[The phenotypes and genotypes in 314 patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia]

Objectives: To summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of the patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia and investigate the strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Methods: Three hundred and fourteen patients (180 males, 134 females) with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were ascertained from 26 provinces or cities across the mainland of China during January 1998 to March 2020. Genetic analysis was performed by Sanger sequencing, gene panel sequencing, whole exome sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification or quantitative PCR. According to the age of onset, the patients were divided to early-onset group (≤12 months of age) and the late-onset group (>12 months of age). They were treated by cobalamin, L-carnitine and (or) special diet and symptomatic treatment. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test. Results: Fifty-eight of 314 (18.5%) patients were detected by Newborn screening using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Five cases (1.6%) had a postmortem diagnosis. Two hundred and fifty-one patients (79.9%) were clinically diagnosed with an age of onset ranged from 3 hours after birth to 18 years. One hundred and fifty-nine patients (71.0%) belonged to early-onset groups, 65 patients (29.0%) belonged to the late-onset group. The most common symptoms were metabolic crises, psychomotor retardation, epilepsy, anemia and multiple organ damage. Metabolic acidosis and anemia were more common in early-onset patients than that in late-onset patients (20.8%(33/159) vs. 9.2% (6/65), 34.6% (55/159) vs. 16.9% (11/165), χ(2)=4.261, 6.930, P=0.039, 0.008). Genetic tests were performed for 236 patients (75.2%), 96.2%(227/236) had molecular confirmation. One hundred and twenty-seven variants were identified in seven genes (MMUT, MMAA, MMAB, MMADHC, SUCLG1, SUCLA2, and MCEE), of which 49 were novel. The mut type, caused by the deficiency of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, was the most common (n=211, 93%) cause of this condition. c.729_730insTT, c.1106G>A and c.914T>C were the three most frequent mutations in MMUT gene. The frequency of c.914T>C in early-onset patients was significantly higher than that in late-onset patients (8.3% (18/216) vs. 1.6% (1/64), χ(2)=3.859, P=0.037). Metabolic crisis was more frequent in mut type than the other types (72.6% (114/157) vs. 3/13, χ(2)=13.729, P=0.001),developmental delay and hypotonia were less frequent in mut type (38.2% (60/157) vs. 9/13, 25.5% (40/157) vs. 8/13, χ(2)=4.789, 7.705, P=0.030, 0.006). Of the 58 patients identified by newborn screening, 44 patients (75.9%) who were treated from asymptomatic phase developed normally whereas 14 patients (24.1%) who received treatment after developing symptoms exhibited varying degrees of psychomotor retardation. Conclusions: The characteristics of phenotypes and genotypes among Chinese patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were analyzed. Expanded the mutation spectrum of the associated genes. Because of the complex clinical manifestations and severe early onset of isolated methylmalonic acidemia, Newborn screening is crucial for early diagnosis and improvement of prognosis. MMUT gene is recommended for carrier screening as an effort to move the test earlier as a part of the primary prevention of birth defects.

AB0789 PERSISTENCE IN USE OF BIOLOGIC DISEASE MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS

Background:

Treatment for patients with moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis (PsA) relied on TNF inhibitors (TNFi) for many years. Recent approvals of newer biologics include interleukin (IL) -12 inhibitor ustekinumab and IL-17A inhibitors ixekizumab and secukinumab. Limited up-to-date evidence exists for the comparison of utilization patterns between TNFi and IL inhibitors.

Objectives:

To compare the persistence on treatment with biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic diseases (DMARDs) in PsA patients who initiated TNFi versus IL inhibitors.

Methods:

We conducted a cohort study using a US commercial insurance database (IBM MarketScan: 2014-2017). We identified patients with PsA by using a validated claims-based algorithm (positive predictive value of 82.4%) which required two PsA diagnosis codes and a prescription dispensing for TNFi (etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab, golimumab) or IL inhibitor (secukinumab, ustekinumab, or ixekizumab). The index date was the 1stdrug dispensing date after the 2ndPsA diagnosis. We excluded patients with biologic DMARD use at any time prior to the index date. Patients were ≥18 years old on the index date and continuously enrolled in the plan for ≥365 days prior and after the index date. Our study outcome was the change in the initial biologic regimen during the year after the index date. Patients were considered as ‘persistent users’ if they were still on the index regimen, or ‘switchers’ if they were on a different biologic at the 365thdate of follow-up. We applied 30 days of gap between dispensing after accounting for the days of supply of each dispensing. For sensitivity analysis, we allowed any gap and determined persistent use at 365thdate less strictly.

Results:

We identified a total of 3,180 TNFi initiators and 214 IL inhibitor initiators (Table). Mean age was 52.9 (±11.6) years for TNFi initiators and 50.4 (±11.7) years for IL inhibitor initiators. Using the 30-day gap, there were 37.1% persistent TNFi users and 24.8% persistent IL inhibitor users after 1 year form the index date. 11.1% of TNFi initiators switched to a different TNFi while 4.7% switched to an IL inhibitor. Among IL inhibitor initiators, 6.1% switched to a TNFi and 5.6% to another IL inhibitors. However, in the sensitivity analysis where we allowed a longer interval between the fills/ injections, there were 53.0% persistent TNFi users and 53.7% persistent IL inhibitor users. In other words, IL inhibitor patients had a longer interval between the doses than the recommended treatment intervals on the label.

Conclusion:

In PsA patients, TNFi initiators were more adherent to the initial regimen than IL inhibitor initiators during 1-year follow-up period. However, the sensitivity analysis indicates that some patients may resume their initial treatment beyond the indicated refill intervals. Further investigations are needed to clarify whether this is due to a better treatment effectiveness or adverse effects associated with IL inhibitors.

Table.

Selected baseline characteristics of initiators TNFi versus IL inhibitors in PsA patients

TNFiIL inhibitorN3,180214Age (years), mean (SD)52.9 (11.6)50.4 (11.7)Female, %57.055.6Combined comorbidity score, mean (SD)0.9 (1.8)0.3 (1.2)Hypertension, %41.048.1Diabetes, %16.424.8Psoriasis, %63.272.9Non-biologic DMARDs, %66.560.8Oral steroids, %49.441.1NSAID, %55.443.0Emergency room visit, %21.220.6Hospitalization8.211.2No. of visits to dermatologist, mean (SD)2.6 (8.2)1.3 (4.7)

Acknowledgments:

This study was supported by an investigator-initiated research grant from Pfizer. The sponsor was given the opportunity to make non-binding comments on a draft of the abstract, but the authors retained the right of publication and to determine the final wording.

Disclosure of Interests:

Yinzhu Jin: None declared, Sarah Chen Employee of: After finishing the work for this abstract, she has moved to work for Gilead., Hemin Lee: None declared, Joan Landon: None declared, Joseph F. Merola Consultant of: Merck, AbbVie, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, UCB Pharma, Celgene, Sanofi, Regeneron, Arena, Sun Pharma, Biogen, Pfizer, EMD Sorono, Avotres and LEO Pharma, Seoyoung Kim Grant/research support from: Seoyoung C Kim has received research grants from AbbVie, Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer.

