Disrupted sleep-wake regulation in the MCI-Park mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Disrupted sleep has a profound adverse impact on lives of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and their caregivers. Sleep disturbances are exceedingly common in PD, with substantial heterogeneity in type, timing, and severity. Among the most common sleep-related symptoms reported by PD patients are insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, and sleep fragmentation, characterized by interruptions and decreased continuity of sleep. Alterations in brain wave activity, as measured on the electroencephalogram (EEG), also occur in PD, with changes in the pattern and relative contributions of different frequency bands of the EEG spectrum to overall EEG activity in different vigilance states consistently observed. The mechanisms underlying these PD-associated sleep-wake abnormalities are poorly understood, and they are ineffectively treated by conventional PD therapies. To help fill this gap in knowledge, a new progressive model of PD - the MCI-Park mouse - was studied. Near the transition to the parkinsonian state, these mice exhibited significantly altered sleep-wake regulation, including increased wakefulness, decreased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, increased sleep fragmentation, reduced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and altered EEG activity patterns. These sleep-wake abnormalities resemble those identified in PD patients. Thus, this model may help elucidate the circuit mechanisms underlying sleep disruption in PD and identify targets for novel therapeutic approaches.

Two Point Mutations in CYP4CE1 Promoter Contributed to the Differential Regulation of CYP4CE1 Expression by FoxO between Susceptible and Nitenpyram-Resistant Nilaparvata lugens

Four P450s were reported to be important for imidacloprid resistance in Nilaparvata lugens, a major insect pest on rice, which was confirmed in this study in an imidacloprid-resistant strain (ImiR). Here we found that only two (CYP4CE1 and CYP6ER1) from these four P450 genes were overexpressed in a nitenpyram-resistant strain (NitR) when compared to a susceptible strain (SUS). CYP4CE1 RNAi reduced nitenpyram and imidacloprid resistance in NitR and ImiR strains, with a greater reduction in nitenpyram resistance. The transcription factor FoxO mediated nitenpyram resistance in NitR and ImiR strains, but it was not differentially expressed among strains. The potential reason for the differential regulation of FoxO on CYP4CE1 expression was mainly from sequence differences in the CYP4CE1 promoter between susceptible and resistant insects. In six FoxO response elements predicted in the CYP4CE1 promoter, the single-nucleotide polymorphisms were frequently detected in over 50% of NitR and ImiR individuals. The luciferase reporter assays showed that two mutations, -650T/G and -2205T/A in two response elements at the positions of -648 and -2200 bp, mainly contributed to the enhanced regulation on CYP4CE1 expression by FoxO in resistant insects. The frequency was over 69% for both -650T/G and -2205T/A detected in NitR and ImiR individuals but less than 20% in SUS insects. In conclusion, CYP4CE1 overexpression importantly contributed to nitenpyram resistance in N. lugens, and two mutations in the CYP4CE1 promoter of resistant insects led to an enhanced regulation on CYP4CE1 expression by FoxO.

Genotype-phenotype relationship and comparison between eastern and western patients with osteogenesis imperfecta

PURPOSE

To evaluate the genotypic and phenotypic relationship in a large cohort of OI patients and to compare the differences between eastern and western OI cohorts.

METHODS

A total of 671 OI patients were included. Pathogenic mutations were identified, phenotypic information was collected, and relationships between genotypes and phenotypes were analyzed. Literature about western OI cohorts was searched, and differences were compared between eastern and western OI cohorts.

RESULTS

A total of 560 OI patients were identified as carrying OI pathogenic mutations, and the positive detection rate of disease-causing gene mutations was 83.5%. Mutations in 15 OI candidate genes were identified, with COL1A1 (n = 308, 55%) and COL1A2 (n = 164, 29%) being the most common mutations, and SERPINF1 and WNT1 being the most common biallelic variants. Of the 414 probands, 48.8, 16.9, 29.2 and 5.1% had OI types I, III, IV and V, respectively. Peripheral fracture was the most common phenotype (96.6%), and femurs (34.7%) were most commonly affected. Vertebral compression fracture was observed in 43.5% of OI patients. Biallelic or COL1A2 mutation led to more bone deformities and poorer mobility than COL1A1 mutation (all P < 0.05). Glycine substitution of COL1A1 or COL1A2 or biallelic variants led to more severe phenotypes than haploinsufficiency of collagen type I α chains, which induced the mildest phenotypes. Although the gene mutation spectrum varied among countries, the fracture incidence was similar between eastern and western OI cohorts.

CONCLUSION

The findings are valuable for accurate diagnosis and treatment of OI, mechanism exploration and prognosis judgment. Genetic profiles of OI may vary among races, but the mechanism needs to be explored.

Disturbed white matter integrity on diffusion tensor imaging in young children with epilepsy

AIM

To evaluate whether abnormalities in white matter (WM) integrity are present in young children with epilepsy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve children (3-6 years old) with epilepsy and six matched healthy controls were recruited for brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Track-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to analyse and compare DTI indices of mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), axial and radial diffusivity (AD/RD) between patients and controls, and correlations between clinical variables and DTI parameters were analysed.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, patients showed increased FA in the left superior corona radiata and increased AD in the bilateral superior corona radiata. In children with generalised epilepsy, FA was increased in the left external capsule, while AD was decreased in the body of the corpus callosum, the left external capsule and the left superior longitudinal fasciculus. In those with focal epilepsy, FA was increased in the genu and body of the corpus callosum, and RD was decreased in the genu of the corpus callosum and left external capsule. Compared with partial epilepsy, generalised epilepsy was associated with increased FA in the right anterior corona radiata and decreased RD in the right anterior corona radiata and the genu and body of the corpus callosum. No significant correlations were observed between clinical variables and DTI parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that the microstructure of the white matter is disturbed by epileptic discharges and a compensatory response occurs during early brain development.

The salivary chaperone protein NlDNAJB9 of Nilaparvata lugens activates plant immune responses

The brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) is a main pest on rice. It secretes saliva to regulate plant defense responses, when penetrating rice plant and sucking phloem sap through its stylet. However, the molecular mechanisms of BPH salivary proteins regulating plant defense responses remain poorly understood. A N. lugens DNAJ protein (NlDNAJB9) gene was highly expressed in salivary glands, and the knock down of NlDNAJB9 significantly enhanced honeydew excretion and fecundity of the BPH. NlDNAJB9 could induce plant cell death, and the overexpression of NlDNAJB9 gene in Nicotiana benthamiana induced calcium signaling, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, jasmonic acid (JA) hormone signaling and callose deposition. The results from different NlDNAJB9 deletion mutants indicated that the nuclear localization of NlDNAJB9 was not necessary to induce cell death. The DNAJ domain was the key region to induce cell death, and the overexpression of DNAJ domain in N. benthamiana significantly inhibited insect feeding and pathogenic infection. NlDNAJB9 might interact indirectly with NlHSC70-3 to regulate plant defense responses. NlDNAJB9 and its orthologs were highly conserved in three planthopper species, and could induce ROS burst and cell death in plants. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of insect-plant interactions.

Multi-mode heterodyne laser interferometry realized via software defined radio

The agile generation and control of multiple optical frequency modes combined with the realtime processing of multi-mode data provides access to experimentation in domains such as optomechanical systems, optical information processing, and multi-mode spectroscopy. The latter, specifically spectroscopy of spectral-hole burning (SHB), has motivated our development of a multi-mode heterodyne laser interferometric scheme centered around a software-defined radio platform for signal generation and processing, with development in an entirely open-source environment. A challenge to SHB is the high level of shot noise due to the laser power constraint imposed by the spectroscopic sample. Here, we have demonstrated the production, detection, and separation of multiple optical frequency modes to the benefit of optical environment sensing for realtime phase noise subtraction as well as shot noise reduction through multi-mode averaging. This has allowed us to achieve improved noise performance in low-optical-power interferometry. Although our target application is laser stabilization via SHB in cryogenic temperature rare-earth doped crystals, these techniques may be employed in a variety of different contexts.

