ForMAX - a beamline for multiscale and multimodal structural characterization of hierarchical materials

The ForMAX beamline at the MAX IV Laboratory provides multiscale and multimodal structural characterization of hierarchical materials in the nanometre to millimetre range by combining small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering with full-field microtomography. The modular design of the beamline is optimized for easy switching between different experimental modalities. The beamline has a special focus on the development of novel fibrous materials from forest resources, but it is also well suited for studies within, for example, food science and biomedical research.

Hybrid Immuno-RT for Bulky Tumors: Standard Fractionation with Partial Tumor SBRT

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Bulky tumors remain challenging to be treated. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is effective against radioresistant tumor cells and can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) that leads to T-cell-mediated antitumor effects. Low-dose radiation (LDRT) can inflame the tumor microenvironment (TME) by recruiting T cells. We designed a novel radiotherapy technique (RT, ERT) whose dose distribution map resembles the "eclipse" by concurrently delivering LDRT to the whole tumor, meanwhile SBRT to only a part of the same tumor. This study examined the safety and efficacy of ERT to bulky lesions with PD-1 inhibitors in mice and patients.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In mice with CT26 colon or LLC1 lung bulky tumors (400 - 500 cm3), the whole tumor was irradiated by LDRT (2 Gy x 3), meanwhile the tumor center was irradiated by SBRT (10 Gy x 3); αPD-1 was given weekly. The dependence of therapeutic effects on CD8+ T cells was determined using depleting antibodies. Frequencies of CD8+ T cells and M1 macrophages (Mφ) were determined by flow cytometry. Multiplex Immunohistochemistry (mIHC) was applied to analyze the number and the location of CD8+ T cells and their subpopulations, as well as the phospho-eIF2α level (the ICD marker) of tumor cells in TME. Patients with advanced lung or liver bulky tumors who failed standard treatment or with oncologic emergencies were treated. Kaplan-Meier method was applied to estimate patients' progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

ERT/αPD-1 is superior to SBRT/αPD-1 or LDRT/αPD-1 in controlling bulky tumors in both mouse models in a CD8+ T-cell dependent manner. In the CT26 model, ERT/αPD-1 resulted in complete tumor regression in 3/11 mice and induced more CD8+ T cells and M1 Mφ in TME compared to other groups. mIHC analysis showed that ERT/αPD-1 induced higher bulk, stem-like (TCF1+ TIM3- PD-1+), and more differentiated (TCF1- TIM3+ PD-1+) CD8+ T cells infiltration into the tumor center and periphery compared to other groups. Compared to untreated or LDRT-treated tumor centers, tumor centers irradiated with ERT or SBRT showed elevated phospho-eIF2α accompanied by higher dendritic cell infiltration. In total, 39 advanced cancer patients were treated with ERT/αPD-1 or plus chemotherapy. Radiation-induced pneumonitis occurred in 1 of 26 patients receiving thoracic ERT. There were two cases of grade III toxicity associated with PD-1 inhibitors. No toxicity above grade III was observed. The objective response rate was 38.5%. The median PFS was 5.6 months and median OS was not reached at a median follow-up of 11.7 months.

CONCLUSION

ERT/αPD-1 showed superior efficacy in controlling bulky tumor in two mouse models. The hybrid immuno-RT (ERT) combing PD-1 inhibitors was safe and effective in patients with bulky tumors. Further clinical trials in combination with bioimaging to identify the optimal SBRT target region for the bulky tumor are warranted.

Comparison of prevalence, resistance, biofilm-forming ability and virulence between carbapenem-non-susceptible and carbepenem-susceptible Enterobacter cloacae complex in clusters

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore differences in prevalence, resistance, biofilm-forming ability and virulence between carbapenem-non-susceptible and carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) in different clusters.

METHODS

Ninety-one carbapenem-non-susceptible isolates and an equal number of carbapenem-susceptible isolates and their clinical information were collected from a university teaching hospital in China. The strains were divided into different clusters based on hsp60 analysis. The agar dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations of common antibiotics. The crystal violet assay was used to measure biofilm-forming ability. The Galleria mellonella infection model and polymerase chain reaction of virulence genes were used to evaluate virulence.