OP0071 PREDICTING PERSISTENT HIGH-DOSE OPIOID USE AFTER TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT

Background:

Patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) are at increased risk of persistent opioid use and dependence

Objectives:

To identify patients with persistent high-dose opioid use after TKR using group-based trajectory models (GBTM) and determine predictors of persistent high-dose opioid users using pre-TKR patient characteristics

Methods:

Using US Medicare claims (2010-2014), we identified patients aged ≥65 years who underwent a TKR and had no history of cancer or high-dose opioid use (>25 mean morphine equivalents (MME)/day) in the year prior. All patients were continuously enrolled in Medicare for ≥360 days prior to and ≥30 days after the TKR. To determine opioid filling patterns after the surgery, patients were followed up to 360 days from the day of TKR. We modeled 12 monthly indicators of opioid prescription fills as a continuous (MME/day) variable using a censored normal GBTM and categorized patients into 4 groups. The primary outcome was persistent high-dose opioid use defined as patients in trajectory Group 3 (38.8 MME/day) or Group 4 (22.4 MME/day). We split the data into training (2010-2013 data) and test (2014 data) sets and used logistic regression to predict high-dose opioid use vs low-dose opioid use (Groups 1 and 2) as a binary outcome utilizing pre-TKR patient characteristics as candidate predictors using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression for variable selection. A reduced model with only 10 pre-specified variables readily available for clinical use was also considered

Results:

The final study cohort included 142,089 patients. The GBTM identified 4 distinct trajectories (Group 1- Short-term, low-dose, Group 2- long-term, low-dose, Group 3- medium-term, high-dose, Group 4-long-term, high-dose) of opioid use in the year after TKR(Figure). Using logistic regression and LASSO, we predicted the probability of persistent high-dose opioid use (N=17,171) (vs. low-dose opioid use) in the training set (N=101,810) for an AUC=0.80. The AUC in the test set (N=40,279) predicting high opioid use (N=5,893) was 0.77. The final model selected 33 variables and identified baseline history of opioid use as the strongest positive predictor of high-dose persistent opioid use. The reduced model with only ten predictors also performed equally well (AUC=0.77)(Table).

Conclusion:

In this cohort of older patients with no history of cancer or high-dose opioid use at baseline, 16.2% became high dose (28.1 MME/day) opioid users during the year after TKR. Our prediction model with 10 readily available clinical factors may help identify patients at high risk of future adverse outcomes from persistent opioid use and dependence after TKR

Figure.

 Trajectories of opioid use patterns after TKR

Table.

Predictors of persistent high-dose opioid use in the reduced mode

VariableMultivariable Odds Ratio (95% CI)Predicting High dose vs.Low dose opioid useP-valueAge (in years)0.94 (0.93-0.94)<0.001Females (Ref=Males)0.99 (0.93-1.06)0.78White race (Ref=Other)1.25 (1.04-1.50)0.02Baseline opioid use (MME/day)1.22 (1.22-1.23)<0.001Substance use (Yes/No)1.10 (1.02-1.20)0.02Benzodiazepine use (Yes/No)1.22 (1.12-1.32)<0.001Anxiolytic use (Yes/No)1.30 (1.19-1.43)<0.001Anticonvulsant use (Yes/No)0.94 (0.87-1.03)0.19Antidepressant use (Yes/No)1.03 (0.96-1.11)0.36NSAID use (Yes/No)1.07 (1.00-1.14)0.04

Disclosure of Interests:

Chandrasekar Gopalakrishnan: None declared, Jessica Franklin: None declared, Yinzhu Jin: None declared, Daniel Solomon Grant/research support from: Funding from Abbvie and Amgen unrelated to this work, Jeffrey Katz Grant/research support from: Dr Katz reported receiving grants from Samumed and Flexion Therapeutics outside the submitted work., Yvonne Lee Shareholder of: Cigna-Express Scripts, Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Consultant of: Highland Instruments, Inc., Patricia Franklin: None declared, Joyce Lii: None declared, Rishi J Desai Grant/research support from: Dr. Desai reported receiving grants from Bayer, Novartis, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals outside the submitted work., Seoyoung Kim Grant/research support from: Seoyoung C Kim has received research grants from AbbVie, Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer.

Comparison of efficacy of HCAG and CAG re-induction chemotherapy in elderly low- and intermediate-risk group patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy and severity of adverse effects of HCAG and CAG re-induction chemotherapy in elderly low- and intermediate-risk group patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) following induction failure.

METHODS

A total of 94 AML patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 46 were treated with HCAG chemotherapy, while 48 were treated with CAG chemotherapy.

RESULT

The complete remission (CR) was 39.6% in the patients with HCAG, while the CR was 33.3% in the CAG group. The overall remission (ORR) was 63.0% and 43.5% in patients of the HCAG and CAG groups, respectively (P = 0.038). The median survival time of progression free survival (PFS) was 8.0 (95% CI 3.843-10.157) months in the HCAG group and 7.0 (95% CI 2.682-13.318) months in the CAG group (P = 0.032). A total of 31 patients in the HCAG group suffered from grade 4 hematological toxicity, whereas 29 patients were treated with CAG (P = 0.622). A total of 27 (58.7%) cases indicated apparent pulmonary infection in the HCAG group, while 25 (52.1%) were noted with this complication in the CAG group (P = 0.519). Oral cavity toxicity was evident for 13 (28.3%) and 11 (23.0%) cases in the HCAG and CAG groups, respectively (P = 0.216).

CONCLUSION

The HCAG regimen was more effective than the CAG regimen in elderly low- and intermediate-risk group patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia although the HCAG regimen exhibited similar toxicity with that of the CAG group.

The effects of temperature and frequency dispersion on sound speed in bulk poly (vinyl alcohol) poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels caused by the phase transition

Bulk Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) (PVA) Poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel, one of the thermally responsive phase transitive hydrogels, is a versatile material due to its sharp volumetric phase transition and anomalous behaviors with facile tunability by thermal stimulation. At the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 33 °C, the hydrogels undergo a volumetric phase transition that causes drastic, non-monotonic change in the elastic modulus, viscosity, stiffness, and speed of sound. Here, we report the temperature and frequency dependence of the speed of sound in bulk PVA-PNIPAm hydrogel as measured by means of a planar resonant cavity. The linear response theory is applied for calculation of frequency dependent speed of sound. Comparisons find standard time of flight techniques underestimate the speed of sound by up to 6%, with variation in the frequency dependent speed of sound reaching as high as 200 m/s in the ultrasonic range of 0.2-0.8 MHz. The first characterization of frequency dependent speed of sound in PVA-PNIPAm hydrogel is addressed and delineated into its phase transition behaviors as connected to temperature. The findings can lead to better characterization of mechanical properties using ultrasonic spectroscopy, and higher resolution in ultrasonic imaging applications with dispersive media.

