Bosentan and ambrisentan in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim is to showcase the effectiveness and safety of bosentan or ambrisentan in individuals diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and offer fresh evidence for the management of this condition.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For this research, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials by searching various databases, including the Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica Database, PubMed, and Web of Science. The retrieval was conducted until November 2021. We analyzed the variances in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), death, diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), forced vital capacity (FVC), hospitalization, IPF worsening, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, serious adverse events (SAEs), Short Form-36 improved, and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire between the treatment and control groups.

RESULTS

A sum of six studies involving 1,928 participants were found to meet the inclusion criteria. The quality of evidence was high. The control group had significantly higher values for 6MWD, DLCO, and FVC compared to the ambrisentan treatment group. The rates of hospitalization and IPF worsening were considerably greater in comparison with the control group. The bosentan group exhibited significantly reduced rates of hospitalization and IPF worsening in comparison with the control group. Both drugs did not cause any raising in death or SAEs when in comparison with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this research validate the effectiveness and safety of bosentan for treating IPF patients. This medication can enhance the quality of life for individuals with IPF without causing any significant increase in SAEs. However, it does not have a notable influence on the long-term prognosis. The findings of this research do not endorse the utilization of ambrisentan in individuals diagnosed with IPF.

Mass Measurement of Upper fp-Shell N=Z-2 and N=Z-1 Nuclei and the Importance of Three-Nucleon Force along the N=Z Line

Using a novel method of isochronous mass spectrometry, the masses of ^{62}Ge, ^{64}As, ^{66}Se, and ^{70}Kr are measured for the first time, and the masses of ^{58}Zn, ^{61}Ga, ^{63}Ge, ^{65}As, ^{67}Se, ^{71}Kr, and ^{75}Sr are redetermined with improved accuracy. The new masses allow us to derive residual proton-neutron interactions (δV_{pn}) in the N=Z nuclei, which are found to decrease (increase) with increasing mass A for even-even (odd-odd) nuclei beyond Z=28. This bifurcation of δV_{pn} cannot be reproduced by the available mass models, nor is it consistent with expectations of a pseudo-SU(4) symmetry restoration in the fp shell. We performed ab initio calculations with a chiral three-nucleon force (3NF) included, which indicate the enhancement of the T=1 pn pairing over the T=0 pn pairing in this mass region, leading to the opposite evolving trends of δV_{pn} in even-even and odd-odd nuclei.

Stent pretreatment for internal carotid artery exposed to necrotic lesions in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Post radiation nasopharyngeal necrosis (PRNN) invading the internal carotid artery (ICA) contributes to the death of 69.2-72.7% of PRNN patients. ICA occlusion is an effective treatment to avoid fatal bleeding, while some patients are intolerant. We present a novel method that allows for these patients without interrupting blood flow through the ICA.

METHODOLOGY

This study enrolled patients with PRNN-invaded ICA who were not suitable for ICA occlusion from April 2020 to November 2022. ICA stent pretreatment was performed in the 36 patients and followed the endoscopic nasopharyngectomy (ENPG) or conservative treatment for PRNN. We report the survival outcome and incidence of complications after stent implantation and compare the survival outcomes of ENPG and conservative treatment for PRNN followed by stent implantation.

RESULTS

ICA stent pretreatment was performed in the 36 enrolled patients, among which 14 underwent ENPG, and 22 received conservative treatment. 27.8% patients died after a median follow-up of 15 months. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival were higher in the ENPG group than in the conservative treatment group. Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was significantly higher in the ENPG group than in the non-ENPG group.

CONCLUSIONS

The innovative application of ICA stents is a promising treatment to improve outcomes in patients with PRNN invading the ICA who are unsuitable for ICA embolization, especially when followed by endoscopic surgery. However, methods to avoid postoperative cerebral ischemia and nasopharyngeal hemorrhage still require further study.

Trends in the Prevalence of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Multimorbidity across Socioeconomic Gradients in Rural Southwest China

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the changing prevalence of five chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs)- hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma-- and its multimorbidity (refers to the co-existence of two or more chronic diseases in an individual) across socioeconomic spectra in rural southwest China.

MEASUREMENTS

Two cross-sectional health interviews and examination surveys were conducted among individuals aged ≥35 years in rural China. An individual socioeconomic position (SEP) index was constructed using principal component analysis. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and post-bronchodilator spirometry tests were recorded for each participant.

RESULTS

The mean age and proportion of men was 56.1 years and 48.4% in 2011, while was 56.6 years and 49.4% in 2021. From 2011 to 2021, the overall prevalence of hypertension, stroke and COPD increased from 26.1%, 1.1%, and 8.7% to 40.4%, 2.4%, and 12.8%, respectively (P < 0.01), while prevalence of CHD (2.1% vs. 2.2%) and asthma (1.4% vs. 1.5%) did not differ between the two study years (P > 0.05). The prevalence of NCDs multimorbidity increased from 2.3% to 9.7%, and was also observed among subgroups categorized by sex, age, ethnicity, level of education, income, and SEP (P < 0.01). In addition, the relative increases in the prevalence of multimorbidity were greater among men, old individuals, ethnic minorities, and those with low level of education and low SEP. Both in 2011 and 2021, ethnic minorities and individuals with lower level of education and low SEP had a higher prevalence of multimorbidity of the five studied chronic NCDs than their counterparts (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of NCDs multimorbidity increased substantially across all socioeconomic gradients in rural southwest China. Future interventions to further manage NCDs and their multimorbidity must be tailored to address socioeconomic factors.

[Investigate developmental coordination disorder of kindergarten children in Zhejiang Province]

In order to investigate developmental coordination disorder (DCD) of kindergarten children in Zhejiang province, 200 ordinary kindergartens were randomly selected by stratified random sampling in 11 prefecture-level cities of Zhejiang Province, and 38 900 children from 1 000 classes in each grade were then randomly selected into the study from June 2019 to December 2019. The Little DCD Questionnaire and a self-designed questionnaire were used to screen the DCD of those children. There were 36 807 valid questionnaires, and 6.50% (2 391/36 807) of them were positive results. The results showed that boy, age ≤5 years, overweight or obesity, left handedness, comorbidity with motor or developmental disorders and premature infants were risk factors of DCD in children. As for parents and families, maternal gestational age<20 years, maternal overweight or obesity before pregnancy, low-middle level education of parents, direct family and low income of family were also associated with DCD in children. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct early prevention and intervention strategies targeting on identified risk factors among relevant population.

