Low expression of RACK1 is associated with metastasis and worse prognosis in cholangiocarcinoma

Background

Cholangiocarcinoma is a poorly prognostic malignant tumor, and the metastatic stage of cancer is not an early stage when diagnosed. Lymph node metastasis is common in the early stage. Ribosomal receptor for activated C-kinase 1 (RACK1) has found involved in the oncogenesis of various tumors and in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Nevertheless, its role in cholangiocarcinoma remains unknown.

Material and methods

The possible correlation between RACK1 and tumor prognosis was analyzed in cholangiocarcinoma patients. The GEO and TCGA databases were used to evaluate the level of RACK1 in cholangiocarcinoma. The RBE and HCCC-9810 cell lines were used to examine the effects of RACK1 in the behavior of tumor cells in vitro.

Results

The Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that low expression of RACK1 was associated with poor prognosis and RACK1 was negatively related to lymph node metastasis, which were verified in databases TCGA and GEO; downregulation of RACK1 via RNA interference correlated with changes in the expression of EMT biomarkers and promoted the migration of cholangiocarcinoma cell lines.

Conclusion

The protein expression of RACK1 is significantly higher in cholangiocarcinoma tissues than in peritumoral tissues, however, the high RACK1 expression indicates better overall survival and less risk for lymph node metastasis. In vitro, RACK1 may suppress the migratory ability of cholangiocarcinoma cells by inhibiting EMT.

Identification of the mechanisms underlying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance-induced hippocampal neurotoxicity as determined by network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses

Background

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of environmental contaminants that pose significant health risks to both animals and humans. Although the hippocampal neurotoxic effects of numerous PFASs have been reported, the underlying mechanisms of combined exposure to PFASs-induced hippocampal neurotoxicity remain unclear.

Methods

In this study, network pharmacology analysis was performed to identify the intersectional targets of PFASs for possible associations with hippocampal neurotoxicity. The evaluation of the influence of PFASs on intersectional targets was assessed using a weighted method. Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the screened targets were performed, the intersected hub targets calculated by various algorithms were screened in the network and molecular docking was also used to analyze binding activities.

Results

Our results indicated that eight PFASs, which acted on key targets (MYC, ESR1, STAT3, RELA, MAPK3) impacted the NF-κB signaling pathway, STAT3 signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathways to exert neurotoxicity in the hippocampus. The molecular docking results revealed that PFASs have strong binding potential to the hub targets.

Conclusions

Our findings provided a basis for future studies to investigate the detailed mechanisms of PFASs-induced hippocampal neurotoxicity and to develop preventative and control strategies.

Norovirus outbreaks in hospitals in China: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Norovirus outbreaks in hospitals can potentially impair patient care and result in significant financial expenses. There is currently limited information on hospital norovirus outbreaks in the Chinese mainland.

AIM

To systematically review the published literature to describe the characteristics of norovirus outbreaks in Chinese mainland hospitals to facilitate prompt identification and control of outbreaks.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis standards. Databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Chinese Journals Online databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Wan Fang digital database (WANFANG) were searched from inception to July 18th, 2022.

FINDINGS

A total of 41 norovirus Chinese hospital outbreaks occurring before July 18th, 2022 were reported in 32 articles. Most reported outbreaks were from Shanghai and Beijing, and occurred in December and January. Cases were mainly adults. The male:female ratio was 1.22:1. The majority of cases in norovirus outbreaks were hospitalized patients (56.82%); medical staff were affected in 15 outbreaks. Norovirus outbreaks occurred in both private and public hospitals, and in secondary and tertiary care centres, and occurred mainly in internal medicine and geriatric departments. Person-to-person transmission was the primary transmission mode and GII was more prevalent.

CONCLUSION

Norovirus outbreaks in hospitals can affect both patients and healthcare workers, sometimes causing serious financial losses. In order to have a more complete understanding of the disease burden caused by norovirus outbreaks, surveillance needs to be established in hospitals.

[Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human ocular helaziasis in China from 2011 to 2022 based on bibliometrics]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of human ocular thelaziasis patients in China.

METHODS

Case reports regarding human ocular thelaziasis cases in China were retrieved in international and national electronic databases, including CNKI, VIP, CBM, Traditional Chinese Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System, Wanfang Database, PubMed and Web of Science from 2011 to 2022. Patients' gender, age, clinical symptoms, treatment, recurrence, site of infections, time of onset, affected eye, affected sites, number of infected Thelazia callipaeda, sex of T. callipaeda and source of infections were extracted for descriptive analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 85 eligible publications were included, covering 101 cases of human ocular thelaziasis, including 57 males (56.44%) and 44 females (43.56%) and aged from 3 months to 85 years. The main clinical manifestations included foreign body sensation (56 case-times, 22.49%), eye itching (38 case-times, 15.26%), abnormal or increased secretions (36 case-times, 14.46%), tears (28 case-times, 11.24%) and eye redness (28 case-times, 11.24%), and conjunctival congestion (50 case-times, 41.67%) was the most common clinical sign. The most common main treatment (99/101, 98.02%) was removal of parasites from eyes using ophthalmic forceps, followed by administration with ofloxacin and pranoprofen. In publications presenting thelaziasis recurrence, there were 90 cases without recurrence (97.83%) and 2 cases with recurrence (2.17%). Of all cases, 51.96% were reported in four provinces of Hubei, Shandong, Sichuan, Hebei and Henan, and ocular thelaziasis predominantly occurred in summer (42.19%) and autumn (42.19%). In addition, 56.45% (35/62) had a contact with dogs.

CONCLUSIONS

The human thelaziasis cases mainly occur in the continental monsoon and subtropical monsoon climate areas such as the Yellow River and the Yangtze River basin, and people of all ages and genders have the disease, with complex clinical symptoms and signs. Personal hygiene is required during the contact with dogs, cats and other animals, and individual protection is required during outdoor activities to prevent thelaziasis.

Exploration of the B3 transcription factor superfamily in Aquilaria sinensis reveal their involvement in seed recalcitrance and agarwood formation

The endangered tree species of the Aquilaria genus produce agarwood, a high value material produced only after wounding; however, conservation of Aquilaria seeds is difficult. The B3 transcription factor family has diverse important functions in plant development, especially in seed development, although their functions in other areas, such as stress responses, remain to be revealed. Here germination tests proved that the seeds of A. sinensis were recalcitrant seeds. To provide insights into the B3 superfamily, the members were identified and characterized by bioinformatic approaches and classified by phylogenetic analysis and domain structure. In total, 71 members were identified and classified into four subfamilies. Each subfamily not only had similar domains, but also had conserved motifs in their B3 domains. For the seed-related LAV subfamily, the B3 domain of AsLAV3 was identical to that of AsVALs but lacked a typical zf-CW domain such as VALs. AsLAV5 lacks a typical PHD-L domain present in Arabidopsis VALs. qRT-PCR expression analysis showed that the LEC2 ortholog AsLAV4 was not expressed in seeds. RAVs and REMs induced after wound treatment were also identified. These findings provide insights into the functions of B3 genes and seed recalcitrance of A. sinensis and indicate the role of B3 genes in wound response and agarwood formation.This is the first work to investigate the B3 family in A. sinensis and to provide insights of the molecular mechanism of seed recalcitrance.This will be a valuable guidance for studies of B3 genes in stress responses, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and seed development.

