Epidemiological impact of a large number of false negative SARS-CoV-2 test results in South West England during September and October 2021

During September and October 2021, a substantial number of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests in England processed at a single laboratory were incorrectly reported as negative. We estimate the number of false negative test results issued and investigate the epidemiological impact of this incident. We estimate the number of COVID-19 cases that would have been reported had the sensitivity of the laboratory test procedure not dropped for the period 2 September to 12 October. In addition, by making comparisons between the most affected local areas and comparator populations, we estimate the number of additional infections, cases, hospitalisations and deaths that could have occurred as a result of increased transmission due to false negative test results.We estimate that around 39,000 tests may have been false negatives during this period and, as a direct result of this incident, the most affected areas in the South-West of England could have experienced between 6000 and 34,000 additional reportable cases, with a central estimate of around 24,000 additional reportable cases. Using modelled relationships between key variables, we estimate that this central estimate could have translated to approximately 55,000 additional infections.Each false negative likely led to around 1.5 additional infections. The incident is likely to have had a measurable impact on cases and infections in the affected areas in the South-West of England. IMPACT STATEMENT: These results indicate the significant negative impact of incorrect testing on COVID outcomes; and make a substantial contribution to understanding the impact of testing systems and the need to ensure high accuracy in testing and reporting of results.

[The mechanism of NRF2 inhibiting ROS induced autophagy to reduce ovarian granulosa cells damage]

This study explores the effects and possible mechanisms of nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (NRF2) on ovarian granulosa cells, providing a scientific basis to prevent premature ovarian failure. An ovarian cell injury model was constructed by treating human ovarian granulosa cell (KGN cell) with 4-Vinylcyclohexene dioxide (VCD). Firstly, KGN cells were treated with different concentrations of VCD, and cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) was used to detect ovarian cell proliferation. After determining IC50 by CCK8, the levels of estradiol and progesterone in the cell supernatant were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay kit was used to detect the content of ROS in ovarian cells, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression level of NRF2, and Western blot was used to detect the protein expression level of NRF2. Further, NRF2 silence (siNRF2) and overexpression (NRF2-OE) cell models were constructed through lentivirus transfection, and the effects of regulating NRF2 on VCD treated cell models were investigated by detecting hormone levels, oxidative stress indicators (ROS, SOD, GSH-Px), and autophagy (LC3B level). The results showed that VCD intervention inhibited the proliferation of ovarian granulosa cells in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner (F>100, P<0.05), with an IC50 of 1.2 mmol/L at 24 hours. After VCD treatment, the level of estradiol in the cell supernatant decreased from (56.32±10.18) ng/ml to (24.59±8.75) ng/ml (t=5.78, P<0.05). Progesterone decreased from (50.25±7.03) ng/ml to (25.13±6.67) ng/ml (t=6.54, P<0.05). After VCD treatment, the SOD of cells decreased from (44.47±7.71) ng/ml to (30.92±4.97) ng/ml (t=3.61, P<0.05). GSH-Px decreased from (68.51±10.17) ng/ml to (35.19±6.59) ng/ml (t=5.73, P<0.05). Simultaneously accompanied by an increase in autophagy and a decrease in NRF2. This study successfully constructed KGN cell models that silenced NRF2 and overexpressed NRF2. Subsequently, this study treated each group of cells with VCD and found that the cell proliferation activity of the siNRF2 group was significantly reduced (t=8.37, P<0.05), while NRF2-OE could reverse the cell activity damage caused by VCD (t=3.37, P<0.05). The siNRF2 group had the lowest level of estradiol (t=5.78, P<0.05), while NRF2-OE could reverse the decrease in cellular estradiol levels caused by VCD (t=5.58, P<0.05). The siNRF2 group had the lowest progesterone levels (t=3.02, P<0.05), while NRF2-OE could reverse the decrease in cellular progesterone levels caused by VCD (t=2.41, P<0.05). The ROS level in the siNRF2 group was the highest (t=2.86, P<0.05), NRF2-OE could reverse the increase in ROS caused by VCD (t=3.14, P<0.05), the SOD enzyme content in the siNRF2 group was the lowest (t=2.98, P<0.05), and NRF2-OE could reverse the decrease in SOD enzyme content caused by VCD (t=4.72, P<0.05). The GSH-Px enzyme content in the siNRF2 group was the lowest (t=3.67, P<0.05), and NRF2-OE could reverse the decrease in antioxidant enzyme content caused by VCD (t=2.71, P<0.05). The LC3B level was highest in the siNRF2 group (t=2.45, P<0.05), and NRF2-OE was able to reverse the LC3B elevation caused by VCD (t=9.64, P<0.05). In conclusion, NRF2 inhibits ROS induced autophagy, thereby playing a role in reducing ovarian granulosa cell damage, which may be a potential target for premature ovarian failure.

Peripheral clock gene oscillations are perturbed in neonatal and adult rat offspring raised under adverse limited bedding conditions

Circadian (24-h) rhythms in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are established in utero in rodents, but rhythmicity of peripheral circadian clocks appears later in postnatal development. Since peripheral oscillators can be influenced by maternal feeding and behavior, we investigated whether exposure to the adverse environmental conditions of limited bedding (LB) during postnatal life would alter rhythmicity in the SCN, adrenal gland and liver in neonatal (postnatal day PND10), juvenile (PND28) and adult rats. We also examined locomotor activity in adults. Limited bedding increased nursing time and slightly increased fragmentation of maternal behavior. Exposure to LB reduced the amplitude of Per2 in the SCN on PND10. Adrenal clock gene expression (Bmal1, Per2, Cry1, Rev-erbα, Dbp) and corticosterone secretion were rhythmic at all ages in NB offspring, whereas rhythmicity of Bmal1, Cry1 and corticosterone was abolished in neonatal LB pups. Circadian gene expression in the adrenal and liver was well established by PND28. In adults, liver expression of several circadian genes was increased at specific daytimes by LB and the microstructure of locomotor behavior was altered. Thus, changes in maternal care and behavior might provide important signals to the maturing peripheral oscillators and modify, in particular their output functions in the long-term.

