Effect and mechanism of recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 18 on osteoporosis in OVX mice

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the effect and the mechanism of recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 18 (rhFGF18) on postmenopausal osteoporosis.

METHODS

The effect of rhFGF18 on the proliferation and apoptosis of osteoblasts and the mechanism underlying such an effect was evaluated using an oxidative stress model of the MC3T3-E1 cell line. Furthermore, ovariectomy was performed on ICR mice to imitate estrogen-deficiency postmenopausal osteoporosis. Bone metabolism and bone morphological parameters in the ovariectomized (OVX) mice were evaluated.

RESULTS

The results obtained from the cell model showed that FGF18 promoted MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation by activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 instead of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). FGF18 also prevented cells from damage inflicted by oxidative stress via inhibition of apoptosis. After FGF18 administration, the expression level of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in the mice was upregulated, whereas those of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 were downregulated. Administering FGF18 also improved bone metabolism and bone morphological parameters in OVX mice.

CONCLUSIONS

FGF18 could effectively prevent bone loss in OVX mice by enhancing osteoblastogenesis and protecting osteoblasts from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.

Establishment of an in situ model to explore the tumor immune microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Establish an in situ model for investigating HNSCC, focusing on tumor growth, metastasis, and the immune microenvironment.

METHODS

Generated a monoclonal SCCVII-ZsGreen cell line through lentiviral transfection. Selected monoclonal lines with growth rates similar to the original SCCVII for in vivo tumorigenesis. Monitored tumor development and metastasis through fluorescence in vivo imaging. Employed immunohistochemistry to assess immune cell distribution in the tumor microenvironment.

RESULTS

SCCVII-ZsGreen exhibited comparable proliferation and in vivo tumorigenicity to SCCVII. In situ tumor formation on day 10, with cervical metastasis in C57BL/6 mice by day 16. No significant fluorescence signals in organs like liver and lungs, while SCCVII-ZsGreen presence confirmed in cervical lymph node metastases. Immunohistochemistry revealed CD4+ T, CD8+ T, B, and dendritic cells distribution, with minimal macrophages.

CONCLUSION

Our model is a valuable tool for studying HNSCC occurrence, metastasis, and immune microenvironment. It allows dynamic observation of tumor development, aids preclinical drug experiments, and facilitates exploration of the tumor immune contexture.

The differences between sinonasal respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma and nasal polyps: insights into immunopathology

BACKGROUND

Respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma (REAH) is a benign lesion commonly occurring in the nasal cavity and sinuses. It is often accompanied by nasal polyps (NP). While the histological features of these two conditions have been studied, there is limited knowledge about their differences in the underlying immunopathology.

METHODS

Nasal tissue specimens were collected from 8 patients with concurrent REAH and NP and 10 controls. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, tight junctions (TJ), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related factors in the tissues were analyzed. The mRNA expression of the aforementioned factors was measured using qRT-PCR, while the expression of TJ and EMT-related proteins was analyzed through Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, levels of inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-17A, IL-31, IL-33, and TNF-α) and EMT-related factors (α-SMA, COL1A1, MMP9, TGF-β1, and Vimentin) were significantly increased in both REAH and NP tissues. Conversely, E-Cadherin and TJ-related factors (Claudin-4 and Occludin) significantly decreased. When comparing REAH with NP, it was observed that the expression of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-33 was lower in REAH, while TNF-α was higher. Regarding TJ-related factors, the expression of Occludin was lower in REAH. Furthermore, in terms of EMT-related factors, except for E-Cadherin, the expressions of α-SMA, COL1A1, CTGF, MMP9, TGF-β1, and Vimentin were higher in REAH.

CONCLUSION

REAH and NP exhibit different immunopathological mechanisms. NP demonstrates a more severe inflammatory response, whereas REAH is characterized by a more pronounced TJ and EMT breakdown than NP.

Towards robust fault detection for Takagi-Sugeno nonlinear systems

This paper addresses robust fault detection observer design for a class of discrete-time Takagi-Sugeno nonlinear systems. A novel design method is presented based on finite-frequency H-/H∞ indices and peak-to-peak analysis. The finite-frequency H- and H∞ indices are utilized to characterize fault sensitivity and disturbance robustness, respectively. The peak-to-peak analysis is used to derive a dynamic threshold. An iterative algorithm is further developed to reduce conservatism. Theoretical proof shows that the performance of the proposed method is not worse than some existing works. Simulation results demonstrate the validity and viability of the proposed method.

Estimating non-productive water losses in irrigated Platycladus orientalis plantations in semi-arid mountainous: Based on stable isotopes

Planted forests in semi-arid regions provide invaluable ecological functions such as windbreak, sand fixation, carbon fixation, and oxygen release, improving the ecological environment and maximizing the carbon sink benefits of forests. Therefore, accurately assessing non-productive water losses in water-scarce regions is crucial for estimating water requirements of irrigation-dependent plantations. From March to October 2023, we collected the stable isotopes of precipitation, irrigation water, soil water, and other relevant data. The Craig-Gordon model was used to evaluate the non-productive water losses in irrigated Platycladus orientalis plantations, focusing on the dissipation and vertical migration process under both sufficient and insufficient water supply conditions. The results demonstrated that preferential flow and piston flow coexisted during soil water infiltration, while both types occurred under sufficient watering conditions, but piston flow dominated when there was insufficient watering. We estimated the average non-productive losses for irrigated P. orientalis plantations at 27.0 %, with peak losses up to 40.3 %. Moreover, we observed a lower rate of non-productive losses under sufficient water supply conditions (12.2 %) compared with insufficient water supply conditions (33.6 %). Our results indicated that vertical migration pathway of soil water emerged as a significant determinant factor affecting non-productive water losses, and also influenced by meteorological factors, water inputs, and soil properties. To optimize water utilization in semi-arid irrigated mountainous plantations, we recommend reducing amount of each irrigation and increasing frequency of irrigation.

[Detection of EWSR1 gene rearrangement by fluorescence in situ hybridization in bone and soft tissue tumors: clinical application evaluation and atypical signal analysis]

Objective: To investigate the clinical application of EWSR1 gene rearrangement by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in bone and soft tissue tumors and to analyze the cases with atypical signal pattern. Methods: The cases detected for EWSR1 gene rearrangement by FISH in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University from 2014 to 2021 were collected, and the value of detecting EWSR1 gene rearrangement for diagnosing bone and soft tissue tumors was analyzed. The cases with atypical positive signals were further analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS). Results: FISH using EWSR1 break-apart probe kit was successfully performed in 97% (205/211) of cases, 6 cases failed. Four of the 6 failures were due to improper decalcification, 1 case due to signal overlap caused by thick slices, and 1 case due to signal amplification and disorder. EWSR1 gene rearrangements were positive in 122 cases (122/205, 59%), atypical positive signal in 8 cases (8/205, 4%), and negative in 75 cases (75/205, 37%). In cases testing positive, the percentage of positive cells ranged from 34% to 98%, with 120 cases (120/122, 98%) showing a positive cell percentage greater than 50%. Among the 205 successfully tested cases, 156 cases were histologically diagnosed as Ewing's sarcoma, of which 110 were positive (110/156, 71%), 7 were atypical positive (7/156, 4%), and 39 were negative (39/156, 25%). Nine cases were histologically diagnosed as clear cell sarcoma of soft tissue, of which 6 were positive (6/9), 1 was atypical positive (1/9), and 2 were negative (2/9). Five cases were histologically diagnosed as extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, of which 2 were positive (2/5) and 3 were negative (3/5). Three cases were histologically diagnosed as angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, of which 2 were positive (2/3) and 1 was negative (1/3). Two cases were histologically diagnosed as myoepithelioma of soft tissue, of which 1 was positive (1/2) and 1 was negative (1/2). One case was histologically diagnosed as olfactory neuroblastoma with a positive result. The 29 other tumor cases including osteosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and malignant melanoma and others were all negative. Basing on histology as the standard for diagnosis and considering atypical positive cases as negative, comparing with the 29 cases of other tumors as control group, the sensitivity for diagnosing Ewing's sarcoma through the detection of EWSR1 gene rearrangement was 71%, and the specificity was 100%; the sensitivity for diagnosing clear cell sarcoma of soft tissue was 67%, and the specificity was 100%; the sensitivity for diagnosing extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma was 40%, and the specificity was 100%; the sensitivity for diagnosing angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma was 67%, and the specificity was 100%; the sensitivity for diagnosing myoepithelioma of soft tissue was 50%, and the specificity was 100%; the sensitivity for diagnosing olfactory neuroblastoma was 100%, and the specificity was 100%. Four of 8 cases with atypical positive signals analyzed by NGS showed EWSR1 rearrangement, including EWSR1::FLI1 in one case of Ewing sarcoma, EWSR1::NFATC2 in one case of EWSR1::NFATC2-rearranged sarcoma, EWSR1::ATF1 in one case of clear cell sarcoma of soft tissue and EWSR1::NR4A3 in one case of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma. Conclusions: Detection of EWSR1 rearrangement by FISH is of utmost significance in the diagnosis of bone and soft tissue tumors. Cases with atypical positive signals should be further scrutinized, correlating with their histomorphology and verifying by NGS if necessary.