[Evaluation of the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 in patients with aplastic anemia undergoing immunosuppressive therapy: a prospective cohort study (NICHE)]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) undergoing immunosuppressive therapy (IST) . Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we collected the demographic and clinical data of patients with AA and COVID-19 from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023. We described the clinical features of COVID-19 among patients with AA and evaluated the effects of IST on the signs and severity of COVID-19. Results: A total of 170 patients with AA and COVID-19 were included. The common early symptoms, including fever, dizziness or headache, muscle or body aches, and sore throat, disappeared within 1-2 weeks. Approximately 25% of the patients had persistent fatigue within 2 weeks. Many patients experienced cough after an initial 1-3 days of infection, which lasted for more than 2 weeks. There were no differences in the duration of total fever episodes and maximum body temperature when patients were stratified according to whether or not they underwent IST, by IST duration, or by use of anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) (P>0.05). No differences were observed in the occurrence of symptoms in either the early or recovery stages when patients with AA were stratified according to whether or not they underwent IST, or by IST duration (P>0.05). However, patients who received ALG had fewer fever episodes within 1 week after infection (P=0.035) and more sore throat episodes within 2 weeks after infection (P=0.015). There were no other significant differences in clinical symptoms between patients who did and patients who did not receive ALG (P>0.05) . Conclusion: The majority of patients with AA and COVID-19 recovered within 2 weeks of noticing symptoms when treated with IST.

[Y-shaped osteotomy in the apical vertebra for treating congenital complex rigid scoliosis:at least 2-year follow-up]

Objective: To investigate the clinical outcome of the coronal Y-shaped osteotomy in the apical vertebra for treating congenital complex rigid scoliosis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 66 cases who underwent Y-shaped osteotomy treatment for congenital complex rigid scoliosis in the uppermost vertebra at the Department of Orthopedics,the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from June 2007 to August 2020. There were 19 males and 47 females,with an age of (13.1±5.3) years(range:2 to 30 years).Classification of congenital scoliosis:25 cases (37.9%) were incomplete,13 cases (19.7%) were dysarthritic,and 28 cases (42.4%) were mixed. There were 25 cases (37.9%) with thoracic or rib malformations. 45 cases (68.2%) were complicated with spinal cord malformation.The main radiological indicators included Cobb angle of the curvature,Cobb angle of the local bend,apical vertebral translation (AVT),trunk shift (TS),thoracic trunk shift (TTS),radiographic shoulder height (RSH),coronal balance and sagittal vertebral axis. The preoperative,postoperative immediate,and last follow-up radiological indicators were collected and the operation time,blood loss,hospitalization time,and operation-related complications were recorded. Data were compared by repeated measure ANOVA and paired-t test. Results: All patients underwent surgery successfully. The duration of the first surgery was (221.4±52.8) minutes,and the blood loss during the first surgery was (273.2±41.8) ml. The length of the first hospital stay was (8.8±1.7) days.Unilateral fixation was performed in 19 cases (28.8%),while bilateral fixation was performed in 47 cases (71.2%). The fused segments were 7.5±2.9,and the vertebral pedicle screw density was (68.5±20.6)%. The follow-up time for the 66 patients was (36.7±17.0) months(range:24 to 102 months).The main curve Cobb Angle was improved from (58.5±18.9)°before surgery to (21.1±11.8)°after surgery,and was (23.6±15.3) ° at the last follow-up(F=273.957,P<0.01),with a correction rate of 66.2%. Segmental curve Cobb Angle was improved from (47.9±18.0)° to (16.0±11.3)° after surgery,and was (16.8±12.8) °at the last follow-up (F=270.483,P<0.01)with a correction rate of 69.2%. The AVT,TS,TTS and RSH values improved significantly at the final follow-up (all P<0.05),while coronal balance and sagittal vertical axis were maintained without significant differences between pre-operation and post-operation(both P>0.05). A total of 5 patients underwent staged operation,all of which were residual scoliosis aggravated after the first stage of orthosis operation and had good prognosis after the second stage of operation. Conclusions: Y-shaped osteotomy for the treatment of congenital rigid scoliosis results in good clinical and radiological outcomes without serious complications. This procedure can be considered as an option for the treatment of congenital complex rigid scoliosis.

Applying machine learning methods for the analysis of two-dimensional mass spectra

In a measurement of isomeric yield-ratios in fission, the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance technique, which projects the radial motions of ions in the Penning trap (JYFLTRAP) onto a position-sensitive micro-channel plate detector, has been applied. To obtain the yield ratio, that is the relative population of two states of an isomer pair, a novel analysis procedure has been developed to determine the number of detected ions in each state, as well as corrections for the detector efficiency and decay losses. In order to determine the population of the states in cases where their mass difference is too small to reach full separation, a Bayesian Gaussian Mixture model was implemented. The position-dependent efficiency of the micro-channel plate detector was calibrated by mapping it with 133 Cs+ ions, and a Gaussian Process was trained with the position data to construct an efficiency function that could be used to correct the recorded distributions. The obtained numbers of counts of excited and ground-state ions were used to derive the isomeric yield ratio, taking into account decay losses as well as feeding from precursors.

Ascites-derived CDCP1+ extracellular vesicles subcluster as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for ovarian cancer

Introduction

Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors of the female reproductive system, and its diagnosis is typically accompanied by the production of ascites. Although liquid biopsy has been widely implemented recently, the diagnosis or prognosis of OVCA based on liquid biopsy remains the primary emphasis.

Methods

In this study, using proximity barcoding assay, a technique for analyzing the surface proteins on single extracellular vesicles (EVs). For validation, serum and ascites samples from patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) were collected, and their levels of CDCP1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Tissue chips were prepared to analyze the relationship between different expression levels of CDCP1 and the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients.

Results

We discovered that the CUB domain-containing protein 1+ (CDCP1+) EVs subcluster was higher in the ascites of OVCA patients compared to benign ascites. At the same time, the level of CDCP1 was considerably elevated in the ascites of OVCA patients. The overall survival and disease-free survival of the group with high CDCP1 expression in EOC were significantly lower than those of the group with low expression. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrates that EVs-derived CDCP1 was a biomarker of early response in OVCA ascites.

Discussion

Our findings identified a CDCP1+ EVs subcluster in the ascites of OVCA patients as a possible biomarker for EOC prevention.

[Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of minimally invasive endoscopic surgery in the treatment of isolated non-syndromic sagittal synostosis in infants]

The current study aimed to evaluate the early efficacy in infants with isolated non-syndromic sagittal synostosis who underwent minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted surgery. The clinical data of infants with isolated non-syndromic sagittal synostosis who were admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery of the Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and underwent endoscopic-assisted surgery from October 2018 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All the infants underwent minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted surgery, and were treated with supine sleeping position after surgery. Computer-aided reconstruction technique was used to reconstruct and measure the thin-slice CT scan images of the head before and 3 months after surgery, and the differences in cranial index (CI), cranial cavity volume and angle drawn between the cranial vertex, nasion, and opisthocranion (VNO angle) of preoperative and postoperative groups were analyzed. A total of 103 infants were included in the final analysis, including 85 males and 18 females. The age at surgery was (2.1±0.8) months, and the weight was (6.1±0.9) kg. The postoperative CI was (84±6)%, which increased obviously compared with the pre-operation [(70±5)%] (P<0.001). The cranial volume of post-operation was (947±130) cm³, which was larger than that of the pre-operation [(748±104) cm³] (P<0.001). The VNO angle after surgery was (45±4)°, which showed a significant reduction compared with the pre-operation [(55±4)°] (P<0.001). The correction of head shape was satisfactory. For the treatment of sagittal synostosis in infants, minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted surgery is safe and effective, and in the case of switching from an auxiliary helmet to a supine position, the postoperative correction efficacy of head shape is better.

