[Analysis of clinical and prognostic characteristics of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma with myelofibrosis patients]

Objective: To investigate the clinical and prognostic characteristics of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients with myelofibrosis (MF). Methods: The clinical data of 160 NDMM patients admitted to Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2012 to July 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into MF group(n=74) and non-MF group(n=86) according to whether combined with MF. Patients in MF group were further splited into MF-1 group (n=47) and MF-2/3 group (n=27). All patients were treated with bortezomib and immunomodulatory-based combination therapy. The efficacy was evaluated after 4 courses, and the clinical features and prognosis between the two groups were compared. The deadline for follow-up was December 30, 2022 and the median follow-up period [M (Q1, Q3)] was 23.5 (14.4, 40.5) months. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and Cox regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of survival. Results: Among 160 patients with NDMM, 91 were males and 69 were females, with a median age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 59 (54, 69) years. In MF group, the bone marrow immature plasma cell percentage, total plasma cell percentage were 9.6% (3.2%, 28.5%) and 36.4% (18.5%, 51.1%), respectively, which were higher than 6.0% (1.2%, 17.2%) and 24.0% (12.0%, 46.0%) of the non-MF group (both P<0.05). Hb level was 84.0(74.5, 100.5)g/L and PLT was (151.99±90.68) ×109/L in the MF group, which were lower than 96.0 (81.0, 112.0)g/L and (180.38±85.32) ×109/L of non-MF group (both P<0.05). But there were no significant differences in ISS stage, karyotypic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) high-risk genetic abnormalities between the two groups (all P>0.05). Objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). The rate of 17p- was 25.9% (7/27) in MF-2/3 group, which was higher than 8.1% (7/86) of non-MF group (P=0.049). The median OS of the MF-2/3 group was 25.0 (95%CI: 23.6-26.4) months, which was shorter than that of the non-MF group (54.0 months, P=0.031). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that grade MF-2/3 was not a risk factor for OS in NDMM patients (HR=1.507, 95%CI: 0.624-3.993, P=0.425). Conclusions: The ratio of bone marrow immature plasma cells and total plasma cells in NDMM patients with MF are higher than that in patients without MF, and the Hb and PLT are lower than that in patients without MF. NDMM patients with grade 2/3 MF have shorter survival than those without MF.

Rapid and accurate determination methods based on data fusion of laser-induced breakdown spectra and near-infrared spectra for main elemental contents in compound fertilizers

Compound fertilizer occupies a dominant position in the structure of fertilizer products in China. The contents of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the key indicators affecting the fertilization efficiency and the price of compound fertilizers. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are two rapid analytical techniques suitable for online monitoring of the above components in compound fertilizer. However, accurate LIBS analysis needs to overcome matrix effects and interference from environmental elements, and NIRS also has the limitation of not being able to directly detect inorganic components in compound fertilizers. The combination of LIBS and NIRS techniques, namely LIBS-NIRS data fusion, has the potential to reduce interferences in the detection of single spectroscopic techniques and further improve the analysis accuracy. This study compared the LIBS-NIRS data fusion methods under different optimization conditions, and found that CARS-OPF (competitive adaptive reweighted sampling combined with outer product fusion) and CARS-EWF (competitive adaptive reweighted sampling combined with equal weight fusion) are two effective intermediate data fusion methods which can achieve better quantitative analysis results than single spectroscopic methods. The root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents in compound fertilizers by using CARS-OPF are 0.901, 0.693, and 1.52, respectively, and the RMSEP for those indicators by using CARS-EWF are 0.934, 0.719, and 1.60, respectively. In these two methods, the LIBS and NIRS characteristic variables of compound fertilizers are firstly screened by CARS algorithm, and then intermediate data fusion was carried out by using equal weight fusion or outer product fusion. Redundant variables in the original data can be well removed in the data fusion process to ensure the accuracy of the analysis. Therefore, the combined methods of LIBS-NIRS based on CARS-OPF and CARS-EWF could be well applied to the rapid and accurate detection of main elemental contents in compound fertilizers.

Data fusion strategy based on ultraviolet-visible spectra and near-infrared spectra for simultaneous and accurate determination of key parameters in surface water

Chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (AN) and total nitrogen (TN) are the key parameters to reflect the degree of surface water pollution. Ultraviolet - visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and near - infrared (NIR) spectroscopy are ideal techniques for rapid monitoring of these indicators. In this study, a strategy based on the fusion of UV-Vis and NIR spectral data (UV-Vis-NIR) for water quality detection was proposed to further improve the quantitative analysis accuracy of spectroscopic methods. Seventy river samples with different levels of pollution were used for spectroscopic analysis. The UV-Vis-NIR fusion spectrum of each water sample was obtained by directly splicing sample's UV-Vis spectrum and NIR diffuse transmission spectrum. The UV-Vis-NIR fusion models were optimized through using different variable selection algorithms. The results show that the UV-Vis-NIR fusion models for surface water COD, AN and TN achieves better prediction results (the root mean square errors of prediction are 6.95, 0.195, and 0.466, respectively) than single-spectroscopic based models. Since better prediction performances were shown under different optimization conditions, the robustness of fusion models were also better than the single-spectroscopic based models. Therefore, the data fusion strategy proposed in this study has a promising application prospect for further accurate and rapid monitoring of surface water quality.

Influencing factors and mechanism of CO2 adsorption capacity of FA-based carbon sequestration materials

Carbon dioxide mineral carbonisation is a means to achieve permanent carbon dioxide storage, this paper to solid waste materials as the main raw material to prepare fly ash-based carbon dioxide storage materials. Through the design of carbon dioxide adsorption experimental setup to study the main factors affecting the adsorption capacity of the fly ash-based storage materials, the experimental results show that, the fly ash mass fraction decreased from 90 to 10%, the water-cement ratio increased from 0.4 to 0.8 when the CO2 adsorption of fly ash-based materials increased by 82% and 30%, respectively. The effect of strong alkali on CO2 adsorption capacity was also investigated in this paper, and the results showed that the CO2 adsorption of the fly ash-based material sample with 10 ml NaOH added increased by 197% compared with that of the sample with 5 ml NaOH added, whereas the adsorption amount was reduced by 85% when 25 ml NaOH was added instead, which was attributed to the accelerated hydration process of the material due to the excessive alkalinity that consumed the calcium and magnesium ions in the material, and at the same time the production of hydration products hindered the transport of CO2 within the material, which led to a decrease in CO2 adsorption.

