Fluorine-18 prostate-specific membrane antigen-1007-avid indeterminate bone lesions in prostate cancer: clinical and PET/CT features to predict outcomes and prognosis

AIM

To determine clinical and fluorine-18 prostate-specific membrane antigen-1007 (18F-PSMA-1007) integrated positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) features that could be used to interpret indeterminate bone lesions (IBLs) and assess the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa) in patients with IBLs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients who underwent PSMA PET/CT were analysed retrospectively. IBLs were identified as benign or malignant based on follow-up imaging and clinical management. Lesion- and patient-based assessments were performed to define features predictive of bone lesion results and determine clinical risk. Patients' prognosis was analysed based on clinical characteristics, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 105 patients (mean age ± SD, 72.1 ± 8 years) were evaluated and 158 IBLs were identified. Fifty-three (33.5%), 36 (22.8%), and 69 (43.7%) IBLs were benign, malignant, and equivocal, respectively. Variables including location, maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), and lymph node metastases (LNM) were related to the benignancy or malignancy of IBLs (p=0.046, p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Regression analysis indicated that LNM, SUVmax, and location of IBLs could be predictors of lesion interpretation (p<0.001, p=0.002 and p=0.035). Patients with benign IBLs experienced the most considerable decreases in PSA and ALP levels.

CONCLUSIONS

LNM, SUVmax, and location may contribute to IBL interpretation. A rapid decrease in PSA and ALP levels might suggest a better prognosis for patients with benign IBLs.

The value of T2-weighted MRI contrast ratio combined with DWI in evaluating the pathological grade of solid lung adenocarcinoma

AIM

To assess the predictive value of T2-weighted (T2W) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in combination with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for determining the pathological grading of solid lung adenocarcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The clinical and imaging data from 153 cases of solid lung adenocarcinoma (82 men, 71 women, mean age 63.2 years) confirmed at histopathology in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2017 to May 2022 were analysed retrospectively. Adenocarcinomas were classified into low-grade (G1 and G2) and high-grade (G3) groups following the 2020 pathological grading system proposed by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. The T2-weighted contrast ratio (T2CR), calculated as the T2 signal intensity of the lung mass/nodule divided by the T2 signal intensity of the right rhomboid muscle was utilised. Two experienced radiologists reviewed the MRI images independently, measured the T2CR, and obtained apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare general characteristics (sex, age, maximum diameter), T2CR, and ADC values between the low-grade and high-grade groups. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test determined differences in T2CR and ADC values among the five adenocarcinoma subtypes. Receiver characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, along with area under the curve (AUC) calculation, assessed the effectiveness of each parameter in distinguishing the pathological grade of lung adenocarcinoma. A Z-test was used to compare the AUC values.

RESULTS

Among the 153 patients with adenocarcinoma, 103 had low-grade adenocarcinoma, and 50 had high-grade adenocarcinoma. The agreement between T2CR and ADC observers was good (0.948 and 0.929, respectively). None of the parameters followed a normal distribution (p<0.05). The ADC value was lower in the high-grade adenocarcinoma group compared to the low-grade adenocarcinoma group (p=0.004), while the T2CR value was higher in the high-grade group (p=0.011). Statistically significant differences were observed in maximum diameter and gender between the two groups (p<0.001 and p=0.005, respectively), while no significant differences were noted in age (p=0.980). Among the five adenocarcinoma subtypes, only the lepidic and micropapillary subtypes displayed statistical differences in ADC values (p=0.047), with the remaining subtypes showing no statistical differences (p>0.05). The AUC values for distinguishing high-grade adenocarcinoma from low-grade adenocarcinoma were 0.645 for ADC and 0.627 for T2CR. Combining T2CR, ADC, sex, and maximum diameter resulted in an AUC of 0.778, sensitivity of 70%, and specificity of 75%. This combination significantly improved diagnostic efficiency compared to T2CR and ADC alone (p=0.008, z = 2.624; p=0.007, z = 2.679).

CONCLUSION

The MRI quantitative parameters are useful for distinguishing the pathological grades of solid lung adenocarcinoma, offering valuable insights for precise lung cancer treatment.