Prognostic nomogram for primary splenic lymphoma: a SEER database-based study

This study aimed to establish a nomogram model based on the clinicopathological factors affecting the prognosis of patients with primary splenic lymphoma (PSL) to predict the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients. A total of 4074 patients diagnosed with PSL were included in this study. Among them, 4052 cases from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database were randomized into a training set and an internal validation set in a 7:3 ratio. Another 22 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University were used as an external validation set. The prognostic factors affecting the OS and CSS of patients were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier (KM) method and compared by Log-rank test. Then, a nomogram model was established to predict OS and CSS. Finally, the model was validated both internally and externally using the concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), and calibration curve to evaluate its predictive value, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) was conducted to assess its clinical utility. Our results showed that the model displayed a good prediction ability. In the training set, the OS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 85.9%, 75.8% and 70.1%, respectively, while the CSS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 91.9%, 86.2% and 82.3%, respectively. Predictors in the prediction model of OS included age, sex, marital status, Ann Arbor stage, histology, surgery, chemotherapy and year at diagnosis. On the other hand, predictors in the model of CSS included age, Ann Arbor stage, histology, chemotherapy, and year at diagnosis. Internal and external validation of the nomogram model showed that the C-index for predicting OS was 0.678 (0.662, 0.694) in the training set, 0.672 (0.648, 0.696) in the internal validation set, and 0.704 (0.565, 0.843) in the external validation set; the C-index for predicting CSS was 0.685 (0.661, 0.709) in the training set, 0.683 (0.650, 0.716) in the internal validation set, and 0.676 (0.488, 0.864) in the external validation set. The calibration curves for several groups showed good consistency, and DCA suggested its clinical usability. In conclusion, the nomogram constructed in this study has a good predictive value for the survival of patients with PSL, and can be a clinically applicable and practical prediction tool, facilitating rapid and accurate individualized predictions of the patient survival.

Efficacy and safety of atropine in myopic children: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of atropine for childhood myopia and further explore the optimal concentration of atropine, so as to provide more reference for clinical application.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were comprehensively searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to October 14, 2021. The efficacy outcomes were progression of spherical equivalent (SE) and axial length (AL). The safety outcomes included accommodation amplitude, pupil size and adverse effects. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3.

RESULTS

Eighteen RCTs involving 3002 eyes were included. The results showed that at 6-36 months of treatment, atropine was effective in slowing the progression of myopia in children. At 12 months, the WMD of SE and AL of low-dose atropine was 0.25 diopters (D) and 0.1 millimeter (mm), moderate-dose atropine was 0.44 D and 0.16mm, high-dose atropine was 1.21 D and 0.82mm, respectively, compared with the control group. Similarly, at 24 months, low-dose atropine was 0.22 D and 0.14mm, moderate-dose atropine was 0.60 D, high-dose atropine was 0.66 D and 0.24mm, respectively. Interestingly, we also found that there was no significant difference in the effects of low-dose atropine on accommodation amplitude and photopic pupil size compared with the control group, and the rate of photophobia, allergy, blurred vision and other side effects was similar between the low-dose atropine group and the control group. In addition, atropine appears to be more effective in myopic children in China than in other countries.

CONCLUSIONS

Atropine in various concentrations can effectively slow myopia progression in children, and its effect is dose-dependent, while low-dose atropine (0.01% atropine) appears to be safer.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Wellcomia compar (Spirurina: Oxyuridae) and its genome characterization and phylogenetic analysis

Wellcomia compar (Spirurina: Oxyuridae) is a pinworm that infects wild and captive porcupines. Despite clear records of its morphological structure, its genetics, systematics, and biology are poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of W. compar and reconstruct its phylogenetic relationship with other nematodes. We sequenced the complete mt genome of W. comparand conducted phylogenetic analyses using concatenated coding sequences of 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs) by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The complete mt genome is 14,373 bp in size and comprises 36 genes, including 12 protein-coding, two rRNA and 22 tRNA genes. Apart from 28 intergenic regions, one non-coding region and one overlapping region also occur. A comparison of the gene arrangements of Oxyuridomorpha revealed relatively similar features in W. compar and Wellcomia siamensis. Phylogenetic analysis also showed that W. compar and W. siamensis formed a sister group. In Oxyuridomorpha the genetic distance between W. compar and W. siamensis was 0.0805. This study reports, for the first time, the complete W. compar mt genome sequence obtained from Chinese porcupines. It provides genetic markers for investigating the taxonomy, population genetics, and phylogenetics of pinworms from different hosts and has implications for the diagnosis, prevention, and control of parasitic diseases in porcupines and other animals.

Bacterial diversity in water from Xifeng Hot Spring in China

The Xifeng Hot Spring is one of the eight largest hot springs in China, which is rich in radon gas and sulphur in karst scenery. Little is known about the microbiota structure in the spring. The water was collected from three sites containing the outlet of spring water discharge site (OWD), spring pool for tourist (SPT) and sewage effluent pool (SEP) in the Xifeng Hot Spring and further analyzed by culture-independent technique and culture-dependent method. A total of 57 phyla were identified from the water samples. The dominate phyla at OWD was Bacteroidetes (46.93%), while it was Proteobacteria in both sites of SEP and SPT with relative richness of 61.9% and 94.9%, respectively. Two bacteria, Deinococcus and Hymenobacter, that confirmed to be radiation-resistant, seven sulphur bacteria and three thermophilic bacteria were detected from Xifeng Hot Spring. Furthermore, it was found that genus Flavobacterium was susceptible to environmental change with abundance of 11 ~ 2825 times higher in OWD than the other two groups. Compared bacteria from the OWD group with that from 14 hot springs in six countries, total 94 unique genera bacteria were found out from the Xifeng Hot Spring including four thiometabolism-related bacteria (Propionispira, Desulforegula, Desulfobacter and Desulfococcus) and the thermophilic bacterium (Symbiobacterium). Using microbial culturing and isolation technology, sixteen strains were isolated from the water samples of three sites. The diversity of microbiota was abundant and variable along with the niche changed in conditions and surroundings. It indicated that numbers of valuable bacteria resources could be explored from the special surroundings of Xifeng Hot Spring.