Effects of Pressurized Pyrolysis on the Chemical and Porous Structure Evolution of Coal Core during Deep Underground Coal Gasification

During deep underground coal gasification, the semicoke produced by the pyrolysis of dense coal cores is an important material for its gasification and combustion. In this paper, pressurized pyrolysis experiments were carried out on dense coal cores at 700 °C and pressures of 1, 2, and 3 MPa using a shaft furnace. The resulting semicoke and raw coal were analyzed using the characterization methods such as the N2 isothermal adsorption/desorption and scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), and a pressurized thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with a FTIR spectrometer. The pyrolysis gas generation characteristics during pressurized pyrolysis were studied. The mechanisms of evolution of aliphatic functional groups and pore structures in semicoke during pressurized pyrolysis were revealed. The results indicate that the increase in pressure obviously changed the gas composition, most notably, the relative content of CH4 and H2 in the pyrolysis gas. The methane in the pyrolysis gas during pressurized pyrolysis of dense coal cores is mainly from the secondary reaction. As the pyrolysis pressure increased, the ratio of -CH2-/-CH3 became smaller, indicating that the pressure promoted the breakage of the long fat chains. With the increase of the pyrolysis pressure, the surface deformation of pressurized pyrolysis semicoke increases, and the pore structure becomes more abundant.

Interim Analysis of DD3: A Phase IB/II Trial of Dose-Deescalated 3-Fraction SBRT for Centrally Located Lung Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Prior studies suggested excessive toxicity for central lung tumors treated with 3-fraction stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). This may be related to the high biologically equivalent dose assuming alpha/beta of 10 (BED) of 54 Gy in 3 fractions (BED = 151.2), as 50-60 Gy in 5 fractions (BED = 100.0-132.0) was well-tolerated in RTOG 0813. We initiated a prospective phase IB/II trial to test the hypothesis that a dose-deescalated regimen of 45 Gy in 3 fractions (BED 112.5) would be safe and efficacious in central lung tumors.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We enrolled patients with primary or secondary lung tumors ≤5cm in a central but not ultra-central tumor location defined as within 2 cm of (but not abutting) tracheobronchial tree, esophagus, or heart. Patients were either medically inoperable or refused surgical intervention. Co-primary endpoints were safety and efficacy, defined as local control (LC). Secondary endpoints included lobar control, regional control (LRC), distant control (DC), progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS). Organ-at-risk dose constraints were consistent with those of RTOG 0236. The Bayesian predictive probability approach was utilized for continuous monitoring after 10 patients were treated and have mature assessment of toxicity, after which interim analysis was planned. We recommended terminating the trial for safety if there was sufficient evidence that the rate of grade ≥3 was greater than 0.25 (predictive probability >0.80).

RESULTS

As of the data cut-off date of 1/26/23, the trial was open for 34 months (including a nearly-immediate suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic). A total of 17 patients have been treated on protocol with a median follow-up of 12 months. No grade ≥3 adverse events attributable to SBRT have occurred to date, though one patient died of unrelated cardiac arrhythmias 1 month after SBRT completion (Table 1). Maximum CTCAE grade 2 adverse events attributable to SBRT occurred in 17.6% of patients. The predictive probability of concluding unacceptably high toxicity rate by the end of the trial based on toxicity data in the current stage is 0.62%. To date, there have been 0 local recurrences, 1 regional recurrence without local recurrence (8 months after SBRT completion, successfully salvaged with definitive chemoradiotherapy without additional toxicities), and 1 distant recurrence without local recurrence (6 months after SBRT in a patient with lung metastasis from colon adenocarcinoma).

CONCLUSION

Interim analysis of the DD3 trial suggests that for patients with central but not ultra-central lung tumors, an SBRT regimen of 45 Gy in 3 fractions warrants continued trial accrual and follow-up given no grade ≥3 toxicities or local recurrences in the early follow-up period among the first 17 patients enrolled.

[The Biography and Achievements of Japanese Psychiatrist Syuzo Kure]

Syuzo Kure (1865-1932) was the founder of modern psychiatry in Japan and one of the pioneers of the study on the Japanese medical history. He introduced the modern hospital system and psychiatric research, actively promoted the improvement of the treatment of the mental disorders.He was the founder of the Japanese Psychiatric Neurological Association and the Journal of Neurology, and also promoted the establishment of the Charity Treatment Association for the Mentally ill.At the same time, he excavated and sorted out the historical materials of psychiatry, and founded the Japanese Medical History Society.While the medical social history is heating up in China, it is of many significance to pay attention to the study of psychiatric history and a representative figure like Syuzo Kure.

Anti-Epstein-Barr Virus BNLF2b for Mass Screening for Nasopharyngeal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Population screening of asymptomatic persons with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA or antibodies has improved the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and survival among affected persons. However, the positive predictive value of current screening strategies is unsatisfactory even in areas where nasopharyngeal carcinoma is endemic.

METHODS

We designed a peptide library representing highly ranked B-cell epitopes of EBV coding sequences to identify novel serologic biomarkers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. After a retrospective case-control study, the performance of the novel biomarker anti-BNLF2b total antibody (P85-Ab) was validated through a large-scale prospective screening program and compared with that of the standard two-antibody-based screening method (EBV nuclear antigen 1 [EBNA1]-IgA and EBV-specific viral capsid antigen [VCA]-IgA).

RESULTS

P85-Ab was the most promising biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma screening, with high sensitivity (94.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 86.4 to 97.8) and specificity (99.6%; 95% CI, 97.8 to 99.9) in the retrospective case-control study. Among the 24,852 eligible participants in the prospective cohort, 47 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (38 at an early stage) were identified. P85-Ab showed higher sensitivity than the two-antibody method (97.9% vs. 72.3%; ratio, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1 to 1.6]), higher specificity (98.3% vs. 97.0%; ratio, 1.01 [95% CI, 1.01 to 1.02]), and a higher positive predictive value (10.0% vs. 4.3%; ratio, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.8 to 2.8]). The combination of P85-Ab and the two-antibody method markedly increased the positive predictive value to 44.6% (95% CI, 33.8 to 55.9), with sensitivity of 70.2% (95% CI, 56.0 to 81.4).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that P85-Ab is a promising novel biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma screening, with higher sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value than the standard two-antibody method. (Funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04085900.).

A Rapid and Accurate Quantitative Analysis of Cellulose in the Rice Bran Layer Based on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Cultivating rice varieties with lower cellulose content in the bran layer has the potential to enhance both the nutritional value and texture of brown rice. This study aims to establish a rapid and accurate method to quantify cellulose content in the bran layer utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), thereby providing a technical foundation for the selection, screening, and breeding of rice germplasm cultivars characterized by a low cellulose content in the bran layer. To ensure the accuracy of the NIR spectroscopic analysis, the potassium dichromate oxidation (PDO) method was improved and then used as a reference method. Using 141 samples of rice bran layer (rice bran without germ), near-infrared diffuse reflectance (NIRdr) spectra, near-infrared diffuse transmittance (NIRdt) spectra, and fusion spectra of NIRdr and NIRdt were used to establish cellulose quantitative analysis models, followed by a comparative evaluation of these models' predictive performance. Results indicate that the optimized PDO method demonstrates superior precision compared to the original PDO method. Upon examining the established models, their predictive capabilities were ranked in the following order: the fusion model outperforms the NIRdt model, which in turn surpasses the NIRdr model. Of all the fusion models developed, the model exhibiting the highest predictive accuracy utilized fusion spectra (NIRdr-NIRdt (1st der)) derived from preprocessed (first derivative) diffuse reflectance and transmittance spectra. This model achieved an external predictive R2p of 0.903 and an RMSEP of 0.213%. Using this specific model, the rice mutant O2 was successfully identified, which displayed a cellulose content in the bran layer of 3.28%, representing a 0.86% decrease compared to the wild type (W7). The utilization of NIRS enables quantitative analysis of the cellulose content within the rice bran layer, thereby providing essential technical support for the selection of rice varieties characterized by lower cellulose content in the bran layer.

