Vegetation-fire feedbacks increase subtropical wildfire risk in scrubland and reduce it in forests

Climate dictates wildfire activity around the world. But East and Southeast Asia are an apparent exception as fire-activity variation there is unrelated to climatic variables. In subtropical China, fire activity decreased by 80% between 2003 and 2020 amid increased fire risks globally. Here, we assessed the fire regime, vegetation structure, fuel flammability and their interactions across subtropical Hubei, China. We show that tree basal area (TBA) and fuel flammability explained 60% of fire-frequency variance. Fire frequency and fuel flammability, in turn, explained 90% of TBA variance. These results reveal a novel system of scrubland-forest stabilized by vegetation-fire feedbacks. Frequent fires promote the persistence of derelict scrubland through positive vegetation-fire feedbacks; in forest, vegetation-fire feedbacks are negative and suppress fire. Thus, we attribute the decrease in wildfire activity to reforestation programs that concurrently increase forest coverage and foster negative vegetation-fire feedbacks that suppress wildfire.

Temporal Structures in Positron Spectra and Charge-Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic positron fluxes in the rigidity range from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 3.4×10^{6} positrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The positron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the electron fluxes at short and long timescales. A hysteresis between the electron fluxes and the positron fluxes is observed with a significance greater than 5σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. On the contrary, the positron fluxes and the proton fluxes show similar time variation. Remarkably, we found that positron fluxes are modulated more than proton fluxes with a significance greater than 5σ for rigidities below 7 GV. These continuous daily positron fluxes, together with AMS daily electron, proton, and helium fluxes over an 11-year solar cycle, provide unique input to the understanding of both the charge-sign and mass dependencies of cosmic rays in the heliosphere.

[Diagnostic and prognostic values of flow cytometry in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with bone marrow involvement]

Objective: To analyze the diagnostic and prognostic values of flow cytometry (FC) in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with bone marrow involvement (BMI). Methods: The clinical data of 412 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, including 243 males and 169 females, aged 64 (28-92) years old, in the Department of Hematology at Peking University Third Hospital from December 2012 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent bone marrow biopsy (BMB) and bone marrow FC. The patients with BMI by FC were further detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for gene analysis. The positive rates and consistency of BMI detected by BMB and FC were evaluated. According to the results of BMB and FC examinations, all patients were divided into four groups: the BMB+FC+group (115 cases), the BMB-FC+group (50 cases), the BMB+FC-group (8 cases, the results did not include in statistical analysis because of small sample size), and the BMB-FC-group (239 cases). The clinical features, treatment response rates, 5-year survival rates, and immunophenotype characteristics by FC in different groups were analyzed. Results: Among the 412 patients with DLBCL, the positivity rates of BMB and FC for BMI detection were 29.9% (123/412) and 40.0% (165/412), respectively. Good consistency between BMB and FC was found (Kappa=0.841, P=0.001). The numbers of extranodal involvement≥2, splenomegaly, huge mass, higher Ki-67 score, higher international prognostic index (IPI) score, thrombocytopenia, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase level were more prevalent in the BMB+FC+group than those in the BMB-FC+group and the BMB-FC-group (all P<0.05). The treatment response rate in BMB+FC+group was 63.5% (73/115), which was lower than those in BMB-FC+group (88.0%, 44/50, P=0.048) and BMB-FC-group (90.0%, 215/239, P=0.032), respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates in three groups were (53.6±9.7) %, (72.5±8.6) %, and (75.2±7.6) %, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.037). According to the FISH results of bone marrow, 102 cases were diagnosed as not otherwise specified (NOS), 48 cases were diagnosed as double hit lymphoma (DHL), and 15 cases were diagnosed as triple hit lymphoma (THL). Compared with NOS subtypes, the tumor cells in DHL or THL subtypes had higher proportion of increased side scatter (SSC), higher positive rates of CD10 expression, CD38 strong expression and CD56 expression, and lower proportion of surface immunoglobulin light chain restriction (all P<0.05). Conclusions: FC is well consistent with BMB in diagnosing DLBCL with BMI. Combined with FISH detection, FC can contribute to the auxiliary diagnosis and risk stratification for DHL and THL, and provide reference for the prognostic evaluation in DLBCL with BMI.

The association between mammographic density and breast cancer molecular subtypes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the whether high mammographic density (MD) is differentially associated with all subtypes of breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched systematically in October 2022 to include all studies that investigated the association between MD and breast cancer subtype. Aggregate data of 17,193 breast cancer cases from 23 studies were selected, including five cohort/case-control and 18 case-only studies. The relative risk (RR) of MD were combined using random/fixed effects models for case-control studies, and for case-only studies, relative risk ratios (RRRs) were a combination of luminal A, luminal B, and HER2-positive versus triple-negative tumours.

RESULTS

Women in the highest density category in case-control/cohort studies had a 2.24-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.53, 3.28), 1.81-fold (95% CI 1.15, 2.85), 1.44-fold (95% CI 1.14, 1.81), and 1.59-fold (95% CI 0.89, 2.85) higher risk of triple-negative, HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) positive, luminal A, and luminal B breast cancer compared to women in the lowest density category. RRRs for breast tumours being luminal A, luminal B, and HER-2 positive versus triple-negative in case-only studies were 1.62 (95% CI 1.14, 2.31), 1.81 (95% CI 1.22, 2.71) and 2.58 (95% CI 1.63, 4.08), respectively, for BIRADS 4 versus BIRADS 1.

