52.6% (95% CI 46.1% -59.1%), respectively. The 1- and 2-year DFS rates were 58.4% (95% CI 52.1% -64.7%) and 49.8% (95% CI 43.4% -56.2%), respectively. The 1- and 2-year NRM rates were 28.8% (95% CI 23.1% -34.5%) and 32.9% (95% CI 26.8% -39.0%), respectively. The results of the multifactorial analysis showed that liver involvement (OR=0.308, 95% CI 0.108-0.876, P=0.027) and GVHD grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ (OR=9.438, 95% CI 1.211-73.577, P=0.032) were independent risk factors for OS. Conclusion: Humanized CD25 monoclonal antibody has good efficacy and safety for SR-aGVHD. This study shows that SR-aGVHD with pretreatment grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ GVHD and GVHD involving the liver has poor efficacy and prognosis and requires early intervention.

Electro-optic tunable optical filter based on long-period waveguide grating in lithium niobate on insulator with absorption ribbons

We propose an electro-optic tunable optical filter based on sidewall long period waveguide grating (LPWG) in lithium niobate on insolator (LNOI). The operation of our proposed filter is based on the mode coupling, filtering, and absorption achieved, respectively, with two corrugated sidewall LPWGs, a tapered waveguide, and two metal ribbons. Our typical fabricated devices achieved a 16.32-dB rejection band and an EO tuning efficiency of ∼0.344 nm/V. Our proposed LPWG and filter are compact and could be integrated with other LNOI waveguide devices to realize more sophisticated functions for on-chip optical signal processing.

[The value of cardiac MRI in the risk stratification in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]

Objective: To explore the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in the risk stratification of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods: HCM patients who underwent CMR examination in Fuwai Hospital between March 2012 and May 2013 were retrospectively enrolled. Baseline clinical and CMR data were collected and patient follow-up was performed using telephone contact and medical record. The primary composite endpoint was sudden cardiac death (SCD) or and equivalent event. The secondary composite endpoint was all-cause death and heart transplant. Patients were divided into SCD and non-SCD groups. Cox regression was used to explore risk factors of adverse events. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the performance and the optimal cut-off of late gadolinium enhancement percentage (LGE%) for the prediction of endpoints. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used to compare survival differences between groups. Results: A total of 442 patients were enrolled. Mean age was (48.5±12.4) years and 143(32.4%) were female. At (7.6±2.5) years of follow-up, 30 (6.8%) patients met the primary endpoint including 23 SCD and 7 SCD equivalent events, and 36 (8.1%) patients met the secondary endpoint including 33 all-cause death and 3 heart transplant. In multivariate Cox regression, syncope(HR=4.531, 95%CI 2.033-10.099, P<0.001), LGE% (HR=1.075, 95%CI 1.032-1.120, P=0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HR=0.956, 95%CI 0.923-0.991, P=0.013) were independent risk factors for primary endpoint; Age (HR=1.032, 95%CI 1.001-1.064, P=0.046), atrial fibrillation (HR=2.977, 95%CI 1.446-6.131, P=0.003),LGE% (HR=1.075, 95%CI 1.035-1.116, P<0.001) and LVEF (HR=0.968, 95%CI 0.937-1.000, P=0.047) were independent risk factors for secondary endpoint. ROC curve showed the optimal LGE% cut-offs were 5.1% and 5.8% for the prediction of primary and secondary endpoint, respectively. Patients were further divided into LGE%=0, 0<LGE%<5%, 5%≤LGE%<15% and LGE%≥15% groups. There were significant survival differences between these 4 groups whether for primary endpoint or secondary endpoint (all P<0.001) and the accumulated incidence of primary endpoint was 1.2% (2/161), 2.2% (2/89), 10.5% (16/152) and 25.0% (10/40), respectively. Conclusion: LGE is an independent risk factor for SCD events as well as all-cause death and heart transplant. LGE is of important value in the risk stratification in patients with HCM.

Prediction of university fund revenue and expenditure based on fuzzy time series with a periodic factor

Financial management and decision-making of universities play an essential role in their development. Predicting fund revenue and expenditure of universities can provide a necessary basis for funds risk prevention. For the lack of solid data reference for financial management and funds risk prevention in colleges and universities, this paper presents a prediction model of University fund revenue and expenditure based on fuzzy time series with a periodic factor. Combined with the fuzzy time series, this prediction method introduces the periodic factor of university funds. The periodic factor is used to adjust the proportion of the predicted value of the fuzzy time series and the periodic observation value. A fund revenue prediction model and a fund expenditure prediction model are constructed, and an experiment is carried out with the actual financial data of a university in China. The experimental result shows the effectiveness of the proposed model, which can provide solid references for financial management and funds risk prevention in universities.

