Effects of fermented cottonseed meal inclusions on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters and hepatic lipid metabolism of geese during 28-70 d of age

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of solid-state fermented cottonseed meal (FCSM) inclusion levels on the growth performance, serum biochemical parameters and hepatic lipid metabolism in geese from 28 to 70 d of age. A total of 288 twenty-eight-d-old male geese were randomly divided into 4 treatments with FCSM levels of 0, 5, 15 and 25% including 0, 22.74, 67.33, 111.27 mg FG/kg diet, respectively. Each treatment contained 6 replicates and 12 birds per replicate. Treatments of FCSM inclusions from 0 to 25% had no effect on growth rate and feed intake in geese during d 28 to 70. The F/G ratio was increased (P < 0.05) in geese fed the diet with 25% FCSM compared with birds fed the diet with 0% FCSM. Treatment with 25% FCSM levels had no effect on the contents of TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, but increased (P < 0.05) AST and ALT activities in serum of geese at d 70. Treatment with 25% FCSM increased the contents of FG, HDL-C, TC, C18:2n6, C20:4n6 and PUFA and decreased (P < 0.05) the contents of NEFA, SFA, MUFA in liver compared with treatment of 0% FCSM inclusion. Additionally, treatment with 25% FCSM decreased (P < 0.05) the PPARα, AMPK, and LXR mRNA expression related to lipid deposition, and increased (P < 0.05) PPARγ and ACC mRNA expression related to lipolysis in liver compared with birds fed the diet with 0% FCSM. Overall, treatment with 0 to 15% FCSM (<=67.33 mg FG/kg diet) had no adverse effects on the growth performance and lipid metabolism of geese. However, treatment fed 25% FCSM (111.27 mg FG/kg diet) decreased feed efficiency and promoted hepatic lipid deposition associated with the alteration of related gene expression in geese at 28 to 70 d of age.

[A multi-dimensional analysis of pollen broadcasting concerns in Chinese population: a large-scale multi-center cross-sectional survey]

Objective: To investigate the concern about pollen broadcasting in Chinese population from multiple dimensions and to understand the information about allergic rhinitis (AR) in China by analyzing related factors. Methods: From March 1 to September 30, 2022, a large-scale multi-center cross-sectional survey was conducted based on the Questionnaire Star platform in 21 Chinese hospitals. A total of 7 056 subjects from 7 regions in China: Northeast, North, East, Central, South, Southwest, and Northwest China were included. Basic characteristics (including social demographic characteristics and disease characteristics of AR patients), concern about pollen broadcasting, the willingness of pollen-induced AR (PiAR) patients to receive pollen broadcasting, and the treatment satisfaction rate of AR patients were collected. The chi-square test, multivariate linear regression model, and Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the concern about pollen broadcasting in the Chinese population and related factors from multiple dimensions. Results: Among 7 056 subjects, 23.02% were concerned about pollen broadcasting. Among 3 176 self-reported AR and 1 019 PiAR patients, 25.60% and 39.16% were concerned about pollen broadcasting, respectively, which was higher than that of non-AR or non-PiAR subjects (χ2 value was 21.74 and 175.11, respectively, both P<0.001). Among AR patients, the proportion of spring and autumn allergen-positive patients concerned about pollen broadcasting was higher than that in perennial allergen-positive patients (χ2 value was 20.90 and 19.51, respectively, both P<0.001). The proportion of AR patients with asthma, sinusitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was higher than those without complications (χ2 value was 50.83, 21.97, 56.78, 7.62, respectively, all P<0.05). The proportion of AR patients in North China who could find pollen broadcasting locally was 31.01%, significantly higher than those in other regions (all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression model analysis showed that among PiAR patients, those with higher per capita household income and higher AR disease cognition levels had been concerned about pollen broadcasting in the past, and those complicated with allergic conjunctivitis had stronger intention to receive pollen broadcasting (B value was 0.24, 0.13, 0.66, 0.47, respectively, all P<0.05). The higher the disease cognition level of PiAR patients, the stronger their willingness to actively participate in treatment (R2=0.72, P<0.001). Only 18.89% of AR patients felt satisfied with the treatment effect. Logistic regression analysis showed that in AR patients, the treatment satisfaction rate was significantly higher among those concerned about pollen broadcasting compared to those who were not (OR=1.83, P<0.001). Conclusions: Currently, the dissemination of pollen broadcasting in China is hindered by various factors such as disease cognition level. The treatment satisfaction among AR patients remains unsatisfactory.

One-year outcome of selective caries removal versus pulpotomy treatment of deep caries: A pilot randomized controlled trial

AIM

This study aimed to compare the outcome of SCR and Pulpotomy in teeth with deep caries extending at least 75% into dentine.

METHODOLOGY

This two-armed, parallel-group, randomized, superiority trial included vital mature permanent teeth with deep primary or secondary caries diagnosed radiographically as being at least 75% into the thickness of dentine, without clinical signs of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis or radiographic evidence of a periapical lesion. Carious teeth were blindly allocated to receive either SCR or Pulpotomy using computer-generated randomized patient codes concealed in opaque envelopes. All teeth were reviewed clinically and radiographically at 6 months and 1 year post-treatment. Using a significance level of p < .05, the log rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to compare the outcome of SCR and Pulpotomy and to identify potential prognostic factors, respectively.

RESULTS

In all, 58 teeth in the SCR group and 55 teeth in the pulpotomy group completed treatment, after excluding 6 teeth because they did not complete the allocated treatment and another due to severe periodontal disease. At one year, 57/58 (98.3%) teeth from the SCR group and 48/55 (87.3%) teeth from the Pulpotomy group were available for analysis. One tooth in the Pulpotomy group (2.1%) and eight teeth in the SCR group (14.0%) required the further intervention of root canal treatment (p < .05). There were no other significant prognostic factors for survival. Overall, 91.4% of teeth treated with either SCR or Pulpotomy survived without requiring further intervention over a period of one year. No other adverse events occurred over the review period.

CONCLUSION

Within the limitations of this study, Pulpotomy fares better than SCR in preserving the remaining pulp and periapical health. As a treatment modality, Pulpotomy carries greater cost outlay to patient and takes a longer time to complete treatment than SCR. Long-term follow-up is needed to study the pulpal and restorative outcomes of Pulpotomy and SCR.

Small-Molecule Analysis Based on DNA Strand Displacement Using a Bacteriorhodopsin Photoelectric Transducer: Taking ATP as an Example

A uniformly oriented purple membrane (PM) monolayer containing photoactive bacteriorhodopsin has recently been applied as a sensitive photoelectric transducer to assay color proteins and microbes quantitatively. This study extends its application to detecting small molecules, using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as an example. A reverse detection method is used, which employs AuNPs labeling and specific DNA strand displacement. A PM monolayer-coated electrode is first covalently conjugated with an ATP-specific nucleic acid aptamer and then hybridized with another gold nanoparticle-labeled nucleic acid strand with a sequence that is partially complementary to the ATP aptamer, in order to significantly minimize the photocurrent that is generated by the PM. The resulting ATP-sensing chip restores its photocurrent production in the presence of ATP, and the photocurrent recovers more effectively as the ATP concentration increases. Direct and single-step ATP detection is achieved in 15 min, with detection limits of 5 nM and a dynamic range of 5 nM-0.1 mM. The sensing chip exhibits high selectivity against other ATP analogs and is satisfactorily stable in storage. The ATP-sensing chip is used to assay bacterial populations and achieves a detection limit for Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli of 102 and 103 CFU/mL, respectively. The demonstration shows that a variety of small molecules can be simultaneously quantified using PM-based biosensors.

Genome-wide association study of lung adenocarcinoma in East Asia and comparison with a European population

Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer. Known risk variants explain only a small fraction of lung adenocarcinoma heritability. Here, we conducted a two-stage genome-wide association study of lung adenocarcinoma of East Asian ancestry (21,658 cases and 150,676 controls; 54.5% never-smokers) and identified 12 novel susceptibility variants, bringing the total number to 28 at 25 independent loci. Transcriptome-wide association analyses together with colocalization studies using a Taiwanese lung expression quantitative trait loci dataset (n = 115) identified novel candidate genes, including FADS1 at 11q12 and ELF5 at 11p13. In a multi-ancestry meta-analysis of East Asian and European studies, four loci were identified at 2p11, 4q32, 16q23, and 18q12. At the same time, most of our findings in East Asian populations showed no evidence of association in European populations. In our studies drawn from East Asian populations, a polygenic risk score based on the 25 loci had a stronger association in never-smokers vs. individuals with a history of smoking (Pinteraction = 0.0058). These findings provide new insights into the etiology of lung adenocarcinoma in individuals from East Asian populations, which could be important in developing translational applications.