[Analysis of clinical characteristic of children with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3]

Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations, pathology, and gene variant characteristics in children with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC3). Methods: This retrospective study assessed the clinical manifestations, pathological features, gene variants, and prognosis data of 11 children with PFIC3 hospitalized in the Department of Hepatology, Fifth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital, from January 2015 to December 2022. Panel or whole exome sequencing was performed on the probands, followed by Sanger sequencing for verification within the family. Detected pathogenic variants were compared with known disease databases. Additionally, the new variants were predicted the deleteriousness and protein structure using relevant software to evaluate their pathogenicity. Results: Among the 11 PFIC3 children, 8 were boys and 3 were girls. The age of onset was 3.1 (0.2, 15.6) years. The main complaint of onset was different in the 11 patients;5 of them were abnormal liver function, 3 of them were liver and spleen enlargement, 2 of them were abdominal distension, and 1 of them was jaundice. Alanine aminotransferase, asparate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyltransferase increased in all the patients, which were(113±40), (150±44) and (270±156) U/L respectively. Moreover, direct bilirubin increased in 9 patients, and cholestasis was showed in 8 patients. All patients showed liver fibrosis on imaging, and 8 patients had cirrhosis. The pathological features of 8 cases by liver biopsy were as follows: 8 cases of fibrosis in the portal area, 7 cases of small bile duct hyperplasia, 4 cases of positive copper staining, and 5 cases of cirrhosis. A total of 17 ABCB4 gene variants were detected, including 9 new variants: c.589C>T(p.Q197X), c.1230+1G>A(Splicing), c.2914G>A(P.D972N), c.1058G>A(p.C353Y), c.956G>T(p.G319V), c.473T>A(p.L158Q), c.164T>C(p.L55S), c.2493G>C(p.R831S), and c.1150G>C(p.G384R). All 11 patients were treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and followed up for 5.1(0.6, 7.4) years. Among them, 4 cases of cirrhosis progressed continuously, 3 cases had liver transplantations, and the remaining 4 cases were stable after medical treatment. Conclusions: Children with PFIC3 have early onset, diverse clinical manifestations, rapid progression of fibrotic and cholestasis, as well as poor prognosis. Genetic testing helps to confirm the diagnosis.

Importance of DNA nanotechnology for DNA methyltransferases in biosensing assays

DNA methylation is the process by which specific bases on a DNA sequence acquire methyl groups under the catalytic action of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT). Abnormal changes in the function of DNMT are important markers for cancers and other diseases; therefore, the detection of DNMT and the selection of its inhibitors are critical to biomedical research and clinical practice. DNA molecules can undergo intermolecular assembly to produce functional aggregates because of their inherently stable physical and chemical properties and unique structures. Conventional DNMT detection methods are cumbersome and complicated processes; therefore, it is necessary to develop biosensing technology based on the assembly of DNA nanostructures to achieve rapid analysis, simple operation, and high sensitivity. The design of the relevant program has been employed in life science, anticancer drug screening, and clinical diagnostics. In this review, we explore how DNA assembly, including 2D techniques like hybridization chain reaction (HCR), rolling circle amplification (RCA), catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA), and exponential isothermal amplified strand displacement reaction (EXPAR), as well as 3D structures such as DNA tetrahedra, G-quadruplexes, DNA hydrogels, and DNA origami, enhances DNMT detection. We highlight the benefits of these DNA nanostructure-based biosensing technologies for clinical use and critically examine the challenges of standardizing these methods. We aim to provide reference values for the application of these techniques in DNMT analysis and early cancer diagnosis and treatment, and to alert researchers to challenges in clinical application.

Development and Validation of a Computed Tomography-Based Radiomics Nomogram for the Preoperative Prediction of Central Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

This study aims to develop and validate a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics nomogram for pre-operatively predicting central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and explore the underlying biological basis by using RNA sequencing data.

METHODS

This study trained 452 PTMC patients across two hospitals from January 2012 to December 2020. The sets were randomly divided into the training (n = 339), internal test (n = 86), external test (n = 27) sets. Radiomics features were extracted from primary lesion's pre-operative CT images for each patient. After screening for features, five algorithms such as K-nearest neighbor, logistics regression, linear-support vector machine (SVM), Gaussian SVM, and polynomial SVM were used to establish the radiomics models. The performance of these five algorithms was evaluated and compared directly to radiologist's interpretation (CT-reported lymph node status). The radiomics signature score (Rad-score) was generated using a linear combination of the selected features. By combining the clinical risk factors and Rad score, a radiomics nomogram was established and compared with Rad-score and clinical model. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and the decision curve analysis (DCA). The potential biological basis of nomogram was revealed by performing genetic analysis based on the RNA sequencing data.

RESULTS

A total of 25 radiomic features were ultimately selected to train the machine learning models, and the five machine learning models outperformed the radiologists' interpretation by achieving area under the ROC curves (AUCs) ranging from 0.606 to 0.730 in the internal test set. By incorporating the Rad score and clinical risk factors (sex, age, tumor-diameter, and CT-reported lymph node status), this nomogram achieved AUCs of 0.800 and 0.803 in the internal and external test set, which were higher than that of the Rad-score and clinical model, respectively. Calibration curves and DCA also showed that the nomogram had good performance. As for the biological basis exploration, in patients predicted by nomogram to be PTC patients with CLMN, 109 genes were dysregulated, and some of them were associated with pathways and biological processes such as tumor angiogenesis.

CONCLUSION

This radiomics nomogram successfully identified CLNM on pretreatment imaging across multiple institutions, exceeding the diagnostic ability of radiologists and had the potential to be integrated into clinical decision making as a non-invasive pre-operative tool.

Changes in bacterial community composition in the uterus of Holstein cow with endometritis before and after treatment with oxytetracycline

It is important to study the bacteria that cause endometritis to identify effective therapeutic drugs for dairy cows. In this study, 20% oxytetracycline was used to treat Holstein cows (n = 6) with severe endometritis. Additional 10 Holstein cows (5 for healthy cows, 5 for cows with mild endometritis) were also selected. At the same time, changes in bacterial communities were monitored by high-throughput sequencing. The results show that Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and other common pathogenic bacteria could be detected by traditional methods in cows both with and without endometritis. However, 16S sequencing results show that changes in the abundance of these bacteria were not significant. Endometritis is often caused by mixed infections in the uterus. Oxytetracycline did not completely remove existing bacteria. However, oxytetracycline could effectively inhibit endometritis and had a significant inhibitory effect on the genera Bacteroides, Trueperella, Peptoniphilus, Parvimonas, Porphyromonas, and Fusobacterium but had no significant inhibitory effect on the bacterial genera Marinospirillum, Erysipelothrix, and Enteractinococcus. During oxytetracycline treatment, the cell motility, endocrine system, exogenous system, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, lipid metabolism, metabolism of terpenoids, polyketides, cofactors and vitamins, signal transduction, and transport and catabolism pathways were affected.

[Upregulating KLF11 ameliorates intestinal inflammation in mice with 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenesulfonic acid-induced colitis by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression level of Kruppel-like transcription factor family member KLF11 in intestinal mucosal tissues of Crohn's disease (CD) and its regulatory effect on intestinal inflammation in CD-like colitis.

METHODS

We examined KLF11 expression levels in diseased and normal colon mucosal tissues from 12 CD patients and 12 patients with colorectal cancer using immunofluorescence staining. KLF11 expression was also detected in the colon mucosal tissues of a mouse model of 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis. A recombinant adenoviral vector was used to upregulate KLF11 expression in the mouse models and the changes in intestinal inflammation was observed. A Caco-2 cell model with stable KLF11 overexpression was constructed by lentiviral infection. The effect of KLF11 overexpression on expressions of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway proteins was investigated using immunoblotting in both the mouse and cell models. The mouse models were treated with coumermycin A1, a JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway agonist, and the changes in intestinal inflammatory responses were observed.

RESULTS

The expression level of KLF11 was significantly lowered in both the clinical specimens of diseased colon mucosal tissues and the colon tissues of mice with TNBS-induced colitis (P < 0.05). Adenovirus-mediated upregulation of KLF11 significantly improved intestinal inflammation and reduced the expression levels of inflammatory factors in the intestinal mucosa of the colitis mouse models (P < 0.05). Overexpression of KLF11 significantly inhibited the expression levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in intestinal mucosal tissues of the mouse models and in Caco-2 cells (P < 0.05). Treatment with coumermycin A1 obviously inhibited the effect of KLF11 upregulation for improving colitis and significantly increased the expression levels of inflammatory factors in the intestinal mucosa of the mouse models (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

KLF11 is downregulated in the intestinal mucosa in CD, and upregulation of KLF11 can improve intestinal inflammation and reduce the production of inflammatory factors probably by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Construction of an immunosensor based on Cys/Au@TiO2 modification for the detection of liver cancer marker PIVKA-II

An ultrasensitive immunosensor of Cys/Au@TiO2 based on disposable screen-printed electrodes (SPE) for PIVKA-II detection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis was developed by utilizing Cystine (Cys) and nanocomposite Au@TiO2. Firstly, HAuCl4 underwent a reduction reaction with NaBH4, then Au nanoparticles were coated onto TiO2 nanoparticles. Followed, Cys/Au@TiO2 was formed through self-assembly of cysteine to allow the monoclonal antibody of abnormal thrombospondin to bound to the amino group on the surface of the composite by covalent bonding. The mechanism is to determine the changes in the current of the sensor caused by the specific binding of the abnormal prothrombin monoclonal antibody adsorbed by the complex with its antigen. The Cys/Au@TiO2 immunosensor was fully characterized by various analytical approaches and it showed a wide linear testing range of 1-10000 pg mL-1 (R2 = 0.991) and the limit of detection down to 0.77 pg ml-1, with highly sensitivity and specificity. The results showed that the developed immunosensor platform can effectively detect trace amounts of PIVKA-II protein and has potent clinical application for HCC diagnosis.

