Rapidly mining candidate cotton drought resistance genes based on key indicators of drought resistance

BACKGROUND

Focusing on key indicators of drought resistance is highly important for quickly mining candidate genes related to drought resistance in cotton.

RESULTS

In the present study, drought resistance was identified in drought resistance-related RIL populations during the flowering and boll stages, and multiple traits were evaluated; these traits included three key indicators: plant height (PH), single boll weight (SBW) and transpiration rate (Tr). Based on these three key indicators, three groups of extreme mixing pools were constructed for BSA-seq. Based on the mapping interval of each trait, a total of 6.27 Mb QTL intervals were selected on chromosomes A13 (3.2 Mb), A10 (2.45 Mb) and A07 (0.62 Mb) as the focus of this study. Based on the annotation information and qRT‒PCR analysis, three key genes that may be involved in the drought stress response of cotton were screened: GhF6'H1, Gh3AT1 and GhPER55. qRT‒PCR analysis of parental and extreme germplasm materials revealed that the expression of these genes changed significantly under drought stress. Cotton VIGS experiments verified the important impact of key genes on cotton drought resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study focused on the key indicators of drought resistance, laying the foundation for the rapid mining of drought-resistant candidate genes in cotton and providing genetic resources for directed molecular breeding of drought resistance in cotton.

Genome-Wide and Expression Pattern Analysis of the DVL Gene Family Reveals GhM_A05G1032 Is Involved in Fuzz Development in G. hirsutum

DVL is one of the small polypeptides which plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development, tissue differentiation, and organ formation in the process of coping with stress conditions. So far, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the expression profile and function of the cotton DVL gene. According to previous studies, a candidate gene related to the development of fuzz was screened, belonging to the DVL family, and was related to the development of trichomes in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, the comprehensive identification and systematic analysis of DVL in cotton have not been conducted. In this study, we employed bioinformatics approaches to conduct a novel analysis of the structural characteristics, phylogenetic tree, gene structure, expression pattern, evolutionary relationship, and selective pressure of the DVL gene family members in four cotton species. A total of 117 DVL genes were identified, including 39 members in G. hirsutum. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, the DVL protein sequences were categorized into five distinct subfamilies. Additionally, we successfully mapped these genes onto chromosomes and visually represented their gene structure information. Furthermore, we predicted the presence of cis-acting elements in DVL genes in G. hirsutum and characterized the repeat types of DVL genes in the four cotton species. Moreover, we computed the Ka/Ks ratio of homologous genes across the four cotton species and elucidated the selective pressure acting on these homologous genes. In addition, we described the expression patterns of the DVL gene family using RNA-seq data, verified the correlation between GhMDVL3 and fuzz development through VIGS technology, and found that some DVL genes may be involved in resistance to biotic and abiotic stress conditions through qRT-PCR technology. Furthermore, a potential interaction network was constructed by WGCNA, and our findings demonstrated the potential of GhM_A05G1032 to interact with numerous genes, thereby playing a crucial role in regulating fuzz development. This research significantly contributed to the comprehension of DVL genes in upland cotton, thereby establishing a solid basis for future investigations into the functional aspects of DVL genes in cotton.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase Gh_GAPDH9 is associated with drought resistance in Gossypium hirsutum

Background

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is the central enzyme of glycolysis and plays important regulatory roles in plant growth and development and responses to adverse stress conditions. However, studies on the characteristics and functions of cotton GAPDH family genes are still lacking.

Methods

In this study, genome-wide identification of the cotton GAPDH gene family was performed, and the phylogeny, gene structures, promoter progenitors and expression profiles of upland cotton GAPDH gene family members were explored by bioinformatics analysis to highlight potential functions. The functions of GhGAPDH9 in response to drought stress were initially validated based on RNA-seq, qRT‒PCR, VIGS techniques and overexpression laying a foundation for further studies on the functions of GAPDH genes.

Results

This study is the first systematic analysis of the cotton GAPDH gene family, which contains a total of 84 GAPDH genes, among which upland cotton contains 27 members. Quantitative, phylogenetic and covariance analyses of the genes revealed that the GAPDH gene family has been conserved during the evolution of cotton. Promoter analysis revealed that most cis-acting elements were related to MeJA and ABA. Based on the identified promoter cis-acting elements and RNA-seq data, it was hypothesized that Gh_GAPDH9, Gh_GAPDH11, Gh_GAPDH19 and Gh_GAPDH21 are involved in the response of cotton to abiotic stress. The expression levels of the Gh_GAPDH9 gene in two drought-resistant and two drought-sensitive materials were analyzed by qRT‒PCR and found to be high early in the treatment period in the drought-resistant material. The silencing of Gh_GAPDH9 based on virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology resulted in significant leaf wilting or whole-plant dieback in silenced plants after drought stress compared to the control. The content of-malondialdehyde (MDA) in cotton leaves was significantly increased, and the content of proline (Pro) and chlorophyll (Chl) was reduced. In addition, the leaf wilting and dryness of transgenic lines under drought stress were lower than those of wild-type Arabidopsis, indicating that Gh_GAPDH9 is a positive regulator of drought resistance. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that GAPDH genes play an important role in the response of cotton to abiotic stresses and provide preliminary validation of the function of the Gh_GAPDH9 gene under drought stress. These findings provide an important theoretical basis for further studies on the function of the Gh_GAPDH9 gene and the molecular mechanism of the drought response in cotton.

