Efficient Fabrication of Quartz Glass Using Laser Coaxial Powder-Fed Additive Manufacturing Approach

This article investigates a laser-directed energy deposition additive manufacturing (AM) method, based on coaxial powder feeding, for preparing quartz glass. Through synergistic optimization of line deposition and plane deposition experiments, key parameters of laser coaxial powder feeding AM were identified. The corresponding mechanical properties, thermal properties, and microstructure of the bulk parts were analyzed. The maximum mechanical strength of the obtained quartz glass element reached 72.36 ± 5.98 MPa, which is ca. 95% that of quartz glass prepared by traditional methods. The thermal properties of the obtained quartz glass element were also close to those prepared by traditional methods. The present research indicates that one can use laser AM technology that is based on coaxial powder feeding to form quartz glass with high density and good thermodynamic properties. Such quartz glass has substantial potential in, for example, optics and biomedicine.

Genetically Encoded Lizard Color Divergence for Camouflage and Thermoregulation

Local adaptation is critical in speciation and evolution, yet comprehensive studies on proximate and ultimate causes of local adaptation are generally scarce. Here, we integrated field ecological experiments, genome sequencing, and genetic verification to demonstrate both driving forces and molecular mechanisms governing local adaptation of body coloration in a lizard from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We found dark lizards from the cold meadow population had lower spectrum reflectance but higher melanin contents than light counterparts from the warm dune population. Additionally, the colorations of both dark and light lizards facilitated the camouflage and thermoregulation in their respective microhabitat simultaneously. More importantly, by genome resequencing analysis, we detected a novel mutation in Tyrp1 that underpinned this color adaptation. The allele frequencies at the site of SNP 459# in the gene of Tyrp1 are 22.22% G/C and 77.78% C/C in dark lizards and 100% G/G in light lizards. Model-predicted structure and catalytic activity showed that this mutation increased structure flexibility and catalytic activity in enzyme TYRP1, and thereby facilitated the generation of eumelanin in dark lizards. The function of the mutation in Tyrp1 was further verified by more melanin contents and darker coloration detected in the zebrafish injected with the genotype of Tyrp1 from dark lizards. Therefore, our study demonstrates that a novel mutation of a major melanin-generating gene underpins skin color variation co-selected by camouflage and thermoregulation in a lizard. The resulting strong selection may reinforce adaptive genetic divergence and enable the persistence of adjacent populations with distinct body coloration.

Maternal dominance contributes to subgenome differentiation in allopolyploid fishes

Teleost fishes, which are the largest and most diverse group of living vertebrates, have a rich history of ancient and recent polyploidy. Previous studies of allotetraploid common carp and goldfish (cyprinids) reported a dominant subgenome, which is more expressed and exhibits biased gene retention. However, the underlying mechanisms contributing to observed 'subgenome dominance' remains poorly understood. Here we report high-quality genomes of twenty-one cyprinids to investigate the origin and subsequent subgenome evolution patterns following three independent allopolyploidy events. We identify the closest extant relatives of the diploid progenitor species, investigate genetic and epigenetic differences among subgenomes, and conclude that observed subgenome dominance patterns are likely due to a combination of maternal dominance and transposable element densities in each polyploid. These findings provide an important foundation to understanding subgenome dominance patterns observed in teleost fishes, and ultimately the role of polyploidy in contributing to evolutionary innovations.

Development of a 3 MV coaxial peaking capacitor for large-scale electromagnetic pulse simulator

Coaxial peaking capacitor is a key component in high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (EMP) simulators with fast front pulse output. It poses significant technical and engineering challenges in limiting radiation field amplitude and test space. This paper presents the design and testing of a 180 pF, 3 MV coaxial peaking capacitor with improved insulation performance. In the insulation design, the length of the dielectric film is extended to reduce the background electric field on the flashover path. The electric field threshold obtained from image diagnosis is used as a reference. During capacitor testing, the insulation characteristics are diagnosed using both direct and indirect methods. The voltage measured by a D-dot probe, the output waveform of the Marx generator in the primary source, and the radiation field waveform are analyzed to understand the flashover characteristics of the capacitor and to improve the reliability of the test results. The experimental results demonstrate that the peaking capacitor can operate stably at 3.0 MV. If flashover occurring on the dropping edge of the pulse is permitted, the operating voltage can be greater than 3.7 MV without significantly affecting the radiation field waveform. The analysis on the surface flashover morphology of the peaking capacitor reveals that the flashover mainly occurs at the dropping edge of the capacitor's waveform, indicating that the damage to the film is not serious. This research significantly increases the working voltage of coaxial peaking capacitors and contributes to the development of high-altitude EMP simulation technology.

The effect of scrotal versus inguinal orchiopexy on the testicular function of children with clinically palpable, inguinal undescended testis: a randomized controlled trial

To compare the impact of the scrotal vs inguinal orchidopexy approach on the testicular function of infants with cryptorchidism, a randomized controlled trial was conducted involving boys who were 6-12 months old at surgery and were diagnosed with clinically palpable, inguinal undescended testis. Between June 2021 and December 2021, these boys at Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital (Fuzhou, China) and Fujian Children's Hospital (Fuzhou, China) were enrolled. Block randomization with a 1:1 allocation ratio was employed. The primary outcome was testicular function assessed by testicular volume, serum testosterone, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and inhibin B (InhB) levels. Secondary outcomes included operative time, amount of intraoperative bleeding, and postoperative complications. Among 577 screened patients, 100 (17.3%) were considered eligible and enrolled in the study. Of the 100 children who completed the 1-year follow-up, 50 underwent scrotal orchidopexy and 50 underwent inguinal orchidopexy. The testicular volume, serum testosterone, AMH, and InhB levels in both groups increased markedly after surgery (all P < 0.05), but there were no apparent differences between groups at 6 months and 12 months after operation (all P > 0.05). No differences between the scrotal and inguinal groups were noted regarding the operative time ( P = 0.987) and amount of intraoperative bleeding ( P = 0.746). The overall complication rate (2.0%) of the scrotal group was slightly lower than that of the inguinal group (8.0%), although this difference was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). Both scrotal and inguinal orchiopexy exerted protective effects on testicular function in children with cryptorchidism, with similar operative status and postoperative complications. Scrotal orchiopexy is an effective alternative to inguinal orchiopexy in children with cryptorchidism.

DHA alleviates high glucose-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in Oreochromis niloticus by inhibiting DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission

Dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) is a key regulator in the maintenance of mammalian glucose homeostasis, but the relevant information remains poorly understood on aquatic animals. In the study, DRP1 is formally described for the first time in Oreochromis niloticus. DRP1 encodes a peptide of 673 amino acid residues that contained three conserved domains: a GTPase domain, a dynamin middle domain and a dynamin GTPase effector domain. DRP1 transcripts are widely distributed in all of the detected seven organs/tissues, and the highest mRNA levels in brain. High-carbohydrate (45 %) fed fish showed a significant upregulation of liver DRP1 expression than that of control (30 %) group. Glucose administration upregulated liver DRP1 expression, with peak values observed at 1 h; then its expression returned to the basal value at 12 h. In the in vitro study, DRP1 over-expression significantly decreased mitochondrial abundance in hepatocytes. DHA significantly increased mitochondrial abundance, transcriptions of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and mitofusin 1 and 2 (MFN1 and MFN2) and complex II and III activities of high glucose-treated hepatocyte, whereas the opposite was true for DRP1, mitochondrial fission factor (MFF) and fission (FIS) expression. Together, these findings illustrated that O. niloticus DRP1 is highly conserved, and it participated in glucose control of fish. DHA could alleviate high glucose-induced mitochondrial dysfunction of fish by inhibiting DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission.