The transcription factor CREB3-2 regulated neutral lipase gene expression in ovary of Nilaparvata lugens

The cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein 3 (CREB3) members have unique regulatory roles in cellular lipid metabolism as transcription factors. Two CREB3 proteins in Nilaparvata lugens were identified and analyzed. In ovary, when silencing NlCREB3-2, triacylglycerol (TAG) content dramatically increased but glycerol and free fatty acid (FFA) significantly decreased, which implicated that NlCREB3-2 was involved in the lipase-related TAG metabolism. In N. lugens, five neutral lipases with complete features for TAG hydrolytic activity and high expression in ovary were focused. Among them, the expression levels of three neutral lipase genes were significantly down-regulated by NlCREB3-2 RNAi. The direct regulation of NlCREB3-2 towards the three neutral lipase genes was evidenced by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. After jointly silencing three neutral lipase genes, TAG and glycerol contents displayed similar changes as NlCREB3-2 RNAi. The study proved that NlCREB3-2 participated in TAG metabolism in ovary via the direct activation towards the ovary-specific neutral lipase genes.

A comprehensive analysis of LINC00958 as a prognostic biomarker for head and neck squamous cell carcinomaLi et al

This work focused on exploring whether the long intergenic non-protein coding RNA LINC00958 is associated with the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Associations of the LINC00958 expression level with clinicopathological features of HNSCC were investigated by logistic regression and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to evaluate patient survival. Clinical data and expression profiles were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Associations of patient clinical characteristics with overall survival (OS), progression-free interval (PFI), and disease-specific survival (DSS) were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model. Immune cell infiltration analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were applied to determine any significant effects of LINC00958. High LINC00958 expression was related to early pT stage (P < 0.01), primary therapy outcome (P < 0.01), HPV status (P < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (P < 0.001), and perineural invasion (P < 0.01). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed strong prognostic power for LINC00958 (area under curve = 0.886). High LINC00958 expression predicted poor OS (P = 0.007), DSS (P = 0.036), and PFI (P = 0.040). LINC00958 was related to signalling pathways and the infiltration of certain immune cells. miR-27b-5p was significantly associated with LINC00958, and downstream NT5E predicted poor survival in HNSCC cases. LINC00958 may affect the prognosis by regulating NT5E via miR-27b-5p, and could serve as a possible factor to predict the prognosis of HNSCC, especially oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Prediction of synchronous distant metastasis of primary pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma using the radiomics features derived from 18F-FDG PET and MRI

AIM

To explore the potential of the joint radiomics analysis of positron-emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of primary tumours for predicting the risk of synchronous distant metastasis (SDM) in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

18F-FDG PET and MRI images of PDAC patients from January 2011 to December 2020 were collected retrospectively. Patients (n=66) who received 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI were included in a development group. Patients (n=25) scanned with hybrid PET/MRI were incorporated in an external test group. A radiomics signature was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm to select PET-MRI radiomics features of primary PDAC tumours. A radiomics nomogram was developed by combining the radiomics signature and important clinical indicators using univariate and multivariate analysis to assess patients' metastasis risk. The nomogram was verified with the employment of an external test group.

RESULTS

Regarding the development cohort, the radiomics nomogram was found to be better for predicting the risk of distant metastasis (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.93, sensitivity: 87%, specificity: 85%) than the clinical model (AUC: 0.70, p<0.001; sensitivity:70%, specificity: 65%) and the radiomics signature (AUC: 0.89, p>0.05; sensitivity: 65%, specificity:100%). Concerning the external test cohort, the radiomics nomogram yielded an AUC of 0.85.

CONCLUSION

PET-MRI based radiomics analysis exhibited effective prediction of the risk of SDM for preoperative PDAC patients and may offer complementary information and provide hints for cancer staging.

Potential Predictive Value of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Magnetic Resonance for Xerostomia of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Xerostomia, caused by radiation-induced parotid damage, is the most commonly reported complications of radiotherapy (RT) to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aimed to evaluate the value of IVIM MR in monitoring radiation parotid gland damage and predicting the risk of xerostomia.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 54 patients were enrolled and underwent IVIM MR scans at before RT, after the fifth fraction, halfway through the course of RT, and at the end of radiotherapy. The parameters of IVIM MR include pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), and pure diffusion coefficient (D). The degree of xerostomia in NPC patients was assessed before each MR examination using the acute radiation morbidity scoring criteria proposed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). Concurrently, the time when the patient first reported suffering from xerostomia was recorded. The IVIM parameters trend throughout the RT, and the relationships between IVIM parameters and xerostomia, were analyzed.

RESULTS

All of the IVIM parameters increased from pre-RT to post-RT significantly (all p < 0.001). The increase rate of D from pre-RT to halfway through the RT was 32.61%, which was significantly higher than 15.64% from halfway to post-RT (p<0.001), indicating that cell necrosis in the first half of treatment is significantly higher than that in the second half. Both D* and F had significantly increased from pre-RT to halfway through the radiotherapy (p<0.001), with an increase rate of 19.58% and 29.38%, respectively. However, no significant increase was observed from Halfway to post-RT (p>0.05), with an increase rate of 4.10% and 8.30%, respectively. This may be due to radiation-induced vasculitic dilation that is significant in the first half of the radiotherapy but plateaus in the second half. Pre-D (OR = 23.85; 95% CI = 2.39, 237.82; p = .007) and pre-D* (OR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.63, 0.91; p = 0.003) are independent influencing factors for xerostomia at 3 months after the completion of RT. D and F were significantly higher after the fifth fraction compared with Pre-RT (both p<0.05), respectively increased 31.25% and 25.16%. D* increase by 15% (p = 0.081). IVIM scans can assess parotid gland damage early. And the average time of parotid damage underwent IVIM scan was 5.99 ± 0.84 (day), much earlier than 11.84 ± 2.74 (day) according to RTOG.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicates that IVIM MR can dynamically monitor radiotherapy-induced parotid gland damage, and much earlier and objectively than RTOG.

Fibulin-1 Regulates Initiation of Successional Dental Lamina

In humans, teeth are replaced only once, and the successional dental lamina (SDL) of the permanent tooth is maintained in a quiescent state until adolescence. Recently, we showed that biomechanical stress generated by the rapid growth of the deciduous tooth inhibits SDL development via integrin β1-RUNX2 signaling at embryonic day 60 (E60) in miniature pigs. However, the mechanism by which RUNX2 regulates SDL initiation within the SDL stem cell niche remains unclear. In the current study, we transcriptionally profiled single cells from SDL and surrounding mesenchyme at E60 and identified the landscape of cellular heterogeneity. We then identified a specific fibroblast subtype in the dental follicle mesenchyme between the deciduous tooth and the SDL of the permanent tooth (DFDP), which constitutes the inner part of the niche (deciduous tooth side). Compared with traditional dental follicle cells, the specific expression profile of DFDP was identified and found to be related to biomechanical stress. Subsequently, we found that RUNX2 could bind to the enhancer regions of Fbln1 (gene of fibulin-1), one of the marker genes for DFDP. Through gain- and loss-of-function experiments, we proved that the biomechanical stress-mediated RUNX2-fibulin-1 axis inhibits the initiation of SDL by maintaining SDL niche homeostasis.

Robust Radiosensitization by Combined Treatment of Cancer Cells with Talazoparib and Polθ Inhibitors

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The PARP inhibitor talazoparib is synthetically lethal with HR-defective tumors and functions as a potent radiosensitizer specifically of cancer cells. Talazoparib exerts this unique radiosensitizing property by shifting ionizing radiation (IR)-induced DNA double strand break (DSB) repair towards error-prone alternative end-joining (alt-EJ). DNA polymerase theta (Polθ, encoded by POLQ) is a key component of alt-EJ. Here, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of alt-EJ with Polθ ablation or using specific small molecule inhibitors can further increase talazoparib-induced radiosensitization.