First Application of Mass Measurements with the Rare-RI Ring Reveals the Solar r-Process Abundance Trend at A=122 and A=123

The Rare-RI Ring (R3) is a recently commissioned cyclotronlike storage ring mass spectrometer dedicated to mass measurements of exotic nuclei far from stability at Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory (RIBF) in RIKEN. The first application of mass measurement using the R3 mass spectrometer at RIBF is reported. Rare isotopes produced at RIBF-^{127}Sn, ^{126}In, ^{125}Cd, ^{124}Ag, ^{123}Pd-were injected in R3. Masses of ^{126}In, ^{125}Cd, and ^{123}Pd were measured whereby the mass uncertainty of ^{123}Pd was improved. This is the first reported measurement with a new storage ring mass spectrometry technique realized at a heavy-ion cyclotron and employing individual injection of the preidentified rare nuclei. The latter is essential for the future mass measurements of the rarest isotopes produced at RIBF. The impact of the new ^{123}Pd result on the solar r-process abundances in a neutron star merger event is investigated by performing reaction network calculations of 20 trajectories with varying electron fraction Y_{e}. It is found that the neutron capture cross section on ^{123}Pd increases by a factor of 2.2 and β-delayed neutron emission probability, P_{1  n}, of ^{123}Rh increases by 14%. The neutron capture cross section on ^{122}Pd decreases by a factor of 2.6 leading to pileup of material at A=122, thus reproducing the trend of the solar r-process abundances. The trend of the two-neutron separation energies (S_{2n}) was investigated for the Pd isotopic chain. The new mass measurement with improved uncertainty excludes large changes of the S_{2n} value at N=77. Such large increase of the S_{2n} values before N=82 was proposed as an alternative to the quenching of the N=82 shell gap to reproduce r-process abundances in the mass region of A=112-124.

Low levels of organic compound trace elements improve the eggshell quality, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and mineral deposition of aged laying hens

In the egg production industry, trace elements are required as additional dietary supplements to play vital roles in performance and egg quality. Compared to inorganic microelements (ITs), appropriate dose of organic trace microelements (OTs) are environmentally friendly and sufficient to satisfy the needs of hens. In order to evaluate the extent to which low-dose OTs replace whole ITs, the effects of organic copper, zinc, manganese, and iron compound on the performance, eggshell quality, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and mineral deposition of old laying hens were investigated. A total of 1 080 57-week-old Jing Hong laying hens were assigned to five groups with six replicates of 36 layers each for an 8-week experimental period. The birds were fed either a basal diet (control treatment (CT)) or the basal diet supplemented with commercial levels of inorganic trace elements (IT 100%) or the equivalent organic trace elements at 20%, 30%, and 50% of the inorganic elements (OT 20%, OT 30%, and OT 50%, respectively). Results showed that compared with those in the CT treatment, feeding hens with inorganic or organic microelement diet had significant effects on the eggshell quality, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and mineral deposition of old laying hens (P < 0.05). The eggshell strength and ratio between OT 30%, OT 50%, and IT 100% were similar at weeks 4 and 8, and the eggshell thickness of these groups was also similar at weeks 6 and 8. At week 8, the eggshell colour in OT 50% was darker than that in IT 100%. The mineral content in the eggshells of OT 50% and IT 100% significantly increased (P < 0.001), with no significant difference in effective thickness, mammillary thickness, and mammillary knob width between groups. There were no differences in the malondialdehyde content, total antioxidant capacity, and total superoxide dismutase activity in serum between OT 30%, OT 50%, and IT100%. While the catalase activities, the interleukin-1β, interleukin-10, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin M concentrations in serum were not significantly different between OT 50% and IT 100%. The mineral contents in the faeces of the organic groups were considerably reduced compared with those in IT 100% (P < 0.001). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 30-50% organic compound microelements has the potential to replace 100% inorganic microelements in the hen industry for improving eggshell quality, mineral deposition in the eggshell, antioxidant capacity, and immune function, and reducing emissions to the environment without negative effects on laying performance.

[Characteristics and clinical significance of wideband tympanometry of otitis media with effusion in young children]

Objective: To study the characteristics of wideband tympanometry(WBT) and its application value in the diagnosis of otitis media with effusion(OME) in young children. Methods: We compared wideband acoustic energy absorbance(EA) under peak pressure in young children with OME(190 ears) and healthy control subjects(121 ears) from Ninth People's Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine between January 2018 and June 2020. Both groups were divided into three groups, 1-6 months, 7-36 months and 37-72 months. SPSS 20.0 statistical software was used to analyze and compare the EA parameters between OME children of different months and the control group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of WBT in young children with OME. Results: There were significant differences in EA among three OME groups from 500 Hz to 2 000 Hz(P<0.05).Compared with the control groups, EA of 1-6 m OME group decreased significantly below 4 000 Hz(P<0.05), EA of 7-36 m OME group decreased significantly at 545-1 600 Hz(P<0.05), EA of 37-72 m OME group decreased significantly above 545 Hz(P<0.05).ROC curve indicated that EA at 1 000 Hz had the greatest diagnostic value (AUC was 0.890), followed by 1 500 Hz and the range of 500-2 000 Hz (AUC was 0.883 and 0.881, respectively).EA at 1 000 Hz with a cutoff value of 0.55 had the best diagnostic sensitivity of 90.8%, which was higher than conventional tympanometry (85.8%). The maximum AUC (0.932) could be obtained by combining EA, peak pressure and admittance amplitude of 226 Hz tympanometry as predictors. Conclusions: EA is significantly decreased in young children with OME. Compared with the conventional single frequency tympanometry, WBT is more accurate in the diagnosis of OME in young children, and the prediction accuracy would be better if combined with 226 Hz tympanometry.

LncRNA HCG11 suppresses laryngeal carcinoma cells progression via sponging miR-4469/APOM axis

OBJECTIVE

Longnon-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to participate in the regulatory mechanisms of various cancers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the functional role of lncRNA HLA complex group 11 (HCG11) in laryngeal carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The laryngeal carcinoma cell lines SNU46, SNU899, AMC-HN-8, and normal human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells NP69 were purchased. The expression of HCG11, miR-4469, and apolipoprotein M (APOM) was detected by quantitative Real Time-PCR (qRT-PCR) in tissues and cells. Cell proliferation was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and colony formation assays. The protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was detected by Western blot. Besides, the mechanism assays were conducted to observe the interaction between miR-449 and HCG11 or APOM. The apoptosis in each group was detected by TUNEL assay.

RESULTS

In this research, low expression of HCG11 was discovered in laryngeal carcinoma tissues and cells. Overexpression of HCG11 retarded cell proliferation and enhanced cell apoptosis. Later, we found that APOM was also downregulated in laryngeal carcinoma tissues and cell lines, and inhibited laryngeal carcinoma progression. HCG11 positively regulated APOM at the post-transcriptional level. MiR-4469 was predicted to have the binding sites of HCG11 and APOM. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that HCG11 absorbed miR-4469 to upregulate APOM expression. Finally, it was indicated that the repression of APOM rescued the effects of HCG11 overexpression on cell proliferation and cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study uncovered that HCG11 sponged miR-4469 to suppress laryngeal carcinoma progression by upregulating APOM expression.