[The value of DISCO and MUSE-DWI combined with prostate specific antigen density in the diagnosis and risk stratification of prostate cancer]

Objective: To explore the value of differential subsampling with cartesian ordering (DISCO) and multiplexed sensitivity-encoding diffusion weighted-imaging (MUSE-DWI) combined with prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) in the diagnosis and risk stratification of prostate cancer (PCa). Methods: The data of 183 patients [aged from 48 to 86 (68±8) years] with prostate diseases in the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from July 2020 to August 2021 were retrospectively collected. Those patients were divided into non-PCa group (n=115) and PCa group (n=68) based on the disease condition. According to the risk degree, PCa group was subdivided into low risk PCa group (n=14) and medium-to-high risk PCa group (n=54). The differences of volume transfer constant (Ktrans), rate constant (Kep), extracellular volume fraction (Ve), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and PSAD between groups were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis were conducted for evaluating the diagnostic efficacy of quantitative parameters and PSAD in distinguishing non-PCa and PCa, low-risk PCa and medium-high risk PCa. Multivariate logistic regression model was used for screening out the predictors, which was statistically significant differences between non-PCa group and PCa group, for PCa prediction. Results: Ktrans, Kep, Ve and PSAD of PCa group all were higher than those of non-PCa group, and ADC value was lower than that of non-PCa group, and the differences all were statistically significant (all P<0.001). Ktrans, Kep and PSAD of medium-to-high risk PCa group all were higher than those of low risk PCa group, and ADC value was lower than that of low risk PCa group, and the differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.001). When distinguishing non-PCa from PCa, the area under ROC curve (AUC) of the combined model (Ktrans+Kep+Ve+ADC+PSAD) was higher than that of any single index [0.958 (95%CI: 0.918-0.982) vs 0.881 (95%CI: 0.825-0.924), 0.836 (95%CI: 0.775-0.887), 0.672 (95%CI: 0.599-0.740), 0.940(95%CI: 0.895-0.969), 0.816(95%CI:0.752-0.869), all P<0.05]. When distinguishing low-risk PCa and medium-to-high risk PCa, the AUC of the combined model (Ktrans+Kep+ADC+PSAD) were higher than those of Ktrans, Kep and PSAD[0.933 (95%CI: 0.845-0.979) vs 0.846 (95%CI:0.738-0.922), 0.782 (95%CI:0.665-0.873), 0.84 8(95%CI: 0.740-0.923), all P<0.05]. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Ktrans (OR=1.005, 95%CI:1.001-1.010) and ADC values (OR=0.992, 95%CI:0.989-0.995) were predictors of PCa (P<0.05). Conclusions: DISCO and MUSE-DWI combined with PSAD can distinguish benign and malignant prostate lesions. Ktrans and ADC values were predictors of PCa; Ktrans, Kep, ADC values and PSAD are helpful in predicting the biological behavior of PCa.

[Current status of public health system in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and improvement suggestion]

Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has three public health systems under different systems, which plays an important role in the construction of the public health system in China. Further strengthening the construction of the public health system in the GBA will play an important reference role in the optimization and upgrade of China's public health system in the future. Based on the key consulting project of "research on the strategy of the modern public health system and capacity building in China" by Chinese Academy of Engineering, this paper deeply analyzes the current status and existing problems of public health system construction in GBA and suggests to improve and innovate the mechanisms of collaborative prevention and control of public health risks, resource coordination and joint research and result sharing, information sharing and exchange, personnel training and team building in order to comprehensively improve the capacity of public health system in GBA, and promote the construction of Healthy China.

Tenofovir versus entecavir on the prognosis of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Tenofovir (TDF) and entecavir (ETV) are first-line treatments for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, the effect of TDF versus ETV on the prognosis of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been fully clarified yet.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Web of science were searched up to March, 2021. Meta-analyses were performed for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) to assess the effect of TDF versus ETV on the prognosis of HBV-related HCC.

RESULTS

A total of 10 studies comprising 4706 Asian patients were included. The pooled results revealed that TDF was associated with better OS (adjusted HR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.40-0.62; I²=36.0%, p=0.167) and better RFS/DFS (adjusted HR=0.70, 95% CI: 0.55-0.89, I²=71.9%, p=0.002) than ETV in treatment of HBV-related HCC. Subgroup analysis revealed that OS benefit from TDF was generally consistent, except for patients who underwent non-surgical treatment for HCC. Subgroup analysis also indicated that TDF reduces the risk of late recurrence (HR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.18-0.0.93; I²=63.0%, p=0.067) rather than early recurrence (HR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.64-1.52; I²=61.3%, p=0.076).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with ETV, TDF has the advantage of improving OS and reducing late recurrence of patients with HBV-related HCC patients who underwent resection.

Identification of the most effective subgroup of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma from immune checkpoint blocker treatment: a meta-analysis

Aims: This work was designed to identify the subgroup of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients for whom treatments containing immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) were most effective. Materials & methods: A meta-analysis was performed to explore the subgroup population with the greatest benefit of treatments containing ICBs. Results: A total of 2228 patients from four randomized control trials were included. Treatments containing ICBs had better overall survival, progression-free survival and higher objective response rate over treatment without ICBs. Subgroup analysis revealed that treatments containing ICBs were highly effective in improving the overall survival of males, patients with macrovascular invasion and/or extrahepatic spread and viral-related HCC patients. Conclusion: Treatments containing ICBs are more effective for males, patients with macrovascular invasion and/or extrahepatic spread and viral-related HCC patients.

Efficacy and security of tumor vaccines for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systemic review and meta-analysis of the last 2 decades

BACKGROUND

Tumor vaccines for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an area of intense interest. Tremendous clinical trials have been conducted globally, but the efficacy and security of tumor vaccines are elusive. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and security of tumor vaccines.

METHODS

All relevant studies were identified in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of science and Cochrane Library databases. Objective response rate (ORR), median overall survival (OS), or median progression-free survival (PFS) and 95% CI were meta-analyzed based on the random-effects model. The individual-level data of OS, PFS were pooled by conducting survival analysis. All observed adverse events were collected.

RESULTS

31 studies containing 35 eligible cohorts with 932 HCC patients were included. The pooled ORR were 7% (95% CI 3-14%), while ORR of dendritic cell (DC) vaccine (19%, 95% CI 11-29%) were highly significant than ORR of peptide vaccine (1%, 95% CI 0-5%). The pooled median OS and PFS were 13.67 months (95% CI 8.20-22.80) and 6.19 months (95% CI 2.97-12.91), respectively. The pooled median OS (DC vaccine: median OS = 21.77 months, 95% CI 18.33-25.86; Peptide vaccine: median OS = 10.08 months, 95% CI 5.23-19.44) and PFS (DC vaccine: median PFS = 11.01 months, 95% CI 5.25-23.09; Peptide vaccine: median PFS = 1.97 months, 95% CI 1.53-2.54) of DC vaccine were also longer than that of peptide vaccine. HBV-related HCC may acquire more benefits from tumor vaccines than HCV-related HCC. In almost all studies, the observed toxicities were moderate even tiny.

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor vaccines for HCC, especially DC vaccine, are safe and worth exploring. More high-quality prospective studies are warranted.

Preselection of QTL markers enhances accuracy of genomic selection in Norway spruce

Genomic prediction (GP) or genomic selection is a method to predict the accumulative effect of all quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in a population by estimating the realized genomic relationships between the individuals and by capturing the linkage disequilibrium between markers and QTLs. Thus, marker preselection is considered a promising method to capture Mendelian segregation effects. Using QTLs detected in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) may improve GP. Here, we performed GWAS and GP in a population with 904 clones from 32 full-sib families using a newly developed 50 k SNP Norway spruce array. Through GWAS we identified 41 SNPs associated with budburst stage (BB) and the largest effect association explained 5.1% of the phenotypic variation (PVE). For the other five traits such as growth and wood quality traits, only 2 - 13 associations were observed and the PVE of the strongest effects ranged from 1.2% to 2.0%. GP using approximately 100 preselected SNPs, based on the smallest p-values from GWAS showed the greatest predictive ability (PA) for the trait BB. For the other traits, a preselection of 2000-4000 SNPs, was found to offer the best model fit according to the Akaike information criterion being minimized. But PA-magnitudes from GP using such selections were still similar to that of GP using all markers. Analyses on both real-life and simulated data also showed that the inclusion of a large QTL SNP in the model as a fixed effect could improve PA and accuracy of GP provided that the PVE of the QTL was ≥ 2.5%.

The somatic mutational landscape and role of the ARID1A gene in hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumours worldwide. Clarification of the somatic mutational landscape of important genes could reveal new therapeutic targets and facilitate individualized therapeutic approaches for HCC patients. The mutation and expression changes in the ARID1A gene in HCC remain controversial.

Methods

First, cBioPortal was used to visualize genetic alterations and DNA copy number alterations (CNAs) in ARID1A. The relationships between ARID1A mutation status and HCC patient clinicopathological features and overall survival (OS) were also determined. Then, a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of ARID1A mutation or expression on the prognosis of HCC patients. Finally, the role of ARID1A in HCC progression was verified by in vitro experiments.

Results

ARID1A mutation was detected in 9.35% (33/353) of sequenced HCC cases, and ARID1A mutation decreased ARID1A mRNA expression. Patients with ARID1A alterations presented worse OS than those without ARID1A alterations. Meta-analysis and human HCC tissue microarray (TMA) analysis revealed that HCC patients with low ARID1A expression had worse OS and relapse-free survival (RFS), and low ARID1A expression was negatively correlated with tumour size. Then, ARID1A gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments demonstrated the tumour suppressor role of ARID1A in HCC in vitro. In terms of the mechanism, we found that ARID1A could inhibit HCC progression by regulating retinoblastoma-like 1 (RBL1) expression via the JNK/FOXO3 pathway.

