Experimental Limits on Solar Reflected Dark Matter with a New Approach on Accelerated-Dark-Matter-Electron Analysis in Semiconductors

Recently a dark matter-electron (DM-electron) paradigm has drawn much attention. Models beyond the standard halo model describing DM accelerated by high energy celestial bodies are under intense examination as well. In this Letter, a velocity components analysis (VCA) method dedicated to swift analysis of accelerated DM-electron interactions via semiconductor detectors is proposed and the first HPGe detector-based accelerated DM-electron analysis is realized. Utilizing the method, the first germanium based constraint on sub-GeV solar reflected DM-electron interaction is presented with the 205.4  kg·day dataset from the CDEX-10 experiment. In the heavy mediator scenario, our result excels in the mass range of 5-15  keV/c^{2}, achieving a 3 orders of magnitude improvement comparing with previous semiconductor experiments. In the light mediator scenario, the strongest laboratory constraint for DM lighter than 0.1  MeV/c^{2} is presented. The result proves the feasibility and demonstrates the vast potential of the VCA technique in future accelerated DM-electron analyses with semiconductor detectors.

[Microglia differential genes and their functions in paraquat-induced Parkinson's disease-like in mice's brains based on single-cell RNA sequencing]

Objective: To analyze the differential genes and related signaling pathways of microglia subpopulations in Parkinson's disease (PD) -like mouse brains induced by paraquat (PQ) based on single-cell RNA sequencing, and provide clues to elucidate the mechanism of PQ-induced PD-like changes in the brain of animals. Methods: In September 2021, six male 6-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group and experimental group (three mice in each group) . The mice were injected with saline, 10.0 mg/kg PQ intraperitoneally, once every three days, and 10 consecutive injections were used for modeling. After infection, the brains of mice were taken and 10×Genomics single-cell RNA sequencing was performed. Microglia subpopulations were screened based on gene expression characteristics, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed. The differential genes of microglia subpopulations between the experimental group and control group were further screened, and functional enrichment analysis was performed using bioinformatics tools. Mouse microglia (BV2 cells) were treated with 0, 60, 90 μmol/L PQ solution, respectively. And real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR experiments were conducted to validate the expressions of differential genes hexokinase 2 (Hk2) , ATPase H+ Transporting V0 Subunit B (Atp6v0b) and Neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) . Results: Cluster 7 and Cluster 20 were identified as microglia subpopulations based on the signature genes inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase d, Inpp5d (Inpp5d) and transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (Tgfbr1) , and they reflected the microglia-activated M2 phenotype. The bioinformatics analysis showed that the characteristic genes of identified microglia subpopulations were enriched in endocytosis. In terms of molecular function, it mainly enriched in transmembrane receptor protein kinase activity and cytokine binding. The up-regulated genes of Cluster 7 were mainly enriched in lysosomal pathway, endocytosis pathway, and down-regulated genes were mainly enriched in neurodegenerative disease and other signaling pathways. The up-regulated genes of Cluster 20 were mainly enriched in signaling pathways related to PD, and down-regulated genes were mainly enriched in cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathways, neurological development, synaptic function and other signaling pathways. The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the expressions of Hk2 mRNA and Atp6v0b mRNA increased and the expression of Nrg1 mRNA decreased in the 90 μmol/L PQ-treated BV2 cells compared with the 0 μmol/L, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Microglia are activated in the PQ-induced PD-like mouse model and polarized toward the M2 phenotype. And their functions are associated with lysosomal (endocytosis) , synaptic functions and the regulation of PD-related pathways.

[Expression level of Wilms' tumor 1 gene and its correlation with clinical features in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms]

Objective: To investigate the expression level of WT1 gene in patients with classical Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and its correlation with clinical features. Methods: A retrospective study included 252 patients with newly diagnosed MPN in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2015 to March 2023, including 128 males and 124 females, aged［M（Q1，Q3）］62 (53, 69) years. The WT1-positive group (n=93) and the WT1-negative group (n=159) were split based on the level of WT1 gene expression, and the variations in clinical indicators between the two groups were compared. Its levels of expression in each subtype and its relationships to thrombotic events and clinically significant variables were analyzed. As of March 31, 2023, the follow-up period [M (Q1, Q3)] was 12.0(6.5,21.0)months. The risk factors of thrombosis in MPN patients were analyzed by using the logistic regression analysis. Results: The WT1 gene expression level in the overall bone marrow samples of 252 patients with newly diagnosed MPN was 0.30% (0.10%, 1.10%). The expression level in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) patients was 1.45% (0.41%, 3.24%), which was higher than 0.15% (0.02%, 0.32%), 0.37% (0.16%, 1.09%) in essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV) patients (both P<0.05). Positive correlations were found between WT1 gene expression levels and JAK2V617F gene mutation load, RDW, MPV (r=0.478, 0.346, 0.236, all P<0.01). While negative correlations between WT1 gene expression levels and PLT, LYM, PTTA, LDH were found (r=-0.339, -0.170, -0.206, -0.388, all P<0.01). Patients in the WT1-positive group exhibited a higher percentage of somatic symptoms, splenomegaly, positive JAK2V617F gene mutation, and higher levels of RDW, LDH, NEUT, and MPV compared to the WT1-negative group. In contrast, the proportion of triple-negative (negative for all three hot mutations of JAK2V617F, CALR and MPL) was lower, and the levels of PLT, LYM and PTTA were lower (all P<0.05). The thrombotic event rates of WT1-positive group and WT1-negative group were 32.3% (30/93) and 32.1% (51/159), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.883). Logistic regression analysis showed that male (OR=2.41,95%CI:1.02-5.71,P=0.046) and positive JAK2V617F gene mutation (OR=3.96,95%CI:1.50-10.42,P=0.005) were risk factors for thrombotic events in ET patients. Conclusions: WT1 gene expression is elevated in PMF patients and correlated with indicators of disease progression and transformation in MPN patients. It can be utilized as an auxiliary diagnostic indicator for classical MPN staging but is not correlated with the incidence of thrombotic events. Male and positive JAK2V617F gene mutation are risk factors for thrombotic events in ET patients.

Outcomes with Bridging Radiation Therapy Prior to CAR-T Cell Therapy in Pts with Aggressive B Cell Lymphomas

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Select patient (pts) with relapsed/refractory aggressive B cell lymphoma may benefit from bridging radiation (bRT) prior to anti-CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CART). Here, we examined pt and treatment factors associated with outcome after bRT and CART.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed adults with DLBCL who received bRT prior to axicabtagene ciloleucel 11/2017-12/2022. Clinical/treatment characteristics, response, and toxicity were extracted. Progression free survival (PFS), disease specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were modeled using Kaplan-Meier for events distributed over time, or binary logistic regression for disease response. Fisher's Exact Test or Mann-Whitney U methods were used.

RESULTS

Among 40 pts, 11 (28%) had limited stage disease at apheresis, and 14 (35%) received bRT in addition to bridging systemic therapy. Thirty-two (80%) pts received bRT post-leukapheresis. bRT was delivered with a median dose of 30 Gy (range: 4-46) in 10 fractions (range: 2-23). Eighteen (45%) pts received <30 Gy. Twenty-two pts (55%) received bRT comprehensively to all sites of disease, including 9 pts who had limited stage. Eleven pts had bulky disease (≥ 10 cm) at the time of bRT. After CART, 4 pts (10%) experienced Grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS), 16 (40%) had Grade ≥2 CRS, and 16 (38%) had Grade ≥3 neurotoxicity. Twenty-three pts (57.5%) had CR at 30 days post-CART infusion. Nine had PR (22.5%), of whom 2 pts eventually developed CR at three months and 1 at nine months. Eight pts (20%) had either PD or SD. Of 23 pts who experienced CR, 11 relapsed-6 at three months and 5 at six months. At a median follow up of 9.6 months (95% CI: 6.6-16.2), 22 pts relapsed: 6 (27.3%) in-field, 10 (5.5%) out-of-field, 4 (18.2%) both, and 2 (9.1%) unknown. The median PFS was 8.87 months and median OS was 22 months. PFS at 1 year was 70% (53-82) and at 2 years was 42% (27-57). OS at 1 and 2 years was 72.5% (56-84) and 51% (34-65), respectively. Seventeen pts (42.5%) remain alive at last follow-up, 13 (76.5%) of whom have no evidence of disease (NED). On univariate analysis, OS and PFS at 1 year were 67% (43-83) and 49% (27-68) for those who received RT comprehensively (n = 22), and 41.9% (19-64) and 33.3% (14-54) for those who did not (n = 18; both p≤0.03). Disease bulk (≥10 cm) was associated with significant decrement in DSS (p = 0.03), but not PFS (p = 0.16) or OS (p = 0.24). Among pts treated comprehensively with bRT (n = 22), there was no association of tumor bulk with OS, PFS, or DSS (p>0.2). IPI ≥3 was associated with worse DSS (p = 0.045) and trended towards worse PFS (p = 0.054), but not OS (p = 0.23). There was no difference in PFS, OS, or DSS between pts who received bRT or chemoRT (p>0.3).

CONCLUSION

bRT and CART is a good treatment strategy for select pts with aggressive B cell lymphoma. When feasible, and with a caveat that other variables influence patient disposition, bRT for CART is associated with improved outcomes after comprehensive RT to all sites of disease.

