LSD1 inhibition suppresses ASCL1 and de-represses YAP1 to drive potent activity against neuroendocrine prostate cancer

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1 or KDM1A ) has emerged as a critical mediator of tumor progression in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Among mCRPC subtypes, neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an exceptionally aggressive variant driven by lineage plasticity, an adaptive resistance mechanism to androgen receptor axis-targeted therapies. Our study shows that LSD1 expression is elevated in NEPC and associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Using genetic approaches, we validated the on-target effects of LSD1 inhibition across various models. We investigated the therapeutic potential of bomedemstat, an orally bioavailable, irreversible LSD1 inhibitor with low nanomolar potency. Our findings demonstrate potent antitumor activity against CRPC models, including tumor regressions in NEPC patient-derived xenografts. Mechanistically, our study uncovers that LSD1 inhibition suppresses the neuronal transcriptional program by downregulating ASCL1 through disrupting LSD1:INSM1 interactions and de-repressing YAP1 silencing. Our data support the clinical development of LSD1 inhibitors for treating CRPC - especially the aggressive NE phenotype.

Statement of Significance

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer presents a clinical challenge due to the lack of effective treatments. Our research demonstrates that bomedemstat, a potent and selective LSD1 inhibitor, effectively combats neuroendocrine prostate cancer by downregulating the ASCL1- dependent NE transcriptional program and re-expressing YAP1.

Sensitivity of genotypically diverse rice varieties to radiation and the related changes to antioxidant enzyme activities

PURPOSE

Radiation mutagenesis, which typically involves gamma rays, is important for generating new rice germplasm resources. Determining the appropriate radiation dose range is critical for the success of radiation mutagenesis. Clarifying the sensitivity and tolerance of genotypically diverse rice varieties to gamma irradiation as well as the radiation-induced changes to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and antioxidant enzyme activities is crucial for increasing the utility of radiation mutagenesis in rice breeding programs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The seeds of the following four rice varieties with different genotypes were used as test materials: indica Zhe 1613, glutinous indica Zhe 1708, japonica Zhejing 100, and glutinous japonica Zhenuo 65. Additionally,60Co was used as the source of gamma rays. The rice seeds were irradiated with 14 doses (0, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, and 750 Gy). Non-irradiated seeds were used as the control. The seedling survival rate for each variety was recorded at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after sowing. Moreover, the median lethal dose (LD50) and critical dose (LD40) were calculated according to the seedling survival rates at 28 days after sowing. The seedling superoxide anion (O2•-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were analyzed at 7 days after sowing.

RESULTS

As the radiation dose increased, the seedling survival rate decreased. The seedling survival rate also decreased significantly as the number of days after sowing increased. Among the rice genotypes, the rank-order of the radiation tolerance was as follows: indica Zhe 1613 > glutinous indica Zhe 1708 > japonica Zhejing 100 > glutinous japonica Zhenuo 65. The LD50 values were 426.7 Gy for Zhe 1613, 329.2 Gy for Zhe 1708, 318.3 Gy for Zhejing 100, and 316.6 Gy for Zhenuo 65. Increases in the radiation dose resulted in significant increases in the seedling O2•- and H2O2 contents, but only up to a certain point. Further increases in the radiation dose caused the seedling O2•- and H2O2 contents to decrease. The H2O2 content for each variety peaked when the radiation dose was very close to the LD50. We propose that the radiation dose associated with the highest H2O2 content (±50 Gy) should be used as the recommended dose for the gamma irradiation of rice. The radiation dose that resulted in peak seedling O2•- contents in the analyzed rice varieties was very close to the LD40. In all rice varieties, the MDA content increased as the radiation dose increased. The SOD, CAT, POD, and APX activities increased as the radiation dose increased within a certain range (less than 600 Gy for Zhe 1613 and 400 Gy for the other varieties), but there were slight differences among the rice varieties.

CONCLUSIONS

Genotypically diverse rice varieties vary regarding their sensitivity to gamma irradiation. Our findings suggest that ROS generation and antioxidant enzyme activities are important factors associated with the radiation mutagenesis of rice. The close relationship between the activities of key antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD, POD, APX, and CAT, and the LD50 and LD40 may be exploited to enhance radiation mutagenesis through the use of plant growth regulators.

Comparison of clinical and microbiological characteristics of community-acquired hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess in diabetic and non-diabetic patients

Invasive infection caused by hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (HvKP) has been reported worldwide. Most of the patients are community population, related to diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic liver disease and other basic diseases, which prone to systemic migratory infection. In this study, we collected 377 patients with community acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess in our hospital from January 2013 to December 2018, 65.8% of whom were male, and 49.6% had DM. Patients with DM are prone to eye and central nervous system (CNS) infection, which need continuous local abscess drainage during treatment. Among them, patients with poor blood glucose control have a higher rate of blood stream infections (BSI). 219 strains of HvKP were obtained, with K1/K2 Serotype accounted for 81.7%. The incidence of BSI in K2 patients was higher than that in K1 patients. The PCR results indicate that the carrying rate of virulence genes (rmpA、areo、kfu、allS、iroN、magA、uge、wcaG) in K1/K2 type strains is significantly higher than that in non K1/K2 type strains. ST23 and ST65 are the most common multilocus sequence typing (MLST), which belong to K1 and K2 Serotype respectively. All of HvKP strains showed high sensitivity to commonly used clinical antibiotics other than ampicillin, with 54.3% of the strains exhibiting high viscosity characteristics. Meanwhile, 35 classic Klebsiella pneumoniae (cKP) strains were collected, and their serum typing is mainly non K1/K2. The carrying rate of virulence genes and viscosity degree in HvKP are significantly higher than those in cKP. Primary liver abscess caused by HvKP is prone to multiple tissue and organ infections, but it shows higher sensitivity to most commonly used antibiotics in clinical practice except for ampicillin. After effective treatment, the overall prognosis of patients is better. This study analyzes the pathogenic characteristics of HvKP and elaborates on the clinical characteristics of patients, which can provide reference for clinical and scientific research work.

Evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy of EC-Test for latent tuberculosis infection in ambulatory people with HIV

BACKGROUND

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is more likely to develop into active tuberculosis (ATB), recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein ESAT6/CFP10 (EC-Test) is a latest developed method for LTBI. Compared with the interferon γ release test assays (IGRAs), the diagnostic performance of EC-Test to LTBI screening in HIV needs to be evaluated.

METHODS

A population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted in Guangxi Province, China. The baseline data was collected and LTBI were measured by QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT), EC-Test and T-cell spot of the TB assay (T-SPOT.TB).

RESULTS

A total of 1478 patients were enrolled. when taking T-SPOT.TB as reference, the value of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and consistency that EC-Test to diagnosis LTBI in HIV was 40.42, 97.98, 85.26, 85.04 and 85.06% respectively; when taking QFT-GIT as reference, the value was 36.00, 92.57, 55.10, 85.09 and 81.13%, respectively. When the CD4 + cell count was <200 cells/μl, the accuracies of EC-Test to T-SPOT.TB and QFT-GIT were 87.12 and 88.89%, respectively; when it was 200 ≤ CD4 + ≤ 500 cells/μl, the accuracies of EC-Test was 86.20 and 83.18%, respectively; when the CD4 + cell count >500 cells/μl, the accuracies of EC-Test were 84.29 and 77.94%, respectively. The incidence of adverse reactions in EC-Test was 34.23% and the serious adverse reactions were 1.15%.