RESULTS

The isolates were divided into 12 clusters based on hsp60 analysis. Cluster VIII accounted for a greater proportion of carbapenem-non-susceptible isolates than the other clusters. The same clusters exhibited different resistance rates in carbapenem-non-susceptible and carbapenem-susceptible isolates. Moreover, carbapenem-non-susceptible isolates carried fewer virulence genes than carbapenem-susceptible isolates, and carbapenem-non-susceptible isolates in cluster II in did not carry the detected virulence genes. Virulence of carbapenem-non-susceptible and carbapenem-susceptible isolates differed significantly in clusters I, III, VIII and IX, as evaluated using the G. mellonella infection model. Carbapenem-non-susceptible isolates in cluster VIII showed higher prevalence, resistance, biofilm-forming ability and pathogenicity compared with the other clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings indicate the need to identify subgroups of ECC, and provide better advice and guidance for the use of carbapenems.

Formation of robust bound states of interacting microwave photons

Systems of correlated particles appear in many fields of modern science and represent some of the most intractable computational problems in nature. The computational challenge in these systems arises when interactions become comparable to other energy scales, which makes the state of each particle depend on all other particles1. The lack of general solutions for the three-body problem and acceptable theory for strongly correlated electrons shows that our understanding of correlated systems fades when the particle number or the interaction strength increases. One of the hallmarks of interacting systems is the formation of multiparticle bound states2-9. Here we develop a high-fidelity parameterizable fSim gate and implement the periodic quantum circuit of the spin-½ XXZ model in a ring of 24 superconducting qubits. We study the propagation of these excitations and observe their bound nature for up to five photons. We devise a phase-sensitive method for constructing the few-body spectrum of the bound states and extract their pseudo-charge by introducing a synthetic flux. By introducing interactions between the ring and additional qubits, we observe an unexpected resilience of the bound states to integrability breaking. This finding goes against the idea that bound states in non-integrable systems are unstable when their energies overlap with the continuum spectrum. Our work provides experimental evidence for bound states of interacting photons and discovers their stability beyond the integrability limit.

Noise-resilient edge modes on a chain of superconducting qubits

Inherent symmetry of a quantum system may protect its otherwise fragile states. Leveraging such protection requires testing its robustness against uncontrolled environmental interactions. Using 47 superconducting qubits, we implement the one-dimensional kicked Ising model, which exhibits nonlocal Majorana edge modes (MEMs) with ℤ 2 parity symmetry. We find that any multiqubit Pauli operator overlapping with the MEMs exhibits a uniform late-time decay rate comparable to single-qubit relaxation rates, irrespective of its size or composition. This characteristic allows us to accurately reconstruct the exponentially localized spatial profiles of the MEMs. Furthermore, the MEMs are found to be resilient against certain symmetry-breaking noise owing to a prethermalization mechanism. Our work elucidates the complex interplay between noise and symmetry-protected edge modes in a solid-state environment.

Identification of OSCA gene family in Solanum habrochaites and its function analysis under stress

Background

OSCA (hyperosmolality-gated calcium-permeable channel) is a calcium permeable cation channel protein that plays an important role in regulating plant signal transduction. It is involved in sensing changes in extracellular osmotic potential and an increase in Ca²⁺ concentration. S. habrochaites is a good genetic material for crop improvement against cold, late blight, planthopper and other diseases. Till date, there is no report on OSCA in S. habrochaites. Thus, in this study, we performed a genome-wide screen to identify OSCA genes in S. habrochaites and characterized their responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Results

A total of 11 ShOSCA genes distributed on 8 chromosomes were identified. Subcellular localization analysis showed that all members of ShOSCA localized on the plasma membrane and contained multiple stress-related cis acting elements. We observed that genome-wide duplication (WGD) occurred in the genetic evolution of ShOSCA5 (Solhab04g250600) and ShOSCA11 (Solhab12g051500). In addition, repeat events play an important role in the expansion of OSCA gene family. OSCA gene family of S. habrochaites used the time lines of expression studies by qRT-PCR, do indicate OSCAs responded to biotic stress (Botrytis cinerea) and abiotic stress (drought, low temperature and abscisic acid (ABA)). Among them, the expression of ShOSCAs changed significantly under four stresses. The resistance of silencing ShOSCA3 plants to the four stresses was reduced.