Dorsal Column Myelopathy Following Intrathecal Chemotherapy for Leukemia

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Intrathecal (IT) methotrexate (Mtx) and/or cytarabine (AraC) improve CNS disease control in patients (pts) with hematologic malignancies. There are increasing number of case reports of irreversible, primarily dorsal column myelopathy in pts treated with IT chemotherapy. By describing the largest case series of myelopathy following IT chemotherapy, we aim to raise awareness about this devastating albeit rare complication.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 25 pts with leukemia who developed paraplegia following IT chemotherapy between 2/2006 and 9/2021. Clinical/treatment characteristics, response, and toxicity were extracted from the medical records.

RESULTS

Seventeen pts (68%) were male, 16 had B-cell ALL (64%), 4 had AML (16%), 2 had CML (8%), 2 had T-ALL (8%), and 1 had BPDCN (4%). The median age at diagnosis was 38 years (IQR 30-59). All pts required systemic salvage treatment after induction chemotherapy with a median number of 3 regimens received (IQR 2-5.5). In total, the median number of IT treatments was 19 per pt (IQR 14-27). Most pts (84%, n = 21) received single agent IT Mtx alternating with single agent AraC. Fifteen pts (60%) received triple IT therapy with a median of 3 treatments (IQR 0-8). Prior to the onset of myelopathy, 10 pts (40%) received allogeneic SCT and 9 pts (36%) were treated with radiation therapy. Median follow-up from diagnosis was 1.9 yrs (IQR 1.3-4.1). Myelopathy was progressive and irreversible in all pts (n = 25); 84% (n = 21) experienced sensory loss, and all pts had extremity weakness. Symptoms were ascending in 11 pts (44%) and descending in 4 pts (16%). Irreversible bowel/bladder incontinence developed in 12 pts (48%). CSF analysis at the time of symptom onset was negative for leukemia cells in most pts (n = 21, 84%) and showed malignant cells in 4 pts (16%). CSF studies showed elevated protein in 21 pts (84%). Myelin basic protein was elevated in all 13 assessed pts. On T2 weighted spinal MRI, all pts had enhancement of the dorsal columns, including 80% of pts with this dorsal column abnormality reported at the time of the study and 20% of pts (n = 5) with the dorsal enhancement noted retrospectively. Due to concern for occult disease, 20 pts (80%) received additional CNS-directed therapy after symptom onset. Twenty-two pts (88%) died at last follow-up. The time between neurological symptom onset and death was a median 3.5 months (IQR 2.6 and 5). Three pts (12%) are alive with paraplegia at a median of 4.4 years from symptom onset.

CONCLUSION

Dorsal column myelopathy is a rare but devastating condition that can occur after IT chemotherapy in heavily pre-treated leukemia pts. T2 weighted spinal MRI can be helpful in the evaluation of pts that present with unexplained weakness and sensory changes. We recommend delaying additional CNS-directed therapy until work-up to rule out alternative etiologies is complete. Future strategies are desperately needed to address this irreversible treatment complication.

Outcomes and Toxicities in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma of the Gastrointestinal Tract

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) involving the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is rare and long-term outcomes are not well defined. Combined modality therapy (CMT) with radiotherapy (RT) in addition to systemic therapy in this setting is not commonly pursued. We aim to characterize outcomes in patients with GI DLBCL treated with systemic therapy, with or without RT.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients diagnosed with DLBCL of the GI tract (with or without mesenteric involvement) treated at a single institution from 1988-2022 were retrospectively reviewed on an IRB-approved protocol. Clinical and treatment data were collected including adverse events (AE; acute vs late defined as before or 4 weeks after therapy end). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models were used to estimate survival.

RESULTS

Of 207 patients, 62% were male and median age at diagnosis was 63 (IQR 52-73). Gastric involvement was most common (n = 130, 63%), followed by small intestines (n = 48, 23%) and colon/rectum (n = 24, 12%). Most presented with early-stage disease (n = 124, 60%), with a median IPI score of 1. All patients received chemotherapy. Of 182 treated with CHOP/EPOCH, 36 (20%) were treated in the pre-rituximab era while 146 (80%) received rituximab. 66 patients (32%) were treated with RT, 89% as part of first line CMT. 50 cases (76%) received consolidative RT, while 10 (15%) targeted residual gross disease and 4 (6%) targeted distant sites. Median dose and fractionation were 36Gy (IQR 30.6-39.6) in 18 fractions (IQR 17-22). Over half (n = 132, 64%) developed grade 3+ acute chemotherapy AEs, and the most common were anemia (n = 64), febrile neutropenia (n = 40), and neutropenia (n = 20). Grade 3+ late chemotherapy AEs occurred in 14 patients (7%). Acute grade 3+ radiation AEs were uncommon (n = 2, 3%; colitis, emesis). No grade 3+ late radiation AEs were noted. Median follow-up was 46 months (IQR 16-97). 169 (81.6%) had a complete response (CR), with 154 (91%) after first line chemotherapy, 9 (5%) after second line, and 6 (4%) after RT. CR was defined by PET (62%), endoscopy (22%), CT (9%), or other methods (7%). The 5-year progression-free survival for those treated with one line of chemotherapy with or without RT was 95%. Median overall survival (OS) was not reached. Improved OS was associated with early-stage disease (p = 0.003), low IPI (p = 0.001), fewer chemotherapy lines (p<0.001), and CR (p<0.001). OS did not differ by gender, age, immunophenotype, GI site, SUVmax, or RT. Patients with early stage DLBCL treated with RT in the post-rituximab era received fewer chemotherapy cycles compared to those treated without RT (p = 0.02; median of 4 (IQR 3-6) vs 6 cycles (IQR 4-6)), with no OS difference.

CONCLUSION

GI DLBCL patients have favorable outcomes after CMT with minimal late toxicity. CMT with RT to the GI tract is well tolerated with no OS difference compared to chemotherapy alone, and may mitigate risks from additional chemotherapy cycles for selected early-stage patients.

Ultra Low-Dose Radiation for Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma of the Lung

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Definitive radiation treatment (RT) for extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (ENMZL) of mucosal associated lymphoid tissue historically involves treatment to 24-30 Gy. There is increasing data supporting the use of ultra-low dose RT as part of a response-adapted approach in the treatment of orbital and gastric ENMZL. With this approach, patients receive initial treatment with 4 Gy, and additional RT is considered for those with persistent or locally progressive disease. However limited data to date assesses the efficacy of 4 Gy in the management of ENMZL of the lung.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We performed an IRB-approved retrospective review of 17 patients with ENMZL of the lung treated with 4 Gy between 7/2015 and 12/2022 with response assessed after RT. Clinical/treatment characteristics, response, and toxicity were extracted from medical records. Statistics were performed using Mann-Whitney U and Fisher's Exact Test.

RESULTS

Eight patients (47%) were female, 15 (88%) white, and 1 (6%) Hispanic. Median age at RT was 66 (interquartile range (IQR) 59-77). All had disease limited to the lung at diagnosis and 15 had stage IE disease. Four patients (24%) were diagnosed incidentally on screening/surveillance imaging in the absence of symptoms. Sixteen patients received 4 Gy in 2 fractions, while one patient received a single fraction of 4 Gy. Median SUVmax prior to RT was 4.5 (IQR 3.2-7.2). Median planning target volume (PTV) was 74 cc (IQR 47-130cc). Six patients (35%) had respiratory symptoms prior to RT, which improved or resolved in 3 (50%). A larger PTV was associated with improvement in symptoms following RT with a median PTV of 266 cc (IQR 171-402) in those who experienced improvement vs. 64 cc (IQR 42-100) in those who did not (p = 0.032). One patient experienced toxicity following RT with pleuritic chest pain, which resolved with corticosteroids. At a median follow-up of 15 months following RT (IQR 7-43 months), the overall response rate (ORR) was 100% (CR, n = 15; PR, n = 2). Fourteen patients had follow-up PET/CT, of whom 13 had a complete metabolic response (CMR) at a median of 3 months following RT (IQR 3-5 months). Two additional patients had a complete response (CR) on CT while one had a partial response on CT. Achieving a CR was not associated with SUV prior to RT (p = 0.50) or PTV size (p = 0.62). In patients with stage IE disease, the ORR rate was 100% and there have been no distant failures to date. Fifteen of 17 patients were alive at last follow-up; two passed away of unrelated causes (one from Alzheimer's disease and one from recurrent squamous cell carcinoma).

CONCLUSION

Ultra-low dose radiation of 4 Gy is associated with excellent local control in the management of ENMZL of the lung and is very well tolerated. Four Gy was effective for local control and symptom palliation even for larger tumors and is an effective initial therapy as part of a response-adapted approach even in limited stage patients.

Characterization of Lymphopenia during Bridging Radiation Therapy Prior to CAR-T Cell Therapy in Patients with Aggressive B Cell Lymphomas

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Bridging RT (bRT) may be used as a strategy for disease control in patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B cell lymphoma treated with anti-CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CART). The correlation of treatment-related lymphopenia with adverse outcomes in patients has been widely documented in several malignancies. Here, we assessed lymphocyte kinetics during bRT and impact on clinical outcome.

MATERIALS/METHODS

After IRB-approval, records were retrospectively reviewed for adults with DLBCL who received bRT for axicabtagene ciloleucel 11/2017-12/2022. Clinical/treatment characteristics, lab values, and outcomes were extracted. ALC Δ RT was computed by subtracting pre-RT ALC from post-RT ALC count. Survival was modeled using Kaplan-Meier for events distributed over time, or binary logistic regression for disease response. Fisher's Exact Test or Mann-Whitney U methods were used.