Highly sensitive and specific detection of hepatitis B virus DNA and drug resistance mutations utilizing the PCR-based CRISPR-Cas13a system

OBJECTIVES

Undetectable or low-level hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and drug resistance mutations in patients may increase the risk of HBV transmission or cause active viral replication and other clinical problems. Here, we established a highly sensitive and practical method for HBV and drug resistance detection using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -based CRISPR-Cas13a detection system (referred to as PCR-CRISPR) and evaluated its detection capability using clinical samples.

METHODS

Specific CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) are designed for HBV DNA detection and YMDD (tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate) variant identification. The HBV DNA was detected in 312 serum samples for HBV diagnosis using quantification PCR (qPCR) and PCR-CRISPR. Additionally, 424 serum samples for YMDD testing were detected by qPCR, direct sequencing, and our assay.

RESULTS

Using PCR-CRISPR, one copy per test of HBV DNA was detected with HBV-1 crRNA in 15 min after PCR amplification. Consistent results with qPCR were observed for 302 samples, while the remaining 10 samples with low-level HBV DNA were detectable by PCR-CRISPR and droplet digital PCR but not by qPCR. PCR-CRISPR diagnosed all 412 drug-resistant samples detected by the YMDD detection qPCR kit and direct sequencing, as well as the other 12 drug-resistant samples with low-level HBV DNA undetectable by qPCR and direct sequencing.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a novel PCR-CRISPR method for highly sensitive and specific detection of HBV DNA and drug resistance mutations. One copy per test for HBV DNA and YMDD drug resistance mutations could be detected. This method has wide application prospects for the early detection of HBV infection, drug resistance monitoring and treatment guidance.

Measurement of R(D) and R(D^{*}) with a Semileptonic Tagging Method

The experimental results on the ratios of branching fractions R(D)=B(B[over ¯]→Dτ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{τ})/B(B[over ¯]→Dℓ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{ℓ}) and R(D^{*})=B(B[over ¯]→D^{*}τ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{τ})/B(B[over ¯]→D^{*}ℓ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{ℓ}), where ℓ denotes an electron or a muon, show a long-standing discrepancy with the standard model predictions, and might hint at a violation of lepton flavor universality. We report a new simultaneous measurement of R(D) and R(D^{*}), based on a data sample containing 772×10^{6}  BB[over ¯] events recorded at the ϒ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e^{+}e^{-} collider. In this analysis the tag-side B meson is reconstructed in a semileptonic decay mode and the signal-side τ is reconstructed in a purely leptonic decay. The measured values are R(D)=0.307±0.037±0.016 and R(D^{*})=0.283±0.018±0.014, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. These results are in agreement with the standard model predictions within 0.2, 1.1, and 0.8 standard deviations for R(D), R(D^{*}), and their combination, respectively. This work constitutes the most precise measurements of R(D) and R(D^{*}) performed to date as well as the first result for R(D) based on a semileptonic tagging method.

Fractional statistics in anyon collisions

Two-dimensional systems can host exotic particles called anyons whose quantum statistics are neither bosonic nor fermionic. For example, the elementary excitations of the fractional quantum Hall effect at filling factor ν = 1/m (where m is an odd integer) have been predicted to obey Abelian fractional statistics, with a phase ϕ associated with the exchange of two particles equal to π/m However, despite numerous experimental attempts, clear signatures of fractional statistics have remained elusive. We experimentally demonstrate Abelian fractional statistics at filling factor ν = ⅓ by measuring the current correlations resulting from the collision between anyons at a beamsplitter. By analyzing their dependence on the anyon current impinging on the splitter and comparing with recent theoretical models, we extract ϕ = π/3, in agreement with predictions.

Search for an Invisibly Decaying Z^{'} Boson at Belle II in e^{+}e^{-}→μ^{+}μ^{-}(e^{±}μ^{∓}) Plus Missing Energy Final States

Theories beyond the standard model often predict the existence of an additional neutral boson, the Z^{'}. Using data collected by the Belle II experiment during 2018 at the SuperKEKB collider, we perform the first searches for the invisible decay of a Z^{'} in the process e^{+}e^{-}→μ^{+}μ^{-}Z^{'} and of a lepton-flavor-violating Z^{'} in e^{+}e^{-}→e^{±}μ^{∓}Z^{'}. We do not find any excess of events and set 90% credibility level upper limits on the cross sections of these processes. We translate the former, in the framework of an L_{μ}-L_{τ} theory, into upper limits on the Z^{'} coupling constant at the level of 5×10^{-2}-1 for M_{Z^{'}}≤6  GeV/c^{2}.

[A historical review of general medicine]

The first official general medicine was established in the United States, and society of general medicine established in 1947. After that the European and American countries began to study of general medicine and construct system. In 1966, the commonwealth launched the first global residency training program in general medicine.At present, many countries have formed a perfect general practitioner training system. In 1988, the concept of general medicine was introduced into China. In 1989, the Chinese Medical Association established the General Medicine Education Committee, marked the beginning of general medical education in China. In 1993, General Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association was set up, was a symbol of the birth of general medicine in China. Compared with some European and American countries, China's general medicine was a late starter, and the training of general practitioners has experienced the development of diversification, at present, it is in line with the international training mode.

Observation of the Radiative Decays of ϒ(1S) to χ_{c1}

We report the first observation of the radiative decay of the ϒ(1S) into a charmonium state. The significance of the observed signal of ϒ(1S)→γχ_{c1} is 6.3 standard deviations including systematics. The branching fraction is calculated to be B[ϒ(1S)→γχ_{c1}]=[4.7_{-1.8}^{+2.4}(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.4}(sys)×10^{-5}]. We also searched for ϒ(1S) radiative decays into χ_{c0,2} and η_{c}(1S,2S), and set upper limits on their branching fractions. These results are obtained from a 24.9  fb^{-1} data sample collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider at a center-of-mass energy equal to the ϒ(2S) mass using ϒ(1S) tagging by the ϒ(2S)→ϒ(1S)π^{+}π^{-} transitions.

Observation of a Resonant Structure in e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0}

A partial-wave analysis is performed for the process e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0} at the center-of-mass energies ranging from 2.000 to 2.644 GeV. The data samples of e^{+}e^{-} collisions, collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider with a total integrated luminosity of 300  pb^{-1}, are analyzed. The total Born cross sections for the process e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0}, as well as the Born cross sections for the subprocesses e^{+}e^{-}→ϕπ^{0}π^{0}, K^{+}(1460)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1400)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1270)K^{-}, and K^{*+}(892)K^{*-}(892), are measured versus the center-of-mass energy. The corresponding results for e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0} and ϕπ^{0}π^{0} are consistent with those of BABAR with better precision. By analyzing the cross sections for the four subprocesses, K^{+}(1460)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1400)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1270)K^{-}, and K^{*+}(892)K^{*-}(892), a structure with mass M=(2126.5±16.8±12.4)  MeV/c^{2} and width Γ=(106.9±32.1±28.1)  MeV is observed with an overall statistical significance of 6.3σ, although with very limited significance in the subprocesses e^{+}e^{-}→K_{1}^{+}(1270)K^{-} and K^{*+}(892)K^{*-}(892). The resonant parameters of the observed structure suggest it can be identified with the ϕ(2170), thus the results provide valuable input to the internal nature of the ϕ(2170).