MATERIALS/METHODS

U2OS, A549, and their corresponding POLQ ablated/mutant cell lines were treated with talazoparib and/or Polθ inhibitors ART558/novobiocin prior to irradiation. siRNAs against CtIP, MRE11, EXO1; and a specific inhibitor of DNA2 were employed to suppress DNA end resection. Radiosensitization was assessed by clonogenic survival. Olaparib, rucaparib, and veliparib were also tested under similar conditions. DSB repair and end resection were measured by scoring γH2AX and RPA nuclear foci, respectively. Chromosomal abnormalities were assessed using G2-specific cytogenetics analysis.

RESULTS

Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of Polθ robustly enhanced talazoparib mediated radiosensitization by ∼40-70%. Notably, Polθ inhibition had a much lower effect (by ∼7-17%) when combined with other clinically used PARP inhibitors, olaparib, rucaparib, and veliparib. Polθ inhibition significantly suppressed talazoparib-induced translocation formation in irradiated cells. In addition, combined treatment with Polθ inhibitor and talazoparib attenuated DSB repair, resulting in ∼60% unresolved γH2AX foci and ∼40% unresolved chromatid breaks at 5h post IR. Talazoparib promoted resection of DNA ends as demonstrated by an increase in RPA foci. The resection process requires the activities of CtIP and MRE11, but not of DNA2 or EXO1. Finally, CtIP and MRE11 knockdown impaired radiosensitization following a combined talazoparib/Polθ inhibition treatment.

CONCLUSION

Talazoparib increases the reliance of irradiated cancer cells on Polθ-mediated alt-EJ owing to the increased CtIP/MRE11-dependent resection it produces. Combining talazoparib with Polθ inhibitors has therefore great potential in improving radiotherapy of human tumors.

Effect of MTA3 Inhibition of Glutamine Synthetase-Mediated Glutaminolysis on Radiosensitivity of Patients with Esophageal Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Metastasis-associated protein 3 (MTA3) can serve as a tumor suppressor in many cancer types. However, the role of MTA3 in radiosensitivity of patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) remains unclear. We thus investigated the function of MTA3 in radiosensitivity for ESCC, one of the most common digestive cancers.

MATERIALS/METHODS

The colony formation assay and nude mice xenograft tumor assay were performed to investigate the effect of MTA3 on radiosensitivity in ESCC. Glutamine consumption assay kit and glutamate production assay kit were used to assess the glutaminolysis. Glutaminase (GLS) Activity Assay Kit and Glutamine Synthetase (GS) Activity Assay Kit were used to analyze the activity of specific metabolic enzymes dominate glutaminolysis. The regulatory mechanism of glutaminolysis by MTA3 was confirmed using Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and Gaussia luciferase assay. The expression levels of MTA3 and GS in ESCC primary tissues were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Survival curves were plotted with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test.

RESULTS

The colony formation assay showed that MTA3 depletion and overexpression caused significantly higher and lower clonogenic survival after different doses of irradiation (IR), respectively. When these cells were subcutaneously injected into nude mice, the tumors derived from the cells with MTA3 overexpression and MTA3 knockdown were significantly smaller and bigger after IR, respectively. These findings suggest that MTA3 can enhance radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, overexpressed and knockdown MTA3 can repress and expedite glutamine consumption and glutamate production uniformly, respectively. To determine how MTA3 acts on glutaminolysis, the activity of two specific metabolic enzymes dominate this metabolism, GS and GLS, were evaluated. It found that overexpressed and knockdown MTA3 can restrain and enhance the activity of GS, respectively, but have less effect on GLS. Moreover, the decreased radiosensitivity mediated by MTA3 knockdown is significantly increased when treated with GS inhibitor, suggesting that GS plays a crucial role in MTA3-mediated radiosensitivity enhancement. Mechanistically, Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and Gaussia luciferase assay showed that MTA3 was recruited to the promoter of GS and suppressed GS transcription. However, knockdown of GATA3 abolished MTA3's repressive effect on GS and inhibited the MTA3's occupation on the promoter region of GS. These results collectively demonstrated that, in ESCC cells, MTA3 is recruited by GATA3 to inhibit GS expression, then ultimately represses glutaminolysis and enhances radiosensitivity. Finally, we showed that the ESCC patients in the MTA3low/GShigh group is significantly associated with shorter overall survival.

CONCLUSION

MTA3 is capable of enhancing radiosensitivity through downregulating GS and MTA3low/GShigh might be a potential prognostic factor for ESCC patients.

[Progress in the application of alveolar organoids in common lung diseases]

Organoids are tissue cultures formed by culturing cells in three-dimensional environments that simulate the physiological or pathological conditions of the human body. The cultivation of organoids is used to study the temporal and spatial transformation of cells during the development of tissues or organs, to investigate changes in cellular functions and inter-communications caused by various risk factors, and to discover potential therapeutic targets. This article provided an overview of the cultivation and identification methods of alveolar organoids, as well as the research progress in their application to common respiratory diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, viral pneumonia, and so on. The limitations and future applications of alveolar organoids are also analyzed and discussed.

Van der Waals isotope heterostructures for engineering phonon polariton dispersions

Element isotopes are characterized by distinct atomic masses and nuclear spins, which can significantly influence material properties. Notably, however, isotopes in natural materials are homogenously distributed in space. Here, we propose a method to configure material properties by repositioning isotopes in engineered van der Waals (vdW) isotopic heterostructures. We showcase the properties of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) isotopic heterostructures in engineering confined photon-lattice waves-hyperbolic phonon polaritons. By varying the composition, stacking order, and thicknesses of h10BN and h11BN building blocks, hyperbolic phonon polaritons can be engineered into a variety of energy-momentum dispersions. These confined and tailored polaritons are promising for various nanophotonic and thermal functionalities. Due to the universality and importance of isotopes, our vdW isotope heterostructuring method can be applied to engineer the properties of a broad range of materials.

[Long-term prevention and control effects of orthokeratology lenses designed for small treatment zones on children and adolescents with myopia]

Objective: To explore the characteristics of orthokeratology lenses designed for small correction zones and their effectiveness and safety in long-term prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents. Methods: It was a prospective cohort study that included myopic children and adolescents who received corneal reshaping treatment at the Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University between January 2019 and May 2020. The patients were randomly divided into two groups using computer-generated randomization, and were fitted with corneal reshaping lenses with small treatment zones and conventional designs, respectively. The uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, refractive error, and axial length were measured before and after 6, 12, and 18 months of wearing the lenses. Corneal topography with the Pentacam was also performed, and the area and diameter of the corneal treatment zone were calculated using the Matlab software. Results: A total of 60 myopic patients (60 eyes) were enrolled, including 29 males and 31 females, with an age of (10.40±1.01) years and a spherical equivalent of (-2.88±0.42) D. There were 30 cases in the small correction zone group and 30 cases in the conventional group. There was no significant difference in uncorrected visual acuity and spherical equivalent between the two groups at each time point after treatment. The axial growth in the conventional group was (0.16±0.09) mm at 6 months after treatment, (0.28±0.17) mm at 12 months, and (0.37±0.20) mm at 18 months, whereas in the small treatment zone group it was (0.06±0.05) mm, (0.12±0.10) mm, and (0.18±0.14) mm, respectively. The myopia progression rate in the small treatment zone group was only 37.50%, 42.86%, and 48.64% of the conventional group at 6, 12, and 18 months, respectively. Corneal topography showed that the treatment area in the conventional group was (6.98±0.89) mm², while in the small treatment zone group it decreased by 23.2% [(5.36±0.73) mm²] (P<0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that the axial increase after 18 months of lens wearing was negatively correlated with the age before lens wearing (P<0.05), positively correlated with the corneal surface treatment zone size (P<0.05), and not correlated with the pupil diameter and spherical equivalent (all P>0.05). After the shaping treatment, the rate of adverse reaction, which was mild, in both groups was 10%, and the symptoms disappeared. Conclusion: Orthokeratology lenses with smaller treatment zones can significantly reduce the rate of axial length growth in children and adolescents compared to lenses with conventional treatment zones, without compromising treatment safety.

