Single-cell low-pass whole genome sequencing accurately detects circulating tumor cells for liquid biopsy-based multi-cancer diagnosis

Accurate detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood and non-blood body fluids enables generation of deterministic cancer diagnosis and represent a less invasive and safer liquid biopsy approach. Although genomic alternations have been widely used in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis, studies on cell-based genomic alternations profiling for CTC detection are rare due to major technical limitations in single-cell whole genome sequencing (WGS) including low throughput, low accuracy and high cost. We report a single-cell low-pass WGS-based protocol (scMet-Seq) for sensitive and accurate CTC detection by combining a metabolic function-associated marker Hexokinase 2 (HK2) and a Tn5 transposome-based WGS method with improved cell fixation strategy. To explore the clinical use, scMet-Seq has been investigated with blood and non-blood body fluids in diagnosing metastatic diseases, including ascites-based diagnosis of malignant ascites (MA) and blood-based diagnosis of metastatic small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). ScMet-Seq shows high diagnostic sensitivity (MA: 79% in >10 cancer types; metastatic SCLC: 90%) and ~100% of diagnostic specificity and positive predictive value, superior to clinical cytology that exhibits diagnostic sensitivity of 52% in MA diagnosis and could not generate blood-based diagnosis. ScMet-Seq represents a liquid biopsy approach for deterministic cancer diagnosis in different types of cancers and body fluids.

A Stable and Scalable Digital Composite Neurocognitive Test for Early Dementia Screening Based on Machine Learning: Model Development and Validation Study

BACKGROUND

Dementia has become a major public health concern due to its heavy disease burden. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between healthy aging and dementia. Early identification of MCI is an essential step in dementia prevention.

OBJECTIVE

Based on machine learning (ML) methods, this study aimed to develop and validate a stable and scalable panel of cognitive tests for the early detection of MCI and dementia based on the Chinese Neuropsychological Consensus Battery (CNCB) in the Chinese Neuropsychological Normative Project (CN-NORM) cohort.

METHODS

CN-NORM was a nationwide, multicenter study conducted in China with 871 participants, including an MCI group (n=327, 37.5%), a dementia group (n=186, 21.4%), and a cognitively normal (CN) group (n=358, 41.1%). We used the following 4 algorithms to select candidate variables: the F-score according to the SelectKBest method, the area under the curve (AUC) from logistic regression (LR), P values from the logit method, and backward stepwise elimination. Different models were constructed after considering the administration duration and complexity of combinations of various tests. Receiver operating characteristic curve and AUC metrics were used to evaluate the discriminative ability of the models via stratified sampling cross-validation and LR and support vector classification (SVC) algorithms. This model was further validated in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative phase 3 (ADNI-3) cohort (N=743), which included 416 (56%) CN subjects, 237 (31.9%) patients with MCI, and 90 (12.1%) patients with dementia.

RESULTS

Except for social cognition, all other domains in the CNCB differed between the MCI and CN groups (P<.008). In feature selection results regarding discrimination between the MCI and CN groups, the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-5 minutes Recall had the best performance, with the highest mean AUC of up to 0.80 (SD 0.02) and an F-score of up to 258.70. The scalability of model 5 (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-5 minutes Recall and Trail Making Test-B) was the lowest. Model 5 achieved a higher level of discrimination than the Hong Kong Brief Cognitive test score in distinguishing between the MCI and CN groups (P<.05). Model 5 also provided the highest sensitivity of up to 0.82 (range 0.72-0.92) and 0.83 (range 0.75-0.91) according to LR and SVC, respectively. This model yielded a similar robust discriminative performance in the ADNI-3 cohort regarding differentiation between the MCI and CN groups, with a mean AUC of up to 0.81 (SD 0) according to both LR and SVC algorithms.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a stable and scalable composite neurocognitive test based on ML that could differentiate not only between patients with MCI and controls but also between patients with different stages of cognitive impairment. This composite neurocognitive test is a feasible and practical digital biomarker that can potentially be used in large-scale cognitive screening and intervention studies.

Persistent Nocardia beijingensis infection in a patient with postoperative abscess and misuse of antibiotics in China

Here we describe the first case of abscess infection caused by Nocardia beijingensis in China. The patient was immunocompetent but suffered from postoperative abscess for 6 years. This study highlights the necessity of long-term infected foci to be thoroughly examined to identify the pathogen, as well as the importance of accurate Nocardia identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests for understanding the pathogen's epidemiology, clinical significance, and treatment strategy.

Effect of Narrative Nursing on Family Resilience and Psychosocial Adaptation of Middle-Aged Patients with Breast Cancer

Patients with breast cancer frequently experience psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate the effect of narrative nursing on middle-aged patients with breast cancer. In all, 82 patients with breast cancer admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University were divided into two groups, namely, the observation group and the control group, by simple random sampling, with 41 cases in each group. The patients in both groups were treated with breast cancer surgery. Additionally, the control group received routine nursing, whereas the observation group received narrative nursing based on the control group. After 8 weeks of nursing, the SAS (self-rating anxiety scale) and SDS (self-rating depression scale) scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01). At the same time, the result of family hardiness showed that the patients with narrative nursing performed better in commitment, challenge, and control (P < 0.01). In conclusion, narrative nursing can alleviate the postoperative shame and negative emotions of patients with breast cancer and improve their quality of life.