Impact of bariatric surgery on glucose and lipid metabolism and liver and kidney function in food-induced obese diabetic rats

BACKGROUND

Obesity usually causes diabetes mellitus (DM) and is a serious danger to human health. Type 2 DM (T2DM) mostly occurs along with obesity. Foodborne obesity-induced DM is caused by an excessive long-term diet and surplus energy. Bariatric surgery can improve the symptoms of T2DM in some obese patients. But different types of bariatric surgery may have different effects.

AIM

To investigate the effect of bariatric surgery on glucose and lipid metabolism and liver and kidney function in rats.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 6-8 wk underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), or gastric banding (GB). Glucose and insulin tolerance tests, analyses of biochemical parameters, histological examination, western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were conducted.

RESULTS

In comparison to the sham operation group, the RYGB, SG, and GB groups had decreased body weight and food intake, reduced glucose intolerance and insulin insensitivity, downregulated biochemical parameters, alleviated morphological changes in the liver and kidneys, and decreased levels of protein kinase C β/ P66shc. The effect in the RYGB group was better than that in the SG and GB groups.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that RYGB, SG and GB may be helpful for the treatment of foodborne obesity-induced DM.

Synergistic effects of lipopolysaccharide and rotenone on dopamine neuronal damage in rats

INTRODUCTION

The etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is still unknown. Until now, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of PD. However, the specific synergistic role of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the occurrence and development of PD remains unclear.

METHODS

The changes in motor behavior, dopamine (DA) neurons quantification and their mitochondrial respiratory chain, glial cells activation and secreted cytokines, Nrf2 signaling pathway, and redox balance in the brain of rats were evaluated.

RESULTS

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation and rotenone (ROT)-induced oxidative stress synergistically aggravated motor dysfunction, DA neuron damage, activation of glial cells, and release of related mediators, activation of Nrf2 signaling and destruction of oxidative balance. In addition, further studies indicated that after ROT-induced oxidative stress caused direct damage to DA neurons, LPS-induced inflammatory effects had stronger promoting neurotoxic effects on the above aspects.

CONCLUSIONS

Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress synergistically aggravated DA neuronal loss. Furtherly, oxidative stress followed by neuroinflammation caused more DA neuronal loss than neuroinflammation followed by oxidative stress.

A Nomogram for Optimizing Sarcopenia Screening in Community-dwelling Older Adults: AB3C Model

OBJECTIVES

Sarcopenia is associated with significantly higher mortality risk, and earlier detection of sarcopenia has remarkable public health benefits. However, the model that predicts sarcopenia in the community has yet to be well identified. The study aimed to develop a nomogram for predicting the risk of sarcopenia and compare the performance with 3 sarcopenia screen models in community-dwelling older adults in China.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 966 community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

A total of 966 community-dwelling older adults were enrolled in the study, with 678 participants grouped into the Training Set and 288 participants grouped into the Validation Set according to a 7:3 randomization. Predictors were identified in the Training Set by univariate and multivariate logistic regression and then combined into a nomogram to predict the risk of sarcopenia. The performance of this nomogram was assessed by calibration, discrimination, and clinical utility.

RESULTS

Age, body mass index, calf circumference, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were demonstrated to be predictors for sarcopenia. The nomogram (named as AB3C model) that was constructed based on these predictors showed excellent calibration and discrimination in the Training Set with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.930. The nomogram also showed perfect calibration and discrimination in the Validation Set with an AUC of 0.897. The clinical utility of the nomogram was supported by decision curve analysis. Comparing the performance with 3 sarcopenia screen models (SARC-F, Ishii, and Calf circumference), the AB3C model outperformed the other models regarding sensitivity and AUC.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

AB3C model, an easy-to-apply and cost-effective nomogram, was developed to predict the risk of sarcopenia, which may contribute to optimizing sarcopenia screening in community settings.

Fundus image classification using Inception V3 and ResNet-50 for the early diagnostics of fundus diseases

Purpose: We aim to present effective and computer aided diagnostics in the field of ophthalmology and improve eye health. This study aims to create an automated deep learning based system for categorizing fundus images into three classes: normal, macular degeneration and tessellated fundus for the timely recognition and treatment of diabetic retinopathy and other diseases. Methods: A total of 1,032 fundus images were collected from 516 patients using fundus camera from Health Management Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China. Then, Inception V3 and ResNet-50 deep learning models are used to classify fundus images into three classes, Normal, Macular degeneration and tessellated fundus for the timely recognition and treatment of fundus diseases. Results: The experimental results show that the effect of model recognition is the best when the Adam is used as optimizer method, the number of iterations is 150, and 0.00 as the learning rate. According to our proposed approach we, achieved the highest accuracy of 93.81% and 91.76% by using ResNet-50 and Inception V3 after fine-tuned and adjusted hyper parameters according to our classification problem. Conclusion: Our research provides a reference to the clinical diagnosis or screening for diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. Our suggested computer aided diagnostics framework will prevent incorrect diagnoses caused by the low image quality and individual experience, and other factors. In future implementations, the ophthalmologists can implement more advanced learning algorithms to improve the accuracy of diagnosis.

N6‑methyladenosine‑induced long non‑coding RNA PVT1 regulates the miR‑27b‑3p/BLM axis to promote prostate cancer progression

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most fundamental causes of cancer‑related mortality and morbidity among males. However, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been fully clarified. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) on the malignant behaviors of PCa cells and to explore the possible molecular mechanisms involved. The expression levels of PVT1 and microRNA (miRNA/miR)‑27b‑3p in PCa tissues and cell lines were measured using reverse‑transcritpion‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Methyltransferase 3 (METTL3)‑mediated PVT1 N⁶‑methyladenosine (m⁶A) modifications were detected using RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull‑down assays. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the interactions of miR‑27b‑3p with PVT1 and bloom syndrome protein (BLM), and these interactions were validated using RIP, dual‑luciferase reporter and biotin pull‑down assays. The functional importance of miR‑27b‑3p, PVT1 and BLM within PCa cells was assessed through the in vitro utilization of Cell Counting Kit‑8, Transwell, wound healing and colony formation assays, and the in vivo use of a mouse xenograft model. The results revealed the high expression level of PVT1 in PCa tissues and cells, and epigenetic analyses revealed the upregulation of PVT1 expression following METTL3‑mediated m⁶A modification. PVT1 overexpression induced PCa cells to become more proliferative, migratory and invasive, whereas PVT1 knockdown led to the opposite phenotype. Furthermore, miR‑27b‑3p was found to target both PVT1 and BLM, and PVT1 functioned to sequester miR‑27b‑3p within cells, thereby indirectly promoting the BLM expression level. BLM overexpression reversed the adverse effects of PVT1 knockdown on the migratory, proliferative and invasive capabilities of PCa cells in vitro and in vivo. The overexpression of PVT1 contributed to the aggressive phenotype of PCa cells by regulating the miR‑27b‑3p/BLM axis. On the whole, the findings of the present study may provide novel potential targets for the treatment of PCa.