RESULTS

Forty patients met inclusion criteria. Fourteen (35%) received bRT with systemic therapy. Thirty-two (80%) patients received bRT that started post-leukapheresis. bRT was delivered with a median dose of 30 Gy (range: 4-46) in 10 fractions (range: 2-23). Twenty-three patients (57.5%) had CR at 30 days post-CART infusion. Nine had PR (22.5%), and 8 patients (20%) had PD or SD. Median PFS was 8.9 months and median OS was 22 months. The pre-RT ALC mean ± SD was 0.74 ± 0.49 K/µL, and post-RT was 0.43 ± 0.35 K/µL. The absolute ALC Δ RT was 0.31 ± 0.43 K/µL, and ratio post-RT/pre-RT was 0.74 ± 0.64. Stratifying by receipt of bRT alone or with systemic therapy, there was no statistically significant difference in ALC count post-RT (chemoRT: 0.33 ± 0.23 vs. RT: 0.48 ± 0.4, p = 0.2), but there was a lower ALC count pre-RT in the chemoRT group (0.5 ± 0.3 vs. 0.87 ± 0.52 for RT alone, p = 0.02). Post-RT ALC was not significantly associated with CR/PR vs. PD/SD, or with DSS, PFS, or OS. A greater drop in ALC Δ RT trended towards association with improved 90-day response (p = 0.066), without correlation with DSS, OS, or response at 30 days. Median dose per fraction was lower among patients that got pre-leukapheresis RT (2.25 vs. 2.5, p = 0.04), but total dose of bRT or number of fractions was not significantly different. Otherwise, the groups were similar in terms of stage, disease bulk, or comprehensive vs. focal bRT. The average decrease in ALC post-RT for patients who received bRT prior to apheresis was 0.215 K/µL, compared to 0.268 K/µL for patients who received bRT post-apheresis (p = 0.75). Treatment with pre-leukapheresis bRT or ALC Δ RT among these patients were not associated with worse DFS, PFS, or OS (p>0.15).

CONCLUSION

Post-bRT ALC and reduction in ALC during bRT is not associated with worse treatment response or survival outcomes after CAR-T cell treatment in aggressive B cell lymphoma. Pre-leukapheresis bRT did not appear to substantially impact ALC, and ALC Δ RT among these patients were not associated with worse outcomes.

[Definition of severe pulmonary tuberculosis: a scoping review]

Objective: To clarify the definition of severe pulmonary tuberculosis and its inclusion criteria by summarizing and analyzing the studies of severe pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Methods: A systematic search of Medline (via PubMed), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Web of Science, Epistemonikos, Embase, CNKI, WanFang database, and CBM database was conducted to collect studies published between 2017 and 2022 on patients with severe pulmonary TB. Searches were performed using a combination of subject terms and free words. The search terms included: tuberculosis, severe, serious, intensive care, critical care, respiratory failure, mechanical ventilation, hospitalization, respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure, pulmonary heart disease, and pneumothorax. The definitions and inclusion criteria for severe pulmonary TB in the included studies were extracted. Results: A total of 19 981 studies were identified and 100 studies were finally included, involving 8 309 patients with severe pulmonary TB. A total of 8 (8.00%) studies explicitly mentioned the definition of severe pulmonary TB, and 53 (53.00%) studies clearly defined the inclusion criteria for patients with severe pulmonary TB. A total of 5 definitions and 30 inclusion criteria were extracted. A total of 132 dichotomous variables and 113 continuous variables were included in the outcome indicators related to patients with severe pulmonary TB of concern in the studies. Conclusions: The definition and diagnostic criteria for severe TB are unclear, and there is an urgent need to develop a clear definition and diagnostic criteria to guide clinical practice.

[Analysis of the international application of healthy life expectancy]

Healthy life expectancy is based on life expectancy to further identify the healthy component, moving the assessment threshold from the mortality to the whole life cycle, receiving more and more attention worldwide. Nowadays, it has become one of the core indicators of national major strategy and plan. As a comprehensive indicator of health measurement, healthy life expectancy is complicated and multi-dimensional. Different social and cultural backgrounds have different understandings of health and choose different measurement dimensions. Overall, although high-income countries have different choices in their national health plan, healthy life expectancy without activity restriction is by far the most widely used indicator. This paper reviewed the concept and application of healthy life expectancy systematically, drawing on international practical experience to provide reference for the establishment of a healthy life expectancy indicator system in line with the Chinese national conditions.

Constraints on Sub-GeV Dark Matter-Electron Scattering from the CDEX-10 Experiment

We present improved germanium-based constraints on sub-GeV dark matter via dark matter-electron (χ-e) scattering using the 205.4  kg·day dataset from the CDEX-10 experiment. Using a novel calculation technique, we attain predicted χ-e scattering spectra observable in high-purity germanium detectors. In the heavy mediator scenario, our results achieve 3 orders of magnitude of improvement for m_{χ} larger than 80  MeV/c^{2} compared to previous germanium-based χ-e results. We also present the most stringent χ-e cross-section limit to date among experiments using solid-state detectors for m_{χ} larger than 90  MeV/c^{2} with heavy mediators and m_{χ} larger than 100  MeV/c^{2} with electric dipole coupling. The result proves the feasibility and demonstrates the vast potential of a new χ-e detection method with high-purity germanium detectors in ultralow radioactive background.

Exotic Dark Matter Search with the CDEX-10 Experiment at China's Jinping Underground Laboratory

A search for exotic dark matter (DM) in the sub-GeV mass range has been conducted using 205 kg day data taken from a p-type point contact germanium detector of the CDEX-10 experiment at China's Jinping underground laboratory. New low-mass dark matter searching channels, neutral current fermionic DM absorption (χ+A→ν+A) and DM-nucleus 3→2 scattering (χ+χ+A→ϕ+A), have been analyzed with an energy threshold of 160 eVee. No significant signal was found; thus new limits on the DM-nucleon interaction cross section are set for both models at the sub-GeV DM mass region. A cross section limit for the fermionic DM absorption is set to be 2.5×10^{-46}  cm^{2} (90% C.L.) at DM mass of 10  MeV/c^{2}. For the DM-nucleus 3→2 scattering scenario, limits are extended to DM mass of 5 and 14  MeV/c^{2} for the massless dark photon and bound DM final state, respectively.

[Benefits and risks of prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent in patients with stable coronary artery disease and diabetes]

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT>1 year) in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes who were event-free at 1 year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent (DES) in a large and contemporary PCI registry. Methods: A total of 1 661 eligible patients were selected from the Fuwai PCI Registry, of which 1 193 received DAPT>1 year and 468 received DAPT ≤1 year. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 2, 3 or 5 bleeding, MACCE was defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction or stroke. Multivariate Cox regression analysis and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) Cox regression analysis were performed. Results: After a median follow-up of 2.5 years, patients who received DAPT>1 year were associated with lower risks of MACCE (1.4% vs. 3.2%; hazard ratio (HR) 0.412, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.205-0.827) compared with DAPT ≤1 year, which was primarily caused by the lower all-cause mortality (0.1% vs. 2.6%; HR 0.031, 95%CI 0.004-0.236). Risks of cardiac death (0.1% vs. 1.5%; HR 0.051, 95%CI 0.006-0.416) and definite/probable ST (0.3% vs. 1.1%; HR 0.218, 95%CI 0.052-0.917) were also lower in patients received DAPT>1 year than those received DAPT ≤ 1 year. No difference was found between the two groups in terms of BARC type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding (5.3% vs. 4.1%; HR 1.088, 95%CI 0.650-1.821). Conclusions: In patients with stable CAD and diabetes who were event-free at 1 year after PCI with DES, prolonged DAPT (>1 year) provides a substantial reduction in ischemic cardiovascular events, including MACCE, all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and definite/probable ST, without increasing the clinically relevant bleeding risk compared with ≤ 1-year DAPT. Further well-designed, large-scale randomized trials are needed to verify the beneficial effect of prolonged DAPT in this population.

[Clinical applicational comparison of digital impression and silicon rubber impression technique in posterior implant-supported single crown restoration]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect and satisfaction of partially edentulous patients restored with posterior implant-supported single crown by digital impression technique and traditional silicon rubber impression, in order to provide clinical reference. Methods: Sixty-four partially edentulous patients who visited the Department of Prosthodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University between March 2018 and January 2021 were enrolled. There were 31 male and 33 female, and the age of the group of patients was (49.3±13.3) years. The 113 implants placed in this group of patients were divided into digital impression group (n=70) and silicone rubber impression group (n=43) according to different impression techniques, and were restored with screw-retained full zirconia single crown, and the patients were followed up for 3-36 months after treatment. The implant survival rate, upper prosthesis, peri-implant soft tissue status, marginal bone loss and patients satisfaction were recorded to evaluate the clinical effects of two impression techniques in posterior implant-supported single crown. Results: In sixty-four patients, digital impression accounted for 62% (40/64), and silicon rubber impression accounted for 38% (24/64), the survival rate of 113 implants was 100% (113/113). The prevalence of interproximal contact loss, food impaction and mechanical complication of the upper full zirconia single crown restorations were 22.7% (41/181), 8.0% (9/113) and 2.7% (3/113) separately. All the mechanical complications were abutment screw loosening. All patients maintained good oral hygiene status, the incidences of peri-implantitis and peri-implant mucositis were 0.9% (1/113) and 4.4% (5/113) respectively. The marginal bone loss was (0.24±0.11) mm. The median of satisfaction visual analogue scale score in patients was 9-10, but no statistically significant differences of all the above results were observed between the two impression techniques (P>0.05). Conclusions: The clinical effect of partially edentulous patients restored with posterior implant-supported single crown using two different impression techniques is good and the satisfaction of patients is high, but the long-term clinical effect remains to be further observed.

