563 Early systolic function is impaired in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction and is a more important predictor of clinical outcomes than diastolic function

Funding Acknowledgements

British Heart Foundation

Aims

First-phase ejection fraction (EF1), the ejection fraction up to the time of maximal ventricular contraction may be impaired in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), with homeostatic mechanisms preserving the overall ejection fraction. We examined whether EF1 is impaired and whether it predicts adverse outcomes in patients with HFpEF.

Methods and Results

We examined EF1 in patients with HFpEF diagnosed according to European Society of Cardiology guidelines, in subjects with pre-clinical diastolic dysfunction and in control subjects with no evidence of heart failure. The predictive value of EF1 for a combined end-point of re-hospitalisation for heart failure and death from any cause was compared to that of conventional echocardiographic and other indices. There was a progressive impairment of EF1 in patients with diastolic dysfunction and HFpEF compared to those without evidence of heart failure (P < 0.001). In 180 HFpEF patients followed for a median of 14.7 months, 101 patients reached the primary endpoint (61 deaths and 40 hospitalisations). EF1 was the most powerful predictor of events (table 1). A cut-off value of 19.4% gave hazard ratios (for EF1 < 19.4% compared to ≥19.4%) of 3.04 (figure 1), (95% confidence interval 2.014 – 4.604, P < 0.001) unadjusted, and 2.976 (1.887 – 4.695, P < 0.001) adjusted for age, gender, other echocardiographic indices (including EF, E/e’ ratio, stroke volume and left atrial volume index) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.

Conclusion

Early systolic function is impaired in HFpEF and is a powerful predictor of clinical outcomes. Therapies targeted at improving early systolic function may improve outcomes in HFpEF.

Table 1 HR CI (95%) P value Age 1.020 1.001 - 1.039 0.042 Female Gender 1.989 1.254 - 3.156 0.003 ln NT-proBNP 1.354 1.096 - 1.672 0.005 Haemoglobin 0.992 0.980 - 1.005 0.225 eGFR 0.997 0.988 - 1.006 0.568 Structural Heart Disease 0.748 0.439 - 1.274 0.285 Diastolic Dysfunction 0.694 0.445 - 1.082 0.107 Ejection Fraction 1.031 0.996 - 1.068 0.082 Stroke Volume index 0.963 0.940 - 0.986 0.002 TPAVF 0.995 0.980 - 1.005 0.230 EF1 0.900 0.869 - 0.932 <0.001 Multivariate analysis of predictors of events

Abstract 563 Figure 1 Kaplan-Meier Curve

Increased expression of miR-330-3p: a novel independent indicator of poor prognosis in human breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

Previous study has reported that miR-330-3p was highly expressed in breast cancer (BC) patients. However, the effect of miR-330-3p in BC progression remains largely unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of miR-330-3p expression in BC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression of miR-330-3p was detected by quantitative Real-time PCR in BC tissues and matched normal breast tissues. The association of miR-330-3p expression with clinicopathological factors of BC patients was also analyzed by x2-test. Prognosis value of patients with BC was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model, respectively.

RESULTS

Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression level of miR-330-3p was significantly higher in BC specimens than that in corresponding noncancerous tissues (p < 0.01). The levels of miR-330-3p were positively correlated with the status of TNM stage (p = 0.011) and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.006). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that 5-year overall survival of BC patients with high miR-330-3p expression was shorter compared to those patients with low miR-330-3p expression (p < 0.0001). Moreover, univariate and multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that miR-330-3p was an independent prognostic factor in BC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that miR-330-3p upregulation maybe concurrently associated with prognosis in patients with BC, suggesting that miR-330-3p may be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for patients with BC.

Whole exome sequencing identified a second pathogenic variant in HOMER2 for autosomal dominant non-syndromic deafness

Hearing loss is one of the most common sensory disorders worldwide, and about half of all occurrences are attributable to genetic factors. Here, we have identified a novel pathogenic variant in HOMER2 in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant, non-syndromic hearing loss. This is the second family reported globally with hearing loss caused by a variant in HOMER2. The pathogenic variant c.840_841insC in HOMER2 (NM_199330), segregating with the hearing-loss phenotype in the family, leads to a premature stop codon producing a truncated protein. The coiled-coil domain in the C-terminal of HOMER2 protein is essential for protein multimerization and HOMER2-CDC42 interaction. We compared the phenotypes in the two families and found that hearing impairment in this Chinese family was more severe. Furthermore, we found that the ability of this insertion mutant type HOMER2 (HOMER2_MU ) to multimerize decreased more significantly than wild-type HOMER2 (HOMER2_WT ) and the reported c.554G>C (NM_004839) mutant HOMER2. HOMER2_MU protein tended to be distributed in a diffuse manner, whereas HOMER2_WT and the reported mutant HOMER2 tended to cluster together. Our research provides a validating second family for variants in HOMER2 causing non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss. HOMER2 homo-/hetero-multimerization might be the first step in exerting its normal function.

Recognizing basal cell carcinoma on smartphone-captured digital histopathology images with a deep neural network

BACKGROUND

Pioneering effort has been made to facilitate the recognition of pathology in malignancies based on whole-slide images (WSIs) through deep learning approaches. It remains unclear whether we can accurately detect and locate basal cell carcinoma (BCC) using smartphone-captured images.

OBJECTIVES

To develop deep neural network frameworks for accurate BCC recognition and segmentation based on smartphone-captured microscopic ocular images (MOIs).

METHODS

We collected a total of 8046 MOIs, 6610 of which had binary classification labels and the other 1436 had pixelwise annotations. Meanwhile, 128 WSIs were collected for comparison. Two deep learning frameworks were created. The 'cascade' framework had a classification model for identifying hard cases (images with low prediction confidence) and a segmentation model for further in-depth analysis of the hard cases. The 'segmentation' framework directly segmented and classified all images. Sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the overall performance of BCC recognition.