Different effects of probiotics and antibiotics on the composition of microbiota, SCFAs concentrations and FFAR2/3 mRNA expression in broiler chickens

AIMS

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of probiotics and antibiotics on microbial composition, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration and free fatty acid receptor 2/3 (FFAR2/3) expression in boiler chickens.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 150 1-day-old male broilers were randomly allocated into three groups, control (CON) group, probiotics (PB) group and antibiotics (ATB) group. Results indicated that PB improved the average body weight from 1 to 21 days and feed intake from 21 to 42 days (P < 0·05), while ATB improved the feed efficiency from 1 to 42 days (P < 0·05). Based on 16s rRNA sequencing, PB treatment increased the amount of kingdom bacteria, and the relative abundance of the main bacteria including acetate and butyrate producing bacteria of phylum Firmicutes, family Ruminococcaceae and genus Faecalibacterium. ATB treatment also increased the relative abundance of phylum Firmicutes, family Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, however, it introduced some pathogenic bacteria, such as bacteria of family Rikenellaceae and Enterobacteriaceae. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay revealed that PB increased acetate and butyrate concentrations at both 21 and 42 days, and propionate at 42 days in the colorectum. Moreover qRT-PCR analysis showed PB treatment significantly activated the FFAR2/3 mRNA expressions. On the contrast, ATB treatment lowered the colorectal propionate at 21 days, and decreased acetate, propionate and butyrate concentrations at 42 days, accompanied with decreased FFAR2/3 mRNA expressions.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to the CON birds, an enriched SCFAs producing bacteria with higher SCFAs contents and activated FFAR2/3 expressions are prominent features of PB birds. However, antibiotics treatment plays the reverse effect compared to PB treatment.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study brings a significant idea that less SCFAs concentration may be another reason why the antibiotics inhibit the immune system development and immunity of the body.

Effect of GGCX on the differentiation function of osteoporosis bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through regulating TGFβ/smad signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

Osteoporosis (OP) has a high incidence and can be found in multiple age groups. The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have the potential for self-renewal and multi-directional differentiation, which are often used for investigating the differentiation function of osteoporosis bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. γ-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX) is a carboxylase-related carboxylase and was observed to be abnormally expressed in osteoarthritis. However, the role and related mechanisms of GGCX in OP have not been fully elucidated. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of GGCX on the differentiation function of BMSCs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the OP group prepared by ovariectomy and sham group. GGCX expression was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). BMSCs were isolated from OP rats and transfected with pcDNA-GGCX plasmids. BMSC proliferation was detected by tetrazolium salt colorimetry (MTT) assay. The osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs was analyzed by alizarin red staining and oil red O staining. The ALP activity was determined by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity colorimetric assay. Real time-PCR was used to test the expressions of osteogenesis-related genes RUNX2 and OPN mRNA. Western blot was adopted to assess the TGFβ/smad signaling pathway activity.

RESULTS

GGCX expression was significantly decreased in the serum of OP rats compared with the sham group (p < 0.05). The transfection of pcDNA-GGCX plasmid significantly promoted BMSC cell proliferation, increased calcified nodule formation, inhibited adipogenic differentiation, enhanced ALP activity, elevated RUNX2, and OPN mRNA expressions, and upregulated TGFβ1, Smad2, and Smad7 expressions (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

GGCX secretion is reduced in osteoporosis. GGCX can regulate osteoporosis via promoting the TGFβ/smad signaling pathway, facilitating BMSCs osteogenic differentiation, and inhibiting BMSCs adipogenic differentiation.

Genetic signature of hybridization between Chinese spot-billed ducks and domesticated ducks

In this study, we analyzed 93 whole genomes from Chinese spot-billed ducks (CSB), meat-type ducks (MET), and egg and dual purpose-type ducks (EDT) to characterize the genetic material flowing between the CSB and modern ducks. Using a frequency of shared identical-by-descent method, approximately 10.9 Mb introgression segments containing 140 genes were identified showing the signatures of introgression between CSB and EDT. Meanwhile, nearly 10.6 M introgression regions containing 149 genes were identified between CSB and MET. Based on the haplotypes tree of each segment, we found that the introgression between CSB and domesticated ducks was asymmetric with a high level of gene flow from domestic to CSB and a low level of migration in the opposite direction. Moreover, we identified several genes that were introgressions from CSB and showed the signature of positive selection, which may contribute to the breeding of modern ducks. Our results provide new insight into the evolution and breeding history of domestic ducks and may be useful for the future management of wild and domestic duck populations.

Prostate specific antigen as a biomarker for breast cancer: a meta-analysis study

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) could serve as a biomarker for breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed an electronic search on Medline, PubMed, SPRINGER, John Wiley, Science Direct, EBSCO, CNKI and Wanfang Data to identify relevant studies for our meta-analysis. The search terms included ['prostate specific antigen' or 'PSA' (MESH)] and ['breast cancer' or 'breast carcinoma' (MESH)].

RESULTS

A comprehensive meta-analysis of 10 studies comprising of 770 cases and 799 controls were included. Among the studies considered, the sensitivity of the tPSA test for diagnosis was 0.718 (95% CI: 0.630, 0.792), the specificity was 0.528 (95% CI: 0.299, 0.746) and the diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) was 2.852 (95% CI: 1.021, 7.969). The sensitivity of fPSA test for diagnosis was 0.783 (95% CI: 0.541, 0.917), specificity was 0.679 (95% CI: 0.209, 0.944) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 7.668 (95% CI: 0.331, 177.451).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum PSA could be a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of breast cancer, and a biomarker for the differential diagnosis of breast cancer from benign breast tumors.

Epidemiologic evaluation of Nhanes for environmental Factors and periodontal disease

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation that destroys periodontal tissues caused by the accumulation of bacterial biofilms that can be affected by environmental factors. This report describes an association study to evaluate the relationship of environmental factors to the expression of periodontitis using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) from 1999–2004. A wide range of environmental variables (156) were assessed in patients categorized for periodontitis (n = 8884). Multiple statistical approaches were used to explore this dataset and identify environmental variable patterns that enhanced or lowered the prevalence of periodontitis. Our findings indicate an array of environmental variables were different in periodontitis in smokers, former smokers, or non-smokers, with a subset of specific environmental variables identified in each population subset. Discriminating environmental factors included blood levels of lead, phthalates, selected nutrients, and PCBs. Importantly, these factors were found to be coupled with more classical risk factors (i.e. age, gender, race/ethnicity) to create a model that indicated an increased disease prevalence of 2–4 fold across the sample population. Targeted environmental factors are statistically associated with the prevalence of periodontitis. Existing evidence suggests that these may contribute to altered gene expression and biologic processes that enhance inflammatory tissue destruction.

Effects of MiR-26a on respiratory distress syndrome in neonatal rats via the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

  Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are crucial to post-transcriptional regulation of the gene expression. Whether miR-26a affects respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in neonatal rats through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was investigated in this study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The neonatal rat model of RDS was established, and the expressions of miR-26a and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) in RDS in neonatal rats and their correlation were analyzed. The cascade relationship between miR-26a and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the influence of miR-26a on the expression of inflammatory cytokines were subsequently verified. Finally, the influences of miR-26a on the expressions of important markers, receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with those in normal tissues, the expression of miR-26a in lung tissues of neonatal rats with RDS was significantly decreased (p<0.05), while the expression of GSK-3β messenger RNAs (mRNAs) was notably increased (p<0.01), and the GSK-3β expression was negatively correlated with the miR-26a expression (r=-0.6693, p=0.0064). In addition, miR-26a mimics significantly inhibited the GSK-3β protein expression and activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, miR-26a could reduce the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6, as well as RAGE, HMGB1, and PAI-1.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-26a can affect inflammatory responses and markers through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in neonatal rats with RDS.