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) and KHV disease (KHVD) - a recently updated overview

Over the last years, there has been an enormous increase in the knowledge on koi herpesvirus (KHV), koi herpesvirus disease (KHVD), pathogenesis and virus variants. Different KHV lineages have clearly been identified, possible genomic changes during replication in different cell cultures at different temperatures but also in several hosts have been identified, a persistent stage of infection has been specified and it has been shown that infection with KHV is not host specific at all, but KHVD is. Additionally, it has been shown that it is possible to combat KHVD by immunization with inactivated and attenuated live vaccines using different delivery systems but also to benefit from alternative treatments with e.g. exopolysaccharids obtained from Arthrospira platensis.

Correction: Lung epithelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles activate macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses via ROCK1 pathway

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Effect and possible mechanisms of dioscin on ameliorating metabolic glycolipid metabolic disorder in type-2-diabetes

BACKGROUND

Our previous study revealed that microRNA-125a-5p plays a crucial role in regulating hepatic glycolipid metabolism by targeting STAT3 in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Dioscin, a major active ingredient in Dioscoreae nipponicae rhizomes, displays various pharmacological activities, but its role in T2DM has not been reported.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dioscin on T2DM and elucidate its potential mechanism.

METHODS

The effect of dioscin on glycolipid metabolic disorder in insulin-induced HepG2 cells, palmitic acid-induced AML12 cells, high-fat diet- and streptozotocin- induced T2DM rats, and spontaneous T2DM KK-Ay mice were evaluated. Then, the possible mechanisms of dioscin were comprehensively evaluated.

RESULTS

Dioscin markedly alleviated the dysregulation of glycolipid metabolism in T2DM by reducing hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, improving insulin resistance, increasing hepatic glycogen content, and attenuating lipid accumulation. When the mechanism was investigated, dioscin was found to markedly elevate miR-125a-5p level and decrease STAT3 expression. Consequently, dioscin increased phosphorylation levels of STAT3, PI3K, AKT, GSK-3β, and FoxO1 and decreased gene levels of PEPCK, G6Pase, SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC, and SCD1, leading to an increase in glycogen synthesis and a decrease in gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis. The effects of dioscin on regulating miR-125a-5p/STAT3 pathway were verified by miR-125a-5p overexpression and STAT3 overexpression.

CONCLUSIONS

Dioscin showed potent anti-T2DM activity by improving the inhibitory effect of miR-125a-5p on STAT3 signaling to alleviate glycolipid metabolic disorder of T2DM.

Measurement of Proton Electromagnetic Form Factors in e^{+}e^{-}→pp[over ¯] in the Energy Region 2.00-3.08 GeV

The process of e^{+}e^{-}→pp[over ¯] is studied at 22 center-of-mass energy points (sqrt[s]) from 2.00 to 3.08 GeV, exploiting 688.5  pb^{-1} of data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider. The Born cross section (σ_{pp[over ¯]}) of e^{+}e^{-}→pp[over ¯] is measured with the energy-scan technique and it is found to be consistent with previously published data, but with much improved accuracy. In addition, the electromagnetic form-factor ratio (|G_{E}/G_{M}|) and the value of the effective (|G_{eff}|), electric (|G_{E}|), and magnetic (|G_{M}|) form factors are measured by studying the helicity angle of the proton at 16 center-of-mass energy points. |G_{E}/G_{M}| and |G_{M}| are determined with high accuracy, providing uncertainties comparable to data in the spacelike region, and |G_{E}| is measured for the first time. We reach unprecedented accuracy, and precision results in the timelike region provide information to improve our understanding of the proton inner structure and to test theoretical models which depend on nonperturbative quantum chromodynamics.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the dual specificity phosphatase genes and risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infant

BACKGROUND

Differences in the susceptibility of preterm infants to develop necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) implicate potential genetic differences in response to the inflammatory stimuli leading to NEC. Dual specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) are a key suppressor pathway of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pro-inflammatory signaling pathway. We hypothesized that inherited single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DUSP genes contribute to NEC susceptibility in premature infants.

METHODS

Patients admitted between 2010 and 2015 born at <  32 weeks GA and≤1,500 g BW with stage II+NEC (cases; n = 50) and age, weight-matched controls (n = 38) were included. Blood samples were collected for DNA isolation. Agena Mass Array assay was used to examine 31 SNPs in 9 different DUSP genes. Calculated minor allele frequencies (MAF) for cases and controls were compared using χ2 and logistic regression.

RESULTS

The presence of the rs704074 SNP was associated with a 48% decreased risk of developing NEC (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.27- 1.01, p = 0.04). The odds of surgical NEC decreased by 78% (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.06- 0.84, p = 0.027) for each copy of rs704074/G allele in patients with NEC.

CONCLUSION

In this small single-center pilot study, DUSP-6 SNP (rs704074) was associated with a lower risk of developing NEC and surgical NEC, the most severe form of NEC, in preterm infants.

Measurement of the Cross Section for e^{+}e^{-}→Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+} and Observation of an Excited Ξ Baryon

Using a total of 11.0  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data with center-of-mass energies between 4.009 and 4.6 GeV and collected with the BESIII detector at BEPCII, we measure fifteen exclusive cross sections and effective form factors for the process e^{+}e^{-}→Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+} by means of a single baryon-tag method. After performing a fit to the dressed cross section of e^{+}e^{-}→Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+}, no significant ψ(4230) or ψ(4260) resonance is observed in the Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+} final states, and upper limits at the 90% confidence level on Γ_{ee}B for the processes ψ(4230)/ψ(4260)→Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+} are determined. In addition, an excited Ξ baryon at 1820  MeV/c^{2} is observed with a statistical significance of 6.2-6.5σ by including the systematic uncertainty, and the mass and width are measured to be M=(1825.5±4.7±4.7)  MeV/c^{2} and Γ=(17.0±15.0±7.9)  MeV, which confirms the existence of the J^{P}=3/2^{-} state Ξ(1820).

LncRNA LINP1 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of gastric cancer cells by repressing RBM5

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies have revealed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in tumor progression. Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the common types of malignancies worldwide. This study aimed to identify the exact function of lncRNA LINP1 in the progression of GC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

LINP1 expression in paired cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues of GC patients was detected by Real-Time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). The effect of LINP1 silence on proliferation and apoptosis of GC cells was detected. Meanwhile, the underlying mechanism of LINP1 function was explored by RT-qPCR and Western blot assay. Furthermore, tumor formation assay was performed to examine the ability of LINP1 in tumor formation in vivo.