CONCLUSION

The evidence indicates MD is a potent risk factor for the majority of breast cancer subtypes to different degrees. Increased MD is more strongly linked to HER-2-positive cancers compared to other breast cancer subtypes. The application of MD as a subtype-specific risk marker may facilitate the creation of personalised risk prediction models and screening procedures.

[Primary cardiac angiosarcoma: a clinicopathological and molecular genetic analysis of thirteen cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological and molecular features of primary cardiac angiosarcoma (PCAS), and to analyze the correlation between KDR mutation and the clinicopathological features of PCAS. Methods: Thirteen cases of PCAS were collected at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2007 to December 2021. The clinicopathological features, diagnosis, differential diagnosis and outcome were retrospectively analyzed. KDR mutation was detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and then the expression of KDR (VEGFR2) was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC), with review of relevant literatures. Results: There were eight males and five females with a mean age of 45 years. The primary tumor was in the right atrium in 10 cases, left atrium in two cases and right ventricle in one case. The histomorphology was mainly poorly differentiated angiosarcoma (11 cases), with highly pleomorphic spindle or round cells in solid sheets, brisk mitotic activity and extensive necrosis. Vascular lumen formation was observed in two cases of high to moderate differentiation, and biphenotypic differentiation was seen in five cases. IHC staining showed CD34, CD31, Fli1, ERG and vimentin were diffusely positive, pan-cytokeratin was positive, Ki-67 index ranged from 3% to 90%, which was positively correlated with the differentiation degree and grade of the PCASs (P<0.05). At the end of follow-up period, one patient was alive, two patients were lost to follow-up, and the remaining 10 patients had an average survival time of 4.6 months. Finally, NGS sequencing was performed on seven samples after screening, and the results showed that KDR and NF1 mutations were both present in three cases. VEGFR2 expression had no significant correlation with the differentiation degree and grade of PCAS (P>0.05), and it was not related to KDR mutation. Conclusions: PCASs mainly occur in the right atrium, and are mainly poorly differentiated. Ki-67 index is helpful to assess the degree and grade of tumor differentiation. The occurrence and development of PCAS may be related to the pathway involved in KDR mutation, but KDR mutation has no clear correlation with clinicopathological characteristics of PCAS, and immunohistochemical staining can not replace gene detection to determine whether the tumor had KDR mutation.

Occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins in freshly harvested highland barley (qingke) grains from Tibet, China

Highland barley, also called "qingke" in Tibetan, is mainly cultivated in the Tibetan Plateau of China and has been used as a major staple food for Tibetans. Recently, Fusarium head blight (FHB) of qingke was frequently observed around the Brahmaputra River in Tibet. Considering the importance of qingke for Tibetans, the assessment of Fusarium mycotoxin contamination is essential for food safety. In this study, a total of 150 freshly harvested qingke grain samples were obtained from three regions around the Brahmaputra River in Tibet (China) in 2020. The samples were investigated for the occurrence of 20 Fusarium mycotoxins using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‒MS/MS). The most frequently occurring mycotoxin was enniatin B (ENB) (46%), followed by enniatin B₁ (ENB₁) (14.7%), zearalenone (ZEN) (6.0%), enniatin A₁ (ENA₁) (3.3%), enniatin A (ENA) (1.3%), beauvericin (BEA) (0.7%), and nivalenol (NIV) (0.7%). Due to the increase in altitude, the cumulative precipitation level and average temperature decreased from the downstream to the upstream of the Brahmaputra River; this directly correlated to the contamination level of ENB in qingke, which gradually decreased from downstream to upstream. In addition, the level of ENB in qingke obtained from qingke-rape rotation was significantly lower than that from qingke-wheat and qingke-qingke rotations (p < 0.05). These results disseminated the occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins and provided further understanding of the effect of environmental factors and crop rotation on Fusarium mycotoxins.

Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic-Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the properties of primary cosmic-ray sulfur (S) in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.38×10^{6} sulfur nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment (AMS). We observed that above 90 GV the rigidity dependence of the S flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of Ne-Mg-Si fluxes, which is different from the rigidity dependence of the He-C-O-Fe fluxes. We found that, similar to N, Na, and Al cosmic rays, over the entire rigidity range, the traditional primary cosmic rays S, Ne, Mg, and C all have sizeable secondary components, and the S, Ne, and Mg fluxes are well described by the weighted sum of the primary silicon flux and the secondary fluorine flux, and the C flux is well described by the weighted sum of the primary oxygen flux and the secondary boron flux. The primary and secondary contributions of the traditional primary cosmic-ray fluxes of C, Ne, Mg, and S (even Z elements) are distinctly different from the primary and secondary contributions of the N, Na, and Al (odd Z elements) fluxes. The abundance ratio at the source for S/Si is 0.167±0.006, for Ne/Si is 0.833±0.025, for Mg/Si is 0.994±0.029, and for C/O is 0.836±0.025. These values are determined independent of cosmic-ray propagation.