Conclusion

This study identified the OSCA gene family of S. habrochaites for the first time and analyzed ShOSCA3 has stronger resistance to low temperature, ABA and Botrytis cinerea stress. This study provides a theoretical basis for clarifying the biological function of OSCA, and lays a foundation for tomato crop improvement.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08675-6.

Realizing topologically ordered states on a quantum processor

[Figure: see text].

Suprafascial plane endoscopy versus open carpal tunnel release for idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome: Use of the Accordion Severity Grading System

This study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of modified endoscopic technique with a single portal from an external carpal tunnel approach for surgical operations in a suprafascial plane superficial to the transverse carpal ligament. Reversible nerve injury risk is threefold greater with a conventional endoscopic method than with open carpal tunnel release (OCTR), and this suprafascial plane endoscopic release (SPER) should circumvent the problem of hardware in the carpal tunnel encountered with the conventional endoscopic method and liable to cause iatrogenic damage to the median nerve. However, the surgical consequences of the new technique have not been studied. To fill this gap, a retrospective therapeutic study was conducted to compare negative outcomes versus open surgery. The Accordion Severity Grading System was used to grade complications from 0 to 3 according to necessity of treatment. Sequela and failure rates were also compared between the SPER and OCTR groups. Eighty-eight cases in 72 patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (ICTS) met the inclusion criteria. SPER was performed in 28 hands in 27 patients, and OCTR in 60 hands in 49 patients. The results showed no significant difference in complication, sequela, or failure rates between groups (p > 0.05). Suprafascial plane endoscopic release, has certain advantages over the open method and was validated as a safe and effective method of treating ICTS.

Taurine Reduces Liver Damage in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Model in Rats by Down-Regulating IL-9 and Tumor Growth Factor TGF-β

The study employed a rat model to examine the effects of taurine (Tau) on prevention and therapy of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In model rats maintained on a high-fat diet (HFD), the serum levels of ALT, AST, triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL were higher than the corresponding levels in normal control and NP groups (p<0.05). In Tau-prevention and Tau-treatment groups, the serum levels of AST and triglycerides were lower than in HFD rats (p<0.05). In HFD rats, diffuse fatty degeneration and infiltration with inflammatory cells was observed in the liver; in the ileal mucosa, the villi were fractured or absent, the epithelium was exfoliated and infiltrated with inflammatory cells. The levels of TGF-β, IL-9, and their mRNA in the liver and ileal mucosa of HFD rats were significantly higher than in normal control and NP groups (p<0.05). In Tau-prevention and Tau-treatment groups, these levels were significantly lower than in HFD rats (p<0.05). Thus, TGF-β and IL-9 can be implicated in NAFLD genesis, while Tau can preventively or therapeutically diminish the damage to the liver and ileal mucosa in rats with this disease by down-regulating the expression of TGF-β and IL-9.

[Correlation of serum ADAMTS13 and TSP1 levels with myocardial injury and prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate serum levels of von Willebrand factor lytic protease (ADAMTS13) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) in patients with different types of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and their correlation with the patients' clinical prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

According to their disease history, results of angiography and clinical biochemical tests, a total of 405 patients undergoing coronary angiography, were divided into unstable angina (UAP) group (n=215), acute myocardial infarction (AMI) group (n=96), and angiographically normal group (n=94). Serum ADAMTS13 and TSP1 levels were detected in all the patients, who were followed up for 15 months to evaluate the occurrence of long-term major cardiac adverse events (MACE).

OBJECTIVE

Serum ADAMTS13 level was significantly lower and TSP1 level was significantly higher in AMI group and UAP group than in the normal group (P < 0.001). Serum ADAMTS13 and TSP1 levels were negative correlated in ACS patients (R=-0.577, P < 0.001). The patients experiencing MACE had significantly different serum TSP1 level from those without MACE (P < 0.05). Cox proportion regression model analysis showed that TSP1 was a risk factor affecting the occurrence of MACE in ACS patients; Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the patients with high levels of TSP1 had a higher incidence of longterm MACE than those with low TSP1 levels.

OBJECTIVE

A lowered serum ADAMTS13 level and an elevated TSP1 level can support the diagnosis of ACS. An elevated TSP1 level may serve as an indicator for predicting the risk of MACE in patients with ACS.