Dissimilarity in radial growth and response to drought of Korshinsk peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) under different management practices in the western Loess Plateau

Quantitative assessment of tree responses to the local environment can help provide scientific guidance for planted forest management. However, research on the climate-growth relationship of Korshinsk peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) under different land preparation and post-management (irrigation) conditions is still insufficient. In this study, we collected 223 tree-ring samples from Korshinsk peashrubs using dendroecological methods and systematically quantified the relationships between shrub growth and climatic factors under different management practices in the western Loess Plateau of China. Our findings demonstrated that drought stress caused by scarce precipitation from April to August was the primary factor limiting the growth of Korshinsk peashrubs in the northern and southern mountains of Lanzhou. The "climwin" climate model results showed a weak correlation between natural Korshinsk peashrub growth and drought stress, whereas planted Korshinsk peashrub under rain-fed conditions in the southern mountain was significantly (p<0.05) limited by drought stress from April to August. Moreover, planted Korshinsk peashrub growth under irrigated conditions in the northern mountain was limited only by drought stress in January. Drought model explained 28.9%, 38.3%, and 9.80% of the radial growth variation in Xiguoyuan (XGY), Shuibaozhan (SBZ), and Zhichagou (ZCG) sites, respectively. Artificial supplementary irrigation alleviated the limitation of drought on planted forest growth, which may be implemented for Korshinsk peashrubs planted on sunny slopes, while planted Korshinsk peashrubs under natural rain-fed conditions can be planted on shady slopes through rainwater harvesting and conservation measures such as horizontal ditches and planting holes.

[Congenital spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma: a clinicopathological analysis]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, immunophenotype and molecular genetic characteristics of congenital spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma. Methods: Sixteen cases (including 10 consultation cases) of congenital spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosed at the Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing China, from April 2017 to January 2022 were collected. These cases were evaluated for clinical profiles, histomorphological features, immunophenotype and molecular characteristics. Results: Among the 16 patients, 9 were male and 7 were female. Five cases were present during maternal pregnancy and 11 cases were found immediately after birth. The tumors were located in the chest wall, low back, retroperitoneum, extremities or perineum. The tumors consisted of fasciculated spindle-shaped cells with localized mesenchymal sclerosis and vitreous metaplasia. Immunohistochemistry showed that the tumor cells expressed Desmin, Myogenin, MyoD1, SMA, CD56 and ALK to varying degrees, but not other markers such as CD34, CD99, pan-TRK, S-100 and BCOR. FISH analyses with NCOA2 (8q13) and VGLL2 (6q22) gene breakage probes revealed a breakage translocation in chromosome NCOA2 (8q13) in 4 cases (4/11). In the 6 cases subject to sequencing, a mutation at the p.L122R locus of MYOD1 gene was detected in 1 case (1/6). Two cases were examined by electron microscopy, which showed bundle-arranged myofilaments with some primitive myofilament formation. Five cases were resected with simple surgery, 2 cases were biopsied and followed up with observation only, and 9 cases were treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Follow-up was available in 12 cases. At the end of the follow-up, 2 of the 12 patients developed local recurrences and 2 patients survived with disease. Conclusions: Congenital spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare subtype of congenital rhabdomyosarcoma. It more commonly occurs in the chest, back and lower limbs of infants than other sites. NCOA2/VGLL2 gene fusion seems to be the most common genetic change. Its prognosis is better than other subtypes of rhabdomyosarcoma and those in adolescents and adults with the same subtype. Analysis and summary of its clinicopathological features can help differentiate it from other soft tissue tumors in infants and children and provide the information for appropriate treatments.

[Clinical efficacy of induction chemoimmunotherapy for locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a prospective phase Ⅱ study]

Objective: To evaluate the objective response rate (ORR) of induction chemoimmunotherapy with camrelizumab plus TPF (docetaxel, cisplatin, and capecitabine) for locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LA HSCC) and potential predictive factors for ORR. Methods: A single-center, prospective, phase 2 and single-arm trial was conducted for evaluating antitumor activity of camrelizumab+TPF(docetaxel+cisplatin+capecitabine) for LA HSCC between May 21, 2021 and April 15, 2023, patients admitted to the Eye & ENT Hospital affiliated with Fudan University. The primary endpoint was ORR, and enrolled patients with LA HSCC at T3-4N0-3M0 received induction chemoimmunotherapy for three cycles: camrelizumab 200 mg day 1, docetaxel 75 mg/m2 day 1, cisplatin 25 mg/m2 days 1-3, and capecitabine 800 mg/m2 days 1-14. Patients were assigned to radioimmunotherapy when they had complete response or partial response (PR)>70% (Group A), or assigned to surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy when they had PR≤70% (Group B), and the responses were defined by using tumor volume evaluation system. Tumor diameter was also used to assess the treatment responses by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Use SPSS 23.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 51 patients were enrolled who underwent the induced chemoimmunotherapy for three cycles, and all were males, aged 35-69 years old. After three cycles of induction immunochemotherapy, 42 (82.4%) patients existed in Group A (complete response or PR>70%) and 9 patients (17.6%) in Group B (PR≤70%), the ORR was 82.4%. The primary endpoint achieved expected main research objectives. Compared to the patients of Group A, the patients of Group B showed the higher T stage and the larger volume of primary tumor before induced immunochemotherapy, and also had the less regression of tumor volume after induced immunochemotherapy (all P<0.05). The optimal cutoff value of pre-treatment tumor volume for predicting ORR was 39 cm3. The T stage (OR=12.71, 95%CI: 1.4-112.5, P=0.022) and the volume (OR=7.1, 95%CI: 1.4-36.8, P=0.018) of primary tumor were the two main factors affecting ORR rate of induction chemoimmunotherapy. Conclusion: The induction chemoimmunotherapy with camrelizumab plus TPF shows an encouraging antitumor efficacy in LA HSCC.

Chidamide plus envafolimab as subsequent treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients resistant to anti-PD-1 therapy: A multicohort, open-label, phase II trial with biomarker analysis

BACKGROUND

Combination of chidamide and anti-PD-L1 inhibitor produce synergistic anti-tumor effect in advanced NSCLC patients resistant to anti-PD-1 treatment. However, the effect of chidamide plus envafolimab has not been reported.

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of chidamide plus envafolimab in advanced NSCLC patients resistant toanti-PD-1 treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eligible advanced NSCLC patients after resistant to anti-PD-1 therapy received chidamide and envafolimab. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). The secondary end points included disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety. The expression of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), PD-L1, and blood TMB (bTMB) was also analyzed.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 8.1 (range: 7.6-9.2) months, only two patients achieved partial response. The ORR was 6.7% (2/30), DCR was 50% (15/30), and median PFS (mPFS) was 3.5 (95% confidence interval: 1.9-5.5) months. Biomarker analysis revealed that patients with high-level HDAC2 expression had numerically superior ORR (4.3% vs. 0), DCR (52.2% vs. 0) and mPFS (3.7 vs. 1.4m). Patients with negative PD-L1 had numerically superior DCR (52.2% vs. 33.3%) and mPFS (3.7m vs. 1.8m), so were those with low-level bTMB (DCR: 59.1% vs. 16.7%, mPFS: 3.8 vs.1.9m). Overall safety was controllable.

DISCUSSION

High HDAC2patients showed better ORR, DCR, and PFS. In addition, patient with negative PD-L1 and low-level bTMB had better DCR and PFS. This may be related to the epigenetic function of chidamide. However, the sample size was not big enough, so it is necessary to increase sample size to confirm the conclusion.

CONCLUSION

Combination of chidamide and envafolimab showed efficacy signals in certain NSCLC patients. But further identification of beneficial population is necessary for precision treatment.

Menopausal age and cardiovascular disease risk in American women: evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant contributor to the deaths of females, and premature menopause adds to the risk of CVD in females. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the age of menopause and CVD incidence in American females using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

METHOD

We analyzed data from 6347 females to investigate the association between menopausal age and the risk of CVD using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The study found that a later menopausal age reduces the risk of developing CVD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.63 - 0.88, p < 0.001). Moreover, females with early-onset CVD had an increased risk of premature menopause before the age of 40 years (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.60 - 3.72, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Menopausal age is associated with the risk of developing CVD in American females. Specifically, if menopause occurs earlier, there is an increased risk of CVD. Additionally, early-onset CVD significantly raises the risk of premature menopause, which in turn has important implications for female reproductive health.

GDF-8 improves in vitro implantation and cryo-tolerance by stimulating the ALK5-SMAD2/3 signaling in bovine IVF embryo development

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) plays a critical role in regulating trophoblast invasion and proliferation. Growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8) is a member of the TGF-β superfamily and is categorized as a myostatin subtype. It is primarily a secreted protein synthesized in skeletal muscle cells. It is expressed in the placenta, reproductive tissues, and cells. In this study, we investigated the role of GDF-8 in the development and hatching rate of bovine embryos. We noted a notable elevation (p < 0.05) in the development and hatching rates compared to the control embryos. Furthermore, the GDF-8 group showed a significantly improved total cell number (p < 0.05) and an increase in trophectoderm ratio inner cell mass (trophectoderm: inner cell mass) cells (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Additionally, blastocysts treated with GDF-8 exhibited significantly higher mRNA levels of caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) (p < 0.05). The trophoblast invasion area was significantly larger in the GDF-8 group than in the control group (p < 0.01). Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis revealed significantly higher mRNA levels (p < 0.05) of matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) and follistatin-like 3(FSTL3), both of which are associated with the ALK5-SMAD2/3 signaling pathway, in the GDF-8 group than those in the control group. The mRNA expression levels of genes related to tight junctions (TJ) and adherent junctions were higher in the GDF-8 group than those in the control group (p < 0.05). After 24 h of thawing, blastocysts were analyzed using 4-kDa FITC-dextran, which revealed a higher TJ integrity in the GDF-8 group (p < 0.01). Thus, GDF-8 plays a crucial role in bovine embryonic development, in vitro implantation, and cryotolerance.