Using association mapping and local interval haplotype association analysis to improve the cotton drought stress response

Drought stress has a serious impact on the growth and development of cotton. To explore the relevant molecular mechanism of the drought stress response in cotton, gene mapping based on the QTL interval mapped by simplified genome BSA-seq of the drought-resistance-related RIL population was performed. A QTL region spanning 2.02 Mb on chromosome D07 was selected, and 201 resource materials were genotyped using 9 KASP markers in the interval. After local interval haplotype association analysis, the overlap of the 110 kb peak region confirmed the reliability of this region, and at the same time, the role of GhGF14-30, the only gene in the overlapping region, was modeled in the response of cotton to drought stress. qRTPCR analysis of the materials and population parents proved that this gene plays a role in the drought stress response in cotton. Virus-induced gene silencing proved the importance of this gene in drought-sensitive materials, and drought-resistance-related marker genes also proved that the GhGF14-30 gene may play an important role in the ABA and SOS signaling pathways. This study provides a basis for mining drought stress response functional genes in cotton and lays the foundation for the molecular mechanism of the GhGF14-30 gene in response to drought stress in cotton.

Quantitative trait locus mapping and identification of candidate genes for resistance to Verticillium wilt in four recombinant inbred line populations of Gossypium hirsutum

Improving resistance to Verticillium wilt is of great significance for achieving high and stable yields of Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). To deeply understand the genetic basis of cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt, Verticillium wilt-resistant Upland Lumianyan 28 and four Verticillium wilt-susceptible Acala cotton cultivars were used to create four recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations of 469 families through nested hybridization. Phenotypic data collected in five stressful environments were used to select resistant and sensitive lines and create a mixed pool of extreme phenotypes for BSA-seq. A total of 8 QTLs associated with Verticillium wilt resistance were identified on 4 chromosomes, of which qVW-A12-5 was detected simultaneously in the RIL populations and in one of the RIL populations and was identified for the first time. According to the sequence comparison and transcriptome analysis of candidate genes in the QTL interval between parents and pools, 4 genes were identified in the qVW-A12-5 interval. qRT-PCR of parental and phenotypically extreme lines revealed that Gh_CPR30 was induced by and may be a candidate gene for resistance to Verticillium wilt in G. hirsutum. Furthermore, VIGS technology revealed that the disease severity index (DSI) of the Gh_CPR30-silenced plants was significantly higher than that of the control. These results indicate that the Gh_CPR30 gene plays an important role in the resistance of G. hirsutum to Verticillium wilt, and the study provides a molecular basis for analyzing the molecular mechanism underlying G. hirsutum resistance to Verticillium wilt.

Determination of aflatoxin B1 by novel nanofiber-packed solid-phase extraction coupled with a high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector

A novel analytical proposal based on nanofiber-packed solid-phase extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) has been successfully developed for determining aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in foods. Four types of nanofibers, including polystyrene (PS) nanofibers, polypyrrole (PPY) nanofibers, polystyrene-acrylic resin (PS-AR) nanofibers, and polystyrene-polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PS-PVP) nanofibers, were fabricated by electrospinning and utilized to prepare a home-made extraction device. In this study, the factors of different fibers, namely, fiber dosage, pH of extraction solution, type of salt ion, concentration of salt ion, and volume of the eluent were optimized. Under optimized conditions, the method showed good linearity in the range of 0.1-40 ng mL^-1 with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.999 and good inter-day accuracy (90.8-112.7% recovery) and precision (1.8-3.6% intra-day RSDs, 2.6% inter-day RSD), and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.05 ng mL^-1. Due to its cost-effective, time-saving, environmentally friendly, and simple performance, it has the potential to be utilized to determine aflatoxins in complicated matrices.

Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Reveals Hub Genes for Fuzz Development in Gossypium hirsutum

Fuzzless Gossypium hirsutum mutants are ideal materials for investigating cotton fiber initiation and development. In this study, we used the fuzzless G. hirsutum mutant Xinluzao 50 FLM as the research material and combined it with other fuzzless materials for verification by RNA sequencing to explore the gene expression patterns and differences between genes in upland cotton during the fuzz period. A gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in the metabolic process, microtubule binding, and other pathways. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that two modules of Xinluzao 50 and Xinluzao 50 FLM and four modules of CSS386 and Sicala V-2 were highly correlated with fuzz. We selected the hub gene with the highest KME value among the six modules and constructed an interaction network. In addition, we selected some genes with high KME values from the six modules that were highly associated with fuzz in the four materials and found 19 common differential genes produced by the four materials. These 19 genes are likely involved in the formation of fuzz in upland cotton. Several hub genes belong to the arabinogalactan protein and GDSL lipase, which play important roles in fiber development. According to the differences in expression level, 4 genes were selected from the 19 genes and tested for their expression level in some fuzzless materials. The modules, hub genes, and common genes identified in this study can provide new insights into the formation of fiber and fuzz, and provide a reference for molecular design breeding for the genetic improvement of cotton fiber.

Genome-wide analysis of serine carboxypeptidase-like protein (SCPL) family and functional validation of Gh_SCPL42 unchromosome conferring cotton Verticillium der Verticillium wilt stress in Gossypium hirsutum

BACKGROUND

Serine carboxypeptidase-like protein (SCPL) plays an important role in response to stress in plant. However, our knowledge of the function of the SCPL gene family is limited.

RESULTS

In this study, a comprehensive and systematic analysis of SCPL gene family was conducted to explore the phylogeny and evolution of the SCPL gene in Gossypium hirsutum. The phenotype and molecular mechanism of silencing of the Gh_SCPL42 under Verticillium wilt stress was also studied. Our results showed that 96 SCPL genes were observed in genome of G. hirsutum, which distributed on 25 chromosomes and most of them were located in the nucleus. The phylogenetic tree analysis showed that members of SCPL gene family can be divided into three subgroups in G. hirsutum, which are relatively conservative in evolution. SCPL gene has a wide range of tissue expression types in G. hirsutum. Promoter analysis showed that the most cis-acting elements related to MeJA and ABA were contained. Through RNA-seq combined with genotyping, it was found that 11 GhSCPL genes not only had significant expression changes during Verticillium wilt stress but also had differential SNPs in the upstream, downstream, exonic or intronic regions. The expression of these 11 genes in the resistant (Zhongzhimian 2) and susceptible (Junmian 1) materials was further analyzed by qRT-PCR, it was found that 6 genes showed significant expression differences in the two materials. Among them, Gh_SCPL42 has the most obvious expression change. Furthermore, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) showed necrosis and yellowing of leaves and significantly higher disease severity index (DSI) and disease severity rate (DSR) values in VIGS plants than in control silenced Gh_SCPL42 plants. Moreover, the expression levels of genes related to the SA and JA pathways were significantly downregulated. These results show that Gh_SCPL42 might improve resistance to Verticillium wilt through the SA and JA pathways in G. hirsutum.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our findings indicated that Gh_SCPL42 gene plays an important role in resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton. It was provided an important theoretical basis for further research on the function of SCPL gene family and the molecular mechanism of resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton.

Relationship of resting heart rate and blood pressure with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate associations of resting heart rate (RHR) and blood pressure (BP) with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

A total of 67,028 Chinese participants aged ≥60 years were included in the analysis. RHR, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were evaluated according to quartiles ([41-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-127 beats/min], [80-119, 120-129, 130-139, 140-238 mm Hg], and [40-70, 71-79, 80-84, 85-133 mm Hg]). Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause and CVD mortality with RHR, SBP, and DBP. Restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the dose-response association.

RESULTS

During the 361,975 person-year follow-up, 9326 deaths were recorded, of which 5039 deaths were due to CVD. The risk of all-cause mortality was increased by 25% with the quartiles four vs quartile one of RHR (HR [95% CI]:1.25 [1.17-1.33]), and CVD mortality was increased by 32% (HR [95% CI]: 1.32 [1.22-1.44]). Similar results were observed when comparing the quartiles four vs quartile one of SBP with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality (HRs [95% CIs]: 1.14 [1.07, 1.22] and 1.23 [1.12. 1.34]) and DBP with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality (HRs [95% CIs]: 1.17 [1.11. 1.24] and 1.36 [1.26. 1.47]). We found linear associations of RHR, SBP, and DBP with all-cause and CVD mortality (P_{non-linearity} >0.05), except for the approximately J-shaped association between DBP and all-cause mortality (P_{non-linearity} = 0.008). There was a significant interaction of RHR and SBP with all-cause and CVD mortality (P_interaction <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

RHR and BP increased the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality, especially fast RHR combined with high SBP.

A253 IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IN QUEBEC

Background

An average daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of at least 60 minutes was recommended by the Canadian Guidelines for children. Because of lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining physical activity levels (PAL) has been a challenge for youth.

Aims

The primary aim of this study was to compare MVPA levels in children with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) before and after this period. The secondary aims were to assess clinical factors that might influence any changes in MVPA patterns.