Utility of Contrast-Enhanced T2 FLAIR for Imaging Brain Metastases Using a Half-dose High-Relaxivity Contrast Agent

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Efficient detection of metastases is important for patient' treatment. This prospective study was to explore the clinical value of contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR in imaging brain metastases using half-dose gadobenate dimeglumine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro signal intensity of various gadolinium concentrations was explored by spin-echo T1-weighted imaging and T2 FLAIR. Then, 46 patients with lung cancer underwent nonenhanced T2 FLAIR before administration of half-dose gadobenate dimeglumine and 3 consecutive contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR sequences followed by 1 spin-echo T1WI after administration of half-dose gadobenate dimeglumine. After an additional dose of 0.05 mmol/kg, 3D brain volume imaging was performed. All brain metastases were classified as follows: solid-enhancing, ≥ 5 mm (group A); ring-enhancing, ≥ 5 mm (group B); and lesion diameter of <5 mm (group C). The contrast ratio of the lesions on 3 consecutive phases of contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR was measured, and the percentage increase of contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR among the 3 groups was compared.

RESULTS

In vitro, the maximal signal intensity was achieved in T2 FLAIR at one-eighth to one-half of the contrast concentration needed for maximal signal intensity in T1WI. In vivo, the mean contrast ratio values of metastases on contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR for the 3 consecutive phases ranged from 63.64% to 83.05%. The percentage increase (PI) values of contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR were as follows: PI_A < PI_B (P = .001) and PI_A < PI_C (P < .001). The degree of enhancement of brain metastases on contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR was lower than on 3D brain volume imaging (P < .001) in group A, and higher than on 3D brain volume imaging (P < .001) in group C.

CONCLUSIONS

Small or ring-enhancing metastases can be better visualized on delayed contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR using a half-dose high-relaxivity contrast agent.

The association between napping and the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

Background

Napping is a habit prevalent worldwide and occurs from an early age. Some sleep specialists have suggested it as a potential public health tool due to the prevalence of sleep disorder. However, the association between napping and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality remains unclear.

Purpose

To assess the association between napping and the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search of Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases from inception through December 2019 for prospective cohort studies investigating the association between napping and the risk of CVD and/or all-cause mortality. Overall estimates were calculated using random effect models with inverse variance weighting. Dose-response meta-analysis was performed using restricted cubic spline models. The results were reported as hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

A total of 313651 participants (57.8% female, 38.9% took naps) from 20 cohort studies were included in the analysis. Overall, pooled analysis detected no association between daytime nap and CVD (HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.99–1.28). However, in subgroup analysis including only participants who were female (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09–1.58), older (age&gt;65 years) (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07–1.72), or took a longer nap (nap time&gt;60 minutes) (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.05–1.63), napping was significantly associated with a higher risk of CVD comparing to not napping. All-cause mortality was associated with napping overall (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12–1.26), and effect sizes were even more pronounced in females (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.13–1.31), older participants (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.11–1.45) and those who took a long nap (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.12–1.47). Furthermore, after stratifying participants by night sleep time (&lt;6 and &gt;6h/day), no significant association was detected except those who slept &gt;6h/day at night and took a long nap (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03–1.24). Dose-response analysis showed a J-curve relation between nap time and CVD (Figure 1). The HR decreased from 0 to 25 min/day, followed by a sharp increase in the risk at longer times. A positive linear relationship between nap time and all-cause mortality was also observed.

Conclusion

Long napping over 60 minutes per day is associated with increased risks of CVD and all-cause mortality. Night sleep duration may play a role in the relation between napping and all-cause mortality. Further, large-scale prospective cohort studies need to confirm our conclusion and investigate the underlying mechanisms driving these associations.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

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

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

Demonstrating a Continuous Set of Two-Qubit Gates for Near-Term Quantum Algorithms

Quantum algorithms offer a dramatic speedup for computational problems in material science and chemistry. However, any near-term realizations of these algorithms will need to be optimized to fit within the finite resources offered by existing noisy hardware. Here, taking advantage of the adjustable coupling of gmon qubits, we demonstrate a continuous two-qubit gate set that can provide a threefold reduction in circuit depth as compared to a standard decomposition. We implement two gate families: an imaginary swap-like (iSWAP-like) gate to attain an arbitrary swap angle, θ, and a controlled-phase gate that generates an arbitrary conditional phase, ϕ. Using one of each of these gates, we can perform an arbitrary two-qubit gate within the excitation-preserving subspace allowing for a complete implementation of the so-called Fermionic simulation (fSim) gate set. We benchmark the fidelity of the iSWAP-like and controlled-phase gate families as well as 525 other fSim gates spread evenly across the entire fSim(θ,ϕ) parameter space, achieving a purity-limited average two-qubit Pauli error of 3.8×10^{-3} per fSim gate.

