Diagnostic and prognostic value of parameters of erector spinae in patients with uremic sarcopenia

AIM

This study aimed to investigate whether computed tomography (CT)-measured erector spinae parameters (ESPs) have diagnostic, severity assessment, and prognostic predictive value in uremic sarcopenia (US).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 202 uremic patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: a control group and a sarcopenia group. Sarcopenia was classified into two types: severe and nonsevere. The area, volume, and density of the erector spinae (ES) were measured using chest CT images, and the relevant ESP, including the erector spinae index (ESI), total erector spinae volume (TESV), erector spinae density (ESD), and erector spinae gauge (ESG) were calculated. The occurrence of adverse events was followed-up for 36 months. The diagnostic value and severity of US were determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Survival curves diagnosed using CT were plotted and compared with the curve drawn using the gold standard. Cox regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors associated with survival in US.

RESULTS

With an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.840 and 0.739, the combined ESP has diagnostic value and the ability to assess the severity of US. There was no significant difference in the survival curve between the combined ESP for the diagnosis of US and the gold standard (P > 0.05). ESI is a standalone predictor of survival in patients with US.

CONCLUSION

ESP measured by CT has diagnostic values for US and its severity, as well as being a predictive value for the prognosis of US.

Identification of ferroptosis-related diagnostic markers in primary Sjögren's syndrome based on machine learning

BACKGROUND

Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is a common autoimmune disorder that affects up to 0.3-3% of the global population. Ferroptosis has recently been identified to play a significant role in autoimmune diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis in the initiation and progression of pSS remains unclear.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the occurrence and progression of pSS, we utilized a comprehensive approach by integrating data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database with data from the FerrDb database to identify the ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Furthermore, we implemented an innovative transcriptomic analysis method utilizing a computer-aided algorithm to establish a network between hub genes associated with ferroptosis and the immune microenvironment in pSS patients.

RESULTS

Our results revealed significant differences in the gene expression profiles of pSS samples compared to normal tissues, with 1,830 significantly up-regulated genes and 1,310 significantly down-regulated genes. In addition, our results showed a significant increase in the proportions of B cells and CD4+ T cells in pSS samples compared to normal tissues. AND then, our analysis revealed that a combination of six ferroptosis-related genes, including TBK1, SLC1A4, PIK3CA, ENO3, EGR1, and ATG5, could serve as optimal markers for the diagnosis of pSS. The combined analysis of these six genes accurately diagnosed the occurrence of pSS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers valuable insights into the pathogenesis of pSS and highlights the importance of targeting ferroptosis-related DEGs, which suggests a novel treatment strategy for pSS.

Association between healthy lifestyle combinations and periodontitis in NHANES

BACKGROUND

Periodontitis is closely associated with chronic systemic diseases. Healthy lifestyle interventions have health-enhancing effects on chronic systemic disorders and periodontitis, but the extent to which healthy lifestyle combinations are associated with periodontitis is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between periodontitis and different healthy lifestyle combinations.

METHODS

5611 participants were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2009-2014). Six healthy lifestyles factors were defined as fulfilling either: non-smoking, moderate drinking, moderate body mass index (BMI), physical activity, healthy sleep and appropriate total energy intake. Then, the adjusted logistic regression models were performed to identify the association between the periodontitis and the scoring system composed of six lifestyles (0-6 scale). Finally, different scenarios were dynamically and randomly combined to identify the optimal and personalized combination mode.

RESULTS

Higher healthy lifestyle scores were significantly associated with lower periodontitis prevalence (p < 0.05). Four lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking, BMI, and sleep) significantly varied between the periodontitis and healthy groups (p < 0.05). Smoking was considered as a strong independent risk factor for periodontitis in both former and current smokers. Results further indicated that the combination of these four lifestyles played the most essential role in determining the magnitude of periodontitis occurrence (odds ratio [OR]: 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21 to 0.50). In the total population, the majority of three lifestyle combinations outperformed the two combination models, whereas the two-combination of nonsmoking-drinking (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.58) had relatively lower periodontitis prevalence than the three-combination of healthy drinking-BMI-sleep (OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.66).

CONCLUSION

This cross-sectional study suggests that smoking, drinking, BMI, and sleep are significantly related with periodontitis and smoking is the principal risk factor related among them. This study provides various customized lifestyle combinations for periodontitis prevention.

Biomechanical and aesthetic outcomes following radial forearm free flap transfer: comparison of ipsilateral full-thickness skin graft and traditional split-thickness skin graft

The radial forearm free flap (RFFF) is associated with donor site morbidity. This study aimed to quantify the functional and aesthetic outcomes after closure of the RFFF donor site using triangular full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) harvested adjacent to the flap or traditional split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs). The study included patients who underwent oral cavity reconstruction with an RFFF between March 2017 and August 2021. The patients were divided into two groups based on the donor site closure method: FTSG or STSG. The primary outcomes were biomechanical grip strength, pinch strength, and range of wrist movements. Subjective donor site morbidity, aesthetic and functional results were also analysed. The study included 75 patients (FTSG n = 35; STSG n = 40). Postoperatively, there was a statistically significant difference in grip strength (P = 0.049) and wrist extension (P = 0.047) between the FTSG and STSG groups, in favour of the STSG. Differences between the groups in pinch strength and other wrist motions were not statistically significant. The harvesting time was significantly shorter for the FTSG (P = 0.041) and the appearance of the donor site was better (P = 0.026) when compared to the STSG. Cold intolerance was more frequent in the STSG group (32.5% STSG vs 6.7% FTSG; P = 0.017). Subjective function, numbness, pain, hypertrophic scar, itching, and social stigma did not differ significantly between the groups. Compared with the STSG, the FTSG showed better cosmesis and avoided additional donor sites, with clinically negligible differences in hand biomechanics.

[Effectiveness of the central government-funded echinococcosis control programme in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province from 2007 to 2022]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of the central government-funded echinococcosis control programme in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province from 2007 to 2022, so as to provide insights into echinococcosis control.