CONCLUSION

EC-Test has good consistency compared with IGRAs in detecting LTBI in HIV no matter in different immunosuppression status or different regions, and the safety of EC-Test is also well, suitable for LTBI screening in HIV in high prevalence settings.

Multi-Institutional Analysis of Metastasis Directed Therapy with or without Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Oligometastatic Castration Sensitive Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Several prospective trials in oligometastatic castration sensitive prostate cancer (omCSPC) have shown metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) can delay time to progression and initiation of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) compared to observation. However, the optimal integration of ADT with MDT remains unclear. Here we report a multi-national, multi-institutional retrospective cohort of omCSPC treated with MDT to characterize the long-term outcomes of patients treated with MDT alone or in combination with ADT.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with a controlled primary site and omCSPC (defined as ≤ 5 lesions on conventional imaging) treated with MDT with or without concurrent ADT and with at least 36 months follow-up were retrospectively screened across 13 institutions. The primary endpoints included biochemical progression free survival (bPFS) and radiographic progression free survival (rPFS) calculated using Kaplan-Meier method and stratified by treatment group (MDT alone vs MDT + ADT). Multivariable Cox regression was performed adjusted for variables found to be prognostic on univariate analysis.

RESULTS

Among 414 patients screened, a total of 263 patients treated between 2003 and 2018 met inclusion criteria and included. Of these, 105 received MDT alone and 158 received MDT+ADT, with median follow-up of 49.5 and 54.5 months, respectively. The majority were metachronous (90%) and had bone lesions (60%). Median ADT duration was 21.3 months (IQR 12.0- 31.9). Patients who received ADT vs. no ADT had poorer prognostic features including 23% vs. 1% synchronous (p<0.001), and 55% vs 40% Gleason 8-10 (p = 0.012). ADT use was associated with a better 5-year bPFS 24% vs 11% (p<0.0001) and rPFS 41% vs 29% (p<0.001). On multivariable Cox regression adjusting for post-MDT PSA nadir and salvage therapy, ADT use maintained significance for both bPFS (HR 0.51 (0.36, 0.71), p<0.001) and rPFS (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.46-0.96, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Long-term outcomes with MDT alone suggest a small proportion of patients experience sustained disease control. The addition of ADT appears to improve rPFS, however prospective studies are needed in order to allow for personalization of care in patients with omCSPC.

[Distribution characteristics of plasma renin concentration in patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma]

Objective: To analyze the distribution characteristics of plasma renin concentration (PRC) in patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and its impact on diagnosis. Methods: In this retrospective case series, clinical data from 200 patients with APA (80 men and 120 women; mean age 45.6 years) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from November 2013 to January 2022 were evaluated. PRC was determined by automated chemiluminescence immunoassay. The distribution characteristics of PRC were analyzed, and 8.2 mU/L was used as the low renin cutoff to evaluate whether renin was suppressed. Results: The median PRC was 1.6 mU/L (range, 0.4-41.5 mU/L). There were 116 patients with APA with PRC of ≤2 mU/L, 41 patients with 2<PRC≤4 mU/L. PRC was not suppressed (PRC>8.2 mU/L) in 8.0% (16/200) of the patients with APA. And PRC was not suppressed in 2.5% (5/200) of the patients with APA, resulting in a primary aldosteronism negative screening outcome. Conclusions: Although most patients with APA have low PRC, there are a small number (8%) of patients whose PRC has not been fully suppressed, which can lead to missed diagnoses during primary aldosteronism screening. While primary aldosteronism is highly suspected, further investigations are required to determine the diagnosis, even if PRC is not fully suppressed at screening.

WITHDRAWN: Hidrosmin Attenuates Inflammatory Response Induced by IL1β by Suppressing the Activation of NF-κB Involving Nrf2/HO1 Pathway in Human Osteoarthritis Chondrocytes

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Axin2+ PDL Cells Directly Contribute to New Alveolar Bone Formation in Response to Orthodontic Tension Force

Wnt-β-catenin signaling plays a key role in orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), a common clinical practice for malocclusion correction. However, its targeted periodontal ligament (PDL) progenitor cells remain largely unclear. In this study, we first showed a synchronized increase in Wnt-β-catenin levels and Axin2+ PDL progenitor cell numbers during OTM using immunostaining of β-catenin in wild-type mice and X-gal staining in the Axin2-LacZ knock-in line. Next, we demonstrated time-dependent increases in Axin2+ PDL progenitors and their progeny cell numbers within PDL and alveolar bones during OTM using a one-time tamoxifen-induced Axin2 tracing line (Axin2CreERT2/+; R26RtdTomato/+). Coimmunostaining images displayed both early and late bone markers (such as RUNX2 and DMP1) in the Axin2Lin PDL cells. Conversely, ablation of Axin2+ PDL cells via one-time tamoxifen-induced diphtheria toxin subunit A (DTA) led to a drastic decrease in osteogenic activity (as reflected by alkaline phosphatase) in PDL and alveolar bone. There was also a decrease in new bone mass and a significant reduction in the mineral apposition rate on both the control side (to a moderate degree) and the OTM side (to a severe degree). Thus, we conclude that the Axin2+ PDL cells (the Wnt-targeted key cells) are highly sensitive to orthodontic tension force and play a critical role in OTM-induced PDL expansion and alveolar bone formation. Future drug development targeting the Axin2+ PDL progenitor cells may accelerate alveolar bone formation during orthodontic treatment.

Sedentary time and its association with risk of cardiovascular diseases in adults: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Background

Epidemiological studies assessing the association between sedentary time and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risks have been published at a rapid pace in recent years, which makes the periodic review of knowledge essential. Furthermore, much of the early and ongoing work used screen time as a marker of total sedentary time, which may weaken the association between sedentary time and CVD risks.

Objective

To update evidence on CVD risks associated with different types of sedentary time, especially total sedentary time and screen time, and to explore as a marker of total sedentary time, whether screen time had similar CVD risks with total sedentary time.

Methods

PRISMA guideline was followed for the performing and reporting of this systematic review and meta-analysis. Three independent researchers searched eight electronic databases and two clinical trial registries for all studies published between January 2015 and December 2021 that assessed the association between sedentary time and CVD risks in adults. A standardized form was used for data extraction and collection. Wilmot and colleagues’ modified tool was used for quality assessment. The categorical association was assessed by comparing the pooled effect sizes for CVD risks associated with the highest and the lowest sedentary time categories across included studies. Stata 16.0 and Review Manager 5.3 were used for all statistical analyses, P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results

Seventeen prospective cohort studies and two cross-sectional studies with 145,1730 participants and over 48,668 CVD cases and deaths were included. Two included studies measured sedentary time with the accelerometer, 16 studies with self-reported questions, and one study with both the accelerometer and self-reported questions. CVD outcomes were self-reported in two included studies and objectively adjudicated through medical records or death certifications in 17 studies. Compared with the lowest total sedentary time category (median duration, 2.75 h/d), participants in the highest category (median duration, 10.5 h/d) had an increased risk of CVD morbidity (pooled RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.21–1.27). Compared with the lowest total sedentary time category (median duration, 2.98 h/d), participants in the highest category (median duration, 10.2 h/d) had an increased risk of CVD mortality (pooled HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.13–1.47). The association between screen time and CVD risks was similar to total sedentary time with the cut-off point of 5–6 h/d. The associations between occupational sitting time, leisure sedentary time, and CVD risks stayed inconclusive.