Effects of intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide-induced peripheral inflammation on dopamine neuron damage in rat midbrain

Introduction

Current studies have documented neuroinflammation is implicated in Parkinson's disease. Recently, growing evidence indicated peripheral inflammation plays an important role in regulation of neuroinflammation and thus conferring protection against dopamine (DA) neuronal damage. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clearly illuminated.

Methods

The effects of intraperitoneal injection of LPS (LPS_[i.p.])‐induced peripheral inflammation on substantia nigra (SN) injection of LPS (LPS_[SN])‐elicited DA neuronal damage in rat midbrain were investigated. Rats were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (0.5 mg/kg) daily for 4 consecutive days and then given single injection of LPS (8 μg) into SN with an interval of 0 (LPS_(i.p.) 0 day ± LPS_(SN)), 30 (LPS_(i.p.) 30 days ± LPS_(SN)), and 90 (LPS_(i.p.) 90 days ± LPS_(SN)) days after LPS_(i.p.) administration.

Results

LPS_(i.p.) increased the levels of inflammatory factors in peripheral blood in (LPS_(i.p.) 0 day ± LPS_(SN)). Importantly, in (LPS_(i.p.) 0 day ± LPS_(SN)) and (LPS_(i.p.) 30 days ± LPS_(SN)), LPS_(i.p.) attenuated LPS_(SN)‐induced DA neuronal loss in SN. Besides, LPS_(i.p.) reduced LPS_(SN)‐induced microglia and astrocytes activation in SN. Furtherly, LPS_(i.p.) reduced pro‐inflammatory M1 microglia markers mRNA levels and increased anti‐inflammatory M2 microglia markers mRNA levels. In addition, the increased T‐cell marker expression and the decreased M1 microglia marker expression and more DA neuronal survival were discerned at the same area of rat midbrain in LPS_(SN)‐induced DA neuronal damage 30 days after LPS_(i.p.) application.

Conclusion

This study suggested LPS_(i.p.)‐induced peripheral inflammation might cause T cells to infiltrate the brain to regulate microglia‐mediated neuroinflammation, thereby protecting DA neurons.

Who are the real high-risk patients with pathological T2N0M0 non-small-cell lung cancer that can benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy?

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

•

ACT could not improve long-term survival in pT2N0M0 NSCLC in general.

•

ACT could only improve OS and DFS in pT2N0M0 NSCLC >4 cm.

•

ACT could not improve CSS in any subgroup of pT2N0M0 NSCLC.

•

For patients with other high-risk factors, ACT failed to improve long-term survival.

[Prevention and treatment of mucocutaneous adverse reactions associated with epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors]

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling is aberrantly overexpressed in many solid malignancies, making it an important target for anti-cancer biologic agents. Among them, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs), which have been widely used in clinical practice, include anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. A proportion of patients treated with EGFRIs develop specific, dose-dependent skin toxicity such as papulopustular rash, paronychia, xerosis and itch. These side effects can cause physical and psychosocial discomfort that may result in dose reduction, discontinuance, or replacement of the current EGFRIs treatment. Correct diagnosis and treatment of these skin and mucosal adverse effects associated with EGFRIs is of great significance for the tertiary prevention of malignant tumors. A review on EGFRI-related mucocutaneous adverse reactions is presented here, focusing on the pathogenesis, the various clinical manifestations, the strategies for prevention and treatment of these conditions.

Manganese Stress Adaptation Mechanisms of Bacillus safensis Strain ST7 From Mine Soil

The mechanism of bacterial adaption to manganese-polluted environments was explored using 50 manganese-tolerant strains of bacteria isolated from soil of the largest manganese mine in China. Efficiency of manganese removal by the isolated strains was investigated using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Bacillus safensis strain ST7 was the most effective manganese-oxidizing bacteria among the tested isolates, achieving up to 82% removal at a Mn(II) concentration of 2,200 mg/L. Bacteria-mediated manganese oxide precipitates and high motility were observed, and the growth of strain ST7 was inhibited while its biofilm formation was promoted by the presence of Mn(II). In addition, strain ST7 could grow in the presence of high concentrations of Al(III), Cr(VI), and Fe(III). Genome-wide analysis of the gene expression profile of strain ST7 using the RNA-seq method revealed that 2,580 genes were differently expressed under Mn(II) exposure, and there were more downregulated genes (n = 2,021) than upregulated genes (n = 559) induced by Mn stress. KAAS analysis indicated that these differently expressed genes were mainly enriched in material metabolisms, cellular processes, organism systems, and genetic and environmental information processing pathways. A total of twenty-six genes from the transcriptome of strain ST7 were involved in lignocellulosic degradation. Furthermore, after 15 genes were knocked out by homologous recombination technology, it was observed that the transporters, multicopper oxidase, and proteins involved in sporulation and flagellogenesis contributed to the removal of Mn(II) in strain ST7. In summary, B. safensis ST7 adapted to Mn exposure by changing its metabolism, upregulating cation transporters, inhibiting sporulation and flagellogenesis, and activating an alternative stress-related sigB pathway. This bacterial strain could potentially be used to restore soil polluted by multiple heavy metals and is a candidate to support the consolidated bioprocessing community.

Modified anterior midline approach to treat hyperextension bicondylar tibial plateau fractures: Surgical technique and clinical experience with 18 cases

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the modified anterior midline approach and its efficacy for hyperextension bicondylar tibial plateau (HEBTP) fractures.