Conclusions

ARID1A can be considered a potential prognostic biomarker and candidate therapeutic target for HCC.

The Association of Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Daily Carbohydrates Intake with the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) and daily carbohydrates intake have been associated with a variety of cancers, but their implications in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain controversial. The purpose of our study is to investigate the association of GI, GL and daily carbohydrates intake with the risk of HCC. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science until November 2020. According to the degree of heterogeneity, random effect model or fixed effect model was chosen to obtain the pooled relative risks (RRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Four cohort studies and three case-control studies were eventually included. The pooled results showed no significant association of GI (RR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.80-1.53), GL (RR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.76-1.55), and daily carbohydrates intake (RR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.84-1.32) with the risk of HCC in the general population. Subgroup analysis revealed that in hepatitis B virus (HBV) or/and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive group, GI was irrelevant to the risk of HCC (RR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.32-1.32), while a high GL diet was associated with a higher risk of HCC (RR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.04-2.23). In contrast, in HBV and HCV-negative group, both GI (RR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.88-1.70) and GL (RR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.83-1.64) were not associated with the risk of HCC. Conclusion: A high GL diet increases the risk of HCC in those with viral hepatitis. A low GL diet is recommended for them to reduce the risk of HCC.

Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with macrovascular invasion or extrahepatic spread: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 54 studies with 6187 hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The impacts of macrovascular invasion (MVI) or extrahepatic spread (EHS) on the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) among hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients remain unclear. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify whether ICI therapy is a feasible treatment option for HCC with MVI or EHS.

METHODS

Eligible studies published before September 14, 2022, were retrieved. In this meta-analysis, the objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and occurrence of adverse events (AEs) were outcomes of interest.

RESULTS

Fifty-four studies involving 6187 individuals were included. The findings indicated that the presence of EHS in ICI-treated HCC patients may indicate an inferior ORR (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.96), but may not significantly affect the PFS (multivariate analyses: HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.70-2.31) and OS (multivariate analyses: HR 1.23, 95% CI 0.70-2.16). Additionally, the presence of MVI in ICI-treated HCC patients may not have significant prognostic impact on ORR (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.64-1.10), but may indicate inferior PFS (multivariate analyses: HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.07-2.84) and OS (multivariate analyses: HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.31-3.14). The presence of EHS or MVI in ICI-treated HCC patients may not significantly impact the occurrence of any serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs) (grades ≥ 3) (EHS: OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.12-1.56; MVI: OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.24-1.88).

CONCLUSION

The presence of MVI or EHS in ICI-treated HCC patients may not significantly impact the occurrence of serious irAEs. However, the presence of MVI (but not EHS) in ICI-treated HCC patients may be a significant negative prognostic factor. Therefore, ICI-treated HCC patients with MVI warrant more attention.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXTENDED-RANGE BONNER SPHERE SPECTROMETER FOR CHINA INITIATIVE ACCELERATOR-DRIVEN SYSTEM

To measure the extended-range neutron spectra and calibrate the extended-range neutron dosemeters of the China initiative Accelerator-Driven System (CiADS), an Extended-range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (EBSS) has been developed. The EBSS was designed based on the PHITS codes, investigating various combinations of materials and diameters of the neutron moderators and the neutron multipliers for extended-range neutrons. Finally, seven polyethylene-only spheres and seven extended-range spheres were selected and subsequently built. The neutron multipliers of the extended-range spheres embedded concentric shells of lead, copper and tungsten. The response functions of the EBSS were analyzed and experimentally validated. It was subsequently tested with 252Cf neutron source and cosmic ray neutron source. The results demonstrate that the EBSS is capable of accurately measuring neutron spectra.

Hypoxia-associated circPRDM4 promotes immune escape via HIF-1α regulation of PD-L1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hypoxia is a hallmark of cancer, and is closely intertwined with tumor immune evasion. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in tumor response to immune checkpoint blockades. However, hypoxia-associated circRNAs that orchestrate the association between hypoxia and response to immunotherapy remain poorly understood. Here, we aimed to determine the roles of hypoxia-associated circRNAs in immune escape of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

METHODS

Differentially expressed hypoxia-associated circRNAs were determined using high-throughput sequencing technology. HCC patients treated with PD-1 blockade were enrolled to assess the clinical significance of circPRDM4. RT-qPCR, western blotting, flow cytometry, T cell-mediated tumor cell killing assay, and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were used to investigate the roles of circPRDM4 in immune escape of HCC cells in vitro. Patient-derived xenograft mouse models and adoptive human tumor infiltrating lymphocyte-CD8⁺ T cell transfer were adopted to evaluate the effects of circPRDM4 in vivo. RNA pull-down, mass spectrometry, RNA immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, chromatin isolation by RNA purification, dual-luciferase reporter assays, dot blotting, DNA in situ hybridization, and immunoprecipitation were utilized to examine the interaction between circPRDM4, HIF-1α, and CD274 promoter.

RESULTS

We identified circPRDM4 as a hypoxia-associated circRNA in HCC. circPRDM4 was upregulated in responders to PD-1 blockade and associated with therapeutic efficacy. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that circPRDM4 induced PD-L1 expression and promoted CD8⁺ T cell-mediated immune escape under hypoxic conditions. Mechanistically, circPRDM4 acted as a scaffold to recruit HIF-1α onto CD274 promoter, and cemented their interaction, ultimately promoting the HIF-1α-mediated transactivation of PD-L1.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings illustrated that circPRDM4 promoted immune escape of HCC cells by facilitating the recruitment of HIF-1α onto the promoter of CD274 under hypoxia, thereby inhibiting CD8⁺ T cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. This work may provide a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic candidate for HCC immunotherapy.

The association of fatty liver and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in HBV or HCV infected individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Fatty liver (FL) is reportedly a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in individuals affected with Hepatitis C (HCV) or B (HBV) virus. However, the results are contradictory, necessitating a meta-analysis.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Sixteen relevant studies involving 88,618 individuals were retrieved from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases from their inception to 10 December 2022. The hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Liver biopsy-proven FL may be a significant risk factor for HCC in individuals affected with HBV (univariate analyses: HR = 3.13, 95% CI = 1.69-5.79; multivariate analyses: HR = 3.42, 95% CI = 0.83-14.09) as well as HCV (univariate analyses: HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 0.93-2.90; multivariate analyses: HR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.02-3.00). However, the presence of FL confirmed using reasonable methods other than liver biopsy may not indicate a risk for HCC in HBV-infected individuals (univariate analyses: HR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.44-1.81; multivariate analyses: HR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.45-1.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Biopsy-proven FL may be a significant risk factor for HCC in HCV/HBV-infected individuals. Thus, such individuals should receive suitable interventions to prevent HCC formation or at least attenuate the risk of HCC.

Sodium oxamate reduces lactate production to improve the glucose homeostasis of Micropterus salmoides fed high-carbohydrate diets

The study was performed to evaluate the effects of the reduced lactate production by sodium oxamate (SO) on growth performance, lactate and glucose and lipid metabolism, and glucose tolerance of Micropterus salmoides fed high-carbohydrate (CHO) diets. In in vitro study, primary hepatocytes were incubated for 48 h in a control medium (5.5 mM glucose), a high-glucose medium (25 mM glucose, HG), or a SO-containing high-glucose medium (25 mM glucose + 50 mM SO, HG-SO). Results indicated lactate and triglyceride (TG) levels, and lactate dehydrogenase a (LDH-a) expression in the HG-SO group were remarkably lower than those of the HG group. In in vivo study, M. salmoides (5.23 ± 0.03 g) were fed four diets containing a control diet (10% CHO, C) and three SO contents [0 (HC), 100 (HC-SO1), and 200 (HC-SO2) mg·kg^-1, respectively] of high-CHO diets (20% CHO) for 11 wk. High-CHO diets significantly reduced weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), p-AMPK-to-t-AMPK ratio, and expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR), fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (FBPase), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1α (CPT1α) compared with the C group, whereas the opposite was true for plasma levels of glucose, TG, lactate, tissue glycogen, and lipid contents, and expression of LDH-a, monocarboxylate transporter 1 and 4 (MCT1 and MCT4), insulin, glucokinase (GK), pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 subunit (PDH), sterol-regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), fatty acid synthase (FAS). The HC-SO2 diets remarkably increased WGR, SGR, p-AMPK-to-t-AMPK ratio, and expression of IRS1, IGF-I, IGF-IR, GK, PDHα, PDHβ, FAS, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), PPARα, and CPT1α compared with the HC group. Besides, HC-SO2 diets also enhanced glucose tolerance of fish after a glucose loading. Overall, the reduced lactate production by SO benefits growth performance and glucose homeostasis of high-CHO-fed M. salmoides through the enhancement of glycolysis, lipogenesis, and fatty acid β-oxidation coupled with the suppression of glycogenesis and gluconeogenesis.