Conclusion

Total sedentary time and screen time are both associated with cardiovascular health. As a marker of total sedentary time, screen time over 5–6 h/d had similar CVD risks with total sedentary time over 10–11 h/d.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-12728-6.

[Factors related to myasthenic crisis in myasthenia gravis patients with oropharyngeal involvement during hospitalization]

Objective: To investigate the factors related to myasthenic crisis (MC) in myasthenia gravis patients (MG) with oropharyngeal involvement during hospitalization. Methods: The clinical data of 99 MG patients with oropharyngeal involvement who were admitted to Beijing Tongren Hospital from 2018 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 52 males and 47 females, aged 17-89 (55±15) years old, with a disease duration of 1-240 [10 (4, 36)] months. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with MC. Results: A total of 19 (19.19%) patients developed into MC during hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age of hospitalization ≥ 60 years old (OR=31.378, 95%CI: 3.868-254.557, P=0.001), type B and C thymoma (OR=29.175, 95%CI: 2.986-285.016, P=0.004), excess oropharyngeal secretions (OR=12.649, 95%CI: 2.057-77.783, P=0.006) and infections (OR=9.539, 95%CI: 1.345-67.645, P=0.024) were independently related to MC in MG patients with oropharyngeal involvement. Conclusions: Older age, malignant thymoma, excess oropharyngeal secretions and infection are independently related to MC in MG patients with oropharyngeal involvement during hospitalization. Therefore, great attention should be paid to this type of MG patients, and increased oropharyngeal secretions and various infections should be actively treated, so as to reduce the occurrence of MC.

Long non-coding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) promotes glioblastoma multiforme progression via regulating miR-1301-3p/TMBIM6 axis

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) could regulate glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) progression via microRNA-1301-3p (miR-1301-3p) and transmembrane BAX inhibitor motif containing 6 (TMBIM6) axis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expression patterns of PVT1 and RMBIM6 in GBM patients were analyzed using GEPIA, an online gene expression analysis tool. Levels of PVT1 in GBM cells and normal cells were analyzed with quantitative real-time PCR method. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), transwell invasion assay, and flow cytometry assay were applied to detect cell viability and apoptosis. Connections of PVT1 or TMBIM6 with miR-1301-3p were validated with bioinformatic tool and luciferase activity reporter assay.

RESULTS

PVT1 was significantly expressed in GBM tissues and cells. PVT1 promotes GBM cell proliferation and invasion but inhibits apoptosis in vitro. TMBIM6 was significantly expressed in GBM tissues. The knockdown of TMBIM6 reversed the stimulation effects of PVT1 on GBM cell malignancy behaviors with miR-1301-3p as a bridge.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, we showed PVT1 elevated TMBIM6 expression mediated by miR-1301-3p and thus to promote GBM progression.

Pediatric allergic rhinitis with functional gastrointestinal disease: Associations with the intestinal microbiota and gastrointestinal peptides and therapeutic effects of interventions

Children are susceptible to allergic rhinitis (caused by external allergens) accompanied by functional gastrointestinal disease, which seriously affects physical and mental health. Antihistamines and nasal spray hormones are commonly used in clinical treatment, but these drugs often have unsatisfactory efficacy and result in high recurrence rates. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis with functional gastrointestinal disease and seeking safer treatment and prevention methods is essential. Herein, molecular ecology and immunoassays were used to analyze correlations between pediatric allergic rhinitis with functional gastrointestinal disease and both the intestinal microbiota and gastrointestinal peptide levels. Fifty healthy children (healthy group) and 80 children with allergic rhinitis with functional gastrointestinal disease (case group: evenly divided into a control group (conventional drug therapy) and an intervention group (conventional drug therapy + glutamine+probiotics)), were enrolled. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus counts and the gastrin and motilin levels were lower in the case group than in the healthy group, whereas Enterobacter, yeast, and Enterococcus counts and the somatostatin, serotonin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide levels were higher. Post treatment, intestinal microbiota indices, gastrointestinal peptide levels, and intestinal barrier function were better in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The intervention group had a significantly higher total therapeutic response rate (95.00%) than the control group (77.50%). The intestinal microbiota was closely associated with gastrointestinal peptide levels. Treatment with glutamine and probiotics regulated these levels, re-established balance in the intestinal microbiota, and restored intestinal barrier function.

Long lifetime of bialkali photocathodes operating in high gradient superconducting radio frequency gun

High brightness, high charge electron beams are critical for a number of advanced accelerator applications. The initial emittance of the electron beam, which is determined by the mean transverse energy (MTE) and laser spot size, is one of the most important parameters determining the beam quality. The bialkali photocathodes illuminated by a visible laser have the advantages of high quantum efficiency (QE) and low MTE. Furthermore, Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) guns can operate in the continuous wave (CW) mode at high accelerating gradients, e.g. with significant reduction of the laser spot size at the photocathode. Combining the bialkali photocathode with the SRF gun enables generation of high charge, high brightness, and possibly high average current electron beams. However, integrating the high QE semiconductor photocathode into the SRF guns has been challenging. In this article, we report on the development of bialkali photocathodes for successful operation in the SRF gun with months-long lifetime while delivering CW beams with nano-coulomb charge per bunch. This achievement opens a new era for high charge, high brightness CW electron beams.

Examining trabecular morphology and chemical composition of peri-scaffold osseointegrated bone

Background

Porous titanium alloy scaffold fabricated by 3D printing technology could induce osseointegration well to repair bone defect during early postoperative period. However, trabecular histomorphological features and chemical compositions of ingrowth bone in the long term after surgery still lacked in-depth research.

Methods

Fourteen New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups (7 rabbits in surgery group and 7 rabbits in control group). A 3D-printed porous titanium alloy scaffold was implanted into right femoral condyle of each rabbit in the surgery group. Preload was produced at the surface between bone tissue and scaffold through interference assembly during implantation process. Rabbits in the control group were feed free. All rabbits were sacrificed to extract femoral condyles at week 12 after surgery. All right femoral condyles were performed micro-CT scanning to test bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular histomorphological parameters, including bone volume fraction (BV/TV), bone surface/volume ratio (BS/BV), bone surface density (BS/TV), structure model index (SMI), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), porosity (PO), connectivity density (Conn.Dn), and degree of anisotropy (DA). Scanning electron microscope was used to observe osteogenesis peri-scaffold. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) scanning was performed to analyze chemical compositions of peri-scaffold trabeculae. All trabecular morphological parameters and BMDs were statistically analyzed between surgery group and control group.