[CD5L is elevated in the serum of patients with candidemia and promotes disease progression in mouse models]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the changes of CD5L levels in patients with candidemia and explore the role of CD5L in progression of candidemia.

METHODS

Twenty healthy control individuals, 27 patients with bacteremia and 35 patients with candidemia were examined for serum CD5L levels using ELISA, and the correlations of CD5L level with other serological indicators were analyzed. A C57BL/6 mouse model of candidemia induced by intravenous injection of Candida albicans were treated with intraperitoneal injection of recombinant CD5L protein, and renal histopathological and serological changes were analyzed to assess renal injures. The effects of CD5L treatment on general condition, fungal burden, of survival of the mice were observed, and the changes in serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels of the mice were detected using ELISA.

RESULTS

CD5L levels were significantly elevated in patients with candidemia and positively correlated with WBC, BDG, Scr and PCT levels. The mouse model of candidemia also showed significantly increased serum and renal CD5L levels, and CD5L treatment significantly increased fungal burden in the renal tissue, elevated IL-6 and IL-8 levels in the serum and kidney, aggravated renal tissue damage, and reduced survival rate of candidemia mice.

CONCLUSION

Serum CD5L levels are increased in patients with candidemia, and treatment with CD5L aggravates candidemia in mouse models.

Improvement of Oxidative Stability of Fish Oil-in-Water Emulsions through Partitioning of Sesamol at the Interface

The susceptibility of polyunsaturated fatty acids to oxidation severely limits their application in functional emulsified foods. In this study, the effect of sesamol concentration on the physicochemical properties of WPI-stabilized fish oil emulsions was investigated, focusing on the relationship between sesamol-WPI interactions and interfacial behavior. The results relating to particle size, zeta-potential, microstructure, and appearance showed that 0.09% (w/v) sesamol promoted the formation of small oil droplets and inhibited oil droplet aggregation. Furthermore, the addition of sesamol significantly reduced the formation of hydrogen peroxide, generation of secondary reaction products during storage, and degree of protein oxidation in the emulsions. Molecular docking and isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the interaction between sesamol and β-LG was mainly mediated by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Our results show that sesamol binds to interfacial proteins mainly through hydrogen bonding, and increasing the interfacial sesamol content reduces the interfacial tension and improves the physical and oxidative stability of the emulsion.

[Clinical features and long-term prognosis of diabetic patients with low or intermediate complexity coronary artery disease post percutaneous coronary intervention]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and long-term prognostic factors of diabetic patients with low or intermediate complexity coronary artery disease (CAD) post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: This was a prospective, single-centre observational study. Consecutive diabetic patients with SYNTAX score (SS)≤32 undergoing PCI between January and December 2013 in Fuwai hospital were included in this analysis. The patients were divided into two groups based on SS, namely SS≤22 group and SS 23-32 group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors related to poor 5-year prognosis. The primary outcomes were cardiac death and recurrent myocardial infarction, the secondary outcomes were all cause death and revascularization. Results: Of the 3 899 patients included in the study, 2 888 were men (74.1%); mean age was 59.4±9.8 years. There were 3 450 patients in the SS≤22 group and 449 patients in the SS 23-32 group. Compared with SS≤22 group, the incidence of revascularization was higher in SS 23-32 group (18.9% (85/449) vs. 15.2% (524/3450), log-rank P=0.019). There was no significant difference in all-cause death, cardiac death and recurrent myocardial infarction between the two groups (log-rank P>0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age (HR=1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.08, P<0.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR=3.12, 95%CI 1.37-7.07, P=0.007) and creatinine clearance rate (CCr)<60 ml/min (HR=3.67, 95%CI 2.05-6.58, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for 5-year cardiac death, while left ventricular ejection fraction (HR=0.94, 95%CI 0.91-0.96, P<0.001) was a protective factor. Previous PCI (HR=2.04, 95%CI 1.38-3.00, P<0.001), blood glucose level≥11.1 mmol/L on admission (HR=2.49, 95%CI 1.32-4.70, P=0.005) and CCr<60 ml/min (HR=1.85, 95%CI 1.14-2.99, P=0.012) were independent risk factors for 5-year recurrent myocardial infarction. The SS of 23-32 was independently associated with risk of revascularization (HR=1.54, 95%CI 1.09-2.16, P=0.014), after adjusting for residual SS. Residual SS was not a risk factor for 5-year prognosis. Conclusions: In diabetic patients with low-or intermediate complexity CAD, SS 23-32 is associated with increased risk of 5-year revascularization; the clinical characteristics of the patients are associated with the long-term mortality and recurrent myocardial infarction, but not related to revascularization.

Utility of trio-based prenatal exome sequencing incorporating splice-site and mitochondrial genome assessment in pregnancies with fetal ultrasound anomalies: prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the utility of trio-based prenatal exome sequencing (pES), incorporating splice-site and mitochondrial genome assessment, in the prenatal diagnosis of fetuses with ultrasound anomalies and normal copy-number variant sequencing (CNV-seq) results.

METHODS

This was a prospective study of 90 ongoing pregnancies with ultrasound anomalies that underwent trio-based pES after receiving normal CNV-seq results, from September 2020 to November 2021, in a single center in China. By using pES with a panel encompassing exome coding and splicing regions as well as mitochondrial genome for fetuses and parents, we identified the underlying genetic causes of fetal anomalies, incidental fetal findings and parental carrier status. Information on pregnancy outcome and the impact of pES findings on parental decision-making was collected.

RESULTS

Of the 90 pregnancies included, 28 (31.1%) received a diagnostic result that could explain the fetal ultrasound anomalies. The highest diagnostic yield was noted for brain abnormalities (3/6 (50.0%)), followed by hydrops (4/9 (44.4%)) and skeletal abnormalities (13/34 (38.2%)). Collectively, 34 variants of 20 genes were detected in the 28 diagnosed cases, with 55.9% (19/34) occurring de novo. Variants of uncertain significance (VUS) associated with fetal phenotypes were detected in six (6.7%) fetuses. Interestingly, fetal (n = 4) and parental (n = 3) incidental findings (IFs) were detected in seven (7.8%) cases. These included two fetuses carrying a de-novo likely pathogenic (LP) variant of the CIC and FBXO11 genes, respectively, associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, and one fetus with a LP variant in a mitochondrial gene. The remaining fetus presented with unilateral renal dysplasia and was incidentally found to carry a pathogenic PKD1 gene variant resulting in adult-onset polycystic kidney, which was later confirmed to be inherited from the mother. In addition, parental heterozygous variants associated with autosomal recessive diseases were detected in three families, including one with additional fetal diagnostic findings. Diagnostic results or fetal IFs contributed to parental decision-making about termination of the pregnancy in 26 families (26/72 (36.1%)), while negative pES results or identification of VUS encouraged 40 families (40/72 (55.6%)) to continue their pregnancy, which ended in a live birth in all cases.