Higher lncRNA CASC15 expression predicts poor prognosis and associates with tumor growth in cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of long non-coding RNA Cancer Susceptibility Candidate 15 (CASC15) in cervical cancer and its potential molecular mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The CASC15 expression was measured in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines by using quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), flow cytometry analysis and transwell cell invasion assays were employed to detect the capacities of cell proliferation and cell invasion. Furthermore, Western blot analysis was applied to detected the E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression in EMT pathway.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that lncRNA CASC15 expression was higher in cervical cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Higher lncRNA CASC15 expression associated with lymph node metastasis and FIGO stage. Moreover, our results showed that higher lncRNA CASC15 expression predicted poor prognosis of cervical cancer. Functional assays showed that knockdown of lncRNA CASC15 suppressed cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in cervical cancer. Moreover, we also found that knockdown of lncRNA CASC15 inhibited cell invasion ability and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) signaling pathway by upregulating E-cadherin and downregulating N-cadherin expression in cervical cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that lncRNA CASC15 expression may be a prognostic biomarker and contributed to cell proliferation and invasion in cervical cancer.

[Clinical experience and next-generation sequencing analysis of encephalitis caused by pseudorabies virus]

Objective: To detect potential pathogens including pseudorabies virus in patients with encephalitis of unknown etiology in China and describe novel encephalitic entities. Methods: Patients with clinically suspected infectious encephalitis were enrolled in a multicenter study to identify the pathogens in PUMCH Encephalitis Program.Next-generation sequencing(NGS) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was used in patients with encephalitis of unknown etiology enrolled from 2016 to 2017.The patients diagnosed as PRV encephalitis were studied to describe this novel entity. Results: The four patients(3 male, 1 male, 38-54 years old) had occupational exposure to raw park when working in the production or marketing of pork and at least one got injured during pork-cutting.Two of them were confirmed with NGS of CSF, and anti-PRV antibodies were positive in 3 patients whose serum was available for serological analysis.They all presented with an acute onset of fever, convulsion, loss of consciousness and respiratory failure within 1 to 4 days and rapidly deteriorated even on extensive treatment.All the patients needed ICU admission and 3 needed mechanical ventilation.Two patients also had bilateral retinitis.Neuroimaging revealed symmetric gray matter lesions including limbic system, basal ganglia and midbrain without obvious hemorrhage.Lumbar puncture revealed elevated intracranial pressure and lymphocytic pleocytosis [(6-64)×10(6)/L] of CSF.The patients failed to response to the treatment of acyclovir combined with intravenous immunoglobulin and steroids.Modified Rankin Score was 3, 5, 5 and 6 (died) for the 4 patients respectively on last follow-up. Conclusions: PRV could be a cause of severe encephalitis.The patients with suspected pseudorabies encephalitis (PRE) need to be tested for PRV DNA timely.Severe encephalitis with bilateral involvement of limbic system, basal ganglion, thalamus and midbrain in patient with occupational exposure indicate this emerging infectious encephalitis.

[Efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides farina drops in monosensitized and polysensitized children with allergic rhinitis and asthma]

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of SLIT with Dermatophagoides farina drops in monosensitized and polysensitized children with allergic rhinitis and asthma.Method:This retrospective analysis chose 124 cases of allergic rhinitis and asthma with 3 years SLIT treatment. According to skin prick test,they were divided into two groups, monosensitized group (48 patients) and polysensitized group (76 patients). Before SLIT and after SLIT for 1 year, 2 year and 3 years, the TNSS, TRMS of rhinitis and DASS, NASS, TAMS, VAS, PEF, FEV1 of asthma were evaluated. Result:The TNSS, TRMS, DASS, NASS, TAMS, VAS, PEF, FEV1 had continuously improved significantly after SLIT for 1 year, 2 year and 3 years in two groups as compared with baseline (P< 0.05). As compared with after SLIT for 1 year, after SLIT for 2 year the TNSS, TRMS, TAMS, VAS of monosensitized group had obviously decrease (q= 3.76, 5.57, 6.02, 5.62, P< 0.05). As compared with after SLIT for 1 year, similarly, after SLIT for 2 year the TNSS, TRMS, TAMS, VAS of polysensitized group had obviously decrease (q= 5.40, 7.16, 7.19, 7.87, P< 0.05). Before SLIT, TRMS and TAMS of polysensitized group were significantly greater than the monosensitized group (Z=3.16, 2.74, P< 0.05). After SLIT for 1 year, 2 years and 3 years, the all evaluation indicators of two groups were not statistically significant (P> 0.05).Conclusion:Sublingual immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides farina drops in monosensitized and polysensitized children with allergic rhinitis and asthma had similar and significant therapeutic effect.

HLA and MuSK-positive myasthenia gravis: A systemic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Myasthenia gravis (MG) represents a spectrum of clinical subtypes with differences in disease mechanisms and treatment response. MG with muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies accounts for 1%-10% of all MG patients. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the association between HLA genes and MuSK-MG susceptibility.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Studies were searched in Pubmed, EMBASE database and other sources between 2001 and 2018. Genotype, allele and haplotype frequencies of HLA loci in MuSK-MG patients and healthy controls were extracted from each included study.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis showed that HLA DQB1*05, DRB1*14 and DRB1*16 were strongly associated with an increased risk of MuSK-MG (P < .0001), whereas HLA DQB*03 was less frequent in MuSK patients compared with healthy controls (P < .05). Haplotype analysis showed that these DQB1 and DRB1 alleles were closely linked, forming both risk (DQ5-DR14, DQ5-DR16, P < .0001) and protective (DQ3-DR4, DQ3-DR11, P < .05) haplotypes.

CONCLUSION

The distinct genetic patterns of MuSK-MG indicate that variation in HLA class II genes plays an important role in the pathogenesis of MuSK-MG patients.

A MEMS SOI-based piezoresistive fluid flow sensor

In this paper, a SOI (silicon-on-insulator)-based piezoresistive fluid flow sensor is presented; the presented flow sensor mainly consists of a nylon sensing head, stainless steel cantilever beam, SOI sensor chip, printed circuit board, half-cylinder gasket, and stainless steel shell. The working principle of the sensor and some detailed contrastive analysis about the sensor structure were introduced since the nylon sensing head and stainless steel cantilever beam have distinct influence on the sensor performance; the structure of nylon sensing head and stainless steel cantilever beam is also discussed. The SOI sensor chip was fabricated using micro-electromechanical systems technologies, such as reactive ion etching and low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The designed fluid sensor was packaged and tested; a calibration installation system was purposely designed for the sensor experiment. The testing results indicated that the output voltage of the sensor is proportional to the square of the fluid flow velocity, which is coincident with the theoretical derivation. The tested sensitivity of the sensor is 3.91 × 10^-4 V ms²/kg.