RESULTS

The MOI- and WSI-based models achieved comparable AUCs around 0·95. The 'cascade' framework achieved 0·93 sensitivity and 0·91 specificity. The 'segmentation' framework was more accurate but required more computational resources, achieving 0·97 sensitivity, 0·94 specificity and 0·987 AUC. The runtime of the 'segmentation' framework was 15·3 ± 3·9 s per image, whereas the 'cascade' framework took 4·1 ± 1·4 s. Additionally, the 'segmentation' framework achieved 0·863 mean intersection over union.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the accessible MOIs via smartphone photography, we developed two deep learning frameworks for recognizing BCC pathology with high sensitivity and specificity. This work opens a new avenue for automatic BCC diagnosis in different clinical scenarios. What's already known about this topic? The diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is labour intensive due to the large number of images to be examined, especially when consecutive slide reading is needed in Mohs surgery. Deep learning approaches have demonstrated promising results on pathological image-related diagnostic tasks. Previous studies have focused on whole-slide images (WSIs) and leveraged classification on image patches for detecting and localizing breast cancer metastases. What does this study add? Instead of WSIs, microscopic ocular images (MOIs) photographed from microscope eyepieces using smartphone cameras were used to develop neural network models for recognizing BCC automatically. The MOI- and WSI-based models achieved comparable areas under the curve around 0·95. Two deep learning frameworks for recognizing BCC pathology were developed with high sensitivity and specificity. Recognizing BCC through a smartphone could be considered a future clinical choice.

[Effect of two kinds of materials on the prevention of early erosive enamel wear]

Objective: To investigate the preventive effect of resin infiltration and adhesive on early erosive enamel wear. Methods: Orthodontic reduction premolars collected from Central Laboratory of Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University were used to prepare 70 specimens. Forty samples were divided into eight groups (n=5) and treated with different conditions (pH=1.6, 2.4, 3.2 or 4.0 hydrochloric acid solution, etching time was 30 or 60 s), and the conditions for obtaining early erosive enamel samples were selected. Based on this procedure, thirty early erosive enamel samples were made and divided into three groups: control group, resin infiltration group, and adhesive group. And the treatment of 30 days acid abrasion cycle was carried out. Confocal microscopy was used to measure the thickness changes of enamel or material before and after cycle. Results: Early erosive enamel samples was obtained when pH was 4.0 and etching time was 60 s. After 30 days cycle, the wear of enamel was (29.71±6.72) μm in control group, (5.60±2.24) μm in resin infiltration group and (2.89±1.03) μm in adhesive group. In infiltration group and adhesive group, lower enamel was not affected by the cycle, and the material loss ratios of the infiltration resin group and adhesive group were 0.41±0.14 and 0.29±0.13, respectively. The ratio of material loss was not significantly different (P>0.05). But infiltration group lost (12.95±2.22) μm of enamel during the application of the material. Conclusions: Resin infiltration and adhesive have the same short-term protective effect against early erosive enamel wear. Adhesive has less damage to enamel and better effect.

[Clinical analysis of MRS and DWI in predicting delayed brain edema after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage]

Objective: Prediction of delayed brain edema after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage by magnetic resonance spectroscopy combined with diffusion weighted imaging, and to explore the causes and treatment of delayed brain edema after intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods: The patients with spontaneous cerebral hemorrhage diagnosed by CT from January 2015 to June 2018 in our hospital were analyzed. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion weighted imaging examinations were performed on the third day after hemorrhage. It was diagnosed as delayed brain edema that the edema range enlarged more than 1 cm in CT scan on the 14th day Compare with the 7th Day. The patients were divided into the delayed brain edema group and the control group(n=27 for each). The NAA/Cr value and rADC value of the edema area in the two groups were analyzed by T test. Results: The NAA/Cr value (1.67±0.38) in the edema area of patients with delayed brain edema was significantly decreased Compare with the control group(1.92±0.42), and the rADC value (2.59±0.42) reduced significantly Compare with the control group (2.93±0.51), the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: MRS and DWI were susceptive in showing delayed brain edema lesions at hyper-early phase. Combination of MRS and DWI can provide a basis for clinical individual treatment programs selection and prognostic evaluation.

[Association of arsenic with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion: a case-control study]

Objective: To explore the association of arsenic with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). Methods: A case-control study was conducted to select URSA patients who were admitted to the Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from April to October 2018 as a case group. Women who had a normal pregnancy in the Family Planning Department of the hospital but volunteered to have an abortion were selected as a control group. The case and control group were paired in a 1: 1 ratio. The inclusion criteria of the case group were patients with newly diagnosed recurrent spontaneous abortion who had clinically confirmed more than 2 spontaneous abortions and had 20 weeks prior to pregnancy, excluding patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion caused by abnormal blood coagulation (anti-phospholipid antibody positive), abnormal physiological anatomy (B-ultrasound), abnormal immune factors (anti-nuclear antibody positive, anti-cardiolipin antibody, etc.), genetic chromosomal abnormalities (karyotype analysis) and pathogenic microbial infection. The control group was matched according to the age of the case group (±3 years old) and the gestational age (±2 weeks) to exclude adverse pregnancy outcomes such as stillbirth, congenital malformation, premature delivery and low birth weight infants. A total of 192 subjects were included. Questionnaires were used to collect information of all subjects, and 12 ml of peripheral venous blood was collected to detect blood arsenic levels. Blood arsenic levels were divided into low concentration group (<1.00 μg/L), medium concentration group (1.00-1.50 μg/L) and high concentration group (>1.50 μg/L). The multivariate conditional logistic regression was performed to analyze the relationship between blood arsenic exposure and URSA and explore the influencing factors of blood Arsenic. Results: The geometric mean values of blood arsenic level in the cases group and control group were 1.68 (1.50-1.86) μg/L and 1.26 (1.17-1.37) μg/L, respectively. The blood arsenic level in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The results of multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for tobacco exposure during pregnancy, pre-pregnancy body mass index and the effects of residential decoration in past five years, the risk of URSA was higher in the high-concentration group compared with the low-concentration group (OR=2.56, 95%CI:1.06-6.24). Conclusion: Blood arsenic may increase the risk of URSA in women of childbearing age.