[Burden of non-communicable diseases attributable to population aging in China, 1990‒2050]

Objective: The direction and intensity of population aging on the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in China from 1990 to 2019 were analyzed, and the burden of NCDs in 2050 was predicted. Methods: The disease-specific disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) in the Chinese population from 1990 to 2019 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study.The differences in indicators from 1990 to 2019 were attributed to the contribution of age structure, population size, and all other causes. The Bayesian age-time-cohort models were used to predict DALYs from NCDs to 2050. Results: The absolute level of DALYs caused by NCDs increased by 7.460 million from 1990 to 2019, and the age structure contributed 186.0% (95% Uncertainty Intervals (UIs): 178.4%-193.6%), population size contributed 77.0% (95% UIs: 69.5%-80.8%), all other causes contributed -163.0% (95% UIs:-163.1%- -159.3%). DALYs caused by NCDs consist of 2.527 million YLLs and 4.934 million YLDs, in which the contribution of age structure to YLLs and YLDs was 414.6% (95% UIs: 396.2%-432.5%) and 69.1% (95% UIs: 66.7%-71.4%), respectively. From 2019 to 2050, the diseases with increased DALYs due to changes in age structure are cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, chronic respiratory diseases, neurological disorders, sense organ diseases, diabetes and kidney diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, digestive diseases, mental disorders, and skin and subcutaneous diseases in descending order. Conclusions: From 1990 to 2019, except for skin and subcutaneous diseases, the burden of other NCDs attributable to population aging increased, mainly due to disability. By 2050, the burden of NCDsattributable to population aging will continue to rise.

A consensus phosphoserine within the large cytoplasmic loop of insect nAChR α8 subunits modulated interaction between 14-3-3ε and nAChRs to regulate neonicotinoid efficacy

Neonicotinoids are insect-selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) agonists that are used extensively for plant protection and animal health care. Some chaperone proteins, such as 14-3-3 proteins, importantly modulate nAChRs to display the physiological and pharmacological properties. Here we found that there is a 14-3-3 binding motif RSPSTH within the cytoplasmic loop of most insect α8 subunits. In the motif, a potential phosphorylated serine residue, serine 337, was a putative protein kinase A (PKA) substrate. Using Locusta migratoria α8 subunit as a representative, here we demonstrated that Loc14-3-3ε interacted with the unique phosphoserine (α8^S337) of Locα8 subunit to regulate agonist efficacy on hybrid Locα8/β2 nAChRs in Xenopus oocytes. Co-expression of Loc14-3-3ε caused a dramatic rise of maximal inward currents (I_max) of Locα8/β2 for acetylcholine and imidacloprid to 2.9-fold and 3.1-fold of that of Locα8/β2 alone. The S337A substitution of Locα8 reduced the I_max rise when Locα8^S337A/β2 and Loc14-3-3ε were co-expressed. The increased agonist currents by exogenous Loc14-3-3ε on Locα8/β2 could be almost abolished by either PKA inhibitor KT5720 or 14-3-3 inhibitor difopein. The findings revealed that serine 337 within motif RSPSTH was important for the interaction between insect nAChRs and 14-3-3ε, and inhibiting the interaction would change the pharmacological property of insect nAChRs to agonist such as neonicotinoids which may provide insights to develop new targets for insecticide design.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Irisin on LPS-stimulated macrophages through inhibition of MAPK pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effect of irisin on LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages through inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. A network pharmacology-based approach, combined with molecular docking and in vitro validation were performed to identify the biological activity, key targets, and potential pharmacological mechanisms of irisin against LPS-induced inflammation. By matching 100 potential genes of irisin with 1893 ulcerative colitis (UC) related genes, 51 common genes were obtained. Using protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) and component-target network analysis,10 core genes of irisin on UC were further identified. The results of gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the molecular mechanisms of irisin on UC were mainly related to major enrichment in the categories of response to xenobiotic stimulus, response to the drug, and negative regulation of gene expression. Molecular docking results showed good binding activity for almost all core component targets. More importantly, MTT assay and flow cytometry results showed that LPS-induced cytotoxicity was reversed by irisin, after coincubation with irisin, the level of IL-12 and IL-23 decreased in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Irisin pretreatment significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT and increased the expression of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma. LPS-induced enhancement of phagocytosis and cell clearance were reversed by irisin pretreatment. Irisin ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting cytotoxicity and apoptosis, and this protective effect may be mediated through the MAPK pathway. These findings confirmed our prediction that irisin plays an anti-inflammatory role in LPS-induced inflammation via the MAPK pathway.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Irisin on LPS-stimulated macrophages through inhibition of MAPK pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effect of irisin on LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages through inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. A network pharmacology-based approach, combined with molecular docking and in vitro validation were performed to identify the biological activity, key targets, and potential pharmacological mechanisms of irisin against LPS-induced inflammation. By matching 100 potential genes of irisin with 1893 ulcerative colitis (UC) related genes, 51 common genes were obtained. Using protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) and component-target network analysis,10 core genes of irisin on UC were further identified. The results of gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the molecular mechanisms of irisin on UC were mainly related to major enrichment in the categories of response to xenobiotic stimulus, response to the drug, and negative regulation of gene expression. Molecular docking results showed good binding activity for almost all core component targets. More importantly, MTT assay and flow cytometry results showed that LPS-induced cytotoxicity was reversed by irisin, after coincubation with irisin, the level of IL-12 and IL-23 decreased in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Irisin pretreatment significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT and increased the expression of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma. LPS-induced enhancement of phagocytosis and cell clearance were reversed by irisin pretreatment. Irisin ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting cytotoxicity and apoptosis, and this protective effect may be mediated through the MAPK pathway. These findings confirmed our prediction that irisin plays an anti-inflammatory role in LPS-induced inflammation via the MAPK pathway.

Reducing Expression of Salivary Protein Genes by Flonicamid Partially Contributed to Its Feeding Inhibition of the Brown Planthopper on Rice

Flonicamid inhibits the feeding of piercing-sucking pests as a selective systemic insecticide. The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is one of the most serious pests on rice. During feeding, it uses its stylet to collect sap by penetrating the phloem, and at the same time, it delivers saliva into the rice plant. Insect salivary proteins play important roles in feeding and interacting with plants. Whether flonicamid affects the expression of salivary protein genes and then inhibits the feeding of BPH is not clear. Here, from 20 functionally characterized salivary proteins, we screened five salivary proteins (NlShp, NlAnnix5, Nl16, Nl32, and NlSP7) whose gene expressions were significantly inhibited by flonicamid. We performed experimental analysis on two of them (Nl16 and Nl32). RNA interference of Nl32 significantly reduced the survival rate of BPH. Electrical penetration graph (EPG) experiments showed that both flonicamid treatment and knockdown of Nl16 and Nl32 genes significantly reduced the feeding activity of N. lugens in the phloem and also reduced the honeydew excretion and fecundity. These results suggested that the inhibition of flonicamid on the feeding behavior in N. lugens might be partially attributed to its effect on the expression of salivary protein genes. This study provides a new insight into the mechanism of action of flonicamid on insect pests.

Apical Papilla Regulates Dental Follicle Fate via the OGN-Hh Pathway

Root apical complex, including Hertwig's epithelial root sheath, apical papilla, and dental follicle (DF), is the germinal center of root development, wherein the DF constantly develops into periodontal tissue. However, whether DF development is regulated by the adjacent apical papilla remains largely unknown. In this study, we employed a transwell coculture system and found that stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs) inhibit the differentiation and maintain the stemness of dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs). Meanwhile, partial SCAP differentiation markers were upregulated after DFSC coculture. High-throughput RNA sequencing revealed that the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway was significantly downregulated in DFSCs cocultured with SCAPs. Upregulation or downregulation of the Hh pathway can respectively activate or inhibit the multidirectional differentiation of DFSCs. Osteoglycin (OGN) (previously known as mimecan) is highly expressed in the dental papilla, similarly to Hh pathway factors. By secreting OGN, SCAP regulated the stemness and multidirectional differentiation of DFSCs via the OGN-Hh pathway. Finally, Ogn^-/- mice were established using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We found that the root length growth rate was accelerated during root development from PN0 to PN30 in Ogn^-/- mice. Moreover, the hard tissues (including dentin and cementum) of the root in Ogn^-/- mice were thicker than those in wild-type mice. These phenotypes were likely due to Hh pathway activation and the increased cell proliferation and differentiation in both the apical papilla and DF. The current work elucidates the molecular regulation of early periodontal tissue development, providing a theoretical basis for future research on tooth root biology and periodontal tissue regeneration.