Genetic differences in ChTLR15 gene polymorphism and expression involved in Salmonella enterica natural and artificial infection respectively, of Chinese native chicken breeds, with a focus on sexual dimorphism

Chicken Toll-like receptor 15 (ChTLR15) has been shown to participate in immune activation in response to various pathogens and in the innate defence against infection. Two genetically distinct Chinese breeds of chicken (Qinyuan Partridge and Baier breeds) were used to study the correlation between ChTLR15 single nucleotide polymorphisms and the natural infection status of salmonella in hens, and also to examine genetic and sex-specific effects on ChTLR15 mRNA expression in heterophils and spleen during acute infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) from 1 to 10 days after experimental infection. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (G168A, C726T and A1166G) in a single exon of ChTLR15 were identified in the two breeds, but only C726T showed a significant association with salmonella infection. Compared with layer-type Baier chicks, meat-type Qingyuan chicks showed a higher tolerance for capture stress and (SE) infection, as measured, respectively, by the modified body weight of chicks in the control group and in the infection group. Meanwhile, ChTLR15 down-regulation in heterophils and up-regulation in spleen were involved in the response to pathogenic SE colonization during the acute infection period. These significant genetic effects in females led to greater differences in both innate and adaptive immune responses than those exhibited in males. These results suggest that genetics, time and gender play important roles in the modulation of ChTLR15 mRNA level elicited by the SE-mediated immune response differentially in the two genetically distinct breeds, with a focus on sexual dimorphism.

Application of oxaliplatin in combination with epirubicin in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in the treatment of primary liver carcinoma

Many cases of liver carcinoma miss the opportunity of surgical treatment because of hidden onset and delayed diagnosis. In recent years, interventional treatment has gradually become a non-surgical method for treating liver carcinoma. To discuss the effects of oxaliplatin in combination with epirubicin in the treatment and its influence on prognosis, this study randomly selected 218 advanced primary liver carcinoma patients from Binzhou People’s Hospital, Binzhou, China and divided them into a control group (n=109) and an observation group (n=109). Patients in both groups were given interventional treatment. Patients in the control group were perfused with oxaliplatin, while patients in the observation group were perfused with oxaliplatin and epirubicin. The effectsat 6-month and 12-month survival rates were compared between the two groups. The results demonstrated that the overall effective rate and clinical benefit rate of the observation group were much higher than those of the control group (30.3% vs 11.9%; 79.8%; vs 44.3%) (P less than 0.05). The serum Alpha Fetal Protein (AFP) and Carcino Embryonie Antigen (CEA) levels of the observation group were much lower than those of the control group; the Karnofsky performance score of the observation group was much lower than that of the control group; the two differences had statistical significance (P less than 0.05). The 6-month survival rate of the observation group was 91.67%, higher than that of the control group (86.11%) (P>0.05). The 12-month survival rate of the observation group was 83.33%, much higher than that of the control group (61.11%) (P less than 0.05). The difference of the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups had no statistical significance (P>0.05). Thus, it can be concluded that oxaliplatin in combination with epirubicin can improve survival quality, extend survival time, and decrease the serum AFP and CEA levels in the treatment of primary liver carcinoma, with definite effects but without aggravating toxic and side effects. Therefore, the therapy has important clinical value.

[Prospective evaluation on ventilator-associated events: a cohort study from eight intensive care units]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the incidence of ventilator associated events (VAEs) in intensive care units (ICUs) among adult patients, and to evaluate the correlation between VAEs and ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP).

METHODS

A prospective 3-month cohort study (January 2015 to March 2015) was carried out. VAEs were divided into three groups: with ventilator-associated condition (VAC), with infection related ventilator-associated complication (IVAC) and with possible VAP (PVAP). Sensitivity and specificity of VAEs were evaluated and compared to the traditional VAP. Kappa test was applied to judge the consistency of VAC and VAP.

RESULTS

During Jan. 2015 and Mar. 2015, 1 014 patients were admitted to 8 ICUs, with 7 977 patients per day. In total, 197 patients used the mechanical ventilation installation, with, a total number of 3 152 ventilator-days. Finally, 1 214 ventilation days in the VAC group and 1 938 ventilation days in the non-VAC group) that were available for final analysis. 46 VAC cases were identified including 22 classified as IVAC (14.59 and 6.98 per 1 000 ventilation days, respectively). Length of ICU stay and duration on mechanical ventilation for VAC patients were both significantly longer than those for non-VAC patients (P<0.05). Sensitivity and specificity of the VAC criteria for the detection of VAP were 36.92% and 83.33%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The VAEs surveillance paradigms could be applied to monitor patients on the use of mechanical ventilation installation. However, sensitivity and specificity of VAC were under pool for the diagnosis of VAP. However, automatically surveillance programs was relied on the improvement of auto-information systems.

[Morphological alterations in gray matter related to primary dysmenorrhea]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the structural changes of gray matter in women with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) and discuss the potential relationships between the changes and etiology of the disease.

METHODS

We used an optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach to compare total and regional volumetric changes of gray matter in 20 primary dysmenorrhea patients with 20 healthy age and menstrual cycle matched controls.All subjects were patients from the outpatient department of Tongji Hospital in 2015.

RESULTS

Abnormal volumetric decreases of gray matter were found in the left and right parahippocampus, the left and right middle temporal gyrus, the left and right superior parietal lobule, the left postcentral cortex, the left and right inferior parietal lobule, which involved in pain transmission, pain modulation and somatic sensation.

CONCLUSION

Abnormal gray matter volume changes are present in some encephalic regions of PDM patients.The functions of these regions are associated with pain modulation and somatic sensation, which suggests the changes are related with PDM.

First-principle study of CO adsorption influence on the properties of ferroelectric tunnel junctions

Based on first principles calculations, we systematically investigated the structural, electronic and ferroelectric properties of Pt-BaTiO₃-Pt ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) with CO adsorbed on the surface of the top electrode. Changes of electrode/barrier thickness and different adsorption sites were considered. We found that although the CO molecule is not directly adsorbed on the surface of the ferroelectric thin film (FTF), the local properties of the BaTiO₃ FTFs were still significantly changed by CO adsorptions, e.g. the change of polarization bistability. Furthermore, by simulating isolated geometry, we found that the orientation of polarization induced by CO adsorptions exhibited sensitive dependence on the thickness of the adsorbed electrode. The adsorption energy was found to change with the change of both the thickness of the electrodes and the polarization orientation in the barrier, which provides a modifiable effect by virtue of the surface ambient chemicals controlling the bulk ferroelectric properties. An electronic structure analysis reveals that the work function of the adsorbed electrode is altered by the adsorption, and the effect can be reversed as the electrode thickness changes. Our findings should provide a new method to tailor the magnitude and bistability of polarization in ferroelectric thin films (FTF) as well as the top electrode surface reactivity in FTJs, which has a significant prospect of application in FTJ-based nanoscale multifunctional devices.

Pilot study special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 investigating as a potential biomarker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (SATB1) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and assess the correlation between its expression and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of the disease. SATB1 expression in ESCC tissue was determined by using immunohistochemical analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis. The relationship between SATB1 expression and clinicopathological features was examined by using the chi-squared test, and the survival rate was calculated by using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve. The correlation between the indicators and patient survival was estimated by using a Cox regression analysis. High SATB1 expression in was detected in 48.3% and 7.8% of ESCC and normal esophagus tissues (P < 0.05), respectively. SATB1 expression did not significantly correlate with clinicopathological features. The Kaplan-Meier curve indicated that patients with high SATB1 expression had significantly shorter survival than those with low SATB1 expression. In a multivariate Cox regression model, high SATB1 expression was identified as an independent prognostic factor for patients with ESCC. In conclusion, these results suggest that high SATB1 expression is predictive of poor prognosis in ESCC and may be a promising new candidate for targeted therapies for ESCC.