First-Principles Study of Bimetallic Pairs Embedded on Graphene Co-Doped with N and O for N2 Electroreduction

The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is considered a viable alternative to the Haber-Bosch process for ammonia synthesis, and the design of highly active and selective catalysts is crucial for the industrialization of the NRR. Dual-atom catalysts (DACs) with dual active sites offer flexible active sites and synergistic effects between atoms, providing more possibilities for the tuning of catalytic performance. In this study, we designed 48 graphene-based DACs with N4O2 coordination (MM'@N4O2-G) using density functional theory. Through a series of screening strategies, we explored the reaction mechanisms of the NRR for eight catalysts in depth and revealed the "acceptance-donation" mechanism between the active sites and the N2 molecules through electronic structure analysis. The study found that the limiting potential of the catalysts exhibited a volcano-shaped relationship with the d-band center of the active sites, indicating that the synergistic effect between the bimetallic components can regulate the d-band center position of the active metal M, thereby controlling the reaction activity. Furthermore, we investigated the selectivity of the eight DACs and identified five potential NRR catalysts. Among them, MoCo@N4O2-G showed the best NRR performance, with a limiting potential of -0.20 V. This study provides theoretical insights for the design and development of efficient NRR electrocatalysts.

Molecular cloning and characterization of endoplasmic reticulum stress related genes grp78 and atf6α from black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) and their expressions in response to nutritional regulation

Glucose-regulated protein 78 (grp78) and activating transcription factor 6α (atf6α) are considered vital endoplasmic reticulum (ER) molecular chaperones and ER stress (ERS) sensors, respectively. In the present study, the full cDNA sequences of these two ERS-related genes were first cloned and characterized from black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii). The grp78 cDNA sequence is 2606 base pair (bp) encoding a protein of 654 amino acids (aa). The atf6α cDNA sequence is 2168 base pair (bp) encoding a protein of 645 aa. The predicted aa sequences of A. schlegelii grp78 and atf6α indicated that the proteins contain all the structural features, which were characteristic of the two genes in other species. Tissues transcript abundance analysis revealed that the mRNAs of grp78 and atf6α were expressed in all measured tissues, but the highest expression of these two genes was all recorded in the gill followed by liver/ brain. Moreover, in vivo experiment found that fish intake of a high lipid diet (HLD) can trigger ERS by activating grp78/Grp78 and atf6α/Atf6α. However, it can be alleviated by dietary betaine supplementation, similar results were also obtained by in vitro experiment using primary hepatocytes of A. schlegelii. These findings will be beneficial for us to evaluate the regulator effects of HLD supplemented with betaine on ERS at the molecular level, and thus provide some novel insights into the functions of betaine in marine fish fed with an HLD.

Factors associated with early failure of the femoral neck system (FNS) in patients with femoral neck fractures

BACKGROUND

Femoral neck system (FNS) is a new type of internal fixation system which has been widely used for treating femoral neck fractures (FNFs).Compared with other internal fixation methods, FNS is minimally invasive and stable, and often achieves satisfactory short-term efficacy.Early failure of FNS (EFFNS) is not uncommon, however, there are few literatures and reports on factors associated with EFFNS.This study aimed to survey the prevalence and risk factors of EFFNS.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed 62 patients with FNFs and underwent FNS fixation between 2019 and 2021. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, radiographic features and treatment process were described. Multifactor logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the different influencing factors.

RESULTS

Out of the 62 FNFs patients, 10 patients (16.1%) developed EFFNS, including 6 cases of severe femoral neck shortening, 2 cases of screw-out, 1 case of avascular necrosis of the femoral head and 1 case of nonunion. In the failure group, all patients were younger than 65 years old, which was significantly higher than 59.6% in the healing group (P = 0.012). There were no significant differences in sex(P = 0.490), BMI (P = 0.709), injured side (P = 0.312), injury mechanism (P = 0.617), reduction method(P = 0.570),femoral neck-shaft angle(P = 0.545), Pauwels classification (P = 0.564) and Garden classification (P = 0.195). Moreover, we not found that Garden classification (P = 0.464) and age (P = 0.128) were statistically significant risk factors for EFFNS at multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

In this study, sex, BMI, injury side, injury mechanism, reduction method, Pauwels angle, femoral neck-shift angle, Pauwels classification and Garden classification were excluded as EFFNS risk factors. Moreover, our study demonstrated that age and Garden classification were not significant risk factors at multivariate analysis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100051360. Registered on 21 September, 2021. https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx .

Improving the visualisation of perforator arteries for anterolateral thigh flaps harvest in CT angiography via sublingual glyceryl trinitrate

AIM

To investigate the improvement of image quality and visualisation of the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap perforators on computed tomography angiography (CTA) after administration of sublingual glyceryl trinitrate (GTN).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty patients with oral lesions received thigh CTA examinations were divided randomly into two groups after administration of sublingual GTN (GTN group) or without administration of sublingual GTN (non-GTN group). Two radiologists calculated the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and assessed the image quality of each vessel. Besides, the grade of thigh artery, the lumen diameter of deep femoral artery, lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA), the descending branch of LCFA and its proximal and distal perforators, and the number and type of visible perforators were evaluated quantitatively.

RESULTS

The SNR and CNR were not significantly different between the two groups (p>0.05). The image quality of CTA in the GTN group was significantly better than that in the non-GTN group (p<0.01). The lumen diameters of the deep femoral artery, LCFA, the descending branch of LCFA and its perforators were significantly larger in the GTN group than those in the non-GTN group (p<0.01). Compared with the non-GTN group, the number of visible perforators and the number of visible septocutaneous perforators were significantly more in the GTN group, and the qualitative grade of visible perforators was significantly higher (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The administration of sublingual GTN in preoperative thigh CTA can improve the image quality and visualisation of perforator vessels, thus could help surgeons to select the optimum ALT flaps.

NEDD4 activates mitophagy by interacting with LC3 to restrain reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in Apostichopus japonicus challenged with Vibrio splendidus

Mitophagy, the selective degradation of damaged mitochondria by autophagy, plays a crucial role in the survival of coelomocytes in Apostichopus japonicus following Vibrio splendidus infection by suppressing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and attenuating cell apoptosis. A recent study revealed that reducing the expression of the neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated gene 4 (NEDD4), an enzyme 3 (E3) ubiquitin ligase, significantly affects mitochondrial degradation. Prior to the present study, the functional role of NEDD4 in marine invertebrates was largely unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the role of NEDD4 in the activation of mitophagy, modulation of ROS levels, and induction of apoptosis in A. japonicus infected with V. splendidus. The results demonstrated that V. splendidus infection and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge significantly increased the mRNA levels of NEDD4 in A. japonicus coelomocytes, which was consistent with changes in mitophagy under the same conditions. Knockdown of AjNEDD4 using specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) impaired mitophagy and caused accumulation of damaged mitochondria, as observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy. Furthermore, AjNEDD4 was localized to the mitochondria in both coelomocytes and HEK293T cells. Simultaneously, coelomocytes were treated with the inhibitor indole-3-carbinol (I3C) to confirm the regulatory role of AjNEDD4 in mitophagy. The accumulation of AjNEDD4 in the mitochondria and the level of mitophagy decreased. Subsequent investigations demonstrated that AjNEDD4 interacts directly with the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), a key regulator of autophagy and mitophagy, indicating its involvement in the mitophagy pathway. Moreover, AjNEDD4 interference hindered the interaction between AjNEDD4 and LC3, thereby impairing the engulfment and subsequent clearance of damaged mitochondria. Finally, AjNEDD4 interference led to a significant increase in intracellular ROS levels, followed by increased apoptosis. Collectively, these findings suggest that NEDD4 acts as a crucial regulator of mitophagy in A. japonicus and plays a vital role in maintaining cellular homeostasis following V. splendidus infection. NEDD4 suppresses ROS production and subsequent apoptosis by promoting mitophagy, thereby safeguarding the survival of A. japonicus under pathogenic conditions. Further investigation of the mechanisms underlying NEDD4-mediated mitophagy may provide valuable insights into the development of novel strategies for disease control in aquaculture farms.