[Revision rate of periprosthetic joint infection post total hip or knee arthroplasty of 34 hospitals in China between 2015 and 2017: a multi-center survey]

Objective: To investigate the rate of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) revision surgeries and clinical information of hip-/knee- PJI cases nationwide from 2015 to 2017 in China. Methods: An epidemiological investigation. A self-designed questionnaire and convenience sampling were used to survey 41 regional joint replacement centers nationwide from November 2018 to December 2019 in China. The PJI was diagnosed according to the Musculoskeletal Infection Association criteria. Data of PJI patients were obtained by searching the inpatient database of each hospital. Questionnaire entries were extracted from the clinical records by specialist. Then the differences in rate of PJI revision surgery between hip- and knee- PJI revision cases were calculated and compared. Results: Total of 36 hospitals (87.8%) nationwide reported data on 99 791 hip and knee arthroplasties performed from 2015 to 2017, with 946 revisions due to PJI (0.96%). The overall hip-PJI revision rate was 0.99% (481/48 574), and it was 0.97% (135/13 963), 0.97% (153/15 730) and 1.07% (193/17 881) in of 2015, 2016, 2017, respectively. The overall knee-PJI revision rate was 0.91% (465/51 271), and it was 0.90% (131/14 650), 0.88% (155/17 693) and 0.94% (179/18 982) in 2015, 2016, 2017, respectively. Heilongjiang (2.2%, 40/1 805), Fujian (2.2%, 45/2 017), Jiangsu (2.1%, 85/3 899), Gansu (2.1%, 29/1 377), Chongqing (1.8%, 64/3 523) reported relatively high revision rates. Conclusions: The overall PJI revision rate in 34 hospitals nationwide from 2015 to 2017 is 0.96%. The hip-PJI revision rate is slightly higher than that in the knee-PJI. There are differences in revision rates among hospitals in different regions.

[Molluscicidal effect of immersion with 50% wettable powder of niclosamide ethanolamine salt against Oncomelania hupensis on the soil surface and inside the soil layer in winter]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the molluscicidal effect of 50% wettable powder of niclosamide ethanolamine salt (WPNES) against Oncomelania hupensis on the soil surface and inside the soil layer by immersion method in winter.

METHODS

O. hupensis snails were placed on the soil surface and 2, 5 cm and 10 cm under the soil layer outdoors in winter, and then immersed in 50% WPNES at concentrations of 1 mg/L and 2 mg/L for 1, 3 d and 7 d, while dechlorinated water served as controls. Snail mortality was observed following immersion with 50% WPNES on the soil surface and inside the soil layer.

RESULTS

Following immersion with 50% WPNES at concentrations of 2 mg/L and 1 mg/L outdoors in winter, the 3-day corrected snail mortality rates were 98.0% and 76.0% on the soil surface, and the 7-day corrected snail mortality rate was both 100.0%. Following immersion with 50% WPNES at concentrations of 2 mg/L and 1 mg/L outdoors in winter, the 7-day corrected snail mortality rates were 95.5% and 85.6% 2 cm below the soil layer, 66.0% and 6.4% 5 cm below the soil layer. However, the 7-day snail mortality rate swere comparable between the 50% WPNES treatment group (at 2 mg/L and 1 mg/L) and controls 10 cm below the soil layer (both P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Immersion of 50% WPNES at a concentration of 2 mg/L for 7 days presents a high molluscicidal efficacy against O. hupensis on the soil surface and 5 cm within the soil layers in winter.

Change of zinc mobilization and gene expression of key zinc transport proteins between the yolk sac membrane and liver of duck embryonic developing

Zinc (Zn) deposition in egg yolk is essential for the rapid growth and complete development of the avian embryo. Thus, it is crucial to obtain maximal Zn mobilization at an appropriate time during development in favor of the survival of avian embryos. The aim of this study was to study the developmental change of Zn mobilization and gene expression related to key Zn transport proteins between the yolk sac membrane and embryonic liver from the incubation d 17 (E17) to d 32 (E32) during duck embryonic developing. The weights of duck embryo, embryo without yolk sac, and embryonic liver increased as well as the yolk sac weight decreased linearly (P < 0.0001) when incubation day increased. The Zn concentration in the yolk sac did not change from E17 to E29 and only declined significantly from E29 to E32 of duck embryos, while hepatic Zn level decreased linearly as with the increased incubation time (P < 0.01). When the incubation day increased, the decreased Zn amount in the yolk sac and the increased Zn amount in the embryonic liver were observed (P < 0.0001). The calculated transfer-out rate of Zn in the yolk sac and transfer-in rate of Zn in livers were both increased from E23-26 to E29-32 (P < 0.01). Among E17, E23 and E29, the solute carrier family 39 member (ZIP) of ZIP10, ZIP13, and ZIP14 genes mRNA expressions were increased in yolk sac membrane but were decreased in the embryonic liver, while metallothionein 1 mRNA expression was increased both in the yolk sac membrane and liver (P < 0.05). In conclusion, yolk sac membrane and embryonic liver tissues displayed the similar developmental patterns of Zn mobilization and metallothionein 1 mRNA expression from E17 to E32 during duck embryonic developing. The appropriate time of the maximal rate of Zn mobilization were observed between E29 and E32 of duck embryo, associated with the significant changes of gene expression related to some key Zn transport proteins on E29 in yolk sac membrane and liver tissues.

Association of HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1, and HLA-DQB1 Alleles With the Long-Term and Booster Immune Responses of Young Adults Vaccinated Against the Hepatitis B Virus as Neonates

The neonatal hepatitis B vaccination (HBVac) was implemented 35 years ago in Taiwan, but many vaccinees exhibit inadequate long-term vaccine-induced seroprotective hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) levels. We investigated the association of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles (DPA1, DPB1, DQA1, and DQB1) with the long-term immunological response to the neonatal HBVac and adolescent booster HBVac in a Taiwanese cohort. We divided 281 Han students (median age 22, age range 17–29 years) into the following groups: (1) Group A (n = 61): anti-HBs titer ≥ 10 mIU/mL at the beginning of the study; (2) Group B (n = 75): anti-HBs level > 1000 mIU/mL after the first booster; (3) Group C (n = 37): anti-HBs level < 10 mIU/mL after the first booster; and (4) Group D (n = 5): anti-HBs level < 10 mIU/mL after three boosters. DQA1, DQB1, DPA1, and DPB1 typing of the participants was performed using sequence-specific oligonucleotides. Associations of HLA alleles and haplotypes with effects on neonatal HBVac and booster HBVac were examined through logistic regression analysis and Fisher’s exact test. A false discovery rate-based measure of significance, the q-value, was used for multiple comparisons, and an association was considered significant if the corresponding q-value was < 0.1. DPA1 alleles were associated with the long-term immunological response to the neonatal HBVac. The estimated odds ratio (OR) of the lack of HBV protective immunity when carrying an additional DPA1*01 and DPA1*02 was 0.36 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.17–0.76, p = 0.0076] and 2.39 (95% CI = 1.17–4.87, p = 0.016), respectively. DPB1 and DQB1 alleles were associated with a response to the adolescent booster vaccination. The estimated ORs of being nonresponsive to the first booster when carrying an additional DPB1*05 and DQB1*02 were 2.11 (95% CI = 1.13–3.93, p = 0.019) and 3.73 (95% CI = 1.43–9.71, p = 0.0070), respectively. All DPB1*03 carriers responded to the first booster (p of Fisher’s exact test = 0.0045). In our study, we discovered that HLA-DPA1 was primarily associated with the long-term response of primary infantile HBVac, and HLA-DPB1 and HLA-DQB1 exhibited associations with the HBV booster vaccination.

Multi-omics analysis identifies CpGs near G6PC2 mediating the effects of genetic variants on fasting glucose

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

An elevated fasting glucose level in non-diabetic individuals is a key predictor of type 2 diabetes. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of SNPs for fasting glucose but most of their functional roles in influencing the trait are unclear. This study aimed to identify the mediation effects of DNA methylation between SNPs identified as significant from GWAS and fasting glucose using Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses.

METHODS

We first performed GWAS analyses for three cohorts (Taiwan Biobank with 18,122 individuals, the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study in Taiwan with 1989 individuals and the Stanford Asia-Pacific Program for Hypertension and Insulin Resistance with 416 individuals) with individuals of Han Chinese ancestry in Taiwan, followed by a meta-analysis for combining the three GWAS analysis results to identify significant and independent SNPs for fasting glucose. We determined whether these SNPs were methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs) by testing their associations with DNA methylation levels at nearby CpG sites using a subsample of 1775 individuals from the Taiwan Biobank. The MR analysis was performed to identify DNA methylation with causal effects on fasting glucose using meQTLs as instrumental variables based on the 1775 individuals. We also used a two-sample MR strategy to perform replication analysis for CpG sites with significant MR effects based on literature data.