METHODS

Administrative villages were sampled using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method from Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province from 2007 to 2022, and all residents at ages of 12 years and older in the sampled villages were screened for echinococcosis, and schools were sampled using a cluster sampling method, and all children at ages of 12 years and older in the sampled schools were screened for echinococcosis. Domestic dogs were sampled using a systematic random sampling method, and one domestic dog stool sample was collected from each household. Stray dog stool samples were collected outside the villages, and Echinococcus coproantigens were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in domestic and stray dogs. In addition, echinococcosis was screened in sheep and cattle in designated slaughterhouses in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County. The trends in the prevalence of echinococcosis in humans and livestock and the positive rate of Echinococcus coproantigens in dogs were examined with the Cochran-Armitage trend test. In addition, individuals screened for echinococcosis were randomly sampled from 2007 to 2022 for survey on the awareness of echinococcosis control knowledge.

RESULTS

A total of 290 356 person-times were screened for echinococcosis among residents at ages of 12 years and older in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province from 2007 to 2022, with 1 094 residents detected with cystic echinococcosis, and the detection of echinococcosis appeared a tendency towards a gradual decline over years (χ2 = 358.602, P < 0.001). A total of 32 931 person-times were screened for echinococcosis among children at ages of 12 years and older in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province from 2007 to 2022, with 296 children detected with echinococcosis, and the detection of echinococcosis appeared a tendency towards a gradual decline over years (χ2 = 267.673, P < 0.001). A total of 33 230 domestic dog stool samples were tested for Echinococcus coproantigens in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province from 2007 to 2022, with 1 777 Echinococcus coproantigens-positive samples tested, and the positive rate of Echinococcus coproantigens appeared a tendency towards a decline in domestic dogs over years (χ2 = 2 210.428, P < 0.001), while the positive rate of Echinococcus coproantigens showed a tendency towards a rise in domestic animals from 2016 to 2022 (χ2 = 37.745, P < 0.001). The positive rate of Echinococcus coproantigens remained relatively stable in stray dogs in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province from 2019 to 2022 (χ2 = 0.315, P = 0.575). A total of 10 973 sheep were screened for echinococcosis in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County from 2007 to 2022, with 334 sheep detected with echinococcosis, and the detection of echinococcosis appeared a tendency towards a decline in sheep over years (χ2 = 53.579, P < 0.001); however, there was no significant change in the detection of echinococcosis during the period from 2015 through 2022 (χ2 = 1.520, P = 0.218). A total of 2 400 cattle were screened for echinococcosis in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County from 2017 to 2022, with 231 cattle detected with echinococcosis, and the detection of echinococcosis showed a tendency towards a decline over years (χ2 = 5.579, P < 0.05). The awareness of echinococcosis control knowledge increased from 44.37% in 2007 to 94.00% in 2022 among residents at ages of 12 years and older and from 52.50% in 2007 to 92.50% in 2022 among children at ages of 12 years and older in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

There has been a reduction in the detection of echinococcosis in humans and domestic animals and the positive rate of Echinococcus coproantigens in dogs and a rise in the awareness of the echinococcosis control knowledge following the implementation of the central government-funded echinococcosis control programme in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province; however, integrated echinococcosis control measures are still required for further control of the prevalence of echinococcosis.

[Clinical features of peripheral neuropathy with livedo reticularis: an analysis of seven cases]

The clinical characteristics, auxiliary examinations, skin and neuropathological features of 7 patients who had reticular cyanosis with peripheral neuropathy from the Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University from January 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 7 patients, 5 were female and 2 were male.The age of onset of peripheral neuropathy was (39.8±21.3) years and the disease duration of peripheral neuropathy was (2.7±2.3) years. Three patients had acute onset and 4 patients had chronic onset. All the patients had limb numbness, with limb weakness in 6 patients and pain in 5 cases. Neuroelectrophysiological examination revealed 1 case of mononeuropathy, 2 cases of polyneuropathy, 2 cases of peripheral neuropathy, and 2 cases of sensory neuron neuropathy. Skin biopsy was performed in 3 patients, which presented hyperplasia and expansion of blood vessels in the dermis with lymphocyte infiltration. Nerve biopsy was performed in 3 patients, indicating axonal damage. Reticular cyanosis with peripheral neuropathy characterizes with numbness and weakness of limbs, most of which were accompanied by pain. Electrophysiological changes are in various forms. The pathological changes are dominated by the damage of axonal.

Role of low-density lipoprotein in mediating the effect of air pollution on coronary heart disease: a two-step multivariate Mendelian randomization study

OBJECTIVE

Air pollution is affecting the health of millions of people all over the world. The causal correlations of PM2.5, PM10, and nitrogen dioxide (NOx), as the main fine particulate matter, and coronary heart disease (CHD) are yet to be explored. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been a principal factor in the pathogenesis of CHD. It is an interesting issue to consider whether LDL mediates the effect of air pollutants in CHD pathogenesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) on the European population, followed up from 2010 to 2018, involving over 400,000 participants, was based on a land-use regression model. The annual mean concentrations of major air pollutant particles, PM2.5 (n=423,796), PM10 (n=423,796), and NOx (n=456,380), were recorded. The large GWAS database of CHD covered over ten million SNPs with independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). LDL database collected major biochemical blood parameters from over 400,000 patients (n=440,546). Taken together, we conducted independent two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses for the causality between air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, and NOx) and CHD. Multivariate MR analysis was conducted using causal relationships to determine the direct effects of exposure on outcome. The fixed-effect inverse variance weighted (IVW2) method was mainly employed to assess this relationship, with a confidence interval of 95% for the odds ratio (OR). Also, MR-Egger, weighted median, maximum likelihood ratio method, and random-effects inverse variance-weighted (IVW1) method were adopted as supplementary methods.

RESULTS

Two-sample MR results based on the IVW2 method suggested positive correlations between PM2.5 and CHD [OR 1.875 (1.279-2.748), p=0.001], PM10 and CHD [OR 2.586 (1.479-4.523), p=0.001], and NOx and CHD [OR 2.991 (2.021-4.427), p=4.37E-08]. The direct effect and mediating proportion were calculated using multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR). Lastly, the mediating proportions of LDL in the regulatory roles of PM2.5, PM10, and NOx in CHD were 2.82%, 4.73%, and 9.54%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

PM2.5, PM10, and NOx share direct causal associations with CHD, and LDL performs a mediating role in this pathogenic process. Early prevention against air pollution (such as increasing green areas and reducing large-scale industrial dust emissions) and early lipid-lowering treatment can effectively prevent the occurrence of CHD.