Results

The pores of scaffold were filled with ingrowth bone tissues after 12 weeks osseointegration. However, the mean BMD peri-scaffold in surgery group was 800 ± 20 mg/cm³, which was 18.37% lower than that in the control group. There was a significant decrease in BV/TV, Tb.N, and BS/TV, and there was a significant increase in Tb.Sp and PO between the surgery group and control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in Tb.Th, SMI, Conn.Dn, BS/BV, and DA. Although ingrowth of bone tissue was very effective, some fragmented connective tissues were still found instead of bone tissues on the partial beams of scaffolds through SEM images. It was found from FTIR that there was no significant hydroxyapatite peak signal in surgery group. Collagen in the control group mainly existed as cross-link structure, while non-cross-link structure in the surgery group.

Conclusions

Preload could promote the same good osseointegration ability as chemical surface modification method in the early term after surgery, and better osseointegration effect than chemical surface modification method in the mid-long term after surgery. However, histomorphological features of peri-scaffold trabeculae were still in deterioration and low collagen maturity caused by stress shielding. It was suggested from this study that extra physical training should be taken to stimulate the bone remodeling process for recovering to a healthy level.

Aristolochic acid I promotes the invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activating the C3a/C3aR complement system

Aristolochic acid is an established human carcinogen. Previous reports have demonstrated a link between aristolochic acid exposure and liver cancer prevalence in Asia. The C3a/C3AR axis plays an essential role in regulating cancer cell migration and invasion. Here, we focused on the relationship between AA I-induced migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HCC cells, as well as the possible role of the C3a/C3AR axis in these effects. HCC cells were exposed to different concentrations of AA I for 24 h. Cell migration and invasion abilities were evaluated with wound healing assays and Transwell invasion assays. The protein and mRNA expression levels were detected by western blot, immunofluorescence and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. Furthermore, the level of complement component C3a in the cell supernatant was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. C3aRA, a C3a receptor antagonist, was used to block the C3a-C3aR axis. The results showed that aristolochic acid I promoted HCC cell invasion and migration. AAI exposure also induced EMT in HCC cells through E-cadherin downregulation and Snail, N-cadherin, and vimentin upregulation. AAI exposure increased the levels of secreted C3a and the expression of C3aR protein and mRNA in HCC cells. We further found that AA I-induced C3a/C3AR activation was involved in these effects. AA I-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration, and invasion were decreased by C3aR inhibition. Overall, our results suggest that AA I induces HCC cell migration and invasion through the EMT process, which is regulated by C3a/C3aR axis activation.

High-Brightness Continuous-Wave Electron Beams from Superconducting Radio-Frequency Photoemission Gun

Continuous-wave photoinjectors operating at high accelerating gradients promise to revolutionize many areas of science and applications. They can establish the basis for a new generation of monochromatic x-ray free electron lasers, high-brightness hadron beams, or a new generation of microchip production. In this Letter we report on the record-performing superconducting rf electron gun with CsK_{2}Sb photocathode. The gun is generating high charge electron bunches (up to 10  nC/bunch) and low transverse emittances, while operating for months with a single photocathode. This achievement opens a new era in generating high-power beams with a very high average brightness.

[Five cases of optic neuropathy associated with varicella zoster virus infection]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of optic neuropathy associated with varicella zoster virus (VZV). Methods: Five cases of optic neuropathy associated with VZV infection from Department of Neurology between January 1, 2014 and March 31, 2019 were retrospectively collected. The clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis were analyzed. Results: There were 7 eyes involved in 5 cases, 3 cases (3/5) involved only one eye, and 2 cases (2/5) involved both optic nerves. During the follow-up time, no recurrence was found. Severe visual impairment occurred in 4 eyes (4/7) and non-severe visual impairment in 3 eyes (3/7). Visual acuity improved significantly in 1 eye (1/7), turned better in 2 eyes (2/7), and remained unchanged in 4 eyes (4/7). In acute phase, abnormal signals of optic nerve and/or sheath were observed on MR images. Case 3 received antiviral and hormone therapy on the second day after the onset of the disease, and the visual acuity recovered well; the other 4 cases had poor prognosis. Conclusions: Head and face VZV infection can cause serious optic neuropathy, leading to severe visual dysfunction, and poor prognosis, but recurrence is rare. Early intravenous administration of antiviral drugs (acyclovir is the best) and hormones are recommended for VZV infection in this area. It is best to use drugs within 72 hours in order to avoid and reduce secondary optic neuropathy as far as possible.

Experimental Demonstration of Hadron Beam Cooling Using Radio-Frequency Accelerated Electron Bunches

Cooling of beams of gold ions using electron bunches accelerated with radio-frequency systems was recently experimentally demonstrated in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Such an approach is new and opens the possibility of using this technique at higher energies than possible with electrostatic acceleration of electron beams. The challenges of this approach include generation of electron beams suitable for cooling, delivery of electron bunches of the required quality to the cooling sections without degradation of beam angular divergence and energy spread, achieving the required small angles between electron and ion trajectories in the cooling sections, precise velocity matching between the two beams, high-current operation of the electron accelerator, as well as several physics effects related to bunched-beam cooling. Here we report on the first demonstration of cooling hadron beams using this new approach.

[Clinical analysis of 36 cases of idiopathic intracranial hypertension complicated with iron deficiency anemia]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, imaging findings and prognosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) patients complicated with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Methods: A total of 307 cases of IIH patients hospitalized in Beijing Tongren Hospital were retrospectively screened between January 1, 2011 and February 28, 2018. There were 49 anemia cases (15.96%) and 45 IDA cases (14.66%), respectively. Finally, 36 IDA patients were enrolled. The clinical characteristics, imaging findings, treatment and prognosis of these patients were analyzed. Results: IIH combined with IDA was more common in women of childbearing age (34/36). There were 30 obese and overweight cases (83.33%), with multiple subacute or chronic course of disease. The visual symptoms in the early IIH patients were first diagnosed in the Department of Ophthalmology. The first symptom was headache with/without visual symptoms (27 cases (75%)). Head MRI detected empty sella or partial empty sella, and 2 cases of venous sinus thrombosis were found in DSA examination. Of the 34 female patients, 24 had simple menometrorrhagia or menstrual disorder. All patients were given methyl acetate to reduce the intracranial pressure and iron therapy. Five patients received low molecular weight heparin-warfarin sequential treatment, 5 cases underwent gynecologic surgery and 2 male cases received hemorrhoid operation. There were 7 cases underwent lumbar cisterna-peritoneal shunt for visual impairment. During the follow-up, intracranial pressure decreased and visual function of patients improved significantly. Conclusions: IIH is frequently found in obese or overweight women at childbearing age and IDA may be an important cause of IIH. IIH can cause serious irreversible visual impairment. Therefore, early identification and active treatment should be performed. Correction of anemia can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of IIH. Operation should be employed for IIH patients with poor visual function or rapid progress, in order to reduce intracranial pressure and improve prognosis as soon as possible.