Methods

Patients with IBD, age ≥5 years, were enrolled in a prospective study on PAL starting June 2018 (self-reported questionnaires during outpatient visits). They were then surveyed online at the end of the second lockdown in July-August 2021. PAL were assessed with the Canadian Health Measure Survey Children-Physical Activity Questionnaire. The responses were converted into metabolic equivalents of tasks by using validated tables. Influence of clinical factors of IBD on changes in MVPA was assessed. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to investigate the association between several risk factors and PAL.

Results

We included 72 patients (38 males; mean (SD) age 17.0 (2.89) years, 48 (66.7%) diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, 19 (26.4%) with ulcerative colitis, and 5 (6.9%) with indeterminate colitis). At last follow-up, 90.3% were in clinical remission according to validated disease activity score. During summer 2021, 16.7% of patients reached the Canadian PAL target, compared to 38.9% before the pandemic. The median daily duration of MVPA in summer 2021 decreased from 37 (Interquartile range (IQR) = 3–82) to 21 (IQR=3–40) minutes. The proportion of sedentary patients increased by 1.4% (37.5% to 38.9%). The proportion of extremely active patients decreased by 16.7% (27.8% to 11.1%), while moderately active patients increased by 20.9% (8.3% to 29.2%). Age, gender, disease type and activity were not significantly associated with the PAL at baseline or at follow-up.

Conclusions

This study found a significant decrease in PAL and time spent doing MVPA in children with IBD in Quebec following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. While the recommended target was far from being met before the pandemic, the gap has widened further during the pandemic. We found no clinical factors associated with the PAL. The impact of low PAL on well-being, weight, disease activity and quality of life will be assessed during the follow-up of this cohort.

Funding Agencies

None

The efficacy and safety of dupilumab in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND

Dupilumab is an antibody against interleukin 4 receptor α, used in treating atopic dermatitis (AD).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in adult Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe AD.

METHODS

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase III study, conducted between December 2018 and February 2020, patients with AD received dupilumab (300mg) or placebo once every 2 weeks for 16 weeks, and were followed up for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients with both Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score of 0-1 and a reduction from baseline of ≥2 points at week 16.

RESULTS

Overall, 165 patients (mean age: 30.6 years; 71.5% male) were randomized: 82 to dupilumab and 83 to placebo. At week 16, 26.8% of patients in the dupilumab group and 4.8% of patients in the placebo group achieved the primary endpoint (difference, 22.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.37-32.65%; p<0.0001). Compared with placebo, higher proportions of patients in the dupilumab group achieved ≥75% reduction in the Eczema Area and Severity Index score (57.3% vs 14.5%; difference, 42.9%; 95% CI, 29.75-55.97%; p<0.0001) and had ≥3-point (52.4% vs 9.6%; difference, 42.8%; 95% CI, 30.26-55.34%; p<0.0001) and ≥4-point (39.0% vs 4.8%; difference, 34.2%; 95% CI, 22.69-45.72%; p<0.0001) reductions in weekly average daily peak daily pruritus numerical rating scale scores. The incidence of TEAEs during the treatment period was similar in the two groups. The incidence of conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and injection site reaction was higher in the dupilumab group than in the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONS

In adult Chinese patients, dupilumab was effective in improving the signs and symptoms of AD and demonstrated a favorable safety profile.

Genome-wide identification of the DUF668 gene family in cotton and expression profiling analysis of GhDUF668 in Gossypium hirsutum under adverse stress

Background

Domain of unknown function 668 (DUF668) may play a crucial role in the plant growth and developmental response to adverse stress. However, our knowledge of the function of the DUF668 gene family is limited.

Results

Our study was conducted based on the DUF668 gene family identified from cotton genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the DUF668 family genes can be classified into four subgroups in cotton. We identified 32 DUF668 genes, which are distributed on 17 chromosomes and most of them located in the nucleus of Gossypium hirsutum. Gene structure and motif analyses revealed that the members of the DUF668 gene family can be clustered in G. hirsutum into two broad groups, which are relatively evolutionarily conserved. Transcriptome data analysis showed that the GhDUF668 genes are differentially expressed in different tissues under various stresses (cold, heat, drought, salt, and Verticillium dahliae), and expression is generally increased in roots and stems. Promoter and expression analyses indicated that Gh_DUF668–05, Gh_DUF668–08, Gh_DUF668–11, Gh_DUF668–23 and Gh_DUF668–28 in G. hirsutum might have evolved resistance to adverse stress. Additionally, qRT-PCR revealed that these 5 genes in four cotton lines, KK1543 (drought resistant), Xinluzao 26 (drought sensitive), Zhongzhimian 2 (disease resistant) and Simian 3 (susceptible), under drought and Verticillium wilt stress were all significantly induced. Roots had the highest expression of these 5 genes before and after the treatment. Among them, the expression levels of Gh_DUF668–08 and Gh_DUF668–23 increased sharply at 6 h and reached a maximum at 12 h under biotic and abiotic stress, which showed that they might be involved in the process of adverse stress resistance in cotton.