RESULTS

Our meta-analysis identified 18 significant (p < 5 × 10^-8) and independent SNPs for fasting glucose. Interestingly, all 18 SNPs were meQTLs. The MR analysis identified seven CpGs near the G6PC2 gene that mediated the effects of a significant SNP (rs2232326) in the gene on fasting glucose. The MR effects for two CpGs were replicated using summary data based on the European population, using an exonic SNP rs2232328 in G6PC2 as the instrument.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Our analysis results suggest that rs2232326 and rs2232328 in G6PC2 may affect DNA methylation at CpGs near the gene and that the methylation may have downstream effects on fasting glucose. Therefore, SNPs in G6PC2 and CpGs near G6PC2 may reside along the pathway that influences fasting glucose levels. This is the first study to report CpGs near G6PC2, an important gene for regulating insulin secretion, mediating the effects of GWAS-significant SNPs on fasting glucose.

Cumulative risks of colorectal cancer in Han Chinese patients with Lynch syndrome in Taiwan

Patients with Lynch syndrome have a high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we estimated the age- and sex-specific cumulative risks of CRC in Han Chinese patients with Lynch syndrome caused by the pathogenic germline mutations in MLH1 or MSH2 in Taiwan. Based on 321 mutation carriers and 419 non-mutation carriers from 75 pedigrees collected in an Amsterdam criteria family registry in Taiwan, the age- and sex-specific cumulative risks of CRC in male carriers of mutation in MLH1 and MSH2 at the age of 70 years were 60.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 31.1%–89.9%) and 76.7% (95% CI = 37.2%–99.0%), respectively. For females, the cumulative risks of CRC at the age of 70 were estimated to be 30.6% (95% CI = 14.3%–57.7%) and 49.3% (95% CI = 21.9%–84.5%) in the carriers of MLH1 and MSH2 germline mutations, respectively. In conclusion, the cumulative risks of CRC at the age of 70 in the Han Chinese patients is higher in mutation carriers than non-mutation carriers and male mutation carriers have a higher cumulative risk of developing CRC than the female mutation carriers.

Developing an Instrument for Assessing Self-Efficacy in Data Mining and Analysis

With the continuous progress and penetration of automated data collection technology, enterprises and organizations are facing the problem of information overload. The demand for expertise in data mining and analysis is increasing. Self-efficacy is a pivotal construct that is significantly related to willingness and ability to perform a particular task. Thus, the objective of this study is to develop an instrument for assessing self-efficacy in data mining and analysis. An initial measurement list was developed based on the skills and abilities about executing data mining and analysis, and expert recommendations. A useful sample of 103 university students completed the online survey questionnaire. A 19-item four-factor model was extracted by exploratory factor analysis. Using the partial least squares-structural equation modeling technique (PLS-SEM), the model was cross-examined. The instrument showed satisfactory reliability and validity. The proposed instrument will be of value to researchers and practitioners in evaluating an individual's abilities and readiness in executing data mining and analysis.

Artificial intelligence method for predicting the maximum stress of an off-center casing under non-uniform ground stress with support vector machine

The situation of an off-center casing under non-uniform ground stress can occur in the process of drilling a salt-gypsum formation, and the related casing stress calculation has not yet been solved analytically. In addition, the experimental equipment in many cases cannot meet the actual conditions and the experimental cost is very high. These comprehensive factors cause the existing casing design to not meet the actual conditions and cause casing deformation, affecting the drilling operation in Tarim oil field. The finite element method is the only effective method to solve this problem at present, but the re-modelling process is time-consuming because of the changes in the parameters, such as the cement properties, casing centrality, and the casing size. In this article, an artificial intelligence method based on support vector machine (SVM) to predict the maximum stress of an off-center casing under non-uniform ground stress has been proposed. After a program based on a radial basis function (RBF)-support vector regression (SVR) (ε-SVR) model was established and validated, we constructed a data sample with a capacity of 120 by using the finite element method, which could meet the demand of the nine-factor ε-SVR model to predict the maximum stress of the casing. The results showed that the artificial intelligence prediction method proposed in this manuscript had satisfactory prediction accuracy and could be effectively used to predict the maximum stress of an off-center casing under complex downhole conditions.

ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s11431-019-1694-4 and is accessible for authorized users.

Predictive value of genetic variants XRCC1 rs1799782, APEX1 rs1760944, and MUTYH rs3219489 for adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Genetic variations in DNA base excision repair (BER) genes may affect tumor sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Thus, we investigated the effects of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in key BER pathway genes on clinical outcomes in male patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Seven SNPs from XRCC1, OGG1, APEX1, and MUTYH were genotyped using the Sequenom iPLEX MassARRAY system in samples from 319 men with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma. The disease-free survival (DFS) rates of the MUTYH rs3219489 genotypes and those of the other genotypes differed significantly (log-rank test p = 0.027). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that the MUTYH rs3219489 GG genotype was associated with poor DFS (recessive model: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31-3.10; p = 0.002). The CT + TT genotypes of XRCC1 rs1799782 (dominant model: HR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.43-0.99; p = 0.044) and GG genotype of APEX1 rs1760944 (recessive model: HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.00-2.70; p = 0.050) were associated with overall survival (OS). Carrying the two risk genotypes, CC and GG of XRCC1 rs1799782 and APEX1 rs1760944, respectively, (HR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.47-5.88; p = 0.002) increased mortality risk. Our findings showed that carrying the two risk genotypes of XRCC1 rs1799782 and APEX1 rs1760944 was associated with poor OS, while the GG genotype of MUTYH rs3219489 was associated with poor DFS. Patients carrying the risk genotypes may not benefit from CCRT; therefore, they will need alternative treatments.

[Disease burden of tuberculosis under different diagnostic scenarios in China: a dynamic modeling study]

Objective: Under different diagnostic scenarios, we tried to establish a tuberculosis dynamic model, to predict the incidence burden and to provide evidence for developing the prevention and control programs of tuberculosis. Methods: A systematic dynamic model was established to fit the annual incidence rates of tuberculosis data from the China CDC, between 2005 and 2018. Basic reproductive number (R(0)) was calculated. Impact of different diagnostic scenarios on tuberculosis burden was explored by numerical changes in diagnosis-related parameters. Results: Results from the Chi-square test indicated that the model accuracy appeared as: χ(2)=1.102 (P=1.000). Also, the computed result showed that R(0)=0.063<1, indicating that tuberculosis would gradually be disappearing in China. Approaches that including 'reducing the delayed diagnosis time'or 'improving the timely medical treatment'would end the fluctuations of the number of infectious and hospitalized patients and thus leading to continuous reduction in the number of these patients, in a long run. Conclusions: This model fitted well for the trend of tuberculosis incidence rates between 2005 and 2018. Reducing the delay time in diagnosis and improving the rate of timely medical treatment could effectively reduce the long-term burden of tuberculosis. Improvement of this model would be further explored.

Effects of dietary rapeseed meal inclusion levels on growth performance, organ weight, and serum biochemical parameters in Cherry Valley ducks

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the inclusion levels of different types of rapeseed meal (RSM) on performance, organ weight, and serum biochemical parameters in Cherry Valley ducks in the starter period and grower-finisher period. In Exp. 1, a total of 750 seven-day-old male ducklings were divided into 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicate pens of 25 birds per pen. The starter diets with the inclusion of 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% of double-low RSM contained 0, 1.37, 2.15, 3.46, or 5.31 µmol glucosinolates (GLS)/g in the finished feed (from day 7 to 21). In Exp. 2, a total of 900 fifteen-day-old male ducklings were divided into 6 dietary treatments with 6 replicate pens of 25 birds per pen. The grower-finisher diets with the inclusion of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25% of Indian RSM contained 0, 7.67, 15.34, 24.66, 31.21, or 38.44 µmol GLS/g in the finished feed (from day 15 to 42). For ducklings in the starter period (Exp. 1), body weight gain and feed intake decreased linearly as the dietary double-low RSM inclusion level increased at day 7 to 14, while growth rate was not influenced by dietary double-low RSM inclusion levels at day 15 to 21 and day 7 to 21. For ducks in the grower-finisher period (Exp. 2), growth performance decreased linearly as the dietary RSM inclusion level increased from 5 to 20%. In addition, dietary RSM inclusion levels induced liver enlargement in ducklings at day 21 (5 to 20% double-low RSM with 1.37 to 5.31 µmol/g GLS) and thyroid enlargement accompanied by increased serum AST and ALP activities in ducks at day 42 (5 to 15% Indian RSM with 7.67 to 23.66 µmol/g GLS). Therefore, our results indicated that the upper limit of using RSM sources in feed formulation should consider the anti-nutritional factor of GLS content at different stages of duck growth.