Prostaglandin E2 receptors differentially regulate the output of proinflammatory cytokines in myometrial cells from term pregnant women

Prostaglandin (PG) E₂ plays critical roles during pregnancy and parturition. Emerging evidence indicates that human labour is an inflammatory event. We sought to investigate the effect of PGE₂ on the output of proinflammatory cytokines in cultured human uterine smooth muscle cells (HUSMCs) from term pregnant women and elucidate the role of subtypes of PGE₂ receptors (EP₁, EP₂, EP₃ and EP₄). After drug treatment and/or transfection of each receptor siRNA, the concentrations of inflammatory secreting factors in HUSMCs culture medium were detected by the corresponding ELISA kits. The results showed that, PGE₂ increased interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) output, decreased chemokine (c-x-c motif) ligand 8 (CXCL8) output in a dose-dependent manner, but had no effect on IL-1β and chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 2 (CCL-2) secretion of HUSMCs. EP₁/EP₃ agonist 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE₂ stimulated IL-6 and TNFα whilst suppressing IL-1β and CXCL8 output. The effects of 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE₂ on IL-1β and CXCL8 secretion were remained whereas its effect on IL-6 and TNFα output did not occur in the cells with EP₃ knockdown. The stimulatory effects of 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE₂ on IL-6 and TNFα were remained whereas the inhibitory effects of 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE₂ on IL-1β secretion was blocked in the cells with EP₁ knockdown. Either of EP₂ and EP₄ agonists stimulated IL-1β and TNFα output, which was reversed by EP₂ and EP₄ siRNA, respectively. The inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) blocked EP₁/EP₃ modulation of TNFα and CXCL8 output. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and P38 inhibitor SB202190 blocked 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE₂-induced IL-1β and IL-6 output, respectively. The inhibitors of adenylyl cyclase and PKA prevented EP₂ and EP₄ stimulation of IL-1β and TNFα output, whereas PLC and PKC inhibitors blocked EP₂- and EP₄-induced TNFα output but not IL-1β output. Our data suggest that PGE₂ receptors exhibit different effects on the output of various cytokines in myometrium, which can subtly modulate the inflammatory microenvironment in myometrium during pregnancy.

Why hasn't this woman been screened for breast and cervical cancer? - Evidence from a Chinese population-based study

OBJECTIVE

Less than half of eligible Chinese rural women have been screened for breast and cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to describe individual-level reasons for attending or not attending 'two cancers' screening using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The study sample was from the Health Services Survey in 2013 in Jiangsu, China. A total of 6520 rural women aged 36-65 years answered the questions on 'two cancers' screening participation and were included in the final analysis, which consisted of univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

In the results of multivariate logistic regression, factors significantly associated with having 'two cancers' screening included educational level (odds ratio [OR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.65-0.92), per capita household income (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.58-0.73), availability of female medical faculty in township facilities (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.28-0.42), quality of life (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.58-0.90), being nulliparous (OR = 3.21, 95% CI = 1.96-5.26), and multiparous (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.68-2.16).

CONCLUSION

To reduce inadequate screening service utilization of breast and cervical cancer in rural areas, efforts should be made not only to target the vulnerable rural women with lower income, lower educational level, and lower health conditions but also to further improve access to female primary-care providers. Strategies are also urgently needed to focus on nulliparous and multiparous women.

[Analysis of 5 children with congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura]

Objective: To explore the clinical features and points of diagnosis and treatment for congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in children. Methods: The clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, genetic analysis and treatments of 5 children with congenital TTP hospitalized in Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from February 2015 to July 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among the 5 children with congenital TTP diagnosed by genetic monitoring and enzymology, there were 1 male and 4 females, 3 cases had suspicious positive family history, the age of onset was several hours after birth (range several hours after birth to 28 months). The main clinical manifestations were recurrent moderate to severe thrombocytopenia in 5 cases, mild to moderate hemolytic anemia in 4 cases, proteinuria or hematuria in 2 cases, and nervous system involvement in 1 case. The recurrence time was 1.5 (range 1.0 to 5.0) times per year and most of the inducing factors were respiratory and (or) digestive tract infections. Laboratory test showed that ADMATS13 enzyme activity were 0 in 4 cases, the enzyme activity was 100% in 1 case due to plasma infusion before examination. ADMATS13 enzyme antibody detection of all 5 cases were negative. Genetic analysis of all 5 children showed complex heterozygous mutations at different loci of ADAMTS13 gene, among which 8 loci were previously unreported, details are as follows: missense mutations in 4 cases (c.1564T>C(p.522C>R), c.1510G>T(p.504D>Y), c.4154A>C(p.1385Q>P) and c.G3854C (P.R1285P)); frameshift mutations in 3 cases(c.2875_2876insT (p.959Lfs29), c.2362_2363delGG (p.788G>Gfs56) and c.1335delC (p.F445fs)), shear mutation in one case(IVS21+1A>G). The patients in the acute phase were all treated with fresh frozen plasma infusion (10 ml/(kg·d)), continuous application for 7-14 days). Platelets gradually returned to normal and clinical symptoms improved. The follow-up time was 27 months (range 11-35 months). All the children survived, among whom 2 cases were treated with prophylaxis and monitoring platelet stability above 200×10(9)/L, 3 cases were treated on-demand only when platelet decreased and monitoring platelet stability above 100×10(9)/L. Conclusions: The main clinical manifestation of congenital TTP is recurrent thrombocytopenia with or without hemolytic anemia. The key point of treatment is plasma infusion. Genetic testing is helpful for early diagnosis.