Conclusion

The significant changes in GhDUF668 expression in the roots after adverse stress indicate that GhDUF668 is likely to increase plant resistance to stress. This study provides an important theoretical basis for further research on the function of the DUF668 gene family and the molecular mechanism of adverse stress resistance in cotton.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07716-w.

MRI Signal Intensity and Electron Ultrastructure Classification Predict the Long-Term Outcome of Skull Base Chordomas

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

MR imaging is a useful and widely used evaluation for chordomas. Prior studies have classified chordomas into cell-dense type and matrix-rich type according to the ultrastructural features. However, the relationship between the MR imaging signal intensity and ultrastructural classification is unknown. We hypothesized that MR imaging signal intensity may predict both tumor ultrastructural classification and prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seventy-nine patients with skull base chordomas who underwent 95 operations were included in this retrospective single-center series. Preoperative tumor-to-pons MR imaging signal intensity ratios were calculated and designated as ratio on T1 FLAIR sequence (R_T1), ratio on T2 sequence (R_T2), and ratio on enhanced T1 FLAIR sequence (R_EN), respectively. We assessed the relationships among signal intensity ratios, ultrastructural classification, and survival.

RESULTS

Compared with the matrix-rich type group, the cell-dense type chordomas showed lower R_T2 (cell-dense type: 1.90 ± 0.38; matrix-rich type: 2.61 ± 0.60 P < .001). The model of predicting cell-dense type based on R_T2 had an area under the curve of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75-0.92). In patients without radiation therapy, both progression-free survival (P = .003) and overall survival (P = .002) were longer in the matrix-rich type group than in the cell-dense type group. R_EN was a risk factor for progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 10.24; 95% CI, 1.73-60.79); R_T2 was a protective factor for overall survival (hazard ratio  = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.12-0.87); and R_EN was a risk factor for overall survival (hazard ratio = 4.76; 95% CI, 1.51-15.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The difference in MR imaging signal intensity in chordomas can be explained by electron microscopic features. Both signal intensity ratios and electron microscopic features may be prognostic factors.

A256 TRENDS IN THE PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY OF ANEMIA IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IN THE LAST DECADE

Background

Anemia is one of the most common extraintestinal manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at diagnosis. Studies have shown that anemia was associated with low levels of quality of life, which improves with the correction of anemia in adults. Recent data have shown an increase in the incidence and severity of pediatric IBD.

Aims

To investigate the prevalence of anemia in children at diagnosis of IBD and the trends in the past decade. The secondary aim was to investigate the associations between hemoglobin (Hb) levels and disease characteristics.

Methods

Eligible patients (age ≤18 years, diagnosed with IBD from 2009 to 2018) were retrospectively identified through our IBD database. Disease localization and phenotype were defined according to the Paris Classification of IBD. Anemia was defined by Hb levels according to WHO targets. The annual prevalence of anemia was calculated according to subtype (inflammatory vs iron deficiency). The Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) and the Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) were used to assess the disease severity at diagnosis.

Results

We included 887 patients (439 females), mean (SD) age of 13.1 (3.4) years. Of these, 519 (58.5%) were identified with anemia within 30 days of diagnosis. The median (IQR) Hb level was 108 (98 -114) g/dL. Severe anemia (&lt; 70 g/dL) was present in 1.8 % of patients. The prevalence of anemia at diagnosis remained relatively stable ranging from 60.2% in 2009 to 60.4% in 2018. The annual proportion of inflammatory vs iron-deficiency anemia is displayed in figure 1. Anemia was more prevalent in Crohn’s disease (CD) (62.2%) than Ulcerative colitis (UC) (57.9%) or IBD-unclassified (39.6%). The disease severity scores were higher in those with anemia. The median (IQR) PCDAI and PUCAI were respectively 37.5 (27.5–47.5) and 55.0 (40.0–65.0) in the anemic group as compared to 27.5 (20.0–37.50) and 35.0 (25.0–55.0) in the non-anemic group; P&lt;0.0001. Patients with anemia had a lower BMI z-score [median (IQR) -0.84 (-1.84 - 0.08)] than the non-anemic patients [median (IQR) -0.38 (-1.21 - 0.43)]; P&lt;0.001. The prevalence of anemia correlated significantly with disease location: upper intestinal involvement [L4a(67.7%) L4b(63.6%) L4aL4b(60.7%) none (52.8%)] P = 0.024 for CD; for UC [E1(21.1%) E2(44.4%) E3(75.0%) E4 (71.1%)] P&lt;0.0001. A moderate correlation was found between Hb levels and C-reactive protein (r= -0.312, 95% CI: -0.378 to -0.243, P&lt;0.0001).