The In Situ Preparation of Ni-Zn Ferrite Intercalated Expanded Graphite via Thermal Treatment for Improved Radar Attenuation Property

The composites of expanded graphite (EG) and magnetic particles have good electromagnetic wave attenuation properties in the centimeter band, which is valuable in the field of radar wave interference. In this paper, a novel preparation method of Ni-Zn ferrite intercalated EG (NZF/EG) is provided in order to promote the insertion of Ni-Zn ferrite particles (NZF) into the interlayers of EG. The NZF/EG composite is in situ prepared via thermal treatment of Ni-Zn ferrite precursor intercalated graphite (NZFP/GICs) at 900 °C, where NZFP/GICs is obtained through chemical coprecipitation. The morphology and phase characterization demonstrate the successful cation intercalation and NZF generation in the interlayers of EG. Furthermore, the molecular dynamics simulation shows that the magnetic particles in the EG layers tend to disperse on the EG layers rather than aggregate into larger clusters under the synergy of van der Waals forces, repulsive force, and dragging force. The radar wave attenuation mechanism and performance of NZF/EG with different NZF ratios are analyzed and discussed in the range of 2-18 GHz. The NZF/EG with the NZF ratio at 0.5 shows the best radar wave attenuation ability due to the fact that the dielectric property of the graphite layers is well retained while the area of the heterogeneous interface is increased. Therefore, the as-prepared NZF/EG composites have potential application value in attenuating radar centimeter waves.

The Enzyme Lysine Malonylation of Calvin Cycle and Gluconeogenesis Regulated Glycometabolism in Nostoc flagelliforme to Adapt to Drought Stress

Lysine malonylation (Kmal) is an evolutionarily conserved post-translational modification (PTM) that has been demonstrated to be involved in cellular and organismal metabolism. However, the role that Kmal plays in response to drought stress of the terrestrial cyanobacteria N. flagelliforme is still unknown. In this study, we performed the first proteomic analysis of Kmal in N. flagelliforme under different drought stresses using LC-MS/MS. In total, 421 malonylated lysine residues were found in 236 different proteins. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that these malonylated proteins were highly enriched in several metabolic pathways, including carbon metabolism and photosynthesis. Decreased malonylation levels were found to hinder the reception and transmission of light energy and CO₂ fixation, which led to a decrease in photosynthetic activity. Kmal was also shown to inhibit the flux of the TCA cycle and activate the gluconeogenesis pathway in response to drought stress. Furthermore, malonylated antioxidant enzymes and antioxidants were synergistically involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. Malonylation was involved in lipid degradation and amino acid biosynthesis as part of drought stress adaptation. This work represents the first comprehensive investigation of the role of malonylation in dehydrated N. flagelliforme, providing an important resource for understanding the drought tolerance mechanism of this organism.

[Expression level of miR-199b in human colorectal cancer tissues and its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between miR-199b and clinicopathologic features and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: Cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues of 202 patients with colorectal cancer treated in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from March to December 2011 were collected. Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression level of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues and corresponding adjacent normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test were used for survival analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the prognostic value of miR-199b in colorectal cancer patients. Results: The relative expression level of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues (-7.88±0.11) was lower than that in adjacent normal tissues (-6.49±0.12, P<0.001). The expression level of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues with lymph node metastasis (-7.51±0.14) was higher than that in colorectal cancer tissues without lymph node metastasis (-8.23±0.17, P<0.001). The relative expression levels of miR-199b in stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ colorectal cancer tissues were gradually increased, which were -8.26±0.17, -7.70±0.16 and -6.57±0.27, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The 5-year survival rates of patients with high and low expressions of miR-199b were 75.6% and 84.6%(P=0.045) respectively. ROC curve showed that when miR-199b was -7.965, the area under the curve was 0.578 (95% CI: 0.468, 0.688). Conclusion: The high expression of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues is associated with late TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients, and miR-199b may be used as a potential marker for postoperative progress and prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

Update on the relationship between the SLC4A7 variant rs4973768 and breast cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aimed to update knowledge about the association between the SLC4A7 variant rs4973768 and breast cancer incidence.