A preliminary study: proteomic analysis of exosomes derived from thyroid-stimulating hormone-stimulated HepG2 cells

BACKGROUND

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) plays an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolism. However, little is known about the role that exosomes play in the process of TSH-induced lipotoxicity in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). As a preliminary step, the present study set out to investigate alterations in protein expression in exosomes derived from TSH-stimulated HepG2 cells.

METHODS

HepG2 cells were treated with TSH, exosomes were collected, and proteins were identified by mass spectrometry (MS). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed to analyze the identified proteins.

RESULTS

TSH treatment significantly increased exosomal production and changed the exosomal proteomic profile in HepG2 cells. Among the 1728 proteins, 140 identified proteins were upregulated and seven proteins were downregulated. GO analysis and KEGG analysis revealed that these proteins were involved in multiple processes including metabolism, apoptosis, and inflammation.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary study demonstrated that exosomes derived from TSH-stimulated hepatocytes were increased and showed a specific altered spectrum of proteins, many of which were involved in metabolism, signal transduction, apoptosis, and inflammation. This study offers new insights into the pathogenesis of TSH-induced lipotoxicity in NAFLD.

Identification of a TH 2-high psoriasis cluster based on skin biomarker analysis in a Chinese psoriasis population

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, chronic inflammatory disease with diverse phenotypes. However, its biological diversity has not been well-characterized in Chinese psoriasis population.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize psoriasis biological heterogenicity using gene expression profiles of lesional skin biopsy specimens in a Chinese psoriasis population.

METHODS

Lesional tissues and blood samples from Chinese psoriasis patients (n = 40), atopic dermatitis (AD) patients (n = 25) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 19) were investigated by using real-time PCR array, histological evaluation and flow cytometry. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was performed using gene expression profiles of patients with psoriasis.

RESULTS

Two distinct psoriasis clusters were identified. Both clusters indicated high T_H 17 activation. One cluster (n = 6 of 40 consecutive psoriasis patients) indicated a strong T_H 2 component in skin lesions, with early onset and low peripheral blood eosinophil level. Significantly higher IL-4, IL-13, IL-25, IL-31 and TSLP gene induction typified this cluster of psoriasis patients, even compared with AD patients. Both psoriasis clusters were characterized by neutrophilic microabscess formation. Histologically, the T_H 2 high psoriasis cluster indicated a low percentage of perivascular eosinophils.

CONCLUSIONS

Two distinct psoriasis clusters were identified. One presented early onset and a low eosinophil level, indicating T_H 17 polarization and a strong T_H 2 component. These results laid the foundation for further demonstrating the pathogenesis of psoriasis in Chinese population.

Clinicopathologic features and prognosis of synchronous and metachronous multiple primary colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

Multiple primary colorectal cancers (MPCCs) are different from solitary colorectal cancers in many aspects, which are not well studied. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinicopathological features and prognosis of MPCCs.

METHODS

The data of 64 patients with MPCCs out of 2300 patients with colorectal cancers (CRCs) from January 2009 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Stratified analysis was conducted based on subtypes and microsatellite status.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of MPCC was 2.8% and the median follow-up duration was 51.5 (range 1-120) months. Metachronous CRCs (MCRCs) are more likely to appear in the right colon (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences regarding age, sex, BMI, tumor size, smoking/drinking history, TNM stage, family history of cancer, and 5-year survival rate were observed between synchronous CRC (SCRC) and MCRC. Advanced TNM stage (III) and the presence of polyps were found to be independent poor prognostic factors for MPCCs. The prevalence of mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) in MPCCs was 28.1%. Deficient MMR is more likely to appear in younger, lighter MPCC patients with polyps (p < 0.05). Of four mismatch repair proteins, MLH-1, MSH-2, MSH-6, and PMS-2 were negative in nine, nine, five, and nine patients, respectively. The 5-year survival rate did not differ significantly between MMR-proficient (pMMR) and dMMR groups (p = 0.752).