Photoluminescence and magnetism integrated multifunctional black phosphorus probes through controllable PO bond orbital hybridization

Biological probes with integrated photoluminescence and magnetism characteristics play a critical role in modern clinical diagnosis and surgical protocols combining fluorescence optical imaging (FOI) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. However, traditional magnetic semiconductors can easily generate a spin splitting at the Fermi level and half-metallic electronic occupation, which will sharply reduce the radiation recombination efficiency of photogenerated carriers. To overcome this intrinsic contradiction, we propose a controllable oxidation strategy to introduce some particular PO bonds into black phosphorus nanosheets, in which the p orbital hybridization between P and O atoms not only provides some carrier recombination centers but also leads to a room-temperature spin polarization. As a result, the coexistence of photoluminescence and magnetism is realized in multifunctional black phosphorus probes with excellent biocompatibility. This work provides a new insight into integrating photoluminescence and magnetism together by intriguing atomic orbital hybridization.

MicroRNA-543 inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of triple-negative breast cancer cells via down-regulation of ACTL6A gene

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect of microRNA-543 (miR-543) on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, and the associated mechanism.

METHODS

Human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231, HCC1937, and MCF-7, ZR-75-1) and normal human breast epithelial cell line (MCF10A) were transfected with miR-543 mimics or inhibitor using lipofectamine 2000. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to determine the mRNA and protein expression levels of miR-543, actin-like protein 6A (ACTL6A), vimentin, Snail, and E-cadherin in breast cancer cells/tissue. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), wound-healing, and Transwell assays were used to measure the effect of miR-543 on TNBC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Overall survival was determined using data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter gene assay were used to determine the regulatory effect of miR-543 on ACTL6A.

RESULTS

The level of expression of miR-543 was significantly lower in breast cancer cells/tissue than in normal human breast epithelial cell/tissue (p < 0.05). MicroRNA-543 expression level was significantly reduced in TNBC cells/tissue, relative to the other breast cancer cells/normal breast tissue (p < 0.05). MicroRNA-543 significantly suppressed tumor growth and the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of TNBC cells, in mouse xenograft model (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

miR-543 influences the biological behavior of TNBC cells by directly targeting ACTL6A gene. miR-543 could serve as a novel diagnostic and therapeutic target for TNBC.

The Analysis of Drug-Resistant Gene Mutations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by GeneChip in Lianyungang, China

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) has raised major global health concerns, especially for that caused by drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). The control of TB was hampered by time-consuming and insensitive diagnostic methods. GeneChip analysis is a rapid method for screening and identifying the gene mutations of M. tuberculosis. However, there was little relevant information about GeneChip analysis of M. tuberculosis in China.

METHODS

To compare the performance of GeneChip analysis in the diagnosis of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis with traditional drug susceptibility testing (DST), 1,747 sputum specimens from 2014 to 2016 in Lianyungang of China were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

GeneChip analysis showed that the gene mutation site of M. tuberculosis to RFP resistance was 46.37% in rpoB 531 (TCG→TTG), and INH resistance was 69.89% in katG 315 (AGC→ACC). There was not significant different between GeneChip analysis and DST in detecting the resistance of M. tuberculosis to RPF or INH.

CONCLUSIONS

GeneChip analysis could be regarded as a rapid and recommended method for early screening and identifying the drug resistance of M. tuberculosis.

Lower-caloric intake but different nutrient profiles in cognition impaired and in frail elderlies

Background

Frailty and dementia are two common geriatric syndromes associated with poor nutritional status. The nutritional role in the pathogenesis of frailty and dementia remains unclear. We examined the associations between energy intake and frailty/cognition impairment and also compared the nutrient intake between frail and cognition impaired elderlies by sex.

Methods

Data of 1,920 elderly adults (≧65y) from the 2014-2017 Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan was used. Frailty was defined using modified L. Fried criteria. The Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination score was grouped into tertiles: cognitive impairment (score ≦ 23), mild cognitive impairment (score = 24-27), and the normal (score ≧28). Total energy intake was grouped into tertiles. Logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, and sampling strata was used for association test. The trend test was performed using generalized linear model with age adjustment to examine whether various nutrient intake indicators had an ordered relationship with the severity of frailty and cognitive impairment.

Results

Lower energy intake (men &lt;1540 Kcal or women&lt;1182 Kcal) was significantly associated with frailty (odds ratio [OR]: 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.45-2.66) and cognition impairment (OR: 1.88; 95%CI: 1.43-2.47), respectively. Larger number of micronutrients and food substances per Kg body weight exhibited decreasing trends with MCI (protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, E, Ca, P, Fe, Mg, K, Zn, dietary fiber, and cholesterol) than with frailty (protein, vitamin B1, B3, B6, C, P, Mg, K, Zn, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and dietary fiber).

Conclusions

The lower the energy intake, the higher the odds ratio for frailty and for dementia. Dietary quality expressed by nutrient intake per Kg body weight was poorer in elderlies with cognition impairment than those with frailty.

Key messages

Lower energy intake is associated with MCI and with frailty, respectively. The MCI elderlies involve more micronutrient deficiencies than the frail counterpart.

EBV Rta-induced IL-6 Promotes Migration of Bystander Tumor Cells Through IL-6R/JAK/STAT3 Pathway In Vitro

BACKGROUND/AIM

Rta, a transactivator of Epstein-Barr virus, is associated with progression of nasopharyngel carcinoma (NPC); however, its mechanism of contribution to the pathogenesis of NPC remains unclear. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a tumor promoter, is detected in NPC. This in vitro study examined whether and how Rta promotes NPC progression by up-regulating IL-6.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative real-time PCR, ELISA, immunoblotting assays, reporter gene assays, and transwell migration assays were performed.

RESULTS

In NPC cells, Rta up-regulated IL-6 expression at the mRNA and protein levels, and the Rta's C-terminus was essential for promoter activation and expression of IL-6. The induction of IL-6 by Rta also required activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and activator protein-1. Furthermore, IL-6 secreted from Rta-expressing NPC cells promoted migration of Rta-negative NPC cells by activating IL-6 receptor/Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway.

CONCLUSION

Rta contributes to progression of NPC cells through induction of IL-6 in vitro.

Direct Detection Constraints on Dark Photons with the CDEX-10 Experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

We report constraints on the dark photon effective kinetic mixing parameter (κ) with data taken from two p-type point-contact germanium detectors of the CDEX-10 experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. The 90% confidence level upper limits on κ of solar dark photon from 205.4 kg-day exposure are derived, probing new parameter space with masses (m_{V}) from 10 to 300  eV/c^{2} in direct detection experiments. Considering dark photon as the cosmological dark matter, limits at 90% confidence level with m_{V} from 0.1 to 4.0  keV/c^{2} are set from 449.6 kg-day data, with a minimum of κ=1.3×10^{-15} at m_{V}=200  eV/c^{2}.

[Authorization, translation, back translation and language modification of the Chinese version of the obturator functioning scale]

Objective: To cross-cultural adapt the English version of obturator functioning scale (OFS) to form a simplified Chinese version, to preliminarily verify its reliability and validity in clinic, and to provide an effective tool for evaluating the oral function and quality of life of patients with palatal defect and restored with obturators in China. Methods: The English version of the OFS was taken for forward translation, synthesis, back-translation, and reviewed by expert committee to develop a pre-testing simplified Chinese version. This scale contained demographic data, basic information of diseases, eating problems dimensions (3 items), speech problems dimensions (5 items), and other problems dimensions (7 items). From December, 2016 to December, 2018, forty-two patients who were treated in the Department of Prosthodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University with palatal defect and restored with obturators were evaluated with OFS. Among them, there were 26 males, and 21-84 years old, and 16 females, who were 24-80 years old.The reliability and validity of the data were examined and analyzed. Results: The results showed that Cronbach's α coefficients of the overall scale and the three dimensions (eating problems, speech problems, and other problems) were 0.926, 0.938, 0.930, and 0.935, respectively. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was very good. The Spearman coefficients between each single dimension and the total score were 0.677, 0.792, and 0.860, respectively, suggesting that the scale convergence was good. The content validity index of 15 items was 0.905, indicating that the content validity was very good. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the OFS is exhibiting high reliability and validity, providing an effective evaluation tool of oral function and quality of life for Chinese patients with obturator prostheses to restore palate defects.

Search for Light Weakly-Interacting-Massive-Particle Dark Matter by Annual Modulation Analysis with a Point-Contact Germanium Detector at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

We present results on light weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) searches with annual modulation (AM) analysis on data from a 1-kg mass p-type point-contact germanium detector of the CDEX-1B experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. Datasets with a total live time of 3.2 yr within a 4.2-yr span are analyzed with analysis threshold of 250 eVee. Limits on WIMP-nucleus (χ-N) spin-independent cross sections as function of WIMP mass (m_{χ}) at 90% confidence level (C.L.) are derived using the dark matter halo model. Within the context of the standard halo model, the 90% C.L. allowed regions implied by the DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT AM-based analysis are excluded at >99.99% and 98% C.L., respectively. These results correspond to the best sensitivity at m_{χ}<6  GeV/c^{2} among WIMP AM measurements to date.