[Rapid determination of acetaminophen in plasma by LC-MS/MS]

Objective: To establish a method for the rapid determination of acetaminophen (APAP) in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. Methods: The plasma samples were extracted by methanol and acetonitrile (1: 1) and purified directly. C(18) column was used for sample separation. The mobile phase were methanol (5 mmol/L ammonium acetate) and water (5 mmol/L ammonium acetate). Samples were analyzed by LC MS/MS with the electrospray ionization multi reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Results: The calibration curves of APAP was linear in the concentration range of 0~10 mg/L, the correlation coefficient (r) was greater than 0.999 0. The relative standard deviation within and between batches was less than 10%. The recovery rate were 96.81%~101.7%. The detection limit of the method was 0.1 μg/L and the lower limit of quantification was 0.3 μg/L. Conclusion: This method has strong specificity, high sensitivity and reliable determination results. It is suitable for the rapid analysis of clinical plasma samples.

Temporal Structures in Electron Spectra and Charge Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.

Pan-Cancer analyses of Necroptosis-Related genes as a potential target to predict immunotherapeutic outcome

Necroptosis is a unique programmed death mechanism of necrotic cells. However, its role and specific mechanism in cancer remain unclear, and a systematic pan-cancer analysis of necroptosis is yet to be conducted. Thus, we performed a specific pan-cancer analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue Expression databases to analyse necroptosis expression in terms of cancer prognosis, DNA methylation status, tumour mutative burden, microsatellite instability, immune cell infiltration in different types of cancer and molecular mechanisms. For the first time, we explored the correlation between necroptosis and immunotherapy prognosis. Thus, our study provides a relatively comprehensive understanding of the carcinogenicity of necroptosis in different types of cancer. It is suggested that necroptosis can be used to evaluate the sensitivity of different patients to immunotherapy and may become a potential target for tumour immunotherapy.

[A descriptive analysis of tea consumption in adult twins in China]

Objective: To describe the distribution characteristics of tea consumption in adult twins recruited in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) and provide clues to genetic and environmental influences on tea consumption. Methods: Enrolled in CNTR during 2010-2018, 25 264 twin pairs aged 18 years and above were included in subsequent analysis. Random effect models were used to estimate tea consumption in the population and regional distribution characteristics. The concordance rate of the behavior and difference in consumption volume of tea within pairs were also described. Results: The mean age of all subjects was (35.38±12.45) years old. The weekly tea consumers accounted for 17.0%, with an average tea consumption of (3.36±2.44) cups per day. The proportion of weekly tea consumers was higher among males, 50-59 years old, southern, urban, educated, and the first-born in the twin pair (P<0.05), and lower among unmarried individuals (P<0.001). Within-pair analysis showed that the concordance rate of tea consumption of monozygotic (MZ) twins was higher than that of dizygotic (DZ) twins and the overall heritability of tea consumption was 13.45% (11.38%-15.51%). Stratified by the characteristics mentioned above, only in males, the concordance rate of MZ showed a tendency to be greater than that of DZ (all P<0.05). The differences in consumption volume of tea within twin pairs were minor in MZ among males (P<0.05), while the differences were not significant in female twins. Conclusion: There were discrepancies in the distribution of tea consumption among twins of different demographic and regional characteristics. Tea consumption was mainly influenced by environmental factors and slightly influenced by genetic factors. The size of genetic factors varied with gender, age, and region, and gender was a potential modified factor.

Properties of Daily Helium Fluxes

We present the precision measurement of 2824 daily helium fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 in the rigidity interval from 1.71 to 100 GV based on 7.6×10^{8} helium nuclei collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The helium flux and the helium to proton flux ratio exhibit variations on multiple timescales. In nearly all the time intervals from 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent helium flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. In the entire time period, we found that below ∼7  GV the helium flux exhibits larger time variations than the proton flux, and above ∼7  GV the helium to proton flux ratio is time independent. Remarkably, below 2.4 GV a hysteresis between the helium to proton flux ratio and the helium flux was observed at greater than the 7σ level. This shows that at low rigidity the modulation of the helium to proton flux ratio is different before and after the solar maximum in 2014.

[Clinicopathological characteristics and molecular alterations of primary cardiac leiomyosarcoma: report of five cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinical, pathologic and radiologic features and molecular alterations in patients with primary cardiac leiomyosarcoma (PCLMS). Methods: Five cases of PCLMS were collected in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. The clinical, pathologic and radiologic data, and molecular alterations were analyzed, and the patients were followed up. Results: All five patients were female, and had no history of leiomyosarcoma in other parts of the body. The age of patients ranged from 37 to 62 years (median 47 years). The main clinical symptoms were chest pain and dyspnea, one also presented with palpitation and lower limb weakness and one with dizziness. Two tumors were located in the left atrium, two in the right atrium, and one in the right ventricle, and they maximal diameter ranged from 2.5 to 14.0 cm (mean 6.2 cm). The neoplasms presented as medium-echo masses with a broad base in the echocardiography, and as a low-density, solid mass when detected by contrast-enhanced CT. Histologically, two tumors were well-differentiated and three were moderately and poorly differentiated, and two included extensive, loose myxoid stroma. Immunohistochemical staining showed that PCLMS was positive for SMA, desmin, MDM2, and epidermal growth factor receptor. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed ALK gene rearrangement in two cases, and COL1A1-PDGFB fusion in three cases. All cases received surgical excision and two cases received chemotherapy. Three patients died within 0-11 months (mean survival of 7.7 months) and two patients were alive. Conclusions: PCLMS is a malignant tumor with a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. These cases may provide useful information to improve the diagnosis and management of PCLMS.