Knockdown of the salivary protein gene NlG14 caused displacement of the lateral oviduct secreted components and inhibited ovulation in Nilaparvata lugens

Saliva plays important roles in insect feeding, but its roles in insect reproduction were rarely reported. Here we reported that the knockdown of a salivary gland-specific gene NlG14 disrupted the reproduction through inhibiting the ovulation of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), one of the most devastating rice pests in Asia. NlG14 knockdown caused the displacement of the lateral oviduct secreted components (LOSC), leading to the ovulation disorder and the accumulation of mature eggs in the ovary. The RNAi-treated females laid much less eggs than their control counterparts, though they had the similar oviposition behavior on rice stems as controls. NlG14 protein was not secreted into the hemolymph, indicating an indirect effect of NlG14 knockdown on BPH reproduction. NlG14 knockdown caused the malformation of A-follicle of the principal gland and affected the underlying endocrine mechanism of salivary glands. NlG14 reduction might promote the secretion of insulin-like peptides NlILP1 and NlILP3 from the brain, which up-regulated the expression of Nllaminin gene and then caused the abnormal contraction of lateral oviduct muscle. Another explanation was NlG14 reduction disrupted the ecdysone biosynthesis and action through the insulin-PI3K-Akt signaling in ovary. Altogether, this study indicated that the salivary gland specific protein NlG14 indirectly mediated BPH ovulation process, which established a connexon in function between insect salivary gland and ovary.

The prognostic value of splenic abnormalities in pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with complete response diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

AIM

To investigate whether spleen imaging characteristics of baseline 2-[¹⁸F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) can help to predict the clinical outcome in complete response (CR) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred and six patients with DLBCL were enrolled in the study and divided into recurrence and non-recurrence groups. The splenic abnormalities were compared using the chi-square test and quantitative indexes were compared using the t-test. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to compare progression-free survival (PFS). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match patients with and without splenic abnormalities according to age, gender, and initial Ann Arbor stage at a 1:2 ratio (52:104); then the recurrence and PFS results were compared again.

RESULTS

Age, international prognostic index (IPI), stage, splenomegaly, and focal splenic lesions were significantly different between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups. IPI, stage, baseline spleen mean standard uptake value (SUVmean)/liver SUVmean, splenomegaly, and focal lesions were selected by Cox single-factor analysis, and only focal lesions showed a statistical difference in terms of Cox multivariate analysis (p=0.022, hazard ratio [HR]: 2.843). After PSM, focal splenic lesions (n=20) were still statistically different (p=0.003) between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups, and this played an essential role in PFS forecasting (p=0.0004, HR: 3.767).

CONCLUSION

Focal splenic lesions were identified as an independent risk factor for the prognosis of DLBCL. Pretreatment splenomegaly and focal splenic lesions appeared to be related to the relapse and PFS of DLBCL patients. Focal splenic lesions still showed meaningful predictive value even with propensity matching.

[Clinical characteristics of Danon disease]

Objective: To review the clinical data of 7 patients with Danon disease and analyze their clinical characteristics. Methods: The medical records of 7 patients with Danon disease, who were hospitalized in Peking Union Medical College Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from April 2008 to July 2021, were reviewed and summarized, of which 6 cases were diagnosed as Danon disease by lysosomal-associated membrane protein-2 (LAMP-2) gene mutation detection and 1 case was diagnosed by clinicopathological features. Clinical manifestations, biochemical indexes, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, skeletal muscle and myocardial biopsy and gene detection results were analyzed, and patients received clinical follow-up after discharge. Results: Six patients were male and average age was (15.4±3.5) years and the average follow-up time was (27.7±17.0) months. The main clinical manifestations were myocardial hypertrophy (6/7), decreased myodynamia (2/7) and poor academic performance (3/7). Electrocardiogram features included pre-excitation syndrome (6/7) and left ventricular hypertrophy (7/7). Echocardiography examination evidenced myocardial hypertrophy (6/7), and left ventricular dilatation and systolic dysfunction during the disease course (1/7). The results of skeletal muscle biopsy in 6 patients were consistent with autophagy vacuolar myopathy. Subendocardial myocardial biopsy was performed in 3 patients, and a large amount of glycogen deposition with autophagosome formation was found in cardiomyocytes. LAMP-2 gene was detected in 6 patients, and missense mutations were found in all these patients. During the follow-up period, implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation was performed in 1 patient because of high atrioventricular block 4 years after diagnosis, and there was no death or hospitalization for cardiovascular events in the other patients. Conclusion: The main clinical manifestations of Danon disease are cardiomyopathy, myopathy and mental retardation. Pre-excitation syndrome is a common electrocardiographic manifestation. Autophagy vacuoles can be seen in skeletal muscle and myocardial pathological biopsies. LAMP-2 gene mutation analysis is helpful in the diagnose of this disease.

Multiple acetylcholinesterases in Pardosa pseudoannulata brain worked collaboratively to provide protection from organophosphorus insecticides

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an essential neurotransmitter hydrolase in nervous systems of animals and its number varies among species. So far, five AChEs have been identified in the natural enemy Pardosa pseudoannulata. Here we found that Ppace1, Ppace2 and Ppace5 were highly expressed in the spider brain, among which the mRNA level of Ppace5, but not Ppace1 and Ppace2, could be up-regulated by organophosphorus insecticides at their sublethal concentrations. In spider brain, the treatment by organophosphorus insecticides at the sublethal concentrations could increase total AChE activity, although high concentrations inhibited the activity. The activity that increased from the sublethal concentration pretreatment could compensate for the activity inhibition due to subsequent application of organophosphorus insecticides at lethal concentrations, and consequently reduce the mortality of spiders. PpAChE1 and PpAChE2 were highly sensitive to organophosphorus insecticides, and their activities would be strongly inhibited by the insecticides. In contrast, PpAChE5 displayed relative insensitivity towards organophosphorus insecticides, but with the highest catalytic efficiency for ACh. That meant the up-regulation of Ppace5 under insecticide exposure was important for maintaining AChE activity in spider brain, when PpAChE1 and PpAChE2 were inhibited by organophosphorus insecticides. The study demonstrated that multiple AChEs in the spider brain worked collaboratively, with part members for maintaining AChE activity and other members responding to organophosphorus inhibition, to provide protection from organophosphorus insecticides. In fields, high concentration insecticides are often applied when ineffective controls of insect pests occur due to relative-low concentration of insecticides in last round application. This application pattern of organophosphorus insecticides provides more chances for P. pseudoannulata to survive and controlling insect pests as a natural enemy.

Nilaparvata lugens salivary protein NlG14 triggers defense response in plants

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is a serious insect pest on rice. It uses its stylet to collect sap by penetrating the phloem and at the same time it delivers saliva into the host plant, which can trigger a reaction. The molecular mechanisms by which BPH salivary proteins result in plant responses are poorly understood. In this study, we screened transcriptomic data from different BPH tissues and found a protein specific to the salivary gland, NlG14, that could induce cell death in plants. We determined that NlG14 is uniquely found in the insect family Delphacidae. Detailed examination of N. lugens showed that NlG14 was mainly localized in the A-follicle of the principal gland of the salivary gland, and that it was secreted into rice plants during feeding. Knockdown of NlG14 resulted in significant nymph mortality when BPH was fed on either rice plants or on an artificial diet. Further analysis showed that NlG14 triggered accumulation of reactive oxygen species, cell death, callose deposition, and activation of jasmonic acid signaling pathways in plants. Transient expression of NlG14 in Nicotiana benthamiana decreased insect feeding and suppressed plant pathogen infection. Thus, NlG14, an essential salivary protein of N. lugens, acted as a potential herbivore-associated molecular pattern to enhance plant resistance to both insects and plant pathogens by inducing multiple plant defense responses. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of insect-plant interactions and offer a potential target for pest management.