RESULTS

LINP1 expression was remarkably up-regulated in GC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. The growth ability of GC cells was significantly inhibited after silencing of LINP1 in vitro. Besides, the apoptosis of GC cells was markedly induced after silencing of LINP1. The silence of LINP1 significantly up-regulated the expression of RBM5 in GC cells. Meanwhile, RBM5 expression in GC tissues was remarkably lower than that of the adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, tumor formation assay showed that knockdown of LINP1 markedly inhibited tumor formation in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that LINP1 could down-regulate RBM5. Meanwhile, LINP1 remarkably promoted growth ability and suppressed apoptosis of GC in vitro and in vivo. Our findings might provide a novel regulator and therapeutic strategy for GC patients.

94 Efficient generation of myostatin mutation in Korean beef cattle

In recent years, CRISPR/Cas9 has become known as a powerful tool for generating genetically modified cells or animal models with its site-specific gene editing capability. Because myostatin (MSTN) is associated with muscle differentiation and growth, ablation of MSTN would be ideal for studying phenotypes associated with muscle growth in beef cattle. The aim of this study is to produce Korean beef cattle with MSTN mutation through microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9. For this study, ovaries of Korean beef cattle were obtained from slaughterhouses; 122 immature oocytes were aspirated from 8 Korean beef cattle. The oocytes were matured in tissue culture medium 199-based medium for 22h and inseminated with frozen-thawed semen to produce zygotes. All 122 zygotes were directly injected with 200ng of Cas9 mRNA and 100ng of sgRNA for MSTN after IVF and were cultured for 7 days in two-step chemically defined medium. Each embryo from the individual cattle was cultured separately to distinguish its lineage. After 7 d, 29 (23.8±8.9) blastocysts were recovered, and all blastocysts were assessed with T7 endonuclease (T7E1) mutation assay to check for mutations at the MSTN locus. Based on T7E1, 26 out of 29 blastocysts (89.7±10.5%) had heterozygous mutation in the MSTN gene. After analysis, additional blastocysts were produced and transferred into 14 surrogates. All surrogates were diagnosed for pregnancy via rectal palpation and ultrasonography at Day 55, at which time normal fetuses and embryonic sacs were confirmed in 10 surrogates. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 could be employed as an efficient method to genetically modify the MSTN gene in Korean beef cattle.

Comparing Diagnostic Properties of the FRAIL-NH Scale and 4 Frailty Screening Instruments among Chinese Institutionalized Older Adults

OBJECTIVE

To examine the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of the FRAIL-NH and four frailty screening instruments among institutionalized older adults.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Institutionalized setting, Jinan, China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 305 older adults (mean age 79.3 ± 8.4 years, 57.0% female) were enrolled from nursing homes.

MEASUREMENTS

Frailty was assessed by the FRAIL-NH, Physical Frailty Phenotype (PFP), FRAIL, Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), and Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI), respectively. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) was used as a reference standard of frailty. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to examine the DTA of five frailty screening instruments against the CGA. The optimal cut-point was determined by the maximum value of the Youden index (YI, calculated as sensitivity + specificity - 1).

RESULTS

The prevalence of frailty ranged from 25.9% (FRAIL) to 56.4% (GFI). Areas under the curve (AUCs) against the CGA ranged from 0.80 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74 - 0.85: FRAIL] to 0.83 (95% CI 0.78 - 0.88: PFP). At their original cut-points, all five frailty screening instruments presented low sensitivity (32.9% - 69.3%) and high specificity (80.0% - 93.8%), as well as high positive predictive values (90.7% - 94.9%) and low negative predictive values (33.2% - 48.1%). At their optimal cut-points, the sensitivity and specificity of the FRAIL-NH, PFP, and FRAIL tended to be balanced, and their correctly classified rates (76.1% - 81.3%) and kappa values (0.465 - 0.523) increased a lot. ROC contrasts showed that all five frailty screening instruments had similarly good diagnostic accuracy (χ2: 0.0003 - 1.38, P > .05).

CONCLUSION

In the institutionalized setting, the specific FRAIL-NH, self-report FRAIL, TFI, and GFI as well as hybrid PFP, show similarly good diagnostic properties in identifying frailty against the CGA.

[Trends of injury mortality among children in different stages of the China Children's Development Outlines]

Objective: To describe the trends and potential reasons responsible for injury mortality among children under 18 years old in different stages of the China Children's Development Outlines (CCDO) for children from 1990 to 2017, in China. Methods: Data derived from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 (GBD2017) were used to analyze the change of injury mortality, among children under 18 years old, by sex and provinces. Results: Since 1990, the Chinese government had formulated and implemented three CCDOs on Children. Each CCDO proposed corresponding main targets and strategic measures based on the development of children under current situation, in each area, accordingly. The first two CCDOs failed to set clear targets for child injury prevention and control, but the third one did propose a quantifiable target. The injury mortality rate of children under 18 years old showed a declining trend in all periods of the three CCDOs, by 26.07%, 40.68% and 26.48%, respectively. Both boys and girls showed significant downward trend in these three stages. Mortality rate on child injury differed in these three stages in all the 31 provinces. Conclusion: Thanks to the contribution of CCDO in different stages that providing important policies and impetus for the prevention and control of child injury, the number of deaths caused by child injury kept reducing, from 1990 to 2017, in China.

[Analysis on influence of the self-confidence, motivation and authoritative advice factors on the use of child restraint]

Objective: To establish the model of the self-confidence, motivation and authoritative advice factors influencing the use of child restraint and use structural equation model to test it to provide scientific basis for promoting the advocacy of use of child restraint. Methods: Using multi-stage cluster random sampling method, 9 112 parents from the family with one or more private cars and 0-6 years old children in Shanghai and Shenzhen were investigated about the use of child restraint. A theoretical model of the self-confidence, motivation and authoritative advice factors influencing the use of child restraint was constructed. The theoretical model was validated and quantitatively analyzed by structural equation model. Results: The overall model accords with the expected theoretical model, and the goodness of model fit was fine. The indicators had met the standard. RMSEA=0.03, CFI=0.97. The standardization coefficients of each route showed statistical significance (P<0.05). The standardization coefficients of the influence of authoritative suggestions and motives on self-confidence were 0.45 and 0.30 respectively, and the standardization coefficients of the influence of self-confidence on the use of child restraint was 0.40. The standardization coefficient of the influence of authoritative suggestions on motivation was 0.61. Conclusions: In the advocacy of the use of child restraint, we should attach importance to the use of recommendations from experts and organizations with professional authority, good credibility and public welfare. We should take the status of children's road traffic safety and the mechanism of the role of child restraint as one of the key points of propaganda.