Hyperon Polarization along the Beam Direction Relative to the Second and Third Harmonic Event Planes in Isobar Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

The polarization of Λ and Λ[over ¯] hyperons along the beam direction has been measured relative to the second and third harmonic event planes in isobar Ru+Ru and Zr+Zr collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV. This is the first experimental evidence of the hyperon polarization by the triangular flow originating from the initial density fluctuations. The amplitudes of the sine modulation for the second and third harmonic results are comparable in magnitude, increase from central to peripheral collisions, and show a mild p_{T} dependence. The azimuthal angle dependence of the polarization follows the vorticity pattern expected due to elliptic and triangular anisotropic flow, and qualitatively disagrees with most hydrodynamic model calculations based on thermal vorticity and shear induced contributions. The model results based on one of existing implementations of the shear contribution lead to a correct azimuthal angle dependence, but predict centrality and p_{T} dependence that still disagree with experimental measurements. Thus, our results provide stringent constraints on the thermal vorticity and shear-induced contributions to hyperon polarization. Comparison to previous measurements at RHIC and the LHC for the second-order harmonic results shows little dependence on the collision system size and collision energy.

[Clinical outcomes of anterior tibial tendon transfer combined with supramalleolar osteotomy in stage 3b of varus ankle osteoarthritis]

To investigate the clinical and radiographic results of anterior tibial tendon (ATT) transfer combined with supramalleolar osteotomy in stage 3b of varus ankle osteoarthritis. Totally 13 patients with stage 3b of varus ankle osteoarthritis who received ATT transfer combined with supramalleolar osteotomy in Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2018 to May 2021 were recruited. There were 6 males and 7 females with a mean age of (57.8±9.3) years. The overall evaluations included the preoperatively and postoperatively radiographic alignments, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) clinical ankle-hindfoot scale. The mean follow-up period was (33.5±13.4) months. The tibial articular surface (TAS), talar tilt (TT), and foot and ankle offset (FAO) changed from 83.3°±2.4° to 92.8°±1.7°, 12.3°±4.5° to 7.0°±4.7°, and -7.4%±2.8% to -0.7%±2.2% after the operation, respectively (all P<0.001). The AOFAS and VAS score improved significantly at the final follow-up when compared with those before the operation (both P<0.001). It indicated that ATT transfer after supramalleolar osteotomy can achieve good clinical and radiographic results in the treatment of varus ankle arthritis in Takakura stage 3b.

A Comparison of Two Plan Optimization Methods in Three-Dimensional Brachytherapy for Cervical Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To compare dose distributions created by using two Inverse Planning Simulated Annealing (IPSA) and Hybrid Inverse Planning Optimization (HIPO) in three-dimensional (with CT image guidance) brachytherapy planning for cervical cancer.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Brachytherapy plans for thirty patients with cervical cancer were created using the IPSA and HIPO algorithms (The IPSA algorithm is calculated based on the anatomical structure, and the simulated annealing algorithm is used to optimize the residence time, and the HIPO algorithm is the optimization and replacement for the IPSA). To obtain a HIPO plan, a manually optimized post-loading treatment plan was applied to these 30 patients, and then the treatment plan was reoptimized using the HIPO algorithm based on the original image information. Individual patients will consider interpolation therapy according to the needs of their condition. The types of plans were compared based on a variety of dose volume parameters, including the mean dose covering 90% of high-risk clinical target volume (D90 for HR-CTV), the mean dose to 2 cm3 volume (D2cc) for bladder, rectum, intestine and sigmoid, and average treatment time were compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with the two groups of plans, mean value of HR-CTV D90 for the HIPO plans was (585 cGy), which was significantly higher than that for the IPSA plans (567 cGy. This difference is statistically significant (P<0.05). The HIPO plans had mean D2cc 422±47 cGy for bladder, 403±38 cGy for rectum, which were lower than those from the SA plans, i.e., 446±42 cGy for bladder and 427±31 cGy for rectum; These differences were statistically significant (t = 5.125, 4.729, P <0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the sigmoid D2cc doses between the two algorithms. The treatment times for delivering the two types of plans were not significant different.

CONCLUSION

Depending on patient's condition, whether conventional brachytherapy therapy or interpolation therapy is used, the use of the HIPO algorithm to design the treatment regimen without additional treatment time can provide a higher target dose than the manually optimized brachytherapy regimen. Meanwhile, the bladder and rectum doses can be reduced to a certain extent under the premise of ensuring that the target dose met the treatment requirements. There is some increasement for the intestine dose with HIPO planning group, but the dose limits required by the guidelines are still met clinical requirement.

[A retrospective cohort study of case fatality rate of HIV/AIDS cases and influencing factors in Jingzhou, Hubei Province, 1996-2021]

Objective: To analyze the case fatality rate of HIV/AIDS cases and influencing factors in Jingzhou. Methods: The data were retrieved from HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Response Information System and the cases diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Jingzhou during 1996-2021 and aged 15 years or older were selected for the study. The death curve was drawn with Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox proportional-hazards model was used to identify influencing factors for death. Results: A total of 3 304 HIV/AIDS cases were followed up for 16 091.5 person-years, and 893 cases died, with a case fatality rate of 5.5/100 person-years. The cumulative case fatality rates of 1, 5 and 10 years were 15.4%, 25.0% and 34.6% respectively, the cumulative case fatality rates of 1, 5 and 10 years were 6.9%, 14.4% and 23.7% in the cases with access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 68.0%, 90.1% and 98.7% in the cases without access to ART. The results of Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that the risk for death was higher in those without access to ART than in those with access to ART (aHR=9.85, 95%CI: 8.19-11.85). The risk factors for death in those with access to ART included being men (aHR=1.64, 95%CI: 1.29-2.08), age ≥60 years old at diagnosis (aHR=3.52, 95%CI: 2.38-5.20), being infected by injecting drug use/others (aHR=2.38, 95%CI:1.30-4.34), being detected by medical institution (aHR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.11-2.11), CD4+T lymphocytes(CD4) counts <50 cells/μl (aHR=2.58, 95%CI: 1.87-3.58). The protective factor for death was high education level (high school and technical secondary school: aHR=0.64,95%CI:0.46-0.90; college and above: aHR=0.42, 95%CI: 0.24-0.73). The risk factors for HIV/AIDS death in those without access to ART included older age at diagnosis (30-44 years old: aHR=2.32, 95%CI: 1.40-3.84; 45-59 years old:aHR=2.61, 95%CI: 1.59-4.27; ≥60 years old: aHR=3.31, 95%CI: 2.01-5.47), lower CD4 counts (<50 cells/μl: aHR=10.47, 95%CI: 6.47-16.56; 50-199 cells/μl: aHR=2.31, 95%CI: 1.08-4.94; 200-349 cells/μl: aHR=2.35, 95%CI: 1.46-3.79). Conclusions: The case fatality rate of HIV/AIDS was relatively high in Jingzhou from 1996 to 2021, the first CD4 counts, ART and age at diagnosis were the major factors affecting HIV/AIDS death, "Expanding testing" and "prompt treatment upon diagnosis" should be continued and enhanced to improve the efficacy of ART and HIV/AIDS case survival.