CONCLUSIONS

Synchronous CRC (SCRC) and MCRC might represent similar disease entities with different courses. Deficient MMR is more likely to appear in younger, lighter MPCC patients with polyps and it is an essential indicator for screening Lynch syndrome.

Protecting medical staff from skin injury/disease caused by personal protective equipment during epidemic period of COVID-19: experience from China

Linked articles: COVID‐19 SPECIAL FORUM. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020; 34: e210–e216.

Involvement of nitrogen in storage root growth and related gene expression in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

Nitrogen (N) could affect storage root growth and development of sweet potato. To manage external N concentration fluctuations, plants have developed a wide range of strategies, such as growth changes and gene expression. Five sweet potato cultivars were used to analyse the functions of N in regulating storage root growth. Growth responses and physiological indicators were measured to determine the physiological changes regulated by different N concentrations. Expression profiles of related genes were analysed via microarray hybridization data and qRT-PCR analysis to reveal the molecular mechanisms of storage root growth regulated by different N concentrations. The growth responses and physiological indicators of the five cultivars were changed by N concentration. The root fresh weight of two of the sweet potato cultivars, SS19 and GS87, was higher under low N concentrations compared with the other cultivars. SS19 and GS87 were found to be having greater tolerance to low N concentration. The expression of N metabolism and storage root growth related genes was regulated by N concentration in sweet potato. These results reveal that N significantly regulated storage root growth. SS19 and GS87 were more tolerant to low N concentration and produced greater storage root yield (at 30 days). Furthermore, several N response genes were involved in both N metabolism and storage root growth.

Excessive daytime sleepiness with snoring or witnessed apnea is associated with handgrip strength: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is emerging as an important public health problem, and evidences have determined that poor sleep is associated with muscle strength, but the potential effects of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), snoring and witnessed apnea on handgrip strength have not been evaluated.

AIM

We aimed to examine the association between EDS, snoring, witnessed apnea and muscle strength in an adult population.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study comprised 19 434 adults. Handgrip strength was measured using a handheld digital dynamometer. EDS was assessed by Epworth Sleepiness Scale, snoring and witnessed apnea during sleep were reported through simple yes/no questions. Analysis of covariance was carried out to determine the association between EDS with snoring or witnessed apnea and muscle strength.

RESULTS

The means (95% confidence interval) for average handgrip strength/body weight (kg/kg) across symptoms categories were 0.396 (0.333-0.472), 0.393 (0.330-0.467), 0.396 (0.333-0.471) and 0.386 (0.325-0.460) (P < 0.0001), respectively. Similar results were observed with maximal handgrip strength/body weight (kg/kg).

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported EDS accompanied with snoring or apnea is associated with lowest handgrip strength, independently of confounding factors. Whether improvement of EDS, snoring and apnea, can ameliorate age-associated decline in muscle strength warrants further studies.

Cortical stroke affects activity and stability of theta/delta states in remote hippocampal regions

Cognitive impairment is a common outcome of ischemic stroke. Our previous work has shown that an experimental stroke in the cortex reduces activity in remote hippocampal layers in rats. This study seeks to uncover the underlying functional connections between these areas by analyzing changes to oscillatory activity, signal power, and communication. We induced an ischemic stroke in the left somatosensory cortex of rats and used linear micro-electrode arrays to simultaneously record from cortex and hippocampus under urethane anesthesia at two weeks and one month after stroke. We found significant increase in signal power, as well as an increase in the number of brain state changes in response to stroke. Our results suggest that the cortex modulates the activity and stability of hippocampal oscillations, which is disrupted following cortical stroke that can lead to cognitive impairment.

Phenotypic analysis of atopic dermatitis in children aged 1-12 months: elaboration of novel diagnostic criteria for infants in China and estimation of prevalence

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common skin disorder in infancy. However, the diagnosis and definite significance of infantile AD remains a debated issue.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the phenotypes of AD in infancy, to establish diagnostic criteria and to estimate the prevalence of this condition in China.

METHODS

This is a multicentric study, in which 12 locations were chosen from different metropolitan areas of China. Following careful and complete history-taking and skin examination, the definite diagnosis of AD was made and the severity based on the SCORAD index was determined by local experienced dermatologists. Based on the detailed phenotyping, the major and representative clinical features of infantile AD were selected to establish the diagnostic criteria and evaluate their diagnostic efficacy.