Synergistic interactions of microbial fuel cell and microbially induced carbonate precipitation technology with molasses as the substrate

The application of microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology is critical, but many challenges remain. In this paper, a microbial fuel cell (MFC) is used to treat molasses wastewater, and the effluent is used as the substrate to promote the growth of urease-producing bacteria. The results showed that the maximum voltage of MFC was 500 mV, and the maximum power density was 169.86 mW/m². The mineralization rate reached 100% on the 15^th day, and the mineralized product was calcite CaCO₃. According to the microbial community analysis, the unclassified_Comamondaceae, Arcobacter, and Aeromonas, which could improve the OH^-, signal molecular transmission and small molecular nutrients to promote the urease activity of urease-producing bacteria. The above conclusions provide a new way to reuse molasses wastewater efficiently and to apply MICP technology in dust suppression.

Influence law of structural parameters of pressure-swirl nozzle on atomization effect based on multiscale model

The dust pollution at the fully mechanized heading face has seriously threatened the health of the miners. As the main technical means, the outer spray of a roadheader has the problems of small coverage of the fog field and low dust removal efficiency. Based on the multiscale swirl atomization model of LES-VOF, this study simulated and analyzed the atomization process of the nozzle. The influence law of the diameter, the length and the circulation area ratio of the swirl chamber, and the swirl core angle on the swirl number and atomization effect were determined, and the nonlinear function relationship between variables was obtained. With the help of the BP neural network model, a new type of swirl nozzle is developed which is suitable for the outside spray system at the fully mechanized heading face. The experimental results show that the error between the predicted results of the new swirl nozzle and BP network model is less than 15%, the atomization angle θ_c is 24.2°, the average particle size D₃₂ is 64.43 µm, and the effective range R_eff is about 2.1 m. At the same time, the total dust removal efficiency and respirable dust removal efficiency of the new swirl nozzle at the driver's place are 61.10% and 63.85%, respectively, which are 21.69% and 20.92% higher than the original nozzle.

How do forms and characteristics of Asian public housing neighbourhoods affect dementia risk among senior population? A cross-sectional study in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

Public housing estate is a key determinant of community health risk in American/European cities. However, how forms/characteristics of compact/hilly public housing's neighbourhoods affect dementia among Asian seniors was underestimated.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A total of 2,077 seniors living in Hong Kong's public housing estates were included. Dementia was measured by a Cantonese version of Montreal - Cognitive Assessment. Built environment was measured based on three dimensions (greenery, walkability, accessibility), including 11 metrics. Circular buffers (without walking paths) and service areas (considering walking paths) with two-dimensional/three-dimensional (terrain) adjustment were applied to quantify forms/characteristics of neighbourhoods. Two spatial buffers were applied: immediate distance (200 m) and walkable distance (500 m). Exposure-by-exposure regressions were applied to evaluate the associations between form/characteristics of neighbourhood and dementia.

RESULTS

Forms/characteristics without considering walking paths may overestimate health benefits from built environment. For circular buffers, higher percentage of building coverage, higher land use mix and more community/transportation/leisure facilities were negatively associated with dementia. All measures of greenery were positively associated with dementia. For service areas, measures of walkability and accessibility became insignificant except more community facilities at the immediate distance. Furthermore, terrain effect was insignificant when it was compared with the impacts of walking paths.

CONCLUSION

Dementia among seniors in hilly public housing estates was negatively associated with neighbourhood's walkability and accessibility and was influenced by walking paths. For healthy ageing, improved forms/characteristics of public housing neighbourhoods should include more accessible spaces and community facilities along walking paths for physical activities and basic daily needs.

Performance optimization and mechanism analysis of applied Enteromorpha-based composite dust suppressant

In order to solve the problem of environmental pollution caused by the escape of coal dust in open-pit coal mines, a composite dust suppressant was prepared from Enteromorpha, and the preparation factors (water-soluble polymer, temperature, solid content and surfactant) were optimized. The mechanism of dust suppression and the possibility of large-scale field application were discussed. The research results on the related properties of dust suppressants showed that the performance of Enteromorpha-based dust suppressants prepared by this method was excellent compared with similar studies. Among them, polyacrylamide (PAM) Enteromorpha-based dust suppressant had the best performance, with viscosity of 25.1 mPa s and surface tension of 27.05 mN/m. Moreover, PAM Enteromorpha-based dust suppressant had the best effect, with the mass loss of 2.94% under the wind speed of 10 m/s and the coal dust loss rate of 4.6% after rain erosion, and it had strong water retention performance. Through the discussion of dust suppression mechanism, it was found that the mechanical entangled network structure with hydrogen bonds as nodes was formed after the graft copolymerization of PAM and Enteromorpha. It had high permeability and good adhesion. After quickly wetting coal dust, it formed a dense package for coal dust. The field experiment also showed that the use of Enteromorpha-based dust suppressant can effectively inhibit the escape of coal dust. From the point of view of economy and efficiency, Enteromorpha can save 30% of the material cost and the dust suppression efficiency can reach 89-94%. Therefore, the Enteromorpha-based dust suppressant may stably suppress coal dust on the basis of reducing the cost.

Synthesis and performance determination of a glycosylated modified covalent polymer dust suppressant

Traditional polymer dust suppressants are limited due to environmental pollution, while polymer gels have attracted attention due to the advantages of environmental protection and good biocompatibility. The purpose of this research is to prepare a new type of dust suppressant with a gel network structure, which was synthesized from soybean protein isolate and glycosylated with xanthan gum. The experimental results showed that the product obtained by reacting 0.2 % xanthan gum and 0.1 % soybean protein isolate at 90 °C for 4 h has the best binding effect on coal dust, and the coal husk hardness can reach 83 HA. The microscopic reaction and structure of the product were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer, and scanning electron microscope, and the results revealed the structural change and specific reaction process of the product. In addition, through molecular dynamics simulation, the dust suppression effect was confirmed and the mechanism of action between dust suppressant and coal was revealed. The performance test of the dust suppressant showed that its viscosity is 23.4 mPa·s, the contact angle at 1 s is 10.01°, the PM10 dust suppression efficiency can reach 98.10 %, the water retention is 44.44 % higher than that of water, and thermal stability is improved.

Effect of intravesical mitomycin compared with gemcitabine on the treatment non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of intravesical mitomycin compared with gemcitabine on the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

METHODS

A systematic literature search up to November 2021 was done and 6 studies included 389 subjects with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer at the start of the study; 197 of them were provided with intravesical-mitomycin and 192 with intravesical gemcitabine. The studies reported the relationships about the effect of intravesical mitomycin compared with gemcitabine on the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the effect of intravesical mitomycin compared with gemcitabine on the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer using the dichotomous method with a random or fixed-effect model.