METHODS

Studies were identified from relevant digital databases. Fixed- or random-effects models were used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Statistical Q and I² tests and sensitivity analyses were used to detect interstudy heterogeneity and test the statistical stability of overall estimates, respectively. Egger's tests were applied to detect publication bias among included studies. In silico analysis was used to ascertain increased expression of SLC4A7 mRNA in rs4973768 with the mutant allele. Trial sequential analysis was used to calculate the study's sample size.

RESULTS

The overall odds ratios reflected a positive correlation between the SLC4A7 rs4973768 polymorphism and susceptibility to breast cancer in five genetic comparisons of alleles T and C, and tests revealed significant heterogeneity in the allele comparison. After stratification by ethnicity, heterogeneity in Asian and White populations substantially decreased (Ph = 0.984, I² = 0%) and remained stable (Ph = 0.083, I² = 46.3%), respectively. The mutant allele was associated with increased expression of SLC4A7 mRNA in rs4973768. The cumulative z curve indicated that our conclusions were robust.

CONCLUSIONS

Our updated consequence shows that the SLC4A7 rs4973768 polymorphism is associated with increased breast cancer risk.

[Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute leukemia patients with the SET-NUP214 fusion gene: Efficacy and survival analysis]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for patients with acute leukemia who are positive for the SET-NUP214 fusion gene (SET-NUP214⁺AL). Methods: This was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 18 patients with SET-NUP214⁺AL who received allo-HSCT in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and Soochow Hongci Hematology Hospital from December 2014 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed to investigate treatment efficacy and prognosis. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Results: Of the 18 patients, 12 were male and 6 were female, and the median age was 29 years (range, 13-55 years). There were six cases of mixed phenotype acute leukemia (three cases of myeloid/T, two cases of B/T, one case of myeloid/B/T), nine cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (one case of B-ALL and eight cases of T-ALL), and three cases of acute myeloid leukemia. All patients received induction chemotherapy after diagnosis, and 17 patients achieved complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy. All patients subsequently received allo-HSCT. Pre-transplantation status: 15 patients were in the first CR, 1 patient was in the second CR, 1 was in partial remission, and 1 patient did not reach CR. All patients were successfully implanted with stem cells. The median time of granulocyte and platelet reconstitution was +12 and +13 days, respectively. With a median follow-up of 23 (4-80) months, 15 patients survived, while 3 patients died. The cause of death was recurrence of SET-NUP214⁺AL after transplantation. After allo-HSCT, 5 patients relapsed. The estimated 3-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were 83.3%±15.2% and 55.4%±20.7%, respectively. Among the 15 patients who achieved CR before transplantation, there was no significant difference in OS and RFS between haploidentical HSCT and matched sibling donor HSCT (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Allo-HSCT can improve the prognosis and long-term survival rate of patients with SET-NUP214⁺AL. Disease recurrence is the most important factor affecting long-term survival.

Heterogeneous integration of a GaN-based photonic integrated circuit with an Si-based transimpedance amplifier

The heterogeneous integration of a GaN-based photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and an Si-based transimpedance amplifier (TIA) is demonstrated in this work. The monolithic GaN PIC, fabricated from a GaN-on-Si light-emitting diode (LED) wafer, comprises LEDs whose optical outputs are coupled to photodetectors (PD) through suspended waveguides. The PIC chip is mounted onto a printed circuit board together with a TIA chip and two filter chip capacitors, occupying a compact footprint. The components are interconnected directly using wire-bonds to minimize signal delays and attenuation. The integrated system achieves rise and fall times of 2.21 and 2.10 ns, respectively, a transmission delay of 3.54 ns, and a bandwidth exceeding 390 MHz. Transmission of a pseudorandom binary sequence-3 (PRBS-3) signal across the integrated system is also demonstrated at the data transmission rate of 280 Mbit/s with a clearly resolved open eye diagram.

Synchronous Fabrication of Custom One-piece Glass Fiber Post-and-core and Zirconia Crown by a Fully Digital Workflow

Combined crown and post-and-core treatment often requires multiple intermittent appointments and takes a long time. This article describes a novel method for simultaneously fabricating a custom glass fiber post-and-core and the corresponding crown. The critical step, defined as a post-and-core virtual try-in, is to construct a virtual crown abutment that mimics the profile of a real one gained after post-cementation and tooth preparation. The fully digital workflow optimizes the treatment and saves time by accomplishing restorations on the first visit.