Evaluation of the diagnostic value of FliD, a Helicobacter pylori flagellar protein

Novel immunodominant antigens are urgently required for diagnosis and vaccine of Helicobacter pylori(HP). FliD, an important colonization factor was cloned and expressed(rFliD) to evaluate the levels of specific-IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies in the serum of patients by ELISA. Rabbit anti-rFliD polyclonal antibody (pAb) was obtained by subcutaneous injections of rFliD. The rFliD-specific IFN-γ and IL-4 of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD4⁺ T cells from human were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunospot and flow cytometry. We found that the levels of rFliD-specific IgG, IgM and IgA were significantly higher in HP-infected-patients compared with healthy controls. IgG, IgM and IgA had diagnostic sensitivities of 92.6, 89.8 and 83.2%; specificities of 91.1, 88.7 and 64.6%; and areas under the receiver operating curves of 0.97, 0.96 and 0.92, respectively. Furthermore, rFliD-pAb was used in the immunohistochemical analysis of gastritis and gastric cancer tissues from patients infected with HP. The levels of rFliD-specific IFN-γ and IL-4 were significantly elevated in HP-infected patients and exhibited a T helper type 1-dominant subtype. These findings indicate that rFliD exhibits high validity as a biomarker in HP diagnosis and may also be a potent antigen for vaccine design due to its high cellular and humoral immune response.

Relationships Among Cognitive Function, Frailty, and Health Outcome in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Background

Frailty and cognitive impairment are significant problems faced by older adults, which have a significant impact on their activities of daily living, social activities, and quality of life.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

A total of 252 older adults in two communities in Yangzhou were randomly selected. The cognitive function of the elderly was assessed using the Memory and Executive Screening (MES). The frailty phenotype was used to evaluate the frail situation of older adults. The activity of daily living (ADL), functional activities questionnaire (FAQ), and European quality of 5-dimensions (EQ-5D) were used to evaluate health outcomes in the elderly. SEM was used to explore the direct and indirect relationship among cognitive function, frailty and health outcomes.

Results

There was a significant direct correlation between cognitive function and frailty; the direct effect was −0.521. The influence path of cognitive function on health outcomes included direct and indirect effects; the total effect was −0.759. The effect of frailty on health outcomes included direct and indirect effects; the total effect was 0.440.

Conclusion

According to SEM, cognitive function interacts with frailty and may reduce the quality of life, the ADL, and social activities among older adults directly and indirectly, so future assessments of older adults should consider both cognitive function and frailty, so as to further improve the health outcome of the elderly. When formulating relevant intervention measures in the future, we need to consider that it cannot only improve the cognitive function, but also improve the frail situation, so as to jointly improve the health outcomes of older adults.

Research Trends of Acupuncture Therapy on Cancer Over the Past Two Decades: A Bibliometric Analysis

Purpose:

Acupuncture has been used for managing cancer-related symptoms. However, there are still few studies concerning the overall trends in acupuncture therapy on cancer based on bibliometric analysis. This study aims to demonstrate the current status and trends in this field over the past 2 decades.

Methods:

Articles were retrieved from the Web of Science from 2000 to 2019. CiteSpace was used for co-authorship network of countries/institutions, dual-map analysis, and detecting the keywords with citation bursts. VOSviewer was used to construct networks based on co-authorship and co-citation analysis of authors, and co-occurrence of keywords.

Results:

A total of 927 articles and reviews were included in the final analysis. The number of publications has steadily increased with some fluctuations among years. The country and institution contributing most to this field are the USA and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Mao JJ was the most productive author and Molassiotis A ranked first in the cited authors. The co-occurrence analysis revealed 5 clusters (including “clinical trials,” “clinical studies on chemotherapy/radiation-induced symptoms,” “CAM therapy for cancer,” “clinical studies on vasomotor symptoms,” and “systematic reviews”). Most recent keyword bursts were “neuropathic pain,” “arthralgia,” “prevention,” “supportive care,” and “integrative medicine”.

Conclusions:

The annual publication output would increase rapidly in the next decade, which shows a promising future in this research field. Future research hotspots would focus on the role of acupuncture in neuropathic pain, arthralgia, prevention, supportive care, and integrative medicine.