[A descriptive analysis on coronary heart disease in adult twins in China]

Objective: To describe the distribution characteristics of coronary heart disease in adult twins recruited from Chinese Twin Registry (CNTR), and provide clues and evidence for the effect of genetic and environmental influences on coronary heart disease. Methods: By using the data of CNTR during 2010-2018, a total of 34 583 twin pairs aged ≥18 years who completed questionnaire survey and had related information were included in the current study to analyze the population and area distribution characteristics of coronary heart disease. Random effect models were used to compare the differences between groups. The concordane rate of coronary heart disease were calculated respectively in monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs to estimate the heritability. Results: The twin pairs included in this analysis were aged (34.2±12.4) years. The overall prevalence rate of coronary heart disease in twin pairs was 0.7%. Twin pairs who were women, older, obese and lived in northern China had higher prevalence of coronary heart disease (P<0.05). Intra-pair analysis in the same-sex twin pairs found that the concordane rate of coronary heart disease was higher in MZ twin pairs (25.3%) than in DZ twins (7.4%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The overall heritability of coronary heart disease was 19.3% (95%CI: 11.8%-26.8%). Stratified by gender, age and area, the concordane rate was still higher in MZ twin pairs than in DZ pairs. Participants who were women, aged 18-30 years or ≥60 years and lived in northern China had a higher heritability of coronary heart disease. Conclusion: The distribution of coronary heart disease in twin pairs differed in populations and areas. The prevalence of coronary heart disease was affected by genetic factors, but the effect varied with age, gender and area.

[A descriptive analysis on type 2 diabetes in twins in China]

Objective: To describe the distribution characteristics of type 2 diabetes in twins in Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR), provide clues and evidence for revealing the influence of genetic and environmental factors for type 2 diabetes. Methods: Of all twins registered in the CNTR during 2010-2018, a total 18 855 twin pairs aged ≥30 years with complete registration information were included in the analysis. The random effect model was used to describe the population and area distribution characteristics and concordance of type 2 diabetes in twin pairs. Results: The mean age of the subjects was (42.8±10.2) years, the study subjects included 10 339 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and 8 516 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. The self-reported prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes was 2.2% in total population and there was no sighificant difference between MZ and DZ. Intra-twin pairs analysis showed that the concordance rate of type 2 diabetes was 38.2% in MZ twin pairs, and 16.0% in DZ twin pairs, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The concordance rate of type 2 diabetes in MZ twin parts was higher than that in DZ twin pairs in both men and women, in different age groups and in different areas (P<0.05). Further stratified analysis showed that in northern China, only MZ twin pairs less than 60 years old were found to have a higher concordance rate of type 2 diabetes compared with DZ twin pairs (P<0.05). In southern China, the co-prevalence rate in male MZ twin pairs aged ≥60 years was still higher than that in DZ twin pairs (P<0.05). Conclusion: The twin pairs in this study had a lower self-reported prevalence of type 2 diabetes than the general population. The study results suggested that genetic factors play a role in type 2 diabetes prevalence in both men and women, in different age groups and in different areas, however, the effect might vary.

Efficacy and safety of combination therapy with vildagliptin and metformin vs. metformin monotherapy for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus therapy: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim is to assess the comparative efficacy and safety of combination therapy with vildagliptin and metformin vs. metformin monotherapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of combination therapy with vildagliptin and metformin vs. metformin monotherapy in patients with T2DM published up to 30 February 2021. The Cochrane tool and Revman 5.3 software was used to assess the risk of bias and conducted the meta-analysis in the included RCTs. Evidence level was assessed by the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

A total of 11 RCTs and 8533 patients were included. For the efficacy, we found that combination therapy with vildagliptin and metformin (dose of metformin ≥1500mg/d) had a significantly higher reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) [mean differences (MD)= -0.59, 95% CI (-0.28, -0.16), p<0.00001] and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level [MD= -0.82, 95% CI (-1.09, -0.56), p<0.00001] than combination therapy with vildagliptin and metformin (dose of metformin <1500 mg/d). Vildagliptin plus metformin as combination therapy reduced body weight loss ratio [MD=0.22, 95% CI (0.17, 0.27), p<0.00001] when compared with metformin monotherapy. In terms of safety, the vildagliptin plus metformin as combination therapy did not increase risk of total adverse events (AEs) [RR=0.98, 95% CI (0.94,1.02), p=0.29], however there were significant statistical difference and did not increase the risk of diarrhea [RR=0.55, 95% CI (0.40, 0.76), p=0.0003] and Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders [RR=0.72, 95% CI (0.58, 0.91), p=0.006], but significantly increased risk of dizziness [RR=1.41, 95% CI (1.06, 1.88), p=0.02] when compared with metformin monotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with metformin, vildagliptin combined with metformin could significantly reduce FPG, HbA1c and body weight. When the dose of metformin in the combination group of vildagliptin and metformin is ≥1500mg/d, the results showed significant reduction in HbA1c and FPG. In addition, it had no risk of increase in total AEs, diarrhea, and GI disorders, but had significant risk of increase in dizziness. GRADE showed that the quality of evidence had high certainty in FPG and moderate certainty in HbA1c, body weight and all AEs.