[Reclassification of flat type sudden deafness]

Objective: To reclassify the flat type sudden deafness according to the types of audiogram shape, and to explore the correlation between different pattern of hearing loss and prognosis. Methods: All of 1 024 patients with unilateral sudden deafness (492 males and 532 females, aged from 19 to 65 years, with an average age of 41.2 years old) admitted to 33 hospitals nationwide from August 2007 to October 2011 were divided into four types according to Chinese Guideline of Sudden Deafness(2015): low-frequency, high-frequency, flat and total deafness. Then, 402 patients with flat type sudden deafness were further divided into ascending type, descending type and consistent type according to the audiogram shapes. First, we compared the clinical characteristics and prognosis among these three subtypes of flat deafness, then compared the clinical characteristics and prognosis between ascending flat deafness and low-frequency deafness, descending flat deafness and high-frequency deafness, consistent flat deafness and total deafness, explored the factors related to the prognosis of flat deafness. SPSS 21.0 software, ANOVA, χ² test, t-test and Logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The cure rates of flat ascending, flat descending and flat consistent sudden deafness groups were 70.7%, 17.1% and 34.0% respectively, with a statistically significant difference (χ²=33.984, P<0.001); However, there was no significant difference in age, sex and affected side (all P>0.05). The independent related factors for the recovery of flat type sudden deafness were as follows: whether there was dizziness [OR=0.459; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.271-0.777], the type of audiogram shape (OR=0.721; 95%CI: 0.530-0.981), and days from onset to therapy (OR=0.903, 95%CI: 0.835-0.978), all of which had P values<0.05. There was no significant difference in the cure rates between ascending flat sudden deafness and low-frequency descending sudden deafness, descending flat sudden deafness and high-frequency descending sudden deafness (all P>0.05). The pure tone average(PTA) of flat consistent sudden deafness and total deafness were (69.1±18.9) and (101.7±17.7) dB HL, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (t=20.890, P<0.001), and the cure rates were 34.0% and 14.5%, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (χ²=29.012, P<0.001). Conclusion: According to the audiogram shape, the flat type sudden deafness can be further divided into ascending flat sudden deafness, descending flat sudden deafness and consistent flat sudden deafness, which can more effectively evaluate the prognosis. The cure rate of ascending flat sudden deafness is similar to that of low-frequency sudden deafness, and the prognosis is well; The cure rate of descending flat sudden deafness is similar to that of high-frequency descending sudden deafness, and the prognosis is poor. The cure rate of consistent flat sudden deafness is higher than that of total deafness. PTA plays an important role in the prognosis of consistent flat sudden deafness and total deafness. Total deafness can be regarded as a single type of sudden deafness.

The role of mitochondrial fission in intervertebral disc degeneration

Low back pain (LBP) is an extremely common disorder and is a major cause of disability globally. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the main contributor to LBP. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of IVDD remain unclear. Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that continuously undergo fusion and fission, known as mitochondrial dynamics. Accumulating evidence has revealed that aberrantly activated mitochondrial fission leads to mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction, which are involved in the development and progression of IVDD. To date, research into mitochondrial dynamics in IVDD is at an early stage. The present narrative review aims to summarize the most recent findings about the role of mitochondrial fission in the pathogenesis of IVDD.

Meta-analysis of downregulated E-cadherin as a diagnostic biomarker for cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

Downregulation of E-cadherin function or expression has been implicated in the progression of cervical cancer. This meta-analysis of updated publications was performed to assess the association of expression alteration of E-cadherin with disease severity and then to determine the diagnostic accuracy of E-cadherin in discriminating cervical lesions including cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 1 (CIN1), CIN grade 2 (CIN2), CIN grade 3 (CIN3), and cervical cancer.

METHODS

The articles published from inception to January 2021 were searched in PubMed, EBSCO, CNKI, and WanFang Database and then evaluated according to the criteria of meta-analysis. The eligible studies were retrieved and further analyzed. A bivariate mixed effects binary regression model was applied to determine pooled effect estimates.