Copper Nanoparticles Show Obvious in vitro and in vivo Reproductive Toxicity via ERK Mediated Signaling Pathway in Female Mice

Copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) and other inorganic nanomaterials have caused increasing concern owing to be widely used. Early studies have reported that they can result in injuries to the kidney, liver and spleen of mice; cause embryonic damage; and inhibit the reproductive capacity of red worms. However, few studies have reported the toxicity of Cu-NPs on the reproductive systems of mammals. In the present work, we explored the cytotoxicity of Cu-NPs in human extravillous trophoblast cells and in the reproductive organs of mice. Cu-NPs induced ovarian and placental pathophysiology and dysfunction in mice. These nanoparticles also induced apoptosis and suppressed the proliferation of human extravillous trophoblast cells and caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase in a time-and dose-dependent manner. Cu-NPs can significantly damage the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), which suggests that Cu-NPs can activate the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway. We also observed that Cu-NPs significantly inhibit the expression of BRAF, ERK, and MITF expression, all of which are important genes in the ERK signaling pathway. Our research demonstrated that Cu-NPs exert obvious reproductive toxicity in mice by disrupting the balance of sex hormones and exert cytotoxicity on human extravillous trophoblast cells, and ERK signaling and the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway made great contribution to the toxicity of Cu-NPs on female mice.

[Pulmonary hypertensive crisis in children with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension undergoing cardiac catheterization: the risk factors and clinical aspects]

Objective: To investigate the risk factors, clinical features, treatments, and prevention of pulmonary hypertensive crisis (PHC) in children with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) undergoing cardiac catheterization. Methods: This retrospective study included 67 children who were diagnosed with IPAH and underwent cardiac catheterization between April 2009 and June 2017 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital. The medical histories, clinical manifestations, treatments, and outcomes were characterized. Statistical analyses were performed using t test, χ(2) test and a multiple Logistic regression analysis. Results: During cardiac catheterization, five children developed PHC who presented with markedly elevated pulmonary artery pressure and central venous pressure, decline in systemic arterial pressure and oxygen saturation. Heart rate decreased in 4 cases and increased in the remaining one. After the treatments including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pulmonary vasodilator therapy, improving cardiac output and blood pressure, and correction of acidosis, 4 of the 5 cases recovered, while 1 died of severe right heart failure with irreversible PHC 3 days after operation. Potential PHC was considered in 7 other patients, whose pulmonary artery pressure increased and exceeded systemic arterial pressure, oxygen saturation decreased, and central venous pressure and vital signs were relatively stable. Univariate analysis showed that the risk factors of PHC in children with IPAH undergoing cardiac catheterization were younger age (t=3.160, P=0.004), low weight (t=4.004, P<0.001), general anesthesia (χ(2)=4.970, P=0.026), history of syncope (χ(2)=4.948, P=0.026), and WHO cardiac functional class Ⅲ or Ⅳ (χ(2)=19.013, P<0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that worse WHO cardiac functional class (Wald=13.128, P<0.001, OR=15.076, 95% CI: 3.475-65.418) was the independent risk factor of PHC. Conclusions: PHC is a severe and extremely dangerous complication in children with IPAH during cardiac catheterization. WHO cardiac functional class may be associated with PHC. Integrated treatment is required for these patients. Reducing risk factors, early identification, and active treatment may help to prevent the occurrence and progression of PHC.

Partitioning an Object-Oriented Terminology Schema

Controlled medical terminologies are increasingly becoming strategic components of various healthcare enterprises. However, the typical medical terminology can be difficult to exploit due to its extensive size and high density. The schema of a medical terminology offered by an object-oriented representation is a valuable tool in providing an abstract view of the terminology, enhancing comprehensibility and making it more usable. However, schemas themselves can be large and unwieldy. We present a methodology for partitioning a medical terminology schema into manageably sized fragments that promote increased comprehension. Our methodology has a refinement process for the subclass hierarchy of the terminology schema. The methodology is carried out by a medical domain expert in conjunction with a computer. The expert is guided by a set of three modeling rules, which guarantee that the resulting partitioned schema consists of a forest of trees. This makes it easier to understand and consequently use the medical terminology. The application of our methodology to the schema of the Medical Entities Dictionary (MED) is presented.

Reduced Expression of Hydrogen Sulfide-Generating Enzymes Down-Regulates 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase in Chorion during Term and Preterm Labor

Chorionic NAD-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH) plays a pivotal role in controlling the amount of prostaglandins in the uterus and has been implicated in the process of labor. Prior studies identified hydrogen sulfide-generating enzymes cystathionine-β-synthetase (CBS) and cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) in fetal membranes. We investigated whether hydrogen sulfide is involved in the regulation of PGDH expression in the chorion during labor. The chorionic tissues were obtained from pregnant women at preterm in labor and at term in labor or not in labor at term. Levels of CSE and CBS and hydrogen sulfide production rate were down-regulated in term in labor and preterm in labor groups compared with not in labor at term group. The CBS level correlated to PGDH expression in the chorion. Hydrogen sulfide donor NaHS and precursor l-cysteine dose-dependently stimulated PGDH expression and activity in cultured chorionic trophoblasts. The effect of l-cysteine was blocked by CBS inhibitor and CBS siRNA but not by CSE inhibitor and CSE siRNA. Hydrogen sulfide treatment suppressed miR-26b and miR-199a expression in chorionic trophoblasts. miR-26b and miR-199a mimics blocked hydrogen sulfide upregulation of PGDH expression. Our results indicate that hydrogen sulfide plays pivotal roles in maintenance of PGDH expression in the chorion during human pregnancy. Reduced expression of hydrogen sulfide-generating enzymes contributes to an increased amount of prostaglandins in the uterus during labor.