DppfCuBH4: new reducing agents for the synthesis of ferrocene-functionalized metal nanoclusters

A facile synthesis of atomically precise metal nanoclusters, especially those decorated with functional groups, is the prerequisite for finding applications in special fields and studying structure-and-property relationships. The exploration of simple and efficient synthetic prototypes for introducing functional ligands (such as ferrocene) into cluster moieties is thus of high interest. In this work, a type of reducing agent of dppfCuBH₄ (dppf is 1,1'-bis(diphenyphosphino)ferrocene) is introduced for the first time to prepare ferrocene-functionalized metal nanoclusters. Two new clusters of [Ag₂₅Cu₄(dppf)₆(3-F-PhCC)₁₂Cl₆]³⁺ (1) and [Ag₄(dppf)₅Cl₂]²⁺ (2) have been obtained from the simple synthetic method. The two compounds have been fully characterized by advanced techniques of electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The total structure of the clusters, as determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction, describes the Ag₁₃@Ag₁₂Cu₄(dppf)₆(3-F-PhCC)₁₂Cl₆ core-shell structure of 1 and [Ag₂Cl(dppf)₂]⁺-dppf-[Ag₂Cl(dppf)₂]⁺ polymeric structure of 2. This work opens the door to employing dppfCuBH₄ as a functional reducing agent to discover many underlying metal nanoclusters and even other nanomaterials which feature ferrocene-groups.

Measurements of the Elliptic and Triangular Azimuthal Anisotropies in Central ^{3}He+Au, d+Au and p+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

The elliptic (v_{2}) and triangular (v_{3}) azimuthal anisotropy coefficients in central ^{3}He+Au, d+Au, and p+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV are measured as a function of transverse momentum (p_{T}) at midrapidity (|η|<0.9), via the azimuthal angular correlation between two particles both at |η|<0.9. While the v_{2}(p_{T}) values depend on the colliding systems, the v_{3}(p_{T}) values are system independent within the uncertainties, suggesting an influence on eccentricity from subnucleonic fluctuations in these small-sized systems. These results also provide stringent constraints for the hydrodynamic modeling of these systems.

Prominent corneal nerves in pure mucosal neuroma syndrome, a clinical phenotype distinct from multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B

BACKGROUND

Pure mucosal neuroma syndrome (MNS), an autosomal dominant neurocutaneous disorder, is a rare discrete subgroup in multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2B, which present without associated endocrinopathies of MEN2B but with typical physical features such as prominent corneal nerves. Case presentation This report describes a 41-year-old patient with complaint of itchy eyes and irritation, presenting with blocked gland orifices in the upper and lower eyelids, light conjunctival hyperemia, a semitransparent neoplasm measuring 2 mm*2 mm on the nasal limbus suggestive of neuromas, and prominent corneal nerves. In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) revealed structural alterations-namely a prominent hyperreflective, thickened nerve plexus and a normal endothelium-in both eyes. Testing for SOS1 mutation was positive. This patient may represent a discrete subgroup termed pure mucosal neuroma syndrome (MNS), which presents with the characteristic appearance of MEN2B but without RET gene mutations.

CONCLUSION

Prominent corneal nerves have been described in some diseases, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 1 and type 2A and 2B, congenital ichthyosis, Refsum's disease, leprosy, etc. Ophthalmic assessment including prominent corneal nerves has proven valuable in asymptomatic individuals of MEN2B. Our case illustrates the importance of recognizing the ocular features of MNS, a rare presentation of MEN2B, in order to prevent prophylactic thyroidectomy in these patients for prophylactic thyroidectomy is not mandatory in MNS. However, regular monitoring and genetic counseling are still necessary.

Observation of Directed Flow of Hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in sqrt[s_{NN}]=3 GeV Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report here the first observation of directed flow (v_{1}) of the hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in mid-central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3  GeV at RHIC. These data are taken as part of the beam energy scan program carried out by the STAR experiment. From 165×10^{6} events in 5%-40% centrality, about 8400 _{Λ}^{3}H and 5200 _{Λ}^{4}H candidates are reconstructed through two- and three-body decay channels. We observe that these hypernuclei exhibit significant directed flow. Comparing to that of light nuclei, it is found that the midrapidity v_{1} slopes of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H follow baryon number scaling, implying that the coalescence is the dominant mechanism for these hypernuclei production in the 3 GeV Au+Au collisions.

Beam Energy Dependence of Triton Production and Yield Ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}) in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report the triton (t) production in midrapidity (|y|<0.5) Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=7.7-200  GeV measured by the STAR experiment from the first phase of the beam energy scan at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The nuclear compound yield ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}), which is predicted to be sensitive to the fluctuation of local neutron density, is observed to decrease monotonically with increasing charged-particle multiplicity (dN_{ch}/dη) and follows a scaling behavior. The dN_{ch}/dη dependence of the yield ratio is compared to calculations from coalescence and thermal models. Enhancements in the yield ratios relative to the coalescence baseline are observed in the 0%-10% most central collisions at 19.6 and 27 GeV, with a significance of 2.3σ and 3.4σ, respectively, giving a combined significance of 4.1σ. The enhancements are not observed in peripheral collisions or model calculations without critical fluctuation, and decreases with a smaller p_{T} acceptance. The physics implications of these results on the QCD phase structure and the production mechanism of light nuclei in heavy-ion collisions are discussed.