High expression of LncRNA CASC15 is a risk factor for gastric cancer prognosis and promote the proliferation of gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of long non-coding RNA CASC15 in gastric cancer tissue and its effect on the proliferation of gastric cancer cell line MKN28.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We found that expression of lncRNA CASC15 in gastric cancer tissue was higher than normal gastric epithelium through the TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, we detect the RNA level of CASC15 from clinical samples of 42 normal gastric epithelial tissues and 60 gastric cancer tissues. In order to explore the function of CASC15 in gastric cancer, we perform gain-function and loss-function assay in gastric cancer cell lines.

RESULTS

We found that expression of lncRNA CASC15 in gastric cancer tissue was higher than normal gastric epithelium through the TCGA database and the related microarray data set was searched from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.  Then, we extracted total RNA from clinical samples of 42 normal gastric epithelial tissues and 60 gastric cancer tissues. The results of quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were consistent with those of TCGA analysis. Clinical data analysis showed that the expression of LncRNA CASC15 was correlated with the total survival, tumor size and TMN staging in clinical patients. Clinical data analysis showed that the expression level of CASC15 was correlated with tumor size and TNM stage in clinical patients. Compared with the negative control group, the proliferation and cell cloning ability of MKN28 cells overexpressing LncRNA CASC15 significantly increased (p<0.001), indicating that overexpression of LncRNA CASC15 promoted the proliferation of MKN28 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of LncRNA CASC15 was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues and its expression was negatively correlated with the overall survival of clinical patients. It was positively correlated with the tumor size and TMN stage. LncRNA CASC15 could promote the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and was expected to become the molecular marker for prediction and prognosis of gastric cancer, as well as a potential therapeutic target.

[Clinical outcomes of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for aggressive peripheral T-cell lymphoma]

目的

研究外周血造血干细胞移植治疗外周T细胞淋巴瘤（PTCL）的疗效。

方法

回顾性分析解放军总医院血液科2007年6月至2017年6月接受外周血造血干细胞移植PTCL患者的临床资料。

结果

共有41例PTCL患者纳入研究，男30例，女11例，中位年龄38（13~57）岁。17例行自体外周血造血干细胞移植（auto-PBSCT），24例行异基因外周血造血干细胞移植（allo-PBSCT）。auto-PBSCT组ALK阳性间变大细胞淋巴瘤占47.1%（8/17），allo-PBSCT组NK/T细胞淋巴瘤和外周T细胞淋巴瘤-非特指型占66.7%（16/24）。auto-PBSCT组患者移植前疾病处于完全缓解（CR）状态者占58.8%（10/17），疾病进展（PD）状态者占11.8%（2/17）；allo-PBSCT组移植前疾病状态为CR者8.3%（2/24），PD者45.8%（11/24）。auto-PBSCT组和allo-PBSCT组移植后2年总生存率、无病生存率差异均无统计学意义[（64.0±10.8）%对（53.5±9.7）%，P=0.543；（57.1±12.4）%对（53.5±10.6）%，P=0.701]。auto-PBSCT组6例死亡，5例死于复发；allo-PBSCT组12例死亡，其中5例死于复发，7例为移植相关死亡。

结论

auto-PBSCT和allo-PBSCT均是PTCL的有效治疗方法。

Association of Aspirin Resistance with Increased Mortality in Ischemic Stroke

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of aspirin resistance (AR) with mortality in a cohort of Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

METHODS

One hundred and ninety-six ischemic stroke patients who received at least 7 days of aspirin therapy prior to stroke onset were enrolled. The outcome measure was all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality at 1-year follow-up. The relation of AR with the two end points was investigated with the use of logistic regression models.

RESULTS

The median age of included patients was 65(IQR, 56-76) years and 82(41.8%) were female. Thirty-five patients were defined as AR; thus, the rate was 17.9% (95%CI, 12.5% to 23.2%). The median NIHSS score was significantly higher in patients with AR than those with AS [12 (IQR, 10-17) vs. 7 (IQR, 4-10); Z=5.188; P<0.001]. Similarly, the median infarct volume was also significantly higher in AR than in AS [18.8 (IQR, 4.3-25.2) ml vs. 13.2 (IQR, 3.3-18.7) ml; Z=3.322; P=0.008]. During follow-up there were 43 patients (21.9%) died, including 24 CVD mortality (12.2%). In univariate logistic regression analysis, we found that the rate of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality increased by 390% (OR=4.90; 95%CI:2.24-10.75) and 422% (OR=5.22; 95%CI, 2.10-12.98) in AR group. After adjusting for all other significant predictors, AR still associated with high mortality and the rate of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality increased by 215% (OR=3.15; 95%CI:1.88-4.93) and 231% (OR=3.31; 95%CI, 1.96-522), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study shows that AR was a useful prognostic marker of all-cause or CVD mortality in Chinese patients with AIS.

[Diffusion tensor imaging of the central auditory system in the elderly]

Objective:To evaluate the changes in the central auditory system of presbycusis by applying auditury brainstem response (ABR) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Method:A total of twenty-five elderly subjects with expressed presbycusis, eight elderly subjects with normal hearing and fifteen healthy volunteers as young controls were enrolled in the study. Each participant was examined using ABR and DTI. ABR measures were obtained from all the subjects. The fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured at two brain regions of the auditory pathway-the inferior colliculus (IC) and Heschl's gyrus. Result:Higher FA values were recorded at the left side of the Heschl's gyrus in all three groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the left and right side of the ABR results and FA values of inferior colliculus in the three groups (P>0.05). Aging increased ABR peak latencies, yet did not change the Ⅰ-Ⅴ interpeak latency interval. Comparing with the elderly subjects with normal hearing group, the wave Ⅴ latencies of the presbycusis group were prolonged (P<0.05). Comparing with the healthy control group, the FA values of the IC were reduced in both of the elderly subjects with normal hearing group and the presbycusis group (P<0.05). No statistically differences were observed between the presbycusis group and the elderly subjects with normal hearing group in the FA values of the IC (P>0.05). Significant differences between all groups were found in the FA values of the Heschl's gyrus, with higher values in the elderly subjects with normal hearing group than in the presbycusis group and even higher values in the healthy control group than in the elderly subjects with normal hearing group (P<0.05). Conclusion:The results indicated that the age-related microstructural changes exist in the central part of the auditory system, which are more obvious in the patients with presbycusis.

Altered plasma arginine metabolome precedes behavioural and brain arginine metabolomic profile changes in the APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

While amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides play a central role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), recent evidence also implicates altered metabolism of L-arginine in the pathogenesis of AD. The present study systematically investigated how behavioural function and the brain and plasma arginine metabolic profiles changed in a chronic Aβ accumulation model using male APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenic (Tg) mice at 7 and 13 months of age. As compared to their wild-type (WT) littermates, Tg mice displayed age-related deficits in spatial water maze tasks and alterations in brain arginine metabolism. Interestingly, the plasma arginine metabolic profile was markedly altered in 7-month Tg mice prior to major behavioural impairment. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that plasma putrescine and spermine significantly differentiated between Tg and WT mice. These results demonstrate the parallel development of altered brain arginine metabolism and behavioural deficits in Tg mice. The altered plasma arginine metabolic profile that preceded the behavioural and brain profile changes suggests that there may be merit in an arginine-centric set of ante-mortem biomarkers for AD.