[Detection of MDM2 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization and its diagnostic value in low-grade osteosarcoma]

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of detecting MDM2 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in low-grade osteosarcoma (LGOS). Methods: Thirty cases of parosteal osteosarcoma (POS) and 14 cases of low-grade central osteosarcoma (LGCOS) from April 2009 to August 2022 at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University were analyzed for the presence of MDM2 gene amplification by FISH. Fifty-eight additional cases were used as negative controls (including 28 cases of fibrous dysplasia, 5 cases of giant cell tumor, 4 cases of conventional osteosarcoma, 2 cases each of periosteal osteosarcoma, reparative changes after fracture, pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma, low grade myofibroblastic sarcoma, fibrous dysplasia with malignant transformation, one case each of leiomyosarcoma, sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, desmoplastic fibroma of bone, solitary fibrous tumor, aneurysmal bone cyst, clear cell chondrosarcoma, osteofibrous dysplasia, and 3 cases of unclassified spindle cell tumor). Results: Among the 30 patients with POS, 15 were male and 15 were female, ranging in age from 10 to 59 years (mean 35 years, median 30.5 years). Among the 14 patients with LGCOS, four were male and 10 were female, ranging in age from 15 to 56 years (mean 37 years, median 36 years). All except one case were successfully detected by FISH. MDM2 gene amplification was detected in 27 cases of POS (27/29,91.3%) and 8 cases of LGCOS (8/14). All the negative controls were negative for MDM2 gene amplification. The positive rate of MDM2 gene amplification was significantly different between the case group and the control group (P<0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of MDM2 gene amplification in diagnosing POS and LGCOS were 91.3% and 100.0%; and 57.1% and 100.0%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of MDM2 gene amplification in diagnosing LGOS (including POS and LGCOS) were 81.3% and 100.0%, respectively. In cases where MDM2 gene was amplified, the MDM2 amplified signal was clustered. Nine cases showed increased CEP12 signal different from polyploidy which was displayed as small and weak signal points or cloud flocculent and cluster signals. Conclusions: Detection of MDM2 gene amplification by FISH is a highly sensitive and specific marker for LGOS. The interpretation criteria for FISH detection of MDM2 amplification are currently not unified. The signal characteristics need more attention when interpreting.

[Correlation of 1p/16q loss of heterozygosity and 1p gain with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in Wilms tumor]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between 1p/16q loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and 1p gain in Wilms tumor and their clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis. Methods: A total of 175 Wilms tumor samples received from the Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's Hospital from September 2019 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The histopathologic type and presence of lymph node involvement were evaluated by two pathologists. The clinical data including patients'gender, age, tumor location, preoperative chemotherapy, and tumor stage were summarized. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was done to detect 1p/16q LOH and 1p gain and their correlation with the clinicopathological features and prognosis were analyzed. Results: Among the 175 samples, 86 cases (49.1%) were male and 89 (50.9%) were female. The mean age was (3.5±2.9) years, and the median age was 2.6 years. There were 26 (14.9%) cases with 1p LOH, 28 (16.0%) cases with 16q LOH, 10 (5.7%) cases of LOH at both 1p and 16q, and 53 (30.3%) cases with 1q gain. 1q gain was significantly associated with 1p LOH (P<0.01) and 16q LOH (P<0.01). There were significant differences (P<0.01) between 1q gain, 1p LOH and 16q LOH among different age groups. The rate of 16q LOH in the high-risk histopathological subtype (50.0%) was significantly higher than that in the intermediate-risk subtype (13.6%, P<0.05). The frequency of 1q gain, 1p LOH, and 16q LOH in children with advanced clinical stages (Ⅲ and Ⅳ) was significantly higher than that in children with early clinical stages (Ⅰ and Ⅱ). 1q gain, 1p LOH, and 16q LOH showed no significant correlation with gender, unilateral or bilateral disease, chemotherapy, or lymph node metastasis. The progression-free survival (PFS) time for patients with 1q gain and 1p LOH was significantly shorter than those without these aberrations (P<0.05). Additionally, the PFS time of patients with 16q LOH was slightly shorter than those with normal 16q, although the difference was not statistically significant. Patients with stage Ⅲ to Ⅳ disease exhibiting 1q gain or 1p LOH had a significantly higher relative risk of recurrence, metastasis, and mortality. Conclusions: 1p/16q LOH and 1q gain are associated with age, high-risk histological type, and clinical stage in Wilms tumor. 1q gain and 1p LOH are significantly correlated with the prognosis of Wilms tumor.

[Clinical study of 15 cases of primary non-immunodeficient central nervous system lymphoma in children]

Clinical data of 15 primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) children aged ≤18 years admitted to our hospital between May 2013 to May 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Our goal was to summarize the clinical features of children and investigate the therapeutic effect of a high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) based chemotherapy regimen on this disease. The male-to-female ratio was 2.7∶1, and the median age was 7.2 (2.3-16.4) years at diagnosis. The initial clinical symptoms were primarily cranial hypertension, with imaging findings revealing multiple lesions. Pediatric PCNSL with normal immune function has a favorable prognosis with HD-MTX-based chemotherapy. Patients with a stable disease can be treated with minimal or no maintenance. HD-MTX-based chemotherapy remains effective when the disease progresses or recurs after an initial course of non-HD-MTX-based chemotherapy.

[Mediating effect of hypertension on risk of stroke associated with hyperuricemia]

Objective: To investigate the association between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke occurrence, as well as the mediating effect of hypertension on this association. Methods: In this study, the China Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance system in 2015 was used as baseline data. We identified hospital admissions for stroke using the electronic homepage of inpatient medical records from 2013-2020, and death data were obtained from the 2015-2020 National Mortality Surveillance System. A retrospective cohort was established after matching and linking the database. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the relationship between hyperuricemia and the risk of stroke and its subtypes. Restricted cubic spline analysis was conducted to examine the dose-response relationship between serum uric acid levels and the risk for stroke. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the mediating effect of hypertension on the association between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke and its subtypes. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on gender and age groups. Results: A total of 124 352 study subjects were included, with an accumulative follow-up time of 612 911.36 person-years. During the follow-up period, 4 638 cases of stroke were found, including 3 919 cases of ischemic stroke and 689 cases of hemorrhagic stroke. The incidence density of stroke was 756.72 per 100 000 person-years, 641.37 per 100 000 person-years for ischemic stroke, and 114.60 per 100 000 person-years for hemorrhagic stroke. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models showed that after adjusting for covariates, compared to those without hyperuricemia, individuals with hyperuricemia had a 16% higher risk for stroke [hazard ratio (HR)=1.16, 95%CI: 1.06-1.27], a 12% higher risk of ischemic stroke (HR=1.12, 95%CI: 1.01-1.24), and a 39% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke (HR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.11-1.75). Mediation analysis showed that hypertension partially mediated the associations between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke, with mediation proportions of 36.07%, 39.98%, and 25.34%, respectively. The mediating effect is pronounced in the male population and individuals below 65. Conclusion: Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for stroke, and hypertension partially mediates the effect of hyperuricemia on stroke.

Decarboxylative Radical Sulfilimination via Photoredox, Copper, and Brønsted Base Catalysis

Sulfilimines, the aza-variants of sulfoxides, are key structural motifs in natural products, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals; and sulfilimine synthesis is therefore important in organic chemistry. However, methods for radical sulfilimination remain elusive, and as a result, the structural diversity of currently available sulfilimines is limited. Herein, we report the first protocol for decarboxylative radical sulfilimination reactions between sulfenamides and N-hydroxyphthalimide esters of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl carboxylic acids, which were achieved via a combination of photoredox, copper, and Brønsted base catalysis. This novel protocol provided a wide variety of sulfilimines, in addition to serving as an efficient route for the synthesis of S-alkyl/S-aryl homocysteine sulfilimines and S-(4-methylphenyl) homocysteine sulfoximine. Moreover, it could be used for late-stage introduction of a sulfilimine group into structurally complex molecules, thereby avoiding the need to preserve labile organosulfur moieties through multistep synthetic sequences. A mechanism involving photocatalytic substrate transformation and copper-mediated C(sp3 )-S bond formation is proposed.

Effects of atipamezole on selected physiologic parameters in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

BACKGROUND

Atipamezole, an α-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist, reverses the α-2 agonist anesthetic effects. There is a dearth of information on the physiological effects of these drugs in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). We assessed atipamezole's physiologic effects. We hypothesized atipamezole administration would alter anesthetic parameters.

METHODS

Five cynomolgus macaques were sedated with ketamine/dexmedetomidine intramuscularly, followed 45 min later with atipamezole (0.5 mg/kg). Anesthetic parameters (heart rate, blood pressure [systolic (SAP), diastolic (DAP), and mean (MAP) blood pressure], body temperature, respiratory rate, and %SpO2) were monitored prior to and every 10 min (through 60 min) post atipamezole injection.