Constraints on Spin-Independent Nucleus Scattering with sub-GeV Weakly Interacting Massive Particle Dark Matter from the CDEX-1B Experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

We report results on the searches of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with sub-GeV masses (m_{χ}) via WIMP-nucleus spin-independent scattering with Migdal effect incorporated. Analysis on time-integrated (TI) and annual modulation (AM) effects on CDEX-1B data are performed, with 737.1 kg day exposure and 160 eVee threshold for TI analysis, and 1107.5 kg day exposure and 250 eVee threshold for AM analysis. The sensitive windows in m_{χ} are expanded by an order of magnitude to lower DM masses with Migdal effect incorporated. New limits on σ_{χN}^{SI} at 90% confidence level are derived as 2×10^{-32}∼7×10^{-35}  cm^{2} for TI analysis at m_{χ}∼50-180  MeV/c^{2}, and 3×10^{-32}∼9×10^{-38}  cm^{2} for AM analysis at m_{χ}∼75  MeV/c^{2}-3.0  GeV/c^{2}.

The Diagnostic Performance of Urine Flow Cytometer UF1000i for Urinary Tract Infections

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases in clinic. Urine flow cytometry is receiving more and more attention due to its rapid forecast of UTIs.

METHODS

The Urine Flow Cytometer UF1000i has a series of software programs to quantify bacteria (BACT) and white blood cells (WBC), and describe the scatter diagram of bacteria. The UTIs were predicted based on the cutoff values with the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves of BACT and WBC counts. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of UF1000i for UTIs, the sensitivity and specificity of 889 urine samples were determined in comparison to the results of urine culture. Meanwhile the bacterial morphology indication of the UF1000i was evaluated in order to help doctors choose antibiotics. The angle of the scatter cloud with the x-axis was used to classify the infected bacteria as bacilli (< 30°) or cocci (≥ 30°).

RESULTS

The best cutoff value of BACT counts for predicting UTIs was 119 per µL, and the sensitivity and specificity were 95.5% and 88.7%, respectively. While the best cutoff value of WBC counts was 81.5 per µL, and the sensitivity and specificity were 77.6% and 76.7%, respectively. In addition, the best cutoff values for females were 583 BACT per µL and 137.5 WBC per µL. They were much higher than for males (118 BACT per µL and 91 WBC per µL). The coincidence of the bacterial morphology information between the UF1000i software indication and the bacterial actual morphology identified by urine culture was 83% (bacilli) and 68% (cocci), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Data demonstrated that the performance of BACT counts for UTIs is superior to WBC counts. In addition, the bacterial morphology could preliminarily be predicated by the scatter diagram. Since the urine flow cytometer UF1000i can provide the data of both BACT counts and the scatter diagram, the urine flow cytometry was regarded as a suitable method for screening UTIs. Moreover, it would be better to take gender into consideration when setting the best cutoff value for diagnosis of UTIs in clinic.

[Application of multi-group structural equation model in comparative study of HBM related to recreational physical activity among population with high risk of chronic diseases and healthy people]

OBJECTIVE

To explore mechanism of health beliefs by application of health belief model (HBM) and structural equation modeling (SEM) with regard to recreational physical activity (PA), to identify the differences of among population with high risk of chronic diseases and healthy people, and to provide the specific interventions of recreational physical activity and reference for health relevant policy-making in the future.

METHODS

A total of 2 736 residents with high risk of chronic diseases and 1 514 healthy people were involved. A questionnaire survey, physical examination and biochemical examination were conducted. The questionnaire based on HBM had acceptable validity and reliability. The proposed model based on the total sample size of the two groups was developed using the structural equation modeling and multi-comparison in the ways of appearance and parameters were also validated.

RESULTS

The median amount of recreational (PA) among population with high risk of chronic diseases and healthy people were 0.0 thousand-step equivalent with quartile of (0.0, 4.6) and 0.0 thousand-step equivalent with quartile of (0.0, 4.0) respectively. The results of SEM suggested that the direct effects of perceived objective barriers (β=-0.245), perceived subjective barriers (β=-0.057), cues to action (β=-0.043) and self-efficacy (β=0.117) on recreational (PA) were significant. Self-efficacy was the most important mediator. The multi-group comparisons indicated that the models of the two groups had the same appearance but the parameters between them were significant (δ χ²=27.4, P<0.05). The multi-group structural equation model (MSEM) indicated that two paths from cues to action and from perceived subjective barriers to recreational (PA) were not statistically significant among the population with high-risk of chronic diseases. In the two groups, one path coefficient from perceived objective barriers to subjective barriers (P=0.007) was statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The recreational (PA) levels of both groups were lower. Health beliefs on recreational (PA) of the two groups played different roles and some paths were also different. Therefore, specific interventions and strategies should be developed for different people. For residents with high risk of chronic diseases, much more attention should be paid to reduce the objective and subjective barriers of recreational physical activity and to improve self-efficacy so as to delay or prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases and then to improve the quality of life of this kind of population.

[Efficacy and safety of low-dose levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system in Chinese women: a multicenter, single-arm, open labeled interventional trial]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, bleeding profile and safety of low-dose levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS 8) in Chinese healthy women of childbearing age. Methods: A multi-center, open-label, single-arm clinical trial conducted at 16 centres in China enrolled 773 healthy women of childbearing age (mean age 31.6 years old, range 18 to 40 years old) , who demanded contraception, from April 2006 to June 2013. All women placed LNG-IUS 8 for 3 years and then been followed up at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36 months. The efficacy variables including pregnancy rate and expulsion rate were analyzed using life table, while observing adverse events (AE) to evaluate the safety. The bleeding profile happened during the study was assessed using 90-day reference intervals (World Health Organization criteria) . Results: Eight pregnancies occurred among 773 women, resulting in a overall Pearl index of 0.42 per 100 women years. The 3-year cumulative pregnancy rate was 0.37 per 100 women years and the 3-year cumulative expulsion rate was 1.99 per 100 women years. The number of women with bleeding/spotting reduced and the bleeding/spotting days declined over time. Totally 219 AE were reported related to LNG-IUS 8 placements. The most common AE were vaginal bleeding (8.2%, 63/773) and the ovarian cyst (6.2%, 52/773) . LNG-IUS 8 had an improving effect on dysmenorrhea that the percentage of women with dysmenorrhea as well as the days of dysmenorrhea decreased over time. The percentage of women satisfied or very satisfied with LNG-IUS 8 was 87.2% (622/713) . Conclusion: LNG-IUS 8 is highly effective and safe for Chinese healthy women of childbearing age.

Limits on Light Weakly Interacting Massive Particles from the First 102.8 kg×day Data of the CDEX-10 Experiment

We report the first results of a light weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) search from the CDEX-10 experiment with a 10 kg germanium detector array immersed in liquid nitrogen at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory with a physics data size of 102.8 kg day. At an analysis threshold of 160 eVee, improved limits of 8×10^{-42} and 3×10^{-36}  cm^{2} at a 90% confidence level on spin-independent and spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon cross sections, respectively, at a WIMP mass (m_{χ}) of 5  GeV/c^{2} are achieved. The lower reach of m_{χ} is extended to 2  GeV/c^{2}.

Analysis on the local structures for 3d1 impurities (Ti3+ and V4+ ) in KTiPO4

Making use of the perturbation formulae for 3d¹ ions (Ti³⁺ and V⁴⁺ ) under orthorhombically compressed octahedra, the spin Hamiltonian parameters (g factors: g_x , g_y , g_z and hyperfine structure constants: A_x , A_y , A_z ) and local structures of the 3d¹ impurity centres C₁ , C₂ , and C₃ in KTiOPO₄ crystals are theoretically analyzed in a consistent way. The remarkable local distortions (i.e., the relative axial compression ratios 11.2%, 7.0%, and 5.5% along Z axis and the relative planar bond length variation ratios 15.9%, 7.0%, and 6.0%) are obtained for the [Ti2O₆ ]^9- cluster on Ti2 site and [VO₆ ]^8- clusters on Ti1 and Ti2 sites, respectively, in view of the Jahn-Teller effect. The above local orthorhombic distortion parameters in the impurity centres are found to be more significant than the host Ti1 and Ti2 sites in pure KTiOPO₄ . The sequences (C₁  > C₂  > C₃ ) of the local orthorhombic distortion parameters ρ and τ are in accordance with those of the axial and perpendicular anisotropies Δg and δg of g factors, respectively.

Structural responses of metallic glasses under neutron irradiation

Seeking nuclear materials that possess a high resistance to particle irradiation damage is a long-standing issue. Permanent defects, induced by irradiation, are primary structural changes, the accumulation of which will lead to structural damage and performance degradation in crystalline materials served in nuclear plants. In this work, structural responses of neutron irradiation in metallic glasses (MGs) have been investigated by making a series of experimental measurements, coupled with simulations in ZrCu amorphous alloys. It is found that, compared with crystalline alloys, MGs have some specific structural responses to neutron irradiation. Although neutron irradiation can induce transient vacancy-like defects in MGs, they are fully annihilated after structural relaxation by rearrangement of free volumes. In addition, the rearrangement of free volumes depends strongly on constituent elements. In particular, the change in free volumes occurs around the Zr atoms, rather than the Cu centers. This implies that there is a feasible strategy for identifying glassy materials with high structural stability against neutron irradiation by tailoring the microstructures, the systems, or the compositions in alloys. This work will shed light on the development of materials with high irradiation resistance.