METHODS

From 2015 to 2019, 18 patients with HEBTP fractures with just little posterior cortical displacement were treated using the modified anterior midline approach. The operative protocols are fully described in this article, and the following parameters: articular step-off height (ASH), posterior tibial slope angle (pTSA), and medial tibial plateau angle (mTPA) were measured perioperatively and at the final follow-up. We also recorded the Rasmussen score and range of motion (ROM) to assess knee joint function at the final follow-up.

RESULTS

No complications, such as percutaneous nerve damage, infection, skin necrosis, and internal fixation breakage or loosening occurred perioperatively. The mean time for bony union was 13.7 weeks, and the mean preoperative ASH of the anterior cortex was 4.49 mm; this was restored to its normal height after surgery. The mean preoperative pTSA and mTPA were - 5.89° and 81.69°, respectively, compared with 3.89° and 87.91°, respectively, postoperatively. Comparing the postoperative and final follow-up radiographs, there were no significant differences in ASH, pTSA, and mTPA (P < 0.05). The average Rasmussen score was 27.2 (range, 23-29) at the final follow-up. Excellent results were achieved in 14 (77.8%) patients and good in 4 (22.2%) patients. The mean ROM in flexion was 123.2° and 2.9° in extension at the final follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested that the modified anterior midline approach is a reasonable alternative for HEBTP fracture repair.

Erratum: Azimuthal Anisotropy of K_{S}^{0} and Λ+Λ[over ¯] Production at Midrapidity from Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s]_{NN}=130 GeV [Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 132301 (2002)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.132301.

Erratum: Azimuthal Anisotropy at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider: The First and Fourth Harmonics [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 062301 (2004)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.062301.

[Exenatide promotes cholesterol efflux in pancreatic tissue of obese diabetic rats]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of exenatide on the expression of ABCA1 and cholesterol metabolism in the pancreas of obese diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE

Twenty-four normal male SD rats and 18 obese diabetic rats (induced by high-fat feeding and STZ injection) were both divided equally into 2 groups for injections of saline or exenatide. After treatment for a week, the expression of ABCA1, cholesterol metabolism, and islet function of the rats were examined using real-time PCR, Western blotting, oil red O staining, cholesterol content determination, and HE staining.

OBJECTIVE

The expressions of ABCA1 at both mRNA and protein levels in pancreatic tissue were significantly lower in obese diabetic rats than in normal SD rats. The obese diabetic rats showed obvious lipid deposition and increased cholesterol content in the pancreatic tissue with significantly reduced islet volume and structural changes (P < 0.05); exenatide treatment of the diabetic rats significantly up-regulated ABCA1 expression, reduced lipid deposition and cholesterol content in pancreatic tissue, and increased number and volume of the islets, which presented with more orderly alignment (P < 0.05).

OBJECTIVE

Obese diabetic rats have lowered ABCA1 expression, cholesterol efflux block, and cholesterol accumulation in the pancreatic tissue. Exenatide can up-regulate ABCA1 expression and promote cholesterol efflux to reduce cholesterol content in the pancreatic tissue and improve islet function in obese diabetic rats.

LncRNA HOTTIP promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cells via adsorbing miR-615-3p

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of long-noncoding ribonucleic acid HOXA transcript at the distal tip (lncRNA HOTTIP) in the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expressions of lncRNA HOTTIP in gastric carcinoma cell lines MGC-803, HGC-27, SNU-1, and SGC-7901 and normal gastric mucosa cell line RGM-1 were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and compared. The effects of lncRNA HOTTIP on proliferation and apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. StarBase v2.0 website was adopted to predict the relationship between lncRNA HOTTIP and target miRNAs. Dual-Luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the sponge effect of lncRNA HOTTIP on miR-615-3p. CCK-8 experiment was conducted to detect its effect on proliferation of gastric carcinoma cells after co-silencing lncRNA HOTTIP and miR-615-3p.

RESULTS

LncRNA HOTTIP was highly expressed in gastric carcinoma cell lines MGC-803, HGC-27, SNU-1, and SGC-7901 than in normal gastric mucosa cell line RGM-1. After knockdown of lncRNA HOTTIP, the proliferation function of gastric carcinoma cells was markedly weakened, and the proportion of apoptotic cells increased. LncRNA HOTTIP was able to adsorb miR-615-3p via a sponge effect. Notably, knockdown of miR-615-3p restored the effect of silenced lncRNA HOTTIP on the proliferation function of gastric carcinoma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA HOTTIP is highly expressed in gastric carcinoma cells. It affects cell proliferation and apoptosis in gastric carcinoma by adsorbing miR-615-3p via a sponge effect.

MicroRNA‑29‑3p regulates the β‑catenin pathway by targeting IGF1 to inhibit the proliferation of prolactinoma cells

The present study aimed to analyze the effects and underlying mechanisms of microRNA (miR)-29-3p on the proliferation and secretory abilities of prolactinoma cells by targeting insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1/β-catenin. The relationship between miR-29a-3p and the survival of prolactinoma cells was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method in reference to The Cancer Genome Atlas. The expression levels of miR-29a-3p and IGF-1 in MMQ and GH3 cells were detected. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify the combination of miR-29a-3p and IGF-1. Cells were transfected with a miR-29a-3p mimic and/or IGF-1 pcDNA3.1 to analyze the effects on the proliferation, apoptosis and secretion of prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) of prolactinoma cells. The effects on β-catenin in the cytoplasm and nucleus were investigated by western blot analysis. The results showed that miR-29a-3p expression was low in MMQ and GH3 cells. Overexpression miR-29a-3p inhibited IGF-1 mRNA and protein expression. miR-29a-3p inhibited cell proliferation and PRL and GH expression, and promoted apoptosis by inhibiting IGF-1. Increasing the expression of miR-29a-3p increased β-catenin levels in the cytoplasm, whereas IGF-1 promoted β-catenin activation and entry into the nucleus, and reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-29a-3p on β-catenin. To conclude, miR-29a-3p inhibited the proliferation and secretory abilities of prolactinoma cells by inhibiting nuclear translocation of β-catenin via a molecular mechanism that is inseparable from IGF-1.