[Road traffic injury happened on the way to school, among primary and secondary school students in Mengzi city, Honghe prefecture, Yunnan province in 2018]

Objective: To understand the current situation of road traffic injuries among primary and secondary school students in Mengzi city. Methods: Using the cluster random sampling method, more than 9 000 primary and secondary school students from 20 primary and secondary schools in Mengzi city, were randomly sampled. A questionnaire survey was conducted on the occurrence of road traffic injuries in school students. Results: A total of 9 197 students were surveyed, including 150 from road traffic injuries. The incidence rates of road traffic injuries was 1.63% among students in Mengzi city and 2.85% among junior high school students, with the high incidence in May. The leading places of injuries were village roads (38.00%), city roads (33.33%) and district roads (12.67%), respectively. 26.67% of the traffic injuries occurred on the way to or from schools, with riding on electric bicycle (52.00%) as the major cause and contusion/abrasion (75.33%) appeared as the major signs. Both lower and upper limbs plus multiple parts were accounting for 45.51%, 22.16% and 16.17%, respectively of all the injuries. 70.67% of all the cases with road traffic injuries in children, recovered after treatment. Children with road traffic injuries would stay in the hospital for up to 90 days but spent less than 30 000 Yuan. Conclusion: The incidence of road traffic injuries among students in Mengzi city seemed relatively high, with junior high school students reached the highest. Riding electric bicycle appeared as the leading cause for traffic injuries in children in Mengzi city of Yunnan province.

[Disease burden on falls among 0-19 years old population in China, in 1990 and 2017]

Objective: To analyze and compare the disease burden of falls in Chinese population aged 0-19, in 1990 and 2017. Methods: Indicators including number of deaths, mortality rates, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD) and disability-adjusted of life years (DALY), on falls, were gathered from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 and used to describe the disease burden and corresponding parameters on falls, between 1990 and 2017, in China. Results: In 2017, number of death, YLLs, YLDs, DALYs caused by falls were 5 321, 0.43 million person years, 0.14 million person years and 0.57 million person years respectively, among aged 0-19 group. Rates on standardized mortality, YLLs, YLDs and DALYs on falls were 1.76/100 000, 141.49/100 000, 46.99/100 000, and 188.48/100 000, respectively. The burden of falls decreased with the increase of age. Compared with 1990, disease burden of falls decreased in all age groups, both in male and female, with more seen in the lower age groups. Compared with 1990, the number of deaths, rates on YLLs, YLDs and DALYs caused by falls decreased by 65.08%, 46.63%, 47.38% and 36.33% respectively, in 2017. However, the YLDs rate increased by 73.31% between 1990 and 2017. The ratio of YLLs to DALYs decreased from 90.84% in 1990 to 75.07% in 2017, with a proportion as 17.36%. Conclusion: Compared with 1990, although the disease burden of falls among aged 0-19 group showed a decreasing trend, falls still caused serious disease burden for the aged 0-19 group. Research that targeting prevention on falls, should be continued.

MiR-431 inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis by targeting CDK14 in pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of miR-431 in the proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The pancreatic cancer cell was used for in vitro experiments. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method was used to confirm the level of miR-431. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to detect the effect of miR-431 on cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate cell apoptosis rate and the changes of cell cycle arrest. The luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the regulatory mechanism.

RESULTS

MiR-431 expression was reduced both in cancer tissues and cell lines. Cell proliferative ability was effectively lessened after up-regulating miR-431. Elevated miR-431 significantly induced cell apoptosis and modulated cell cycle arrest. Meanwhile, CDK14 (cyclin-dependent kinase 14) was a target gene of miR-431, and over-expression of miR-431 decreased the level of CDK14.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-431 inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis by targeting CDK14 in pancreatic cancer.

[Consistency of ALK Ventana-D5F3 immunohistochemistry interpretation in lung adenocarcinoma among Chinese histopathologists]

Objective: To understand the consistency of ALK Ventana-D5F3 immunohistochemistry (IHC) interpretation in Chinese lung adenocarcinoma among histopathologists from different hospitals, and to recommend solution for the problems found during the interpretation of ALK IHC in real world, with the aim of the precise selection of patients who can benefit from ALK targeted therapy. Methods: This was a multicenter and retrospective study. A total of 109 lung adenocarcinoma cases with ALK Ventana-D5F3 IHC staining were collected from 31 lung cancer centers in RATICAL research group from January to June in 2018. All cases were scanned into digital imaging with Ventana iSCANcoreo Digital Slide Scanning System and scored by 31 histopathologists from different centers according to ALK binary (positive or negative) interpretation based on its manufacturer's protocol. The cases with high inconsistency rate were further analyzed using FISH/RT-PCR/NGS. Results: There were 49 ALK positive cases and 60 ALK negative cases, confirmed by re-evaluation by the specialist panel. Two cases (No. 2302 and No.2701) scored as positive by local hospitals were rescored as negative, and were confirmed to be negative by RT-PCR/FISH/NGS. The false interpretation rate of these two cases was 58.1% (18/31) and 48.4% (15/31), respectively. Six out of 31 (19.4%) pathologists got 100% accuracy. The minimum consistency between every two pathologists was 75.8%.At least one pathologist gave negative judgement (false negative) or positive judgement (false positive) in the 49 positive or 60 negative cases, accounted for 26.5% (13/49), 41.7% (25/60), respectively, with at least one uncertainty interpretation accounted for 31.2% (34/109). Conclusion: There are certain heterogeneities and misclassifications in the real world interpretation of ALK-D5F3 IHC test, which need to be guided by the oncoming expert consensus based on the real world data.

Observation of the Semileptonic D^{+} Decay into the K[over ¯]_{1}(1270)^{0} Axial-Vector Meson

By analyzing a 2.93  fb^{-1} data sample of e^{+}e^{-} collisions, recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector operated at the BEPCII collider, we report the first observation of the semileptonic D^{+} transition into the axial-vector meson D^{+}→K[over ¯]_{1}(1270)^{0}e^{+}ν_{e} with a statistical significance greater than 10σ. Its decay branching fraction is determined to be B[D^{+}→K[over ¯]_{1}(1270)^{0}e^{+}ν_{e}]=(2.30±0.26_{-0.21}^{+0.18}±0.25)×10^{-3}, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively, and the third originates from the input branching fraction of K[over ¯]_{1}(1270)^{0}→K^{-}π^{+}π^{0}.

MicroRNA-373-3p inhibits prostate cancer progression by targeting AKT1

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate whether microRNA-373-3p could inhibit the progression of prostate cancer (PCa) by targeting and degrading AKT1.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expression levels of microRNA-373-3p and AKT1 in PCa tissues and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPN) tissues were detected by quantitative Real-Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). According to the follow-up data, survival curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to investigate whether microRNA-373-3p could be served as a biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis of PCa. The effect of microRNA-373-3p on cell proliferation was examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Subsequently, we explored the direct binding condition of AKT1 and microRNA-373-3p by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot.