RESULTS

A total of 5967 infants were included in this study. The overall point prevalence of AD was 30.48%. The infantile AD developed as early as at the second month of life, and its incidence peaked in the third month of life at 40.81%. The proportion of mild, moderate and severe AD was 67.40%, 30.57% and 2.03%, respectively. The most commonly seen manifestations in the infantile AD were facial dermatitis (72.07%), xerosis (42.72%) and scalp dermatitis (27.93%). We established the novel diagnostic criteria of infants, which included: (i) onset after 2 weeks of birth; (ii) pruritus and/or irritability and sleeplessness comparable with lesions; and (iii) all two items above with one of the following items can reach a diagnosis of AD: (i) eczematous lesions distributed on cheeks and/or scalp and/or extensor limbs, and (ii) eczematous lesions on any other parts of body accompanied by xerosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In China, the prevalence of AD in infancy is 30.48% according to clinical diagnosis of dermatologists. The novel Chinese diagnostic criteria for AD in infants show a higher sensitivity and comparable specificity.

[Computer-aided assessment of liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B: an exploratory research]

Objective: To establish automatic liver fibrosis classification models by using traditional machine learning and deep learning methods and preliminaryly evaluate the efficiency. Methods: Gray scale ultrasound images and corresponding elastic images of 354 patients, 247 males and 107 females, mean age (54±12) years undergoing partial hepatectomy in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University from November 2014 to January 2016 were enrolled in this study. By using traditional machine learning and deep learning methods, an automatic classification model of liver fibrosis stages (S0 to S4) were established through feature extraction and classification of ultrasound image data sets and the accuracy in different classification categories of each model were calculated, by using liver biopsy as the reference standard. Results: Pathological examination showed 73 cases in pathological stage S0, 40 cases in S1, 49 cases in S2, 41 cases in S3, and 151 cases in S4. The traditional machine classification model based on support vector machine (SVM) classifier and sparse representation classifier and the deep learning classification model based on LeNet-5 neural network, their accuracy rates in the two categories (S0/S1/S2 and S3/S4) were 89.8%, 91.8% and 90.7% respectively; the accuracy rates in the three categories (S0/S1 and S2/S3 and S4) were 75.3%, 79.4% and 82.8% respectively; the accuracy in the three categories (S0 and S1/S2/S3 and S4) were 79.3%, 82.7% and 87.2% respectively. Conclusions: Computer-aided assessment of liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B has a high accuracy, and can achieve a more detailed classification. This method is expected to be applied in the non-invasive evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B in clinical work in the future.

Evaluation of Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging in Sub-acute Ischemic Stroke: Comparison with Rehabilitation Treatment Effect

Stroke is a serious worldwide medical condition that causes neurological function disability. Diffusional kurtosis imaging, which measures the non-Gaussianity of water diffusion, has been demonstrated to be a sensitive biomarker in many neuro-pathologies. This study explores the relationship between neural function recovery and transformation of the ischemic lesion and/or corticospinal tract during the sub-acute phase after stroke by using diffusional kurtosis imaging. We performed a prospective study of function recovery and K metrics of 43 patients with sub-acute ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery territory. The effect of rehabilitation treatment was evaluated using both the Fugl-Meyer motor function score and modified Barthel index score at post-treatment compared with admission, and patients were allocated to two groups: good and poor rehabilitation effect (GRE and PRE). Metrics of diffusional kurtosis imaging within ischemic lesion and along the corticospinal tract were acquired, respectively. All three relative axial diffusional kurtoses (rKas) along the corticospinal tract in the GRE group ( n = 21) were significantly larger than those of the PRE group ( n = 22), including rKa in the posterior limb of internal capsule, rKa in the cerebral peduncle, and rKa in the basal part of the pons ( p = 0.014, 0.005, and 0.021, respectively). This multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging study showed that diffusional kurtosis imaging has the potential to complement existing stroke imaging techniques and revealed its own advantages in elucidating the possible biophysical mechanism of functional restoration underlying ischemic stroke.