Biomaterials / bioinks and extrusion bioprinting

Bioinks are formulations of biomaterials and living cells, sometimes with growth factors or other biomolecules, while extrusion bioprinting is an emerging technique to apply or deposit these bioinks or biomaterial solutions to create three-dimensional (3D) constructs with architectures and mechanical/biological properties that mimic those of native human tissue or organs. Printed constructs have found wide applications in tissue engineering for repairing or treating tissue/organ injuries, as well as in vitro tissue modelling for testing or validating newly developed therapeutics and vaccines prior to their use in humans. Successful printing of constructs and their subsequent applications rely on the properties of the formulated bioinks, including the rheological, mechanical, and biological properties, as well as the printing process. This article critically reviews the latest developments in bioinks and biomaterial solutions for extrusion bioprinting, focusing on bioink synthesis and characterization, as well as the influence of bioink properties on the printing process. Key issues and challenges are also discussed along with recommendations for future research.

Isolation, characterization and application of a lytic phage vB_VspM_VS1 against Vibrio splendidus biofilm

Vibrio splendidus is a common pathogen in the ocean that infects Apostichopus japonicus, Atlantic salmon and Crassostrea gigas, leading to a variety of diseases. In this study, a virulent phage vB_VspM_VS1, which infects V. splendidus, was isolated from aquaculture ponds in Dalian, China, and it belongs to the family Straboviridae in the order Caudoviricetes. vB_VspM_VS1 had an adsorption rate of 96% in 15 min, a latent period of 65 min, and a burst size of 140 ± 6 PFU/cell. The complete genome of phage vB_VspM_VS1 consists of a linear double-stranded DNA that is 248,270 bp in length with an average G + C content of 42.5% and 389 putative protein-coding genes; 116 genes have known functions. There are 4 tail fiber genes in the positive and negative strands of the phage vB_VspM_VS1 genome. The protein domain of the phage vB_VspM_VS1 tail fibers was obtained from the Protein Data Bank and the SMART (http://smart.embl.de) database. Bacterial challenge tests revealed that the growth of V. splendidus HS0 was apparently inhibited (OD600 < 0.01) in 12 h at an MOI of 10. In against biofilms, we also showed that the OD570 value of the vB_VspM_VS1-treated group (MOI = 1) decreased significantly to 0.04 ± 0.01 compared with that of the control group (0.48 ± 0.08) at 24 h. This study characterizes the genome of the phage vB_VspM_VS1 that infects the pathogenic bacterium V. splendidus of A. japonicus.

[A method for sensitivity analysis of deviation factor for geometric correction of cone-beam CT system]

OBJECTIVE

To propose a sensitivity test method for geometric correction position deviation of cone-beam CT systems.

METHODS

We proposed the definition of center deviation and its derivation. We analyzed the influence of the variation of the three-dimensional spatial center of the steel ball point, the projection center and the size of the steel ball point on the deviation of geometric parameters and the reconstructed image results by calculating the geometric correction parameters based on the Noo analytical method using the FDK reconstruction algorithm for image reconstruction.

RESULTS

The radius of the steel ball point was within 3 mm. The deviation of the center of the calibration parameter was within the order of magnitude and negligible. A 10% Gaussian perturbation of a single pixel in the 3D spatial coordinates of the steel ball point produced a deviation of about 3 pixel sizes, while the same Gaussian perturbation of the 2D projection coordinates of the steel ball point produced a deviation of about 2 pixel sizes.

CONCLUSION

The geometric correction is more sensitive to the deviation generated by the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the steel ball point with limited sensitivity to the deviation generated by the two-dimensional projection coordinates of the steel ball point. The deviation sensitivity of a small diameter steel ball point can be ignored.