[Observation on the clinical outcomes of continued pregnancy following cesarean scar pregnancy in 55 women]

Objective: To observe the clinical outcomes of continued pregnancy in pregnant women with cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the pregnancy outcomes of 55 pregnant women who were diagnosed with CSP at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University during the first trimester of pregnancy from August 1st, 2018 to October 31st, 2021 and strongly requested to continue the pregnancy. Results: Of the 55 pregnant women, 15 terminated the pregnancy in the first trimester, 1 underwent hysterotomy at 23 weeks of gestation due to cervical dilation, and 39 (71%, 39/55) continued pregnancy to the third trimester achieving live births via cesarean section. The gestational age of the 39 pregnant women delivered by cesarean section was 35⁺⁶ weeks (range: 28⁺⁵-39⁺² weeks), of whom 7 cases at 28⁺⁵-33⁺⁶ weeks, 20 cases at 34-36⁺⁶ weeks, and 12 cases at 37-39⁺² weeks. The results of pathological examination were normal placenta in 3 cases (8%, 3/39), placenta creta in 4 cases (10%, 4/39), placenta increta in 9 cases (23%, 9/39) and placenta percreta in 23 cases (59%, 23/39). Among the 36 pregnant women who were pathologically confirmed as placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS) after surgery, the last prenatal ultrasonography showed placenta previa in 27 cases (75%, 27/36) and not observed placenta previa in 9 cases. The median intraoperative blood loss, autologous blood transfusion, and allogeneic suspended red blood cell infusion of 39 pregnant women during cesarean section were 1 000 ml (300-3 500 ml), 300 ml (0-2 000 ml) and 400 ml (0-2 400 ml), respectively. The uterine preservation rate was 100% (39/39), and only 1 case received cystostomy due to intracystic hemorrhage. The birth weight of the newborn was 2 580 g (1 350-3 800 g), and 1 case of mild asphyxia. Conclusions: Pregnant women with CSP who continue pregnancy under close monitoring after adequate ultrasound evaluation and doctor-patient communication could achieve better maternal and infant outcomes, but pregnant women with CSP are highly likely to continue pregnancy and develop into PAS. Effective hemostasis means and multidisciplinary team cooperation are needed in perinatal period for ensuring maternal and fetal safety.

Evaluating liver function and the impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients: A systemic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have underlying cirrhosis and a compromised liver function. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as an important approach for HCC treatment. The purpose of our study was to explore the prognostic significance of liver function in HCC patients receiving ICIs.

METHODS

Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the relationship between liver function and overall survival (OS)/progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

41 articles with 4483 patients with HCC were included. The pooled results revealed that either Child-Pugh score (OS:HR = 2.01,95 %CI:1.69-2.38; PFS:HR = 1.39,95 %CI:1.15-1.68) or albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score (OS:HR = 2.04,95 %CI:1.55-2.69; PFS:HR = 1.42,95 %CI:1.21-1.67) can predict the patient prognosis. The Child-Pugh score has some degree of subjectivity, and the ALBI score can better stratify patients. Therefore, the ALBI score was used to evaluate patients' liver function and determine treatment options. Further subgroup analysis found that the results of prospective studies were statistically significant only for the ALBI score with regards to OS (HR = 1.69,95 %CI:1.26-2.26). Meanwhile, the effect of liver function on the efficacy of ICIs in the large-sample studies was not as obvious as that in small-sample studies. Moreover, the incidence of adverse events did not significantly increase in patients with impaired liver function.

CONCLUSION

Poor liver function is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with HCC receiving ICIs. The ALBI score is simpler and reliable for patient stratification than the Child-Pugh score. Although the survival time of patients with impaired liver function may be relatively short, ICIs still have great potential for therapeutic applications.

Early alpha-fetoprotein response predicts prognosis of immune checkpoint inhibitor and targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) response for efficacy of targeted therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has not been established. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to elucidate the relationship between AFP response and survival outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who received targeted therapy or ICIs.

METHODS

The hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to evaluate the relationship between AFP response and overall survival (OS)/progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

Twenty-six articles containing 3056 HCC patients were finally included in the study. The pooled results showed that after targeted therapy or ICIs, patients with decrease in AFP had better prognosis (OS:HR = 0.48, 95%CI:0.40-0.56; PFS:HR = 0.39, 95%CI:0.33-0.46), while patients with increase in AFP had worse prognosis (OS:HR = 2.30, 95%CI:1.82-2.89; PFS:HR = 2.34, 95%CI = 1.69-3.24). Subgroup analysis revealed that compared to AFP decrease >50%, AFP decrease >20% can better predict the prognosis of patients who received targeted therapy (OS:HR = 0.51, 95%CI:0.41-0.62; PFS:HR = 0.39, 95%CI:0.30-0.51) or ICIs treatment (OS:HR = 0.34, 95%CI:0.16-0.71; PFS:HR = 0.22, 95%CI:0.10-0.47), and 8 weeks after targeted therapy may be the appropriate time point for AFP assessment.

CONCLUSION

AFP decrease >20% within 8 weeks may be the appropriate definition for early AFP response which probably works best in predicting the efficacy of therapy.

REGISTRATION

The review was not registered.

Five-year follow-up on two revascularization methods used on patients with left main artery disease and/or multivessel coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are the main treatment methods for left main artery disease (LMAD) and triple-vessel coronary artery disease (TVCAD).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the five-year post-treatment effects of CABG and PCI in patients with severe coronary vasculopathy.

METHODS

A total of 430 patients with LMAD and/or triple-vessel coronary artery disease from November 2014 to July 2015 were enrolled retrospectively in the affiliated cardiovascular hospital of Shanxi Medical University and divided into the CABG group and PCI group. The living conditions of the patients were obtained through medical records and telephonic follow-ups five years after the surgery date. The independent risk factors for major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The effects of the two treatment methods were followed up and evaluated to measure the predictive ability of the Global Risk Classification (GRC) scoring system for MACCE after five years.

RESULTS

There were 212 cases in the CABG group and 218 cases in the PCI group. Smoking (P= 0.047), diabetes (P= 0.031), LVEF (P= 0.020), LMAD (P= 0.008), and anterior descending branch lesions (P= 0.038) were significantly correlated with MACCE. The prevalence of MACCE in the CABG group and PCI group had no significant difference (P= 0.549). The GRC scoring system received an AUC of 0.701 for predicting MACCE.

CONCLUSION

For patients with severe coronary artery disease, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of MACCE between the CABG and the PCI groups. Several independent risk factors for MACCE were found. The GRC scoring system showed a strong predictive ability for MACCE after five years of revascularization.

[Clinical observation and preliminary economic study of rush immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis]

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy, safety, compliance, and cost-effectiveness of rush immunotherapy (RIT) and conventional immunotherapy (CIT) in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), so as to evaluate the clinical significance of CIT and preliminarily explore its economic value. Methods: A study was conducted on 72 AR patients who had received specific immunotherapy from Oct 2019 to Jun 2020 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, including 39 males and 33 females, aging 8 to 60 years. RIT or CIT was performed respectively according to the patients' wishes. There were 35 cases in the RIT group and 37 cases in the CIT group, all subjects were followed up for 1 year. Visual analysis scale (VAS) and effectiveness were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Systemic adverse reactions were used to assess safety. Failure rate was calculated to evaluate the compliance. The cost and cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) were conducted to evaluate the health economics preliminarily. Results: After half a year and one year's treatment, both RIT and CIT groups had significant clinical efficacy and RIT group had more significant clinical efficacy than CIT group at half a year (76.67% vs 46.67%, χ²=7.37, P=0.007). During the dose accumulation phase, there was no significant difference in the incidence of systemic adverse reactions between the two groups (8.57% vs 8.10%, χ²=0.05, P=0.943), while the drop-out rate in the RIT group was significantly lower than that in the CIT group (0 vs 13.51%, χ²=5.08, P=0.024). After one year, the costs in RIT group were significantly higher ((8 163.08±452.67) yuan vs (7 385.87±369.92) yuan, t=-2.78, P=0.009), while there was no statistical differences in CER between the two groups ((3 298.06±1 374.09) yuan/point vs (3 154.38±1 532.51) yuan/point, t=-0.36, P=0.418). Conclusions: Both RIT and CIT are beneficial for AR, and they have similar clinical efficacy, safety, and CER. RIT is more effective in the early stage, with higher patient compliance. Thus, RIT is worth promoting and exploring in clinic.