Helicobacter urease suppresses cytotoxic CD8 + T cell responses through activating Myh9-dependent induction of PD-L1

As a key virulence factor for persistent colonization, Urease B subunit (UreB) is considered to be an ideal vaccine antigen against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, the role and molecular mechanisms of UreB involved in immune microenvironment dysregulation still remains largely unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of UreB on macrophage activation and found that UreB induced PD-L1 accumulation on Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). Co-culture assays further revealed that UreB-induced PD-L1 expression on BMDMs significantly decreased the proliferation and secretion of cytolytic molecules (granzyme B and perforin) of splenic CD8 + T cells isolated from inactivated H. pylori-immunized mice. More importantly, myosin heavy chain 9 (Myh9) was confirmed to be a direct membrane receptor of UreB via using LC-MS/MS and Co-immunoprecipitation and required for PD-L1 upregulation on BMDMs. Molecular studies further demonstrated that the interaction between UreB and Myh9 decreased GCN2 autophosphorylation and enhanced intracellular pool of amino acids, leading to the upregulation of S6K phosphorylation, a commonly used marker for monitoring activation of mTORC1 signaling activity. Furthermore, blocking mTORC1 activation with its inhibitor Temsirolimus reversed UreB-induced PD-L1 upregulation and the subsequently inhibitory effects of BMDMs on activation of cytotoxic CD8 + T cell responses. Overall, our data unveil a novel immunosuppressive mechanism of UreB during H. pylori infection, which may provide valuable clue for the optimization of H. pylori vaccine.

Correlation between sonographic features and pathological findings of cervical lymph node metastasis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Background

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the sonographic features and pathological findings of cervical lymph node metastasis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).

Methods

A total of 49 patients who had thyroid surgery and lateral or central cervical lymph node dissection from October to December 2019 in our hospital were selected. All the lymph nodes included in the dissection were examined by intraoperative ultrasound and were divided into 5 groups according to the sonographic characteristics (A: overall hyperechoic group; B: hypoechoic with punctate hyperechoic group; C: mass hyperechoic group; D: cystic degeneration group; E: hypoechoic group without punctate hyperecho). All samples were sent to the Pathology Department according to the area of origin and classified and numbered for comparative analysis of the microscopic pathology and the sonogram.

Results

A total of 120 suspicious metastatic lymph nodes were finally screened out by intraoperative ultrasound. The sonographic signs of these suspicious metastatic lymph nodes in the lateral and central regions of the neck were significantly different from the normal lymph nodes. Besides, the indicators including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of intraoperative ultrasound for detecting lateral and central lymph nodes were 89.04% vs. 82.98%, 93.83% vs. 80.00%, 90.97% vs. 81.10%, 92.86% vs. 70.91%, and 90.48% vs. 88.89%, respectively. The pathological features of metastatic lymph nodes were shown as follows: group A, diffuse distribution of follicular structure; group C, focal distribution of follicular structure; group B and E, atypical follicular epithelial cells with or without papillary structure. Necrosis and liquefaction were observed in group D.

Conclusions

The relationship between sonographic features and follicular structure of metastatic lymph nodes are firmly related. A correct understanding of these features is practical to improve the diagnostic rate of conventional ultrasonography and reduce the incidences of misdiagnosis.

Trends in Piezo Channel Research Over the Past Decade: A Bibliometric Analysis

Purpose: We used bibliometric methods to evaluate the global scientific output of research on Piezo channels and explore the current status and trends in this field over the past decade.

Methods: Piezo channel-related studies published in 2010–2020 were retrieved from Web of Science. The R bibliometrix package was used for quantitative and qualitative analyses of publication outputs and author contributions. VOSviewer was used to construct networks based on co-authorship of countries/institutions/authors, co-citation analysis of journals/references, citation analysis of documents, and co-occurrence of keywords.

Results: In total, 556 related articles and reviews were included in the final analysis. The number of publications has increased substantially with time. The country and institution contributing the most to this field was the United States and Scripps Research Institute, respectively. Ardem Patapoutian was the most productive author and ranked first among the cited authors, h-index, and m-index. The top cited reference was the article published by Coste B et al. in Science (2010) that identified Piezo1/2 in mammalian cells. The top journals in terms of the number of selected articles and citations were Nature Communications and Nature, respectively. The co-occurrence analysis revealed that Piezo channels are involved a variety of cell types (Merkel cells, neurons, endothelial cells, red blood cells), physiological processes (touch sensation, blood pressure, proprioception, vascular development), related ion channels (transient receptor potential, Gardos), and diseases (pain, distal arthrogryposis, dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis, cancer), and pharmacology (Yoda1, GsMTx-4).

Conclusion: Our bibliometric analysis shows that Piezo channel research continues to be a hotspot. The focus has evolved from Piezo identification to architecture, activation mechanism, roles in diseases, and pharmacology.

FlowCell-enriched circulating tumor cells as a predictor of lung cancer metastasis

Lung cancer is the most fetal malignancy due to the high rate of metastasis and recurrence after treatment. A considerable number of patients with early-stage lung cancer relapse due to overlooked distant metastasis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells in blood circulation that originated from primary or metastatic sites, and it has been shown that CTCs are critical for metastasis and prognosis in various type of cancers. Here, we employed novel method to capture, isolate and classify CTC with FlowCell system and analyzed the CTCs from a cohort of 302 individuals. Our results illustrated that FlowCell-enriched CTCs effectively differentiated benign and malignant lung tumor and the total CTC counts increased as the tumor developed. More importantly, we showed that CTCs displayed superior sensitivity and specificity to predict lung cancer metastasis in comparison to conventional circulating biomarkers. Taken together, our data suggested CTCs can be used to assist the diagnosis of lung cancer as well as predict lung cancer metastasis. These findings provide an alternative means to screen early-stage metastasis.