Dentinal mineralization is not limited in the mineralization front but occurs along with the entire odontoblast process

The mineralization-front theory is historically rooted in mineralization research fields for many decades. This theory is widely used to describe mineralization events in both osteogenesis and dentinogenesis. However, this model does not provide enough evidence to explain how minerals are propagated from the pulp-end dentin to dentin-enamel junction (DEJ). To address this issue, we modified the current research approaches by a) extending the mineral deposition windows of time from minutes to hours, instead of limiting the mineralization assay on days and weeks only; b) switching a regular fluorescent microscope to a more powerful confocal microscope; in which both mineral deposition rates and detail mineral labeling along with dentin tubules can be documented; and c) using reporter mice, including the Gli1-CreERT2 activated tomato and the 2.3 Col1-GFP to mark odontoblast processes combined with mineral dye injections. Our key findings are: 1) Odontoblast-processes, full of numerous mini-branches, evenly spread to entire dentin matrices with a high density of processes and a large diameter of the main process at the predentin-dentin junction; and 2) The minerals deposit along with entire odontoblast-processes and form many individual mineral collars surrounding odontoblast processes. As a result, these merged collars give rise to a single labeled line at the dentin-predentin junction, in which the dental tubules are wider in diameter and denser in odontoblast processes compared to other dentin areas. We therefore propose that it is the odontoblast-process that directly contributes to mineralization, which is not simply limited in the mineralization front at the edge of dentin and predentin, but occurs along with the entire odontoblast process. These new findings will shed new light on our understanding of dentin structure and function, as well as the mechanisms of mineralization.

[Role of Rac1 signaling pathway of azathioprine and peptidoglycan in the regulation of monocyte-macrophage apoptosis in Crohn's disease]

Objective: To evaluate the changes of macrophages and expression of Rac1 in the inflammatory site of Crohn's disease, and to investigate the effects of 6-thioguanine (6-TG) and peptidoglycan on apoptosis of human peripheral blood monocyte-macrophage by regulating Rac1 signaling pathway. Methods: Ten patients with Crohn's disease and eight healthy controls diagnosed were enrolled at Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January 2013 to January 2014. The number of macrophages, apoptosis and expression of Rac1 in the inflammation sites and non-inflammation sites of intestinal mucosa were detected in both patients and controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were sorted by CD₁₄ immunomagnetic beads. The apoptosis of monocytes, expression of Rac1 and related apoptosis signaling molecules were detected in patients treated with peptidoglycan, 6-TG and Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 and another 15 healthy donors. Results: The number of macrophages and apoptotic cells significantly increased in the inflammatory group of Crohn's disease patients compared with the non-inflammatory group. The expression of PAK1, downstream molecular of Rac1 signaling pathway of macrophages was also significantly higher in the inflammatory group of Crohn's disease patients than that in healthy controls and non-inflammatory group. Compared with control group, anti-apoptotic signals (NF-κB, Bcl-xL and STAT-3) in PBMCs increased in the peptidoglycan group, while slightly decreased in 6-TG group. 6-TG and NSC23766 significantly promoted peptidoglycan-related anti-apoptosis [peptidoglycan group (8.6±3.7)%, peptidoglycan+ 6-TG group (42.0±2.7)%, peptidoglycan+ NSC23766 group (58.5±6.9)%, P<0.05]. Conclusions: Peptidoglycan plays a role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease by recruiting macrophages. However, 6-TG inhibits peptidoglycan-induced activation of Rac1 signaling pathway leading to macrophage apoptosis.

Transplacental transfer characteristics of organochlorine pesticides in paired maternal and cord sera, and placentas and possible influencing factors

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites [dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane], hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), are widely detected in humans despite the considerable decline in environmental concentrations. To understand the placental transfer of OCPs and the possible maternal influence on them, we measured the concentrations of DDTs, HCHs, and HCB in 102 paired samples of maternal and cord sera, and placentas collected in Shanghai, China. The median concentrations of DDTs and HCHs were the highest in maternal sera (601, 188 ng g^-1 lipid), followed by umbilical cord sera (389, 131 ng g^-1 lipid), and placentas (65, 37 ng g^-1 lipid). 4,4'-DDE, β-HCH, and HCB were the predominant contaminants in the three matrices. The ubiquitous existence of OCPs, and the significant concentration relationships of DDTs, HCHs, and OCPs in the three matrices suggested placental transfer from mother to fetus. The lipid-based concentration ratios of 4,4'-DDE, β-HCH, and HCB in umbilical cord serum to those in maternal serum (F/M), and ratios of placenta to maternal serum (P/M) ranged from 0.66 to 1.01, and 0.12 to 0.25, respectively. Maternal variables affected the levels of fetal contamination. For primiparous women, significant correlations between maternal age and maternal HCHs, and between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and maternal HCHs were found. The negative effect of parity, and the positive effect of food consumption on maternal OCP concentrations were also observed, although there were no significant differences. The possible influence of parity on F/M and P/M of 4,4'-DDE suggested borderline significant differences between primiparous and multiparous women. Also, slight group differences were observed between elder and younger women, and between overweight and normal/underweight women. Parity seems to have a potential influence on transfer ratios of some OCP pollutants.

DHX15 promotes prostate cancer progression by stimulating Siah2-mediated ubiquitination of androgen receptor

Androgen receptor (AR) activation is critical for prostate cancer development and progression, including castration-resistance. The nuclear export signal of AR (NES^AR) plays an important role in AR intracellular trafficking and proteasome-dependent degradation. Here, we identified the RNA helicase DHX15 as a novel AR co-activator using a yeast mutagenesis screen and revealed that DHX15 regulates AR activity by modulating E3 ligase Siah2-mediated AR ubiquitination independent of its ATPase activity. DHX15 and Siah2 form a complex with AR, through NES^AR. DHX15 stabilized Siah2 and enhanced its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, resulting in AR activation. Importantly, DHX15 was upregulated in prostate cancer specimens and its expression was correlated with Gleason scores and PSA recurrence. Furthermore, DHX15 immunostaining correlated with Siah2. Finally, DHX15 knockdown inhibited the growth of C4-2 prostate tumor xenografts in mice. Collectively, our data argue that DHX15 enhances AR transcriptional activity and contributes to prostate cancer progression through Siah2.

Forty-one cases of round ligament varicosities that are easily misdiagnosed as inguinal hernias

PURPOSE

To demonstrate the benefit and safety of conservative therapy for round ligament varicosities (RLVs) that are easily misdiagnosed as inguinal hernias.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed clinical materials of 41 consecutive cases of RLVs diagnosed by ultrasound in a single hospital from January 2011 to December 2015. Misdiagnosis rate, clinical and sonographic features, management after diagnosis and prognosis were recorded.

RESULTS

All forty-one cases were pregnant females in their second or third trimester. Twenty-eight cases were first misdiagnosed as inguinal hernias (68.3%). Thirty cases presented as reducible swelling in the inguinal area (73.2%), and twenty-five of which were painful (61.0%). Four cases only felt pain in the inguinal area without swelling (9.7%). Seven cases had no obvious discomfort (17.1%). All cases were diagnosed as RLVs by gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasonography and justified a wait-and-see strategy. Thirty-seven cases were followed until total recovery after delivery (follow-up rate 90.2%). Swelling with or without pain disappeared spontaneously postpartum.