Protective effect of curcumin on ochratoxin A-induced liver oxidative injury in duck is mediated by modulating lipid metabolism and the intestinal microbiota

Curcumin has antioxidant functions, regulates the intestinal microbial composition, and alleviates mycotoxin toxicity. The present study aimed to explore whether curcumin could alleviate ochratoxin A (OTA)-induced liver injury via the intestinal microbiota. A total of 720 mixed-sex 1-day-old White Pekin ducklings were randomly assigned into 4 groups: CON (control group, without OTA), OTA (fed a diet with 2 mg/kg OTA), CUR (ducks fed a diet with 400 mg/kg curcumin), and OTA + CUR (2 mg/kg OTA plus 400 mg/kg curcumin). Each treatment consisted of 6 replicates and 30 ducklings per replicate. Treatment lasted for 21 D. Results were analyzed by a two-tailed Student t test between 2 groups. Our results demonstrated that OTA treatment had the highest serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level among 4 groups. Compared with OTA group, OTA + CUR decreased serum LDL level (P < 0.05). OTA decreased liver catalase (CAT) activity in ducks (P < 0.05), while addition of curcumin in OTA group increased liver CAT activity (P < 0.05). 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing suggested that curcumin increased the richness indices (ACE index) and diversity indices (Simpson index) compared with OTA group (P < 0.05) and recovered the OTA-induced alterations in composition of the intestinal microbiota. Curcumin supplementation relieved the decreased abundance of butyric acid producing bacteria, including blautia, butyricicoccus, and butyricimonas, induced by OTA (P < 0.05). OTA also significantly influenced the metabolism of the intestinal microbiota, such as tryptophan metabolism and glyceropholipid metabolism. Curcumin could alleviate the upregulation of oxidative stress pathways induced by OTA. OTA treatment also increased SREBP-1c expression (P < 0.05). The curcumin group had the lowest expression of FAS and PPARG mRNA (P < 0.05) and the highest expression of NRF2 and HMOX1 mRNA. These results indicated that curcumin could alleviate OTA-induced oxidative injury and lipid metabolism disruption by modulating the cecum microbiota.

Fermentation of flaxseed cake increases its nutritional value and utilization in ducklings

Flaxseed cake (FSC) is a potential alternative feed source in poultry. However, cyanogenetic glycosides limit its widespread use in feed. In this study, we optimized the parameters of fermentation by Aspergillus niger and Candida utilis and compared the growth performance, serum lipid parameters, and organ indexes of Cherry Valley duckling feed with unfermented FSC (UFSC) or fermented FSC (FFSC). A total of 420 one-day-old male Cherry Valley ducklings were randomly assigned into a 1 plus 2 × 3 factorial design including 2 different FSC resources (UFSC and FFSC) at 3 levels (50, 100, or 150 g/kg) for 3 wk. Each treatment group included 6 pens with 10 ducklings per pen. The hydrocyanic acid (HCN) level was reduced under the following conditions: 1:0.8 FSC:water (w:v), inoculum ratio of 1 mL:1 mL, 30°C, and 60 h. FFSC had higher crude protein (CP) and calcium (Ca) levels and lower HCN levels compared with UFSC (P < 0.05). There was no interactive effect between FSC sources and levels on growth performance. Final body weight (FBW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and average daily gain (ADG) in UFSC groups and ADFI in FFSC groups decreased linearly with increasing FSC levels (P < 0.01). There were no differences in FBW, ADG, or feed:gain ratio (F/G) among FFSC groups, and all 7 FSC groups had no differences in the F/G ratio (P > 0.05). Dietary FSC supplementation decreased triglyceride (TG) (P < 0.01), total cholesterol (TC) (P < 0.01), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (P = 0.01), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P < 0.01). No interactive effect between FSC levels and sources was observed for serum TG, TC, HDL, or LDL. Ducklings fed FFSC had lower TG (P < 0.01), TC (P = 0.05), and LDL (P < 0.01) levels compared with ducklings fed UFSC. The 150 g/kg FFSC group had the lowest TG, TC, HDL, and LDL levels among all 7 groups. Flaxseed cake supplementation decreased the relative weight of the left breast, but FFSC increased the relative weight of the gizzard compared with UFSC. In conclusion, fermentation could increase the nutritional value and usage of FSC in ducklings.

Predicting Lung Cancer Occurrence in Never-Smoking Females in Asia: TNSF-SQ, a Prediction Model

BACKGROUND

High disease burden suggests the desirability to identify high-risk Asian never-smoking females (NSF) who may benefit from low-dose CT (LDCT) screening. In North America, one is eligible for LDCT screening if one satisfies the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) criteria or has model-estimated 6-year risk greater than 0.0151. According to two U.S. reports, only 36.6% female patients with lung cancer met the USPSTF criteria, while 38% of the ever-smokers ages 55 to 74 years met the USPSTF criteria.

METHODS

Using data on NSFs in the Taiwan Genetic Epidemiology Study of Lung Adenocarcinoma and the Taiwan Biobank before August 2016, we formed an age-matched case-control study consisting of 1,748 patients with lung cancer and 6,535 controls. Using these and an estimated age-specific lung cancer 6-year incidence rate among Taiwanese NSFs, we developed the Taiwanese NSF Lung Cancer Risk Models using genetic information and simplified questionnaire (TNSF-SQ). Performance evaluation was based on the newer independent datasets: Taiwan Lung Cancer Pharmacogenomics Study (LCPG) and Taiwan Biobank data after August 2016 (TWB2).

RESULTS

The AUC based on the NSFs ages 55 to 70 years in LCPG and TWB2 was 0.714 [95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.660-0.768]. For women in TWB2 ages 55 to 70 years, 3.94% (95% CI, 2.95-5.13) had risk higher than 0.0151. For women in LCPG ages 55 to 74 years, 27.03% (95% CI, 19.04-36.28) had risk higher than 0.0151.

CONCLUSIONS

TNSF-SQ demonstrated good discriminative power. The ability to identify 27.03% of high-risk Asian NSFs ages 55 to 74 years deserves attention.

IMPACT

TNSF-SQ seems potentially useful in selecting Asian NSFs for LDCT screening.

[Anatomical relationship between fascia propria of the rectum and visceral pelvic fascia in the view of continuity of fasciae]

Objective: To perform an anatomical observation on the extension of the mesocolon to the mesorectum and the continuity of the fasciae lining the abdomen and pelvis, in order to clarify the appropriate surgical plane of total mesorectal excision. Methods: This is an descriptive study. The operation videos of 61 cases (28 males, 33 females, median age of 61) were collected. All the patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery from January 2018 to December 2018 in Yangpu Hospital, including low anterior resection for rectal cancer in 25 cases, left hemicolectomy for descending colon cancer in 15 cases, and subtotal resection of the colon for intractable constipation in 21 cases. Among these 21 constipation patients, 8 received additional modified Duhamel surgeries. Gross anatomy was performed on 24 adult cadavers provided by Department of Anatomy, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, including 23 formalin-fixed and 1 fresh cadaver (12 males, 12 females). Sixty-one patients and 24 cadavers had no previous abdominal or pelvic surgical history. The anatomy and extension of fasciae related to descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum, especially the morphology of Toldt fascia, and the continuities of mesocolon and mesorectum were observed carefully. The distribution characteristics of the fasciae and anatomical landmarks during laparoscopic surgery were recorded and described. Results: The anatomical study on 24 cadavers showed that visceral fascia was the densest connective tissue in the pelvic, posterolateral to the rectum, and stretched as a hammock to lift all pelvic organs. Among 61 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, 36 (59.0%) needed to free the left colon during operation, and Toldt fascia in the descending colon segment presented as potential, avascular and extensible loose connective tissue plane between the mesocolon and posterior Gerota fascia; 33 (54.1%) needed to free the rectum during operation, and Toldt fascia extended downward to pelvis as loose connective tissue between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia; the fascia propria of the rectum exposed completely in 32 (32/33, 97.0%) cases, which ran downward and fused with visceral fascia at the level of the fourth sacral vertebra. The anatomy of 24 cadavers also showed that fascia propria of the rectum fused with visceral fascia at the level of Waldeyer fascia. The fusion line of these two fasciae was supposed to be the extension of Waldeyer fascia. There were two avascular planes behind the rectum: one between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia, and the other between the visceral fascia and parietal fascia. In 8 constipation cases undergoing laparoscopic subtotal colon resection plus modified Duhamel operation, both mesocolon and mesorectum needed to be mobilized. It was obvious that the mesocolon of descending colon extended and became the mesocolon of sigmoid colon, and ran further into the pelvic and became the mesorectum. The colon fascia of descending colon served as the natural boundary of mesocolon extended downward as the fascia of sigmoid colon and the fascia propria of the rectum, respectively. Toldt fascia locating between mesocolon of descending colon and Gerota fascia extended to pelvis as the 'presacral space' between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia. Gerota fascia in descending colon segment extended as urogenital fascia in sigmoid colon segment and visceral fascia in the pelvis, respectively. In the cadaver anatomy study, the visceral fascia served as a corridor carrying the hypogastric nerve, and ureter was observed in 23 (23/24, 95.8%) cases. The visceral fascia passed from posterior to anterior lateral of rectum, fusing with Denonvilliers fascia in a fan shape. The pelvic plexus located exactly external to the junction of visceral fascia and Denonvilliers fascia. Pelvic splanchnic nerves went through the parietal fascia toward to the inferolateral of the pelvic plexus. Conclusion: Fascia propria of the rectum and the visceral pelvic fascia are two independent layers of fascia, and the TME surgical plane is between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral pelvic fascia instead of between the visceral and the parietal pelvic fascia.