RESULTS

Intravesical mitomycin had significantly higher recurrence rates (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.43-4.08, p=0.001) and chemical cystitis (OR, 4.39; 95% CI, 2.27-8.51, p<0.001) compared to intravesical gemcitabine in subjects with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. However, intravesical mitomycin had no significant difference in its effect on hematuria (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 0.68-4.33, p=0.26), skin reaction (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 0.59-7.07, p=0.26), and liver and kidney functions damage (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 0.35-10.96, p=0.44) compared to intravesical gemcitabine in subjects with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravesical mitomycin had significantly higher recurrence rates and chemical cystitis and no significant difference in its effect on hematuria, skin reaction, and liver and kidney functions damage compared to intravesical gemcitabine in subjects with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Further studies are required to validate these findings.

[Apolipoprotein E enhances migration of endometrial cancer cells byactivating the ERK/MMP9 signaling pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To study the role of apolipoprotein E (APOE) in regulating endometrial cancer metastasis and explore the signaling pathway in the regulatory mechanism.

METHODS

Human endometrial cancer cell line HEC-1B was transfected with a control siRNA (siCtrl) or a specific siRNA targeting APOE (siAPOE) or with either pEGFP-N1 plasmid or an APOEoverexpressing plasmid. The changes in migration, proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle of the transfected cells were examined using wound healing assay, Transwell migration assay, MTT assay, flow cytometry, and Hoechst staining. The activity of the ERK/MMP9 signaling pathway in the transfected cells was assessed using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The expression level of APOE in clinical specimens of endometrial cancer tissues were detected using immunohistochemistry and its correlation with differentiation of endometrial cancer tissues was analyzed.

RESULTS

Wound healing assay and Transwell migration assay showed that compared with those in siCtrl group, HEC-1B cells transfected with siAPOE showed significantly reduced migration ability (P < 0.05), whereas APOE overexpression significantly promoted the migration of the cells (P < 0.05). Neither APOE knockdown nor overexpression produced significant effects on HEC-1B cell proliferation as shown by MTT assay and flow cytometry. Hoechst staining revealed that transfection with siAPOE did not significantly affect apoptosis of HEC-1B cells. APOE knockdown obviously reduced and APOE overexpression enhanced ERK phosphorylation and MMP9 expression in HEC-1B cells (P < 0.05). Treatment with U0126 partially reversed the effects of APOE overexpression on ERK phosphorylation, migration and MMP9 expression in HEC-1B cells (P < 0.05). APOE is highly expressed in clinical samples of endometrial cancer tissues as compared with the adjacent tissues.

CONCLUSION

APOE is highly expressed in endometrial cancer tissues to promote cancer cell migration by enhancing ERK phosphorylation and MMP9 expression.

Review and prospects of mining chemical dust suppressant: classification and mechanisms

Coal mine pollution is a serious threat to the mine safe production and occupational health of miners. Chemical dust suppression can effectively reduce the concentration of coal dust and suppress the re-entrainment of dust. This paper discusses the research progress of three kinds of traditional dust suppressants: the wetting-type, cohesive type, and condensed type. In order to meet dust suppression and environmental protection requirements, 7 kinds of new type dust suppressants, such as compound, ecological environmental protection, polymer, functional, microbes, and enzymes, have been developed by the predecessors. And all kinds of dust suppressant mechanism and main performance index have been summarized. Through the analysis of the research results from 1985 to 2021, it is found that the compound and environment-friendly dust suppressants have gradually become the research focus in this field, accounting for 17.93% and 26.21% of the total number of achievements. In the recent 5 years, new materials, such as microbe suppressant, urease suppressant, and nanomaterials, have gradually emerged. Because of their natural and environmental protection characteristics, it could be predicted that they will become the future development trend in this field. However, there are still some problems to be improved, such as expensive price and complex preparation technology.

Author Correction: Nitrosative stress induces downregulation of ribosomal protein genes via MYCT1 in vascular smooth muscle cells

Correction to: European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences 2021; 25 (18): 5653-5663-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202109_26784-PMID: 34604957, published online on 30 September, 2021. After publication, the authors applied to add another corresponding author. Therefore, both Dr. Xiaosun Guo and Dr. Fan Jiang are the corresponding authors of this article. There are amendments to this paper. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/26784.

Insight of the bio-cathode biofilm construction in microbial electrolysis cell dealing with sulfate-containing wastewater

Signaling molecules are useful in biofilm formation, but the mechanism for biofilm construction still needs to be explored. In this study, a signaling molecule, N-butyryl-l-Homoserine lactone (C₄-HSL), was supplied to enhance the construction of the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) bio-cathode biofilm in microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). The sulfate reduction efficiency was more than 90% in less time under the system with C₄-HSL addition. The analysis of SRB bio-cathode biofilms indicated that the activity, distribution, microbial population, and secretion of extracellular polymers prompted by C₄-HSL, which accelerate the sulfate reduction, in particular for the assimilatory sulfate reduction pathway. Specifically, the relative abundance of acidogenic fermentation bacteria increased, and Desulfovibrio was co-metabolized with acidogenic fermentation bacteria. This knowledge will help to reveal the potential of signaling molecules to enhance the SRB bio-cathode biofilm MEC construction and improve the performance of treating sulfate-containing wastewater.

The antidepressant effects and serum metabonomics of bifid triple viable capsule in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress

Background

Probiotics have shown potential antidepressant effects. This study evaluated the effect and probable mechanisms of bifid triple viable capsules (BTVCs) on a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS).

Materials and methods

Rats were randomly divided into Normal, CUMS model, fluoxetine hydrochloride (FLX), BTVCs, and FLX+BTVCs groups. Depressive-like behaviours, pathological changes in the hippocampus, changes in serum metabolites and potential biomarkers, and metabolic pathways were detected via behavioural tests, haematoxylin-eosin staining, nissl staining, non-targetted metabolomics, and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA).

Results

The rats displayed depressive-like behaviours after CUMS exposure, but BTVCs ameliorated the depressive-like behaviours. In addition, the pathological results showed that the hippocampal tissue was damaged in rats after CUMS exposure and that the damage was effectively alleviated by treatment with BTVCs. A total of 20 potential biomarkers were identified. Treatment with BTVCs regulated D-phenylalanine, methoxyeugenol, (±)-myristoylcarnitine, 18:3 (6Z, 9Z, 12Z) /P-18:1 (11Z), propionyl-L-carnitine, and arachidonic acid (AA) concentrations, all compounds that are involved with biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, glycerophospholipid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism and AA metabolism. The IPA demonstrated that endothelin-1 signalling and cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) signalling in neurons may be involved in the development of depression.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that BTVCs can alleviate depressive-like behaviours, restore damage to the hippocampus in CUMS rats and regulate serum metabolism, which may be related to endothelin-1 signalling or CREB signalling in neurons.