Systemic immune-inflammation index predicts prognosis of cancer immunotherapy: systemic review and meta-analysis

Objective: This meta-analysis was designed to explore the association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and the therapeutic effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Materials & methods: The authors retrieved relevant studies published before May 25, 2022. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI was used to evaluate the relationship between SII and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: 14 articles comprising 2721 patients were included in this study. The pooled results proved that high SII levels were closely related to poor prognosis in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (OS HR = 2.40; 95% CI: 2.04-2.82; PFS HR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.33-1.86) and that an SII value of 750 was appropriate as a cut-off value (OS HR = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.83-2.63; PFS HR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.33-1.80). Conclusion: High SII levels (>750) may be an indicator of worse OS and PFS in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Efficacy and Safety of Aspirin for Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Updated Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Previous meta-analyses have shown that aspirin use may reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the optimal dose, frequency, and duration of aspirin use or the safety and efficacy of aspirin in target populations for HCC prevention remain unclear. The study aim was to investigate the efficacy and safety of aspirin for prevention of HCC.

METHODS

Publications were retrieved by a comprehensive literature research of several databases. Based on a random-effects model, hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the pooled risk. The dose-response relationship between aspirin use and HCC risk was assessed with a restricted cubic spline model.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies were included in the meta-analysis. Aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of HCC (HR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.56-0.75). The effect was robust across sex and age; however, women and the non-elderly had the greatest benefit from aspirin use. The preventive effect was well reproduced in those with comorbidities. Daily use and long-term use of aspirin appeared to offer greater benefits. Aspirin 100 mg/d was associated with maximum reduction of HCC risk. Aspirin use did slightly increase the risk of bleeding (HR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.02-1.27).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis confirmed that use of aspirin significantly reduced the incident risk of HCC. Regular and long-term aspirin use offers a greater advantage. Aspirin use was associated with an increased risk of bleeding. We recommend 100 mg/d aspirin as a feasible dose for further research on primary prevention of HCC in a broad at-risk population.

Preclinical characterization and phase I clinical trial of CT053PTSA targets MET, AXL, and VEGFR2 in patients with advanced solid tumors

BACKGROUND

CT053PTSA is a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets MET, AXL, VEGFR2, FLT3 and MERTK. Here, we present preclinical data about CT053PTSA, and we conducted the first-in-human (FIH) study to evaluate the use of CT053PTSA in adult patients with pretreated advanced solid tumors.

METHODS

The selectivity and antitumor activity of CT053PTSA were assessed in cell lines in vitro through kinase and cellular screening panels and in cell line-derived tumor xenograft (CDX) and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models in vivo. The FIH, phase I, single-center, single-arm, dose escalation (3 + 3 design) study was conducted, patients received at least one dose of CT053PTSA (15 mg QD, 30 mg QD, 60 mg QD, 100 mg QD, and 150 mg QD). The primary objectives were to assess safety and tolerability, to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and the recommended dose of CT053PTSA for further study. Secondary objectives included pharmacokinetics, antitumor activity.

RESULTS

CT053 (free-base form of CT053PTSA) inhibited MET, AXL, VEGFR2, FLT3 and MERTK phosphorylation and suppressed tumor cell angiogenesis by blocking VEGF and HGF, respectively, in vitro. Moreover, cell lines with high MET expression exhibited strong sensitivity to CT053, and CT053 blocked the MET and AXL signaling pathways. In an in vivo study, CT053 significantly inhibited tumor growth in CDX and PDX models. Twenty eligible patients were enrolled in the FIH phase I trial. The most common treatment-related adverse events were transaminase elevation (65%), leukopenia (45%) and neutropenia (35%). DLTs occurred in 3 patients, 1/6 in the 100 mg group and 2/4 in the 150 mg group, so the MTD was set to 100 mg. CT053PTSA was rapidly absorbed after the oral administration of a single dose, and the Cmax and AUC increased proportionally as the dose increased. A total of 17 patients in this trial underwent tumor imaging evaluation, and 29.4% had stable disease.

CONCLUSIONS

CT053PTSA has potent antitumor and antiangiogenic activity in preclinical models. In this FIH phase I trial, CT053PTSA was well tolerated and had a satisfactory safety profile. Further trials evaluating the clinical activity of CT053PTSA are ongoing.

The eggshell-matrix protein gene OC-17 is functionally lost in the viviparous Chinese crocodile lizard

Thickness reduction or loss of the calcareous eggshell is one of major phenotypic changes in the transition from oviparity to viviparity. Whether the reduction of eggshells in viviparous squamates is associated with specific gene losses is unknown. Taking advantage of a newly generated high-quality genome of the viviparous Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus), we found that ovocleidin-17 gene (OC-17), which encodes an eggshell matrix protein that is essential for calcium deposition in eggshells, is not intact in the crocodile lizard genome. Only OC-17 transcript fragments were found in the oviduct transcriptome, and no OC-17 peptides were identified in the eggshell proteome of crocodile lizards. In contrast, OC-17 was present in the eggshells of the oviparous Mongolia racerunner (Eremias argus). Although the loss of OC-17 is not common in viviparous species, viviparous squamates show fewer intact eggshell-specific proteins than oviparous squamates. Our study implies that functional loss of eggshell-matrix protein genes may be involved in the reduction of eggshells during the transition from oviparity to viviparity in the crocodile lizard.

Enhanced Mechanical Stability and Proton Conductivity Performance from the Dense Mn(II)-Metal-Organic Framework to Porous Mn(II)-Fe(III)-Metal-Organic Framework

Postsynthetic modification (PSM) of the metal-organic framework (MOF) has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy to enhance performance. In this particular work, the anion framework Mn-MOF {[Mn₃O(H₂O)₃(HTC)]^2-} (HTC^6- = (5'-(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)-[1,1':3',1″-terphenyl]-3,3″,5,5″-tetracarboxylate] was obtained, and NH₂(CH₃)₂⁺ ions were filled within the pores to balance the charge. In order to release the internal pores of Mn-MOF, the trivalent Fe(III) was introduced instead of Mn(II) nodes, resulting in the porous Mn_1-xFe_x-MOF, and the NH₂(CH₃)₂⁺ ions were simultaneously deported from the pores. The content of Fe(III) in Mn_1-xFe_x-MOF was highly dependent on the concentration of Fe(III) solution, and the maximum could be up to Mn_0.05Fe_0.95-MOF with a BET surface area of 1209.457 m² g^-1. Compared to the amorphization of dense Mn-MOF at 0.8 GPa in a diamond anvil cell, the mechanical stability of porous Mn_0.05Fe_0.95-MOF has been dramatically enhanced, and the framework integrity could be maintained up to 16.5 GPa. The proton conductivity for the Mn_1-xFe_x-MOF series was also investigated, where Mn_0.93Fe_0.07-MOF showed the best performance of 1.47 × 10^-2 S cm^-1 under 70 °C and 98% RH due to the onset of reversed charge from the anionic framework to cationic framework and the formation of the most compact hydrogen bonding net. This work has not only provided an example for the PSM strategy but also illustrated that the versatile functionalities of MOF materials were mainly ascribed to the tunable porosity.

Clinical benefits of direct-acting antivirals therapy in hepatitis C virus patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) therapy on the clinical outcomes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We searched multiple electronic databases from database inception to June 14, 2021. Meta-analyses were performed separately for HCC recurrence and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

A total of 23 studies were identified for the primary analysis. Compared with no intervention, pooled data showed significant benefit from DAAs therapy in reducing recurrence (adjusted HR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.41-0.74, P < 0.001; I²  = 66.6%, P < 0.001) and improving OS (adjusted HR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.16-0.83, P = 0.017; I²  = 90.7%, P < 0.001) of HCV-related HCC patients. Compared with non-responders, patients with sustained virologic response (SVR) had greater benefit from DAAs therapy in reducing recurrence (HR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.16-0.84, P = 0.017; I²  = 58.8%, P = 0.088) and improving OS (HR = 0.17; 95% CI 0.06-0.50; P = 0.001; I²  = 56.4%, P = 0.130). Though DAAs did not show significant advantages over IFN in reducing recurrence (adjusted HR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.72-1.28, P = 0.784; I²  = 0.0%, P = 0.805), there seems to be a trend toward OS benefit from DAAs therapy (adjusted HR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.01-1.19, P = 0.059).

CONCLUSION

DAAs therapy can prevent recurrence and improve OS of HCV-related HCC patients, especially for patients with SVR. Further prospective randomized controlled trial is warranted to validate these results.