P1569The Impact of Multidisciplinary Cardio-Oncology Program on the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Breast Cancer Patients

Background

Chemo- and target therapies may induce myocardial dysfunction and lead to poor prognoses. Early detection of minor myocardial dysfunction is important for the prevention of subsequent cardiotoxicity. Cardio-oncology is a multidisciplinary field focusing on managing and preventing cardiovascular complications in cancer patients. However, whether Cardio-oncology program truly makes difference in cardiovascular outcomes remains unknown. Herein, we are sharing our experiences in our Medical Center.

Methods

Since 2014 till 2017, we recruited 154 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer preparing for Epirubicin therapy. Echocardiography, biomarkers, six minute walking distance and cardiovascular adverse events including new onset of hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and mortality were recorded at baseline, three months, six months and one year. Any functional decline was reported to oncologists for the consideration of changing regimens. Otherwise, cardiologists would be consulted for cardiovascular educations and therapies. The echocardiographic and clinical records of 450 breast patients receiving Epirubicin therapy during 2010 to 2013 were also collected as comparison.

Results

Compared with the ratio of 20% patients receiving echocardiography prior to 2014, the ratio increased to 100% since Cardio-Oncology program started. Also, the drop of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from 25% attenuated to 5%. Before Cardio-Oncology Program, there were 1.7% of new onset hypertension, 0.8% of MI, 0.8% of stroke and 16.8% of mortality. Conversely, after the program, there were only 0.6% of new onset hypertension while no other cardiovascular complications were reported. Furthermore, compared with previous reports of the effectiveness of Cardio-Oncology Program, our result also displayed a superior impact on the cardiovascular outcomes.

Conclusions

Collectively, through a comprehensive monitoring and an early intervention of myocardial dysfunction post chemotherapies, Cardio-Oncology Program truly decreased the cardiovascular complications in breast cancer patients.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Chi-Mei Medical Center

Tuberculosis infection and lung adenocarcinoma: Mendelian randomization and pathway analysis of genome-wide association study data from never-smoking Asian women

We investigated whether genetic susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) influences lung adenocarcinoma development among never-smokers using TB genome-wide association study (GWAS) results within the Female Lung Cancer Consortium in Asia. Pathway analysis with the adaptive rank truncated product method was used to assess the association between a TB-related gene-set and lung adenocarcinoma using GWAS data from 5512 lung adenocarcinoma cases and 6277 controls. The gene-set consisted of 31 genes containing known/suggestive associations with genetic variants from previous TB-GWAS. Subsequently, we followed-up with Mendelian Randomization to evaluate the association between TB and lung adenocarcinoma using three genome-wide significant variants from previous TB-GWAS in East Asians. The TB-related gene-set was associated with lung adenocarcinoma (p = 0.016). Additionally, the Mendelian Randomization showed an association between TB and lung adenocarcinoma (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.66, p = 0.027). Our findings support TB as a causal risk factor for lung cancer development among never-smoking Asian women.

Abstract 1564: Polymorphisms in nucleotide excision repair genes were associated with the survival of post-operative oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Background: The nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway plays a major role in the repair of DNA damaged by exogenous agents including chemo-and radiotherapeutic agents. Thus, we investigate the association between key potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NER pathway and clinical outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Methods: Thirteen SNPs in five key NER genes were genotypes in 319 OSCC patients using iPLEX MassARRAY. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate risk of death or recurrence.

Results: Carriers of the XPC rs2228000 TT genotype showed a borderline significant increased risk for poor overall survival under the recessive model (hazard ratio [HR]=1.81, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.99–3.29). The CC genotypes of ERCC5 rs17655 (HR=1.54, 95% CI=1.03–2.29) and ERCC1 rs735482 (HR=1.65, 95% CI=1.06–2.58) were associated with an increased risk for worse disease-free survival under the recessive model. In addition, participants carrying both CC genotype of ERCC5 rs17655 and ERCC1 rs735482 exhibited an enhanced susceptibility for recurrence (HR=2.60, 95% CI=1.11–6.09). However, no statistically significant interaction was observed between them.

Conclusion: Our findings show that the ERCC5 rs17655 CC and ERCC1 rs735482 CC genotypes were associated with an increased risk for recurrence in OSCC patients treated with CCRT. Therefore, CCRT may not be beneficial and alternative treatments are required for them.

Citation Format: Chih-Ching Yeh, Thomas Senghore, Huei-Tzu Chien, Wen-Chang Wang, You-Xin Chen, Chi-Kuan Young, Shiang-Fu Huang. Polymorphisms in nucleotide excision repair genes were associated with the survival of post-operative oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1564.

Polymorphisms in ERCC5 rs17655 and ERCC1 rs735482 Genes Associated with the Survival of Male Patients with Postoperative Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated with Adjuvant Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

The nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway plays a major role in the repair of DNA damaged by exogenous agents, such as chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic agents. Thus, we investigated the association between key potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NER pathway and clinical outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Thirteen SNPs in five key NER genes were genotyped in 319 male OSCC patients using iPLEX MassARRAY. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to estimate the risk of death or recurrence. Carriers of the XPC rs2228000 TT genotype showed a borderline significant increased risk of poor overall survival under the recessive model (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.99–3.29). The CC genotypes of ERCC5 rs17655 (HR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.03–2.29) and ERCC1 rs735482 (HR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.06–2.58) were associated with an increased risk of worse disease-free survival under the recessive model. In addition, participants carrying both the CC genotypes of ERCC5 rs17655 and ERCC1 rs735482 exhibited an enhanced susceptibility for recurrence (HR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.11–6.09). However, no statistically significant interaction was observed between them. Our findings reveal that the ERCC5 rs17655 CC and ERCC1 rs735482 CC genotypes were associated with an increased risk of recurrence in male patients with OSCC treated with CCRT. Therefore, CCRT may not be beneficial, and alternative treatments are required for such patients.

Supplementation of Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic reduces heat stress-related behaviors and inflammatory response in broiler chickens

Probiotics reduce stress-related inflammation and abnormal behaviors in humans and rodents via regulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. The objective of this study was to determine if probiotic, Bacillus subtilis, has similar functions in broiler chickens under heat stress (HS). Two hundred forty 1-d-old broiler chicks were assigned to 48 pens with 4 treatments: Thermoneutral (TN)-RD (regular diet), TN-PD (the regular diet mixed with 1 × 106 CFU/g feed probiotic), HS-RD and HS-PD. Probiotic (Sporulin) was fed from day 1; and HS at 32°C for 10 h daily was initiated at day 15. The data showed that final BW, average daily gain , and feed conversion efficiency were improved in PD groups as compared to RD groups regardless of the ambient temperature (P < 0.01). Heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was affected by treatment and its value was in the order of HS-RD > HS-PD > TN-RD > TN-PD birds (P < 0.01). Compared to TN birds, HS birds spent more time in wing spreading, panting, squatting close to the ground, drinking, sleeping, dozing, and sitting but spent less time in eating, standing, and walking (P < 0.05 or 0.01). In addition, HS birds had greater levels of hepatic IL-6, IL-10, heat shock protein (HSP)70, and HSP70 mRNA expression (P < 0.01) and greater levels of cecal IgA and IgY (P < 0.01) compared to TN birds. Within TN groups, TN-PD birds had greater concentrations of hepatic IL-10 (P < 0.05) and cecal IgA (P < 0.01) than TN-RD birds. Within HS groups, HS-PD birds spent less time in wing spreading, panting, squatting close to the ground, drinking, sleeping, dozing, and sitting but spent more time in eating, foraging, standing, and walking than HS-RD birds (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The HS-PD birds also had lower concentrations of hepatic IL-6 and HSP70 (P < 0.01), whereas greater levels of IL-10 (P < 0.05) and lower concentrations of cecal IgA and IgY (P < 0.01). These results indicate that broilers fed the probiotic, B. subtilis, are able to cope with HS more effectively by ameliorating heat-induced behavioral and inflammatory reactions through regulation of microbiota-modulated immunity.