Effects of Variations in the Chemical Composition of Individual Rice Grains on the Eating Quality of Hybrid Indica Rice Based on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

The chemical composition of individual hybrid rice (F2) varieties varies owing to genetic differences between parental lines, and the effects of these differences on eating quality are unclear. In this study, based on a self-developed near-infrared spectroscopy platform, we explored these effects among a set of 143 hybrid indica rice varieties with different eating qualities. The single-grain amylose content (SGAC) and single-grain protein content (SGPC) models were established with coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.9064 and 0.8847, respectively, and the dispersion indicators (standard deviation, variance, extreme deviation, quartile deviation, and coefficient of variation) were proposed to analyze the variations in the SGAC and SGPC based on the predicted results. Our correlation analysis found that the higher the variation in the SGAC and SGPC, the lower the eating quality of the hybrid indica rice. Moreover, the addition of the dispersion indicators of the SGAC and SGPC improved the R² of the eating quality model constructed using the composition-related physicochemical indicators (amylose content, protein content, alkali-spreading value, and gel consistency) from 0.657 to 0.850. Therefore, this new method proved to be useful for identifying high-eating-quality hybrid indica rice based on single near-infrared spectroscopy prior to processing and cooking.

[Digitalization of perioperative traumatic stress in enhanced recovery after surgery program: current application and future prospect]

Perioperative traumatic stress is a systemic nonspecific response caused by stimuli such as anesthesia, surgery, pain and anxiety, which lasts throughout the perioperative period.The continuous excessive stress response is not conducive to the postoperative rehabilitation of patients. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), a research hotspot of modern surgery, can significantly reduce perioperative pain and stress, thus promoting the rehabilitation of patients. With the progress of artificial intelligence and information technology, wearable, non-invasive, real-time heart rate variability (HRV) dynamic monitoring can effectively realize the digitalization of stress monitoring with low price, which is worthy of clinical application. Therefore, the use of HRV for digital monitoring of perioperative stress has a significant research value. Moreover, the combination of HRV and ERAS has shown its advantages and the prospect of clinical application is worthy of anticipating.

[Characteristics and prognostic effects of NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients]

Objective: To explore the characteristics, clinical features and prognostic effects of NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients. Methods: The clinical data of 61 T-ALL patients who underwent second-generation gene sequencing in Henan Provincial People's Hospital from March 2016 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 46 males and 15 females, with a median age [M (Q₁, Q₃)] of 18 (11, 30) years. The relationship between NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutation characteristics, clinical and laboratory parameters and their impact on event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Results: NOTCH1 gene mutations were found in 34 cases (55.7%, 34/61), including 22 cases of heterodimer domain (HD) mutations (64.7%), 7 cases of proline/glutamate/serine/threonine (PEST) mutations (20.6%), and 5 cases of both HD and PEST mutations (14.7%). FBXW7 gene mutations were detected in 9 cases (14.8%, 9/61), of which 5 cases had both NOTCH1 and FBXW7 gene mutations. Twenty-three (37.7%, 23/61) cases were wild type. The median white blood cell count of patients in NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations group and wild-type group was 76.4×10⁹/L (8.3×10⁹/L, 149.2×10⁹/L), 54.1×10⁹/L (5.3×10⁹/L, 156.6×10⁹/L), respectively. Moreover, the hemoglobin was (89.1±27.1) g/L and (99.5±23.1) g/L, respectively, and the median proportion of bone marrow primordial cells was 84.5% (69.0%, 91.3%) and 60.0%(35.0%, 80.0%), respectively. The gene expression rate of SIL-TAL1, Hox11 and Hox11L2 was 7.9% (3/38) vs 17.4% (4/23), 18.4% (7/38) vs 4.3% (1/23), 5.3% (2/38) vs 13.0% (3/23), respectively (all P>0.05). However, the median platelet level in the NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations group was 60.5×10⁹/L (36.8×10⁹/L, 100.3×10⁹/L), which was lower than that in the wild-type group [116.0×10⁹/L (63.0×10⁹/L, 178.0×10⁹/L)] (P=0.018). The median number of gene mutations in the group with NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations group was 2.5 (1.8, 4.0), which was more than that in the group without NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations group [0 (0, 1.0)] (P<0.001). The median EFS and OS of adult NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations group were 28.0 (95%CI: 7.3-48.7) months and 30.0 (95%CI: 8.9-51.1) months, respectively, which were better than those of adult wild-type group [4.5 (95%CI: 0-11.6) months and 9.0 (95%CI: 0-19.1) months] (P=0.008 and 0.014).The median EFS and OS of children NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations group were 12.0 (95%CI: 10.4-13.6) months and 19.0 (95%CI: 13.6-24.4) months, respectively, and those of wild-type group were 10.0 (95%CI: 8.9-11.1) months and 21.0 (95%CI: 0-51.4) months, respectively (P=0.673 and 0.434). Conclusions: The mutation rate of NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene is higher in T-ALL patients. Patients with NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutations group have lower platelet count and better EFS and OS. NOTCH1/FBXW7 gene mutation may be used as a hierarchical basis for individualized treatment of adult T-ALL patients.

[Laparoscopic surgery in treatment of perivascular epithelioid cell tumor in liver: safety and efficacy]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic surgery for perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa). Methods: The clinical data of 42 patients with hepatic PEComa diagnosed by pathology in Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from September 2012 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the endoscopic group and the open group according to surgical methods. Statistical software was used to compare the differences in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative pathological data and incidence of complications between the two groups. Results: There were 27 cases in the endoscopic group and 15 cases in the open group. In the endoscopic group, there were 5 males and 22 females, aged (40.0±10.4) years. In the open group, there were 5 males and 10 females, aged (44.5±12.6) years. The operative time of the endoscopic group and the open group was (239±156.2) min and (348±103.0) min, and the postoperative hospital stay was (8.2±2.4) d and (13.7±4.9) d, respectively, the endoscopic group was significantly better than the open group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss, tumor benign and malignant, tumor site, tumor diameter, Ki67 index, postoperative complications such as biliary leakage, incision infection and pleural effusion (P>0.05). During the follow-up period of 2-103 months, one case was lost to follow-up, two cases died in the endoscopic group,one case died in the open group. The 5-year overall survival rate (OS) and disease-free survival rate (DFS) were 80.8% and 83.0%, respectively. Meanwhile,. The 5-year OS and DFS were both 92.3%, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions: Laparoscopic treatment of hepatic PEComa has the advantages of short operation time and short postoperative hospital stay, and the incidence of complications, 5-year OS and DFS are not significantly different from that of the open group.

[Epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant in Shangyu district, Shaoxing of Zhejiang province]

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant in Shangyu district, Shaoxing of Zhejiang province in 2021, and provide evidence for the improvement of COVID-19 control and prevention measures. Methods: The incidence data of COVID-19 in Shangyu from December 7 to 21, 2021 was obtained from Shangyu District Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The epidemiological characteristics of the cases, i.e. the population, time and space distributions, were analyzed, and the incubation period and time-varying reproduction numbers (R_t) were calculated. Results: From December 7 to 21, 2021, a total of 380 COVID-19 cases caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant were detected in Shangyu, the median age of the cases was 52 years, M (Q₁，Q₃: 38, 61). The male to female ratio of the cases was 1∶1.25, and the cases were mainly workers (36.58%) and farmers (27.63%). The epidemic affected 9 townships (or community) of Shangyu, especially Caoe and Baiguan communities with the cases accounting for 57.10% and 31.53% respectively. The median incubation period of cases was 4.00 days, M (Q₁，Q₃: 3.00, 5.75). The basic reproduction number (R₀) was 4.06, and the R_t was 5.62 in early phase of the outbreak (the highest) and continuously decreased to less than 1.00 within 10 days after the detection of the outbreak. The number of COVID-19 cases decreased to 0 within 14 days after the outbreak (December 7-21), and the main detection methods were screening in centralized isolation (55.53%) and home isolation (40.00%). The infection rates of close contacts and secondary close contacts were 2.06% and 0.46% respectively. Conclusion: The epidemic of COVID-19 in Shangyu characterized by short incubation period, large number of infected people, and case clustering, suggesting the strong transmission of Delta variant (B.1.617.2). Comprehensive prevention and control measures, such as management of close contacts and secondary close contacts, and high-risk area, are essential for the rapid control of the epidemic.

[A multi-center, randomized controlled study on the effect of Saccharomyces boulardii combined with triple therapy for the initial eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection]

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) in combination with triple therapy as a first-line regimen for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) patients. Methods: A total of 497 Helicobacter pylori-positive patients who underwent gastroscopy and diagnosed with NUD were enrolled from June 2018 to January 2020 in 9 medical centers across China. Participants were segmentedly randomly divided into 3 groups. Patients in group A received S. boulardii for 14 days and triple therapy for 10 days, while patients in group B received bismuth quadruple group for 10 days, and patients in group C received triple therapy for 10 days. The H. pylori status was determined by the ¹³C-urea breath test on the 44th day of the treatment. Symptom improvement and adverse reactions were assessed on the 14th and 44th day. Results: There were 229 males and 268 females in all 497 patients enrolled. They were aged 18-69 (46.1±11.8) years and 472 of them (158 cases in group A, 159 cases in group B, and 155 cases in group C) completed the trial. The intention-to-treat (ITT) eradication rates in patients in patients A, B and C were 77.8% (126/162), 80.1% (137/171) and 65.2% (107/164) respectively, and per protocol-based (PP) eradication rates were 79.7% (126/158), 86.2% (137/159) and 69.0% (107/155) respectively. The differences were statistically significant in ITT and PP analysis among 3 groups (ITT: χ²=11.14, P<0.01; PP: χ²=13.86, P<0.01). There was no significant difference between eradication rates of two quadruple therapys(all P>0.05), but both of them were significantly higher than that of standard triple therapy (both P<0.05). Statistics revealed that both quadruple therapys led to significantly higher symptom improvement of belching compared with that of standard triple therapy in day 14 (P<0.05). The relief of abdominal distension and belching symptom scores of group A were significantly higher than those of group C in day 44(all P<0.05). There was no serious adverse event reported. The incidence of diarrhea in group A was significantly lower than those in the other two groups (both P<0.05). Conclusions: The combination of S. boulardii and triple therapy can achieve a better eradication effect on H. pylori infection with NUD, and has advantages in symptom relief and safety.

Research on the Pollutant Migration Law Based on Large-Scale Three-Dimensional Similar Simulation Experiments of Underground Coal Gasification

The potential pollution risk of underground coal gasification (UCG) has become a key factor restricting the development of UCG industrialization. Therefore, studying the migration and diffusion behavior of harmful pollutants is of great significance for preventing UCG pollution. In this paper, a large-scale three-dimensional similar simulation experimental device for UCG is used to simulate the gasification of Tianjin fat coal under actual working conditions. The rock layer around the simulated coal seam was sampled after the gasification was completed, the contaminants in the samples were examined by XRD, and the changes in the relative content of the contaminants at different sampling points were studied by FTIR. The results showed that benzene, phenols, aldehydes, aromatic hydrocarbons, and aromatic heterocyclic compounds remained after the gasification of No. 7 sampling point in Qianjiang, Tianjin, and that the main pollutants were aromatic hydrocarbons. The migration and enrichment of phenol and aldehyde pollutants were about the same on the east and west sides of the gasification center, while benzene pollutants were more easily migrated and enriched than aromatic heterocyclic compounds. The migration distance of phenolic pollutants on the south side of the gasification area is smaller than that of other pollutants and their maximum vertical distance from the gasification reaction area to the south is about 0.7 m. The results can provide a scientific basis for pollutant risk identification and prevention and control in the later UCG field test.

[Status of vaccination and related influencing factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a real-world cross-sectional study]

Objective: To investigate the influenza and pneumonia vaccination rates in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and analyze the factors affecting vaccination. Methods: Totally 4 016 COPD patients at the initial visit were included in the Respiratory Department of Xiangya Second Hospital of Central South University from December, 2016 to December, 2019. Each patient's vaccination status after the visit for 1 year was reviewed, and finally 3 177 patients were included in the analysis. Relevant factors affecting vaccination were analyzed with logistic regression. Results: The overall vaccination rates of COPD patients with influenza vaccine, pneumonia vaccine and influenza combined pneumonia vaccine were 2.3% (72/3 177), 1.1% (34/3 177) and 1.1% (34/3 177), respectively. The influenza vaccination rate of urban patients (3.3%, 41/1 252) was higher than that of rural patients (1.6%, 31/1 925,P=0.002). The rates of influenza vaccine, pneumonia vaccine and influenza combined pneumonia vaccine in ex-smokers with COPD were 3.3% (33/993), 2.1% (21/993), 2.1% (21/993), respectively and 1.7% (25/1 467), 0.7% (11/1 467), 0.7% (11/1 467), in current smokers with COPD, respectively (P=0.034, P=0.015, P=0.015, respectively). The influenza vaccination rate was higher in patients with COPD assessment test (CAT) scored less than 10 (4%, 27/673) than patients with CAT scored more than 10 (1.8%, 45/2 504,P=0.002). In a multifactor analysis, patients who lived in country side, were current smokers, and had more symptoms were less likely to be vaccinated, with an aOR 1.73(95%CI 1.02-2.93), 2.10(95%CI 1.18-3.76), 2.06(95%CI 1.24-3.43), respectively. 81.2% of COPD patients did not receive the vaccine because they did not know the vaccine. Conclusions: Vaccination rates for influenza vaccine, pneumonia vaccine and both of them in COPD patients were low and the patients lacked knowledge of vaccine. The residence, smoking status and symptoms were related to the vaccination of COPD patients, and these should be taken into account in the vaccination health education.