Multi-layer 3D Chirality and Double-Helical Assembly in a Copper Nanocluster with a Triple-Helical Cu15 Core

Conceptually mimicking biomolecules' ability to construct multiple-helical aggregates with emergent properties and functions remains a long-standing challenge. Here we report an atom-precise 18-copper nanocluster (NC), Cu18H(PET)14(TPP)6(NCS)3 ( Cu18H ) which contains a pseudo D3-symmetrical triple-helical Cu15 core. Structurally, Cu18H may be also viewed as sandwich type of sulfur-bridged chiral copper cluster units [Cu6-Cu6-Cu6], endowing three-layered 3D chirality. More importantly, the chiral NCs are aggregated into an infinite double-stranded helix supported by intra-strand homonuclear C-H···H-Cdihydrogen contacts and inter-strand C-H/π and C-H/S interactions. The unique multi-layered 3D chirality and the double-helical assembly of Cu18H are evocative of DNA. Moreover, the collective behaviours of the aggregated NCs not only exhibit crystallization-induced emission enhancement (CIEE) and aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) effects in the deep-red region, but also efficiently catalyzes electron transfer (ET) reaction. This study thus presents that hierarchical assemblies of atomically defined copper NCs could be intricate as observed for important biomolecules like DNA with emergent properties arising from aggregated behaviours.

Integrated analysis of mRNA and microRNA expression pattern reveals differential transcriptome signatures in RIPK2 over-expressing chicken macrophages infected with avian pathogenic E. coli

1. As RIPK2 (receptor interacting serine/threonine kinase 2) has been shown to to alleviate excessive inflammatory responses, the following study conducted a systematic and in-depth analysis of the mRNA-seq and miRNA-seq data from chicken macrophages with/without over-expression of RIPK2 (oeRIPK2) combined with/without avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) infection to identify the miRNA-mRNA interaction network and potential signalling pathways involved.2. A total of 9,201 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and 300 DE miRNA were identified in both oeRIPK2+APEC vs. APEC and oeRIPK2 vs. the wild-type (WT). Moreover, 4,269 instances of co-expression between miRNAs and mRNAs were seen involving 1,652 DE mRNAs and 164 DE miRNAs.3. Functional analysis of the DE mRNAs in the miRNA-mRNA interaction network showed that 223 biological processes and five KEGG pathways were significantly enriched in the two comparisons. In total, 128 pairs of miRNA-mRNA interactions were involved in the identified MAPK signalling pathway and focal adhesion immune related pathways.4. Significantly, these screened miRNAs (gga-miR-222b-5p and gga-miR-214) and their target genes were highly correlated with APEC infection and RIPK2. These recognised key genes, miRNA and the overall miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, enables better understanding of the molecular mechanism of host response to APEC infection, especially related to RIPK2.

Measurement of Sequential ϒ Suppression in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV with the STAR Experiment

We report on measurements of sequential ϒ suppression in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) through both the dielectron and dimuon decay channels. In the 0%-60% centrality class, the nuclear modification factors (R_{AA}), which quantify the level of yield suppression in heavy-ion collisions compared to p+p collisions, for ϒ(1S) and ϒ(2S) are 0.40±0.03(stat)±0.03(sys)±0.09(norm) and 0.26±0.08(stat)±0.02(sys)±0.06(norm), respectively, while the upper limit of the ϒ(3S) R_{AA} is 0.17 at a 95% confidence level. This provides experimental evidence that the ϒ(3S) is significantly more suppressed than the ϒ(1S) at RHIC. The level of suppression for ϒ(1S) is comparable to that observed at the much higher collision energy at the Large Hadron Collider. These results point to the creation of a medium at RHIC whose temperature is sufficiently high to strongly suppress excited ϒ states.

Beam Energy Dependence of Fifth- and Sixth-Order Net-Proton Number Fluctuations in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report the beam energy and collision centrality dependence of fifth and sixth order cumulants (C_{5}, C_{6}) and factorial cumulants (κ_{5}, κ_{6}) of net-proton and proton number distributions, from center-of-mass energy (sqrt[s_{NN}]) 3 GeV to 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. Cumulant ratios of net-proton (taken as proxy for net-baryon) distributions generally follow the hierarchy expected from QCD thermodynamics, except for the case of collisions at 3 GeV. The measured values of C_{6}/C_{2} for 0%-40% centrality collisions show progressively negative trend with decreasing energy, while it is positive for the lowest energy studied. These observed negative signs are consistent with QCD calculations (for baryon chemical potential, μ_{B}≤110  MeV) which contains the crossover transition range. In addition, for energies above 7.7 GeV, the measured proton κ_{n}, within uncertainties, does not support the two-component (Poisson+binomial) shape of proton number distributions that would be expected from a first-order phase transition. Taken in combination, the hyperorder proton number fluctuations suggest that the structure of QCD matter at high baryon density, μ_{B}∼750  MeV at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3  GeV is starkly different from those at vanishing μ_{B}∼24  MeV at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV and higher collision energies.

Analysis of the Safety and Pregnancy Outcomes of Fertility-sparing Surgery in Ovarian Malignant Sex Cord-stromal Tumours: A Multicentre Retrospective Study

AIMS

To assess the difference in survival between fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) and radical surgery and explore pregnancy outcomes after FSS in stage I malignant sex cord-stromal tumours (MSCSTs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We carried out a multicentre retrospective cohort study on patients who were diagnosed with MSCSTs and the tumour was confined to one ovary. The patients were divided into FSS and radical surgery groups. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to balance variables between the two groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the difference in disease-free survival (DFS). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to find risk factors of DFS. Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess risk factors of pregnancy.

RESULTS

In total, 107 patients were included, of whom 54 (50.5%) women underwent FSS and 53 (49.5%) received radical surgery. After IPTW, a pseudo-population of 208 was determined and all of the covariates were well balanced. After a median follow-up time of 50 months (range 7-156 months), 10 patients experienced recurrence and two died. There was no significant difference in DFS between the two groups, both in unweighted (P = 0.969) or weighted cohorts (P = 0.792). In the weighted cohort, stage IC (P = 0.014), tumour diameter >8 cm (P = 0.003), incomplete staging surgery (P = 0.003) and no adjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001) were the four high-risk factors associated with a shorter DFS. Among 14 patients who had pregnancy desire, 11 (78.6%) women conceived successfully; the live birth rate was 76.9%. In univariate analysis, only adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.009) was associated with infertility.

CONCLUSIONS

On the premise of complete staging surgery, FSS is safe and feasible in early stage MSCSTs with satisfactory reproductive outcomes.

Association between Elevated Magnesium Intake and Reduced Risk of Recurrent Falls and Frailty in Osteoarthritis: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this 8-year follow-up study was to investigate the relationship between magnesium intake and frailty, as well as recurrent falls, in individuals diagnosed with Osteoarthritis (OA) or those at a heightened risk for developing the condition.