Identification of vital genes and pathways associated with mucosal melanoma in Chinese

Mucosal melanoma is a rare malignant melanoma with more aggressive and poorer outcomes. The incidence of mucosal melanoma varies greatly among different ethnic groups. We herein sought to characterize the vital genes and pathways of Chinese mucosal melanoma patients. By whole-exome sequencing in six patients with mucosal melanoma, we detected a total of 21,733 CNVs and 2372 SNPs. The CNV/SNP burden varies greatly between individuals, including recurrent CNV targeting PIK3 family, KRAS, APC and BRCA1. Significantly mutated genes were NUDT5, ZBTB18, NEURL4, ZNF430, RBM44, GAK, PCDHA13, STK38 and UBR5. Besides, FAT1 gene was identified frequently mutated in anorectal melanoma patients (3/3, 100%). Moreover, our result showed that HPV infection may be associated with mucosal melanoma. In conclusion, this study indicated that mucosal melanomas have a low SNPs burden and a high number of CNVs and expand the spectrum of mucosal melanoma variants, also provided an insight for the pathological mechanism of mucosal melanoma.

Growth Promoting Effect of Vacuum Sealing Drainage in the Healing Processes of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Aim

To explore the growth-promoting effect of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) during the healing processes of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).

Methods

From November 2018 to December 2019, 38 patients with unilateral DFUs were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients were divided into two groups according to the use of VSD or not: the VSD group (n=20) and the control group (n=18). The following parameters were used to evaluate the healing process: changes in the mean areas of the ulcers; healing rate (HR); epithelial hyperplasia and angiogenesis as determined by hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining); and expression of CD34, CD68 and VEGF as assessed through immunohistochemistry. Perioperative side effects and complications were also recorded.

Results

All patients received follow-up and eventually healed. The mean area of wounds was reduced in the VSD group compared to the control group (1.75±0.64 cm² vs 0.88±0.54 cm², P=0.031). The mean HR of the ulcers in the VSD group was significantly higher than that in the control group (35.23±2.87% vs 28.78±1.09%, P=0.017). HE staining showed that the amount of epithelial hyperplasia and angiogenesis increased significantly after VSD, and the immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression of CD34, CD68 and VEGF increased significantly in the VSD group.

Conclusion

VSD could significantly accelerate the wound healing process, probably by enhancing the inflammatory response and promoting granulation and angiogenesis in DFUs.

Bidirectional association between irritable bowel syndrome and restless legs syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Several observational studies have shown that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may have a high risk of restless legs syndrome (RLS). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively investigate the bidirectional association between IBS and RLS.

METHODS

All conservational studies on IBS and RLS were searched in MEDLINE (assessed by PubMed), Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library database and Google Scholar from inception to June 14, 2020. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality were used to assess the methodological quality of the cohort and cross-sectional studies, respectively. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using Reviewer Manager 5.3.

RESULT

A total of five cross-sectional studies of moderate methodological quality and one cohort study of high methodological quality were included in our review. Four cross-sectional studies and one cohort study involving 86 438 individuals met the criteria of IBS predicating the onset of RLS. Patients with IBS had a nearly three-fold increased odds of RLS compared with controls (OR = 2.60, 95%CI: 2.17-3.12, P < 0.00001; I² = 48%, P = 0.11). Three sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the pooled result. Two cross-sectional studies involving 3581 individuals met the criteria of RLS predicating the onset of IBS. RLS patients had a nearly four-fold increased odds of IBS compared with controls without RLS (OR = 3.87, 95%CI: 1.73-8.66, P = 0.0010; I² = 77%, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we found a substantial bidirectional association between IBS and RLS. More prospective, high-quality, population-based studies are warranted in the future.

Elevated matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels in neuronal extracellular vesicles in Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate plasma neuronally derived extracellular vesicle (NDEV) levels of core pathological markers [amyloid-β (Aβ) and phosphorylated tau] and inflammatory biomarkers, including interleukin 6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS

Thirty-one patients with AD and 15 cognitively normal controls (NCs) were recruited. The diagnosis of AD was supported by fluorodeoxyglucose and Pittsburgh Compound-B PET scans. Plasma extracellular vesicles were extracted, precipitated, and enriched for neuronal source by anti-L1CAM antibody absorption. Levels of Aβ42, P-T181-tau, P-S396-tau, IL-6, and MMP-9 in plasma NDEVs were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Aβ42, P-T181-tau, and MMP-9 levels in plasma NDEVs were significantly higher in patients with AD than NCs. However, P-S396-tau and IL-6 levels in plasma NDEVs did not differ between AD patients and NCs. Moreover, there was no correlation between any of these biomarker levels and cognitive function as measured with Mini-Mental State Examination in patients with AD.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide further support that levels of core pathological markers, including Aβ42 and P-T181-tau, are elevated in plasma NDEVs of patients with AD. Furthermore, MMP-9 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD, and is a promising inflammatory biomarker for AD.