RESULTS

While heart rate was significantly increased for 60 min; SAP, DAP, MAP, and temperature were significantly decreased at 10 min.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates subcutaneous atipamezole results in increased heart rate and transient blood pressure decrease. These findings are clinically important to ensure anesthetist awareness to properly support and treat patients as needed.

Association between cigarette smoke exposure and urinary bladder cancer in Scottish terriers in a cohort study

Canine urothelial carcinoma (UC) initially responds favorably to treatment, but is ultimately lethal in most cases. Research to identify modifiable risk factors to prevent the cancer is essential. The high breed-associated risk for UC, e.g. 20-fold higher in Scottish terriers, can facilitate this research. The objective was to identify environmental and host factors associated with UC in a cohort of Scottish terriers. Information was obtained through dog owner questionnaires for 120 Scottish terriers ≥ 6 years old participating in a bladder cancer screening study, with comparisons made between dogs that did or did not develop UC during the 3 years of screening. Univariable models were constructed, and variables with P < 0.20 were included when building the multivariable model, and then removed using a backward stepwise procedure. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Urine cotinine concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to further investigate potential cigarette smoke exposure. Biopsy-confirmed UC which was found in 32 of 120 dogs, was significantly associated with the dogs living in a household with cigarette smokers (odds ratio [OR], 6.34; 95 % confidence intervals [CI], 1.16-34.69; P = 0.033), living within a mile of a marsh or wetland (OR, 21.23; 95 % CI, 3.64-123.69; P = 0.001), and history of previous bladder infections (OR, 3.87; 95 % CI, 1.0-14.98; P = 0.050). UC was diagnosed in 18 of 51 dogs (35.3 %) with quantifiable cotinine concentrations, and six of 40 dogs (15.0 %) without quantifiable cotinine concentrations in their urine (P = 0.0165). In conclusion, the main modifiable risk factor for UC in this cohort of dogs was exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

Osteocalcin activates lipophagy via the ADPN-AMPK/PPARα-mTOR signaling pathway in chicken embryonic hepatocyte

Fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome (FLHS) is the leading cause of noninfectious mortality in caged layers worldwide. Osteocalcin (OCN) is a protein secreted by osteoblasts, and its undercarboxylated form (ucOCN) acts as a multifunctional hormone that protects laying hens from FLHS. Lipophagy is a form of selective autophagy that breaks down lipid droplets (LDs) through lysosomes, and defective lipophagy is associated with FLHS. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ucOCN on the lipophagy of chicken embryonic hepatocytes and associated the function of the adiponectin (ADPN) signaling pathway. In this study, chicken embryonic hepatocytes were divided into 5 groups: control (CONT), fat emulsion (FE, 10% FE, v/v), FE with ucOCN at 1 ng/mL (FE-LOCN), 3 ng/mL (FE-MOCN), and 9 ng/mL (FE-HOCN). In addition, 4 μM AdipoRon, an adiponectin receptor agonist, was used to investigate the function of ADPN. The results showed that compared with CONT group, FE promoted the levels of phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) (P < 0.05) and decreased the mRNA expression of ADNP receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2). Compared with FE group, 3 and 9 ng/mL ucOCN inhibited the levels of autophagy adaptor p62 and p-mTOR (P < 0.05), increased the ratios of LC3-II/LC3-I (P < 0.05) and phosphorylated adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK)/AMPK (P < 0.05), as well as the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) and ADPN (P < 0.05). In addition, ucOCN at the tested concentrations increased the colocalization of LC3 and LDs in fatty hepatocytes. Administrated 4 μM AdipoRon activated AdipoR1 and AidpoR2 mRNA expression (P < 0.05), decreased the concentrations of triglyceride (P < 0.05), without effects on cell viability (P > 0.05). AdipoRon also increased the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio (P < 0.05) and the levels of p-AMPK/AMPK and PPAR-α (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results reveal that ucOCN regulates lipid metabolism by activating lipophagy via the ADPN-AMPK/PPARα-mTOR signaling pathway in chicken embryonic hepatocytes. The results may provide new insights for controlling FLHS in laying hens.

[Growth rate of adult obesity prevalence in China and target population for prevention and control from 2013 to 2018]

Objective: To investigate the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence of residents aged 18 and above in China and prevention keypoints for target populations from 2013 to 2018. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Subjects from China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance project in 2013 and 2018 were included. The prevalence of obesity and growth rate in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China were collected through survey questionnaires and on-site measurements. Other demographic data such as the proportion of obesity control measures, diet, exercise and drug use was also analyzed. Obesity among adults was defined as body mass index≥28.0 kg/m². Results: A total of 174 736 residents, aged (51.5±14.2) years, which included 74 704 (42.8%) males were recruited in 2013, and 179 125 residents, aged (55.1±13.8) years, which included 79 337 (44.3%) males were included in 2018. The average annual increase rate of adult obesity prevalence in China from 2013 to 2018 was 3.2% (uncertainty interval (UI) 2.7%-3.6%), and the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among men (5.2% (UI 4.6%-5.9%)) was higher than that of women (0.9% (UI 0.5%-1.3%)). For subgroups analysis, the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among residents aged 18 to 29 (7.4% (UI 6.9%-7.9%)), education level beyond college degree (6.3% (UI 5.5%-7.1%)), and unmarried population (11.2% (UI 10.2%-12.1%)) were higher than that of other subgroups between 2013 and 2018. The residents in Hainan province showed the highest average annual growth rate of obesity. With the exception of Shanxi, Hunan, Gansu and Ningxia province, the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence among adults increased in all other provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from 2013 to 2018. For the obese population, the proportion of people who took weight control measures increased from 22.6% in 2013 to 32.7% in 2018. Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity growth characteristics in subpopulations and regions in China are obviously different. Accordingly the focus points of obesity prevention and control in different regions should have their own emphasis.

Thermal Activation of High-Alumina Coal Gangue Auxiliary Cementitious Admixture: Thermal Transformation, Calcining Product Formation and Mechanical Properties

In this paper, a new preparation technology is developed to make high-alumina coal gangue (HACG) auxiliary cementitious admixture by calcining HACG-Ca(OH)2 (CH) mixture. HACG powders mixed with 20 wt.% CH were calcined within a temperature range of 600-900 °C, and the thermal transformation and mineral phase formation were analyzed. The hydration reaction between activated HACG-CH mixture and cement was also investigated. The results showed that HACG experienced a conventional transformation from kaolinite to metakaolin at 600 °C and finally to mullite at 900 °C, whereas CH underwent an unexpected transformation process from CH to CaO, then to CaCO3, and finally to CaO again. These substances' states were associated with the dehydroxylation of CH, the chemical reaction between CaO and CO2 generating from the combustion of carbon in HACG, and the decomposition of CaCO3, respectively. It is the formation of a large amount of CaO above 800 °C that favors the formation of hydratable products containing Al2O3 in the calcining process and C-A-H gel in the hydration process. The mechanical properties of HACG-cement mortar specimens were measured, from which the optimal calcination temperature of 850 °C was determined. As compared with pure cement mortar specimens, the maximum 28-d flexural and compressive strengths of HACG-cement mortar specimens increased by 5.4% and 38.2%, respectively.

Pain-free oral delivery of biologic drugs using intestinal peristalsis-actuated microneedle robots

Biologic drugs hold immense promise for medical treatments, but their oral delivery remains a daunting challenge due to the harsh digestive environment and restricted gastrointestinal absorption. Here, inspired by the porcupinefish's ability to inflate itself and deploy its spines for defense, we proposed an intestinal microneedle robot designed to absorb intestinal fluids for rapid inflation and inject drug-loaded microneedles into the insensate intestinal wall for drug delivery. Upon reaching the equilibrium volume, the microneedle robot leverages rhythmic peristaltic contraction for mucosa penetration. The robot's barbed microneedles can then detach from its body during peristaltic relaxation and retain in the mucosa for drug releasing. Extensive in vivo experiments involving 14 minipigs confirmed the effectiveness of the intestinal peristalsis for microrobot actuation and demonstrated comparable insulin delivery efficacy to subcutaneous injection. The ingestible peristalsis-actuated microneedle robots may transform the oral administration of biologic drugs that primary relies on parenteral injection currently.

Critical Values of Daily Sedentary Time and Its Longitudinal Association with Mild Cognitive Impairment Considering APOE ε4: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Long sedentary time and physical inactivity are negatively related to cognition, but the cut-off value remains unclear, and apolipoprotein E polymorphism ε4 (APOE ε4) is a known genetic risk factor of mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

OBJECTIVES

To explore longitudinal association of sedentary time and MCI, and to identify a cutoff value that increases the risk of developing MCI, taking into account APOE ε4 stratification and its interactions.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Population-based study.

PARTICIPANTS

We included 4932 older adults from Tianjin Elderly Nutrition and Cognition (TENC) cohort study recruited from March 2018 to June 2021 with 3.11 years of median follow-up time.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was newly diagnosed MCI, which was diagnosed by a modified version of the Petersen's criteria. The information of sedentary time (hours/day) and physical activity (MET-h/week) were obtained by questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard regression models and restricted spline curve were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 4932 participants were included (mean [SD] age, 67.85 [4.96] years; 2627 female [53.3%] and 2305 male [46.7%]), 740 newly onset MCI patients were identified. Longer sedentary time was associated with higher risk of MCI for all participants (HR:1.069, 95%CI: 1.034, 1.105), especially in APOE ε4 non-carriers (HR:1.083, 95%CI: 1.045, 1.123) whether adjusted potential confounders. Sedentary time had synergistic interactions with APOE ε4 (β:1.503, 95%CI: 1.163, 1.942) and physical activities (β: 1.495, 95%CI: 1.210, 1.846). Restricted spline curve showed a cut-off value of 3.03 hours/day.