[Analysis of prognosis and associated risk factors in pediatric idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension]

Objective: To analyze the prognosis and associated risk factors of pediatric idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Methods: A total of 119 patients under 18 years of age diagnosed as idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension in the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Center in Beijing Anzhen Hospital between June 2007 and May 2017 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The clinical informations and follow-up data were collected. The endpoints of follow-up were defined as death or undergoing lung transplantation. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to assess the survival,and the COX risk regression model was used to analyze the prognostic risk factors. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was (5.9±4.2) years. For 92 (77.5%) patients, the main reason for visit was decreased activity with shortness of breath after exercise. Seventy patients (58.8%) were in baseline NYHA functional class Ⅲ-Ⅳ and 49 patients (41.2%) were in NYHA functional class Ⅰ-Ⅱ. The mean systolic pulmonary arterial pressure estimated by echocardiography was (90±23) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) . Right heart catheterization was performed in 50 patients. Hemodynamic parameters revealed that the mean pulmonary artery pressure was (66±19) mmHg. Mean right atrium pressure was (8.5±3.4) mmHg. Mean pulmonary vascular resistance index was (17±9) wood·m(2) and the mean cardiac index was (3.4±1.3)L/m(2); 100 patients (84.0%) received targeted therapy in which 55 patients (46.2%) were on monotherapy,40 patients (33.6%) were on dual therapy and 5 patients (4.2%) were on triple therapy. The mean time of follow-up was 22.0 months (0-108 months). During follow-up, 43 patients (36.1%) died and 1 patient received double-lung transplantation. Main causes of death including right heart failure, pulmonary hypertension crisis, asphyxia and massive hemoptysis. The mean survival time from diagnosis was 37.0 months,1-,2-,3-and 5-year survival rates were 86.3%, 72.2%, 51.4%and 37.8% respectively. Survival analysis showed that patients in baseline NYHA functional class Ⅰ-Ⅱ had better prognosis. COX regression analysis showed that NYHA function class, edema, increased total bilirubin and troponin concentration and the pulmonary artery and aorta diameter ratio measured by echocardiogram are risk factors of pediatric IPAH (HR=2.310, 2.723, 1.066, 1.696, 3.719, P=0.028, 0.005, 0.001, 0.024, 0.030) . While the existence of aterial septal defect or patent foramen ovale, using bosentan and phosphodiesterase inhibitors(,) dual or triple therapy were protective factors (HR=0.563, 0.559, 0.603, 0.682, 0.044, P=0.169, 0.076, 0.115, 0.258, 0.220) . In multivariate analysis only edema associated with decreased survival (HR=2.398, P=0.025) . Conclusion: Childhood idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension patients are seriously ill at visit. Worse cardiac function classification at visit associate with high mortality. Target therapy including using bosentan, dual or triple therapy can improve survival.

Sensitization, energy transfer and infra-red emission decay modulation in Yb3+-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles with visible light through a perfluoroanthraquinone chromophore

Infra-red emission (980 nm) of sub 10 nm Yb3+-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles has been sensitized through the excitation of 2-hydroxyperfluoroanthraquinone chromophore (1,2,3,4,5,6,7-heptafluro-8-hydroxyanthracene-9,10-dione) functionalizing the nanoparticle surface. The sensitization is achieved with a broad range of visible light excitation (400-600 nm). The overall near infra-red (NIR) emission intensity of Yb3+ ions is increased by a factor 300 as a result of the broad and strong absorption of the chromophore compared with ytterbium's intrinsic absorption. Besides the Yb3+ NIR emission, the hybrid composite shows organic chromophore-based visible emission in the orange-red region of the spectrum. We observe the energy migration process from the sensitized Yb3+ ions at the surface to those in the core of the particle using time-resolved optical spectroscopy. This highlights that the local environments for emitting Yb3+ ions at the surface and center of the nanoparticle are not identical, which causes important differences in the NIR emission dynamics. Based on the understanding of these processes, we suggest a simple strategy to control and modulate the decay time of the functionalized Yb3+-doped nanoparticles over a relatively large range by changing physical or chemical parameters in this model system.

Intelligent evaluation of color sensory quality of black tea by visible-near infrared spectroscopy technology: A comparison of spectra and color data information

Instrumental test of black tea samples instead of human panel test is attracting massive attention recently. This study focused on an investigation of the feasibility for estimation of the color sensory quality of black tea samples using the VIS-NIR spectroscopy technique, comparing the performances of models based on the spectra and color information. In model calibration, the variables were first selected by genetic algorithm (GA); then the nonlinear back propagation-artificial neural network (BPANN) models were established based on the optimal variables. In comparison with the other models, GA-BPANN models from spectra data information showed the best performance, with the correlation coefficient of 0.8935, and the root mean square error of 0.392 in the prediction set. In addition, models based on the spectra information provided better performance than that based on the color parameters. Therefore, the VIS-NIR spectroscopy technique is a promising tool for rapid and accurate evaluation of the sensory quality of black tea samples.

Endogenous hydrogen sulfide contributes to uterine quiescence during pregnancy

Recent evidence suggests that uterine activation for labor is associated with inflammation within uterine tissues. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) plays a critical role in inflammatory responses in various tissues. Our previous study has shown that human myometrium produces H₂S via its generating enzymes cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and cystathionine-β-synthetase (CBS) during pregnancy. We therefore explored whether H₂S plays a role in the maintenance of uterine quiescence during pregnancy. Human myometrial biopsies were obtained from pregnant women at term. Uterine smooth muscle cells (UMSCs) isolated from myometrial tissues were treated with various reagents including H₂S. The protein expression of CSE, CBS and contraction-associated proteins (CAPs) including connexin 43, oxytocin receptor and prostaglandin F_2α receptor determined by Western blot. The levels of cytokines were measured by ELISA. The results showed that CSE and CBS expression inversely correlated to the levels of CAPs and activated NF-κB in pregnant myometrial tissues. H₂S inhibited the expression of CAPs, NF-κB activation and the production of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in cultured USMCs. IL-1β treatment reversed H₂S inhibition of CAPs. Knockdown of CSE and CBS prevented H₂S suppression of inflammation. H₂S modulation of inflammation is through K_ATP channels and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. H₂S activation of PI3K and ERK signaling is dependent on K_ATP channels. Our data suggest that H₂S suppresses the expression of CAPs via inhibition of inflammation in myometrium. Endogenous H₂S is one of the key factors in maintenance of uterine quiescence during pregnancy.