Investigating key genes associated with ovarian cancer by integrating affinity propagation clustering and mutual information network analysis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the present work was to investigate key genes in ovarian cancer based on mAP-KL method which comprised the maxT multiple hypothesis (m), Krzanowski and Lai (KL) cluster quality index, and affinity propagation (AP) clustering algorithm, and mutual information network (MIN) constructed by the context likelihood of relatedness (CLR) algorithm.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MAP-KL method was employed to identify exemplars in ovarian cancer, of which the maxT function ranked the genes of train set and test set and obtained top 200 genes; KL cluster index was utilized to determine the quantity of clusters; and then AP clustering algorithm was conducted to identify the clusters and their exemplars. Also, we assessed the classification performance of mAP-KL by support vector machines (SVM) model. Subsequently, the MIN for exemplars and cluster genes was constructed according to CLR algorithm. Finally, topological centrality properties of exemplars in MIN were assessed to investigate key genes for ovarian cancer.

RESULTS

SVM model validated that the classification between normal controls and ovarian cancer patients by mAP-KL had a good performance. A total of 22 clusters and exemplars were detected by performing the mAP-KL method. Based on the topological centrality analyses for exemplars in MIN, we considered the C9orf16, COX5B and ACTB to be key genes in the progress of ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

We have obtained three key genes (C9orf16, COX5B and ACTB) for ovarian cancer on the basis of mAP-KL method and MIN analysis. These genes might be potential biomarkers for treatment of ovarian cancer, and give insight for revealing the underlying mechanism of this tumor.

Upregulation of NRAMP1 mRNA confirms its role in enhanced host immunity in post-artificial infections of Salmonella enteritidis in chicks

1. Salmonella enteritidis (SE) is reported as the most common food-borne pathogen transmitted through poultry products. The natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) is a candidate gene associated with SE-mediated immune response and is related to the phagocytosis of SE. In this study, the classical single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) G2357A in exon 8 of the NRAMP1 gene was detected. The expression of NRAMP1 mRNA was first investigated in heterophil granulocytes and spleen in chicks from two different Chinese native breeds at 1, 3 and 10 d post-infection. In addition, the association with the effect of SE challenge was identified. 2. The G2357A SNP showed no significant association with Salmonella natural infection in birds from two different Chinese native breeds. 3. The upregulation of NRAMP1 mRNA in heterophils and spleen was involved in the response to pathogenic SE colonisation during the acute infection period in chicks. The results suggest that genetics, age, gender and interactions among these factors play important roles in the modulation of NRAMP1 mRNA expression and copy number by SE-mediated immune response in different Chinese chickens. 4. In conclusion, the enhancement of host immunity mediated by the upregulation of NRAMP1 mRNA in heterophil granulocytes and spleen might be more obvious and earlier in the chicks resistant to infections with SE than in susceptible chicks.

A rare case of trisomy 11q23.3-11q25 and trisomy 22q11.1-22q11.21

Partial duplication of the long arm of chromosome 11 and the partial trisomy of 22q are uncommon karyotypic abnormalities. Here, we report the case of a 6-year-old girl who showed partial trisomy of 11q and 22q, as a result of a maternal balanced reciprocal translocation (11;22), and exhibited dysmorphic features, severe intellectual disability, brain malformations, and speech delay related to this unique chromosomal abnormality. Array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) revealed a gain in copy number on the long arm of chromosome 11, spanning at least 18.22 Mb. Additionally, there was a gain in copy number on the long arm of chromosome 22, spanning at least 3.46 Mb. FISH analysis using a chromosome 11 short arm telomere probe (11p14.2), a chromosome 11 long arm telomere probe (11q24.3), and a chromosome 22 long arm telomere probe (22q13.33) confirmed the origin of the marker chromosome. It has been confirmed by the State Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics of China that this is the first reported instance of the karyotype 47,XX, +der(22)t(11;22)(q23.3;q11.1)mat in the world. Our study reports an additional case that can be used to further characterize and delineate the clinical ramifications of partial trisomy of 11q and 22q.

Recent advances in bulk metallic glasses for biomedical applications

With a continuously increasing aging population and the improvement of living standards, large demands of biomaterials are expected for a long time to come. Further development of novel biomaterials, that are much safer and of much higher quality, in terms of both biomedical and mechanical properties, are therefore of great interest for both the research scientists and clinical surgeons. Compared with the conventional crystalline metallic counterparts, bulk metallic glasses have unique amorphous structures, and thus exhibit higher strength, lower Young's modulus, improved wear resistance, good fatigue endurance, and excellent corrosion resistance. For this purpose, bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have recently attracted much attention for biomedical applications. This review discusses and summarizes the recent developments and advances of bulk metallic glasses, including Ti-based, Zr-based, Fe-based, Mg-based, Zn-based, Ca-based and Sr-based alloying systems for biomedical applications. Future research directions will move towards overcoming the brittleness, increasing the glass forming ability (GFA) thus obtaining corresponding bulk metallic glasses with larger sizes, removing/reducing toxic elements, and surface modifications.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), also known as amorphous alloys or liquid metals, are relative newcomers in the field of biomaterials. They have gained increasing attention during the past decades, as they exhibit an excellent combination of properties and processing capabilities desired for versatile biomedical implant applications. The present work reviewed the recent developments and advances of biomedical BMGs, including Ti-based, Zr-based, Fe-based, Mg-based, Zn-based, Ca-based and Sr-based BMG alloying systems. Besides, the critical analysis and in-depth discussion on the current status, challenge and future development of biomedical BMGs are included. The possible solution to the BMG size limitation, the brittleness of BMGs has been proposed.

Mutational analysis of BRCA1/2 gene and pathologic characteristics from Kazakh population with sporadic breast cancer in northwestern China

Mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, but no large-scale research have examined the BRCA1/2 mutations in Chinese Kazakh women. We evaluated the frequency and distributions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations in Kazakh sporadic breast cancer patients and healthy women in China. The association between the clinical-pathologic features of Kazakh breast cancer patients and BRCA1/2 mutations were also investigated. Two unclassified variants (T539M and T1915M) and 16 polymorphisms were detected in this study, 4 of which (G356A, His743, Asn991Asp, Val1269) were detected more frequently in breast cancer patients than in healthy controls. We observed a higher prevalence of BRCA1/2 common sequence alterations and a large number of Kazakh women carrying multiple co-existing BRCA1/2 mutations. The prevalence of BRCA1 mutations was similar to that of BRCA2 mutations. Although no significant differences were observed, BRCA1/2 carriers were generally younger at diagnosis of wild-type breast cancer patients. BRCA1-associated Kazakh sporadic breast cancers present with high tumor grade, early stage, negative lymph node status, absence of estrogen receptor expression and progesterone-positive status. Estrogen receptor expression was the only predominant histological type in BRCA2 carriers. In this study, we determined the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation status and determined the association with clinical-pathologic characteristics in a Chinese Kazakh population. Larger population-based screening studies screening the entire coding region of BRCA1/2 are required to evaluate the breast cancer risk induced by the sequence alterations detected in this study.