TDP-43 Is Elevated in Plasma Neuronal-Derived Exosomes of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

Background

Recently, TDP-43 has been recognized as a common proteinopathy in the “oldest old” and a neuropathological comorbidity in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, since it has a low concentration in cerebrospinal fluid, the presence of TDP-43 in AD is rarely investigated in vivo.

Methods

Twenty-four patients with amyloid PET confirmed AD and 15 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. TDP-43 level in plasma neuronal-derived exosomes (NDEs) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

TDP-43 level was elevated in patients with AD compared with HCs (median 1.08 ng/ml, IQR 0.72–1.37 ng/ml vs. median 0.66 ng/ml, IQR 0.48–0.76 ng/ml, P = 0.002). There was no correlation between TDP-43 level and cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms or APOE genotype in patients with AD.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated increased TDP-43 accumulation in AD patients by examining plasma NDEs, which may provide a window into the effects of TDP-43 on AD progression.

Associations between Serum Sex Hormone Concentrations and Telomere Length among U.S. Adults, 1999-2002

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Sex hormone concentrations and telomere length are age related responses of human body, while whether there is a direct relation between sex hormone and telomere length is uncertain. Therefore, we used the data of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to quantify their direct association.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 710 women aged 35-60 years and 539 men aged 20-85 years were included from two cycles of the NHANES (1999-2002). Telomere length relative to standard reference DNA (T/S ratio) was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Seven hormones in serum (5 in men and 2 in women) were assayed. Logistic regressions were used to calculate the odds ratios to evaluate the telomere length-sex hormones association.

RESULTS

Men with vigorous physical activity (71.1%) and without history of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and lipid-lowering drugs using tended to have a longer telomere length (all P-values < 0.05); while women with longer sedentary time, smaller pregnant or live birth, and with older ages of firth/last birth were likely with longer telomere length (all P-values < 0.05). After adjusted for potential confounders, only anti-Mullerian hormone was positively and stably associated with short leukocytes telomere length in men (OR: 1.098; 95% CI: 1.034, 1.165). We did not detect any significant association of short telomere length with sex hormones in men and women. Discussion and Implications: Serum anti-Mullerian hormone in men was positively and stably associated with telomere length. More large-scaled and well-designed prospective studies are warranted to reconfirm our conclusions.

Primary lung cancer firstly presents as nephrotic syndrome: one case report and literature review

Primary lung cancer presents as nephrotic syndrome firstly is a rare condition. Few data are available to address this question because of its seldom. Herein we present one case of primary lung cancer which showing nephrotic syndrome as first manifestation and review the literature.

Application of two alternative shutdown severe accident management guideline (SSAMG) entry conditions for CPR1000

Recently, with the development and application of full-scope level 2 probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) method around the world, severe accident phenomena during shutdown and low power conditions have aroused extensive attention in nuclear industry. And the shutdown severe accident management guideline (SSAMG) is claimed to be developed, and the verification of the traditional and alternative entry conditions is the first consideration in this procedure. Thus in this paper, the feasibility of the hot leg pipe temperature and the modified jakob number are analyzed based on a SBO sequence firstly. Subsequently, verification work is conducted under a SBO sequence with pressurizer manhole open and a SBO sequence along with SBLOCA. The results proved the excellent effectiveness of the two parameters to be used as alternative SSAMG entry conditions. Also, a relational figure is constructed based on the results of diverse sequences with various primary system pressure to provide visualized guidance for operators. What's more, the value of modified jakob number which indicates the SSAMG entry is thought to be in the range of 0.5–1.

MicroRNA‑363‑3p inhibits hepatocarcinogenesis by targeting HMGA2 and is associated with liver cancer stage

The importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer development has been widely recognized in recent decades. In the present study, the function and mechanism of miRNA-363-3p (miR-363-3p), formerly characterized as a tumor suppressor, in the hepatocarcinogenesis of liver cancer cells was investigated. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was applied to detect the expression of miR-363-3p in liver cancer tissues. Cell proliferation, survival and migration capacities were determined by MTT, colony formation and wound-healing assays, respectively. The targeting of high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) mRNA by miR-363-3p was confirmed by bioinformatics analysis, and RT-qPCR, luciferase reporter and western blot assays. The correlation between the expression levels of HMGA2 and miR-363-3p was analyzed. The RT-qPCR results revealed that the levels of miR-363-3p were downregulated in liver cancer tissues. Cellular assays validated that miR-363-3p exerted tumor suppressing functions, including the inhibition of cell proliferation, survival and migration abilities in two liver cancer cell lines. Bioinformatics prediction and subsequent experiments demonstrated that HMGA2 was a direct target of miR-363-3p. Restoration of the expression of HMGA2 in miR-363-3p mimic-transfected cells reversed the tumor suppressing effects caused by miR-363-3p. Finally, there was a significant negative correlation between the expression levels of HMGA2 and miR-363-3p in liver cancer tissues. miR-363-3p was identified as an important tumor suppressor in liver cancer via targeting HMGA2, which may have potential benefits in liver cancer therapy.