RESULTS

QRT-PCR results showed that microRNA-373-3p level was significantly lower in PCa tissues compared with that of BPN tissues, whereas AKT1 expression was significantly increased. By analyzing the survival curve and ROC curve, we found that the overall survival (OS) of PCa patients with higher microRNA-373-3p expression was markedly longer than those with lower expression. Besides, microRNA-373-3p could be used as an early diagnostic marker to distinguish PCa from BPH. Overexpression of microRNA-373-3p in PCa cells (LNCaP and PC3 cells) remarkably inhibited cell proliferation. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot showed that microRNA-373-3p targeted the 3'UTR of AKT1 and inhibited its expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Downregulated microRNA-373-3p promoted the proliferation of prostate cancer cells via targeting AKT1.

Observation of the Leptonic Decay D^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ}

We report the first observation of D^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ} with a significance of 5.1σ. We measure B(D^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ})=(1.20±0.24_{stat}±0.12_{syst})×10^{-3}. Taking the world average B(D^{+}→μ^{+}ν_{μ})=(3.74±0.17)×10^{-4}, we obtain R_{τ/μ}=Γ(D^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ})/Γ(D^{+}→μ^{+}ν_{μ})=3.21±0.64_{stat}±0.43_{syst}., which is consistent with the standard model expectation of lepton flavor universality. Using external inputs, our results give values for the D^{+} decay constant f_{D^{+}} and the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{cd}| that are consistent with, but less precise than, other determinations.

INCREASED TRAFFICKING OF MESENTERIC LYMPH-DERIVED γδ T CELLS INTO INTESTINAL MUCOSA IS ASSOCIATED WITH GUT INJURY AFTER INTESTINAL ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION IN RATS

We sought to investigate the effects of mesenteric lymph-derived γδ T cells trafficking into intestinal mucosa on gut injury after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IIR). γδ T cells were separated from mesenteric lymph and then infused into the femoral vein of rats after the γδ T cells were labeled with 51Cr. Migration of γδ T cells in vivo across the intestinal mucosa was determined by γ-counter. Meanwhile, TNF-α activity and endotoxin concentration in mesenteric lymph were detected. The population of γδ T cells of Peyer's patches in the small intestines was analyzed by immunofluorescence double staining methods and flow cytometry. After IIR injury, the mean optical density value (MOD) and population of γδ T cells in Peyer's patches of the gut and migration of 51Cr-γδ T cells across the intestinal mucosa were significantly increased, which had highly positive correlations to degree of intestinal injury, TNF-α levels and endotoxin concentration in mesenteric lymph after reperfusion. The increased population of γδ T cells derived from mesenteric lymph trafficking into the intestinal mucosa might promote the small intestinal injury after IIR.

[Value of dual-energy CT-based volumetric iodine-uptake in the evaluation of chemotherapy efficacy in advanced gastric cancer]

Objective: To explore the value of dual-energy CT-based volumetric iodine-uptake (VIU) in the evaluation of chemotherapy efficacy in advanced gastric cancer. Methods: Inclusion criteria of subjects: (1) without previous systematic therapy; (2) with complete clinical information before and after chemotherapy; (3) without contraindications of chemotherapy. Exclusion criteria of subjects: (1) unfinished duration and times of chemotherapy; (2) unmeasurable primary lesions; (3) poor imaging quality or poor gastric filling. Clinical and image data of 52 patients with advanced gastric cancer who were diagnosed by pathology from gastroscopic biopsy, and needed chemotherapy evaluated by imaging and clinical information in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from February 2017 to February 2018 were collected and analyzed. Of 52 patients, 38 were male and 14 were female with the median age of 65 (31-88) years old. All the patients underwent a dual-energy, dual phase-enhanced CT scanning before chemotherapy and after the third chemotherapy session. The parameters of the lesions measured before and after chemotherapy in portal vein phase were as follows: the maximum diameter (the largest diameter among those measured in the cross-sectional, coronal, and sagittal planes), average CT value (the regions of interest were manually pinpointed under cross-sectional planes with largest diameter of the tumor, which did not include regions less than 2 mm to the edge of the tumor) and VIU (lesion volume × iodine concentration). The change rates of maximum lesion diameter, average CT value and VIU before and after chemotherapy were calculated [(post-chemotherapy parameters-pre-chemotherapy parameters)/ pre-chemotherapy parameters]. The efficacy of chemotherapy was evaluated by RECIST 1.1 (the change of maximum tumor diameter after chemotherapy), Choi (the change of average CT value after chemotherapy) and VIU (the change of VIU after chemotherapy), respectively, which was categorized by complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Patients with CR, PR, and SD were assigned to the effective group, while those with PD were classified as the ineffective group. Paired t - test or Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare the changes of parameters before and after chemotherapy, whereas Spearman correlation analysis and Kappa test were used for the correlation analysis and the consistency test between the three evaluation criteria (Kappa≥0.75 indicated good consistency). Results: After chemotherapy, the average CT value [(74.01±16.75) HU vs. (81.06±15.87) HU, t=2.202, P=0.030] and median VIU (668.53×10(2) μg vs. 272.52×10(2) μg, Z=4.761, P<0.001) decreased significantly, while the difference of the maximum diameter was not statistically significant [(66.71±34.49) mm vs. (78.45±35.62) mm, t=1.708, P=0.091]. The median change rate of VIU (-53.33%) was greater than that of CT values (-5.75%) with significant difference (Z=-5.408, P<0.001). According to the RECIST 1.1 criteria, 47 patients (90.4%, including 19 with PR and 28 with SD) were effective and 5 patients (9.6%) were ineffective. According to the Choi criteria, 45 patients (86.5%, including 37 with PR and 8 with SD) were effective and 7 patients (13.5%) were ineffective. According to the VIU criteria, 46 patients (88.5%, including 41 with PR and 5 with SD) were effective and 6 patients (11.5%) were ineffective. Efficacy comparison among these three criteria showed no significant difference (χ(2)=0.377, P=0.828). As compared to RECIST 1.1 evaluation, the proportion of PR evaluated by Choi and VIU was significantly higher (χ(2)=16.861, P<0.001), whereas the proportion of SD was significantly lower (χ(2)=24.089, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the proportions of PR and SD between VIU and Choi criteria (χ(2)=0.887, P=0.346). Consistency and correlation analysis showed that the VIU and Choi evaluation criteria presented the highest consistency and correlation (Kappa=0.912, P<0.001; r=0.916, P<0.001). Conclusion: VIU is a feasible parameter for the evaluation of chemotherapy efficacy in advanced gastric cancer, and may be more sensitive than the evaluation criteria based on maximum diameter or change of CT value in the tumor.