METHODS

This study utilized data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) database and conducted a prospective cohort study with a 8-year follow-up period. Total magnesium intake from both food sources and supplements was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), while frailty and recurrent falls were evaluated through established criteria and self-report, respectively. To account for potential confounding factors, various covariates were considered, and statistical analyses, including generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs), were employed to examine the associations.

RESULTS

Among the 4,667 participants with OA, those with lower total magnesium intake were characterized by younger age, a higher proportion of African American individuals, higher body mass index (BMI), and lower dietary fiber intake (P<0.001). Notably, this group exhibited higher odds of experiencing recurrent falls and frailty (P = 0.034 and 0.006, respectively). Controlling for various factors, the GAMMs consistently revealed negative correlations between magnesium intake and the likelihood of frailty and recurrent falls, with each 1 mg/1000 kcal increase in magnesium intake associated with a 0.5% reduced frailty risk (p < 0.001) and a 0.2% decreased risk of recurrent falls (p = 0.001). Subgroup analyses suggested that increased total magnesium intake from both food sources and supplements may exert a more pronounced preventive effect on recurrent falls and frailty in men, older adults, individuals with normal BMI, and those with higher dietary fiber intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated total magnesium intake from both food sources and supplements was found to be associated with a decreased risk of recurrent falls and frailty in individuals diagnosed with OA or those at risk of developing the condition. These findings imply that increased total magnesium intake might be beneficial in managing the risk of these outcomes, particularly within specific subgroups, including men, older adults, those with a normal BMI, and those with higher dietary fiber intake.

Clogging and Unclogging of Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Nanochannels

The recent advantages of the fabrication of artificial nanochannels enabled new research on the molecular transport, permeance, and selectivity of various gases and molecules. However, the physisorption/chemisorption of the unwanted molecules (usually hydrocarbons) inside nanochannels results in the alteration of the functionality of the nanochannels. We investigated contamination due to hydrocarbon molecules, nanochannels made of graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, BC₂N, and molybdenum disulfide using molecular dynamics simulations. We found that for a certain size of nanochannel (i.e., h = 0.7 nm), as a result of the anomalous hydrophilic nature of nanochannels made of graphene, the hydrocarbons are fully adsorbed in the nanochannel, giving rise to full uptake. An increasing temperature plays an important role in unclogging, while pressure does not have a significant role. The results of our pioneering work contribute to a better understanding and highlight the important factors in alleviating the contamination and unclogging of nanochannels, which are in good agreement with the results of recent experiments.

[Clinical features and survival analysis of microscopic polyangiitis-associated interstitial lung disease:a retrospective study of 28 patients]

Objective: To explore the clinical features, laboratory examination and imaging features of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD), and to perform survival analysis. Methods: The records of 28 patients with MPA-ILD who were treated at the Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University were reviewed retrospectively from August 2014 to November 2021. The patients' clinical features, laboratory parameters, pulmonary function test, echocardiography, chest CT scan findings and therapeutic regimen were analyzed, and the relevant data were statistically analyzed. Results: There were 18 males and 10 females, with an average age of (70.1±9.3) years. Among them, 13 patients had a history of smoking. The main clinical manifestations were cough (14/28), fever (12/28), chest tightness, shortness of breath (12/28) and hemoptysis (3/28). Sixteen patients had renal involvement, and 78.57% (22/28) and 89.28% (25/28) of the patients had elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and ESR respectively. Sixteen (16/28) patients had increased rheumatoid factor (RF), and the positive rate of myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (MPO-ANCA) was 82.12% (23/28). 96.43% (27/28) of ILDs were diagnosed before or at the same time as MPA. The chest radiological pattern was mainly usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) or UIP-like (15/28), followed by nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) (8/28). Compared with non-UIP-like patients, UIP or UIP-like patients were older (P=0.018), and had higher serum LDH level (P=0.041), but serum creatinine level was significantly lower (P=0.041). Univariate and multivariate survival analysis showed that inappropriate treatment (HR=9.81, 95%CI: 1.68-57.29, P=0.011) and elevated serum LDH (HR=4.11, 95%CI: 0.99-17.00, P=0.051) were independent risk factors for shortened survival of MPA-ILD, while elevated RF (HR=0.22, 95%CI: 0.06-0.91, P=0.037) was a protective factor for prolonged survival. Conclusions: MPA-ILD patients had fewer systemic vasculitis symptoms. Most of the ILD patients were diagnosed before or at the same time as MPA. The chest radiological pattern was mainly UIP or UIP-like, followed by NSIP. Early use of glucocorticoids combined with immunosuppressant or rituximab could improve the survival rate of MPA-ILD. The elevated serum LDH was an independent risk factor for shortened survival of MPA-ILD, while elevated RF was a protective factor for prolonged survival.

[The effect of steatotic donor livers on the prognosis of donors and recipients after pediatric living donor liver transplantation]