EGFR, SMAD7, and TGFBR2 Polymorphisms Are Associated with Colorectal Cancer in Patients with Lynch Syndrome

BACKGROUND/AIM

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7 (SMAD7) and transforming growth factor betta (TGFB) are crucial for colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis. This study investigated whether polymorphisms in EGFR, SMAD7, and TGFB are associated with CRC risk in patients with Lynch syndrome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Genotyping was performed using Sequenom iPLEX MassArray. Association between genetic polymorphisms and CRC was assessed using a weighted Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

Patients carrying the AA genotype of EGFR rs2227983 had a significantly higher CRC risk than those carrying the G allele (HR=2.55, 95% CI=1.25-5.17). The dominant model of SMAD7 rs12953717 (CT + TT genotypes) significantly increased CRC risk (HR=2.17, 95% CI=1.12-4.16) when compared to the wild-type CC genotype. Similarly, the GG genotype of TGFBR2 rs6785358 significantly increased the risk of CRC (HR=21.1, 95% CI=5.06-88.1) compared to the AA genotype.

CONCLUSION

EGFR, SMAD7, and TGFBR2 are associated with CRC risk in patients with Lynch syndrome.

High calcium to phosphorus ratio impairs growth and bone mineralization in Pekin ducklings

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of high dietary calcium (Ca) level on growth performance, Ca and phosphorus (P) metabolism, and nutrient utilization in ducklings subjected to normal and low P levels in diets. A completely randomized design was used with a factorial arrangement of 2 total dietary P levels [normal-P (0.60%) and low-P (0.45%) groups] × 4 dietary Ca levels [low-Ca (0.55%), normal-Ca (0.75%), medium-Ca (0.95%) and high-Ca (1.15%) groups)]. Compared to normal-P group, low-P group had lower (P < 0.05) final body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) and reduced (P < 0.05) serum Ca and P levels, bone Ca, P, and ash content, and bone mineral density in ducklings during the starter period. Under the low-P group, birds from high-Ca group had lower (P < 0.05) final BW, ADG, ADFI, bone ash content, bone mineral density, and the utilization of energy, Ca, and P than those from low-Ca, normal-Ca, and medium-Ca groups. Our results indicate that high-Ca diet induced greater growth suppression and bone mineralization loss in ducklings fed a low-P diet. The aggravated negative effect of high dietary Ca level with a low P level might be related to the elevated serum alkaline phosphatase activity and the reduced utilization of energy, Ca, and P.

[The relationship between IL-4 and trace elements in patients with allergic rhinitis of hui and han populations in Ningxia]

Objective: To examine the relationship between trace elements and IL-4 in patients with allergic rhinitis(AR).Method:According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 260 cases in AR group(130 hui cases, 130 han cases),and 260 cases in normal control group(130 hui cases, 130 han cases) were recruited in this study. The concentrations of IL-4 were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), the contents of Zn, Mn, Ni, Se and Fe were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry(ICP-AES), and the correlation between the trace elements and IL-4 were also analyzed.Result:IL-4 levels in serum of both hui and han AR patients were higher than those in control group(P <0.05). Contents of serum Zn and Se in hui AR patients were lower than those in control group(P <0.05), Ni content was higher than that in control group(P <0.05);Zn level in serum of han AR cases was lower than that in control group,Ni content was higher than that in control group (P <0.05).The serum IL-4 level in AR group was positively correlated with Ni(P <0.01,r=0.671), and negatively correlated with Zn(P <0.01, r=-0.819).Conclusion:We demonstrated that there are significant correlations between IL-4 and Zn,Ni in the serum of patients with AR in Ningxia hui and han population. It indicates that trace elements are involved in the occurrence and development of AR, and may as a therauptic target of AR.

Women with adenomyosis are at higher risks of endometrial and thyroid cancers: A population-based historical cohort study

Objective

Both adenomyosis and endometriosis are characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrial glands and stroma and have been suggested to share some characteristics with malignant tumors. Although accumulating evidence indicates that endometriosis is associated with some cancer types, the cancer risks in patients with adenomyosis have been rarely examined. In this study, we investigated the relationship between adenomyosis and risks of common cancers.

Methods

This study included a cohort of 12,447 women with adenomyosis but not endometriosis, born in 1951–1984, and a cohort of 124,470 adenomyosis-free women matched by birth year. Their medical records (collected between 1996 and 2011) were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. We first compared the distribution of cancer-free survival (CFS) between cohorts with and without adenomyosis. Subsequently, within the adenomyosis cohort, we examined whether time-to-onset of the identified cancer type was correlated with time-to-onset of adenomyosis. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare the distribution of CFS between the adenomyosis and adenomyosis-free cohorts and between the early- and late-diagnosed adenomyosis groups. For comparison, we further evaluated the cancer risks for a cohort of 10,962 women with endometriosis but not adenomyosis and a birth-year matched cohort of 109,620 endometriosis-free women.

Results

Compared with adenomyosis-free women, patients with adenomyosis had higher risks of endometrial and thyroid cancers, with estimated hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval) of 2.19 (1.51–3.16) and 1.70 (1.29–2.24), respectively. For both cancers, distributions of CFS were not significantly different between the early- and late-diagnosed adenomyosis groups. Furthermore, compared with endometriosis-free women, patients with endometriosis had higher risks of endometrial and ovarian cancers, with HRs of 1.89 (1.07–3.35) and 2.01 (1.27–3.16), respectively.

Conclusions

Women with adenomyosis are at higher risks of endometrial and thyroid cancers, while women with endometriosis are at higher risks of endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus in Taiwan 30 years after the commencement of the national vaccination program

Background

In this study, the long-term efficacy of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination was assessed using seroprevalence and an age–period–cohort (APC) model of HBV seromarkers among university entrants 30 years after the introduction of the national neonatal HBV vaccination program in Taiwan.

Methods

In total, data of 17,611 university entrants who underwent university entrance health examinations between 2005 and 2016 were included. The seroprevalence of the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and the levels of the antibody against the HBV surface antigen (anti-HBs) in each year group and sex were calculated. The levels of the antibody against the HBV core antigen were examined only for 2012 and 2016. The APC model was used to analyze the HBV carrier rates.

Results

The chronic HBV infection (HBsAg positivity) rate decreased from 9.7% in university students born before June 1974 to <1.0% in students born after 1992. The prevalence of anti-HBs positivity declined, particularly between the 1984–1988 cohort (78.2%–53.2%) and the 1990–1994 cohort (60.6%–44.4%). Our APC model revealed that the chronic HBV carrier rate among the student population was affected significantly by age, period, and cohort (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

HBV vaccination is one of the most effective strategies for preventing HBV infection. However, for complete eradication of HBV infection, the development of strategies that detect vaccination failure more effectively than current strategies do and early implementation of appropriate treatments are both necessary.

The association between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and emotional symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most abundant neurotrophins in the adult brain, and it plays important roles in modulating synaptic plasticity and synaptogenesis. This study attempted to elucidate the role of the BDNF variant rs6265 in emotional symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

METHODS

To investigate the association between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) and emotional symptoms in mTBI patients, we recruited 192 mTBI patients and evaluated their Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores in the first and sixth week after mTBI.

RESULTS

The patients carrying the T allele of rs6265 had significantly higher BAI scores in the first week following mTBI. In addition, the patients carrying the T allele also showed higher scores of BDI in the first week. In the gender-specific subgroup analysis, the male patients carrying the T allele of rs6265 had higher scores of both BAI and BDI in the first and sixth week. Meanwhile, female patients carrying the T allele also had significantly higher scores of BDI in the first week following mTBI.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence for the association between the BDNF variant rs6265 and emotional symptoms following mTBI.

IGF1 Gene Is Associated With Triglyceride Levels In Subjects With Family History Of Hypertension From The SAPPHIRe And TWB Projects

Chromosome 12q23-q24 has been linked to triglyceride (TG) levels by previous linkage studies, and it contains the Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) gene. We investigated the association between IGF1 and TG levels using two independent samples collected in Taiwan. First, based on 954 siblings in 397 families from the Stanford Asian Pacific Program in Hypertension and Insulin Resistance (SAPPHIRe), we found that rs978458 was associated with TG levels (β = -0.049, p = 0.0043) under a recessive genetic model. Specifically, subjects carrying the homozygous genotype of the minor allele had lower TG levels, compared with other subjects. Then, a series of stratification analyses in a large sample of 13,193 unrelated subjects from the Taiwan biobank (TWB) project showed that this association appeared in subjects with a family history (FH) of hypertension (β = -0.045, p = 0.0000034), but not in subjects without such an FH. A re-examination of the SAPPHIRe sample confirmed that this association appeared in subjects with an FH of hypertension (β = -0.068, p = 0.0025), but not in subjects without an FH. The successful replication in two independent samples indicated that IGF1 is associated with TG levels in subjects with an FH of hypertension in Taiwan.