CONCLUSION

Trio-based pES can provide additional genetic information for pregnancies with fetal ultrasound anomalies without a CNV-seq diagnosis. The incidental findings and parental carrier status reported by trio-based pES with splice-site and mitochondrial genome analysis extend its clinical application, but careful genetic counseling is warranted. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Knockout and Restoration Reveal Differential Functional Roles of PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 in Chicken Adipogenesis

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is the master regulator of adipogenesis and is expressed as two isoforms, PPARγ1 and PPARγ2. Our previous lentiviral overexpression study showed that PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 differentially regulated proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of the immortalized chicken preadipocyte cell line (ICP2). However, we cannot rule out the possibility that the endogenous expression of PPARγ isoforms may compromise our findings. In this study, using the dual sgRNA-directed CRISPR/Cas9 system, we generated PPARγ (PPARγ^-/-) and PPARγ2-specific knockout (PPARγ2^-/-) ICP2 cell lines and investigated the differences in proliferation and differentiation among PPARγ^-/-, PPARγ2^-/-, and wild-type ICP2 cells. EdU proliferation assay showed that both PPARγ2-specific and PPARγ knockouts significantly increased the proliferation rates. Consistently, real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that both PPARγ2-specific and PPARγ knockouts significantly upregulated the expression of proliferation marker genes PCNA and cyclinD1. FACS analysis revealed that PPARγ knockout significantly increased the number of cells accumulating in the S phase and decreased the number of cells accumulating in the G₁/G₀ phase. Oil Red O staining and gene expression analysis showed both PPARγ2-specific and PPARγ knockouts dramatically reduced capacity for adipogenic differentiation. To corroborate our previous findings, PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 expression were restored in PPARγ^-/- cells by using the lentiviruses expressing chicken PPARγ1 (LV-PPARγ1) and PPARγ2 (LV-PPARγ2), respectively. Subsequent assays showed that restoration of expression of either PPARγ1 or PPARγ2 suppressed proliferation and stimulated differentiation of the PPARγ^-/- cells. By comparison, PPARγ2 had stronger anti-proliferative and pro-adipogenic effects than PPARγ1. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying their differential effects on differentiation of the PPARγ^-/- cells, we performed RNA-seq in the PPARγ^-/- cells in which individual PPARγ isoform expression was restored at 72 h of differentiation. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that restoring PPARγ1 expression caused far more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) than restoring PPARγ2 expression. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses indicated that PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 had distinct and overlapping functions in adipogenesis. Taken together, our results clearly indicate that PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 differentially impact chicken adipogenesis.

A chromosome-level genome assembly for Dracaena cochinchinensis reveals the molecular basis of its longevity and formation of dragon's blood

Dracaena, a remarkably long-lived and slowly maturing species of plant, is world famous for its ability to produce dragon's blood, a precious traditional medicine used by different cultures since ancient times. However, there is no detailed and high-quality genome available for this species at present; thus, the molecular mechanisms that underlie its important traits are largely unknown. These factors seriously limit the protection and regeneration of this rare and endangered plant resource. Here, we sequenced and assembled the genome of Dracaena cochinchinensis at the chromosome level. The D. cochinchinensis genome covers 1.21 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 50.06 Mb and encodes 31 619 predicted protein-coding genes. Analysis showed that D. cochinchinensis has undergone two whole-genome duplications and two bursts of long terminal repeat insertions. The expansion of two gene classes, cis-zeatin O-glucosyltransferase and small auxin upregulated RNA, were found to account for its longevity and slow growth. Two transcription factors (bHLH and MYB) were found to be core regulators of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, and reactive oxygen species were identified as the specific signaling molecules responsible for the injury-induced formation of dragon's blood. Our study provides high-quality genomic information relating to D. cochinchinensis and significant insight into the molecular mechanisms responsible for its longevity and formation of dragon's blood. These findings will facilitate resource protection and sustainable utilization of Dracaena.

A survey of multi-class imbalanced data classification methods

In reality, the data generated in many fields are often imbalanced, such as fraud detection, network intrusion detection and disease diagnosis. The class with fewer instances in the data is called the minority class, and the minority class in some applications contains the significant information. So far, many classification methods and strategies for binary imbalanced data have been proposed, but there are still many problems and challenges in multi-class imbalanced data that need to be solved urgently. The classification methods for multi-class imbalanced data are analyzed and summarized in terms of data preprocessing methods and algorithm-level classification methods, and the performance of the algorithms using the same dataset is compared separately. In the data preprocessing methods, the methods of oversampling, under-sampling, hybrid sampling and feature selection are mainly introduced. Algorithm-level classification methods are comprehensively introduced in four aspects: ensemble learning, neural network, support vector machine and multi-class decomposition technique. At the same time, all data preprocessing methods and algorithm-level classification methods are analyzed in detail in terms of the techniques used, comparison algorithms, pros and cons, respectively. Moreover, the evaluation metrics commonly used for multi-class imbalanced data classification methods are described comprehensively. Finally, the future directions of multi-class imbalanced data classification are given.

lncRNA DARS-AS1 Modulates TSPAN1-Mediated ITGA2 Hypomethylation by Interaction with miR-194-5p Thus Promoting Ovarian Cancer Progression

Objective

Ovarian cancer (OC) is usually called the "silent killer" due to its asymptomatic characteristics until advanced stages, thus being a significant threat to female health worldwide. In this work, we characterized an oncogenic DARS-AS1 role in OC.

Methods

The aggressiveness behaviors of the OC cell model were examined by CCK-8 assay, transwell invasion assay, flow cytometry, and immunoblotting analysis of apoptosis-related proteins. Interactions of miR-194-5p with lncRNA DARS-AS1 or TSPAN1 and of TSPAN1 with ITGA2 were validated by using a luciferase activity assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay.

Results

The OC cell model exhibited overexpressed lncRNA DARS-AS1 compared to normal cells. lncRNA DARS-AS1 knockdown led to reduced OC cell growth and metastasis while inducing the apoptosis in the OC cell model. lncRNA DARS-AS1 positively regulated TSPAN1 expression by binding with miR-194-5p and TSPAN1-mediated ITGA2 hypomethylation in OC cells. Further rescue function studies demonstrated that lncRNA DARS-AS1 affected OC cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis ability by modulating miR-194-5p and TSPAN1 expressions.

Conclusion

Our work demonstrates that lncRNA DARS-AS1 promotes OC progression by modulating TSPAN1 and ITGA2 hypomethylation by binding with miR-194-5p.

[Safety of an inactivated 2019-nCoV vaccine (Vero) in adults aged 60 years and older]

Objective: To analyze the safety of an inactivated 2019-nCoV vaccine (Vero cell) in adults aged 60 years and older. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted in May 2020 The eligible residents aged 60 and above were recruited in Renqiu city, Hebei Province. A total of 422 subjects (phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ:72/350) were enrolled. Two doses of the trial vaccine or placebo were randomly administered according to a 0 and 28-day immunization schedule. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups in Phase Ⅰ. Within each group, participants received vaccine or placebo in a ratio of 2∶1. Subjects were randomly divided into four groups in phase Ⅱ to receive low-dose, medium-dose, high-dose vaccine and placebo, respectively, in a ratio of 2∶2∶2∶1. A combination of regular follow-up and active reporting was used to observe adverse reactions within 28 days after vaccination, and compare the incidence rate of adverse reactions in the trial and control groups. Results: 422 subjects were (66.45±4.70) years old, and 48.82% were male (206/422). There were 100, 124, 124 and 74 patients enrolled into the low-dose, medium-dose, high-dose vaccine groups and the placebo group, respectively. One person without the vaccination was removed, and 421 participants who received at least one dose of vaccine were included in the safety analysis. Within 28 days after the first or second dose, a total of 20.67% (87/421) subjects had adverse reactions (both solicitation and non-solicitation). About 76 patients suffered grade 1 adverse reactions [18.05% (76/421)] and 22 patients suffered grade 2 adverse reactions [5.23% (22/421)]. No grade 3 or above adverse reactions occurred. A total of 19.71% (83/421) subjects had solicited adverse reactions. The most common grade 1 adverse reaction was injection site pain, followed by fever and fatigue. The most common grade 2 adverse reactions were fever and fatigue, followed by muscle pain and injection site redness. A total of 2.61% (11/421) subjects had unsolicited adverse reactions. A total of 1.66% (7/421) subjects had serious adverse events after vaccination, and no serious vaccine-related adverse events were reported. Conclusions: The inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is safe for people aged 60 years and above.