RESULTS

16 studies with 2436 subjects from 7 countries were eligible for this meta-analysis. When compared with CIN1 control, the pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association of E-cadherin positivity with CIN2, CIN3, and cervical cancer were 0.34 (95% CI 0.23-0.51), 0.23 (95% CI 0.10-0.54), and 0.10 (95% CI 0.07-0.14), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for CIN3 or worse were 0.60 (95% CI 0.48-0.70) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.73-0.88) respectively, with the AUC of 0.78 (95% CI 0.74-0.82). Similar performance was found in CIN2 or worse.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrated that the loss of E-cadherin protein was associated with worsened cervical lesions. E-cadherin might serve as a promising diagnostic biomarker to facilitate the discrimination of precancerous and cancerous lesions.

[Prevalence and risk factors of hookworm infections among vegetable growers in Anhui Province from 2018 to 2019]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of hookworm infections among vegetable growers in Anhui Province, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the control strategy and interventions for hookworm human infections.

METHODS

A total of 1 179 vegetable growers were randomly sampled from 7 counties in Anhui province according to the natural ecological function areas in 2018 and 2019, and the basic features and risk factors of hookworm infections were collected from all subjects using a self-designed questionnaire, including living environment, vegetable planting and fertilization, type of household crops, animal feeding, hygiene and labor habits. In addition, stool samples were collected from all participants, and each stool sample was subjected to twice tests with the Kato-Katz technique. The risk factors of hookworm infections were identified among vegetable growers with the Bayesian log-binomial regression model.

RESULTS

The prevalence of hookworm infection was 3.90% among the 1 179 vegetable growers. The prevalence of hookworm infection was 10.07% (15/149) among unemployed subjects, 5.32% (31/583) among farmers, and 0 among full-time vegetable growers (0/377) and subjects with other occupations (0/70), and there was a significant difference among subjects in terms of occupation (χ²=36.37, P < 0.01). Bayesian log-binomial regression analysis showed that fertilization with human feces [relative risk (RR)=18.25, 95% confidence interval (CI): (4.31, 77.17)], barefoot labor in vegetable fields [RR=2.86, 95% CI: (1.43, 5.70)], and living in plain ecological areas along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River [RR=4.19, 95% CI: (1.19, 14.81)] were independent risk factors of hookworm infections among vegetable growers. Stratified analysis showed that fertilization with human feces, barefoot labor in vegetable fields, drinking well water or mountain spring, and living in plain ecological areas along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River were independent risk factors of hookw, orm infection among farmers, and living in plain ecological areas along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and growing rice were independent risk factors of hookw, orm infection among unemployed individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of hookworm infection is high among vegetable growers in Anhui Province, and fertilization with human feces, barefoot labor in vegetable fields and living in plain ecological areas along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are risk factors of hookw, orm infections among vegetable growers.

Relationship between Social Support, Sarcopenia, and Cognitive Impairment in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Cognitive impairment and sarcopenia have become important challenges for the growing aging population. Social support has been shown to protect against cognitive impairment, but its impact on sarcopenia remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the correlation between social support, sarcopenia, and cognitive impairment in Chinese older adults.

METHOD

A multi-stage whole group sampling method was used to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 720 community-dwelling older people in Shanghai. The definition of sarcopenia was in accordance with the criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019. Cognitive impairment was evaluated using a computerized neuropsychological assessment device that had been previously validated. Social support was assessed using the Social Support Rate Scale. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between social support cognitive impairment and sarcopenia, fully adjusting for all potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Our study found that 230 (31.94%) of the participants had cognitive impairment and 97 (13.47%) of the participants had sarcopenia. The mean social support score was 35.10 ± 7.54. Besides, the results showed that cognitive impairment was associated with sarcopenia (OR:1.650, 95% CI: 1.048, 2.596, P=0.030) after adjusting for confounding factors. Older adults with high level social support had the lowest risk of cognitive impairment (OR: 0.297, 95% CI: 0.115, 0.680, P=0.021) and sarcopenia (OR: 0.113, 95% CI: 0.031, 0.407, P=0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis revealed that high level social support was negatively associated with sarcopenia and cognitive impairment. These findings provide strong support for the health promotion effect of social networks against sarcopenia and cognitive impairment in Chinese community-dwelling older adults, with important implications for healthcare policy makers.

iACP-GE: accurate identification of anticancer peptides by using gradient boosting decision tree and extra tree