Genetic architecture behind developmental and seasonal control of tree growth and wood properties in Norway spruce

Genetic control of tree growth and wood formation varies depending on the age of the tree and the time of the year. Single-locus, multi-locus, and multi-trait genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted on 34 growth and wood property traits in 1,303 Norway spruce individuals using exome capture to cover ~130K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). GWAS identified associations to the different wood traits in a total of 85 gene models, and several of these were validated in a progenitor population. A multi-locus GWAS model identified more SNPs associated with the studied traits than single-locus or multivariate models. Changes in tree age and annual season influenced the genetic architecture of growth and wood properties in unique ways, manifested by non-overlapping SNP loci. In addition to completely novel candidate genes, SNPs were located in genes previously associated with wood formation, such as cellulose synthases and a NAC transcription factor, but that have not been earlier linked to seasonal or age-dependent regulation of wood properties. Interestingly, SNPs associated with the width of the year rings were identified in homologs of Arabidopsis thaliana BARELY ANY MERISTEM 1 and rice BIG GRAIN 1, which have been previously shown to control cell division and biomass production. The results provide tools for future Norway spruce breeding and functional studies.

Removal of methylisothiazolinone biocide from wastewater by VUV/UV advanced oxidation process: Kinetics, mechanisms and toxicity

Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) is frequently used as antimicrobial in household and industrial products, and poses ecological and health risks to aquatic organisms and humans. In this study, vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)/ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was found highly efficient for removal of MIT. The rate constant of MIT degradation (k_obs) under VUV/UV irradiation was 3.75 μEinstein^-1 cm², which was around 12.5 times higher than that under UV irradiation. The •OH concentration during the VUV/UV process was 1.0 × 10^-12 M. The contributions of UV photolysis and •OH oxidation to MIT degradation under VUV/UV irradiation were 7.3% and 92.7%, respectively. The optimum solution pH (6.0-7.1) gave k_obs 33%-39% higher than those at pH 3.9 and 9.3. CO₃^2-/HCO₃^- inhibited MIT degradation and the k_obs decreased by 74% when the concentration of CO₃^2-/HCO₃^- was increased to 1 mM. The order of MIT removal efficiency under VUV/UV irradiation was ultrapure water > secondary effluent > reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate, because of the light screening and •OH quenching effect of actual wastewater. In RO concentrate, the rate constant of MIT degradation under VUV/UV irradiation was 22% higher than that obtained under UV irradiation. The reduction of TOC, UV₂₅₄, and total fluorescence regional integration of the RO concentrate during VUV/UV process were 7.2%, 34.9%, and 52.3%, respectively. Twelve main transformation products of MIT were identified after VUV/UV degradation. The main degradation mechanisms of MIT were sulfur atom oxidation and hydroxyl addition. Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis showed that VUV/UV degradation was an efficient method to remove the toxicity of MIT.

The Prognostic Value of Natural Killer Cells and Their Receptors/Ligands in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Natural killer (NK) cells play major roles in eliminating tumor cells. Preliminary studies have shown that NK cells and their receptors/ligands have prognostic value in malignant tumors. However, the relevance of NK cells and their receptors/ligands level to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear.

Methods

Several electronic databases were searched from database inception to November 8, 2021. Random effects were introduced to this meta-analysis. The relevance of NK cells and their receptors/ligands level to the prognosis of HCC was evaluated using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI).

Results

26 studies were included in the analysis. The pooled results showed that high NK cells levels were associated with better overall survival (HR=0.70, 95%CI 0.57–0.86, P=0.001) and disease-free survival (HR=0.61, 95%CI 0.40-0.93, P=0.022) of HCC patients. In subgroup analysis for overall survival, CD57⁺ NK cells (HR=0.70, 95%CI 0.55-0.89, P=0.004) had better prognostic value over CD56⁺ NK cells (HR=0.69, 95%CI 0.38-1.25, P=0.224), and intratumor NK cells had better prognostic value (HR=0.71, 95%CI 0.55-0.90, P=0.005) over peripheral NK cells (HR=0.66, 95%CI 0.41-1.06, P=0.088). In addition, high level of NK cell inhibitory receptors predicted increased recurrence of HCC, while the prognostic role of NK cell activating receptors remained unclear.

Conclusion

NK cells and their inhibitory receptors have prognostic value for HCC. The prognostic role of NK cell activating receptors is unclear and more high-quality prospective studies are essential to evaluate the prognostic value of NK cells and their receptors/ligands for HCC.

[The value of relaxation time quantitative technique from synthetic magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and invasion assessment of prostate cancer]

Objective: To investigate the application value of relaxation time quantitative technique from synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and invasion assessment of prostate cancer. Methods: A total of 119 patients with prostate diseases [122 regions of interest(ROI)] who underwent routine MRI scan and magnetic resonance image compilation (MAGiC) sequence of prostate from March 2020 to March 2021 in General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University were retrospectively collected, they were divided into prostate cancer group(58 cases, 61 ROI) and non-prostate cancer group(61 cases, 61 ROI) according to the pathological results. In the prostate cancer group, those patients with an age of 48 to 85(69.8±5.9) years, and further divided into two subgroups according to the location of occurrence: peripheral zone cancer group (43 cases, 45 ROI) and transitional zone cancer group (15 cases, 16 ROI). The non-prostate cancer group consisted of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia or complicated with chronic prostatitis, with an age of 41 to 81(68.6±7.0) years, and they were further divided into two subgroups according to the location of occurrence: non-cancerous peripheral zone group (45 cases, 45 ROI) and transitional zone benign prostatic hyperplasia group(16 cases, 16 ROI). Prostate cancer lesions were classified as low risk (Gleason score ≤6) or intermediate/high risk (Gleason score ≥7). After the post-processing of MAGiC images, T₁, T₂ and proton density(PD) values of prostate cancer group and non-prostate cancer group were obtained. At the same time, relevant software were used for image post-processing to generate apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, the data between the two groups were analyzed by the Independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test, and the diagnostic effectiveness of each quantitative parameter in diagnosing prostate cancer and discriminating low risk prostate cancer from intermediate/high risk prostate cancer was analyzed by using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, the correlation between each quantitative parameter and Gleason score were assessed by Spearman correlation analysis. Results: The T₁ value and T₂ value of the peripheral zone cancer group were lower than those in non-cancerous peripheral zone group [1 201.3 (1 103.5, 1 298.2) ms vs 2 274.0 (1 620.9, 2 776.5) ms; 78.0 (74.0, 83.8) ms vs (160.6±54.9) ms] (all P<0.001), there was no statistically significant in PD value between the two groups (P>0.05). The T₁ value and T₂ value of the transitional zone cancer group were lower than those in transitional zone benign prostatic hyperplasia group [1 073.3 (1 003.9, 1 164.9) ms vs 1 340.8 (1 208.5, 1 502.8) ms; 76.9 (74.8, 82.8) ms vs 95.1(82.8, 103.4) ms] (all P<0.001), there was no statistically significant in PD value between the two groups (P>0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of T₂ value was similar with the ADC value in discriminating peripheral zone cancer group from non-cancerous peripheral zone group(0.963 vs 0.991, P=0.105), while in discriminating transitional zone cancer group from transitional zone benign prostatic hyperplasia group, the AUC of T₂ value、T₁ value and ADC value were similar(0.867, 0.930 vs 0.938, all P>0.05). ADC value, T₂ value all were negatively correlated with Gleason score (r=-0.747,-0.453, all P<0.001). T₂ value and ADC value demonstrated equivalent diagnostic performance in discriminating low risk from intermediate/high risk prostate cancer, and there were no statistically significant (AUC: 0.787 vs 0.943, P=0.069). Conclusions: Quantitative relaxation time T₁ and T₂ values derived from synthetic MRI can discriminate prostate cancer from other benign pathologies, and T₂ value have the equivalent diagnostic performance compared to ADC value. Synthetic MRI has high clinical application value, and T₂ value can distinguish low risk prostate cancer from intermediate/high risk prostate cancer.

The Predictive Potential of the Baseline C-Reactive Protein Levels for the Efficiency of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

The relationship between baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) level and the prognosis of cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment remains controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to clarify whether baseline CRP level can serve as a biomarker to predict the efficiency of ICI therapy.

Methods

All associated articles published in the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases from the inception of the database to December 30, 2021, were retrieved. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) outcomes were meta-analyzed using the random-effects model and adjusted using the trim-and-fill method because of publication bias.