Conclusions

Anemia remains a prevalent symptom in pediatric patients with IBD, and it is correlated with the extent of intestinal involvement and disease severity. The impact of anemia at Diagnosis and during follow-up on the levels of quality of life and physical activity is currently under investigation.

Funding Agencies

None

Parathyroid hormone independently predicts fracture, vascular events, and death in patients with stage 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease

Doctors do not know whether treatment of high parathyroid hormone levels is linked to better outcomes in their patients with kidney disease. In this study, lower parathyroid hormone levels at baseline were linked to lower risk of fracture, vascular events, and death in people with kidney disease.

PURPOSE

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects ~ 20% of older adults, and secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is a common condition in these patients. To what degree HPT predicts fractures, vascular events, and mortality in pre-dialysis CKD patients is debated. In stage 3 and 4 CKD patients, we assessed relationships between baseline serum PTH levels and subsequent 10-year probabilities of clinical fractures, vascular events, and death.

METHODS

We used Marshfield Clinic Health System electronic health records to analyze data from adult CKD patients receiving care between 1985 and 2013, and whose PTH was measured using a second-generation assay. Covariates included PTH, age, gender, tobacco use, vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, GFR, and use of osteoporosis medications.

RESULTS

Five thousand one hundred eight subjects had a mean age of 68 ± 17 years, 48% were men, and mean follow-up was 23 ± 10 years. Fractures, vascular events, and death occurred in 18%, 71%, and 56% of the cohort, respectively. In univariate and multivariate models, PTH was an independent predictor of fracture, vascular events, and death. The hazards of fracture, vascular events and death were minimized at a baseline PTH of 0, 69, and 58 pg/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that among individuals with stage 3 and 4 CKD, PTH was an independent predictor of fractures, vascular events, and death. Additional epidemiologic studies are needed to confirm these findings. If a target PTH range can be confirmed, then randomized placebo-controlled trials will be needed to confirm that treating HPT reduces the risk of fracture, vascular events, and death.

P14.10 Endoscopic skull base surgery for tumors invading internal carotid artery

BACKGROUND

Internal carotid artery (ICA) injury is a disaster in endoscopic skull base surgery, so protection of internal carotid artery is an essential task. We use 3-dimensional multimodal imaging (3D-MMI) and intraoperative navigation (ION) in endoscopic skull base surgery to locate ICA and decrease ICA injury.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

26 patients underwent endoscopic skull base surgery (pituitary adenomas, chordomas, neurinomas and other tumors invading internal carotid artery) guided by 3D-MMI and ION techniques to locate ICA.

RESULTS

In all patients, the 3D-MMI and ION techniques enabled adequate visualization of vascular structures stereoscopically, especially the relationship between lesion and ICA, and suplly real-time navigation to locate ICA during endoscopic skull base surgery. No ICA injury happened and neurosurgeons removed tumors with relaxed mind.

CONCLUSION

3D-MMI and ION techniques were found to be helpful to locate internal carotid artery and decrease ICA injury during endoscopic skull base surgery.

Effect of long-distance inter-basin water transfer on the bioavailability of Cu for the receiving water

Long-distance inter-basin water transfer solves the problem of unbalanced water resources in different regions. However, it also changes the natural water chemistry characteristics as well as the bioavailability of heavy metals in the receiving water. In this study, taking the South-to-North Water Transfer Project in China as an example, the basic physicochemical characteristics of the source water (in the Danjiangkou (DJK) Reservoir) and receiving water (in the Beitang (BT) Reservoir) were studied. The BLM (biotic ligand model) was used to study the effect of long-distance inter-basin water transfer on the bioavailability of Cu in receiving waters. The results showed that the TOC (total organic carbon) and TDS (total dissolved solids) in the BT Reservoir water were 10 times and 4.6 times greater than those of the DJK Reservoir water, respectively. The ions in the BT Reservoir were mainly (K⁺+Na⁺)-(SO₄^2-+CI^-), while the ions in the DJK Reservoir were mainly (Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺)-HCO₃^-. The results from the BLM showed that the main species of Cu in the water was total organic Cu (Torg Cu), which accounted for 98.69% and 99.77% of the Cu in the DJK Reservoir and BT Reservoir, respectively. The LC50 of Cu for Daphnia magna was 1203.40 ± 57.70 μg/l in the BT Reservoir and only 101.93 ± 7.60 μg/l in the DJK Reservoir. The criteria maximum concentration value of the BT Reservoir was 13.75 times that of the DJK Reservoir, while the criteria continuous concentration value of the BT Reservoir was 13.76 times that of the DJK Reservoir. These results showed that the heavy metals content in water bodies should not be used as the only consideration for water ecological security in the inter-basin water transfer process, and that differences in water quality criteria values caused by differing water environmental qualities in the river basins must be taken into consideration.