Inflammatory-miR-301a circuitry drives mTOR and Stat3-dependent PSC activation in chronic pancreatitis and PanIN

Activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are the main cells involved in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesion (PanIN). Fine-tuning the precise molecular targets in PSC activation might help the development of PSC-specific therapeutic strategies to tackle progression of pancreatic cancer-related fibrosis. miR-301a is a pro-inflammatory microRNA known to be activated by multiple inflammatory factors in the tumor stroma. Here, we show that miR-301a is highly expressed in activated PSCs in mice, sustained tissue fibrosis in caerulein-induced chronic pancreatitis, and accelerated PanIN formation. Genetic ablation of miR-301a reduced pancreatic fibrosis in mouse models with chronic pancreatitis and PanIN. Cell proliferation and activation of PSCs was inhibited by downregulation of miR-301a via two of its targets, Tsc1 and Gadd45g. Moreover, aberrant PSC expression of miR-301a and Gadd45g restricted the interplay between PSCs and pancreatic cancer cells in tumorigenesis. Our findings suggest that miR-301a activates two major cell proliferation pathways, Tsc1/mTOR and Gadd45g/Stat3, in vivo, to facilitate development of inflammatory-induced PanIN and maintenance of PSC activation and desmoplasia in pancreatic cancer.

Preparation and evaluation of humic acid-based composite dust suppressant for coal storage and transportation

To mitigate environmental pollution caused by the escape of dust during coal storage and transportation, humic acid (HA) and grafted acrylamide (AM) were used as raw materials to prepare a composite dust suppressant suitable for coal storage and transportation. Single-factor experiments were used to explore the optimal synthesis conditions of the dust suppressant, and the microstructure of the product was studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and other methods. The wetting effect of the dust suppressant on coal was also investigated by way of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The experimental results showed that the dust suppressant had good wind erosion resistance (wind erosion rate 10.2%), shock resistance (loss rate 3.63%), and anti-evaporation performance, while the MD simulation and permeability analysis results showed that the dust suppressant had an excellent wetting effect on the coal surface. SEM images revealed that the dust suppressant can fill the gaps between coal dust particles and bond them together to form a consolidated layer, thereby effectively inhibiting the escape of dust sources during coal storage and transportation.

Optimising mixed aerobic and anaerobic composting process parameters for reducing bacterial pathogenicity in compost-derived products

Although composting techniques are continuously optimised and adjusted, the removal of bacterial pathogen based on the quality of composting products needs further to ensure safe of agricultural use. In this study, we combined aerobic composting and anaerobic process to determine the optimal combination (turning frequency of once a day, the proportion of swine manure to corn straw (3:1), and mixed 6-day anaerobic process) that benefits the reduction of bacterial pathogens, among which the maximum removal efficiency of up to 92.96% was observed for Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 reached, thereby improving the quality of the compost products. The variation partition analysis and redundancy analysis indicated that physicochemical factors such as temperature, TOC, and pH significantly affected the removal of bacterial pathogens. Therefore, the additive effects of physicochemical factors on bacterial pathogen removal requires further process optimisation. These findings offer powerful technological support for improving agricultural waste recycling and enhancing the safety of fertiliser application.

Preparation and performance of a biological dust suppressant based on the synergistic effect of enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation and surfactant

To control the dust pollution caused by open-pit coal mining and reduce or avoid the secondary hazards of existing dust suppressants to the environment, a biological dust suppressant was prepared through the synergistic effect of a surfactant and an enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation. The optimal ratio of biological dust suppressant was determined, and the dust suppressive effect and dust consolidation mechanism of the biological dust suppressant were investigated. The results showed that the optimal biological dust suppressant had an alkyl polyglycoside (APG) concentration of 0.3 wt.%, a urea-CaCl₂ concentration of 0.6 mol/L, and a urease to urea-CaCl₂ volume ratio of 1:3. The wind erosion resistance of coal dust treated with this dust suppressant was enhanced by 86.69%. The adsorption of the biological dust suppressant by coal dust was mainly due to the electrostatic interaction between the surfactant and coal dust. The mineralization product of the dust suppressant was calcite-type CaCO₃, which consolidated coal dust due to the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between CaCO₃ and coal dust.

Enhanced Denitrification of Integrated Sewage Treatment System by Supplementing Denitrifying Carbon Source

Integrated sewage treatment system (ISTY) is a new technology for rural domestic sewage treatment. In the ISTY, the carbon source in the denitrification stage is often insufficient, affecting the denitrification efficiency. In order to improve the denitrification efficiency, several commonly available agricultural wastes, peanut shell (PS), sawdust (SD), peat (PT), and their mixtures (MT), were selected as supplementary carbon sources in the denitrification stage of ISTY to study the denitrification efficiency. Results show that PS exhibited a high carbon release capacity. PS released an enormous amount of carbon in 144 h, and the cumulative total organic carbon was 41.99 ± 0.7 mg/(g·L). The optimum carbon source dosage was 3 g/L, the nitrate removal rates of PS exceeded 95% after 48 h, and the denitrification rates were 9.35 mg/(g·L), which were 63.92% higher than that of the control group. After running the ISTY for 120 h, and with PS as supplementary carbon sources, the removal rate of TN increased from 29.76% to 83.86%. At the genus level, the dominant denitrifying bacteria in ISTY, after adding PS, were Pseudomonas and Cupriavidus, accounting for 78.68%, an increase of 72.90% compared with the control group. This evidence suggested that PS can obviously enhance the denitrification efficiency of the ISTY as a supplementary carbon source.

Nitrosative stress induces downregulation of ribosomal protein genes via MYCT1 in vascular smooth muscle cells

OBJECTIVE

In our previous genomic studies in human intracranial aneurysms, we observed downregulations in the expression of a number of ribosomal protein genes and the c-Myc-related gene MYC target 1 (MYCT1). So far there is no information about the roles of MYCT1 in vascular cells. Our study aims to investigate the functional roles of MYCT1 in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Primary SMCs were isolated from rat thoracic aorta and cultured in vitro. The mRNA and protein expressions were determined by real-time PCR and western blot respectively. Apoptosis was detected by measuring caspase 3/7 activity. Collagen production was determined with ELISA.

RESULTS

Using PCR, we validated our previous genomic data showing that the expressions of MYCT1 and ribosomal protein genes were decreased in human aneurysm tissues. In vascular SMCs, we showed that nitrosative stress downregulated the expression of both MYCT1 and ribosomal proteins. Knockdown of MYCT1 mimicked the effects of nitrosative stress on ribosomal protein expressions, whereas overexpression of MYCT1 blunted the effects of nitrosative stress. MYCT1-dependent downregulation of ribosomal proteins compromised the protein translational capacity of the cells for collagen production. Moreover, the endogenously expressed MYCT1 in vascular SMCs was involved in maintaining normal cellular functions including survival, proliferation and migration.

CONCLUSIONS

MYCT1-dependent gene regulation may, at least partly, explain the downregulated expressions of ribosomal proteins observed in human intracranial aneurysms. It is suggested that MYCT1 may represent a novel molecular target for counteracting the decreased activity of aneurysmal SMCs for tissue repairmen/regeneration.