A novel FOXM1 isoform, FOXM1D, promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis through ROCKs activation in colorectal cancer

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical event in metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Rho/ROCKs signaling has a pivotal role in orchestrating actin cytoskeleton, leading to EMT and cancer invasion. However, the underlying mechanisms for ROCKs activation are not fully understood. Here, we identified FOXM1D, a novel isoform of Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) that has a pivotal role in ROCKs activation by directly interacting with coiled-coil region of ROCK2. FOXM1D overexpression significantly polymerizes actin assembly and impairs E-cadherin expression, resulting in EMT and metastasis in xenograft mouse model and knockdown of FOXM1D has the opposite effect. Moreover, a high FOXM1D level correlates closely with clinical CRC metastasis. FOXM1D-induced ROCKs activation could be abrogated by the ROCKs inhibitors Y-27632 and fasudil. These observations indicate that the FOXM1D-ROCK2 interaction is crucial for Rho/ROCKs signaling and provide novel insight into actin cytoskeleton regulation and therapeutic potential for CRC metastasis.

DC-SIGN promotes allergen uptake and activation of dendritic cells in patients with atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease, concomitant with allergic reactions to allergens. However, the exact mechanisms of allergen-induced immune responses in AD are not clear. The aim of this study is to explore the role of DC-SIGN in capturing and processing glycan-containing allergens and in the subsequent DC activation and T helper cell polarization in AD patients.

METHODS

DC-SIGN expression on DCs from AD patients was analysed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. DC-SIGN binding to common allergens was determined by ELISA. Activation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs) by allergens was analysed by evaluation of pro-inflammatory cytokines production, and their impact on T-cell responses was investigated by a DC-T cell coculture.

RESULTS

DC-SIGN expression was higher on DCs in the lesional skin of AD patients compared with that of healthy controls and was correlated with disease severity. DC-SIGN could bind to many common allergens including house dust mite allergen (Der p2) and egg white allergen (Gal d2). Mo-DCs showed measurable expression of DC-SIGN and a concentration-dependent uptake of Der p2 and Gal d2, which was inhibited by mannan and anti-DC-SIGN Abs. Der p2 and Gal d2 induced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-6, by DCs from AD patients and facilitated Th2 and Th22 cell polarization.

CONCLUSIONS

Binding of common allergens by DC-SIGN on DCs may initiate allergen sensitization of AD or provoke the relapse of AD. Regulating the allergen-DC-SIGN interaction might be a promising strategy to prevent or intervene in the progress of AD.

Metabolomics-identified metabolites associated with body mass index and prospective weight gain among Mexican American women

Objective

Obesity is a metabolic disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms linking metabolic profiles and weight gain are largely unknown.

Methods

Here, we used semi‐targeted metabolomics to assay 156 metabolites selected from 25 key metabolic pathways in plasma samples from 300 non‐smoking healthy women identified from Mano‐A‐Mano, the Mexican American Cohort study. The study subjects were randomly divided into two cohorts: training (N = 200) and testing (N = 100) cohorts. Linear regression and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to assess the effect of body mass index (BMI) at baseline on metabolite levels and the effects of metabolites on significant weight gain during a 5‐year follow‐up.

Results

At baseline, we observed 7 metabolites significantly associated with BMI in both training and testing cohorts. They were Methyl succinate, Asparagine, Urate, Kynurenic acid, Glycine, Glutamic acid, and Serine. In further analysis, we identified 6 metabolites whose levels at baseline predicted significant weight gain during 5‐year follow‐up in both cohorts. They were Acetylcholine, Leucine, Hippuric acid, Acetylglycine, Urate, and Xanthine.

Conclusions

The findings establish the baseline metabolic profiles for BMI, and suggest new metabolic targets for researchers attempting to understand the molecular mechanisms of weight gain and obesity.

Investigation of Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 Polymorphisms in Gastric Cardia Adenocarcinoma

To assess the potential effects of Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) gene polymorphisms on susceptibility to gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA), we genotyped four polymorphisms (rs733618 A>G, rs16840252 C>T, rs231775 G>A and rs3087243 G>A) in CTLA4 and calculated odds ratios (ORs) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the genotype and allele distributions between GCA cases and controls. The CTLA4 genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR) analysis in 330 GCA patients and 608 unrelated cancer-free controls. In this case-control study, there was no significant difference in the genotype and allele distributions of four CTLA4 polymorphisms between GCA patients and controls. However, haplotype association analysis indicated that compared with CTLA4 Grs733618 Crs16840252 Grs231775 Crs3087243 , CTLA4 Grs733618 Crs16840252 Ars231775 Grs3087243 and Ars733618 Crs16840252 Grs231775 Ars3087243 haplotypes conferred increased risks of GCA (OR = 6.46, 95% CI = 1.33-31.28; P = 0.012; both); however, CTLA4 Ars733618 Crs16840252 Ars231775 Grs3087243 and Ars733618 Trs16840252 Grs231775 Grs3087243 haplotypes conferred decreased risks of GCA (P = 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively). These results highlight that the rare CTLA4 haplotypes may affect the development of GCA in the Chinese population.

Disrupted Brain Connectivity Patterns in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of dementia. This study investigated the global connectivity patterns in the brains of patients with type 2 diabetes by using a functional MR imaging technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty patients and 43 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls underwent resting-state functional imaging in a 3T MR imaging unit. Degree centrality, a commonly used measurement of global connectivity, was computed for a full-brain exploration of the regions influenced by type 2 diabetes. We then examined the functional connectivity of each region by using the seed-based approach. Finally, voxelwise correlation analyses were performed to explore the relationship among the connectivity changes, cognitive performance, and diabetes-related variables.

RESULTS

Patients exhibited decreased degree centrality in the left lingual gyrus and increased centrality in the right insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (corrected P < .05). The occipital network anchored in the lingual gyrus showed extensively reduced connectivity, while the network connectivity of the insula and cingulate cortex (mostly included in the salience network) was significantly elevated (corrected P < .05). Correlational analyses revealed that in the diabetic group, impaired visual memory and executive function performance were correlated with occipital hypoconnectivity, while higher fasting plasma glucose levels and better executive functioning were related to anterior cingulate cortex hyperconnectivity (all corrected P values < .05). Similar effects were not detected in the controls.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary study shows that network connectivity is altered in patients with type 2 diabetes, which may provide critical insight into the neural substrate of diabetes-related cognitive decline.