[Association of polymorphisms of VEGF and VEGFR1 pathways related genes and risk of pre-eclampsia]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) pathways-related genes and the risk of pre-eclampsia.

METHODS

In total 178 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia (case group) and 100 healthy pregnant women (control group) during the third trimester were enrolled. The SNPs of VEGF rs3025039, rs2010963 and VEGFR1 rs3812867, rs55875014 and rs722503 loci were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. The levels of serum VEGF and sVEGFR1 were also determined. And their association with pre-eclampsia was analyzed.

RESULTS

The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and sVEGFR1 of the case group were significantly higher than those of the control group, while the VEGF level was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Allelic frequencies of the VEGF (rs3025039, rs2010963) and VEGFR1 (rs3812867, rs55875014, rs722503) have fit the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P>0.05). The frequency of T allele of VEGF at rs3025039 locus in the case group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). There were significant differences in VEGF at rs3025039 locus under dominant and co-dominant models in case group (P<0.05). Compared with those with CC, the risk was higher in patients with CT or TT genotypes (P<0.05). The systolic and diastolic blood pressure and sVEGFR1 in pre-eclampsia pregnant women with CT or TT genotypes were significantly higher than those with the CC genotype, while their VEGF level was significantly lower (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in allelic frequencies of other four loci between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Polymorphisms of rs3025039 locus of VEGF gene is associated with the occurrence of pre-eclampsia. The variant at this locus may affect the activity of VEGF and influence the development of pre-eclampsia.

Publication Trends of Research on Gallbladder Cancer During 2001–2021: A 20-Year Bibliometric Analysis

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is one of the lethal cancers with an extremely poor prognosis. In the recent 20 years, research on GBC has developed rapidly. Here we aim to perform a systematical bibliometric analysis on the current foci and status of GBC research. This study analyzes trends in GBC research and compares contributions from different countries and regions, institutions, and authors. All publications in GBC research from 2001 to 2021 in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database were collected. Microsoft Excel 2010 and GraphPad Prism 9 were used to analyze publication data and publication trends. VOSviewer 1.6.17 was adapted to generate a visual network of keywords in surgical training research. A total of 3,323 publications were included. China was the most productive country, with the highest number of publications (n = 900, 27.08%). Shanghai Jiaotong University and Roa JC were the most productive institution and authors, contributing 215 and 89 publications, respectively. Keywords were classified into five clusters, each representing a key topic. The main clusters of GBC are related to surgery therapy, mechanism research-related study, and non-surgery therapy, while migration is the current hotspot of GBC research. The scientific progression of GBC research over the past two decades was comprehensively analyzed by this bibliometric study. Finding deeper mechanisms in the migration of GBC cells, new biomarkers, and highly effective nomograms will be the major problems and directions in the future.

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

AIM

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

MATERIALS AND METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSION

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

A novel multi-objective optimization framework for urban green-gray infrastructure implementation under impacts of climate change

Frequent urban flooding disasters can cause severe economic and property losses. Accordingly, the construction of sponge city has become critical to alleviating urban flooding. However, the functional and structural integration of Green Infrastructure (GI) and Gray Drainage Facility (GDF) is still a matter of concern. This study proposed a novel implementation framework for GI and GDF synchronization optimization (G-GSOIF) based on the SWMM and SUSTAIN models, and used data from Beilin District in Xi'an, China to verify the effects. The results show that the spatiotemporal integrated optimization design of GI and GDF proves to be effective in stormwater management. The total investment was reduced by 16.7% and economic benefit was increased by 15.4% based on disaster risk control, and the utilization rate of rainwater resources exceeded 40%. The Staged optimization model (SSOM) based on the SUSTAIN model established in the G-GSOIF was demonstrated to effectively cope with the impact of future climate change by adjusting and optimizing the design scheme dynamically in different simulation scenarios. Integrated LID (I-LID) measures are conducive for simulation of large catchment areas, and have the same implementation effect as distributed LID measures. The results of this study could support decision-making for urban stormwater management and sponge city construction.

Chinese University Students' Awareness and Acceptance of the COVID-19 Vaccine: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose

The emergence of the mutant virus has exacerbated the COVID-19 epidemic, and vaccines remain an effective and viable means of resistance. As a socially influential young group, university students’ awareness and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine are crucial to achieving herd immunity. This study aimed to assess the awareness and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among Chinese university students and identify possible factors associated with their awareness level and vaccine hesitancy.

Patients and Methods

An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted among Chinese university students between 10 and 28 June 2021. We collected information on the demographic characteristics, awareness and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine, and influencing factors. Sleep disturbances and anxiety disorders were also evaluated. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results

Among the 721 participants (aged 18 to 23 years) with a female predominance (68.9%), 40.4% of cases exhibited moderate awareness the COVID-19 vaccine, and 87.4% of cases expressed high acceptance of the vaccine. Participants’ awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine was associated with gender, ethnicity, region of residence, grade level, satisfaction with current state of pandemic control, the perceived likelihood of a COVID-19 pandemic rebound, the source number of COVID-19 information, concerns about differences in vaccine manufacturers, acceptance of current state-approved vaccines and insomnia level. Furthermore, age, preferred channels for vaccination and the acceptance of current state-approved vaccines were significantly associated with their acceptance of the vaccine.

Conclusion

This study reflected Chinese university students’ high acceptance, but insufficient awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine, some students have insomnia and anxiety problems. These require the government to take measures such as individualized publicity and education, adding professional psychological counseling courses to improve the university students’ awareness of vaccines and public health events, and comprehensively promote vaccination to cope with the ever-changing situation of the COVID-19 epidemic.

124I-Labeled Monoclonal Antibody and Fragment for the Noninvasive Evaluation of Tumor PD-L1 Expression In Vivo