Risk factors analysis and establishment of predictive nomogram of extranodal B-cell lymphoma of mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue

PURPOSE

The role of radiation therapy in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is poorly defined. The objective of this study was to explore the factors associated with the performance of radiotherapy and to assess its prognostic impact in patients with MALT lymphoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with MALT lymphoma diagnosed between 1992 and 2017 were identified in the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER). Factors associated with the delivery of radiotherapy were assessed by chi-square test. Overall survival (OS) and lymphoma-specific survival (LSS) were compared between patients with and without radiotherapy, using Cox proportional hazard regression models, in patients with early stage as well as those with advanced stage.

RESULTS

Of the 10,344 patients identified with a diagnosis of MALT lymphoma, 33.6% had received radiotherapy; this rate was 38.9% for stage I/II patients and 12.0% for stage III/IV patients, respectively. Older patients and those who already received primary surgery or chemotherapy had a significantly lower rate of receiving radiotherapy, regardless of lymphoma stage. After univariate and multivariate analysis, radiotherapy was associated with improved OS and LSS in patients with stage I/II (HR=0.71 [0.65-0.78]) and (HR=0.66 [0.59-0.74]), respectively, but not in patients with stage III/IV (HR=1.01 [0.80-1.26]) and (HR=0.93 [0.67-1.29]). The nomogram built from the significant prognostic factors associated with overall survival of stage I/II patients had a good concordance (C-index=0.749±0.002).

CONCLUSION

This cohort study shows that radiotherapy is significantly associated with a better prognosis in patients with early but not advanced MALT lymphoma. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the prognostic impact of radiotherapy in patients with MALT lymphoma.

Deep learning for predicting the risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis in lung cancer

AIM

To develop and validate a nomogram model that combines computed tomography (CT)-based radiological factors extracted from deep-learning and clinical factors for the early predictions of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (ICI-P).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty ICI-P patients and 101 patients without ICI-P were divided randomly into the training (n=113) and test (n=28) sets. The convolution neural network (CNN) algorithm was used to extract the CT-based radiological features of predictable ICI-P and calculated the CT score of each patient. A nomogram model to predict the risk of ICI-P was developed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

CT score was calculated from five radiological features extracted by the residual neural network-50-V2 with feature pyramid networks. Four predictors of ICI-P in the nomogram model included a clinical feature (pre-existing lung diseases), two serum markers (absolute lymphocyte count and lactate dehydrogenase), and a CT score. The area under curve of the nomogram model in the training (0.910 versus 0.871 versus 0.778) and test (0.900 versus 0.856 versus 0.869) sets was better than the radiological and clinical models. The nomogram model showed good consistency and better clinical practicability.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram model that combined CT-based radiological factors and clinical factors can be used as a new non-invasive tool for the early prediction of ICI-P in lung cancer patients after immunotherapy with low cost and low manual input.

Global N6-methyladenosine methylation analysis reveals the positive correlation between m6A modification and mRNA abundance during Apostichopus japonicus disease development

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A), the most abundant epitranscriptomic modification in eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA), plays important roles in regulation of gene expression for fundamental biological processes and diverse physiological functions, including combating with pathogen infection. Here, we were first profile transcriptome-wide m⁶A sequencing in four stages of skin ulceration syndrome-diseased Apostichopus japonicus following Vibrio splendidus infection, including Control (healthy), Early (small ulcer), Later (extensive ulcer), and Resistant (no ulcer) groups. Our results revealed that three experimental groups were all extensively methylated by m⁶A and the proportion of the m⁶A modified genes were also significantly increased to 28.90% (Early), 27.97% (Later), and 29.98% (Resistant) when compared with Control group (15.15%), indicating m⁶A modification could be induced by V. splendidus infection. Intriguingly, we discovered a positive correlation between the m⁶A methylation level and mRNA abundance, indicating a positive regulatory role of m⁶A in sea cucumber gene expression during V. splendidus infection. Moreover, genes with specific and differentially expressed m⁶A methylation in Later group were both enriched in cell adhesion, while Early and Resistant groups were both mainly involved in DNA conformation change and chromosome organization when compared with Control, suggesting the higher-methylated m⁶A might serve as "conformational marker" and associated to the initiation of related anti-disease genes transcription in order to improve disease resistance of sea cucumber. Subsequently, we selected the pivotal genes enriched in cell adhesion pathway and found that the IggFc-binding protein (FcGBP) and Fibrocystin-L both had higher levels of m⁶A methylation and higher level of mRNA expressions in Later group. Conversely, Fibrinogen C domain-containing protein 1 (F1BCD1) gene presented as an antibacterial role in sea cucumber and showed higher mRNA expression and higher m⁶A methylation in Resistant group and lower mRNA level in Later group. The levels of m⁶A methylation and mRNA abundance of FcGBP and F1BCD1 genes indicates disease occurrence or disease resistant were also verified by MeRIP-qPCR. Overall, our study presents the first comprehensive characterize of dynamic m⁶A methylation modification in the different stages of disease in sea cucumber. These data provide an invaluable resource for future studies of function and biological significance of m⁶A in mRNA in marine invertebrates.