Expression of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase in Human Chorion Is Associated with Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Isoform Expression in Term Labor

Chorionic NAD-dependent 15-hydroxy prostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH) plays a pivotal role in controlling the amount of prostaglandins in the uterus. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are implicated to be involved in parturition. In this study, we investigated whether PPARs are involved in control of PGDH expression in chorion. The chorionic tissues were collected from the following groups of the women with singleton pregnancy: term no labor (TNL), term labor (TL) and preterm labor (PTL). Chorionic trophoblasts were isolated and cultured in vitro. Immunocytochemistry analysis showed that PPARα, PPARβ, and PPARγ were localized to trophoblasts in chorion. The protein levels of PGDH, PPARβ, and PPARγ were localized to trophoblasts in chorion. The protein levels of PPARα, PPARβ, and PPARγ were reduced in TL tissues compared to that of TNL group. PPARα, PPARβ, and PPARγ expression correlated to PGDH in TNL tissues, whereas only PPARγ expression correlated to PGDH in TL chorion tissues. PGDH expression was decreased in PTL tissues compared with TL group, whereas the expression of PPARs was not significantly different between TL and PTL groups. The agonists of three PPARs dose-dependently stimulated PGDH activity, mRNA, and protein expression in cultured chorionic cells. PPARs did not affect the stability of PGDH mRNA but stimulated the transcriptional activity of HPGD gene. Our results suggest that PPARs play pivotal roles in maintenance of PGDH expression in chorion during human pregnancy.

Improved survival associated with a balanced structure between adenomatous and squamous components in patients with adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung

BACKGROUND

Primary adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) of the lung is rare and its biological behavior has not yet been thoroughly described. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors associated with ASC.

MATERIALS

Clinical records of patients with ASC of the lung who underwent surgery between October 2008 and December 2014 in a single institution were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 205 patients were identified. Patients with balanced structural components had significantly better prognosis than those with squamous (p = 0.014) or adenomatous (p < 0.001) predominance, and those with N0, N1, and N2 ASC (N0 vs. N1 [ p = 0.031] and N1 vs. N2 [p = 0.037], respectively), or stage I, II and IIIA ASC (stage I vs. II [p = 0.021] and stage II vs. IIIA [p = 0.007], respectively) had significant differences with respect to overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis identified structural components (p = 0.011), tumor, node and metastasis (TNM) status (p < 0.001), and adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.008) as significantly prognostic factors for OS, and structural components (p = 0.030), TNM stage (p < 0.001) and adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.005) as the corresponding variables for disease-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

A balanced structure between adenomatous and squamous components in patients with primary ASC of the lung was associated with better prognosis.

A pilot study on association between phthalate exposure and missed miscarriage

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of missed miscarriage has been increasing during the past decade in China and the etiology of about half of the cases remains unclear. Exposure to phthalates has been considered as a risk factor. The aim of this paper is to assess the association between exposure to phthalates and missed miscarriage.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A case-control study was performed including 150 cases of missed miscarriage and 150 matched controls with normal pregnancies. The levels of phthalate exposure were compared between the two groups by measuring 13 phthalate metabolites in urine samples. Blood samples were collected for serum hormone measurement to assess the relationship between serum hormone level and phthalate exposure.

RESULTS

The urinary levels of metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dimethyl phthalate (DMP) were significantly higher in the cases than in the controls. A strong dose-response relationship was observed between urinary metabolite levels and the odds of missed miscarriage. Monomethyl phthalate (MMP), a metabolite of DMP, and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), a metabolite of DEHP, each had significant negative correlation with maternal serum hormone levels.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, exposure to DEHP and DMP was found to be associated with missed miscarriage. Interruption of hormone synthesis by DMP and DEHP metabolites represents a plausible mechanism of phthalate reproductive toxicity.

Ex Vivo Liver Resection and Autotransplantation for End-Stage Alveolar Echinococcosis: A Case Series

The role of autotransplantation in end-stage hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is unclear. We aimed to present our 15-case experience and propose selection criteria for autotransplantation. All patients were considered to have unresectable hepatic AE by conventional resection due to critical invasion to retrohepatic vena cava, hepatocaval region along with three hepatic veins, and the tertiary portal and arterial branches. All patients successfully underwent ex vivo extended right hepatectomy and autotransplantation without intraoperative mortality. The median autograft weight was 706 g (380-1000 g); operative time was 15.5 hours (11.5-20.5 hours); and anhepatic time was 283.8 minutes (180-435 min). Postoperative hospital stay was 32.3 days (12-60 days). Postoperative complication Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa or higher occurred in three patients including one death that occurred 12 days after the surgery due to acute liver failure. One patient was lost to follow-up after the sixth month. Thirteen patients were followed for a median of 21.6 months with no relapse. This is the largest reported series of patients with end-stage hepatic AE treated with liver autotransplantation. The technique requires neither organ donor nor postoperative immunosuppressant. The early postoperative mortality was low with acceptable morbidity. Preoperative precise assessment and strict patient selection are of utmost importance.

PPARγ stimulates expression of L-type amino acid and taurine transporters in human placentas: the evidence of PPARγ regulating fetal growth

Placental amino acid transporters and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have been implicated to placental development and therefore regulation of fetal growth. We analyzed the correlation between the expression of amino acid transporters and PPARs and investigated whether PPARs control the expression of amino acid transporters in placentas. It was found that protein expression of PPARγ and L-type amino acid transporter 1(LAT1) and 2 (LAT2) was decreased in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) placentas. LAT1, LAT2 and taurine transporter (TAUT) expression correlated to PPARγ level and birth weight. In cultured placental cells, PPARγ agonist stimulated LAT1 and LAT2 and TAUT, which was reversed by PPARγ siRNA. PPARγ up-regulation of LAT1 and TAUT was through specificity protein 1 (Sp-1) while stimulation of LAT2 expression was via induction of gene transcription. Our data suggest that PPARγ, SP-1, LAT1 and LAT2 in placentas are involved in control of fetal growth. PPARγ signaling pathway may be the therapeutic target for intrauterine growth restriction.