Polymorphisms of xenobiotic-metabolizing genes and colorectal cancer risk in patients with lynch syndrome: A retrospective cohort study in Taiwan

Cytochrome P450 (CYP), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and N-acetyltransferase (NAT) are crucial for metabolism and clearance of xenobiotics. This study investigated whether CYP, GST, and NAT single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with Lynch syndrome. The interaction between these SNPs and cigarette smoking or meat consumption was also explored. We identified 270 patients with Lynch syndrome from the Taiwan Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Consortium. A weighted Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs). The GSTA1 rs3957356 TT (HR = 5.36, 95% CI = 2.39-12.0) and CYP1B1 rs1056836 CC (HR = 7.24, 95% CI = 3.51-14.9) were significantly associated with CRC risk when compared to wild-type CC and GG genotypes, respectively. However, the CYP1A1 rs4646903 CC genotype significantly reduced the risk of CRC (HR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.12-0.89) when compared to TT genotype. Moreover, significant interactions were observed between NAT1 acetylation and CYP1B1 rs1056827 and meat consumption.Our results suggest that xenobiotic-metabolizing SNPs are not only associated with CRC risk in patients with Lynch syndrome in Taiwan but also interact with meat consumption to modify the disease risk. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:69-78, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fluoride-sulfophosphate glasses as hosts for broadband optical amplification through transition metal activators

Unusually stable multi-anion glasses of the fluoride-sulfophosphate type (FPS) are introduced as a new host material for optically active cation species. Despite a notoriously low polymerization grade, anion mixing in this glass system enables facile manufacture of bulk or fiber devices which combine several advantages of fluoride and phosphate glasses while using the stabilizing effect of sulfate additions. Using the example of chromium doping, we demonstrate broad red photoluminescence at 734 nm and inhomogeneous broadening of the R-line at 694 nm, originating from the ⁴T₂ → ⁴A₂ and ²E → ⁴A₂ transitions of Cr³⁺, respectively. The luminescence mechanism is further analyzed on the basis of the corresponding Tanabe-Sugano diagram. Tailored through chemical composition, internally nucleated precipitation of a nanocrystalline fluoride phase enables switching between high-field and low-field configurations of the Cr³⁺ ion, resulting in the specific emission properties and setting the path towards FPS-based optical devices.

Genetic Modifiers of Progression-Free Survival in Never-Smoking Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients Treated with First-Line Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

RATIONALE

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mutated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are relatively sensitive to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment and have longer progression-free survival (PFS) when treated with EGFR-TKI compared with platinum-based chemotherapy. However, many patients with advanced NSCLC who have mutated EGFR do not respond to first-line EGFR-TKI treatment and still have shorter PFS.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify genetic variants associated with PFS among patients with lung adenocarcinoma who were treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs.

METHODS

A genome-wide association study on PFS was performed in never-smoking women diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma and who were treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs (n = 128). Significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for follow-up association analysis (n = 198) and for replication assay in another independent cohort (n = 153).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We identified SNPs at 4q12 associated with PFS at genome-wide significance (P < 10^-8) and with an estimated hazard ratio of more than 4. This association was also replicated in a larger but similar cohort and in an independent NSCLC cohort. Follow-up functional analyses showed that these SNPs were associated with the expression of EGFR, which encodes the TKI target, and with a nearby gene neuromedin-U, which encodes a G protein-coupled receptor ligand known to be involved in the progression of NSCLC. Considering these as possible prognostic biomarkers for the treatment of patients with late-stage lung cancer, we found that these SNPs were not associated with EGFR mutation status or with polymorphism of the Bcl2-interacting mediator of cell death gene.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic variants in 4q12 merit further investigation to assess their potential as pharmacogenomic predictors for and to understand the biology underlying its influence on PFS in patients treated with TKI therapy.

rs2841277 (PLD4) is associated with susceptibility and rs4672495 is associated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, can lead to long-term joint damage, chronic pain, and loss of motor function in the hands, and may share some common genetic factors with other autoimmune disorders, such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Many single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were reported by genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of RA, but some of them have not been examined in the Taiwanese population. In this study, for 15 SNPs reported in previous RA and AS GWASs, we investigated their association with RA in a Taiwanese population. Based on 334 RA patients recruited from the Taichung Veterans General Hospital and 16,036 healthy subjects from the Taiwan Biobank (TWB) project, we observed that subjects having minor allele C at rs2841277 (phospholipase D family, member 4 (PLD4)) have lower susceptibility of RA, compare to those having genotype TT (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.6, p = 3.0 × 10⁻⁶). Among the RA patients, we observed that subjects having GG at rs4672495 have a lower proportion of severe RA, compare to other subjects (OR = 0.09, p = 5.6 × 10⁻³). Results of a bioinformatics approach showed that rs2841277 is able to influence expression of LINC00638 and AHNAK2 and rs4672495 is able to influence the expression of B3GNT2. In summary, this study replicated an association of rs2841277 with RA susceptibility and showed an AS-associated SNP, rs4672495, is associated with RA activity in the Taiwanese population.

Association between GWAS-identified lung adenocarcinoma susceptibility loci and EGFR mutations in never-smoking Asian women, and comparison with findings from Western populations

To evaluate associations by EGFR mutation status for lung adenocarcinoma risk among never-smoking Asian women, we conducted a meta-analysis of 11 loci previously identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Genotyping in an additional 10,780 never-smoking cases and 10,938 never-smoking controls from Asia confirmed associations with eight known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Two new signals were observed at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8), namely, rs7216064 (17q24.3, BPTF), for overall lung adenocarcinoma risk, and rs3817963 (6p21.3, BTNL2) which is specific to cases with EGFR mutations. In further sub-analyses by EGFR status, rs9387478 (ROS1/DCBLD1) and rs2179920 (HLA-DPB1) showed stronger estimated associations in EGFR-positive compared to EGFR-negative cases. Comparison of the overall associations with published results in Western populations revealed that the majority of these findings were distinct, underscoring the importance of distinct contributing factors for smoking and non-smoking lung cancer. Our results extend the catalogue of regions associated with lung adenocarcinoma in non-smoking Asian women and highlight the importance of how the germline could inform risk for specific tumour mutation patterns, which could have important translational implications.

Biological mechanism of post-herpetic neuralgia: Evidence from multiple patho-psychophysiological measures

BACKGROUND

Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which develops after the resolution of a herpes zoster eruption, is an exceptionally drug-resistant neuropathic pain. The unsatisfactory management of PHN partly results from the difficulty in dissecting out its contributing factors due to the complexity of PHN mechanism.

METHODS

Here, to elaborate our understanding of the PHN mechanism and to establish a basis for effective therapeutic strategies, we comprehensively investigated the contributions of multiple factors to PHN severity.

RESULTS

Based on the comparison of somatosensory detection thresholds (C, Aδ and Aβ fibre thresholds) between affected and unaffected sides, 16 PHN patients with significant sensory deficits and 13 PHN patients without significant sensory deficits were identified and assigned to different groups. The different extents of lesions in the nociceptive system between patients with and without sensory deficits were confirmed using laser-evoked brain responses. Moreover, patients with sensory deficits had more severe pain and psychological disorders, e.g. anxiety and depression. Importantly, chronic pain severity was significantly influenced by various psychophysiological factors (sleep disturbances, psychological disorders and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction) for patients with sensory deficits.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated the contribution of multiple patho-psychophysiological factors to PHN severity, which could help establish a basis for the development of a rational, patient-centred therapeutic strategy.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study revealed the contribution of multiple patho-psychophysiological factors to PHN severity, which expanded our understanding of the underlying PHN mechanism, and helped develop a rational, patient-centred therapeutic strategy targeting towards the corresponding etiology and psychophysiological disorders for individual patient.

TP53 Polymorphisms and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Patients with Lynch Syndrome in Taiwan: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background and Aim

TP53 encodes p53, which has a crucial role in modulating genes that regulate defense against cancer development. This study investigated whether TP53 polymorphisms are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with Lynch syndrome and whether TP53 interacts with lifestyle factors to modify CRC risk.

Methods

We identified 260 MLH1 and MSH2 germline mutation carriers from the Taiwan Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Consortium. A weighted Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to determine the association of TP53 polymorphisms with CRC development.