Genome-wide identification m6A modified circRNAs revealed their key roles in skin ulceration syndrome disease development in Apostichopus japonicus

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are novel endogenous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and can be acted as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to regulate microRNA (miRNA) and downstream gene expression. Recently, m⁶A modification has been found in circRNA, and m⁶A circRNAs also play important roles in various biological processes and a variety of diseases. Our previous study had been demonstrated that circRNAs were differentially expressed in skin ulceration syndrome (SUS) diseased sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. However, whether the function of circRNAs are dependent on m⁶A levels are largely unknown. Here, we firstly investigated the genome-wide map of m⁶A circRNAs in sea cucumbers with different stages of Vibrio splendidus challenge, that's Control group, SUS-diseased group, and SUS-resistant group. MeRIP-seq revealed that m⁶A abundances were enriched in circRNAs in all three groups, especially for SUS-resistant group. Among them, more than 62% of modified circRNAs harbor only a single m⁶A peak and about 55% of m⁶A sites in circRNAs were derived from sense overlapping in each group. After V. splendidus infection, we found that most of m⁶A peaks in circRNAs were upregulated and less were downregulated in both SUS-diseased and SUS-resistant groups when compared with Control. Furthermore, GO analysis indicated that the host genes of circRNAs with dysregulated m⁶A peaks in SUS-diseased and SUS-resistant groups were both mainly enriched in the adhesion pathway. More importantly, we discovered that more than 50% m⁶A circRNAs showed a positive correlation between the circRNAs expression and m⁶A methylation levels both in SUS-diseased and SUS-resistant groups. Therefore, a core circRNA-miRNA-mRNA (ceRNA) network whether influenced by m⁶A modification was constructed based on conjoint analysis. Our results indicated that several selected m⁶A circRNAs bind with miRNAs were mainly targeting to ubiquitylation system and adhesion pathway. What's more, three candidate m⁶A circRNAs and three target genes were validated by MeRIP-qPCR and qPCR, whose m⁶A levels in circRNA and mRNA expressions were consistent with disease occurrence or disease resistance. All of our current findings suggested that m⁶A circRNAs could play important roles during pathogen infection and might be served as a new molecular biomarker in SUS disease diagnose of A. japonicus.

MRI-based radiomics analysis in differentiating solid non-small-cell from small-cell lung carcinoma: a pilot study

AIM

To investigate the ability of a T2-weighted (W) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics signature to differentiate solid non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) from small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present retrospective study enrolled 152 eligible patients (NSCLC = 125, SCLC = 27). All patients underwent MRI using a 3 T scanner and radiomics features were extracted from T2W MRI. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression model was used to identify the optimal radiomics features for the construction of a radiomics model to differentiate solid NSCLC from SCLC. Threefold cross validation repeated 10 times was used for model training and evaluation. The conventional MRI morphology features of the lesions were also evaluated. The performance of the conventional MRI morphological features, and the radiomics signature model and nomogram model (combining radiomics signature with conventional MRI morphological features) was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

Five optimal features were chosen to build a radiomics signature. There was no significant difference in age, gender, and the largest diameter. The radiomics signature and conventional MRI morphological features (only pleural indentation and lymph node enlargement) were independent predictive factors for differentiating solid NSCLC from SCLC. The area under the ROC curves (AUCs) for MRI morphological features, and the radiomics model, and nomogram model was 0.69, 0.85, and 0.90 (ROC), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The T2W MRI-based radiomics signature is a potential non-invasive approach for distinguishing solid NSCLC from SCLC.