Abstract P3-12-05: Fractionation patterns in adjuvant breast radiotherapy in Ontario, Canada from 2009 to 2015

Purpose: To report the patterns of use of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) (≤16 fractions)in breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) patients in Ontario, Canada from 2009 to 2015 and identify factors related to HFRT use.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of Ontario women diagnosed with breast cancer or DCIS followed by adjuvant breast or chest wall radiation (RT) from 2009 to 2015 was conducted using data from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with HFRT use. Physician was included as a random effect. To calculate the potential amount of time that could be saved if all patients were to receive 16 fractions of HFRT, the number of extra RT treatments after the 16th visit was multiplied by the median amount of time spent to treat one patient at our cancer centre (8.76 minutes). This time was found with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre data collected from October 2017 to March 2018 (n=523) and represents the amount of time from when a patient enters the RT unit for treatment setup, until the RT beam is turned off.

Results: A total of 42,072 patients were included. Most patients were aged between 50 and 69 years old (56.7%) with stage I or II breast cancer (74.6%) and had breast conserving surgery (BCS) (76.9%). Half previously received chemotherapy and 7.9% were DCIS patients. Use of sequential boost, simultaneous boost, and regional nodal RT was 17.2%, 3.1%, and 31.7% respectively. Institutional variation in HFRT use ranged from 27.5% to 71.6%. HFRT use has increased in all patient populations over the study period. HFRT use was more common in breast cancer and DCIS patients with BCS than in chest wall and nodal RT. Simultaneous boost (OR=0.09), nodal RT (OR=0.08), previous chemotherapy (OR=0.7), stage 0, II, and III breast cancer (OR=0.06 relative to stage I), were correlated with less HFRT use. Older age, later year of diagnosis, sequential boost (OR=0.09), BCS and no surgery (OR=1.2, 1.5 relative to mastectomy) were correlated with higher HFRT use. Institution was significantly correlated to HFRT use. The variance estimate for the physician random effect was 0.33 (p&lt;0.0001). For breast cancer patients with BCS and breast RT specifically, 62,396 extra visits occurred from 2009 to 2015, corresponding to ˜9100 hours of treatment if all patients received HFRT. For the entire patient population, a total of 190,726 extra visits occurred or ˜27,900 hours.

Trends in the use of HFRT (%) from 2009 to 2015 for DCIS and breast cancer patients in Ontario.YearStage I-IV + BCS + Breast RTStage I-IV + BCS + Breast + Nodal RTStage I-IV + Mastectomy + Breast RTStage I-IV + Mastectomy + Breast + Nodal RTDCIS + BCS200962.610.329.09.545.2201062.06.323.76.951.2201162.24.121.34.752.7201263.79.621.711.452.0201365.112.629.315.057.3201469.37.835.415.164.5201573.711.839.217.573.4BCS: breast conserving surgery, RT: radiation treatment

Conclusions: HFRT use in Ontario has increased over time for all patient populations, and reflects the current evidence supporting HFRT in different patient populations, with lower HFRT use seen in chest wall and nodal RT and higher HFRT use in early-stage breast cancer patients with BCS.

Citation Format: Chow E, Chan S, Yao Z, Sutradhar R, Lee J, Wan BA, Paszat L. Fractionation patterns in adjuvant breast radiotherapy in Ontario, Canada from 2009 to 2015 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-12-05.

Prevalence of the cardiovascular health status in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The American Heart Association has outlined seven cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics, including smoking, body mass index, physical activity, dietary pattern, total cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose, to define and monitor CVH status. Our study was to evaluate the global CVH in adults.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and reference lists of relevant articles for studies published between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2018. Included studies should report the proportions of ideal status for the seven CVH metrics and/or provide the prevalence of overall poor (having 0-2 ideal metrics) or ideal (having 5-7 ideal metrics) CVH status in adults. 88 articles were identified: 75 for the prevalence of ideal CVH metrics, 58 for the proportion of overall poor CVH status, and 55 for the proportion of overall ideal CVH status. Smoking had the highest prevalence of ideal status (69.1%) while dietary pattern has the lowest (12.1%). 32.2% and 19.6% of participants had overall poor and ideal CVH, respectively. Females and young adults had better CVH status when compared to males and older adults. There existed regional variations in ideal CVH metrics and overall CVH status. The overall CVH status had improved over study time.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of ideal status was low for some metrics, such as dietary pattern, and the overall CVH status was still unsatisfactory. We should continue to measure the CVH status and carry out lifestyle interventions to improve the CVH status in the whole population.