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of steatotic donor livers on the safety of donors and the prognosis of donors and recipients in pediatric living donor liver transplantation. Methods: A total of 814 pediatric living donor liver transplantations were performed between January 2013 and December 2020 at Department of Pediatric Organ Transplantation,Tianjin First Central Hospital.The clinical data were collected and a retrospective study was conducted.The recipients and the donors were divided into non-steatotic donor liver group(n=733) and steatotic donor liver group(n=81) according to whether the donor graft had steatosis. The recipients and the donors in the steatotic donor liver group were further divided into mild and moderate steatosis groups based on the degree of liver steatosis.Among the donors of non-steatosis donor group,there were 307 males and 426 females,with a median age of 30 years(range:18 to 57 years);the recipients included 351 males and 382 females,with a median age of 7 months(range:4 month to 14 years).Among the donors of steatosis donor group,there were 41 males and 40 females,with a median age of 31 years(range:22 to 51 years);the recipients included 34 males and 47 females,with a median age of 8 months(range:5 months to 11 years).The donors and the recipients were followed up regularly by means of outpatient reexamination and questionnaire survey after operation.Statistical analysis of data between groups was performed using t-test,Wilcoxon rank-sum test,repeated measures ANOVA,χ² test,or Fisher's exact test,respectively.The survival curves of recipients and grafts in different groups were created by Kaplan-Meier method,and the survival rates of the steatotic donor liver group and the non-steatotic donor liver group were compared by Log-rank method. Results: There was no significant difference in the gender of donors in both groups (P=0.132).There were significant differences in the age and blood type distribution as well as body weight and body mass index(all P<0.05) between the two groups.No significant difference was seen in the recovery of liver function markers ALT and AST at 1,2,5 days and 1 month after operation (all P>0.05) between the two groups.The steatotic donor liver group showed longer operation time ((294±75) minutes vs. (264±81) minutes; t=3.149,P=0.002),increased incidence of postoperative biliary leakage (3.7%(3/81) vs. 0.5% (4/733); P=0.025) and delayed incision healing (7.4%(6/81) vs. 2.0%(15/733); P=0.013).There were no significant differences in gender,age,blood type distribution,height,weight and pediatric end-stage liver disease score of recipients between the two groups (all P>0.05).As compared to the non-steatotic donor liver group,the steatotic donor liver group showed similar levels of ALT, AST and total bilirubin within 2 weeks after operation(all P>0.05). The cumulative recipient survival rates in both groups were both 96.3%,the cumulative graft survival rates were 96.3% and 95.5%,respectively,without significant difference(both P>0.05). No statistical difference was observed in the incidence of major complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the recovery of liver function markers of donors and recipients between mild and moderate steatosis groups(all P>0.05).The cumulative recipient survival rates were both 95.9% and the cumulative graft survival rates were both 100% in mild and moderate steatosis groups,without significant difference(P=0.592). Conclusions: The application of mild to moderate steatotic donor livers in pediatric living donor liver transplantation may prolong the operation time of donors,increase the incidence of complications such as biliary leakage and delayed incision healing. But there is no significant impact of mild to moderate steatotic donor livers on the overall postoperative recovery of donors and recipients,and the prognosis is ideal.

[Long-term safety and activity of humanized CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells for children and young adults with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of humanized CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor T cells (hCART19s) in treating children and young adults with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R ALL) and to analyze relevant factors affecting its curative effect and prognosis. Methods: We conducted a single-center clinical trial involving 31 children and young adult patients with R/R B-ALL who were treated with humanized CD19-specific CAR-T cells (hCART19s) from May 2016 to September 2021. Results: Results showed that 27 (87.1%) patients achieved complete remission (CR) or CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi) one month after CAR-T cell infusion. During treatment, 20 (64.5%) patients developed grade 1-2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) , and 4 (12.9%) developed grade 3 CRS. Additionally, two patients had grade 1 neurological events. During the follow-up with a median time of 19.3 months, the median event-free survival (EFS) was 15.7 months (95% CI 8.7-22.5) , and the median overall survival (OS) was 32.2 months (95% CI 10.6-53.9) . EFS and OS rates were higher in patients who have undergone hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) than in those without [EFS: (75.0 ± 12.5) % vs (21.1 ± 9.4) %, P=0.012; OS: (75.0 ± 12.5) % vs (24.6 ± 10.2) %, P=0.035]. The EFS and OS rates were significantly lower in patients with >3 treatment lines than in those with <3 treatment lines [EFS: 0 vs (49.5±10.4) %, P<0.001; OS: 0 vs (52.0±10.8) %, P<0.001]. To the cutoff date, 12 patients presented with CD19(+) relapse, and 1 had CD19(-) relapse. Conclusion: hCART19s are effective in treating pediatric and young adult R/R ALL patients, with a low incidence of severe adverse events and reversible symptoms. Following HSCT, the number of treatment lines can affect the long-term efficacy and prognosis of pediatric and young adult R/R ALL patients.

The Effects of Dual-Task Training on Cognitive and Physical Functions in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Individuals with Alzheimer disease and dementia experience cognitive decline and reduction in physical capabilities. Engaging in cognitive challenges and physical exercises is effective in reducing age-related cognitive and physical decline. It is believed that physical activity in the context of cognitive challenges might enhance the process of neurogenesis in the adult brain, but how effective are such interventions? Is there enough evidence to support that dual-task training is more effective than cognitive or physical training alone? To what extent can such training improve cognitive and physical functions in patients at various stages of cognitive decline?

METHODOLOGY

This systematic review with meta-analysis summarizes the emerging evidence of dual-task training for enhancing cognitive and physical functions in older individuals with cognitive impairment, dementia or Alzheimer's disease. A systematic search was carried out in MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library with the following search terms: randomized control trials, dual-task training, SCD, MCI, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease.

RESULTS

A total of 21 studies with 2,221 participants were identified. The results of dual-task tanning intervention are summarized as change in global cognitive function; SMD = 0.24, (P= 0.002), memory; SMD = 0.28, (P = 0.000), executive function; SMD = 0.35, (P = 0.000), attention; SMD = -0.19, (P = 0.1), gait speed; SMD = 0.26, (P = 0.007), dual-task cost; SMD 0.56, (P = 0.000), and balance; SMD 0.36, (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Primary analysis showed a small-to-medium positive effect of dual-task training interventions on cognitive functions and medium-to-large positive effect on gait functions and balance.

Measurement of Lepton-Jet Correlation in Deep-Inelastic Scattering with the H1 Detector Using Machine Learning for Unfolding

The first measurement of lepton-jet momentum imbalance and azimuthal correlation in lepton-proton scattering at high momentum transfer is presented. These data, taken with the H1 detector at HERA, are corrected for detector effects using an unbinned machine learning algorithm (multifold), which considers eight observables simultaneously in this first application. The unfolded cross sections are compared with calculations performed within the context of collinear or transverse-momentum-dependent factorization in quantum chromodynamics as well as Monte Carlo event generators.

Short-Range Structural Connections Are More Severely Damaged in Early-Stage MS

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Long-range connections are more severely damaged and relevant for cognition in long-standing MS. However, the evolution of such coordinated network damage in patients with MS is unclear. We investigated whether short- and long-range structural connections sustained equal damage in early-stage MS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixteen patients with early-stage MS and 17 healthy controls were scanned by high-resolution, multishell diffusion imaging on 7T MR imaging and assessed cognitively. We investigated macrostructural properties in short- and long-range fibers and of microstructural metrics derived from 2 quantitative diffusion MR imaging models: DTI and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging.