Results

Thirty-three studies (6,124 patients) conducted between 2013 and 2021 were identified. The pooled outcomes implied that high baseline CRP level patients had significantly worse OS (adjusted pooled value for univariate and multivariate analysis outcomes: HR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.41-1.56; HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.34-1.59) and PFS (adjusted pooled value for univariate and multivariate analysis outcomes: HR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.15-1.45; HR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.02-1.40) than low baseline CRP level patients, irrespective of cancer or ICI type. Further analysis indicated that 1 mg/dl was appropriate as a cutoff value for determining the low or high level of baseline CRP to predict the OS or PFS of cancer patients receiving ICI treatment (univariate analysis: HR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.24-1.97, P = 0.909; multivariate analysis: HR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.23-2.03, P = 0.521).

Conclusions

High baseline CRP level (>1 mg/dl) may be an indicator for worse OS and PFS of cancer patients treated with ICIs. More high-quality prospective studies are warranted to assess the predictive value of CRP for ICI treatment.

Somatic mutation and expression of BAP1 in hepatocellular carcinoma: an indicator for ferroptosis and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies

BRCA1-Associated Protein 1 (BAP1) is a deubiquitylase that is found associated with multiprotein complexes that regulate key cellular pathways, and subsequent researches have revealed that BAP1 acts independently as a tumor suppressor. Somatic BAP1 mutations occur in various malignancies, but malignancies arising from mutation of tumor suppressors have unexplained tissue proclivity. Whether somatic mutation or expression alteration of BAP1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) influence carcinogenesis or immunogenicity is still unknown. In this study, we analyzed RNA expression, immune infiltration, survival and mutation data of HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas databases. The association between BAP1 and clinicopathological features was further investigated by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray. We found that the prognosis of patients with high BAP1 expression was significantly worse than that of patients with low BAP1 expression, and multivariate analyses revealed that BAP1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis. HCC with high BAP1 expression was associated with low ESTIMATE Score, recruitment of more tumor-infiltrating macrophage, and elevated levels of tumor mutation burden, microsatellite instability, neoantigen count, as well as programmed death-ligand1 in HCC. In addition, BAP1 mutated HCC showed reduced ability to promote ferroptosis and high BAP1 expression was correlated with ferroptosis. In conclusion, high BAP1 expression reflects immunosuppression and ferroptosis in HCC. BAP1 is a promising prognostic marker for survival of HCC and may act as a complementary indicator for patients to receive ferroptosis-promoting therapy or immunotherapy.

Ancient demographics determine the effectiveness of genetic purging in endangered lizards

The purging of deleterious alleles has been hypothesized to mitigate inbreeding depression, but its effectiveness in endangered species remains debatable. To understand how deleterious alleles are purged during population contractions, we analyzed genomes of the endangered Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus), which is the only surviving species of its family and currently isolated into small populations. Population genomic analyses revealed four genetically distinct conservation units and sharp declines in both effective population size and genetic diversity. By comparing the relative genetic load across populations and conducting genomic simulations, we discovered that seriously deleterious alleles were effectively purged during population contractions in this relict species, although inbreeding generally enhanced the genetic burden. However, despite with the initial purging, our simulations also predicted that seriously deleterious alleles will gradually accumulate under prolonged bottlenecking. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of maintaining a minimum population capacity and increasing the functional genetic diversity in conservation efforts to preserve populations of the crocodile lizard and other endangered species.

[Twelve-week of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir therapeutic regimen for chronic hepatitis C patients in northwest region of China: a real-world multicenter clinical study]

Objective: To study the real-world outcome of China FDA-approved Sofosbuvir (SOF)/Velpatasvir (VEL) in Northwest China. Methods: In this multicenter, prospective, real-world cohort study, we recruited patients from 10 sites from Northwest China, who were chronically infected with HCV GTs 1-6 from 06/2018 to 09/2019. Patients received SOF (400mg)/VEL (100mg) for 12 weeks, and with ribavirin 900-1200 mg for GT3 cirrhosis and for any genotype decompensated cirrhosis. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response at 12-weeks post-treatment (SVR12) and safety. The secondary endpoint was the change of liver function after the achievement of SVR12. Results: Totally, 143 patients were enrolled in the study, four patients were lost to follow-up and one died during the follow-up, 138 patients were included in per-protocol analysis. Of the 138 patients, the mean age 53 years, 53.6% male, 94.2% Han nationality, 53.6% liver cirrhosis, 10.1% HBsAg(+), 6.5% renal dysfunction, 5.1% treatment-experienced, and 16.7% patients received ribavirin treatment. The genotype distribution was as follows: 35.5% GT1, 42.8% GT2, 15.9% GT3, and 5.8% un-typed. The SVR12 rate was 96.5% (138/143, 95%CI: 93.5%-99.6%) for intention-to-treat analysis, and in per-protocol analysis, all 138 patients obtained SVR12 (100%). Compared with baseline, the serum total bilirubin, ALT and AFP levels decreased (all P < 0.05), as well as increased ALB and platelet count (all P < 0.001) at post-treatment 12-weeks. Overall adverse events (AEs) rate is 29.0%, and the most common AEs were anemia (14.5%) and fatigue (8.0%). Severe side effects (edema and fatigue) occurred in 2 patients, one of whom needed a short-term interruption of treatment due to fatigue. Conclusion: In this real-world cohort study, 12-week SOF/VEL regimen with or without ribavirin achieved high SVR12 rates (96.5%-100% overall) with excellent safety profile among patients with HCV GT1/2/3 infection including patients with GT3 and cirrhosis, and led to improvement of liver function.

Prognostic value of soluble programmed cell death-1 (sPD-1) and soluble programmed cell death ligand-1 (sPD-L1) for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Preliminary studies have suggested that soluble programmed death-1 (sPD-1) and soluble programmed cell death ligand-1 (sPD-L1) have prognostic implications in many malignant tumors. However, the correlation between sPD-1/sPD-L1 level and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear.

METHODS

We searched several electronic databases from database inception to October 7, 2021. Meta-analyses were performed separately for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), time to progression (TTP), and tumor-free survival (TFS). Random effects were introduced to this meta-analysis. The correlation between sPD-1/sPD-L1 level and prognosis was evaluated using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs).

RESULTS

A total of 11 studies (1291 patients) were incorporated into this meta-analysis, including seven on sPD-L1, two on sPD-1, and two about both factors. The pooled results showed that high sPD-L1 level was associated with worse OS (HR = 2.46, 95%CI 1.74-3.49, P < 0.001; I² = 31.4, P = 0.177) and poorer DFS/RFS/TTP/TFS of patients with HCC (HR = 2.22, 95%CI 1.47-3.35, P < 0.001; I² = 66.1, P = 0.011), irrespective of method of detection, study type, treatment, cut-off value and follow-up time. In contrast, the level of sPD-1 was not correlated to the OS (HR = 1.19, 95%CI 0.55-2.56, P = 0.657) and DFS/TFS of patients with HCC (HR = 0.94, 95%CI 0.36-2.49, P = 0.906).

CONCLUSION

sPD-L1 rather than sPD-1 could be a good predictor for recurrence and survival after treatment for HCC. More high-quality prospective studies are warranted to assess the prognostic value of sPD-1 or sPD-L1 for HCC.

[Epidemiological investigation of tinnitus in Sichuan and Chongqing]

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of tinnitus in Sichuan and Chongqing. Methods: We designed a tinnitus epidemiological questionnaire. The multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling methods was applied to obtain study subjects in six areas (Nanchong, Jiangjin, Fengdu, Yunyang, Suining and Ya'an), which were selected for epidemiological investigation. Home visit completion of epidemiological questionnaires was conducted. The trained investigators guided the respondents to fill in the tinnitus epidemiological questionnaires, and the epidemiological status of six areas on prevalence and risk factor was investigated. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Sampling population were 10 289, in which 9 273 were valid questionnaires. There were 4 281 males and 4 992 females, with an average age of 47.3 years, among which 34.83% (3 230/9 273) had tinnitus. 3.99% (370/9 273) were diagnosed with bothersome tinnitus. In a multivariable logistic regression mod, the following factors were associated with onsetting of tinnitus: sleep disorder [Odds Ratio(OR)=3.74] and noise exposure(OR=1.99). The risk of disease was lowest in the age of 30-40 years old, while the risk of disease was higher for people under 30 and over 40. In another multivariable logistic regression mode, the following factors were associated with having bothersome tinnitus: older people were more likely to suffer from tinnitus, sleep disorders (OR=4.68) and noise exposure (OR=1.56). Conclusions: The prevalence of tinnitus in Sichuan and Chongqing is about 34.83%, but most of the tinnitus is short-lived and has low loudness, which will not affect the patients. Only a small number of patients with tinnitus (3.99%) persist and affect their health and need treatment. The occurrence and exacerbation of tinnitus may be related to sleep, age, and noise exposure.