A HY5-COL3-COL13 regulatory chain for controlling hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis

CONSTANS-LIKE (COL) family members are commonly implicated in light signal transduction during early photomorphogenesis. However, some of their functions remain unclear. Here, we propose a role for COL13 in hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that COL13 RNA accumulates at high levels in hypocotyls and that a disruption in the COL13 function via a T-DNA insertion or RNAi led to the formation of longer hypocotyls of Arabidopsis seedlings under red light. On the contrary, overexpression of COL13 resulted in the formation of shorter hypocotyls. Using various genetic, genomic, and biochemical assays, we proved that another COL protein, COL3, directly binds to the promoter of COL13, and the promoter region of COL3 was targeted by the transcription factor LONG HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), to form an HY5-COL3-COL13 regulatory chain for regulating hypocotyl elongation under red light. Additionally, further study demonstrated that COL13 interacts with COL3, and COL13 promotes the interaction between COL3 and CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1), suggesting a possible COP1-dependent COL3-COL13 feedback pathway. Our results provide new information regarding the gene network in mediating hypocotyl elongation.

It Is All in the Right Amygdala: Increased Synaptic Plasticity and Perineuronal Nets in Male, But Not Female, Juvenile Rat Pups after Exposure to Early-Life Stress

Early-life stress (ELS) is associated with increased vulnerability to mental disorders. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays a critical role in fear conditioning and is extremely sensitive to ELS. Using a naturalistic rodent model of ELS, the limited bedding paradigm (LB) between postnatal days 1-10, we previously documented that LB male, but not female preweaning rat pups display increased BLA neuron spine density paralleled with enhanced evoked synaptic responses and altered BLA functional connectivity. Since ELS effects are often sexually dimorphic and amygdala processes exhibit hemispheric asymmetry, we investigated changes in synaptic plasticity and neuronal excitability of BLA neurons in vitro in the left and right amygdala of postnatal days 22-28 male and female offspring from normal bedding or LB mothers. We report that LB conditions enhanced synaptic plasticity in the right, but not the left BLA of males exclusively. LB males also showed increased perineuronal net density, particularly around parvalbumin (PV) cells, and impaired fear-induced activity of PV interneurons only in the right BLA. Action potentials fired from right BLA neurons of LB females displayed slower maximal depolarization rates and decreased amplitudes compared with normal bedding females, concomitant with reduced NMDAR GluN1 subunit expression in the right BLA. In LB males, reduced GluA2 expression in the right BLA might contribute to the enhanced LTP. These findings suggest that LB differentially programs synaptic plasticity and PV/perineuronal net development in the left and right BLA. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that the effects of ELS exposure on BLA synaptic function are sexually dimorphic and possibly recruiting different mechanisms.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Early-life stress (ELS) induces long-lasting consequences on stress responses and emotional regulation in humans, increasing vulnerability to the development of psychopathologies. The effects of ELS in a number of brain regions, including the amygdala, are often sexually dimorphic, and have been reproduced using the rodent limited bedding paradigm of early adversity. The present study examines sex differences in synaptic plasticity and cellular activation occurring in the developing left and right amygdala after limited bedding exposure, a phenomenon that could shape long-term emotional behavioral outcomes. Studying how ELS selectively produces effects in one amygdala hemisphere during a critical period of brain development could guide further investigation into sex-dependent mechanisms and allow for more targeted and improved treatment of stress-and emotionality-related disorders.

Treatment outcomes of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation versus adrenalectomy for adrenal metastases: a retrospective comparative study

PURPOSE

To retrospectively evaluate the clinical outcomes of percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in treatment of adrenal metastasis (AM), and to compare with adrenalectomy (Adx).

METHODS

From June 2008 to August 2018, a total of 60 patients with AM treated at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed, of whom 29 treated by RFA (RFA group) and 31 by Adx (Adx group). The technical success, local tumor progression (LTP) and overall survival (OS) after the treatment were evaluated and compared.

RESULTS

In RFA group, the first technical success was 72.4% and the second technical success was 86.2%. In Adx group, all the AMs were successfully resected. After 24.5 ± 19.1 months follow-up period, a total of 8 patients (6 in RFA group and 2 in Adx group) were detected LTP. The 1-, 2- and 3- LTP rates after treatment were 17.1%, 30.9% and 44.7% in RFA group, and 6.5%, 6.5% and 6.5% in Adx group, respectively (P = 0.028). However, for AM ≤ 5 cm, the LTP between the two groups were comparable (P = 0.068). The 1-, 2- and 3- OS rates after treatment for AM were 85.0%, 42.4% and 27.8% in RFA group, and 93.0%, 66.1% and 52.3% in Adx group, respectively (P = 0.057). RFA offered shorter treatment time (23.6 ± 16.9 vs. 155.6 ± 58.8 min, P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (7.8 ± 3.9 vs. 15.0 ± 4.9 days, P < 0.001), and lower hospital cost ($3405.7 ± 1067.8 vs. $5248.0 ± 2261.3, P = 0.003) than Adx.

CONCLUSION

In comparison with Adx, percutaneous US-guided RFA, as an alternative treatment, is feasible and effective in controlling AM, especially in AM ≤ 5 cm in diameter.

CGRP Modulates Orofacial Pain through Mediating Neuron-Glia Crosstalk

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays a crucial role in the modulation of orofacial pain, and we hypothesized that CGRP mediated a neuron-glia crosstalk in orofacial pain. The objective of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms whereby CGRP mediated trigeminal neuron-glia crosstalk in modulating orofacial pain. Orofacial pain was elicited by ligating closed-coil springs between incisors and molars. Trigeminal neurons and satellite glial cells (SGCs) were cultured for mechanistic exploration. Gene and protein expression were determined through immunostaining, polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. Orofacial pain was evaluated through the rat grimace scale. Our results revealed that the expressions of CGRP were elevated in both trigeminal neurons and SGCs following the induction of orofacial pain. Intraganglionic administration of CGRP and olcegepant exacerbated and alleviated orofacial pain, respectively. The knockdown of CGRP through viral vector-mediated RNA interference was able to downregulate CGRP expressions in both neurons and SGCs and to alleviate orofacial pain. CGRP upregulated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase through the p38 signaling pathway in cultured SGCs. In turn, L-arginine (nitric oxide donor) was able to enhance orofacial pain by upregulating CGRP expressions in vivo. In cultured trigeminal neurons, L-arginine upregulated the expression of CGRP, and this effect was diminished by cilnidipine (N-type calcium channel blocker) while not by mibefradil (L-type calcium channel blocker). In conclusion, CGRP modulated orofacial pain through upregulating the expression of nitric oxide through the p38 signaling pathway in SGCs, and the resulting nitric oxide in turn stimulated CGRP expression through N-type calcium channel in neurons, building a CGRP-mediated positive-feedback neuron-glia crosstalk.