CONCLUSIONS

Long sedentary time (≥3.03 hours/day) could increase MCI risk, especially in APOE ε4 non-carriers, people with higher PA, aged 65 and above.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenous and topical lidocaine in patients undergoing thoracoscopic pulmonary resection: a comparative study

OBJECTIVE

Lidocaine was the commonly used local anesthetic. The present study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetics of intravenous and topical lidocaine in patients undergoing thoracoscopic pulmonary resection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty patients who were scheduled for thoracoscopic pulmonary resection were screened and randomly assigned to the intravenous lidocaine group and topical lidocaine group. After induction, the patient in the intravenous group was given an intravenous bolus of 1.5 mg/kg lidocaine, while the patient in the topical group was given 3.0 mg/kg lidocaine via the "spray-as-you-go" method. Arterial blood was sampled at preset intervals, and plasma concentrations of lidocaine and its metabolites [monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) and glycinexylidide (GX)] were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Following intravenous administration, plasma lidocaine concentration reached its peak with a time to reach Cmax (Tmax) of 0.05 h and then decreased in a biphasic manner with a very short half-life time (T1/2) of 1.85 h. After topical administration, lidocaine was well absorbed, with Tmax of 0.21 h and bioavailability of 71.02%. The mean Tmax, Cmax, and area under the curve from the time (AUC0-t) of MEGX and GX were higher in the topical group than in the intravenous group. There were no obvious differences in the Cmax, T1/2, clearance, or apparent volume of distribution of lidocaine between the two groups. No obvious adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical administration of 3 mg/kg lidocaine via the "spray-as-you-go" method is an effective and safe technology for patients undergoing thoracoscopic pulmonary resection.

The Effects of Different Exercise Interventions on Patients with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Exercise is a promising non-pharmacological therapy for subjective cognitive decline, but it is unclear which type of exercise is most effective. The objective was to assess the comparative effects and ranks of all exercise-based interventions on cognitive function in patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD).

METHOD

In this network meta-analysis, Online databases for Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO were searched from inception to April 30, 2023. The included studies are randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of exercise interventions for individuals with SCD. The primary outcome measure is memory, while secondary outcome measures encompass executive function, attention, verbal fluency, and global cognitive function. Represented using Standardized Mean Differences (SMDs) along with their 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs). Bias assessment was conducted in accordance with the 'Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, 2nd Edition' (RoB 2). Pairwise meta-analysis was carried out using the 'meta-analysis' module within STATA 14.0, and network meta-analysis was performed using the 'mvmeta' and 'network' packages available in STATA 14.0. Registration number CRD42023289687.

RESULT

This study included a total of 11 randomized controlled trials, encompassing 1,166 patients. Mind-body exercise was found to be efficacious in enhancing or sustaining memory (SMD: 0.58, 95%CI: 0.06 ~ 1.10) and executive function (SMD: 0.41, 95%CI: 0.09 ~ 0.73) in individuals with subjective cognitive decline. Furthermore, mind-body exercise exhibited the highest probability of being the most effective measures for improving or preventing the decline in memory (surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) value: 90.4) and executive function (SUCRA value: 91.8). The second-ranked moderate-intensity aerobic exercise has also shown a positive effect on the improvement of executive function in patients with subjective cognitive decline (SMD: 0.23, 95%CI: 0.03 ~ 0.43, SUCRA value: 68.2). However, we did not observe a significant effectiveness of exercise interventions on verbal fluency, attention, and overall cognitive function in subjective cognitive decline.

CONCLUSION

Mind-body exercise may potentially be the optimal strategies for enhancing memory and executive function in individuals with subjective cognitive decline. Additionally, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise has shown a modest positive effect on executive function in subjective cognitive decline. When resources permit, practical application of these findings may be considered. Nevertheless, further support for the conclusions of this study is warranted through larger sample sizes and well-designed multicenter trials.

KIRREL promotes the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and angiogenesis through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

Anti-angiogenesis is a promising therapeutic strategy for delaying tumour progression that offers, new hope for gastric cancer targeted therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the precise mechanism by which Kin of IRRE-like protein 1 (KIRREL) contributes to the development of gastric cancer, particularly in terms of tumour angiogenesis. Differential expression of KIRREL in tissues and cells was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. A bioinformatics analysis was conducted to screen for the function and pathway enrichment of KIRREL in gastric cancer. Lentivirus-induced KIRREL silencing in SNU-5 cells and lentivirus-induced KIRREL overexpression in AGS cells were used to study the effect of KIRREL on the proliferation, cell cycle and angiogenesis of gastric cancer cells. Moreover, the expressions of PI3K, P-PI3K, AKT, P-AKT, mTOR, P-mTOR, HIF-1α and VEGF were also detected. Gastric cancer tissues and cells had high levels of KIRREL expression, which is associated with the proliferation, cell cycle and angiogenesis of gastric cancer cells. After silencing and overexpressing KIRREL in SNU-5 and AGS cells, respectively, the proliferation and angiogenesis of SNU-5 cells were inhibited, while the proliferation and angiogenesis of AGS cells were promoted. According to a bioinformatics analysis of the KIRREL gene, angiogenesis regulation and the PI3K/AKT pathway were highly connected. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was repressed and stimulated by KIRREL silencing and overexpression, respectively. IGF-1, an AKT agonist, and LY294002, an inhibitor, reversed the effects of KIRREL silencing and overexpression on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and on gastric cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis. KIRREL may mediate the proliferation and angiogenesis of gastric cancer cells through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. These findings could help in the further development of potential anti-angiogenesis targets.

How much organic carbon could the soil store? The carbon sequestration potential of Australian soil

Soil is a huge carbon (C) reservoir, but where and how much extra C can be stored is unknown. Current methods to estimate the maximum amount of mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) stabilized in the fine fraction (clay + silt,< 20 μm $$ <20\;\upmu \mathrm{m} $$ ) fit through the MAOC versus clay + silt relationship, not their maxima, making their estimates more uncertain and unreliable. We need a function that 'envelopes' that relationship. Here, using 5089 observations, we estimated that the uppermost 30 cm of Australian soil holds 13 Gt (10-18 Gt) of MAOC. We then fitted frontier lines, by soil type, to the relationship between MAOC and the percentage of clay + silt to estimate the maximum amounts of MAOC that Australian soils could store in their current environments, and calculated the MAOC deficit, or C sequestration potential. We propagated the uncertainties from the frontier line fitting and mapped the estimates of these values over Australia using machine learning and kriging with external drift. The maps show regions where the soil is more in MAOC deficit and has greater sequestration potential. The modelling shows that the variation over the whole continent is determined mainly by climate, linked to vegetation and soil mineralogy. We find that the MAOC deficit in Australian soil is 40 Gt (25-60 Gt). The deficit in the vast rangelands is 20.84 Gt (13.97-29.70 Gt) and the deficit in cropping soil is 1.63 Gt (1.12-2.32 Gt). Management could increase C sequestration in these regions if the climate allowed it. Our findings provide new information on the C sequestration potential of Australian soils and highlight priority regions for soil management. Australia could benefit environmentally, socially and economically by unlocking even a tiny portion of its soil's C sequestration potential.

Establishment of a Fah-LSL mouse model to study BEC-to-hepatocyte conversion

The liver consists predominantly of hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells (BECs), which serve distinct physiological functions. Although hepatocytes primarily replenish their own population during homeostasis and injury repair, recent findings have suggested that BECs can transdifferentiate into hepatocytes when hepatocyte-mediated liver regeneration is impaired. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing this BEC-to-hepatocyte conversion remain poorly understood largely because of the inefficiency of existing methods for inducing lineage conversion. Therefore, this study introduces a novel mouse model engineered by the Zhou's lab, where hepatocyte senescence is induced by the deletion of the fumarylacetoacetate (Fah) gene. This model facilitates the efficient conversion of BECs to hepatocytes and allows for the simultaneous lineage tracing of BECs; consequently, a transitional liver progenitor cell population can be identified during lineage conversion. This study also outlines the technical procedures for utilizing this model to determine the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of BEC-to-hepatocyte conversion and provides new insights into liver regeneration and its underlying molecular mechanism.