Species-specific aggregation pheromones contribute to coexistence in two closely related thrips species

Pheromones play an important role in mediating interspecific interactions in insects. In an insect community, pheromones can reveal information about the senders, which could be used by other members of the food web (competitor, natural enemies, etc.) to their own advantage. The aggregation pheromones of two closely related thrips species, Frankliniella occidentalis and Frankliniella intonsa, have been identified with the same major compounds, (R)-lavandulyl acetate and neryl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, but in different ratios. However, the roles of the aggregation pheromones in the interspecific interactions between these two closely related species are unknown. Here, we investigated the roles of major aggregation pheromone compounds in interspecific interactions between F. occidentalis and F. intonsa for both long and short ranges. The results showed that, at tested doses, neither aggregation pheromone-induced long range cross-attraction nor short range cross-mating was detected between F. occidentalis and F. intonsa. Field-trapping trials showed that the species-specificity in aggregation pheromones was regulated by the ratio of two major compounds. However, species-specific blends of the two major compounds had no effect on short-range interactions between these two species. Our data from the thrips species provide support for the 'aggregation model of coexistence', explaining the species-specific pheromone-mediated coexistence of closely related species. Thus, species-specific pheromones could be one of the factors affecting population dynamics and community structure in closely related insects with similar niches.

[Effects of simvastatin on the proliferation, invasion and radiosensitivity in Lewis lung cancer cell line]

Objective: To investigate the effects of simvastatin on proliferation, invasion and radiosensitivity of mouse Lewis lung cancer cell line in vitro. Methods: The inhibitory effects of simvastatin on proliferation of Lewis lung cancer cells were detected by MTT assay. Matrigel invasion and migration assay was used to determine the invasion and motility ability of the Lewis cells. P38 activity was measured by p38 activity detection kit, and the expressions of p-p38, MKP-1, RhoA and MMP-2 were analyzed by Western blot. Lung cancer xenograft model was established in C57BL/6 mice. The mice were randomly divided into control group, simvastatin group, radiotherapy alone group and combined treatment group. The mice were killed 27 days after inoculation. The tumor mass, volume and lung metastatic nodules in the mice were compared. Results: The cell proliferation rates of 0 μmol/L, 10 μmol/L, 20 μmol/L and 30 μmol/L simvastatin groups were 100%, (87.0±9.0)%, (76.5±8.1)% and (67.0±7.3)%, respectively (P<0.05). Invasive cell numbers of the above groups were 298±30, 251±26, 207±20 and 132±19 per field, respectively (P<0.05). The intracellular p38 activities were 100%, (83.1±8.8)%, (70.2±8.2)% and (59.0±6.4)%, respectively. The relative expressions of p-p38 were 100%, (76.2±6.7)%, (56.4±5.4)% and (36.5±3.2)%, respectively. The expressions of RhoA were 100%, (80.1±5.3)%, (55.3±6.2)% and (38.6±4.8)%, respectively. The expressions of MMP-2 were 100%, (89.6±8.6)%, (51.9±4.7)% and (42.7±3.1)%, respectively, while the expressions of MKP-1 were 100%, (136.5±12.2)%, (168.8±15.3)% and (187.7±13.4)%, respectively (all P<0.05). Lung metastatic nodules and mass in the control, simvastatin, radiotherapy group and combined treatment groups were 6.24±1.09, 3.07±0.71 g, 5.09±1.16, 2.43±0.53 g, 3.12±0.68, 1.96±0.62 g and 2.65±0.38, 1.12±0.43 g, respectively (all P<0.05). The tumor inhibition rates were 39.0%, 48.1% and 26.5%, respectively, in the radiotherapy alone, combined treatment and simvastatin groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Simvastatin inhibits the proliferation of Lewis cell line by inhibiting the activity of p38 and expression of p-p38. Meanwhile, simvastatin reduces the invasion and motility of Lewis cell line through down-regulating the expression of RhoA and MMP-2. When combined with radiotherapy, simvastatin can inhibit tumor growth and metastasis, and improve the treatment efficacy of radiotherapy synergistically.

[Relationship between the risk factors of coronary artery disease and degree of coronary artery plaques assessed by multi-detector row spiral computed tomography]

Objective: To assess the association of the traditional risk factors of coronary artery disease(CAD) and degree of coronary artery plaque. Methods: A total of 3 752 patients who had a suspicion of CAD from September 2011 to November 2012 at the First Hospital of China Medical University underwent the coronary artery computed tomography. The univariable and multivariable Logistic regression were employ to assess the association the traditional risk factors of CAD and degree of coronary artery plaque. Results: Age, diabetes, hypertension and smoking were the independent risk factor for significant stenosis, multivessel lesions and high coronary artery calcium score(all P <0.05), male was an independent risk factor for significant stenosis(P=0.039), however HDL-C was the independent protect factor(all P<0.05). Conclusion: Age, diabetes, hypertension and smoking are the independent risk factor for degree of coronary artery plaque, HDL-C is the independent protect factor.Male is only an independent risk factor for significant stenosis.