Lung cancer is a highly heterogeneous cancer and is divided broadly into small and nonsmall cell lung cancer (SCLC or NSCLC). In all NSCLC patients, it is estimated that 50%-60% are programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) positive, and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies have shown their clinical application prospects in advanced NSCLC. To avoid unnecessary adverse effects and provide anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy to the most appropriate patient population, the PD-L1 expression in patients preparing for treatment must be evaluated accurately and in real time. In this study, we noninvasively evaluate the PD-L1 expression in an NSCLC xenograft using ¹²⁴I-labeled F(ab')₂ fragments of durvalumab (Durva) and compared it with the ¹²⁴I-labeled intact antibody in terms of the biodistribution and dosimetry. The aim is to develop a nuclide labeled molecular probe with better performance for PD-L1 immunoPET imaging. After cleaving using IdeS protease, the F(ab')₂ fragments of Durva were labeled with ¹²⁴I. The radioligand showed a high radiochemical purity (>96%) and outstanding stability. Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and flow cytometry were performed on the two selected NSCLC cell lines to measure the in vitro PD-L1 expression. The H460 cells showed a much higher PD-L1 expression than the A549 cells, both at the protein level and the mRNA level. In the following cell binding experiment and binding specificity assay, the labeled radioligand showed good affinity to high PD-L1 expression cells and could be blocked with excess unlabeled intact Durva. The results of the biodistribution and the positron emission tomography (PET) image showed that the peak tumor uptake of ¹²⁴I-Durva-F(ab')₂ was close to ¹²⁴I-Durva, but much earlier (5.29 ± 0.42% ID/g for ¹²⁴I-Durva-F(ab')₂ at 12 h vs 5.18 ± 0.73% ID/g for ¹²⁴I-Durva at 48 h). Compared with ¹²⁴I-Durva, an accelerated blood clearance was observed for ¹²⁴I-Durva-F(ab')₂. The faster blood clearance allowed for a higher tumor-to-background ratio, which was reflected on the image in contrast. The H460 tumors showed excellent contrast as early as 4 h after injection with ¹²⁴I-Durva-F(ab')₂, and for ¹²⁴I-Durva, the xenograft could not be distinguished clearly until 24 h after injection. Interestingly, ¹²⁴I-Durva-F(ab')₂ showed lower accumulations compared to other metal isotopes labeled PD-L1 antibodies in bone, liver, spleen etc., which will be beneficial for metastasis detection. Another benefit of accelerated blood clearance was a reduction in the radiation dose. According to the results of the OLINDA/EXM, the effective dose for the total body of ¹²⁴I-Durva was 4.25-times greater than that of ¹²⁴I-Durva-F(ab')₂ (186 μSv/MBq vs 43.8 μSv/MBq). All of these data indicated that ¹²⁴I-Durva-F(ab')₂ is a promising immunoPET tracer for evaluating the in vivo PD-L1 levels in an NSCLC model and is expected to be successful in future clinical application.

Exerimental method and preliminary studies of the passive containment water film evaporation mass transfer

For larger containments and higher operation parameters, characteristics of the outside cooling of the PCCS are very important for the analysis on the containment integrity. A preliminary analysis was made and a four-step experimental method was used to numerically analyze the falling water film evaporation for the advanced passive containment. Then, the water flow stability along the outside wall of the containment was studied. The results fit well with those correlations without airflow when the air velocity is less than 5.0 m/s. However, when the air velocity is larger than 5.0 m/s, the influence of the air velocity on the water film will appear and the mean water film thickness will be thicker. Based on the prototype operation parameters, experimental studies were carried and the results were compared with the Dittus-Boelter correlation within the operation ranges. A modification factor was proposed for the conservative application of this correlation for nuclear safety analysis.

The impact of preoperative biliary drainage on postoperative outcomes in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice: a retrospective analysis of 290 consecutive cases at a single medical center

Background

The efficacy of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) has been debated for several decades, and yet indications for PBD remain controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice undergoing direct surgery versus surgery with PBD.

Methods

All consecutive patients with malignant obstructive jaundice who underwent radical resection between June 2017 and December 2019 at Zhongshan Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The study population was divided into two groups: PBD group (PG) and direct surgery group (DG). The subgroups were chosen based on the site of obstruction. Perioperative indicators and postoperative complications were compared and analyzed.

Results

A total of 290 patients were analyzed. Postoperative complications occurred in 134 patients (46.4%). Patients in the PG group had a lower overall rate of postoperative complications compared with the DG group, with perioperative total bilirubin (TB) identified as an independent risk factor in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 1.004; 95% confidence interval 1.001–1.007; P = 0.017). Subgroup analysis showed that PBD reduced the complication rate in patients with proximal obstruction. In the proximal-obstruction subgroup, a preoperative TB level > 162 μmol/L predicted postoperative complications.

Conclusions

PBD may reduce the overall rate of postoperative complications among patients with proximal malignant obstructive jaundice.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, 2018ZSLC 24. Registered May 17, 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/.

Lnc-AC145676.2.1-6-3 can influence STX3-induced abnormal autophagy by sponging hsa-miR-1292-3p in intestinal aGVHD

OBJECTIVE

Intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a serious complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Abnormal autophagy levels in intestinal aGVHD have been confirmed in many studies. LncRNAs exert coregulatory functions and participate in a variety of intracellular regulatory processes. In this study, we investigated how lnc-AC145676.2.1-6-3 regulates dysregulated STX3-related autophagy in aGVHD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, we established a mouse model of aGVHD by transplanting a mononuclear cell suspension from Balb/c donor mice treated with 60Co X-rays into CB6F1 recipient mice. STX3-related indicators were analyzed by Western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemistry which confirmed that STX3 plays an important role in dysregulating autophagy in intestinal aGVHD. TNF-αinduced Caco-2 cells, which is an in vitro model of intestinal barrier dysfunction, were established to verify the effect of STX3. The direct interaction between the partners of lnc-AC145676.2.1-6-3-mediated hsa-miR-1292-3p and STX3 axis was evaluated by the Dual-Luciferase activity assay. We performed PCR, WB, and immunofluorescence in Caco-2 cells to determine whether the abnormal autophagy levels were influenced by lnc-AC145676.2.1-6-3.

RESULTS

The results showed that lnc-AC145676.2.1-6-3 could significantly suppress the number of autophagic vacuoles, the LC3-II/I ratio, and beclin1 levels by increasing STX3 levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Lnc-AC145676.2.1-6-3 may play an important role in intestinal aGVHD by targeting STX3.

Optimization of spatial pipeline with multi-hoop supports for avoiding resonance problem based on genetic algorithm

The reasonable layout of hoops can effectively avoid the excitation frequency of engine rotors and greatly reduce the vibration level of pipeline systems. In this study, a spatial pipeline supported by multi-hoops was taken as the object, the method of using genetic algorithm to efficiently obtain the optimal layout of hoops to avoid resonance was investigated. The finite element model of the pipeline system was created as the basic model of optimization, spring elements were applied to simulate the mechanical characteristics of hoop and the influence of spring element direction on the vibration characteristics of pipeline system were mainly described. In the optimization of avoiding resonance for spatial pipelines, the optimization goal was to maximize the first-order natural frequency, the positions of the hoops were converted into the node number as design variables, and the final optimization model of pipeline to avoid resonance was determined on the premise of reasonably setting of constraint conditions for design variables. The genetic algorithm was utilized to solve the optimization model, and two optimization methods were proposed, which were named as "genetic algorithm calling finite element model" and "genetic algorithm updating stiffness matrix" respectively. Finally, a case study was carried out to display the proposed methods. The maximum deviation between the calculation and the test results is less than 1.5% for the first three order natural frequencies, which proves the rationality of the created finite element model of spatial pipeline. Furthermore, the optimization practices show that the reasonable hoop layout of the pipeline system can be obtained by the two optimization methods, but the efficiency of the optimization performed by "genetic algorithm updating stiffness matrix" is much higher than that of "genetic algorithm calling finite element model".