Cancer is one of the main diseases threatening human life, accounting for millions of deaths around the world each year. Traditional physical and chemical methods for cancer treatment are extremely time-consuming, lab-intensive, expensive, inefficient and difficult to be applied in a high-throughput way. Hence, it is an urgent task to develop automated computational methods to enable fast and accurate identification of anticancer peptides (ACPs). In this paper, we develop a novel model named iACP-GE to identify ACPs. Multi-features are extracted by using binary encoding, enhanced grouped amino acid composition and BLOSUM62 encoding based on the N5C5 sequence, as well as detrended forward moving-average auto-cross correlation analysis based on physicochemical properties of 20 natural amino acids. Thus, 835 features are obtained for each sample, in order to avoid information redundancy, gradient boosting decision tree was adopted as the feature selection strategy. Then, the optimal feature subset is input to the extra tree classifier. The accuracies of ACP740 and ACP240 datasets with the 5-fold cross-validation were 90.54% and 91.25%, respectively. Experimental results indicate that iACP-GE significantly outperforms several existing models on ACP740 and ACP240 datasets and can be used as an effective tool for the identification of ACPs. The datasets and source codes for iACP-GE are available at https://github.com/yunyunliang88/iACP-GE.

Factors influencing physical inactivity status among chinese pregnant women: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Regular prenatal physical activity provides numerous health benefits to both mother and fetus. However, little is known about the physical activity status of pregnant women in China and whether they meet the current guidelines for prenatal physical activity. The aims of the study were to assess physical inactivity status and associated factors among pregnant women in Shanghai, China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 1636 pregnant women were recruited at a tertiary obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Shanghai. Maternal sociodemographic characteristics and health information were obtained using structured questionnaires or from the electronic medical records. Physical inactivity status was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Factors pertinent to physical inactivity were identified by binary logistic regression and were reported with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software package.

RESULTS

In total, the prevalence of physical inactivity was 47.5%. Walking was the main form of physical activity and only 2.8% of the pregnant women achieved the goal of at least 150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly. Multivariate logistic regression identified a significant negative association of physical inactivity with personal monthly income (adjusted OR 0.648, 95% CI 0.505-0.831), engagement in regular exercise before pregnancy (adjusted OR 0.575, 95% CI 0.464-0.711) and in the second (adjusted OR 0.534, 95% CI 0.411-0.693) or third (adjusted OR 0.615, 95% CI 0.470-0.806) trimester of pregnancy. Women with nausea or vomiting during pregnancy were more likely to be physically inactive during pregnancy (adjusted OR 1.307, 95% CI 1.002-1.705).

CONCLUSION

Physical inactivity is highly prevalent among pregnant women in China. Further efforts should be taken to overcome the barriers to prenatal physical activity and to promote moderate- to vigorous-intensity activities among Chinese pregnant women.

[The peripheral blood inflammatory markers in Ménière's disease patients with and without migraine]

Objective: To investigate the peripheral blood inflammatory markers including white blood cell count (WBC), monocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein and fibrinogen (FIB) in Ménière's disease (MD) patients with and without migraine, and to explore the relationship between the inflammatory response with MD and migraine. Methods: The general physical condition, clinical manifestations, pure-tone audiometry, and peripheral blood inflammatory markers of 92 unilateral MD patients who were hospitalized in Peking University People's Hospital for surgical treatment from January 2017 to January 2021 were continuously collected. Meanwhile, 50 healthy controls matched with age and sex were included, and their general physical conditions and peripheral blood inflammatory markers were also collected. This study consisted of two parts. First, the differences in epidemical characteristics and peripheral blood inflammatory markers between MD patients and healthy controls were compared by univariate analysis. Second, all 92 MD patients were divided into two subgroups according to whether they were accompanied by migraine. The clinical characteristics and peripheral blood inflammatory markers of MD patients with and without migraine were compared by univariate analysis. Thereafter, binary Logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors of whether MD patients were accompanied with migraine. Results: Compared with the healthy control group, the peripheral blood WBC, neutrophils and FIB of MD patients were significantly increased (all P<0.05). Compared with MD patients without migraine, MD patients with migraine had higher female prevalence, longer disease history, lower low-frequency hearing threshold, higher frequency of vertigo attacks and higher HDL-C levels (all P<0.05), meanwhile, female, frequency of vestibular attacks and HDL-C were independent related factors of whether MD patients were accompanied with migraine. Conclusion: The occurrence of MD and migraine may be related to the inflammatory response. The level of anti-inflammatory factors in the blood of MD patients with migraine are higher, suggesting that the inflammatory response status of MD patients with and without migraine is different.