Paclitaxel-resistant related lncRNA DBH-AS1 promotes the proliferation and invasion of esophageal cancer

OBJECTIVE

Chemoresistance is one of the main obstacles in the clinical treatment of cancer. However, secondary resistance to paclitaxel poses new challenges for cancer treatment. Long noncoding RNAs regulate cellular functions at different levels and mechanisms and play an important role in the biological behavior of tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

LncRNA microarrays were used to detect lncRNAs in Paclitaxel-resistant cells and corresponding parental cells. Cell counting kit 8 and Transwell analysis were used to test the effect of lncRNA on function.

RESULTS

The expression of lncRNA DBH-AS1 in TE-4 TAX-R cells was significantly higher than that in TE-4 cells. Transwell analysis showed that the overexpression of lncRNA DBH-AS1 increased the invasion of Eca cells. Cell scratches and Transwell analysis showed that the overexpression of lncRNA DBH-AS1 in Eca cell culture supernatants promoted the migration and invasion of HUVEC. In addition, lncRNA DBH-AS1 relies on miR-21 to regulate the expression of YOD1.

CONCLUSIONS

Paclitaxel-resistant lncRNA DBH-AS1 appears to promote ECa cell proliferation and invasion by acting as a ceRNA and regulating miR-21-5p /YOD1 signaling pathway.

Insecticide resistance associated overexpression of two sigma GST genes assists Nilaparvata lugens to remedy oxidative stress from feeding on resistant rice variety

Insect glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) participate in detoxifying insecticides and plant metabolites in two different ways, metabolizing toxic components and remedying oxidative stress. Here in Nilaparvata lugens, a major insect pest on rice, the roles of cytosolic GSTs in resistance to insecticides and to plant defences were evaluated. The over-expression in four resistant strains indicated that NlGSTs1 and NlGSTs2 were essential to resistances to four test insecticides and H₂O₂ through an antioxidation mechanism. RNAi verified the antioxidation function of NlGSTs1 and NlGSTs2 in the resistances as a common mechanism, regardless of the structural differences among insecticides and H₂O₂. NlGSTs1 and NlGSTs2 also provided protection for N. lugens against rice defense by the same mechanism, reducing H₂O₂ levels when N. lugens were fed on the resistant rice variety Mudogo. The antioxidation activity of recombinant NlGSTs1 and NlGSTs2 is higher than their direct detoxification, which supported the ability of these two GSTs to remedy oxidative stress. For oxidative stress remediation as a common mechanism of NlGSTs1 and NlGSTs2 in both insecticide resistance and host adaptability, the development of insecticide resistance might enhance the ability of insects to remedy oxidative stress from feeding on resistant rice variety and thus to lower the resistance level of rice variety to N. lugens. The results call for careful assessment on N. lugens control when both insecticides and resistant rice variety are applied.

[Health-adjusted life expectancy in residents in Guangzhou, 2010-2019]

Objective: To analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of life expectancy (LE) and health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) in Guangzhou from 2010 to 2019, and quantize the comprehensive impact of different causes and sequelae on health. Methods: The LE, HALE, and cause-excluded health adjusted life expectancy (CEHALE) were estimated using cause-of-death surveillance datasets from Guangzhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2010 to 2019 and open data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. Joinpoint log-linear regression model was used to analyze the temporal trend and described spatial distribution. Results: In 2019, the LE in residents in Guangzhou was 82.9 years (80.1 years in men and 85.9 years in women), and the HALE was 75.6 years (74.0 years in men and 77.3 years in women). Compared with the urban fringe, the central urban area had higher LE and HALE, and the differences between LE and HALE were small. The LE and HALE in Guangzhou showed an increasing trend from 2010 to 2019. The LE increased by 2.8 years (AAPC=0.4, 95%CI: 0.3-0.4), with the increase of 2.8 years in men and 2.9 years in women. The HALE increased by 2.4 years (AAPC=0.3, 95%CI: 0.3-0.4), with the increase of 2.5 years in men and 2.2 years in women. The median healthy life lost due to communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases was 6.2 years (AAPC=-4.2, 95%CI: -5.3--3.1), while the median healthy life lost due to non-communicable diseases was 14.7 years (AAPC=1.6, 95%CI: 0.9-2.3), the median healthy life expectancy reduced by injury was 6.3 years (AAPC=-3.5, 95%CI: -4.5--2.6). Musculoskeletal disorders, skin and subcutaneous diseases, cardiovascular diseases, nutritional deficiencies, diabetes and kidney diseases were the top five diseases causing healthy life expectancy loss. Conclusion: The LE and HALE in residents in Guangzhou increased steadily from 2010 to 2019, but the quality of life in the urban fringe was lower than that of the central urban area. Non-communicable diseases were the leading causes of healthy life expectancy loss. Health policies and prevention measures should be developed according to area specific characteristics, and social medical resources should be rationally allocated to key diseases to reduce their disease burden.

[Effect of duodenal stump reinforcement on postoperative complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy]

Objective: To evaluate the influence of duodenal stump reinforcing on the short-term complications after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted. Clinical data of 1204 patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from April 2009 to December 2018 were collected. The digestive tract reconstruction methods included Billroth II anastomosis, Roux-en-Y anastomosis and un-cut-Roux- en-Y anastomosis. A linear stapler was used to transected the stomach and the duodenum. Among 1204 patients, 838 were males and 366 were females with mean age of (57.0±16.0) years. Duodenal stump was reinforced in 792 cases (reinforcement group) and unreinforced in 412 cases (non-reinforcement group). There were significant differences in resection range and anastomotic methods between the two groups (both P<0.001). The two groups were matched by propensity score according to the ratio of 1∶1, and the reinforcement group was further divided into purse string group and non-purse string group. The primary outcome was short-term postoperative complications (within one month after operation). Complications with Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III a were defined as severe complications, and the morbidity of complication between the reinforcement group and the non-reinforcement group, as well as between the purse string group and the non-purse string group was compared. Results: After PSM, 411 pairs were included in the reinforcement group and the non-reinforcement group, and there were no significant differences in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). No perioperative death occurred in any patient.The short-term morbidity of postoperative complication was 7.4% (61/822), including 14 cases of anastomotic leakage (23.0%), 11 cases of abdominal hemorrhage (18.0%), 8 cases of duodenal stump leakage (13.1%), 2 cases of incision dehiscence (3.3%), 6 cases of incision infection (9.8%) and 20 cases of abdominal infection (32.8%). Short-term postoperative complications were found in 25 patients (6.1%) and 36 patients (8.8%) in the reinforcement group and the non-reinforcement group, respectively, without significant difference (χ²=2.142, P=0.143). Nineteen patients (2.3%) developed short-term severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa), while no significant difference in severe complications was found between the two groups (1.7% vs. 2.9%, χ²=1.347, P=0.246). Sub-group analysis showed that the morbidity of short-term postoperative complication of the purse string group was 2.6% (9/345), which was lower than 24.2% (16/66) of the non-purse string group (χ²=45.388, P<0.001). Conclusion: Conventional reinforcement of duodenal stump does not significantly reduce the incidence of duodenal stump leakage, so it is necessary to choose whether to reinforce the duodenal stump individually, and purse string suture should be the first choice when decided to reinforce.