RESULTS

Patients had significant WM integrity damage-that is, higher radial diffusivity and a lower intracellular volume fraction in the focal WM lesions. Compared with the healthy controls, the patients had noticeable microstructure changes in both short- and long-range fibers, including increased radial diffusivity, mean diffusivity, and axial diffusivity. Z scores further indicated greater damage in the short-range fibers than in the long-range fibers.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that more severe demyelination preceding axonal degeneration occurs in short-range connections but not in long-range connections in early-stage MS, suggesting the possibility that there are cortical lesions that are undetectable by current MR imaging.

HMGN5 promotes invasion and migration of colorectal cancer through activating FGF/FGFR pathway

OBJECTIVE

To detect the expression of high-mobility group nucleosome-binding domain 5 (HMGN5) in colorectal cancer tissues, to explore the function of HMGN5 on the proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells, and to further study the molecular mechanism of HMGN5 in the malignant progression of colorectal cancer (CRC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The cancer tissues and para-carcinoma tissues were harvested from 40 patients with CRC. The expression of HMGN5 was detected via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the relation between HMGN5 and clinical indexes of CRC patients was further analyzed. The CRC HT29 and HCT116 cell lines with high expression levels of HMGN5 were selected, and the HMGN5 knockdown model was established. The functions of HMGN5 on CRC cells were stated by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and transwell migration assay. Then, the association between HMGN5 and fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12) was further explored via Dual-Luciferase reporter assay and reverse assay.

RESULTS

The qRT-PCR showed that HMGN5 expression was significantly rising in cancer tissues compared to the control group. The incidence rate of lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis was higher in higher expression HMGN5 group than the lower expression HMGN5 group. The results of cell function experiments revealed that silence of HMGN5 could suppress the proliferation and migration of HT29 and HCT116. In addition, it was found using qRT-PCR that knockdown of HMGN5 could significantly down-regulate the expressions of FGF12, FGFR, PI3K and AKT in HT29 and HCT116 cells. The targeted binding relation between HMGN5 and FGF12 was also indicated by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. The consequence of qRT-PCR manifested that FGF12 expression markedly rose in CRC tissues, which had a positive correlation with HMGN5. Moreover, reverse assay indicated that the inhibitory effect of HMGN5 knockdown on the malignant progression of CRC could be reversed by recombinant FGF12, indicating once again that there is a mutual regulatory effect between HMGN5 and FGF12.

CONCLUSIONS

HMGN5 can increase the proliferative and migrative capacity of CRC cells via targeted binding to FGF12. In addition, clinical data analyses demonstrate that HMGN5 is intimately related to the incidence rate of lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis in patients with CRC.

Betalain exerts cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects against the experimental model of heart failure

Betalain is a natural plant pigment known to elicit various biological activities. However, studies on the protective effect of betalain against heart failure have not reported yet. The experimental model of heart failure was created in Wistar rats using isoproterenol (ISO). The animals were randomly assigned into four groups such as sham-control, ISO-induced heart failure, betalain pretreated before ISO induction (50 mg/kg/day), and betalain drug control group were maintained for 6 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, anti-oxidant enzymes, inflammatory markers, matrix proteins, cardiac-specific markers, and micro RNAs were elucidated using RT-PCR, and ELISA analysis. The results demonstrated that the rats induced with ISO displayed an abnormality in cardiac functions, increased oxidative stress markers (p < 0.01), inflammatory cytokines (p < 0.01) while abrogated the expression of miR-18a, and increased miR-199a. While betalain pre-treated rats prevented the cardiac failure significantly (p < 0.01) with improved anti-oxidant enzymes, abrogated the inflammatory signals with restored matrix proteins, cardiac biomarker genes, and attenuated miR-423 and miR-27 compared to heart failure rats. The results of the study suggest that the betalain treatment protected the hearts from failing via microRNA mediated activation the anti-inflammatory signaling and restoring the matrix protein modulation.

[Risk factors of blood loss during liver transplantation in children with biliary atresia and its influence on prognosis]

Objectives: To study the risk factors for massive intraoperative blood loss in children with biliary atresia who underwent liver transplantation for the first time,and to analyze their impacts on graft survival,hospital stay and postoperative complications. Methods: The data of 613 children with biliary atresia who underwent liver transplantation at Department of Pediatric Organ Transplantation,Tianjin First Central Hospital from January 2015 to December 2018 were collected and analyzed. There were 270 males and 343 females, aged 7.4 (3.9) months (range: 3.2 to 148.4 months), the body weight of the recipients were (7.8±3.5) kg (range: 4.0 to 43.3 kg).According to the 85^th quad of estimated blood loss(EBL),they were divided into two groups:massive EBL group(96 cases) and non massive EBL group(517 cases). The age,height,weight and other factors between the two groups were analyzed and compared. Univariate Logistic regression and multiple stepwise regression were used to determine the risk factors of massive EBL. Then,the postoperative complications of the two groups,including portal vein thrombosis and portal vein anastomotic stenosis etc.,were analyzed and compared by chi square test. Kaplan Meier curve and log rank test were used to analyze the recipient and graft survival rate of the two groups. Results: During the study period,713 transplants were performed and 613 patients were enrolled in the study. Ninety-six patients(15.7%) had massive EBL,and the postoperative hospital stay was 21(16) days(range:2 to 116 days),the hospital stay of non-massive EBL group was 22(12)days(range:3 to 138 days)(U=24 224.0,P=0.32). Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the recipient's weight,Kasai portoenterostomy,platelet count,operation time and cold ischemia time were the risk factors of massive EBL during biliary atresia transplantation. Multiple regression analysis showed that cold ischemia time ≥10 hours,prolonged operation time(≥8 hours) and body weight<5.5 kg were important independent risk factors for massive EBL.The incidence of portal vein thrombosis,hepatic vein stenosis,intestinal leakage and pulmonary infection in patients with massive EBL were significantly higher than those without massive EBL(3.1% vs. 0.8%,9.4% vs. 2.1%,6.3% vs. 0.8%,30.2% vs. 20.1%,all P<0.05). The 3-year overall graft and recipient survival rate were significantly lower in patients with massive EBL than those without massive EBL(87.5% vs. 95.7%,P=0.001;84.4% vs. 95.4%,P<0.01,respectively). Conclusions: In children with biliary atresia who underwent liver transplantation for the first time,the effective control of intraoperative bleeding should shorten the operation time and reduce the cold ischemia time as far as possible,on the premise of ensuring the safety of operation. For children without growth disorder,the weight of children should be increased to more than 5.5 kg as far as possible to receive the operation. Reducing intraoperative bleeding is of great significance to the prognosis of children.