miR-145-5p Increases Osteoclast Numbers In Vitro and Aggravates Bone Erosion in Collagen-Induced Arthritis by Targeting Osteoprotegerin

BACKGROUND Osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits bone resorption and binds with strong affinity to receptor activator of NF κB ligand (RANKL), thereby preventing RANKL from binding to its receptor RANK. Osteoclasts have documented effects on bone erosion of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to examine the role of miR-145-5p in the regulation of RA osteoclast differentiation and bone erosion. MATERIAL AND METHODS Expression of microRNA-145-5p in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and synovial tissue was assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). OPG, RANK, and RANKL expression in RAW-264.7 cells was examined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Osteoclast formation was detected by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining. The effect of miR-145-5p on predicted target mRNAs was examined by luciferase reporter assays. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was induced by injecting DBA/1 mice with bovine type II collagen (CII), and miR-145-5p agomir was administered by intravenous injection. Morphological changes in the CIA joint were assessed by micro-computed tomography (CT) and histopathology. RESULTS miR-145-5p levels significantly increased in RA PBMC and synovial tissue compared with normal PBMC and osteoarthritis (OA) tissue. After transfection of RAW-264.7 cells with miR-145-5p, RANK and RANKL expression increased significantly, while OPG expression decreased significantly. TRAP staining results showed osteoclast numbers increased. Micro-CT analysis of the arthritic joints showed that the miR-145-5p agomir caused bone erosion in mice, and histopathological analysis revealed that miR-145-5p agomir aggravates cartilage erosion. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that administration of miR-145-5p aggravates joint erosion in CIA mice. This suggests that miR-145-5p is a potential target for the treatment of RA.

Accuracy and reliability of digital craniofacial measurements using a small-format, handheld 3D camera

OBJECTIVES

Craniofacial assessments often involve three-dimensional facial imaging using an expensive camera with 6 SLR lenses to analyse the positions and relations of anatomic landmarks. Recently, a 3D small-format, handheld camera was developed; however, the accuracy and reliability of this system are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of this system.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A total of 30 sets of evaluations were completed by 2 examiners on 5 human subjects, using 3 different methods: direct callipers, 3D handheld camera and conventional tripod 3D camera images. Each evaluation included 29 anthropometric landmarks that were used as reference points for facial analysis. Two examiners marked the landmarks directly on the faces and measured linear distances using the 3 measurement methods.

RESULTS

Accuracy analysis was performed for handheld vs direct calliper vs conventional camera measurements. Each of these analyses yielded a grand mean of correlation coefficients of .98. Bias measurements revealed that the handheld and conventional camera methods yielded larger measurements than direct callipers (with a mean difference of 1.74, 1.56 mm, respectively, for rater 1 and 0.94, 1.02 mm, respectively, for rater 2). When compared to one another, both the handheld camera and the conventional camera methods yielded similar values for most measurements, with the average overall difference between these modalities of 0.03 mm for rater 1 and 0.07 mm for rater 2.

CONCLUSIONS

The 3D handheld camera showed high accuracy and reliability in comparison with traditional models, indicating that this system may provide a useful tool in craniofacial anthropometry.

Albuminuria is Suggested as a Potential Health Screening Biomarker for Senior Citizens and General Population with Hypertension or Diabetes in China

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the possibility of albuminuria as a screening biomarker for seniors or general population with hypertension and diabetes.

METHODS

478 health check-up individuals were enrolled. Albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) was calculated by testing urinary albumin and creatinine of spot urine sample. Each urine sample was also analyzed by the routine urine test in parallel with ACR. Potential risk factors associated with the presence of albuminuria were analyzed using independent t-test or chi-square test.

RESULTS

The total prevalence of albuminuria was 11.9%, and women had a higher positive rate (14.0%) than men (10.6%). Ageing, fasting plasma glucose, and systolic blood pressure were significantly associated with the presence of albuminuria. Individuals are highly probable to have albuminuria when their routine urine test shows positive of urea glucose, red blood cells or urea protein.

CONCLUSIONS

Albuminuria should be suggested as a potential health screening biomarker in senior citizens and general population with hypertension and diabetes.

CD73/NT5E is a target of miR-30a-5p and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer

Background

CD73 (ecto-5′-nucleotidase) is implicated in the development of many types of cancer. CD73 inhibitors are currently being tested in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. Understanding the molecular and cellular actions of CD73 inhibitors is the key to improving this line of therapy.

Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of CD73 and miR-30a-5p; Western blot and immunohistochemical assays were used to investigate the levels of CD73 and other proteins. Flow cytometry was used to determine cell cycle stage and apoptosis. CCK-8 and clonogenic assays were used to investigate cell proliferation. Wound healing, migration and invasion assays were used to investigate the motility of cells. A lung carcinoma xenograft mouse model was used to investigate the in vivo effects of CD73 and miR-30a-5p.

Results

In the present study, we found that CD73 is overexpressed and miR-30a-5p is underexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer tissues compared with adjacent noncancerous. Further, we showed that CD73 is a direct target of miR-30a-5p by luciferase reporter assays, qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. We also found that overexpression of miR-30a-5p in these non-small cell lung cancer cell lines inhibited cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the epithelial-to-mesenchymal phenotype was suppressed and cell migration and invasion were inhibited; these effects were brought about via the EGF signaling pathway.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal a new post-transcriptional mechanism of CD73 regulation via miR-30a-5p and EGFR-related drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12943-017-0591-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

High activity and negative apparent activation energy in low-temperature CO oxidation – present on Au/Mg(OH)2, absent on Au/TiO2

Aiming at a better understanding of the unusual low-temperature CO oxidation reaction behavior on Au/Mg(OH)₂ catalysts, we investigated this reaction mainly by combined kinetic and in situ IR spectroscopy measurements over a wide range of temperatures, from −90 °C to 200 °C.

Collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data from observational studies of Lp-PLA2 and cardiovascular diseases

BACKGROUND

A large number of observational epidemiological studies have reported generally positive associations between circulating mass and activity levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Few studies have been large enough to provide reliable estimates in different circumstances, such as in different subgroups (e.g., by age group, sex, or smoking status) or at different Lp-PLA2 levels. Moreover, most published studies have related disease risk only to baseline values of Lp-PLA2 markers (which can lead to substantial underestimation of any risk relationships because of within-person variability over time) and have used different approaches to adjustment for possible confounding factors.

OBJECTIVES

By combination of data from individual participants from all relevant observational studies in a systematic 'meta-analysis', with correction for regression dilution (using available data on serial measurements of Lp-PLA2), the Lp-PLA2 Studies Collaboration will aim to characterize more precisely than has previously been possible the strength and shape of the age and sex-specific associations of plasma Lp-PLA2 with coronary heart disease (and, where data are sufficient, with other vascular diseases, such as ischaemic stroke). It will also help to determine to what extent such associations are independent of possible confounding factors and to explore potential sources of heterogeneity among studies, such as those related to assay methods and study design. It is anticipated that the present collaboration will serve as a framework to investigate related questions on Lp-PLA2 and cardiovascular outcomes.

METHODS

A central database is being established containing data on circulating Lp-PLA2 values, sex and other potential confounding factors, age at baseline Lp-PLA2 measurement, age at event or at last follow-up, major vascular morbidity and cause-specific mortality. Information about any repeat measurements of Lp-PLA2 and potential confounding factors has been sought to allow adjustment for possible confounding and correction for regression dilution. The analyses will involve age-specific regression models. Synthesis of the available observational studies of Lp-PLA2 will yield information on a total of about 15 000 cardiovascular disease endpoints.

The value of eosinophil VCS parameters in predicting hepatotoxicity of antituberculosis drugs

INTRODUCTION

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the most frequent cause of discontinuation of antituberculosis medication and difficult to predict. In recent years, liver eosinophilia has been associated with incidence of DILI. We hypothesize that morphologic changes in reactive eosinophils associated with DILI may be determined by LH750 (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, CA) with VCS technology.

METHODS

The absolute eosinophil (AEC), percentage of eosinophil (EOSI%), VCS parameters, and standard deviation (SD) of 500 health controls, 376 patients without DILI, and 50 DILI patients were compared in terms of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for DILI.

RESULTS

In DILI patients, the increased mean eosinophil volume (MEV) and size variability (MEV-SD) were observed prior to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations. The MEV was correlated well with ALT after therapy. The ROC curve analyses revealed that the MEV and MEV-SD had larger areas under curves (0.894, 0.815, in the week prior to DILI) compared to other parameters. Using a cutoff of 163.15 fL for the MEV and a cutoff of 17.11 for MEV-SD, the sensitivities of 81% and 72% and specificities of 82% and 80% were achieved, respectively, which are higher than other parameters prior to DILI occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

The MEV with size variability (MEV-SD) is a quantitative, objective, and more sensitive parameter and has a potential to be an additional indicator for DILI.

Methods Comparison and Bias Estimation of Three Distinct Biochemistry Analytical Systems in One Clinical Laboratory Using Patient Samples

BACKGROUND

In China, one laboratory usually owns more than one diagnostic device or reagent kit measuring the same analyte and this situation causes great troubles for quality control and traceability. To determine if the different devices yield equivalent results, the correlation coefficients and predicted bias between three distinct bio-chemistry analyzers in our lab were evaluated.