Direct Measurement of the Branching Fractions B(ψ(3686)→J/ψX) and B(ψ(3770)→J/ψX), and Observation of the State R(3760) in e^{+}e^{-}→J/ψX

We report a measurement of the observed cross sections of e^{+}e^{-}→J/ψX based on 3.21  fb^{-1} of data accumulated at energies from 3.645 to 3.891 GeV with the BESIII detector operated at the BEPCII collider. In analysis of the cross sections, we measured the decay branching fractions of B(ψ(3686)→J/ψX)=(64.4±0.6±1.6)% and B(ψ(3770)→J/ψX)=(0.5±0.2±0.1)% for the first time. The energy-dependent line shape of these cross sections cannot be well described by two Breit-Wigner (BW) amplitudes of the expected decays ψ(3686)→J/ψX and ψ(3770)→J/ψX. Instead, it can be better described with one more BW amplitude of the decay R(3760)→J/ψX. Under this assumption, we extracted the R(3760) mass M_{R(3760)}=3766.2±3.8±0.4  MeV/c^{2} , total width Γ_{R(3760)}^{tot}=22.2±5.9±1.4  MeV, and product of leptonic width and decay branching fraction Γ_{R(3760)}^{ee}B[R(3760)→J/ψX]=(79.4±85.5±11.7)  eV. The significance of the R(3760) is 5.3σ. The first uncertainties of these measured quantities are from fits to the cross sections and second systematic.

[Analysis of clinical features and prognosis of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia harboring additional chromosomal abnormalities in Ph-positive cells]

目的

探讨Ph阳性附加染色体异常（ACA/Ph⁺）对初诊慢性期（CP）和治疗中进展为加速期和急变期慢性髓性白血病（CML-AP/BP）患者生物学特征、疗效和预后的影响。

方法

回顾性分析2013年1月至2020年6月河南省人民医院收治的410例Ph⁺ CML[初诊CML-CP 348例，治疗中进展为AP/BP（进展期CML）62例]患者的临床资料，根据ELN2020标准将其分为高危、非高危和无ACA/Ph⁺三组，并比较分析高危/非高危ACA/Ph⁺对其生物学特征、疗效和预后的影响。

结果

①348例初诊CML-CP患者，合并ACA/Ph⁺者20例（5.75%），其中高危ACA/Ph⁺组3例，非高危ACA/Ph⁺组17例；无ACA/Ph⁺组328例。伴ACA/Ph⁺和无ACA/Ph⁺组患者的基本临床特征差异无统计学意义（P值均>0.05）；非高危ACA/Ph⁺组和无ACA/Ph⁺组间完全血液学缓解（CHR）率、完全细胞遗传学反应（CCyR）率、主要分子学反应（MMR）率和5年总生存（OS）率差异均无统计学意义（P值均>0.05）；非高危ACA/Ph⁺组5年无进展生存（PFS）率显著低于无ACA/Ph⁺组（42.0%对74.5%，χ²＝4.766，P＝0.029）。②62例进展期CML患者，合并ACA/Ph⁺者41例（66.13%），其中高危ACA/Ph⁺组28例，非高危ACA/Ph⁺组13例；无ACA/Ph⁺组21例。高危ACA/Ph⁺组患者中位PLT水平（42.5×10⁹/L）低于非高危（141×10⁹/L）和无ACA/Ph⁺组（109×10⁹/L）（χ²＝4.968，P＝0.083）；三组间ABL激酶区点突变发生率差异无统计学意义（P＝0.652）。高危ACA/Ph⁺组CCyR率显著低于无ACA/Ph⁺组（5.3%对46.7%，χ²＝5.851，P＝0.016）。高危ACA/Ph⁺组5年OS率为46.2%，非高危ACA/Ph⁺组为64.3%，无ACA/Ph⁺组为77.8%，其中高危ACA/Ph⁺组患者5年OS率明显低于无ACA/Ph⁺组（χ²＝3.878，P＝0.049）。亚组分析显示高危Ⅰ组（+8，+Ph或含+8/+Ph的复杂ACA）CML患者的5年OS率为54.5%，与无ACA/Ph⁺组相比差异无统计学意义（χ²＝1.514，P＝0.219）；高危Ⅱ组[含−7/7q−或i（17q）或含2个及以上高危ACA的复杂核型]为28.6%，显著低于无ACA/Ph⁺组（χ²＝8.035，P＝0.005）。

结论

因ACA类型和疾病分期不同，伴ACA/Ph⁺ CML患者的治疗反应和预后存在差异，治疗过程中高危ACA的出现意味着更差的治疗反应和预后，严格、规范的细胞遗传学监测对此类患者的早期发现和精准诊疗具有重要意义。

[Expression and clinicopathological significance of Bcl - 2 and Bax genes in colorectal cancer patients complicated with schistosomiasis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression and clinicopathological significance of Bcl-2 and Bax genes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients complicated with schistosomiasis.

METHODS

The CRC patients receiving surgical treatment in the First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University from June 2016 to June 2020 were recruited as the study subjects, and 30 subjects were randomly sampled from the CRC patients complicated with schistosomiasis (CRC-S group) and 30 subjects were randomly sampled from the CRC patients without schistosomiasis (CRC group) using a random number table method. The cancer specimens were sampled from subjects in the CRC-S and CRC groups, and the peri-cancer specimens were sampled from subjects in the CRC group. The Bcl-2 and Bax expression was quantified in cancer and peri-cancer specimens using a real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay and immunohistochemistry at transcriptional and translational levels, and the cell apoptosis was detected in cancer specimens using HE staining.

RESULTS

A total of 60 subjects were enrolled, including 30 cases in the CRC group and 30 cases in the CRC-S group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender distribution (χ² = 0.271, P > 0.05), mean age (t = -0.596, P > 0.05), tumor growth pattern (χ² = 0.275, P > 0.05), tumor location (χ² = 4.008, P > 0.05), tumor invasion depth (χ² = 0.608, P > 0.05), degree of tumor differentiation (χ² = 0.364, P > 0.05), or presence of vascular metastasis (χ² = 1.111, P > 0.05), while significant differences were seen between the two groups in terms of histological type, presence of lymph node metastasis and TMN staging (χ² = 5.963, 8.297 and 5.711, all P values < 0.05). qPCR assay and immunohistochemistry quantified significantly higher Bcl-2 and Bax expression in cancer specimens from the CRC and CRC-S groups than in the peri-cancer specimens from the CRC group at both translational and transcriptional levels (all P values < 0.05), and higher Bcl-2 and lower Bax expression were seen in the cancer specimens from the CSC-S group than that from the CRC group (all P values < 0.05). In addition, the cell apoptotic rate was significantly greater in the cancer specimens in the CRC group than in the CRC-S group (42.00% vs. 23.35%; χ² = 41.500, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSION

Schistosomiasis may be involved in the development and progression of CRC through affecting Bcl-2 and Bax gene expression in the apoptosis signaling pathway.