[Study of the clinical significance of ETAR mRNA expression in high-grade serous ovarian cancer and the inhibitory effect of ETAR derived fusion polypeptide on cancer progression]

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of endothelin A receptor (ETAR) expression in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). To design ETAR carboxyl terminal (ETAR-C) amino acids derived polypeptide and to study the inhibitory effect on ovarian epithelial carcinoma cells in vitro. Methods: (1) A total of 126 patients who received surgical treatment and were diagnosed with HGSOC by postoperative pathological examination in Central Hospital of Xuzhou from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2017 were selected. All patients had completed clinicopathological data and follow-up data. Cancer tissue samples were collected and ETAR mRNA expression in HGSOC tissues was detected by reverse transcript-PCR. The clinical significance was analyzed. (2) ETAR-C fusion polypeptide was designed based on the sequence of carboxyl terminal amino acids of ETAR, expressed and purified in vitro. The effects of ETAR-C fusion polypeptide on migration and invasion ability of ovarian cancer SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells were detected by scratch test and invasion test, respectively. The effect of ETAR-C fusion polypeptide on chemosensitivity of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer SKOV3/cDDP and CAOV3/cDDP cells was determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetric assay. The effect of ETAR-C fusion polypeptide on β-arrestin-1 expression in ovarian cancer SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells was detected by western blot. Results: (1) The relative expression level of ETAR mRNA in HGSOC tissues was 18.6±5.1. Patients with HGSOC were divided into high ETAR mRNA expression (n=76) and low ETAR mRNA expression (n=50) with 61.7% as cut-off value analyzed by X-Tile software. High expression of ETAR mRNA was significantly correlated with abdominal water volume, platinum drug resistance, and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) value in HGSOC patients (all P<0.05), but was not related to the age of patients with HGSOC and the size of postoperative residual lesions (all P>0.05). The 5-year progression free survival rates were 18.4% and 28.0%, and the 5-year overall survival rates were 38.2% and 52.0% in HGSOC patients with high and low ETAR mRNA expression respectively, there were statistically significant differences (P=0.046, P=0.034). (2) The results of scratch test and invasion test showed that the scratch healing rate and cell invasion rate of SKOV3 or CAOV3 cells treated with endothelin-1 (ET-1) and ET-1+ETAR-C were respectively compared, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). MTT assay showed that the inhibition rates of ETAR-C fusion polypeptide treated in SKOV3/cDDP and CAOV3/cDDP cells were significantly higher than those of control cells after the addition of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 μg/ml cisplatin (all P<0.05). Western blot analysis showed that the relative expression levels of β-arrestin-1 in SKOV3 or CAOV3 cells treated with ET-1 and ET-1+ETAR-C were 1.85±0.09 and 1.13±0.09 (SKOV3 cells), 2.14±0.15 and 1.66±0.12 (CAOV3 cells), respectively. The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The prognosis of HGSOC patients with high expression of ETAR mRNA is significantly worse than those with low expression of ETAR mRNA. ETAR might be a new target for HGSOC treatment. The ETAR-C fusion polypeptide that interferes with the interaction of ETAR and β-arrestin-1 has good inhibitory effect on ovarian cancer cells in vitro, and might have clinical application potential.

[Survival analysis of malignant tumors in cancer registration areas of Hubei province in China, 2013 to 2015]

Objective: To analyze the survival of newly diagnosed malignant tumors in cancer registration areas of Hubei Province from 2013 to 2015. Methods: From January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015, all newly diagnosed malignant tumors were collected from cancer registration areas in Hubei Province, and patients were followed up using a combination of active and passive methods. Cancer survival was analyzed using the strs package in Stata software. Observed and expected survival were calculated using the life table and Ederer Ⅱ methods, and the difference in survival rate of patients with different sex, age, urban and rural areas and different cancer species was compared. Results: From 2013 to 2015, 83 987 new malignant tumors were diagnosed in cancer registration areas in Hubei Province, including 45 742 males (54.46%) and 38245 females (45.54%). The overall 5-year relative survival rate was 41.46%, 34.43% for men and 49.63% for women. With the increase of age, the observed survival rate and relative survival rate of patients of different genders showed a decreasing trend. The 5-year relative survival rate of patients with malignant tumors was 47.58% in urban areas and 26.58% in rural areas. The observed survival rate and relative survival rate in rural areas were significantly lower than those in urban areas. The overall 5-year relative survival rates for common malignancies were 20.61% for lung cancer, 15.36% for liver cancer, 22.89% for esophageal cancer, 34.92% for gastric cancer, and 54.87% for colorectal cancer. In addition, the 5-year relative survival rates of common malignant tumors in women were 78.65% for breast cancer and 52.55% for cervical cancer. Conclusions: In Hubei Province, the survival rate of malignant tumors is different among different genders, regions, age groups and cancer species. Prevention and treatment and health education should be strengthened for malignant tumor patients in rural areas and those with high incidence and low survival rate such as liver cancer and lung cancer, and relevant strategies should be formulated according to the gender and age distribution characteristics of different cancer species.

Generation and characterization of PDGFRα-GFP knock-in mice for visualization of PDGFRα+ fibroblasts in vivo

The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and its receptor, PDGFRα, are critical for tissue development and injury repair. To track PDGFRα-expressing cells in vivo, we generated a knock-in mouse line that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the PDGFRα promoter. This genetic tool enabled us to detect PDGFRα expression in various organs during both neonatal and adult stages. Additionally, we confirmed the correlation between endogenous PDGFRα and transgenic PDGFRα expression using mouse injury models, showing the potential of this genetic reporter for studying PDGFRα-mediated signaling pathways and developing therapeutic strategies. Overall, the PDGFRα-GFP knock-in mouse line serves as a valuable tool for investigating the biology of PDGFRα and its role in normal development and disease.

[Efficacy observation and compliance analysis of pollen allergen drops in seasonal allergic rhinitis]

To study the efficacy and compliance analysis of pollen allergen drops in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The method of single-center controlled was used to analyze the dates' results. From July 2021 to September 2021, 80 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis were referred to the clinic of otorhinolaryngology in First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University.40 patients received sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT group), and the other 40 patients received symptomatic drug treatment as the control group. The total rhinoconjunctivitis symptom score (TRSS), the visual analogue scale(VAS), total medication score (TMS) and combined scores of medication and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms (CSMRS) of the patient before the start of the treatment and after the first year of the treatment were compared to assess the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy of Artemisia pollen. Follow the shedding during the study, the safety of the drug and the causes for compliance analysis were analyzed and recorded. The results of comparison with TRSS, VAS, TMS and CSMRS in two groups in the period of pretherapy were as follows: TRSS(12.393±3.023, 12.450±3.029, t=-0.077, P=0.939), VAS(8.357±1.026, 8.400±0.982, t=-0.173, P=0.862), TMS(3.214±0.568, 3.175±0.501, t=0.301, P=0.764), CSMRS (5.286±0.680, 5.253±0.677, t=0.199, P=0.843), there was no significant difference (P>0.05); lower observed symptom scores were got in the post-treatment pollen peak SLIT group compared to the control group, TRSS(3.964±1.551, 7.750±2.169, t=-7.918, P<0.05), VAS(2.893±0.956, 5.175±1.481, t=-8.286, P<0.05), TMS (1.821±0.863, 3.175±0.501, t=-8.163, P<0.05), CSMRS (2.489±0.921, 4.468±0.601, t=-10.723, P<0.05), and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05); the SLIT group significantly reduced all symptom scores at the first peak compared to the starting, TRSS(12.393±3.023, 3.964±1.551, t=20.576, P<0.05), VAS (8.357±1.026, 2.893±0.956, t=30.070, P<0.05), TMS (3.214±0.568, 1.821±0.863, t=7.151, P<0.05), CSMRS(5.286±0.680, 2.489±0.921, t=14.533, P<0.05) and there was statistical difference (P<0.05). No significant adverse reactions occured during medication in the SLIT group. A total of 12 cases were shed in the SLIT group, so the compliance rate was 70%. The four reasons were that patients considered the course was long (4 cases, 33%); the drugs were expensive (3 cases, 25%); patients were busy with their work and life (3 cases, 25%); patients were affected by the outbreak (2 cases, 17%). In summary, Artemisia pollen sublingual drops may improve the symptoms of the patients who got allergic rhinitis caused by Artemisia pollen after the treatment for one year. However, due to the lack of sufficient understanding of immunotherapy or the difficulty in adhering to standardized medication, the compliance with sublingual immunotherapy is still poor, the compliance with sublingual immunotherapy needs to be further improved through patient education.

Methoxychlor induces oxidative stress and impairs early embryonic development in pigs

Introduction: Methoxychlor (MXC) is an organochlorine pesticide (OCP) that was formerly used worldwide as an insecticide against pests and mosquitoes. However, MXC is not biodegradable and has lipophilic characteristics; thus, it accumulates in organisms and affects reproductive function. MXC, as an estrogenic compound, promotes oxidative stress, induces oxidative stress damage to ovarian follicles, and causes miscarriages and stillbirths in females. In this research endeavor, our primary objective was to explore the ramifications of MXC regarding the developmental processes occurring during the initial stages of embryogenesis in pigs. Methods: In this study, we counted the blastocyst rate of early embryos cultured in vitro. We also examined the reactive oxygen species level, glutathione level, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial copy number and ATP level in four-cell stage embryos. Finally, apoptosis and DNA damage in blastocyst cells, as well as pluripotency-related and apoptosis-related genes in blastocyst cells were detected. The above experiments were used to evaluate the changes of MXC damage on early parthenogenetic embryo development. Results and Discussion: The results showed that early embryos exposed to MXC had a significantly lower cleavage rate, blastocyst rate, hatching rate, and total cell count compared with the control group. It was also of note that MXC not only increased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), but also decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and mitochondrial copy number during the development of early embryos. In addition, after MXC treatment, blastocyst apoptosis and DNA damage were increased, decreased cell proliferation, and the expression of pluripotency-related genes SOX2, NANOG, and OCT4 was down-regulated, while the expression of apoptosis-related genes BAX/BCL-2 and Caspase9 was up-regulated. Our results clearly show that MXC can have deleterious effects on the developmental processes of early porcine embryos, establishing the toxicity of MXC to the reproductive system. In addition, the study of this toxic effect may lead to greater concern about pesticide residues in humans and the use of safer pesticides, thus potentially preventing physiological diseases caused by chemical exposure.