Predicting COVID-19 in China Using Hybrid AI Model

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) breaking out in late December 2019 is gradually being controlled in China, but it is still spreading rapidly in many other countries and regions worldwide. It is urgent to conduct prediction research on the development and spread of the epidemic. In this article, a hybrid artificial-intelligence (AI) model is proposed for COVID-19 prediction. First, as traditional epidemic models treat all individuals with coronavirus as having the same infection rate, an improved susceptible-infected (ISI) model is proposed to estimate the variety of the infection rates for analyzing the transmission laws and development trend. Second, considering the effects of prevention and control measures and the increase of the public's prevention awareness, the natural language processing (NLP) module and the long short-term memory (LSTM) network are embedded into the ISI model to build the hybrid AI model for COVID-19 prediction. The experimental results on the epidemic data of several typical provinces and cities in China show that individuals with coronavirus have a higher infection rate within the third to eighth days after they were infected, which is more in line with the actual transmission laws of the epidemic. Moreover, compared with the traditional epidemic models, the proposed hybrid AI model can significantly reduce the errors of the prediction results and obtain the mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs) with 0.52%, 0.38%, 0.05%, and 0.86% for the next six days in Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai, and countrywide, respectively.

Identification of Vibrio alginolyticus virulent strain-specific DNA regions by suppression subtractive hybridization and PCR

AIMS

Vibrio alginolyticus was frequently isolated from diseased farmed fish in the coaster waters of Hainan Island over the past two decades. In this study, we attempted to identify candidates of virulent strain-specific DNA regions for this pathogen.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and PCR were successively performed between the typical virulent strain and avirulent strain of V. alginolyticus, in which they shared 99·54% homology of 16S rDNAs. Out of 2873 subtracted clones, nine clones were finally indicated to harbour virulent strain-specific DNA fragments. The receivable functions of the major fragments in the nine clones were believed to encode methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (n = 1), type VI secretion system-associated FHA domain protein TagH (n = 1), diguanylate cyclase (n = 1), AraC family transcriptional regulator (n = 1), ABC-type uncharacterized transport system permease component (n = 1) and hypothetical proteins (n = 4). Two hypothetical proteins contain several disordered regions.

CONCLUSIONS

Some specific DNA regions existed in the virulent strain of V. alginolyticus, and the SSH assay could be a highly sensitive method for identifying virulent regions in pathogens.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This report is the first to describe the identification of virulent strain-specific DNA regions in the V. alginolyticus genome, which is helpful in developing virulent strain-specific rapid detection methods and is a pivotal precondition for clarifying the molecular virulence mechanism of V. alginolyticus.

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.

Increased Hypothalamic Projections to the Lateral Hypothalamus and Responses to Leptin in Rat Neonates From High Fat Fed Mothers

The lateral hypothalamus (LHA) is a central hub in the regulation of food intake and metabolism, as it integrates homeostatic and hedonic circuits. During early development, maturing input to and output from the LHA might be particularly sensitive to environmental dietary changes. We examined the effects of a maternal high fat diet (HFD, 60% Kcal in fat) on the density of hypothalamic projections to the orexin (ORX-A) field of the LHA in 10 day-old (PND10) rat pups using retrograde labeling with fluorescent microspheres. We also compared responsiveness of phenotypically identified LHA neurons to leptin administration (3 mg/kg, bw) between pups from control (CD) or high fat (HFD) fed mothers on PND10 and 15-16, at the onset of independent feeding. HFD pups exhibited a higher density of LHA projections (p = 0.05) from the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) compared to CD pups and these originated from both SF-1 and BDNF-positive neurons in the VMH. Increased circulating leptin levels in HFD pups, particularly on PND15-16 was consistent with enhanced pSTAT3 responses to leptin in the orexin (ORX-A) field of the LHA, with some of the activated neurons expressing a GABA, but not CART phenotype. ORX-A neurons colocalizing with pERK were significantly higher in PND15-16 HFD pups compared to CD pups, and leptin-induced increase in pERK signaling was only observed in CD pups. There was no significant effect of leptin on pERK in HFD pups. These results suggest that perinatal maternal high fat feeding increases hypothalamic projections to the ORX-A field of the LHA, increases basal activation of ORX-A neurons and direct responsiveness of LHA neurons to leptin. Since these various LHA neuronal populations project quite heavily to Dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area, they might participate in the early dietary programming of mesocorticolimbic reward circuits and food intake.

New Mycodiplosis gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) feeding on fungal rusts (Fungi: Pucciniomycetes) that are pathogenic on cultured plants

Larvae of a gall midge were found feeding on the fungal rust Maravalia pterocarpi (Pucciniomycetes: Pucciniales: Chaconiaceae) infesting the economically important sua tree Dalbergia tonkinensis (Fabaceae) on Hainan Island, China. The adults, pupae and larvae were collected, their morphology was studied and a segment of the Cytochrome Oxidase unit I (COI) mitochondrial gene was sequenced. The gall midge proved to be a species new to science that belongs to the genus Mycodiplosis (Diptera: Cecdiomyiidae). Comparison of the sequence to published Cecdiomyiidae sequences revealed that, despite being undescribed and unnamed, it was previously found in east and south-east Asia to feed on several rust species: Puccinia coronata (Pucciniomycetes: Pucciniales: Pucciniaceae) that develops on Lolium multiflorum (Poaceae), Puccinia sp. on Zea mays (Poaceae), Puccinia arachidis on Arachis hypogaea (Fabaceae) and Puccinia allii on Allium fistulosum (Amaryllidaceae). The new species is described and named here Mycodiplosis puccinivora Jiao, Bu Kolesik. It occurs in China, Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh and possibly Malaysia and Australia. In Hainan it has four to five generations per year.