Biliverdin reductase B impairs cholangiocarcinoma cell motility by inhibiting the Notch/Snail signaling pathway

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the most lethal types of solid tumors worldwide. Lymph node metastasis is common in the early stage, which is associated with recurrence and reduced survival time after CCA resection. The molecular pathogenesis of CCA is complex and requires extensive investigation. It involves multiple genomic alterations and the dysregulation of signaling pathways. Biliverdin reductase B (BLVRB) is a non-redundant NAD(P)H-dependent biliverdin reductase that regulates cellular redox status by reducing biliverdin to bilirubin. This study aimed at describing the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of BLVRB in human CCA. Prognostic clinical data showed that low expression BLVRB was associated with poor prognosis and lymph node metastasis. BLVRB depletion accelerated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration and invasion. In contrast, BLVRB overexpression was associated with reduced EMT and cell migration and invasion in CCA. BLVRB suppression activated Notch signaling, and activated c-Notch enhanced EMT by upregulating Snail expression levels, thereby increasing cell migration and invasion in CCA. Our results identified an unexpected function of BLVRB in CCA migration and invasion through the regulation of Notch/Snail signaling.

lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 suppresses metastasis and chemo-resistance by modulating the phosphorylation of c-Jun protein in GBC

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as critical contributors in tumor progression for many types of cancer. However, their functions in gallbladder cancer (GBC) have not been systematically clarified. In this study, the clinical significance, biological function, and underlying mechanism of lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 in GBC were investigated. The quantitative real-time PCR result indicated that lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 was found to be recurrently downregulated in GBC tumor samples. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that decreased lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 expression level was associated with poor survival of GBC patients (p = 0.025). Then, both in vitro and in vivo experiments elucidated that the overexpression of lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 suppressed the migration and invasion abilities of GBC cells and promoted the sensitivity to gemcitabine of GBC cells. Furthermore, we found that lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 physically interacted with c-Jun protein and decreased the phosphorylation on serine-73 (c-Jun-Ser73), which might cause the enhancement of the migration, invasion, and sensitivity to gemcitabine of GBC tumor cells. In conclusion, our study identified lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 as a promising prognostic indicator for patients with GBC, providing insights into the molecular pathogenesis of GBC. lncRNA RP11-147L13.8 is a potential therapeutic combination for gemcitabine in GBC treatment.

An application research for near-surface repository of strontium-90 sorption kinetic model on mudrocks

In this study,90Sr was used as the test radionuclide to characterize the sorption kinetics and effects of initial 90Sr activity and remaining 90Sr in solid concentration were simulated for a near-surface repository. The study focused on the sorption characteristics of radionuclides in unsaturated groundwater environment (or vadose zone) is the important information for investigating the near-surface disposal of intermediate and low-level radioactive waste (ILLW). Moreover, the 90Sr sorption experiments reached equilibrium within 56 h, which fit to the first order sorption kinetic model, and the remaining 90Sr in mudrock samples showed obvious sorption equilibrium hysteresis, which fit to the second order sorption kinetic model. Before reaching the maximum sorption capacity, the sorption rate constant increases with 90Sr increasing; the distribution coefficient (Kd) of 56 h decreases with the remaining 90Sr decreasing. In addition, it showed that the slow sorption process dominated before the sorption reaches equilibrium. In fact, a reliable safety assessment methodology for on-going near-surface repository required a lot of the radionuclides parameters with local environment including the radionuclides sorption/desorption rate constant and maximum sorption capacity.

A Nonlinear Optimal Control Approach for Multi-DOF Brachiation Robots

This paper proposes a nonlinear optimal control approach for mulitple degrees of freedom (DOF) brachiation robots, which are often used in inspection and maintenance tasks of the electric power grid. Because of the nonlinear and multivariable structure of the related state-space model, as well as because of underactuation, the control problem of these robots is nontrivial. The dynamic model of the brachiation robots undergoes first approximate linearization with the use of Taylor series expansion around a temporary operating point which is recomputed at each iteration of the control method. For the approximately linearized model, an H-infinity feedback controller is designed. The linearization procedure relies on the Jacobian matrices of the brachiation robots’ state-space model. The proposed control method stands for the solution of the optimal control problem for the nonlinear and multivariable dynamics of the brachiation robots, under model uncertainties and external perturbations. For the computation of the controller’s feedback gains an algebraic Riccati equation is solved at each time-step of the control method. The global stability properties of the control scheme are proven through Lyapunov analysis. The new nonlinear optimal control approach achieves fast and accurate tracking for all state variables of the brachiation robots, under moderate variations of the control inputs.

Value of low-dose spiral CT combined with circulating miR-200b and miR-200c examinations for lung cancer screening in physical examination population

OBJECTIVE

  The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical value of low-dose spiral CT (LDCT), plasma miR-200b, and miR-200c combined screening for lung cancer screening in the physical examination population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January 2016 to December 2018, the Physical Examination Center of our hospital underwent low-dose spiral CT lung cancer screening for 10,823 people aged ≥40 years. The quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the relative expressions of miR-200b and miR-200c in plasma, analyze the imaging characteristics of suspicious nodules in the lung and the relative expressions of miR-200b and miR-200c in plasma.

RESULTS

A total of 2,919 pulmonary nodules were detected in the 10823 physical examination population, with a total detection rate of 26.97%, including 1523 males and 1396 females. 1081 positive nodules were detected with a detection rate of 9.99%. According to the Lung-RADS classification, the number of type 2 nodules was the highest, with a detection rate of 22.13%. Meanwhile, the rate of type 3 nodules was 3.15%, and the rate of type 4 nodules was 1.69%. The sensitivity, accuracy, and negative predictive value of LDCT, miR-200b, and miR-200c in the diagnosis of lung cancer were significantly improved compared with the individual tests, which were 94.74%, 90.16%, and 95.88%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Low-dose spiral CT combined with plasma miR-200b and miR-200c for lung cancer screening in the physical examination population can help to detect lung cancer patients with early symptoms that are not significant, and achieve early diagnosis and early treatment.

Degree of peripheral Thyroxin Deiodination and recurrent cardiovascular events in euthyroid patients undergoing PCI: five-year findings from a large single-center cohort study

Background

In euthyroid patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), it is still unclear whether thyroxin deiodination level can predict the recurrence of cardiovascular events (CVEs). Using free triiodothyronine to free thyroxine (FT3/FT4) ratio, a marker of peripheral thyroxin deiodination, we aim to investigate its association with recurrent long-term adverse events in this population.

Methods

3549 euthyroid patients with prior CVEs history undergoing PCI were consecutively enrolled in our study and subsequently divided into three FT3/FT4 ratio tertiles (T1&lt;2.41, n=1170; 2.41≤T2&lt;2.75, n=1198; T3&gt;2.75, n=1181). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke and revascularization. The secondary endpoints were all-cause death and cardiac death.

Results

The median follow-up time was 5 years. The incidence of all-cause death, cardiac death and MACCE were significantly higher among patients in the lowest FT3/FT4 tertile (P&lt;0.05). After adjustment of confounding factors, decreased FT3/FT4 ratio was independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause death (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.13–2.93, P=0.014), cardiac death (HR 1.90, 95% CI 1.04–3.46, P=0.036) and MACCE (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.10–1.60, P=0.003).

Conclusions

In euthyroid patients undergoing PCI, FT3/FT4 ratio, a surrogate marker of peripheral thyroxin deiodination, demonstrates a strong association with long-term recurrent cardiovascular events. Routine assessment of FT3/FT4 ratio might be a simple and effective tool for risk stratification in this specific patient population.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFC1301300, 2016YFC1301301); National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81770365)

Prognostic utility of fibrinogen in patients with coronary artery disease and prediabetes or diabetes following percutaneous coronary intervention: five-year findings from a large single-center cohort

Background

The prognosis for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unfavorable despite advances in treatment. Fibrinogen (FIB) is an independent risk factor for mortality and cardiovascular events in general population. However, the relationship between FIB and long-term mortality among CAD patients undergoing PCI is less investigated, especially in individuals concomitated with diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes (Pre-DM).

Methods

6140 patients with CAD undergoing PCI were consecutively enrolled in our study and subsequently divided into three groups according to FIB levels (FIB-L, FIB-M, FIB-H). These patients were further grouped by glycemic metabolism state [normoglycemia (NG), Pre-DM, DM]. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The secondary endpoint was cardiac mortality.