Aged Callus Skeletal Stem/Progenitor Cells Contain an Inflammatory Osteogenic Population With Increased IRF and NF-κB Pathways and Reduced Osteogenic Potential

Skeletal stem/progenitor cells (SSPCs) are critical for fracture repair by providing osteo-chondro precursors in the callus, which is impaired in aging. However, the molecular signatures of callus SSPCs during aging are not known. Herein, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on 11,957 CD45-CD31-Ter119- SSPCs isolated from young and aged mouse calluses. Combining unsupervised clustering, putative makers, and DEGs/pathway analyses, major SSPC clusters were annotated as osteogenic, proliferating, and adipogenic populations. The proliferating cluster had a differentiating potential into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages by trajectory analysis. The osteoblastic/adipogenic/proliferating potential of individual clusters was further evidenced by elevated expression of genes related to osteoblasts, adipocytes, or proliferation. The osteogenic cluster was sub-clustered into house-keeping and inflammatory osteogenic populations that were decreased and increased in aged callus, respectively. The majority of master regulators for the inflammatory osteogenic population belong to IRF and NF-κB families, which was confirmed by immunostaining, RT-qPCR, and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, cells in the inflammatory osteogenic sub-cluster had reduced osteoblast differentiation capacity. In conclusion, we identified 3 major clusters in callus SSPCs, confirming their heterogeneity and, importantly, increased IRF/NF-κB-mediated inflammatory osteogenic population with decreased osteogenic potential in aged cells.

The effect of salvianolate on cardiomyocyte remodeling improvement after myocardial infarction through calcineurin/nuclear factor C3 of the activated T cell/B-myosin heavy chain pathway regulation

Enormous evidences in clinic and experimental studies have demonstrated that salvianolate (Sal) could treat cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction (MI), but the underlying mechanism was still needed to be explored. This study aims to investigate the effect of Sal on cardiomyocyte remodeling after MI in rats and explore whether the possible mechanism was related to decreasing the β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC) expression in cardiomyocytes via the calcineurin (CaN)/nuclear factor C3 of the activated T cell (NFATc3) pathway. Both MI model and angiotensin II induced primary myocardial cells obtained from rats were used in this study. After treatment with Sal, the cardiac function was assessed by color Doppler echocardiography, while MI area, myocardial cell area and heart mass index (HMI) were analyzed via Masson and hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE) stain, respectively. Additionally, CaN activity, and CaN, NFATc3, β-MHC mRNA and protein expressions in myocardial tissue and myocardial cells were tested via corresponding methods, mainly including real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western blot (WB), immunohistochemistry and fluorescence staining analysis. As a result we obtained the high dose of Sal in vivo could perform beneficial effects on cardiomyocyte remodeling of MI rats, mainly manifesting as improving fractional shortening and ejection fraction rates, reducing the MI area, myocardial cross-sectional area and HMI (P<0.05, 0.01), inhibiting the activity of CaN in myocardial tissue, down-regulating b-MHC mRNA and protein expressions, and decreasing the nuclear translocation of NFATc3 (P<0.05). In the in vitro experiments, 10 μmol/L of Sal could inhibit the increase of the myocardial cell area and CaN activity, down-regulate the mRNA and protein of CaN A subunit, β-MHC; and inhibit the nuclear translocation of NFATc3 (P<0.05, 0.01). In conclusion: use of Sal can improve cardiomyocyte remodeling and down-regulate the expression of β-MHC in cardiomyocytes, of which the mechanism might be related to the reduction of the nuclear translocation of NFATc3 as well as the down-regulation of CaNA subunit expression and/or the inhibition of CaN activity. The results will provide a laboratory basis for the clinical application of Sal.

[Clinical observation of 8 cases with central nervous system anaerobic infection diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid]

The current study summarized the clinical characteristics of 8 patients with central nervous system anaerobic infections who visited the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from June 2019 to June 2021. Among the 8 patients, 7 cases had headache and fever as the first symptoms, and 1 case had left-sided limb weakness as the first symptom. Four patients had a previous history of diabetes (1 patient had a history of tooth extraction before the onset of the disease), 1 patient had a previous history of sinusitis, 1 patient had a history of tooth extraction before the onset of the disease, and 2 patients had chronic extensive periodontitis or periapical periodontitis. Five cases showed abnormal intracranial and/or meningeal enhancement on cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 1 case showed swelling of the whole brain tissue on cranial computed tomography (CT). After treatment, symptoms of 4 cases were improved, symptoms of 1 case were aggravated, and 3 cases died. Anaerobic infections can occur in various parts of the body:the central nervous system, oral cavity, head and neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, skin and soft tissues. It is generally believed that anaerobic bacteria rarely cause central nervous system infection, therefore, anaerobic culture of cerebrospinal fluid is usually not performed. Moreover, anaerobic culture is affected by many factors, and thus it is difficult to obtain positive results. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing can identify multiple pathogens (viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic) from samples based on DNA and/or RNA sequences and has advantages in diagnosing anaerobic infections of the central nervous system. Prompt empirical antimicrobial therapy is essential for the prognosis of the patients.

Effects of wearing personal protective equipment during COVID-19 pandemic on composition and diversity of skin bacteria and fungi of medical workers

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing PPE can induce skin damage such as erythema, pruritus, erosion, and ulceration among others. Although the skin microbiome is considered important for skin health, the change of the skin microbiome after wearing PPE remain unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to characterize the diversity and structure of bacterial and fungal flora on skin surfaces of healthcare workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS).

METHODS

A total of 10 Chinese volunteers were recruited and the microbiome of their face, hand, and back were analyzed before and after wearing PPE. Moreover, VISIA was used to analyze skin features.

RESULTS

Results of alpha bacterial diversity showed that there was statistically significant decrease in alpha diversity indice in the skin samples from face, hand, and three sites after wearing PPE as compared with the indice in the skin samples before wearing PPE. Further, the results of evaluated alpha fungal diversity show that there was a statistically significant decrease in alpha diversity indices in the skin samples from hand after wearing PPE as compared with the indices in the skin samples before wearing PPE (P<0.05). Results of the current study found that the main bacteria on the face, hand, and back skin samples before wearing the PPE were Propionibacterium spp. (34.04%), Corynebacterium spp. (13.12%), and Staphylococcus spp. (38.07%). The main bacteria found on the skin samples after wearing the PPE were Staphylococcus spp. (31.23%), Xanthomonas spp. (26.21%), and Cutibacterium spp. (42.59%). The fungal community composition was similar in three skin sites before and after wearing PPE.

CONCLUSION

It was evident that wearing PPE may affect the skin microbiota, especially bacteria. Therefore, it was evident that the symbiotic microbiota may reflect the skin health of medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Talin1 is highly expressed in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi to promote trophoblast invasion in tubal pregnancy]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of Talin1 in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi in patients with tubal pregnancy and its role in regulating invasion and migration of trophoblasts.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to detect the localization and expression level of Talin1 in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi in patients with tubal pregnancy and in women with normal pregnancy. In the cell experiment, HTR-8/SVneo cells was transfected with Talin1 siRNA and the changes in cell invasion and migration were assessed using scratch assay and Transwell assay. The expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, N-cadherin and Snail in the transfected cells were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTS

Positive expression of Talin1 was detected in both normal fallopian tube tissues and tissues from women tubal pregnancy, and its expression was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of cilia cells. The expression level of Talin1 was significantly higher in both the fallopian tube and chorionic villi in women with tubal pregnancy than in normal fallopian tube and chorionic villi samples (P < 0.01). In HTR-8/SVneo cells, transfection with Talin1 siRNA significantly inhibited cell invasion (P < 0.01) and migration (P < 0.05), down-regulated the expression of N-cadherin, MMP-2 and Snail (P < 0.05), and up-regulated the expression of MMP-9 in the cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The expression of Talin1 in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi is significantly increased in women with tubal pregnancy, suggesting the association of Talin1-regulated trophoblast cell invasion with the occurrence of tubal pregnancy.