[Association between expression of plasma miRNA and the risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of distribution and expression profiles of plasma miRNA in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (cALL) patients; the association between cALL incidence risk and plasma miRNA levels; the feasibility of plasma miRNA serving as cALL diagnostic biomarker. Methods: A total of 111 pairs of newly diagnosed cALL patients and patients with fractures were collected from Shenzhen Children's Hospital, China, between January 2015 and November 2016. Age and sex of the cases and controls were 1∶ 1 matched and LNA(TM) miRNA microarray was performed using 4 pairs of cALL and controls selected from the sample population. The expression level of miRNA was validated by real time quantitative PCR. Conditional logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate the association between miRNA expression levels and the incidence risk of cALL. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and reclassification analysis were conducted to assess the feasibility of miRNAs serving as biomarkers for cALL. Results: A total of 204 differentially expressed miRNA were screened out and let-7f-5p, miR-5100, miR-25-3p and miR-3654 were selected for validation identified according to the inclusion criteria. The expression levels of let-7f-5p, miR-5100 and miR-25-3p in the cALL patients were significantly lower than those of the controls (P<0.01). After adjusting for confounding factors, 3 miRNAs remained significantly associated with the risk of cALL (OR and 95%CI were 0.84 (0.76-0.92), 0.81 (0.73-0.90) and 0.81 (0.74-0.89), respectively. Results from both the ROC analysis and reclassification analysis showed that introduction of one or more miRNA to traditional risk factors improved the area under the curve (P<0.05) and provided additional values to diagnosis (P<0.01). Conclusion: The expression levels of let-7f-5p, miR-5100 and miR-25-3p were significantly associated with the incidence rate of cALL, and these miRNAs might serve as promising biomarkers for cALL.

[Association of exposure to environmental chemicals with risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to environmental chemicals and the risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia(cALL). Methods: A case-controlled study was conducted in Shenzhen Children's Hospital, China from January 2015 to January 2016. The cases were selected from the section of Hematology and Oncology, and the controls were selected from Orthopedics by 1∶2 matching of cases according to sex and age. A questionnaire including population data and chemical exposure characteristics was conducted on the children's parents, and urine and EDTA-blood were collected from the children. Then, we quantitatively measured the internal dose of formaldehyde(i.e., formaldehyde-human serum albumin)by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the doses of metabolites benzene, toluene, and xylene(i.e., trans-muconic acid, hippuric acid, and methylhippuric acid)by high-performance liquid chromatography. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationships between exposure factors measured from children and their parents and cALL. Results: In the study, 71 cases(average age: 6.08±3.61 years), and 142 controls(average age: 5.91±3.57 years)were assessed; there were no differences in general demographics between two groups. The self-reported results showed that living in a home that had been painted in the past 10 years(OR=4.39, 95% CI: 1.87-10.31), maternal chemical exposure during pregnancy(OR=11.78, 95% CI: 1.65-83.88), paternal diesel or gasoline exposure(OR=8.15, 95% CI: 2.68-24.83), paternal dye exposure(OR=7.77, 95% CI: 1.52-39.67)and trash burning near the child's residence(OR=6.08, 95% CI: 1.17-31.66)were associated with increased risk of cALL. The positive detection rates of only benzene metabolites were significantly higher in cases(40/44)than controls(81/111)(χ²=5.92, P=0.021). The median formaldehyde and benzene concentrations in cases(32.120 pg/ml, 2.505 μg/gCr)were significantly higher than those in controls(18.705 pg/ml, 0.672 μg/gCr; Z values:-1.98 and-3.95, P values: 0.047 and<0.001, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that benzene exposure(OR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.00-1.19), home painting in the past 10 years(OR=3.56, 95% CI: 1.20-10.53)and paternal diesel or gasoline exposure(OR= 3.75, 95% CI: 1.06-13.22)were associated with increased risk of cALL. Conclusion: A variety of environmental chemistry factors, such as benzene exposure, increase the risk of cALL, and further studies are warranted to explore their specific roles.

Sample-to-answer on molecular diagnosis of bacterial infection using integrated lab--on--a--disc

Sepsis by bacterial infection causes high mortality in patients in intensive care unit (ICU). Rapid identification of bacterial infection is essential to ensure early appropriate administration of antibiotics to save lives of patients, yet the present benchtop molecular diagnosis is time-consuming and labor-intensive, which limits the treatment efficiency especially when the number of samples to be tested is extensive. Therefore, we hereby report a microfluidic platform lab-on-a-disc (LOAD) to provide a sample-to-answer solution. Our LOAD customized design of microfluidic channels allows automation to mimic sequential analytical steps in benchtop environment. It relies on a simple but controllable centrifugation force for the actuation of samples and reagents. Our LOAD system performs three major functions, namely DNA extraction, isothermal DNA amplification and real-time signal detection, in a predefined sequence. The disc is self-contained for conducting sample heating with chemical lysis buffer and silica microbeads are employed for DNA extraction from clinical specimens. Molecular diagnosis of specific target bacteria DNA sequences is then performed using a real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) with SYTO-9 as the signal reporter. Our LOAD system capable of bacterial identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) and Acinetobacter baumanii (Ab) with the detection limits 103cfu/mL TB in sputum and 102cfu/mL Ab in blood within 2h after sample loading. The reported LOAD based on an integrated approach should address the growing needs for rapid point-of-care medical diagnosis in ICU.

[Corneal astigmatism among 2 085 age-related cataract patients before surgery]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and distribution of corneal astigmatism before surgery among age-related cataract patients in the Hubei area. Methods: Retrospective study. From January 1, 2012 to July 31, 2016, IOL Master measurements of all qualified cataract surgery candidates were retrospectively collected. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to assess the degree, distribution and type of corneal astigmatism. Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test was used to evaluate the normal distribution of variables. One-way analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied for the comparison of variance for normally and non-normally distributed quantitative data among different age groups. Spearman's rank test was used to assess the relationship between age and corneal astigmatism. Results: The mean age of the 2 085 patients (3 586 eyes) involved was (73.1±9.43) years old, with more women (58.3%) than men. The mean value of corneal curvature was 44.33 D (95%CI: 44.28-44.39), and the mean corneal astigmatism was 1.06 D (range, 0.05 D to 6.74 D). K-S test indicated the distribution of corneal curvature was normal (P=0.18), while corneal astigmatism did not obey the normal distribution (P<0.01). Corneal astigmatism was between 0.25 D and 1.25 D in 67.7% of the eyes, >1.25 D in 29.7%, and<0.25 D in 4.2%. Corneal astigmatism degree increased with the age increase (P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in corneal astigmatism between women and men (P=0.075). However, women had steeper corneal curvatures than men with statistical difference (P<0.01). Corneal astigmatism with the rule was observed in 29.0% of the eyes, while astigmatism against the rule was found in 53.0%. And astigmatism against the rule increased with age. Conclusion: Corneal astigmatism mostly distributes between 0.25 D and 1.25 D in age-related cataract patients who lived in Hubei. Corneal astigmatism degree increased with age, and the dominant type was astigmatism against the rule. There was no difference in astigmatism between men and women patients aged 50 years and above, but in 70- to 79-year-old patients, women had a higher astigmatism degree than men. The corneal curvature of women was steeper than men in general and in each age group. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 522-527).

[Association between hypertension and serum microRNA21 and microRNA133a in ocean seamen]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of hypertension in ocean seamen and major influencing factors, as well as the association between hypertension and serum microRNA21 and microRNA133a.

METHODS

Health examination and a questionnaire survey were performed for 780 ocean seamen who underwent physical examination in an international travel healthcare center in Fujian, China from January to June, 2014. TaqMan RT-qPCR was used to measure the serum levels of microRNA21 and microRNA133a in seamen with hypertension.

RESULTS

The prevalence of hypertension differed significantly between the ocean seamen with different ages, education levels, marital status, body mass index (BMI) values, drinking frequencies, and numbers of sailing years (P<0.05). The prevalence rate of hypertension in the ocean seamen increased with the increasing drinking frequency (χ(2)=9.02, P<0.05) , decreased with the increase in degree of education (χ(2)=11.578, P<0.05) , and increased with the increase in the number of sailing years (χ(2)=28.06, P<0.05). The hypertensive ocean seamen had significantly higher expression levels of microRNA21 and MicroRNA133a than the healthy ocean seamen (microRNA21: 7.87±5.46 vs 1.03±0.80, P<0.05; MicroRNA133a: 7.45±1.94 vs 4.52±1.15, P<0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that a high level of microRNA21 (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.22~2.11) , a high level of microRNA133a (OR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.24~1.87) , drinking (OR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.08~2.50) , overweight based on BMI (OR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.07~1.30) , and many sailing years (OR=2.89, 95% CI: 1.14~7.30) were risk factors for hypertension.

CONCLUSION

The prevention and treatment of hypertension in ocean seamen should be enhanced. Excessive drinking should be controlled, and sailing time should be arranged reasonably. The microRNA21 and microRNA133a may be associated with the development and progression of hypertension in ocean seamen.

[Physical activity level and its influence factors among residents in one suburb district of Beijing]

OBJECTIVE

To study the physical activity level and its influence factors among residents in one suburb of Beijing, so as to provide specific interventions for different people in different circumstances and to provide reference for health relevant policy-making in the future.