METHODS

40 analytes were detected and used to evaluate method performance and comparability of results between different analyzers. The Vitros5600 and Hitachi7170 analyzers were separately compared with the Cobas 8000 analyzer according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline (EP9-A2). Within-day and between-day imprecision of the three analytical systems were calculated in accordance with CLSI guidelines EP15-A2.

RESULTS

Comparing the Hitachi7170 with Cobas8000 analyzer, except for calcium, magnesium, chloride ion (CL-), and carbon dioxide, the other 36 analytes were closely correlated (R2 > 0.95), while 4 of the 36 analytes' predicted bias exceeded the acceptable criteria. As for the Vitros5600 and Cobas8000, except for albumin, sodium ion (NA+), magnesium, and chloride (CL), the other 13 analytes were closely correlated (R2 > 0.95), while 5 of the 13 analytes' predicted bias exceeded the acceptable criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant differences for several analytes between distinct analyzers were found; for some analytes the predicted bias between dry chemical analyzer and conventional wet chemical analyzer can reach 30%, which is worthy of our concern. When one analyte was detected on more than one device, a strict method comparison study should be performed regularly. Reference intervals should be validated and transferred from the Cobas 8000 to Vitros5600 when the bias cannot be adjusted.

FOXP3 and CEACAM6 expression and T cell infiltration in the occurrence and development of colon cancer

The transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) is involved in immune cell regulation, and carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) is an adhesion molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily. These two genes are associated with cancer progression. In the current study, colon tissue specimens from 78 cases of colon cancer (including 40 of stage I-II and 38 of stage III-IV), 30 cases of colonic adenoma and 12 healthy controls were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between January 2010 and December 2011. The expression of cluster of differentiation (CD) 3, CD4, CD8, CD45RO, CEACAM6 and FOXP3 in colon tissues was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay, based on SYBR Green I, was used to detect CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RO, CEACAM6 and FOXP3 mRNA levels in the paraffin block specimens. CD3⁺, CD8⁺ and CD45RO⁺ T cell infiltrations in colonic adenoma were significantly higher than in normal colonic mucosa (P<0.001, P=0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). However, CD3⁺, CD8⁺ and CD45RO⁺ lymphocytes in stage III-IV colon cancer tissues were lower than in normal control tissues (P=0.015, P=0.002 and P=0.041, respectively); consistently, CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and CD45RO⁺ lymphocytes in stage III-IV tissues were even more markedly lower compared with adenoma (P=0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). Similarly, CD3⁺, CD8⁺ and CD45RO⁺ T cell infiltration was lower in stage I-II cancer tissues compared with adenoma (P=0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.001). CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and CD45RO⁺ T cell infiltrations were also significantly higher in stage I-II compared with stage III-IV cancer tissues (P<0.001, P=0.045, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). CEACAM6 was found to gradually increase from normal colon tissue to adenoma and cancer tissue. FOXP3 was expressed more highly in stage I-II compared with normal tissues (P=0.014), and was even higher in stage III-IV (P<0.001). These results were verified using RT-qPCR, which yielded almost identical results. In summary, the current study demonstrates that FOXP3, CEACAM6 and T cell infiltration are significantly associated with the occurrence and progression of colon cancer, and that immune reactions vary between different stages of colon cancer development.

[Associations of apparent diffusion coefficient value from MR diffusion-weighted imaging with Ki-67 expression and differentiation grade in gastric cancer]

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value from MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with Ki-67 expression and differentiation grade in gastric cancer.

METHODS

Images and pathologic data of 68 gastric cancer patients between September 2013 and February 2015 in Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Soochow University were analyzed retrospectively. The expression of Ki-67 antigen in cancer tissue sample was determined by immunohistochemistry. Ki-67 labeling index(LI) was calculated to divide the cases into low Ki-67 group(Ki-67 LI <50%) and high Ki-67 group (Ki-67 LI ≥ 50%). Associations of ADC value with differentiation grade and Ki-67 LI were examined.

RESULTS

Mean ADC value of low Ki-67 LI group was significantly higher than that of high Ki-67 LI group [(0.977 ± 0.100) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s vs. (0.859 ± 0.064) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, P=0.000]. The ADC value was negatively correlated with Ki-67 LI (r=-0.685, P=0.000). Mean ADC value of well differentiated adenocarcinoma, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and signet-ring cell carcinoma was (1.124 ± 0.080) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, (0.950 ± 0.064) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, (0.899 ± 0.091) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, and (0.894 ± 0.081) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s respectively. Difference of ADC value among differentiation grades was significantly different (F=11.405, P=0.000). Difference of ADC value between well differentiated adenocarcinoma and non-well differentiated adenocarcinoma was significantly different(P=0.000).

CONCLUSION

ADC value is associated with differentiation grade and Ki-67 LI of gastric cancer, which may be used as a noninvasive predictor for evaluating the proliferation and differentiation grade of gastric cancer.