CONCLUSIONS

RLVs are easily misdiagnosed as inguinal hernias and color Doppler of the inguinal area is the best examination for making the correct diagnosis. Conservative therapy for RLV is beneficial and safe when assured by color Doppler.

Impact of FOXP3 Polymorphisms on the Blood Level of Tacrolimus in Renal Transplant Recipients

INTRODUCTION

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive medication for organ transplantation. FOXP3(+) T regulatory cells (Tregs) play roles in suppression of rejection and induction of graft tolerance. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the polymorphism of FOXP3 and the blood level of tacrolimus in renal transplant recipients.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 100 renal transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus treatment and 100 healthy control subjects. Genotyping for FOXP3 rs3761547 AA, AG, GG, rs3761548 AA, AC, CC and rs223236 AA, AG, GG was performed. Concentrations of tacrolimus, creatinine, and urea nitrogen levels in blood were measured.

RESULTS

Frequencies of genotypes of FOXP3 rs3761548 AA, AC, and CC, rs3761547 AA, AG, GG and rs 223236 AA, AG, GG in renal transplant recipients were similar to those in normal people. The blood level of tacrolimus in recipients with rs3761548 CC was significantly higher than that in recipients with rs3761548 AA and AC (P < .001). No difference in the blood level of tacrolimus was found in recipients with different genotypes of rs3761547 and rs223236. Compared to rs3761548 AA and AC groups, there was no difference of Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) glomerular filtration rate and the level of blood urea nitrogen before transplantation; however, these 2 parameters were significantly improved after transplantation in the rs3761548 CC group. The level of tacrolimus was correlated positively with MDRD glomerular filtration rate and negatively with the blood urea nitrogen level in recipients with rs3761548 CC genotype after transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified a new relationship between FOXP3 rs3761548 and the blood level of tacrolimus. These results suggest that the polymorphism of FOXP3 may affect tacrolimus pharmacokinetics.

[Clinical features and prognostic analysis of neuromyelitisoptica spectrum disease with sjogrensyndrome]

Objective: To explore the clinical features and conduct prognostic analysis about visual recovery and relapse of neuromyelitisoptica (NMO) spectrum disease (NMOSD) with sjogren syndrome (SS). Methods: A retrospective and prospective observational study was conducted.Between July 2013 and June 2016, 172 patients with NMOSD (NMOSD-non SS: 116/172, 67.4%; NMOSD-SS: 56/172, 32.6%) were assessed at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.The prognostic factors of NMOSD-SS patients were also analyzed. Results: As compared with NMOSD-non SS patients, NMOSD-SS patients had worse visual impairment (percentage of patients with visual acuity less than 0.1, 83.9% vs 69.8%, P<0.05), higher positive rate of SSA (92.9% vs 0.0%, P<0.05), higher proportion of dryness of mouth and eye (66.1% vs 5.2%, P<0.05) as well as higher percentage of reduced visual evoked potential (VEP) amplitude (60.7% vs 43.1%, P<0.05). NMOSD-SS patients had a significantly higher average year recurrent frequency (0.58 vs 0.53) and significantly shorter mean recurrence time (6.7 months vs 12.4 months, P<0.05). The results showed that recurrent eyes, the worst visual acuities of onset less than 0.1 were independent risk factors of visual impairment (visual activity <0.1), according to at least six months' follow-up of all NMOSD-SS patients (OR=6.410 and 9.434, respectively, P<0.05). Meanwhile, immunosuppressive drugs were protective factors of relapse in NMOSD-SS patients (OR=0.107, P<0.05). Conclusions: NMOSD-SS patients have worse visual impairment, and they are more vulnerable to relapse than NMOSD-non SS patients, and the vision is lack of recovery for NMOSD-SS with recurrent eyes or the worst vision of onset less than 0.1.Immunosuppressive drugs can reduce the recurrence of NMOSD-SS relapse.

Transplacental transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in paired samples of maternal serum, umbilical cord serum, and placenta in Shanghai, China

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a high-priority public health concern. However, maternal to fetal transplacental transfer of PAHs has not been systematically studied. To investigate the transplacental transfer of PAHs from mother to fetus and determine the influence of lipophilicity (octanol-water partition coefficient, K_OW) on transfer process, in the present study, we measured the concentrations of 15 PAHs in 95 paired maternal and umbilical cord serum, and placenta samples (in total 285 samples) collected in Shanghai, China. The average concentration of total PAHs was the highest in maternal serums (1290 ng g^-1 lipid), followed by umbilical cord serums (1150 ng g^-1 lipid). The value was the lowest in placenta samples (673 ng g^-1 lipid). Low molecular weight PAHs were the predominant compounds in the three matrices. Increases in fish and meat consumption did not lead to increases in maternal PAH levels, and no obvious gender differences in umbilical cord serums were observed. The widespread presence of PAHs in umbilical cord serums indicated the occurrence of transplacental transfer. The ratios of PAH concentrations in umbilical cord serum to those in maternal serum (F/M) and the concentrations in placenta to those in maternal serum (P/M) of paired samples were analyzed to characterize the transfer process of individual PAHs. Most F/M ratios on lipid basis were close to one (range: 0.79 to 1.36), which suggested that passive diffusion may control the transplacental transfer of PAHs from maternal serum to the fetal circulation. The P/M and F/M values calculated on lipid basis showed that PAHs with lower K_OW were more likely to transfer from mother to fetus via the placenta.

Further studies of the effects of aging on arginine metabolites in the rat vestibular nucleus and cerebellum

Some studies have demonstrated that aging is associated with impaired vestibular reflexes, especially otolithic reflexes, resulting in postural instability. However, the neurochemical basis of these age-related changes is still poorly understood. The l-arginine metabolic system has been implicated in changes in the brain associated with aging. In the current study, we examined the levels of l-arginine and its metabolizing enzymes and downstream metabolites in the vestibular nucleus complex (VNC) and cerebellum (CE) of rats with and without behavioral testing which were young (4months old), middle-aged (12months old) or aged (24months old). We found that aging was associated with lower nitric oxide synthase activity in the CE of animals with testing and increased arginase in the VNC and CE of animals with testing. l-citrulline and l-ornithine were lower in the VNC of aged animals irrespective of testing, while l-arginine and l-citrulline were lower in the CE with and without testing, respectively. In the VNC and CE, aging was associated with lower levels of glutamate in the VNC, irrespective of testing. In the VNC it was associated with higher levels of agmatine and putrescine, irrespective of testing. In the CE, aging was associated with higher levels of putrescine in animals without testing and with higher levels of spermine in animals with testing, and spermidine, irrespective of testing. Multivariate analyses indicated significant predictive relationships between the different variables, and there were correlations between some of the neurochemical variables and behavioral measurements. Cluster analyses revealed that aging altered the relationships between l-arginine and its metabolites. The results of this study demonstrate that there are major changes occurring in l-arginine metabolism in the VNC and CE as a result of age, as well as behavioral activity.

Abstract P4-08-01: IsomiRs and tRNA fragments are race-dependent regulators in breast cancer

This abstract was not presented at the symposium.