Tissue- and breed-specific expression of the chicken fat mass- and obesity-associated gene (FTO)

The fat mass- and obesity-associated gene (FTO) is involved in energy metabolism, but little is known about the chicken FTO gene. The objective of the current study was to detect chicken FTO expression patterns in the hypothalamus, liver, and skeletal muscle during development, and analyze the effects of age and breed on FTO expression. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction results revealed that chicken FTO mRNA was expressed in all of the tissues tested. Chicken FTO exhibited tissue- and breed-specific patterns in the recessive White Plymouth Rock chicken and the Qingyuan partridge chicken. The highest FTO expression level was in the hypothalami of 1-week-old chicks. FTO mRNA was expressed more in the breast muscles and livers of recessive White Plymouth Rock chickens than those of Qingyuan partridge chickens at 1 and 8 weeks of age. These results indicate that FTO probably plays a significant role in energy metabolism at 1 week old, when chicks have undergone metabolic adaptations from yolk dependence to the utilization of exogenous feed.

Development of biodegradable Zn-1X binary alloys with nutrient alloying elements Mg, Ca and Sr

Biodegradable metals have attracted considerable attentions in recent years. Besides the early launched biodegradable Mg and Fe metals, Zn, an essential element with osteogenic potential of human body, is regarded and studied as a new kind of potential biodegradable metal quite recently. Unfortunately, pure Zn is soft, brittle and has low mechanical strength in the practice, which needs further improvement in order to meet the clinical requirements. On the other hand, the widely used industrial Zn-based alloys usually contain biotoxic elements (for instance, ZA series contain toxic Al elements up to 40 wt.%), which subsequently bring up biosafety concerns. In the present work, novel Zn-1X binary alloys, with the addition of nutrition elements Mg, Ca and Sr were designed (cast, rolled and extruded Zn-1Mg, Zn-1Ca and Zn-1Sr). Their microstructure and mechanical property, degradation and in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility were studied systematically. The results demonstrated that the Zn-1X (Mg, Ca and Sr) alloys have profoundly modified the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of pure Zn. Zn-1X (Mg, Ca and Sr) alloys showed great potential for use in a new generation of biodegradable implants, opening up a new avenue in the area of biodegradable metals.

Measurements of ocean bottom low-angle backscattering by single-mode reverberation

The characteristics of scattering due to interface roughness are usually described by the backscattering matrix for reverberation modeling. The backscattering matrix based on the Bass perturbation theory has significant differences from that based on the empirical scattering rule (Lambert's rule), especially at low grazing angles. In a waveguide environment with a point source, it is very difficult to extract the quantitative characteristics of the backscattering matrix at low grazing angles from the experimental data because of the difficulties in acquiring low-grazing-angle scattering data and separating the scattering data between different modes (grazing angles). In contrast, the use of single-mode excitations as sources in shallow-water waveguides enables acquisition of good quality low-grazing-angle scattering data. In this paper, the characteristics of the backscattering matrix were obtained from different single-mode reverberation experiments in shallow-water. The experiments were carried out at different sites during different seasons off the coasts of China. Model-data comparisons were made and the results showed that at low grazing angles (2°-5°), the backscattering matrices based on the Bass perturbation theory were in good agreement with the experimental data, but the backscattering matrices based on Lambert's rule were not.

Association of chicken growth hormone polymorphisms with egg production

Growth hormone (GH) has diverse functions in animals, together with other hormones from the somatotropic axis. Here, chicken GH (cGH) was investigated in recessive white chickens and Qingyuan partridge chickens as a candidate gene affecting egg production traits. Chicken egg production traits were studied in association with 4 selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (T185G, G662A, T3094C, and C3199T). Genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction method. T185G was significantly associated with the egg production traits of body weight at first egg (BW), egg weight at first egg (EW), and the total egg production of 300-day old birds (EN 300). T3094C was also significantly associated with certain egg production traits; however, it affected the 2 breeds differently. Haplotypes of the 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms were also significantly associated with egg production traits of chicken age at first egg laying, BW, EW, and EN 300. H1H6 was the most advantageous diplotype for egg production. We putatively concluded that polymorphisms in the cGH gene and its haplotypes could be used as potential molecular markers for egg production traits to enhance the breeding programs of indigenous chickens.

Molecular genetic diversity and maternal origin of Chinese black-bone chicken breeds

Chinese black-bone chickens are valued for the medicinal properties of their meat in traditional Chinese medicine. We investigated the genetic diversity and systematic evolution of Chinese black-bone chicken breeds. We sequenced the DNA of 520 bp of the mitochondrial cyt b gene of nine Chinese black-bone chicken breeds, including Silky chicken, Jinhu black-bone chicken, Jiangshan black-bone chicken, Yugan black-bone chicken, Wumeng black-bone chicken, Muchuan black-bone chicken, Xingwen black-bone chicken, Dehua black-bone chicken, and Yanjin black-bone chicken. We found 13 haplotypes. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity of the nine black-bone chicken breeds ranged from 0 to 0.78571 and 0.00081 to 0.00399, respectively. Genetic diversity was the richest in Jinhu black-bone chickens and the lowest in Yanjin black-bone chickens. Analysis of phylogenetic trees for all birds constructed based on hyplotypes indicated that the maternal origin of black-bone chickens is predominantly from three subspecies of red jungle fowl. These results provide basic data useful for protection of black-bone chickens and help determine the origin of domestic chickens.

Transcriptional co-activator PGC-1α gene is associated with chicken skeletal muscle fiber types

The peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is a candidate gene for meat quality traits because of its prominent role in muscle fiber type switching and determination. We investigated the effects of the PGC-1α gene on chicken skeletal muscle fiber type switching and on other meat quality traits. Single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected by PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing, and then genotyping was performed by PCR-ligation detection reaction methods. Skeletal muscle fiber types, intramuscular fat content, shear forces, and water loss rate of the gastrocnemius lateralis muscle were measured in Qingyuan Partridge chickens and Recessive White chickens. Four SNPs, C171T in exon2, C384T in exon3, G646A in exon5, and A948G in exon8 were detected. Marker-trait association analysis indicated that G646A polymorphism was associated with skeletal myofiber type and that H1 (CCAA) was the most advantageous haplotype for skeletal myofiber type. We concluded that polymorphisms of the PGC-1α gene and their haplotypes are associated with chicken skeletal myofiber type traits.

Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from different treatment processes in full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants

Nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) are two important greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted from biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). In this study, three typical biological wastewater treatment processes were studied in WWTP of Northern China: pre-anaerobic carrousel oxidation ditch (A+OD) process, pre-anoxic anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A-A/ A/O) process and reverse anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (r-A/ A/O) process. The N2O and CH4 emissions from these three different processes were measured in every processing unit of each WWTP. Results showed that N2O and CH4 were mainly discharged during the nitrification/denitrification process and the anaerobic/anoxic treatment process, respectively and the amounts of their formation and release were significantly influenced by different BNR processes implemented in these WWTP. The N2O conversion ratio of r-A/ A/O process was the lowest among the three WWTP, which were 10.9% and 18.6% lower than that of A-A/A/O process and A+OD process, respectively. Similarly, the CH4 conversion ratio of r-A/ A/O process was the lowest among the three WWTP, which were 89. I% and 80.8% lower than that of A-A/ A/O process and A+OD process, respectively. The factors influencing N2O and CH4 formation and emission in the three WWTP were investigated to explain the difference between these processes. The nitrite concentration and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value were found to be the dominant influencing factors affecting N2O and CH4 production, respectively. The flow-based emission factors of N2O and CH4 of the WWTP were figured out for better quantification of GHG emissions and further technical assessments of mitigation options.