METHODS

In the study, 7 319 subjects aged 18 years or above were involved. The self-designed questionnaires based on Health Belief Model (HBM) had acceptable validity and reliability. The physical activity levels were calculated to classify sufficient or insufficient amount by a thousand-step equivalent greater than or equal to 6 or 10. Multiple variable Logistic regression was used to explore the influence factors of the physical activity among the residents.

RESULTS

The residents' median amount of physical activity in the suburb district of Beijing were 9.1 thousand-step equivalent with quartile of (3.8, 20.4). The percentages of the thousand-step equivalent greater than or equal to 6 or 10 were 63.7% and 47.7%, respectively. The median amounts of physical activity from work or household chores, transportation and recreation physical activities were 4.0, 1.0, 0.0 and the components of the total amount of physical activity from those were 61.7%, 18.3% and 20.1%, respectively. There were 8.6% residents whose life did notinvolve moderate or vigorous intensity activities. By using factor analysis, five factors were extracted from the scale based on the HBM; These factors together contributed to 63.7% of the sum of the squared loadings. The differences of physical activity levels on education level, age, gender, self-efficacy, cues, subjective and objective barriers were statistically significant (P<0.05).Those who were female, with older age, lower education level, higher self-efficacy, fewer cues, fewer subjective and objective barriers preferred to do more physical activities.

CONCLUSION

The physical activity levels among the residents in the suburb district of Beijing are moderate and high, and most amount of physical activities from work or household chores. Those who are male and whose ages are from 18 to 29 years and whose education levels are of university or above should be focused on intervention. Specific interventions should be developed for different people in different situations; More attention should be paid to improve the residents' self-efficacy and reduce the subjective and objective barriers of physical activity, and we also should actively advocate people to have more leisure exercise so as to improve the physical activity level among all residents.

Hypoxia-upregulated microRNA-630 targets Dicer, leading to increased tumor progression

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that affect cellular processes by controlling gene expression. Recent studies have shown that hypoxia downregulates Drosha and Dicer, key enzymes in miRNA biogenesis, causing a decreased pool of miRNAs in cancer and resulting in increased tumor growth and metastasis. Here we demonstrate a previously unrecognized mechanism by which hypoxia downregulates Dicer. We found that miR-630, which is upregulated under hypoxic conditions, targets and downregulates Dicer expression. In an orthotopic mouse model of ovarian cancer, delivery of miR-630 using 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) nanoliposomes resulted in increased tumor growth and metastasis, and decreased Dicer expression. Treatment with the combination of anti-miR-630 and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody in mice resulted in rescue of Dicer expression and significantly decreased tumor growth and metastasis. These results indicate that targeting miR-630 is a promising approach to overcome Dicer deregulation in cancer. As demonstrated in the study, use of DOPC nanoliposomes for anti-miR delivery serves as a better alternative approach to cell line-based overexpression of sense or antisense miRNAs, while avoiding potential in vitro selection effects. Findings from this study provide a new understanding of miRNA biogenesis downregulation observed under hypoxia and suggest therapeutic avenues to target this dysregulation in cancer.

Low-dimensional boron structures based on icosahedron B₁₂

One-dimensional icosahedral boron chains and two-dimensional icosahedral boron sheets (icosahedral α, δ6, and δ4 sheets) that contain icosahedra B12 as their building units have been predicted in a computer simulation study using a state-of-the-art semi-empirical Hamiltonian. These novel low-dimensional icosahedral structures exhibit interesting bonding and electronic properties. Specifically, the three-center, two-electron bonding between icosahedra B12 of the boron bulk (rhombohedral boron) transforms into a two-center bonding in these new allotropes of boron sheets. In contrast to the previously reported stable buckled α and triangular boron monolayer sheets, these new allotropes of boron sheets form a planar network. Calculations of electronic density of states (DOS) reveal a semiconducting nature for both the icosahedral chain and the icosahedral δ6 and δ4 sheets, as well as a nearly gapless (or metallic-like) feature in the DOS for the icosahedral α sheet. The results for the energy barrier per atom between the icosahedral δ6 and α sheets (0.17 eV), the icosahedral δ6 and δ4 sheets (0.38 eV), and the icosahedral α and δ4 sheets (0.27 eV), as indicated in the respective parentheses, suggest that these new allotropes of boron sheets are relatively stable.

A non-PCR SPR platform using RNase H to detect MicroRNA 29a-3p from throat swabs of human subjects with influenza A virus H1N1 infection

As in all RNA viruses, influenza viruses change and mutate constantly because their RNA polymerase has no proofreading ability. This poses a serious threat to public health nowadays. In addition, traditional pathogen-based detection methods may not be able to report an infection from an unknown type or a subtype of virus if its nucleotide sequence is not known. Because of these factors, targeting host microRNA signatures may be an alternative to classify infections and distinguish types of pathogens as microRNAs are produced in humans shortly after infection. Although this approach is in its infant stage, there is an urgent need to develop a rapid reporter assay for microRNA for disease control and prevention. As a proof of concept, we report herein for the first time a non-PCR MARS (MicroRNA-RNase-SPR) assay to detect the microRNA miR-29a-3p from human subjects infected with influenza virus H1N1 by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). In our MARS assay, RNase H is employed to specifically hydrolyze the RNA probes immobilized on the gold surface where they hybridize with its cognate target cDNAs miR-29a-3p, where it was formed from reverse transcription with mature miR-29a-3p specific stem-looped primers. After the digestion of the RNA probe by RNase H, the intact cDNA was released from the RNA-DNA hybrid and bound to a new RNA probe for another enzymatic reaction cycle to amplify signals. With assay optimization, the detection limit of our MARS assay for miR-29a-3p was found to be 1 nM, and this new assay could be completed within 1 hour without thermal cycling. This non-PCR assay with high selectivity for mature microRNA provides a new platform for rapid disease diagnosis, quarantine and disease control.

Next generation of the self-consistent and environment-dependent Hamiltonian: Applications to various boron allotropes from zero- to three-dimensional structures

An upgrade of the previous self-consistent and environment-dependent linear combination of atomic orbitals Hamiltonian (referred as SCED-LCAO) has been developed. This improved version of the semi-empirical SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian, in addition to the inclusion of self-consistent determination of charge redistribution, multi-center interactions, and modeling of electron-electron correlation, has taken into account the effect excited on the orbitals due to the atomic aggregation. This important upgrade has been subjected to a stringent test, the construction of the SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian for boron. It was shown that the Hamiltonian for boron has successfully characterized the electron deficiency of boron and captured the complex chemical bonding in various boron allotropes, including the planar and quasi-planar, the convex, the ring, the icosahedral, and the fullerene-like clusters, the two-dimensional monolayer sheets, and the bulk alpha boron, demonstrating its transferability, robustness, reliability, and predictive power. The molecular dynamics simulation scheme based on the Hamiltonian has been applied to explore the existence and the energetics of ∼230 compact boron clusters BN with N in the range from ∼100 to 768, including the random, the rhombohedral, and the spherical icosahedral structures. It was found that, energetically, clusters containing whole icosahedral B12 units are more stable for boron clusters of larger size (N > 200). The ease with which the simulations both at 0 K and finite temperatures were completed is a demonstration of the efficiency of the SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian.

Agronomically important thrips: development of species-specific primers in multiplex PCR and microarray assay using internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequences for identification

Thrips, the sole vector of plant Tospovirus, are major pests of many agricultural crops throughout the world. Molecular approaches have been applied in recent decades to identify these minute and morphologically difficult to distinguish insects. In this study, sequences of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region of 15 agronomically important thrips, including several virus transmission species, have been analyzed in order to design species-specific primers for multiplex PCR and probes for microarray assay. That the ITS1 sequence distances within species were smaller than those among species suggests that the ITS1 fragment can be used for thrips species identification. The specificity and stability of these primers, combined with universal paired primers, were tested and verified in multiplex PCR. Using these specific primers as probes, microarray assay showed that PCR products of all thrips species hybridized consistently to their corresponding probes, though some signals were weak. We have demonstrated that multiplex PCR using specific primers based on ITS1 sequences is a simple, reliable, and cost-effective diagnostic tool for thrips species identification. Moreover, the DNA microarray assay is expected to extend into a reliable high-throughput screening tool for the vast numbers of thrips.

An Electronic Nursing Patient Care Plan Helps in Clinical Decision Support

Information technology can help to improve health care delivery. The utilisation of informatics principle enhances the quality of nursing practices through improved communication, documentation and efficiency. The Nursing Profession constitutes 34% of the total workforce in the Hong Kong Hospital Authority (HA) and includes 21,000 nurses in 2012. To enhance the quality of care and patient safety in both hospitals and community care setting, it is essential that an integrated electronic decision support system for nurses is designed to track documentation and support care or service including observations, decisions, actions and outcomes throughout the care process at each point-of-care. The Patient Care Plan project was set up to achieve these objectives. The Project adheres to strict documentation information architecture to ensure data sharing is freely available. Preliminary results showed very promising improvement in clinical care.

Development of Species-Specific Primers for Agronomical Thrips and Multiplex Assay for Quarantine Identification of Western Flower Thrips

While morphological identification of thrips species has been difficult because of their minute size and a lack of easily recognizable characteristics, molecular identification based on the development of specific molecular markers can be easily and reliably carried out. Among the known molecular markers, the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) exhibits distinguishable variations among thrips species. In this study, sequences of ITS2 region of 10 agriculturally important thrips were established to design species-specific primers for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ITS2 sequence variations within these species were far less than those among species, indicating the suitability of this marker for species-specific primers design. These primers, though with one or two sporadically variable positions, showed a good efficacy within species. The specificity of these primers, examined on thrips species belonging to 15 genera, proved satisfactory. Furthermore, a multiplex PCR was used successfully for identifying Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), an insect pest monitored for quarantine purpose, and three additional thrips also commonly found in imported agricultural products and field samples, i.e., Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan), and Frankliniella intonsa (Trybom). This study has demonstrated that specific primers and multiplex PCR based on ITS2 are reliable, convenient, and diagnostic tool to discriminate thrips species of quarantine and agricultural importance.