Experience of Adversity during a First Lactation Modifies Prefrontal Cortex Morphology in Primiparous Female Rats: Lack of Long Term Effects on a Subsequent Lactation

Reproductive experience is associated with morphological and functional plasticity in brain areas important for cognitive and emotional responses, including the infralimbic (IL) medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Here we examined whether suboptimal conditions during a first lactation could modify lactation-induced morphological IL mPFC changes, leading to alterations in stress responses and attention and whether any observed effects would persist into a second lactation. Reduced availability of bedding and nesting material (LB) was used to induce unfavorable conditions in primiparous (P) mothers. In normal bedding (NB) conditions, P mothers exhibited high spine number and density on postpartum day (PPD)10, which greatly decreased 2 weeks after weaning of their pups. In contrast, P-LB mothers had a lower spine number and density on PPD10, which markedly increased after weaning. LB exposure did not modify stress responsiveness to a ferret odor on PPD5 in primiparous or in multiparous (M) females. Number of errors and trials to criterion in the attention set shifting task were not modified by a history of adversity in multiparous females, although this group tended to exhibit higher attentional abilities than M-NB females. These results suggest that adversity acutely reduces morphological plasticity in the maternal mPFC during lactation, an effect that is not associated with significant changes in stress responses and/or glucocorticoid production. Medial PFC morphological changes induced by LB subside during a subsequent lactation as does the effect of maternity itself.

Association between rs12742784 polymorphism and hip fracture, bone mineral density, and EPHB2 mRNA expression levels in elderly Chinese women

Objective: This study aimed to determine the association between rs12742784 polymorphism in the non-coding area and hip fracture, bone mineral density (BMD), and EPHB2 mRNA expression levels in elderly Chinese women.Methods: We investigated 250 Chinese women (mean age: 63.5 ± 8.3 years) including 123 hip fracture patients and 127 non-fracture controls. All participants underwent clinical examination to meet the inclusion criteria. Lumbar and hip BMD were detected by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. rs12742784 polymorphism was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism and EPHB2 mRNA expression levels were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results: Distribution of rs12742784 genotypes agreed with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequency of the CT + TT genotype was significantly associated with decreased risk of hip fracture (adjusted odds ratio = 0.57, p < 0.01) after adjusting for age and body mass index, and with increased BMD and EPHB2 mRNA expression levels. The T allele of the rs12742784 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was a protective factor for hip fracture (adjusted odds ratio = 0.56, p < 0.01).Conclusion: rs12742784 polymorphism was associated with EPHB2 mRNA expression levels, BMD, and hip fracture in Chinese women. The T allele of the rs12742784 SNP was a protective factor for osteoporosis and hip fracture.

A Novel SCN9A Mutation (F826Y) in Primary Erythromelalgia Alters the Excitability of Nav1.7

BACKGROUND

Primary erythromelalgia (PE) is a dominant inherited disorder characterized by recurrent pain, redness, and warmth of the extremities that is caused by gain-of-function mutations in Nav1.7 encoding gene SCN9A. Most of the PE-causing mutations of Nav1.7 have been shown to be able to render Nav1.7-expressing cells hyperexcitable, however in most PE cases the symptoms are refractory to treatment with sodium channel blockers and the mechanism underlying the intractability has not been clearly clarified.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the mutation of SCN9A in a Chinese Han family with typical symptoms of PE and study the electrophysiological effect of the identified mutation.

METHODS

A Chinese Han family with typical symptoms of PE was collected and the proband's response to treatment was recorded. All the exons and flanking intronic sequences of SCN9A were amplified with PCR and sequenced. Several online programs were used to predict the damaging effect of variants. The functional effect of variants was studied by voltage-clamp analysis in CHO-K1 cells.

RESULTS

The PE symptoms of the proband are refractory to all kinds of reported medications. Sequence analysis of SCN9A showed that a novel c.2477T>A (p. F826Y) mutation co-segregated with the disease phenotype. Several online programs predicted that the F826Y mutation has a deleterious effect on the gene product. Voltage-clamp analysis showed that while compared with the wild-type channel, activation of the F826Y mutant channel was shifted by 7.7 mV in a hyperpolarizing direction, whereas steadystate inactivation was shifted by 4.3 mV in a depolarizing direction.

CONCLUSION

A novel disease-causing SCN9A Mutation (F826Y) was identified in a Chinese family with typical PE symptoms refractory to treatment. F826Y of Nav1.7 could render DRG neurons hyperexcitable, contributing to the pathogenesis of PE.

Thermodynamic method for establishment of relationship between icephobicity/superhydrophobicity and microstructure-Based on computing for adhesion work

Superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) have potential in solving the icing of aircraft, high-voltage overhead transmission lines, and other power network devices exposed to the air. For this reason, we wish to establish the relationship between microstructure and the adhesion work by thermodynamic method, also for analysis of the relationship between the hydrophobicity and icephobicity (or anti-icing). Therefore, respectively considering Cassie-Baxter and Wenzel states, such relationship was theoretically established based on one/two-step surface model, enlightened by natural and artificial SHS. Among it, how to obtain the adhesion work of icing per unit ice-solid interface is the key to this study. Followed by it, hydrothermal experiment, chemical deposition, and etching methods were performed to verify our theoretical results.

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How to model for the SHS based on the natural and artificial SHS;

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Computation for adhesion work (w_aw) per unit area of a water droplet–SHS interface;

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Computation for adhesion work (w_ai) per unit area of a frozen water droplet–SHS interface;

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Computation for reduced adhesion work (w_a2) after icing;

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Hydrothermal experiment, chemical deposition and etching methods were used for validation of modeling.

The earliest human occupation of the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau 40 thousand to 30 thousand years ago

The Tibetan Plateau is the highest and one of the most demanding environments ever inhabited by humans. We investigated the timing and mechanisms of its initial colonization at the Nwya Devu site, located nearly 4600 meters above sea level. This site, dating from 40,000 to 30,000 years ago, is the highest Paleolithic archaeological site yet identified globally. Nwya Devu has yielded an abundant blade tool assemblage, indicating hitherto-unknown capacities for the survival of modern humans who camped in this environment. This site deepens the history of the peopling of the "roof of the world" and the antiquity of human high-altitude occupations more generally.