Results

The carriers of the variant C allele of rs1042522 were associated with a decreased CRC risk (GC genotype: HR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.14–0.86; CC genotype: HR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.13–0.57). In addition, the dominant model of rs1042522 was associated with a decreased CRC risk (HR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.15–0.67). The CRC risk was decreased in carriers with the CT and TT genotypes of rs12947788 (HR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.08–0.46 and HR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.09–0.65, respectively). Moreover, the dominant model of rs12947788 was significantly associated with a decreased CRC risk (HR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.09–0.46). A haplotype analysis indicated that compared with the most common GC haplotype, the CT haplotype was associated with a decreased CRC risk (HR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.11–0.59). However, no significant interaction was observed between TP53 polymorphisms and lifestyle factors.

Conclusion

The study results revealed that the rs1042522 genotype with the C allele and the rs12947788 genotype with the T allele in TP53 were associated with a decreased CRC risk in patients with Lynch syndrome in Taiwan.

Chronic hepatitis infection is associated with extrahepatic cancer development: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the major causes of chronic hepatitis infection (CHI). This longitudinal cohort study investigated the association of CHI with hepatic and extrahepatic cancer development in Taiwan.

Methods

Patients with HBV infection and HCV infection were identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for determining the association between CHI and cancer development.

Results

The patients with HBV infection exhibited an increased risk of colorectal cancer (HR: 1.36, 95 % CI: 1.09–1.70), liver cancer (HR: 21.47, 95 % CI: 18.0–25.6), gallbladder and extrahepatic bile duct cancer (HR: 2.05, 95 % CI: 1.07–3.91), pancreatic cancer (HR: 2.61, 95 % CI: 1.47–4.61), kidney cancer (HR: 1.72, 95 % CI: 1.10–2.68), ovarian cancer (HR: 2.31, 95 % CI: 1.21–4.39), and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HR: 2.10, 95 % CI: 1.25–3.52). The patients with HCV infection exhibited an increased risk of liver cancer (HR: 25.10, 95 % CI: 20.9–30.2), gallbladder and extrahepatic bile duct cancer (HR: 2.60, 95 % CI: 1.42–4.73), ovarian cancer (HR: 5.15, 95 % CI: 1.98–13.4), and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HR: 2.30, 95 % CI: 1.34–3.96).

Conclusion

The present population-based study revealed that in addition to its association with primary liver cancer, CHI is associated with an increased risk of extrahepatic cancer.

Association of Sjögrens Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis Virus Infection: A Population-Based Analysis

Objective

The association between Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) and chronic hepatitis virus infection is inconclusive. Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are highly prevalent in Taiwan. We used a population-based case-control study to evaluate the associations between SS and HBV and HCV infections.

Materials and Methods

We identified 9,629 SS patients without other concomitant autoimmune diseases and 38,516 sex- and age-matched controls without SS from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims data between 2000 and 2011. We utilized multivariate logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the associations between SS and HBV and HCV infections. Sex- and age-specific (<55 and ≥55 years) risks of SS were evaluated.

Results

The risk of SS was higher in patients with HCV than in those without chronic viral hepatitis (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 2.16–2.86). Conversely, HBV infection was not associated with SS (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.98–1.24). Younger HCV patients were at a higher risk for SS (<55 years: OR = 3.37, 95% CI = 2.62–4.35; ≥55 years: OR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.84–2.62). Men with HCV were at a greater risk for SS (women: OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.94–2.63; men: OR = 4.22, 95% CI = 2.90–6.16). Only men with chronic HBV exhibited a higher risk of SS (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.21–2.14).

Conclusion

HCV infection was associated with SS; however, HBV only associated with SS in men.

Genetic Variation in the Human SORBS1 Gene is Associated With Blood Pressure Regulation and Age at Onset of Hypertension: A SAPPHIRe Cohort Study

Essential hypertension is a complex disease involving multiple genetic and environmental factors. A human gene containing a sorbin homology domain and 3 SH3 domains in the C-terminal region, termed SORBS1, plays a significant role in insulin signaling. We previously found a significant association between the T228A polymorphism and insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It has been hypothesized that a set of genes responsible for insulin resistance may be closely linked with genes susceptible to the development of hypertension. Identification of insulin resistance-related genetic factors may, therefore, enhance our understanding of essential hypertension. This study aimed to examine whether common SORBS1 genetic variations are associated with blood pressure and age at onset of hypertension in an ethnic Chinese cohort.We genotyped 9 common tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms of the SORBS1 gene in 1136 subjects of Chinese origin from the Stanford Asia-Pacific Program for Hypertension and Insulin Resistance family study. Blood pressure was measured upon enrolment. The associations of the SORBS1 single nucleotide polymorphisms with blood pressure and the presence of hypertension were analyzed with a generalized estimating equation model. We used the false-discovery rate measure Q value with a cutoff <0.1 to adjust for multiple comparisons. In the Cox regression analysis for hypertension-free survival, a robust sandwich variance estimator was used to deal with the within-family correlations with age at onset of hypertension. Gender, body mass index, and antihypertension medication were adjustment covariates in the Cox regression analysis.In this study, genetic variants of rs2281939 and rs2274490 were significantly associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A genetic variant of rs2274490 was also significantly associated with the presence of hypertension. Furthermore, genetic variants of rs2281939 and rs2274490 were associated with age at onset of hypertension after adjustment for gender, body mass index, and antihypertension medication.In conclusion, we provide evidence for an association between common SORBS1 genetic variations and blood pressure, presence of hypertension, and age at onset of hypertension. The biological mechanism of genetic variation associated with blood pressure regulation needs further investigation.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identifies multiple lung cancer susceptibility loci in never-smoking Asian women

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of lung cancer in Asian never-smoking women have previously identified six susceptibility loci associated with lung cancer risk. To further discover new susceptibility loci, we imputed data from four GWAS of Asian non-smoking female lung cancer (6877 cases and 6277 controls) using the 1000 Genomes Project (Phase 1 Release 3) data as the reference and genotyped additional samples (5878 cases and 7046 controls) for possible replication. In our meta-analysis, three new loci achieved genome-wide significance, marked by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7741164 at 6p21.1 (per-allele odds ratio (OR) = 1.17; P = 5.8 × 10(-13)), rs72658409 at 9p21.3 (per-allele OR = 0.77; P = 1.41 × 10(-10)) and rs11610143 at 12q13.13 (per-allele OR = 0.89; P = 4.96 × 10(-9)). These findings identified new genetic susceptibility alleles for lung cancer in never-smoking women in Asia and merit follow-up to understand their biological underpinnings.

Interaction between HLA-B60 and HLA-B27 as a Better Predictor of Ankylosing Spondylitis in a Taiwanese Population

Objective

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a form of chronic inflammatory spondyloarthritis (SpA) that causes pain and stiffness in spines or joints. Human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) and B60 (HLA-B60) have been reported as major genetic risk factors of AS. In addition, rs13202464, located on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region, showed high sensitivity (98.7%) and specificity (98.0%) for HLA-B27.

Design

The aim of our study is to test whether the interaction between HLA-B60 and HLA-B27 (rs13202464) can serve as a better predictor of AS. We have genotyped HLA-B60 and rs13202464 among 471 patients with AS and 557 healthy subjects. Combined risk factors were investigated to test the biological interaction.

Results

Our results indicated that the relative risk (RR) for HLA-B27+/HLA-B60− was 152 (95% CI 91 to 255) and it increased to 201 (95% CI 85 to 475) in HLA-B27+/HLA-B60+ patients (with HLA-B27−/HLA-B60− as reference). Combinational analysis of two risk factors (HLA-B27+/HLA-B60+) showed a relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) of 46.79 (95% CI: -117.58 to 211.16), attributable proportion (AP) of 0.23 (95% CI: -0.41 to 0.88) and a synergy index (S) of 1.31 (95% CI: 0.56 to 3.04).

Conclusion

In conclusion, genetic interaction analysis revealed that the interaction between HLA-B60 and HLA-B27 is a better marker for the risk of AS susceptibility in a Taiwanese population.

Does school health and home economics education influence adults' food knowledge?

Home economics and health teachers are to be found in many parts of the world. They teach students about food in relation to its nutritional, safety and environmental properties. The effects of such teaching might be expected to be reflected in the food knowledge of adults who have undertaken school education in these areas. This study examined the food knowledge associations of school home economics and health education among Australian adults. Two separate online surveys were conducted nationwide among 2022 (November 2011) and 2146 Australian adults (November-December 2012). True/false and multiple choice questions in both surveys were used to assess nutrition, food safety and environmental knowledge. Knowledge scores were constructed and compared against respondents' experience of school health or home economics education via multiple regression analyses. The results from both studies showed that home economics (and similar) education was associated with higher levels of food knowledge among several age groups. The associations of home economics education with food knowledge differed across several Australian states and recall of home economics themes differed across the age groups. These findings suggest that home economics education may bring about long-lasting learning of food knowledge. Further research is required, however, to confirm the findings and to test the causal influence of home economics education on adults' food knowledge.