Accelerated healing by composites containing herb epimedium for osteoinductive regeneration

Porous composites composed of hydroxyapatite (HA), herb epimedium (EP), and chitosan (CS) were used to improve the repair of rabbit bone defects. The in vivo implantation of the HA/CS-EP showed that homogeneous bone formation occurred after 12 weeks' implantation and possessed good osteogenesis. The osteogenic process of the HA/CS-EP group was different from that of the HA/CS group. Direct bone formation of osteoblasts with HA/CS-EP as the matrix could be observed. Compared with the group filled with HA/CS, the group filled with HA/CS-EP showed significant increases in the number of osteoblasts and the bone formation area, and the areas of new bone formation in the HA/CS-EP group after 4 or 12 weeks' implantation reached 33% and 87%, respectively. The novel repair system of HA/CS-EP can induce bone formation, increase osteoblast quantity and improve osteogenesis, for EP can significantly promote the proliferation and activity of osteoblasts in the early stage and accelerate bone remodeling in the later stage. Composites containing EP could be a promising material with multifunctions of osteoinduction, osteoconduction and medication for bone repair, and herb medicine EP could be used as an osteoinduction material for bone tissue engineering.

Initial stage of growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes: modeling and simulations

Because there are different pathways to grow carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a common mechanism for the synthesis of CNTs does not likely exist. However, after carbon atoms are liberated from carbon-containing precursors by catalysts or from pure carbon systems, a common feature, the nucleation of CNTs by electron mediation, does appear. We studied this feature using the initial stage of growth of single wall CNTs (SWCNTs) by transition metal nano-particle catalysts as the working example. To circumvent the bottleneck due to the size and simulation time, we used a model in which the metal droplet is represented by a jellium, and the effect of collisions between the carbon atoms and atoms of the catalyst is captured by charge transfers between the jellium and the carbon. The simulations were performed using a transferable semi-empirical Hamiltonian to model the interactions between carbon atoms in jellium. We annealed different initial configurations of carbon clusters in jellium as well as in a vacuum. We found that in jellium, elongated open tubular structures, precursors to the growth of SWCNTs, are formed. Our model was also shown to be capable of mimicking the continued growth when more atoms were placed near the open end of the tubular structure.

WW domain-containing oxidoreductase is involved in upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 by Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A

WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WOX1) participates in tumor suppression and many other biologic functions, but its molecular and functional interactions with viral proteins remain largely unknown. This study reveals that WOX1 is physically associated with latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A), an oncoprotein of Epstein-Barr virus. The molecular interaction involves the tyrosine residue 33 of WOX1 and the proline-rich motifs of LMP2A. Interestingly, endogenous WOX1 is required for some LMP2A-triggered, cancer-promoting effects, including activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2, upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and promotion of cell invasion. Upon knockdown of endogenous WOX1, LMP2A-triggered MMP9 induction is restored by exogenous wild-type WOX1, but not by a WOX1 mutant defective in LMP2A binding. These results indicate that, through interaction with LMP2A, WOX1 is involved in MMP9 induction, suggesting a novel role of WOX1 in Epstein-Barr virus-associated cancer progression.

Epstein-Barr virus Zta upregulates matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 9 that synergistically promote cell invasion in vitro

Zta is a lytic transactivator of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and has been shown to promote migration and invasion of epithelial cells. Although previous studies indicate that Zta induces expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 and MMP1, direct evidence linking the MMPs to Zta-induced cell migration and invasion is still lacking. Here we performed a series of in vitro studies to re-examine the expression profile and biologic functions of Zta-induced MMPs in epithelial cells derived from nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We found that, in addition to MMP9, MMP3 was a new target gene upregulated by Zta. Ectopic Zta expression in EBV-negative cells increased both mRNA and protein production of MMP3. Endogenous Zta also contributed to induction of MMP3 expression, migration and invasion of EBV-infected cells. Zta activated the MMP3 promoter through three AP-1 elements, and its DNA-binding domain was required for the promoter binding and MMP3 induction. We further tested the effects of MMP3 and MMP9 on cell motility and invasiveness in vitro. Zta-promoted cell migration required MMP3 but not MMP9. On the other hand, both MMP3 and MMP9 were essential for Zta-induced cell invasion, and co-expression of the two MMPs synergistically increased cell invasiveness. Therefore, this study provides integrated evidence demonstrating that, at least in the in vitro cell models, Zta drives cell migration and invasion through MMPs.

Green tea (Camelia sinensis) mediated suppression of IgE production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of allergic asthmatic humans

Recent studies in our laboratory demonstrated the suppression of immunoglobulin E (IgE) production by green tea extract (GTE) in U266 cells. However, the effects of GTE or one of its components (EGCG) on IgE production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are unknown. PBMC (1.5 × 10⁶) obtained from serum IgE+, allergic asthmatic patients, were cultured ± GTE (1-100 ng/ml) or purified EGCG (0.5-50 ng/ml), and IgE levels were determined on day 10 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). High levels of IgE were detected in supernatants of the PBMC cultures on day 10. When GTE was included in vitro, IgE production by PBMC was suppressed on day 10, compared with control. Purified EGCG included in vitro also suppressed IgE production, but at lower levels, compared with control. This study demonstrates that GTE and its major catechin, EGCG, have immunoregulatory effects on human IgE responses.

Overexpression of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (cyp71av1) and cytochrome P450 reductase (cpr) genes increased artemisinin content in Artemisia annua (Asteraceae)

Finding an efficient and affordable treatment against malaria is still a challenge for medicine. Artemisinin is an effective anti-malarial drug isolated from Artemisia annua. However, the artemisinin content of A. annua is very low. We used transgenic technology to increase the artemisinin content of A. annua by overexpressing cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (cyp71av1) and cytochrome P450 reductase (cpr) genes. CYP71AV1 is a key enzyme in the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway, while CPR is a redox partner for CYP71AV1. Eight independent transgenic A. annua plants were obtained through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, which was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analyses. The real-time qPCR results showed that the gene cyp71av1 was highly expressed at the transcriptional level in the transgenic A. annua plants. HPLC analysis showed that the artemisinin content was increased in a number of the transgenic plants, in which both cyp71av1 and cpr were overexpressed. In one of the transgenic A. annua plants, the artemisinin content was 38% higher than in the non-transgenic plants. We conclude that overexpressing key enzymes of the biosynthesis pathway is an effective means for increasing artemisinin content in plants.

Theoretical predictions of a bucky-diamond SiC cluster

A study of structural relaxations of Si(n)C(m) clusters corresponding to different compositions, different relative arrangements of Si/C atoms, and different types of initial structure, reveals that the Si(n)C(m) bucky-diamond structure can be obtained for an initial network structure constructed from a truncated bulk 3C-SiC for a magic composition corresponding to n = 68 and m = 79. This study was performed using a semi-empirical Hamiltonian (SCED-LCAO) since it allowed an extensive search of different types of initial structures. However, the bucky-diamond structure predicted by this method was also confirmed by a more accurate density functional theory (DFT) based method. The bucky-diamond structure exhibited by a SiC-based system represents an interesting paradigm where a Si atom can form three-coordinated as well as four-coordinated networks with carbon atoms and vice versa and with both types of network co-existing in the same structure. Specifically, the bucky-diamond structure of the Si(68)C(79) cluster consists of a 35-atom diamond-like inner core (four-atom coordinations) suspended inside a 112-atom fullerene-like shell (three-atom coordinations).

Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A promotes invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through ERK/Fra-1-mediated induction of matrix metalloproteinase 9

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is highly metastatic, and this malignant feature may be promoted by an EBV oncoprotein, latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A). Acting as a signal regulator, LMP2A can enhance invasiveness and motility of epithelial cells. Downstream from the LMP2A-triggered signaling events, it is largely unknown what key effector proteins are induced and essentially promote cell invasion. In the present study, we found that in NPC cells, LMP2A upregulated matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), a metastasis-associated protease. LMP2A increased MMP9 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. It also activated the MMP9 promoter, in which two AP-1 elements were required for the promoter activation. Among AP-1 transcription factors, Fra-1 was induced by LMP2A and is essential for LMP2A-triggered MMP9 expression. Induction of Fra-1 was dependent on the LMP2A-activated ERK1/2 pathway, and induction of the ERK1/2-Fra-1-MMP9 axis required PY motifs in the amino-terminal domain of LMP2A. Notably, LMP2A-promoted invasion of NPC cells was blocked when MMP9 expression, Fra-1 induction, or ERK1/2 activation was inhibited. In addition, we found an association of LMP2A with MMP9 expression in NPC tumor biopsy specimens, where Fra-1 was a major mediation factor. This study reveals an underlying mechanism of LMP2A-induced cell invasion, from signal transduction to upregulation of a critical protease. Considering that MMP9 can also be upregulated by another EBV oncoprotein, LMP1, this protease may be a pivotal effector at which the EBV-induced, invasion-promoting mechanisms converge, serving as an attractive therapeutic target for NPC treatment.