Results

FIB was positively associated with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) both in CAD patients with and without DM. During a median follow-up time of 5.1 years, elevated FIB was significantly associated with long-term mortality from all-cause (adjusted HR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.28–2.69; P=0.001) and cardiac specific (adjusted HR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.15–2.89; P=0.011). Similarly, patients with DM but not Pre-DM had increased risk of all-cause and cardiac mortality (all P&lt;0.05). When grouped by both FIB levels and glycemic metabolism state, diabetic patients with medium and high FIB levels had higher risk of mortality [(adjusted HR: 2.57; 95% CI: 1.12–5.89), (adjusted HR: 3.04; 95% CI: 1.35–6.82), all P&lt;0.05]. Notably, prediabetic patients with high FIB also had higher mortality risk (adjusted HR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.01–5.12).

Conclusion

FIB was strongly associated with long-term all-cause and cardiac mortality among CAD patients undergoing PCI, especially in persons concomitated with DM and Pre-DM, indicating FIB test may help identify high-risk individuals in this specific patient population.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFC1301300, 2016YFC1301301); National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81770365)

High urinary excretion rate of glucose attenuates serum uric acid level in type 2 diabetes with normal renal function

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

The relationship between urinary excretion rate of glucose (UEGL) and uric acid (UA) metabolism in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains unclear to date. This study aimed to investigate the relationships of UEGL with serum UA (SUA), urinary excretion rate of uric acid (UEUA), and renal clearance of uric acid (CLUA) in adults with T2D. We hypothesised that high UEGL increases UA excretion, which in turn leads to lower SUA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 635 inpatients with T2D recruited between 2018 and 2019. The relationships of UEGL with UEUA, CLUA, and hyperuricaemia were assessed using analysis of covariance and multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

Patients in the higher quartile of UEGL tended to have lower SUA levels than those in the lower quartile. In contrast, patients in the higher quartile of UEGL tended to have higher CLUA (p for trend < 0.0001), and a similar trend was observed for UEUA. In adjusted multivariable linear regression model, UEGL was negatively correlated with SUA (β = - 0.023, 95% CI - 0.034 to - 0.013, p < 0.0001). However, positive correlations of UEGL with UEUA (β = 0.046, 95% CI 0.018-0.074, p = 0.001) and CLUA (β = 0.063, 95% CI 0.042-0.085, p < 0.0001) were found. Furthermore, consistent significant inverse associations were observed between quartiles of UEGL and hyperuricaemia in the adjusted multivariate logistic regression model.

CONCLUSIONS

A high UEGL level was positively correlated with UEUA and CLUA. Moreover, it was inversely associated with SUA level, and a consistently increased UEGL level reduced the risk of hyperuricaemia in patients with T2D.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of the medicinal plant Persicaria filiformis

Persicaria filiformis, known as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is a perennial plant of Polygonaceae wildly distributed in China. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of P. filiformis was assembled and analyzed in this study. The length of the circular genome is 159,741 bp, with a rich GC content of 41.3%. The cp genome structure consists of a large single-copy region (LSC 84,432 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC 13,073 bp) and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IR 31,118 bp). The complete genome encodes 130 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that P. filiformis is most related to P. japonica.

Clinical efficacy of mouse nerve growth factor plus nimodipine in neonatal intracranial hemorrhage and its effect on plasma PAF, CNP, MMP-2, and neurological function

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical efficacy of combination of mouse nerve growth factor (NGF) and nimodipine in the treatment of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage (NICH) and its effect on plasma platelet-activating factor (PAF), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and neurological function.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 90 infants with severe ICH admitted to our hospital from December 2016 to December 2018 were enrolled for retrospective study. According to different treatment schemes, they were assigned into 2 groups: group A (n=40) treated with mouse NGF plus nimodipine; group B (n=50) treated with nimodipine. The recovery time, serum indexes (PAF, MMP-2, CNP), neurological function (neonatal behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA) score), complications, and total effective rate of patients were recorded, and the satisfaction degree of family members was statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

Patients in group A showed shorter recovery time, down-regulated PAF and MMP-2, evidently up-regulated CNP, and significantly increased NBNA score after one/two weeks of treatment, as well as fewer complications, higher total effective rate and higher satisfaction of family members.

CONCLUSIONS

To sum up, the combination of mouse NGF and nimodipine achieves good clinical efficacy in NICH, which down-regulates plasma PAF and MMP-2, up-regulates CNP, and improves neurological function. Therefore, it is suitable for clinical promotion.

MiR-127-3p inhibits proliferation of ovarian cancer in rats through down-regulating MAPK4

OBJECTIVE

To reveal the anti-tumor effect of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-127-3p on epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression of miR-127-3p in 7 kinds of EOC cell lines and 10 cases of clinical samples of EOC patients was detected via quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). OVCAR-3 and Caov-3 cell lines were transfected with lentiviruses to overexpress endogenous miR-127-3p. Then, the anti-tumor effect of miR-127-3p on EOC cells was explored through the in vitro cell proliferation assay, bufalin sensitivity assay, wound healing assay, and invasion assay. In addition, whether the mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (MAPK4) gene is a downstream target of miR-127-3p in EOC was verified via Dual-Luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR. The involvement of MAPK4 in regulating phenotypes of OVCAR-3 and Caov-3 cells was finally explored.

RESULTS

MiR-127-3p was downregulated in both EOC cell lines and EOC tissues (p<0.05). After lentivirus-mediated overexpression of miR-127-3p, in vitro proliferation and invasion of EOC cells were inhibited, and the sensitivity to bufalin was enhanced (p<0.05). MiR-127-3p directly regulated MAPK4 gene in EOC. Moreover, the upregulation of MAPK4 inhibited the anti-tumor effect of miR-127-3p on EOC, manifested as the remarkably enhanced cell proliferation and migration (p<0.05), and the weakened sensitivity to bufalin (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-127-3p exerts an inhibitory effect on EOC cells via regulating MAPK4 level.

Exosomal lncRNA UCA1 modulates cervical cancer stem cell self-renewal and differentiation through microRNA-122-5p/SOX2 axis

Background

There is growing evidence discussing the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cervical cancer (CC). We performed this study to explore the impact of exosomal lncRNA urothelial cancer-associated 1 (UCA1) in CC stem cells by sponging microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p) and regulating SOX2 expression.

Methods

CC stem cells (CD133⁺CaSki) and exosomes were extracted and identified. The synthesized UCA1- and miR-122-5p-related sequences were transfected into CaSki cells, CaSki cells-derived exosomes were extracted and then co-cultured with CD133⁺CaSki cells. The functional roles of UCA1 and miR-122-5p in self-renewal and differentiation ability of CC stem cells were determined using ectopic expression, knockdown/depletion and reporter assay experiments. An in vivo experiment was performed to verify the in vitro results.

Results

Up-regulated UCA1 and SOX2 and down-regulated miR-122-5p were found in CaSki-Exo. Exosomes promoted invasion, migration, proliferation and restrained apoptosis of CD133⁺CaSki cells. Silencing UCA1 or up-regulating miR-122-5p degraded SOX2 expression, and reduced invasion, migration and proliferation of CD133⁺CaSki cells while advanced apoptosis and suppressed the tumor volume and weight in nude mice.

Conclusion

Our study provides evidence that CaSki-Exo can promote the self-renewal and differentiation ability of CC stem cells while silencing UCA1 or up-regulating miR-122-5p restrains self-renewal and differentiation of CC stem cells.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-02872-9.