The Prediction Potential of the Pretreatment Lung Immune Prognostic Index for the Therapeutic Outcomes of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With Solid Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

The lung immune prognostic index (LIPI) is recently developed to predict immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment outcomes for non-small cell lung cancer. However, its predictive value for other types of cancer remained unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between pretreatment LIPI score and therapeutic outcomes in cancer patients treated with ICIs.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library literature databases and EMBASE for abstracts and full-text articles published from the inception of the database until 16th, Nov 2020. Meta-analyses were performed separately for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) by using the random-effects model.

Results

A total of 12 studies involving 4883 patients receiving ICIs treatment were identified for the primary analysis. The pooled results implied that compared with good LIPI score groups, patients with poor or intermediate LIPI score were significantly associated with worse OS (HR=3.33, 95%CI 2.64-4.21, P < 0.001, I² = 64.2%; HR=1.71, 95%CI 1.43-2.04, P < 0.001, I² = 43.6%, respectively) and PFS (HR=2.73,95%CI 2.00-3.73, P < 0.001, I² = 78.2%; HR=1.43, 95%CI 1.28-1.61, P < 0.001, I² = 16.3%, respectively). Also, for 1873 patients receiving chemotherapy, a poor LIPI score was significantly associated with worse OS (HR=2.30, 95%CI 1.73-3.07, P < 0.001; I² = 56.2%) and PFS (HR=1.92,95%CI 1.69-2.17; P < 0.001; I² = 0.0%) compared with good LIPI score groups.

Conclusions

A good LIPI score was significantly correlated with improved OS and PFS in cancer patients receiving ICIs or chemotherapy, regardless of the types of cancer.

Sex and regional disparities in incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in autoimmune hepatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have identified an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Sex and regional disparities in incidence of HCC in AIH continue to be reported worldwide. Nevertheless, the magnitude of this gap remains unknown.

METHOD

We searched several databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Wanfang Data, CNKI and SinoMed. Incidence rates of HCC in AIH were combined and analyzed following the EBayes method. Incidence rate ratios were pooled to assess the sex differences. The impact of population difference, sex, age, cirrhotic condition was further analyzed with subgroup analysis and linear regression analysis.

RESULT

39 studies meeting our eligibility criteria were chosen for the analysis. The pooled incidence rate of HCC in AIH was 3.54 per 1000 person years (95% CI 2.76-4.55). Pooled IRR for the risk of HCC in male AIH patients compared to female was 2.16 (95% CI 1.25-3.75), with mild heterogeneity among studies. The pooled HCC incidence rate in AIH by continents was as follows: Europe 2.37 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 1.45-3.88), Asia 6.18 per 1000 person-years (95%CI 5.51-6.93), North America 2.97 per 1000 person-years (95%CI 2.40-3.68), Oceania 2.60 (95%CI 0.54-7.58). The pooled HCC incidence rate in AIH-related cirrhosis by continent was as follows: Europe 6.35 per 1000 person-years (95%CI 3.94-10.22), Asia 17.02 per 1000 person-years (95%CI 11.18-25.91), North America 10.89 per 1000 person-years (95%CI 6.69-17.74).

CONCLUSION

A higher HCC incidence in AIH was observed among male and in Asian populations. Cirrhosis status at AIH diagnosis is significantly associated with an increased incidence rate for HCC, and routine HCC surveillance is recommended for patients with AIH cirrhosis, especially for those in Asia.

[Sensitivity and specificity of nucleic acid testing in close contacts of COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou]

Objective: To analyze the sensitivity and specificity of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing in 20 348 close contacts of COVID-19 cases in different prevention and control stages in Guangzhou and to provide scientific evidence for optimizing epidemic response strategies. Methods: A total of 20 348 close contacts of COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou were traced between February 21 and September 22,2020. All the close contacts were tested for the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2. The sensitivity and specificity of nucleic acid testing and diagnosis in the different prevention and control stages were compared. Results: In 20 348 close contacts, 12 462 were males (61.24%), the median (P₂₅,P₇₅) of age of them was 31.0 years (23.0,43.0), the median number (P₂₅,P₇₅) of nucleic acid testing for them was 2.0 (1.0,3.0), and the median (P₂₅,P₇₅) of their quarantine days was 12.0 (8.0,13.0) days, respectively. A total of 256 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the close contacts after seven nucleic acid tests. In the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 7^th nucleic acid testing, the sensitivity and specificity were 69.14% and 99.99% (177 cases confirmed), 89.84% and 99.99% (230 cases confirmed), 97.27% and 99.99% (249 cases confirmed), and 100.00% and 99.98%, respectively. In the three stages of COVID-19 prevention and control in China: domestic case stage, imported case stage, and imported case associated local epidemic stage, the sensitivity of the 1^st nucleic acid testing was 70.68%, 68.00% and 67.35%, and the specificity was 99.98%, 100.00% and 100.00%, respectively. Conclusions: The sensitivity of nucleic acid testing in the close contacts at the different stages were consistent with slight decrease, which might be related to the increased proportion of asymptomatic infections in the late stage of epidemic prevention and control with COVID-19 in Guangzhou. It is suggested to give three nucleic acid tests to improve the sensitivity and reduce false negative risk.

[Establishment of index system for population based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening]

Objective: To establish an index system of population based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening, and provide reference to determine the screening coverage appropriately. Methods: The literature review and brain storming sessions were used to develop the basic frame and index system of population based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening. Based on Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process, 21 domestic experts were selected for two rounds of consultation to determine the index system of population based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening and its weight. Results: The positive indexes of experts in two rounds of consultations were both 100%. The experts' authority coefficients (Cr) were 0.88±0.08 and 0.89±0.07, respectively. And the range of coefficient of variation (CV) were (0.08, 0.24), (0.09, 0.25). The Kendall's W coordination coefficients were 0.34 and 0.22 respectively, which were statistically significant. The index system of population based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening was established, which had 4 first-level indexes, 11 second-level indexes and 58 third-level indexes. Besides, the weight of each index was determined. Conclusion: The index system of population based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening has been established, which can provide scientific reference for the health administration to determine the coverage of population based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening when local COVID-19 epidemic occurs.

Genomic Predictions With Nonadditive Effects Improved Estimates of Additive Effects and Predictions of Total Genetic Values in Pinus sylvestris

Genomic selection study (GS) focusing on nonadditive genetic effects of dominance and the first order of epistatic effects, in a full-sib family population of 695 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees, was undertaken for growth and wood quality traits, using 6,344 single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs) generated by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). Genomic marker-based relationship matrices offer more effective modeling of nonadditive genetic effects than pedigree-based models, thus increasing the knowledge on the relevance of dominance and epistatic variation in forest tree breeding. Genomic marker-based models were compared with pedigree-based models showing a considerable dominance and epistatic variation for growth traits. Nonadditive genetic variation of epistatic nature (additive × additive) was detected for growth traits, wood density (DEN), and modulus of elasticity (MOEd) representing between 2.27 and 34.5% of the total phenotypic variance. Including dominance variance in pedigree-based Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (PBLUP) and epistatic variance in genomic-based Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP) resulted in decreased narrow-sense heritability and increased broad-sense heritability for growth traits, DEN and MOEd. Higher genetic gains were reached with early GS based on total genetic values, than with conventional pedigree selection for a selection intensity of 1%. This study indicates that nonadditive genetic variance may have a significant role in the variation of selection traits of Scots pine, thus clonal deployment could be an attractive alternative for the species. Additionally, confidence in the role of nonadditive genetic effects in this breeding program should be pursued in the future, using GS.

Leveraging breeding programs and genomic data in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) for GWAS analysis

BACKGROUND

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identify loci underlying the variation of complex traits. One of the main limitations of GWAS is the availability of reliable phenotypic data, particularly for long-lived tree species. Although an extensive amount of phenotypic data already exists in breeding programs, accounting for its high heterogeneity is a great challenge. We combine spatial and factor-analytics analyses to standardize the heterogeneous data from 120 field experiments of 483,424 progenies of Norway spruce to implement the largest reported GWAS for trees using 134 605 SNPs from exome sequencing of 5056 parental trees.

RESULTS

We identify 55 novel quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are associated with phenotypic variation. The largest number of QTLs is associated with the budburst stage, followed by diameter at breast height, wood quality, and frost damage. Two QTLs with the largest effect have a pleiotropic effect for budburst stage, frost damage, and diameter and are associated with MAP3K genes. Genotype data called from exome capture, recently developed SNP array and gene expression data indirectly support this discovery.

CONCLUSION

Several important QTLs associated with growth and frost damage have been verified in several southern and northern progeny plantations, indicating that these loci can be used in QTL-assisted genomic selection. Our study also demonstrates that existing heterogeneous phenotypic data from breeding programs, collected over several decades, is an important source for GWAS and that such integration into GWAS should be a major area of inquiry in the future.