[Fast determination of bongkrekic acid in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry]

Objective: To establish a method for rapid determination of bongkrekic acid (BA) in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Methods: In November 2020, plasma samples were extracted by methanol and acetonitrile (1∶1) and purified directly. The samples were separated by C18 column. Gradient elution was carried out with 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate water acetonitrile solution as mobile phase. Under the optimized instrument conditions, the electrospray ionization multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was used, and the external standard method was used for quantitative analysis. Results: The linear relationship of BA in plasma was good in the concentration range of 2-100 μg/L, the correlation coefficient was 0.9998, the average recovery was 83.7%-112.0%, the relative standard deviation within and between batches was less than 10%, the detection limit of the method was 0.7 μg/L and the lower limit of quantification was 2.0 μg/L. Conclusion: The method is simple, rapid, accurate and sensitive, and can meet the requirements for the determination of BA in blood samples of poisoning patients.

Actinidia chinensis Planch Root extract suppresses the growth and metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma by inhibiting E2F Transcription Factor 1-mediated MNX1 antisense RNA 1

Increasing evidence has shown that traditional Chinese medicines and their bioactive components exert an anti-tumor effect, representing a novel treatment strategy. Actinidia chinensis Planch Root extracts (acRoots) have been reported to repress cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. The effect of acRoots on hypopharyngeal carcinoma progression was explored in this study. Firstly, data from MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and colony formation assays showed that incubation with accRoots reduced cell proliferation of hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Moreover, acRoots promoted the cell apoptosis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Secondly, cell migration and invasion of hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells were suppressed by acRoots. Thirdly, E2F1 (E2F Transcription Factor 1) and lncRNA MNX1-AS1 (MNX1 antisense RNA 1) were up-regulated in hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues, and reduced in hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells post acRoots incubation. Overexpression of E2F1 attenuated acRoots-induced decrease in MNX1-AS1 in hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Lastly, administration with acRoots retarded in vivo hypopharyngeal carcinoma growth through down-regulation of E2F1-mediated MNX1-AS1. In conclusion, acRoots exerted tumor-suppressive role in hypopharyngeal carcinoma through inhibition of E2F1-mediated MNX1-AS1.

Periodicities in the Daily Proton Fluxes from 2011 to 2019 Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station from 1 to 100 GV

We present the precision measurement of the daily proton fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 (a total of 2824 days or 114 Bartels rotations) in the rigidity interval from 1 to 100 GV based on 5.5×10^{9} protons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard the International Space Station. The proton fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. From 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. The rigidity dependence of the 27-day periodicity is different from the rigidity dependences of 9-day and 13.5-day periods. Unexpectedly, the strength of 9-day and 13.5-day periodicities increases with increasing rigidities up to ∼10  GV and ∼20  GV, respectively. Then the strength of the periodicities decreases with increasing rigidity up to 100 GV.

MiR-524 inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis in thyroid cancer via targeting SPAG9

The article "MiR-524 inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis in thyroid cancer via targeting SPAG9", by Z. Zhen, F. Dong, H. Shen, Q.-G. Wang, L. Yang, J. Hu, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2018; 22 (12): 3812-3818-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201806_15265-PMID: 29949157, has been retracted by the authors due to some unrepeated data in their current research. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/15265.

Erratum: Properties of a New Group of Cosmic Nuclei: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on Sodium, Aluminum, and Nitrogen [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 021101 (2021)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.021101.

C1q/TNF-related protein-9 suppresses inflammation in synovial cells from patients with osteoarthritis

Objective: Synovial inflammation contributes to cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis (OA) development. Targeting the inflammation process may provide a promising strategy for OA treatment. It has been demonstrated that C1q/tumour necrosis factor-related protein-9 (CTRP9) has immunosuppression capabilities. Thus, we conducted this study to investigate the role of CTRP9 in OA and its therapeutic potential.Method: The expression level of CTRP9 was quantified in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), serum, and synovial cells (SCs) isolated from OA patients by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relationship between the expression level of CTRP9 and the disease activity of OA was determined. The inflammation-suppressing effects of CTRP9 were assessed in vitro.Results: The expression level of CTRP9 was increased in the PBMCs and serum of OA compared to healthy controls. The serum level of CTRP9 was found to be positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and visual analogue scale score. In addition, CTRP9 protein suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β, in PBMCs and SCs in vitro. CTRP9 was increased in OA patients and positively correlated with the disease activity. The recombinant CTRP9 had inflammation-suppressing activities in vitro.Conclusion: CTRP9 may have therapeutic potential for treating OA.Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized as cartilage destruction resulting from synovial inflammation (1-6). According to the clinical symptoms and levels of inflammation, OA has been divided into primary generalized osteoarthritis (PGOA) and erosive inflammatory osteoarthritis (EIOA) (7). The only available treatment for OA is joint replacement. Thus, it is necessary to develop novel and effective therapeutic strategies to treat OA.Because synovial inflammation contributes to OA development, targeting the inflammation process may provide a promising strategy for OA treatment. Previous investigations showed that pro-inflammatory factors promoted OA development (8-10), while anti-inflammatory factors suppressed it (11-14). Thus, we conducted the present study to investigate the role of C1q/tumour necrosis factor-related protein-9 (CTRP9), an anti-inflammatory factor (15), in OA, and its therapeutic potential.

Properties of a New Group of Cosmic Nuclei: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on Sodium, Aluminum, and Nitrogen

We report the properties of sodium (Na) and aluminum (Al) cosmic rays in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.46 million sodium and 0.51 million aluminum nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. We found that Na and Al, together with nitrogen (N), belong to a distinct cosmic ray group. In this group, we observe that, similar to the N flux, both the Na flux and Al flux are well described by the sums of a primary cosmic ray component (proportional to the silicon flux) and a secondary cosmic ray component (proportional to the fluorine flux). The fraction of the primary component increases with rigidity for the N, Na, and Al fluxes and becomes dominant at the highest rigidities. The Na/Si and Al/Si abundance ratios at the source, 0.036±0.003 for Na/Si and 0.103±0.004 for Al/Si, are determined independent of cosmic ray propagation.