[Integrated assessment of ecosystem quality of arid inland river basin based on RS and GIS: A case study on Shiyang River Basin, Northwest China]

The Shiyang River Basin is an important ecological area of the Eastern Hexi Corridor, and is one of the most prominent areas of water conflict and ecological environment problems. An assessment of ecosystem quality in the Shiyang River Basin can provide a reference for ecological protection in arid inland basin. Based on the concept of ecosystem quality and the statistical yearbook, remotely sensed and land cover data, an evaluation index was established with consideration of three aspects of ecosystem (i.e., productivity, stability and bearing capacity). Kruskal-Wallis (Φ²) test and entropy method were applied to determine the weights of evaluation index. With the assistance of RS, GIS and SPSS software, a comprehensive evaluation and change analysis of ecosystem quality and corresponding index were conducted for various ecosystem types in the Shiyang River Basin in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. Results showed that the average ecosystem quality of the Shiyang River Basin was 57.76, and presented an obvious decrease with a magnitude of 0.72 per year du-ring 2000-2015. The spatial pattern of ecosystem quality was that the upstream was better than the midstream, and the midstream was superior to the downstream. The mean values of production capacity, stability and carrying capacity of ecosystem were 67.52, 45.37, and 58.53, respectively. Production capacity and stability had increased slightly, while carrying capacity gradually decreased. Considering various ecosystem types, the highest quality was detected for forest ecosystem with average annual value of 78.12, and this ecosystem presented the lowest decreasing magnitude of 0.28 per year; for grassland, farmland and urban ecosystems, the average annual value was 62.45, 58.76 and 50.29, respectively; the quality of wetland ecosystem was the lowest, and suffered the largest decline with an average rate of 0.98 per year.

Roles of Chondrocytes in Endochondral Bone Formation and Fracture Repair

The formation of the mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) and its subchondral bone is an important but understudied topic in dental research. The current concept regarding endochondral bone formation postulates that most hypertrophic chondrocytes undergo programmed cell death prior to bone formation. Under this paradigm, the MCC and its underlying bone are thought to result from 2 closely linked but separate processes: chondrogenesis and osteogenesis. However, recent investigations using cell lineage tracing techniques have demonstrated that many, perhaps the majority, of bone cells are derived via direct transformation from chondrocytes. In this review, the authors will briefly discuss the history of this idea and describe recent studies that clearly demonstrate that the direct transformation of chondrocytes into bone cells is common in both long bone and mandibular condyle development and during bone fracture repair. The authors will also provide new evidence of a distinct difference in ossification orientation in the condylar ramus (1 ossification center) versus long bone ossification formation (2 ossification centers). Based on our recent findings and those of other laboratories, we propose a new model that contrasts the mode of bone formation in much of the mandibular ramus (chondrocyte-derived) with intramembranous bone formation of the mandibular body (non-chondrocyte-derived).

[Programmed necrosis mediated by receptor-interacting protein 3: a new target for liver disease research]

Hepatocyte death mainly includes apoptosis and necrosis and is a critical process in the pathophysiological mechanism of liver injury caused by various reasons. Recent studies have shown that key regulatory molecules in the inhibition of apoptosis such as caspase cannot be used as targets for inhibiting disease progression in clinical practice. In recent years, programmed necrosis mediated by receptor-interacting protein 3(RIP3)becomes a new hot research topic. It not only plays an important role in inducing inflammatory response, but also is closely regulated by intracellular signal factors, and it is a type of active cell death which can be interfered with. Compared with apoptosis, programmed necrosis is accompanied by the release of various inflammatory factors, which significantly affects local immune microenvironment. RIP3-mediated programmed necrosis has been taken seriously in many diseases. Although its mechanism of action in liver disease remains unclear, the results of recent studies confirmed its important role in the development of liver disease. This article reviews the research advances in the role of RIP3-mediated programmed necrosis signaling pathway in liver disease of various causes and investigates the possibility of RIP3-mediated programmed necrosis as a new target in the treatment of liver disease.

Altered brain arginine metabolism in schizophrenia

Previous research implicates altered metabolism of l-arginine, a versatile amino acid with a number of bioactive metabolites, in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The present study, for we believe the first time, systematically compared the metabolic profile of l-arginine in the frontal cortex (Brodmann's area 8) obtained post-mortem from schizophrenic individuals and age- and gender-matched non-psychiatric controls (n=20 per group). The enzyme assays revealed no change in total nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, but significantly increased arginase activity in the schizophrenia group. Western blot showed reduced endothelial NOS protein expression and increased arginase II protein level in the disease group. High-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric assays confirmed significantly reduced levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), but increased agmatine concentration and glutamate/GABA ratio in the schizophrenia cases. Regression analysis indicated positive correlations between arginase activity and the age of disease onset and between l-ornithine level and the duration of illness. Moreover, cluster analyses revealed that l-arginine and its main metabolites l-citrulline, l-ornithine and agmatine formed distinct groups, which were altered in the schizophrenia group. The present study provides further evidence of altered brain arginine metabolism in schizophrenia, which enhances our understanding of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and may lead to the future development of novel preventions and/or therapeutics for the disease.

GPRC5A is a potential oncogene in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells that is upregulated by gemcitabine with help from HuR

GPRC5A is an orphan G-protein coupled receptor with an intriguing dual behavior, acting as an oncogene in some cancers and as a tumor suppressor in other cancers. In the pancreatic cancer context, very little is known about GPRC5A. By analyzing messenger RNA (mRNA) expression data from 675 human cancer cell lines and 10 609 samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) we found that GPRC5A's abundance in pancreatic cancer is highest (cell lines) or second highest (TCGA) among all tissues and cancer types. Further analyses of an independent set of 252 pancreatic normal and cancer samples showed GPRC5A mRNA to be more than twofold upregulated in primary tumor samples compared with normal pancreas (P-value<10⁻⁵), and even further upregulated in pancreatic cancer metastases to various organs (P-value=0.0021). Immunostaining of 208 cores (103 samples) of a tissue microarray showed generally low expression of GPRC5A protein in normal pancreatic ductal cells; on the other hand, in primary and metastatic samples, GPRC5A protein levels were dramatically increased in pancreatic ductal cells. In vitro studies of multiple pancreatic cancer cell lines showed that an increase in GPRC5A protein levels promoted pancreatic cancer cell growth and migration. Unexpectedly, when we treated pancreatic cancer cell lines with gemcitabine (2′,2′-difluorodeoxycytidine), we observed an increase in GPRC5A protein abundance. On the other hand, when we knocked down GPRC5A we sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine. Through further experimentation we showed that the monotonic increase in GPRC5A protein levels that we observe for the first 18 h following gemcitabine treatment results from interactions between GPRC5A's mRNA and the RNA-binding protein HuR, which is an established key mediator of gemcitabine's efficacy in cancer cells. As we discovered, the interaction between GPRC5A and HuR is mediated by at least one HuR-binding site in GPRC5A's mRNA. Our findings indicate that GPRC5A is part of a complex molecular axis that involves gemcitabine and HuR, and, possibly, other genes. Further work is warranted before it can be established unequivocally that GPRC5A is an oncogene in the pancreatic cancer context.