Three-dimensional evaluation of upper airway in patients with different anteroposterior skeletal patterns

OBJECTIVES

To investigate variability in the upper airway of subjects with different anteroposterior skeletal patterns by evaluating the volume and the most constricted cross-sectional area of the pharyngeal airway and defining correlations between the different variables.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study sample consisted of 60 patients (29 boys, 31 girls) divided into three groups: Class I (1 ≤ ANB ≤ 3), Class II (ANB>3), and Class III (ANB<1), to evaluate how the jaw relationship affects the airway volume and the most constricted cross-sectional area (Min-CSA). Differences between groups were determined using the Tukey-Kramer test. Correlations between variables were tested using Pearson's correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

The volume and the Min-CSA of the pharyngeal airway (PA) were significantly related to anteroposterior skeletal patterns (p < 0.05). The nasopharyngeal airway (NA) volume of Class I and Class III subjects was significantly larger than that of Class II subjects (p < 0.05). The Min-CSA and the length of PA were significantly related to the volume of PA (p < 0.05). The site and the size of the Min-CSA varied among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The volume and the most constricted cross-sectional area of the airway varied with different anteroposterior skeletal patterns. The NA volume of Class I and Class III subjects was significantly larger than that of patients with a Class II skeletal pattern.

Metabolizable energy and fiber digestibility of uncommon feedstuffs for geese

This experiment was conducted to study the digestibility of uncommon feedstuffs for geese. Thirty Taihu ganders were selected and divided into 5 groups (n = 6), and one group was allocated as the control. Taihu ganders in the 4 treated groups were force-fed with a weight of different uncommon feedstuffs after 24 h of fasting, and the control group was kept in fasting with no force feeding. All excretion of each gander was collected on a plate for 24 h after force feeding. There was a 12-d recovery period between treatments. In this study, we measured the ME and analyzed neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and hemicellulose of brewers grains, distillers grains, empty-grain rice, ryegrass powder, rice husk, corn stalk, rice straw, wheat straw, wheat husk, mushroom bran, and peanut vine. The TME values were 9.29, 8.67, 8.97, 5.89, 3.85, 3.10, 3.32, 3.02, 5.29, 2.48, and 3.15 MJ/kg, respectively. The digestibility of neutral detergent fiber for the feedstuffs ranged from 6.14 to 45.0%, the digestibility of acid detergent fiber ranged from 4.52 to 32.6%, and the digestibility of hemicellulose ranged from 18.5 to 61.6%. The best TME quadratic prediction equation was TME = 12.2 - 0.232CF, where CF is crude fiber. These results suggest that geese were able to use uncommon feedstuffs with high digestibility, and there was a significant negative correlation between energy digestibility and CF content. The ME values tested in this experiment can provide a foundation for preparation and adjustment of feed formulation for reasonable use of uncommon feedstuffs for geese.

In vitro and in vivo studies on Ti-based bulk metallic glass as potential dental implant material

In this study, a high glass forming system, Ti41.5Zr2.5Hf5Cu37.5Ni7.5Si1Sn5 (TZHCNSS) bulk metallic glass (BMG), is studied in terms of microstructure, surface analysis, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo biocompatibility. It is found that the as-prepared TZHCNSS samples are fully amorphous by XRD and TEM observations, as well as DSC curve. Comparing with pure Ti, TZHCNSS BMG shows superior mechanical properties with higher hardness and better wear resistance. Due to the oxide film formed on its surface, TZHCNSS BMG shows great corrosion resistance close to pure Ti in electrochemical measurements. The pitting corrosion potential in artificial saliva solution is much higher than that in SBF solution. The indirect and direct cytotoxicity results show that TZHCNSS extracts had obvious low cell viability on both L929 and NIH3T3 cells. However, the in vivo testing results proved that TZHCNSS BMG could integrate with bone tissue, showing excellent osseointegration.

Prognostic effect of stromal myofibroblasts in lung adenocarcinoma

Myofibroblasts are special cells with the features of both fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells, which are one of the most important cells in tumor stroma. The role of myofibroblasts in tumor stroma remains disputable. Some authors suggested that myofibroblasts can facilitate tumor progress, and another considered that myofibroblasts could prevent tumor cells diffusing. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is a kind of adenocarcinoma in situ. With the destruction of the alveolar framework by tumor growth, BAC develops into mixed BAC and invasive adenocarcinoma, which is a natural model of transformation from carcinoma in situ to invasive carcinoma. In this study, the expression of myofibroblasts in BAC, mix-BAC and invasive adenocarcinoma was examined by immunohistochemical staining of surgical specimens from 102 patients. The results showed that positive expression of myofibroblasts in pure BAC (2/15, 13.33%) group was lower than in mix-BAC (17/38, 44.74%) and invasive adenocarcinoma (29/49, 59.18%) respectively, (p<0.05, p<0.01). In addition, myofibroblast positive expression was associated with lymph node metastasis, high stage, high grade, vascular invasion and shortened survival time in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. These data suggest that myofibroblasts are likely to facilitate the invasion and metastasis of the lung adenocarcinoma, and can be used as a prognostic marker. Myofibroblasts may become even a new target for treatment.

Microstructure, mechanical property, corrosion behavior, and in vitro biocompatibility of Zr-Mo alloys

In this study, the microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion behaviors, and in vitro biocompatibility of Zr-Mo alloys as a function of Mo content after solution treatment were systemically investigated to assess their potential use in biomedical application. The experimental results indicated that Zr-1Mo alloy mainly consisted of an acicular structure of α' phase, while ω phase formed in Zr-3Mo alloy. In Zr-5Mo alloy, retained β phase and a small amount of precipitated α phase were observed. Only the retained β phase was obtained in Zr-10Mo alloy. Zr-1Mo alloy exhibited the greatest hardness, bending strength, and modulus among all experimental Zr-Mo alloys, while β phase Zr-10Mo alloy had a low modulus. The results of electrochemical corrosion indicated that adding Mo into Zr improved its corrosion resistance which resulted in increasing the thermodynamic stability and passivity of zirconium. The cytotoxicity test suggested that the extracts of the studied Zr-Mo alloys produced no significant deleterious effect to fibroblast cells (L-929) and osteoblast cells (MG 63), indicating an excellent in vitro biocompatibility. Based on these facts, certain Zr-Mo alloys potentially suitable for different biomedical applications were proposed.

Osteoblast response on Ti- and Zr-based bulk metallic glass surfaces after sand blasting modification

The present study aimed to evaluate the osteoblast response on Ti- and Zr-based BMG surfaces sand blasted with different grit corundums for implant application, with mechanically polished disks before sand blasting as control groups. The surface properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle, and roughness measurements. Further evaluation of the surface bioactivity was conducted by MG63 cell attachment, proliferation, morphology, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity on the sample surfaces. It was found that corundum sand blasting surfaces significantly increased the surface wettability and MG63 cell attachment, cell proliferation, and ALP activity in comparison with the control group surfaces. Besides, the sample surface treated by large grit corundum is more favorable for cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation than samples treated by small grit corundum, indicating that it might be effective for improving implant osseointegration in vivo.