[Application of deep learning neural network in pathological image classification of non-inflammatory aortic membrane degeneration]

Objective: To investigate the value of deep learning in classifying non-inflammatory aortic membrane degeneration. Methods: Eighty-nine cases of non-inflammatory aortic media degeneration diagnosed from January to June 2018 were collected at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, China and scanned into digital sections. 1 627 hematoxylin and eosin stained photomicrographs were extracted. Combined with the ResNet18-based deep convolution neural network model, 4-category classification of pathological images were performed to diagnose the non-inflammatory aortic lesion. Results: The prediction model of artificial intelligence assisted diagnosis had the best accuracy, sensitivity and precision in identifying lesions with smooth muscle cell nuclei loss, which were 99.39%, 98.36% and 98.36%, respectively. The classification accuracy of elastic fiber fragmentation and/or loss lesions was 98.08%, while that of intralamellar mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation lesions was 96.93%. The overall accuracy of the classification model was 96.32%, and the area under the curve was 0.982. Conclusions: The accuracy of deep learning neural network model in the 4-category classification of non-inflammatory aortic lesionsis confirmed based on digital photomicrographs. This method can effectively improve the diagnostic efficiency of pathologists.

Effects of concentrated growth factor and nanofat on aging skin of nude mice induced by D-galactose

This investigation studied the effect of concentrated growth factor and nanofat on aging skin of nude mice induced by D-galactose. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups: 5 mice in the control group were fed normally without any intervention, 9 mice were treated with concentrated growth factor (CGF), 9 mice were treated with nanofat (NF), 9 mice were treated with CGF+NF, and 9 mice in the model group (no treatment after subcutaneous injection of D-galactose). Relevant indicators are measured and recorded. In skin and serum, SOD and GSH content in the model group were significantly lower than those in other groups (P<0.05), and the MDA of the three treatment groups was significantly lower than that of the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the contents of total collagen, type I collagen and type III collagen in the NF group and model group were decreased in different degrees (P<0.05); the contents of elastin and elastic fiber in the skin of nude mice in the model group and NF group were significantly decreased. Compared with the model group, he number of CD31 and VEGF in the treatment group was significantly increased (P<0.01); the skin AGE content of three treatment groups was significantly lower (P<0.05). These findings suggest that concentrated growth factor and nanofat may have a significant effect on delaying aging skin induced by D-galactose in nude mice.

[Absence of arterial duct in fetus: an autopsy analysis]

Objective: To analyze the absence of congenital arterial duct in fetus and to improve the diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Four hundred cases of congenital heart disease diagnosed by echocardiography during pregnancy were examined the fetal cardiovascular malformation and visceral malformation, and the absence of arterial duct was analyzed. Results: There were 24(6%)cases of absence of arterial duct, including 19 cases of left aortic arch and five cases of right aortic arch. There were 21 cases with main pulmonary arteries and 3 cases without main pulmonary arteries and branches. There were 15 cases of pulmonary artery stenosis with absence of arterial duct and the major cardiovascular malformations included six cases of single ventricle, six cases of atrial septal defect, four cases of single atrium, four cases of right atrium isomerism, four cases of double outlet right ventricle, four cases of anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, three cases of tetralogy of Fallot, and three cases of persistent left superior vena cava. There were seven cases of pulmonary atresia with absence of arterial duct and with systemic-pulmonary collateral circulation. There was one case of tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve and absent arterial duct and the pulmonary artery was dilated. There was one case of aortopulmonary septal defect with absent arterial duct, with normal pulmonary artery. There were also seven cases of asplenia, seven cases of pulmonary abnormality and seven cases of visceral inversion. Conclusions: The absence of arterial duct is often associated with congenital heart disease. Pulmonary atresia is often associated with systemic-pulmonary collateral circulation. The visceral malformations are related to the accompanying congenital cardiovascular malformations.

Properties of Heavy Secondary Fluorine Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Precise knowledge of the charge and rigidity dependence of the secondary cosmic ray fluxes and the secondary-to-primary flux ratios is essential in the understanding of cosmic ray propagation. We report the properties of heavy secondary cosmic ray fluorine F in the rigidity R range 2.15 GV to 2.9 TV based on 0.29 million events collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. The fluorine spectrum deviates from a single power law above 200 GV. The heavier secondary-to-primary F/Si flux ratio rigidity dependence is distinctly different from the lighter B/O (or B/C) rigidity dependence. In particular, above 10 GV, the F/Si/B/O ratio can be described by a power law R^{δ} with δ=0.052±0.007. This shows that the propagation properties of heavy cosmic rays, from F to Si, are different from those of light cosmic rays, from He to O, and that the secondary cosmic rays have two classes.

Properties of Iron Primary Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the observation of new properties of primary iron (Fe) cosmic rays in the rigidity range 2.65 GV to 3.0 TV with 0.62×10^{6} iron nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. Above 80.5 GV the rigidity dependence of the cosmic ray Fe flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of the primary cosmic ray He, C, and O fluxes, with the Fe/O flux ratio being constant at 0.155±0.006. This shows that unexpectedly Fe and He, C, and O belong to the same class of primary cosmic rays which is different from the primary cosmic rays Ne, Mg, and Si class.