[The death trend of children under 5 years old due to foreign body in airway in China from 1990 to 2017]

Objective: To analyze the current situation and the trend of the death due to foreign body in airway in children less than 5 years old in China from 1990 to 2017. Methods: Using the mortality data of foreign body in airway in China from 1990 to 2017 from the Global Disease Burden 2017 (data covered 31 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, as well as Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions, excluding Taiwan Province) to describe the death status of children under 5 years old due to foreign body in airway in China, and to calculate the relative change and 95% uncertainty interval (UI) of mortality rate and proportion of children under 5 years old due to foreign body in airway between 1990 and 2017. The robust linear regression was performed with the first-order lag of mortality, and the supremum Wald test was used to explore whether the mortality trend had obvious structural changes around a certain time point. Results: In 2017, the mortality rate of children under 5 years old due to foreign body in airway in China was 8.57/100 000 (95%UI: 7.41/100 000-9.57/100 000), and there was no significant difference between boys (9.05/100 000, 95%UI: 6.82/100 000-10.23/100 000) and girls (8.02/100 000, 95%UI: 7.02/100 000-9.12/100 000). The supremum Wald test showed that there was a structural change around the year of 2005 (P<0.001) in terms of the mortality rate of foreign body in the airway among children under 5 years old, which depicted a relatively stable trend before 2005 and a significant downward trend after 2005. Compared with 1990, the mortality rate of foreign body in airway among children, boys and girls under 5 years old in 2017 decreased by 49.32% (95%UI: 37.78%-65.41%), 41.22% (95%UI: 25.68%-68.26%) and 56.91% (95%UI: 44.78%-66.70%), respectively; the mortality proportion of foreign body in airway among increased by 153.33% (95%UI: 75.99%-204.56%), 171.05% (95%UI: 48.75%-239.63%) and 137.90% (95%UI: 86.62%-198.09%), respectively; the rank of foreign body in airway in all disease increased by 6 and became the first leading cause of injury from the second. Conclusion: From 1990 to 2017, the mortality rate of foreign body in airway among children, boys and girls under 5 years old in China generally showed a downward trend. Compared with 1990, the mortality proportion of foreign body in airway among these population increased by a relatively large extent in 2017.

[Analysis on suicide mortality and self-inflicted injury/suicide hospital cases in China from 2006 to 2016]

Objective: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of suicide death and self-harm/suicide in China from 2006 to 2016. Methods: Data in this study are from the datasets of National Death Cause Surveillance from 2006 to 2016 and the National Injury Surveillance Dataset 2016. The age-standardized death rate based on the population census in 2000 was used to describe the trend of suicide over years. This study also described the epidemiological characteristics of suicide death and the demographic characteristics, suicide methods and severity of patients who sought medical help after committing suicide or self-inflicted injury in 2016. Results: Age-standardized suicide mortality had been declining from 9.23/100 000 in 2006 to 5.33/100 000 in 2016 by 42.25%. Suicide mortality increased with age. In 2016, the suicide mortality in China was 7.05/100 000, and among people over 85 years old was 49.49/100 000. In 2016, the dominant two suicide methods were poisoning (39.12%) and sharp injury (25.62%). The first leading method of suicide in rural population, urban population and young people aged 10-to 17-year-old was poisoning (65.13%), sharp injury (29.90%) and fall (25.47%), respectively. As age increased, the severity of suicide/self-inflicted injury increased. The proportions of serious cases among young people aged 10-to 17-year-old and older people aged 60 years old and above who sought medical help after committing suicide or self-inflicted injury were 4.88% and 26.86%, respectively. Conclusion: China's suicide mortality has been declining and special attention should be given to the suicide of old people.

Hyperoxia induces the apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells and changes of pulmonary surfactant proteins

OBJECTIVE

To explore the changes of surfactant protein C, D (SP-C, SP-D) and apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) in the lung injury of neonatal rats induced by hyperoxia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We divided neonatal rats within 24 hours into two groups randomly: the air group (n = 50) and the hyperoxia group (n = 50). Rats in the air group and hyperoxia group were bred conventionally and in tanks with normal pressure and 90% concentration of oxygen, respectively. On the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, and 14th day after exposure, lung tissue of 8 rats in each group was collected and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). We observed and recorded pathologic changes of lung tissue and detected apoptosis rate of alveolar epithelial cells by TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling). We detected the content of SP-C, SP-D in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).

RESULTS

In the air group, the alveolar formed gradually with equable size and regular shape during growth. While the amount of alveolar decreased gradually and we observed small vessels dilation and increasing hemorrhage as well as increasing interstitial cells and swollen lung tissue in the hyperoxia group. In the air group, the content of SP-C in the BALF reduced during growth. However, the content of SP-C in the hyperoxia group was lower than that in the air group on the first day, higher on the third day, reached the peak on the seventh day and began to decrease on the tenth day and more obviously on the fourteenth day. The level of SP-D in the air group declined gradually with growing. On the first day, the content of SP-D in the hyperoxia group was similar to that in the air group. It began to increase on the third day, reached its peak on the seventh day, and began to decrease on the tenth day, more obviously on the fourteenth day.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term exposure to hyperoxia inhibits the development of alveolar. The apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells increased and the content of SP-C, SP-D in the lung tissue first increased and then decreased with the increase of exposure time.

6089Increased vascular endothelial growth factor signalling following loss of endothelial endoglin leads to peripheral arteriovenous shunting and high output heart failure

Background

Endoglin is a co-receptor for TGFbeta/BMP9/10 signalling and ENG mutations lead to the vascular disorder hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia type I (HHT). Endoglin is also required for normal vascular development and angiogenesis, but little is known about endoglin's role in quiescent adult vascular endothelium.

Purpose

The goal of this present study is to determine how endoglin maintains vessel calibre in adult life to prevent AVM formation and thereby protect heart function.

Methods

To investigate this role, tamoxifen was administered to adult Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2; Engfl/fl mice to generate endothelial-specific depletion of endoglin (Eng-iKOe). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, myography, vascular casting, microsphere injection, immunohistology, qPCR and aortic telemetry were used to evaluate cardiovascular changes after endoglin knockdown.

Results

Endothelial-specific loss of endoglin leads to an enlarged heart and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy within 5 weeks, progressing to high output heart failure (HOHF). In vivo aortic telemetry revealed significant loss of aortic pressure within a few days of endoglin depletion. Increased cardiac size and reduced cardiac afterload were confirmed by ventricular pressure loop analysis. As HOHF could result from arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and these are found primarily in mucocutaneous and pulmonary tissues in HHT, we systematically screened for AVMs using microspheres and vascular casting. Although AVMs were absent in the majority of tissues, they were observed in the pelvic region and may account for the rapid increase in cardiac output. The pelvic cartilaginous symphysis is a noncapsulated cartilage with a naturally high endogenous expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Development of pelvic AVMs in this region of high VEGF expression occurred because loss of endoglin in endothelial cells leads to increased sensitivity to VEGF and a hyper-proliferative response. Finally, we found that inhibition of VEGFR2 was protective against AVMs development, enlargement of the heart and dilatation of the ventricles.

Conclusion

Our results showed the essential role of endoglin in the maintenance of adult cardio-vasculature through crosstalk with the VEGF signalling pathway.

Acknowledgement/Funding

British Heart Foundation, Cure HHT, The Swedish Research Council, The Cardiovascular Programme at Karolinska Institutet, The Swedish Cancer Society