Quality Assurance of UMLS Semantic Type Assignments Using SNOMED CT Hierarchies

BACKGROUND

The Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) is one of the largest biomedical terminological systems, with over 2.5 million concepts in its Metathesaurus repository. The UMLS's Semantic Network (SN) with its collection of 133 high-level semantic types serves as an abstraction layer on top of the Metathesaurus. In particular, the SN elaborates an aspect of the Metathesaurus's concepts via the assignment of one or more types to each concept. Due to the scope and complexity of the Metathesaurus, errors are all but inevitable in this semantic-type assignment process.

OBJECTIVES

To develop a semi-automated methodology to help assure the quality of semantic-type assignments within the UMLS.

METHODS

The methodology uses a cross-validation strategy involving SNOMED CT's hierarchies in combination with UMLS semantic types. Semantically uniform, disjoint concept groups are generated programmatically by partitioning the collection of all concepts in the same SNOMED CT hierarchy according to their respective semantic-type assignments in the UMLS. Domain experts are then called upon to review the concepts in any group having a small number of concepts. It is our hypothesis that a semantic-type assignment combination applicable only to a very small number of concepts in a SNOMED CT hierarchy is an indicator of potential problems.

RESULTS

The methodology was applied to the UMLS 2013AA release along with the SNOMED CT from January 2013. An overall error rate of 33% was found for concepts proposed by the quality-assurance methodology. Supporting our hypothesis, that number was four times higher than the error rate found in control samples.

CONCLUSION

The results show that the quality-assurance methodology can aid in effective and efficient identification of UMLS semantic-type assignment errors.

PGF2α modulates the output of chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines in myometrial cells from term pregnant women through divergent signaling pathways

Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) plays a critical role in the initiation and process of parturition. Since human labor has been described as an inflammatory event, we investigated the role of PGF2α in the inflammatory process using cultured human uterine smooth muscle cells (HUSMCs) isolated from term pregnant women as a model. Using a multiplex assay, HUSMCs treated with PGF2α changed their output of a number of cytokines and chemokines, with a distinct response pattern that differed between HUSMCs isolated from the upper and lower segment region of the uterus. Confirmatory enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) showed that PGF2α stimulated increased output of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL6, IL8 (CXCL8) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1, also known as chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 2, CCL2) by HUSMCs isolated from both upper and lower uterine segments. In contrast, PGF2α inhibited tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) release by HUMSCs from the lower uterine segment while the output of TNFα was undetectable in the upper segment. Small interfering (si) RNA mediated knockdown of the PGF2α receptor prevented the changes in cytokine and chemokine output by the HUSMCs. Since the PGF2α receptor (PTGFR) couples via the Gq protein and subsequently activates the phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways, we examined the role of these pathways in PGF2α modulation of the cytokines. Inhibition of PLC and PKC reversed the effects of PGF2α. PGF2α activated multiple signaling pathways including extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K), P38, calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) and NF-κB signaling. Inhibition of ERK reversed PGF2α-induced IL1β, IL6 and CCL2 output, while inhibition of PI3K blocked the effect of PGF2α on IL6, CXCL8 and CCL2 output and inhibition of NF-κB reversed PGF2α-induced IL1β and CCL2 output. NFAT was involved in PGF2α modulation of CCL2 and TNFα output. In conclusion, our results support a role of PGF2α in creating an inflammatory environment during the late stage of human pregnancy.

Interleukin 12B rs3212227 T > G polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma in a Chinese population

Gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (GCA) is one of common malignant tumors in the world. Multiple genes that play critical roles in inflammatory pathways probably are associated with GCA risk. We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to evaluate the genetic effects of functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): interleukin 9 (IL9) rs31563 C > T, IL9 rs31564 G > T, IL10 rs1800872 T > G, IL12A rs2243115 T > G, IL12B rs3212227 T > G, and IL13 rs1800925 C > T on the development of GCA. Two hundred and forty-three GCA cases and 476 controls were recruited. Their genotypes were determined using a custom-by-design 48-Plex SNPscan kit. IL12B rs3212227 T > G polymorphism was associated with the increased risk of GCA. However, there was no significant association between the other five SNPs and GCA risk. Stratified analyses indicated that the risk of GCA associated with the IL12B rs3212227 T > G polymorphism was evident among female patients and patients who never smoked or consumed alcoholic drinks. These findings indicated that functional polymorphism IL12B rs3212227 T > G might correlate with GCA risk. However, our results were obtained with a limited sample size; the power of our analysis was low. Larger studies are required to confirm the current findings.

Aggression is associated with aerobic glycolysis in the honey bee brain(1)

Aerobic glycolysis involves increased glycolysis and decreased oxidative catabolism of glucose even in the presence of an ample oxygen supply. Aerobic glycolysis, a common metabolic pattern in cancer cells, was recently discovered in both the healthy and diseased human brain, but its functional significance is not understood. This metabolic pattern in the brain is surprising because it results in decreased efficiency of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in a tissue with high energetic demands. We report that highly aggressive honey bees (Apis mellifera) show a brain transcriptomic and metabolic state consistent with aerobic glycolysis, i.e. increased glycolysis in combination with decreased oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, exposure to alarm pheromone, which provokes aggression, causes a metabolic shift to aerobic glycolysis in the bee brain. We hypothesize that this metabolic state, which is associated with altered neurotransmitter levels, increased glycolytically derived ATP and a reduced cellular redox state, may lead to increased neuronal excitability and oxidative stress in the brain. Our analysis provides evidence for a robust, distinct and persistent brain metabolic response to aggression-inducing social cues. This finding for the first time associates aerobic glycolysis with naturally occurring behavioral plasticity, which has important implications for understanding both healthy and diseased brain function.