Thyroid hormone-responsive protein mediates the response of chicken liver to fasting mainly through the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway

1. The objective of this study was to explore the mediating role of thyroid hormone-responsive protein (THRSP) in the response of chicken liver to fasting.2. A batch of 7-d-old chicks with similar body weights were randomly divided into the control group and the fasting group (n = 10). The control group was fed ad libitum, while the test group fasted for 24 h. The liver and pectoral muscle tissues were collected. Chicken primary hepatocytes or myocytes were treated with different concentrations of thyroxine, glucose, insulin, oleic acid and palmitic acid, separately. Chicken primary hepatocytes were transfected with THRSP overexpression vector vs. empty vector, and the cells were used for transcriptome analysis. The mRNA expression of THRSP and other genes was determined by quantitative PCR.3. The expression of THRSP in chicken liver and pectoral muscle tissues was significantly inhibited by fasting (P < 0.05). In chicken primary hepatocytes, the expression of THRSP was significantly induced by thyroxine (0.25, 0.5, 1 mmol/l), glucose (50, 100 mmol/l), and insulin (20 nmol/l), and was significantly inhibited by palmitic acid (0.125, 0.25 mmol/l). In the myocytes, expression of THRSP was significantly induced by thyroxine (0.25, 0.5, 1 mmol/l), glucose (50 mmol/l) and oleic acid (0.125, 0.25 mmol/l), was significantly inhibited by insulin (5 nmol/l) and was not significantly affected by palmitic acid.4. Transcriptome analysis showed that overexpression of THRSP significantly affected the expression of 1411 DEGs, of which 1007 were up-regulated and 404 were down-regulated. The GO term and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses showed that these DEGs were mainly enriched in the interaction between cytokine and cytokine receptor and its regulation and signal transduction, cell growth and apoptosis and its regulation, immune response and retinol metabolism.5. In conclusion, the THRSP gene mediates biological effects of fasting by influencing the expressional regulation of the genes related to biological processes such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell growth and apoptosis, immune response, retinol metabolism, including TGM2, HSD17B2, RUNX3, IRF1, ANKRD6, UPP2, IKBKE, and PYCR1 genes, in chicken liver.

Lagrange tracking-based long-term drift trajectory prediction method for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) works autonomously in complex marine environments. After a severe accident, an AUV will lose its power and rely on its small buoyancy to ascend at a slow speed. If the reserved buoyancy is insufficient, when reaching the thermocline, the buoyancy will rapidly decrease to zero. Consequently, the AUV will experience prolonged lateral drift within the thermocline. This study focuses on developing a prediction method for the drift trajectory of an AUV after a long-term power loss accident. The aim is to forecast the potential resurfacing location, providing technical support for surface search and salvage operations of the disabled AUV. To the best of our knowledge, currently, there is no mature and effective method for predicting long-term AUV underwater drift trajectories. In response to this issue, based on real AUV catastrophes, this paper studies the prediction of long-term AUV underwater drift trajectories in the cases of power loss. We propose a three-dimensional trajectory prediction method based on the Lagrange tracking approach. This method takes the AUV's longitudinal velocity, the time taken to reach different depths, and ocean current data at various depths into account. The reason for the AUV's failure to ascend to sea surface lies that the remaining buoyancy is too small to overcome the thermocline. As a result, AUV drifts long time within the thermocline. To address this issue, a method for estimating thermocline currents is proposed, which can be used to predict the lateral drift trajectory of the AUV within the thermocline. Simulation is conducted to compare the results obtained by the proposed method and that in a real accident. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach exhibits small directional and positional errors. This validates the effectiveness of the proposed method.

[Construction and validation of a risk prediction model for pneumoconiosis patients complicated with chronic pulmonary heart disease based on Tei index]

Objective: To conduct a statistical analysis on the condition of patients with pneumoconiosis complicated with chronic pulmonary heart disease based on the Tei index, and to establish a relevant prediction model. Methods: In March 2022, a retrospective analysis of 226 patients diagnosed with pneumoconiosis in the Department of Occupational Disease of Yantai Yantaishan Hospital from January 2016 to January 2022 was conducted. The patients with pneumoconiosis complicated by pulmonary heart disease were included in the pulmonary heart disease group and others were included in the non-pulmonary heart disease group. logistic regression analysis was used to screen out the relevant factors and establish a risk prediction model. Hosmer-Lemeshow test was applied to determine the goodness of fit of the model, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictive effect of the model. Results: Among the 226 patients with pneumoconiosis, 58 patients had chronic pulmonary heart disease, accounting for 25.7% of the surveyed population. The logistic analysis showed that the course of disease, pneumoconiosis stage and Tei index were influencing factors of pneumoconiosis complicated with pulmonary heart disease (P<0.05). A risk prediction model for pneumoconiosis patients complicated with pulmonary heart disease was developed: Z=6.253X(1)+1.265X(2)+1.423X(3)+9.264, in which X(1) was the stage of pneumoconiosis, X(2) was the course of disease, and X(3) was the Tei index. Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to evaluate the goodness of fit of the risk prediction model for pneumoconiosis patients complicated with pulmonary heart disease, the results indicated that the prediction model was in good agreement with the actual situation (χ(2)=11.59, P=0.254). The diagnostic ability of the model was evaluated by the ROC curve, and the results showed that its AUC was 0.897, the sensitivity was 0.947, and the specificity was 0.784. Conclusion: The course of disease, pneumoconiosis stage and Tei index are the influencing factors of pneumoconiosis complicated with pulmonary heart disease. The model constructed based on these factors has a good prediction effect, which can provide a basis for the early detection and intervention of pneumoconiosis complicated with pulmonary heart disease.

[Study of the predictive role of serum HBV RNA on HBeAg serological conversion in children with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To investigate the role of serum hepatitis B virus RNA (HBV RNA) in predicting HBeAg serological conversion in children with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: 175 children aged 1~17 years with chronic hepatitis B who received interferon α (IFNα) for 48 weeks were selected. Patients were divided into HBeAg seroconversion and non-conversion based on whether HBeAg seroconversion occurred at 48 weeks of treatment.T-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare between groups; chisquare test or Fisher exact probability method was used to compare the frequency between groups of classified variables; and Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between indicators. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify influencing factors associated with HBeAg serological conversion. The predictive effect of HBV RNA, HBV DNA, and HBsAg on HBeAg serological conversion was compared and analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results: The seroconversion rate of HBeAg at 48 weeks was 36.0% (63/175). The reduction in HBVRNA levels from baseline to the 12th, 24th, 36th, and 48th weeks of antiviral therapy was significantly greater in the HBeAg serological conversion group than that in the non-conversion group, and the difference was statistically significant between the two groups (P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that age and a decline in HBV RNA levels at week 12 were independent predictors of HBeAg serological conversion. The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of HBV RNA decline at week 12 was 0.677(95% CI∶0.549-0.806, P = 0.012), which was significantly better than the same period of AUROC of HBV DNA (0.657, 95% CI∶0.527-0.788, P = 0.025) and HBsAg (0.660, 95% CI∶0.526-0.795, P = 0.023) decline. HBV RNA levels decreased (>1.385 log10 copies/ml) at week 12, with a positive predictive value of 53.2%, a negative predictive value of 72.2%, a sensitivity of 77.4%, and a specificity of 57.9% for HBeAg seroconversion. Conclusion: HBV RNA level lowering during the 12th week of antiviral therapy can serve as an early predictor marker for HBeAg serological conversion in children with chronic hepatitis B.

[Clinical study of mature B-cell lymphoma in 11 children with chromosome 11 long-arm abnormalities]

Objective: To explore the clinical, pathological, diagnostic, treatment, and prognostic features of children with mature B-cell lymphoma (MBCL) . Methods: This retrospective study included pediatric patients with MBCL with chromosome 11 long-arm abnormalities who were diagnosed and treated at our hospital from December 2018 to February 2023. Results: Among the 11 pediatric patients with MBCL, nine were male and two were female, with a median age of 9 (2-13) years and a median disease course of 1.8 (0.5-24) months. The clinical manifestations were cervical lymph node enlargement in four patients, nasal congestion and snoring in four patients, abdominal pain in two patients, and difficulty breathing in one patient. There were seven cases of Burkitt's lymphoma, two of follicular lymphoma, and two of advanced B-cell lymphoma according to the pathological morphology examination. No patients had central nervous system or bone marrow involvement, and no extensive metastasis was observed on B-ultrasound or positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT). One patient had a huge tumor lesion. The Revised International Pediatric Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Staging System classified four patients as stage Ⅱ, five as stage Ⅲ, and two as stage Ⅳ. 11q probe detection showed five cases of 11q gain, three of 11q loss, and three of both gain and loss. FISH showed positive MYC expression in three patients, including eight with advanced B-cell lymphoma with 11q abnormalities and three with Burkitt's lymphoma with 11q abnormalities. According to the 2019 edition of the National Health Commission's diagnostic and treatment guidelines for invasive MBCL in children, one patient was classified as Group A, two as Group B, and eight as Group C. Early evaluation of the efficacy showed complete remission. After mid-term evaluation, the intensity of chemotherapy was reduced in Group B and Group C. Among two cases of chemotherapy, the remaining nine cases had a median follow-up of 32 (6-45) months, and none had event-related survival. Conclusion: The incidence of MBCL with 11q abnormalities in children is low, clinical symptoms are mild, and progression is slow. The absence of MYC, BCL2, BCL6 rearrangements, C-MYC negative and 11q abnormalities on FISH is an important diagnostic indicator, and reducing the intensity of chemotherapy can improve prognosis.