Heavy metals in aquatic organisms of different trophic levels and their potential human health risk in Bohai Bay, China

Fourteen aquatic organism samples were collected from Bohai Bay, and concentrations of five heavy metals were measured to evaluate the pollution levels in aquatic organisms and the potential risk to human health. The concentrations of Zn and Cu were much higher than those of Cd, Cr, and Pb in all the organisms. In general, the heavy metal concentration levels were in the order phytoplankton < zooplankton < fish < shrimp < shellfish. Heavy metal concentrations in higher trophic-level aquatic organisms in Bohai Bay were compared to those in the organisms from other worldwide coastal waters. The concentration levels of most heavy metals were higher than the 75th percentile, except that Pb concentration was between the 25th and 50th percentiles. The calculated bioconcentration factors (BCF) of Cr, Cu, and Pb for phytoplankton were less than 100, indicating no accumulation in primary producers. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of Pb for zooplankton was the highest, indicating significant Pb accumulation in zooplankton. For higher trophic-level aquatic organisms, the order of BAF values was fish < shrimp < shellfish for most metals except for Pb. The human health risk assessment suggests that strict abatement measures of heavy metals must be taken to decrease the health risk caused by consuming aquatic products.

[Effect of endonuclease G depletion on plasmid DNA uptake and levels of homologous recombination in hela cells]

Endonuclease G (EndoG) is a mitochondrial apoptosis regulator that also has roles outside of programmed cell death. It has been implicated as a defence DNase involved in the degradation of exogenous DNA after transfection of mammalian cells and in homologous recombination of viral and endogenous DNA. In this study, we looked at the effect of EndoG depletion on plasmid DNA uptake and the levels of homologous recombination in HeLa cells. We show that the proposed defence role of EndoG against uptake of non-viral DNA vectors does not extend to the cervical carcinoma HeLa cells, as targeting of EndoG expression by RNA interference failed to increase intracellular plasmid DNA levels. However, reducing EndoG levels in HeLa cells resulted in a statistically significant reduction of homologous recombination between two plasmid DNA substrates. These findings suggest that non-viral DNA vectors are also substrates for EndoG in its role in homologous recombination.

Charged particle flows in the beam extraction region of a negative ion source for NBI

Experiments by a four-pin probe and photodetachment technique were carried out to investigate the charged particle flows in the beam extraction region of a negative hydrogen ion source for neutral beam injector. Electron and positive ion flows were obtained from the polar distribution of the probe saturation current. Negative hydrogen ion flow velocity and temperature were obtained by comparing the recovery times of the photodetachment signals at opposite probe tips. Electron and positive ions flows are dominated by crossed field drift and ambipolar diffusion. Negative hydrogen ion temperature is evaluated to be 0.12 eV.

Improvement of accelerator of negative ion source on the Large Helical Device

To improve the performance of negative-ion based neutral beam injection on the Large Helical Device, the accelerator was modified on the basis of numerical investigations. A field limiting ring was installed on the upper side of a grounded grid (GG) support and a multi-slot GG was adopted instead of a multi-aperture GG. As a result, the voltage holding capability is improved and the heat load on the GG decreases by 40%. In addition, the arc efficiency is improved significantly only by replacing the GG.

Installation of spectrally selective imaging system in RF negative ion source

A spectrally selective imaging system has been installed in the RF negative ion source in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor-relevant negative ion beam test facility ELISE (Extraction from a Large Ion Source Experiment) to investigate distribution of hydrogen Balmer-α emission (Hα) close to the production surface of hydrogen negative ion. We selected a GigE vision camera coupled with an optical band-path filter, which can be controlled remotely using high speed network connection. A distribution of Hα emission near the bias plate has been clearly observed. The same time trend on Hα intensities measured by the imaging diagnostic and the optical emission spectroscopy is confirmed.

Negative ion production and beam extraction processes in a large ion source (invited)

Recent research results on negative-ion-rich plasmas in a large negative ion source have been reviewed. Spatial density and flow distributions of negative hydrogen ions (H(-)) and positive hydrogen ions together with those of electrons are investigated with a 4-pin probe and a photodetachment (PD) signal of a Langmuir probe. The PD signal is converted to local H(-) density from signal calibration to a scanning cavity ring down PD measurement. Introduction of Cs changes the slope of plasma potential local distribution depending upon the plasma grid bias. A higher electron density H2 plasma locally shields the bias potential and behaves like a metallic free electron gas. On the other hand, the bias and extraction electric fields penetrate in a Cs-seeded electronegative plasma even when the electron density is similar. Electrons are transported by the penetrated electric fields from the driver region along and across the filter and electron deflection magnetic fields. Plasma ions exhibited a completely different response against the penetration of electric fields.