[Comparison of clinical efficacy and quality of life between uncut Roux-en-Y and Billroth II with Braun anastomosis in laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer]

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy and quality of life between uncut Roux-en-Y and Billroth II with Braun anastomosis in laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. Inclusion criteria: (1) 18 to 75 years old; (2) gastric cancer proved by preoperative gastroscopy, CT and pathological results and tumor was suitable for D2 radical distal gastrectomy; (3) postoperative pathological diagnosis stage was T1-4aN0-3M0 (according to the AJCC-7th TNM tumor stage), and the margin was negative; (4) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) physical status score <2 points, and American Association of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade 1 to 3; (5) no mental illness; (6) able to answer questionnaires independently; (7) patients agreed to undergo laparoscopic distal gastrectomy and signed an informed consent. Exclusion criteria: (1) patients with severe chronic diseases and American Association of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade >3; (2) patients with other malignant tumors; (3) patients suffered from serious mental diseases; (4) patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or immunotherapy. According to the above criteria, clinical data of 200 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy at the Department of General Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from January 2016 to December 2019 were collected. Of the 200 patients, 108 underwent uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis and 92 underwent Billroth II with Braun anastomosis. The general data, intraoperative and postoperative conditions, complications, and endoscopic evaluation 1 year after the surgery were compared. Besides, the quality of life of two groups was also compared using the Chinese version of the European Organization For Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and quality of life questionnaire-stomach 22 (QLQ-STO22). Results: There were no significant differences in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). All the 200 patients successfully underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy without intraoperative complications, conversion to open surgery or perioperative death. There were no significant differences between two groups in operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, time to flatus, time to removal of gastric tube, time to liquid diet, time to removal of drainage tube or length of postoperative hospital stay (all P>0.05). Endoscopic evaluation was conducted 1 year after surgery. Compared to Billroth II with Braun group, the uncut Roux-en-Y group had a significantly lower incidences of gastric stasis [19.8% (17/86) vs. 37.0% (27/73), χ(2)=11.199, P=0.024], gastritis [11.6% (10/86) vs. 34.2% (25/73), χ(2)=20.892, P<0.001] and bile reflux [1.2% (1/86) vs. 28.8% (21/73), χ(2)=25.237, P<0.001], and the differences were statistically significant. The EORTC questionnaire was performed 1 year after surgery, there were no significant differences in the scores of QLQ-C30 scale between the two groups (all P>0.05), while the scores of QLQ-STO22 showed that, compared to the Billroth II with Braun group, the uncut Roux-en-Y group had a lower pain score (median: 8.3 vs. 16.7, Z=-2.342, P=0.019) and reflux score (median: 0 vs 5.6, Z=-2.284, P=0.022), and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05), indicating milder symptoms. Conclusion: The uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis is safe and reliable in laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, which can reduce the incidences of gastric stasis, gastritis and bile reflux, and improve the quality of life of patients after surgery.

[Glucose-6 phosphatase catalytic subunit inhibits the proliferation of liver cancer cells by inducing cell cycle arrest]

Objective: To investigate the effects of glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6PC) recombinant adenovirus on proliferation and cell cycle regulation of liver cancer cells. Methods: Recombinant adenovirus AdG6PC was constructed. Huh7 cells and SK-Hep1 cells were set as Mock, AdGFP and AdG6PC group. Cell proliferation and clone formation assay were used to observe the proliferation of liver cancer cells. Transwell and scratch assay were used to observe the invasion and migration of liver cancer cells. Cell cycle flow cytometry assay was used to analyze the effect of G6PC overexpression on the proliferation cycle of liver cancer cells. Western blot was used to detect the effect of G6PC overexpression on the cell-cycle protein expression in liver cancer cells. Results: The recombinant adenovirus AdG6PC was successfully constructed. Huh7 and SK-Hep1 cells proliferation assay showed that the number of proliferating cells in the AdG6PC group was significantly lower than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Clone formation assay showed that the number of clones was significantly lower in AdG6PC than the other two groups (P < 0.05), suggesting that G6PC overexpression could significantly inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells. Transwell assay showed that the number of cell migration was significantly lower in AdG6PC than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Scratch repair rate was significantly lower in AdG6PC than the other two groups (P < 0.05), suggesting that G6PC overexpression can significantly inhibit the invasion and migration of liver cancer cells. Cell cycle flow cytometry showed that G6PC overexpression had significantly inhibited the Huh7 cells G(1)/S phase transition. Western blot result showed that G6PC overexpression had down-regulated the proliferation in cell-cycle related proteins expression. Conclusion: G6PC inhibits the proliferation, cell-cycle related expression, and migration of liver cancer cells by inhibiting the G(1)/S phase transition.

[Accuracy of photogrammetry and conventional impression techniques for complete-arch implant rehabilitation: an in vitro comparative study]

Objective: To compare the accuracy of photogrammetry and conventional impression techniques for complete-arch implant rehabilitation. Methods: An edentulous maxillary stone cast containing 8 screw-retained implant abutment replicas was derived from a 74-year-old male patient who visited the Department of Dental Implant Center, Capital Medical University School of Stomatology in September 2019. The stone cast was copied through the open-tray splinted impression, and the copied cast was used as the master cast for this study. The abutment-level impressions of master cast were made by photogrammetry (PG) and the conventional impression technique (CNV) by one attending doctor. Group PG: after which scan bodies were connected to each implant replica, a photogrammetry system was used to obtain digital impressions of the master cast (n=10); Group CNV: conventional open-tray splinted impression technique was performed to fabricate conventional definitive casts (n=10). After connecting the scan bodies onto each implant replicas, the master cast and the 10 definitive casts from group CNV were digitized with a laboratory reference scanner. All data of group PG, group CNV and mater cast were saved as ".stl" files. For all test scans and reference scan, the three-dimensional information of scan bodies were converted to implant abutment replicas using a computer aided design software (Exocad). The data of the group PG and the group CNV were respectively registered with the reference data (trueness analysis) and pairwise within group (precision analysis) for accuracy evaluation in a three-dimensional analysis software (Geomagic Control X). Results: The trueness and precision of group PG [(17.33±0.34) and (2.50±0.79) μm ] were significantly statistically better than those of group CNV [(24.30±4.16) and (26.12±4.54) μm] respectively (t=-5.29 and -34.35, P<0.001). Conclusions: For complete-arch implant abutment-level impression, photogrammetry produces significantly better accuracy than conventional impression technique.

[Effect of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated exosomes from human dental pulp stem cells combined with stromal cell-derived factor-1 on dental pulp regeneration]

Objective: To investigate the effect of exosomes from mild-inflammation- stimulated human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSC) combined with stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) on dental pulp regeneration in rats. Methods: Primary hDPSCs were isolated, cultured and then stimulated by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The exosomes from the hDPSCs with (L-EXO) or without (N-EXO) LPS were extracted by overspeed differential centrifugation and were identified by transmission electron microscopy and Western blotting. Forty SD rats, aged 6-8 weeks, were equally divided into S group (SDF-1 alone), L+S group (L-EXO combined with SDF-1), N+S group (N-EXO combined with SDF-1) and blank control group (no substance implanted into the root canal) by random number table method. Bilateral mandibular first molars were used as the experimental teeth to establish pulpless root canal models and different contents were implanted into the root canals according to the groups. All rats were over-anesthetized and sacrificed at the 30th day after content implantation. Bilateral mandibular tissues were taken for histological evaluation by means of HE, Masson and immunohistochemical stainings. Results: The HE staining showed new pulp-like tissue in the root canals of all three experimental groups. The amount of new tissues and the number of cells in the tissues were greatest in L+S group and least in S group. Masson staining showed that the mineralized tissue in L+S group was arranged longitudinally along the root canal wall and the collagen fibers were arranged in an orderly fashion, while those in N+S group showed an irregular and disordered distribution. Quantitative analysis of the area of neovascularization in each group showed that the density of vessels in the L+S group [(2.03±0.65)%] was significantly higher than that in the S group [(0.65±0.05)%] and the N+S group [(1.06±0.38)%] respectively (F=5.879, P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) was significantly lower in S and L+S groups than in N+S group, with a statistically significant difference (F=8.633, P<0.01). Conclusions: Exosomes secreted by hDPSCs combined with SDF-1 might increase the amount of new tissue in the root canal and the density of blood vessels in the tissue. L-EXO showed a stronger effect than N-EXO did. The combination of L-EXO with SDF-1 might result in more regular arrangement of mineralized tissue and collagen fibers in the regenerative tissues.