Chlorogenic Acid Alleviates Allergic Inflammatory Responses Through Regulating Th1/Th2 Balance in Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Rhinitis Mice

BACKGROUND Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent atopic disorder caused by immune imbalance. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) has antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidative and immunoregulatory effects, but its role in anaphylactic disease remains unclear. The current study aimed to investigate the function of CGA in AR. MATERIAL AND METHODS AR mice models were induced with ovalbumin (OVA) by orally administrating the mice with 50 mg/kg (L-CGA), 100 mg/kg (M-CGA), or 200 mg/kg (H-CGA) of CGA. The number of nasal rubbings and sneezes was recorded. Afterward, the mice were sacrificed for the collection of blood, nasal lavage fluid (NALF), and nasal tissues. The cells in NALF were counted by hemocytometer and stained by Diff-Quick. Nasal mucosa was observed by H&E staining. ELISA testing was conducted for detecting the levels of anti-OVA antibodies and Th1/Th2-related cytokine. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction experiments were conducted to determine mRNA expressions of Th1/Th2-related cytokines. RESULTS In the OVA-induced AR mice, CGA treatment reduced nasal rubbing and sneezing, and also suppressed the number of total cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and epithelial cells in NALF. OVA-induced up-regulation of nasal mucosa thickness was inhibited by CGA, and the effects of OVA on IgE, IgG1, and IgG2a were reversed by CGA. The regulatory effects of OVA on mRNA expressions and levels of Th1/Th2-related cytokines were abolished by CGA treatment in AR mice. CONCLUSIONS CGA can alleviate allergic inflammatory responses through regulating Th1/Th2 balance in OVA-induced allergic rhinitis mice.

Equine hindlimb hoof biomechanics: an evaluation of the effect of routine hoof trimming on force and pressure distribution at midstance

Proper hoof function is vital for equine health and performance. Many musculoskeletal injuries in horses originate from the foot. Most studies performed to date have focused on the forehoof while the hindhoof (HH) has received less attention. Our goal was to examine the influence of routine hoof trimming on HH medio-lateral hoof balance. The objective of this study was to examine force (F), contact pressure (CP), and contact area (CA) at the medial and lateral aspects of the HH to evaluate the impact of routine hoof trimming on HH biomechanics. Clinically sound Arabian horses (n=9) were walked across a calibrated pressure plate before and after routine hoof trimming and the F, CP, and CA at the medial and lateral aspects of the HH were recorded at midstance pre- and post-trimming. The differences between these regions were investigated using a paired T-test. P-values <0.05 were considered significant. Among measured variables, force increased by 25% (P=0.007) and contact pressure increased by 13% (P=0.032) at the medial aspect of the HH after routine hoof trimming. Analysing data from hindlimb hoof-surface interaction in sound horses will allow for a better understanding of imbalances that may lead to pathologies and hindlimb lameness in horses.

Properties of Neon, Magnesium, and Silicon Primary Cosmic Rays Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the observation of new properties of primary cosmic rays, neon (Ne), magnesium (Mg), and silicon (Si), measured in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV with 1.8×10^{6}  Ne, 2.2×10^{6}  Mg, and 1.6×10^{6}  Si nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. The Ne and Mg spectra have identical rigidity dependence above 3.65 GV. The three spectra have identical rigidity dependence above 86.5 GV, deviate from a single power law above 200 GV, and harden in an identical way. Unexpectedly, above 86.5 GV the rigidity dependence of primary cosmic rays Ne, Mg, and Si spectra is different from the rigidity dependence of primary cosmic rays He, C, and O. This shows that the Ne, Mg, and Si and He, C, and O are two different classes of primary cosmic rays.

Effectiveness of corticocancellous bone graft in cleft lip and palate patients: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Both cancellous bone graft and corticocancellous bone graft are the most common grafts for repairing alveolar cleft, but there is no clear conclusion as to which method is beneficial to repair the alveolar cleft. The aim was to determine the effectiveness of corticocancellous bone graft in cleft lip and palate patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Electronic databases including PubMed, Ovid, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Knowledge, and China Biology Medicine disc (SinoMed) were searched. Only studies published in English or Chinese were included. The last search was updated on 1 January 2020. 2638 articles remaining after the exclusion of duplicates. Finally, there were 16 publications (15 in English and 3 in Chinese) eligible for systematic review according to the previously established inclusion and exclusion criteria. A descriptive statistical method was used to present data. The methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS) was used to determine the risk of bias.

RESULT

Sixteen articles were included in this review, of which 15 publications were retrospective study and one was a comparative study. The average success rate of reconstruction with block bone was approximately 90.8%, while the success rate of the cancellous bone graft was about 85.3%. The incidence of wound dehiscence was approximately 10% to 16%, and infection is about 9% to 20%. The incidence of oronasal fistula resulting from severe bone resorption and infection was approximately 7.5% to 10.5%.

CONCLUSION

There is a higher bone formation rate of corticocancellous bone graft in patients with the alveolar cleft. However, more studies with high methodological quality and with a longer follow-up are needed to offer more safety for practitioners and patients regarding the surgical method selected to repair the cleft alveolar.

Occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins and toxigenic Fusarium species in freshly harvested rice in Jiangsu, China

In 2017, 236 rice samples were collected from 42 counties in Jiangsu province, China, and analysed for Fusarium mycotoxins. Mycotoxin analyses showed that deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), nivalenol (NIV), fusarenone X (FUS-X), zearalenone (ZEA), fumonisins (including FB1, FB2, and FB3), and beauvericin (BEA) were present in unhusked rice samples. Regional differences in mycotoxin contamination of unhusked rice were attributed to differences in precipitation during rice anthesis and agricultural practices among the three study regions. Importantly, the mean concentrations of DON, NIV, ZEA, and fumonisins in white rice were significantly lower than those in unhusked rice, and the relative proportion of the toxins in rice by-products exceeded 84%. Fusarium isolates were then obtained from the unhusked rice samples; Fusarium asiaticum was the most common, followed by Fusarium fujikuroi, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium verticillioides, and Fusarium commune. Genotype and chemical analyses of mycotoxins showed that most F. asiaticum isolates (71%) were 3-ADON chemotypes; the remainder were NIV producers. All of the F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides isolates, and most of the F. fujikuroi isolates produce fumonisins, and most of the three species coproduced BEA. The present study is the first to evaluate Fusarium mycotoxins and toxigenic Fusarium species from rice freshly harvested in Jiangsu province, China. The results of this study improve our understanding the population dynamics of Fusarium species in rice and the development of effective control measures.

MiR-524 inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis in thyroid cancer via targeting SPAG9

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of miR-524 on the proliferation of thyroid cancer and its underlying mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

MiR-524 expression levels in thyroid cancer samples and para-cancer tissues were tested by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cells proliferative ability and apoptosis were evaluated through methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and apoptosis assays, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the regulatory mechanism.

RESULTS

MiR-524 expression was reduced in thyroid cancer specimen (p<0.05). Up-regulated miR-524 expression inhibited the proliferative ability and enhanced cell apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells. SPAG9 was a target gene of miR-524, and was reversely regulated by miR-524.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-524 represses thyroid cancer cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis via targeting SPAG9.

Properties of Cosmic Helium Isotopes Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Precision measurements by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on the International Space Station of ^{3}He and ^{4}He fluxes are presented. The measurements are based on 100 million ^{4}He nuclei in the rigidity range from 2.1 to 21 GV and 18 million ^{3}He from 1.9 to 15 GV collected from May 2011 to November 2017. We observed that the ^{3}He and ^{4}He fluxes exhibit nearly identical variations with time. The relative magnitude of the variations decreases with increasing rigidity. The rigidity dependence of the ^{3}He/^{4}He flux ratio is measured for the first time. Below 4 GV, the ^{3}He/^{4}He flux ratio was found to have a significant long-term time dependence. Above 4 GV, the ^{3}He/^{4}He flux ratio was found to be time independent, and its rigidity dependence is well described by a single power law ∝R^{Δ} with Δ=-0.294±0.004. Unexpectedly, this value is in agreement with the B/O and B/C spectral indices at high energies.

The effect of routine hoof trimming on midstance regional hoof kinetics at walk

There is a lack of objective and quality evidence-based research on the effect of trimming on hoof loading at different regions of the hoof. Our objective was to measure and compare force (F), contact area (CA), contact pressure (CP) and peak contact pressure (PCP) of the dorsal vs palmar and medial vs lateral regions of the forehooves. Nine sound equine athletes were walked across a calibrated pressure plate before and after routine hoof trimming. The F, CA, CP and PCP in medial, lateral, dorsal and palmar regions were examined pre- and post-trimming, P≤0.05 was considered significant. Dorsal CP and PCP significantly increased post-trimming (P=0.039 and P=0.019, respectively). Medial F increased about 25% after trimming, but not significantly (P=0.129). These data confirm the impact of individual hoof trimming on certain aspects of the hoof midstance biomechanics.

[Antimicrobial resistance changes of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains isolated from children]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and resistance changes of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) strains isolated from children patients of Chinese Bacterial Resistance Surveillance Network (CHINET) from 2005 to 2017. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out by disk diffusion method (KB method) and automated systems. Results were analyzed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2017 edition standards. Results: Among the 4 481 CRE clinical strains, the overall prevalence of CRE in children was 6.4%, including 8.8% in neonatal period, 7.3% in infancy, 3.8% in early childhood, 4.0% in preschool, 4.7% at school age and 7.4% of puberty. The CRE prevalence of citrobacter spp. remained stable in 2005-2017, whereas other bacteria showed an upward trend, which was higher than that of the adult group (P<0.01). Among the 4 481 CRE strains, there were 2 905 strains of Klebsiella spp. (64.8%), 813 strains of Escherichia coli (18.1%), 549 strains of Enterobacter spp.(12.3%), and 65 strains of Citrobacter spp.(1.5%). Among the 4 481 CRE strains, 20.7%, 13.3%, and 11.8% were from the intensive care unit (ICU), neonatal department and internal medicine wards, respectively. Specimens were distributed as respiratory (42.8%), urine (26.3%), and blood (14.9%). The results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing exhibited that the CRE strains were highly resistant to most commonly used antimicrobial agents in clinical practice, such as imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem, as well as penicillins and cephalosporins, etc. Conclusion: The prevalence of CRE strains in children is increasing year by year, and their antimicrobial resistance to common antibacterial agents in clinical practice is extremely serious, to which serious attention needs to be paid. According to the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testings, the antibacterial agents should be rationally selected to effectively control the spread of CRE.