[Dynamic changes and influencing factors of HIV-1 DNA load in HIV-1 infected individuals under antiretroviral therapy]

Objective: To analyze the dynamic changes and influencing factors of HIV-1 DNA load in HIV-1 infected individuals under antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province, and provide information support for the clinical use of HIV-1 DNA quantitative detection. Methods: The HIV infection cases in recent infection cohort from Dehong Center for Disease Control and Prevention during 2009-2018 were selected as study subjects. The dynamic curve of HIV-1 DNA load varrying with time was generated and logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the risk factors for HIV-1 load in the recent follow up after ART and statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 17.0. Results: Among the 113 HIV infection cases detected from the recent infection cohort, the recent HIV infection rate were 49.6%(56/113) males, sexual transmission cases and drug injection transmission cases accounted for 53.1% (60/113), 80.5% (91/113) and 19.5% (22/113), respectively. The dynamic changes curve showed that HIV-1 DNA load was relatively high (>800 copies /10⁶ PBMCs) before ART, and droped rapidly (<400 copies /10⁶ PBMCs) after ART for 1 year. However, HIV-1 DNA load decreased insignificantly from the second year of ART, and remained to be 269 copies/10⁶ PBMCs after ART for 6 years. Univariable logistic regression analysis indicated that OR (95%CI) of CD8, CD4/CD8 and HIV-1 DNA load were 1.00 (1.00-1.00), 0.30 (0.09-1.05) and 1.01 (1.00-1.01), respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that OR value of HIV-1 DNA load base was 1.00 (1.00-1.01). Conclusions: HIV-1 DNA load decreased significantly in the first year of ART, then remained stable for years. HIV-1 DNA load base was the key factor associated with the decrease of HIV-1 DNA load, the lower the HIV-1 DNA load base, the lower HIV-1 DNA load. Therefore, earlier ART can contribute to the decrease of HIV-1 DNA load.

CircRNA75 and CircRNA72 Function as the Sponge of MicroRNA-200 to Suppress Coelomocyte Apoptosis Via Targeting Tollip in Apostichopus japonicus

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) act as essential regulators in many biological processes, especially in mammalian immune response. Nonetheless, the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs in the invertebrate immune system are largely unclarified. In our previous work, 261 differentially expressed circRNAs potentially related to the development of Apostichopus japonicus skin ulceration syndrome (SUS), which is a major problem restricting the sea cucumber breeding industry, were identified by genome-wide screening. In this study, via miRanda analysis, both circRNA75 and circrRNA72 were shown to share the miR-200 binding site, a key microRNA in the SUS. The two circRNAs were verified to be increased significantly in LPS-exposed primary coelomocytes, similar to the results of circRNA-seq in sea cucumber under Vibrio splendidus-challenged conditions. A dual-luciferase assay indicated that both circRNA75 and circRNA72 could bind miR-200 in vivo, in which circRNA75 had four binding sites of miR-200 and only one for circRNA72. Furthermore, we found that miR-200 could bind the 3’-UTR of Toll interacting protein (Tollip) to negatively mediate the expression of Tollip. Silencing Tollip increased primary coelomocyte apoptosis. Consistently, inference of circRNA75 and circRNA72 could also downregulate Tollip expression, thereby increasing the apoptosis of primary coelomocytes, which could be blocked by miR-200 inhibitor treatment. Moreover, the rate of si-circRNA75-downregulated Tollip expression was higher than that of si-circRNA72 under an equivalent amount. CircRNA75 and circRNA72 suppressed coelomocyte apoptosis by sponging miR-200 to promote Tollip expression. The ability of circRNA to adsorb miRNA might be positively related to the number of binding sites for miRNA.

POS0754 DEVELOPMENT OF A RISK PREDICTION MODEL FOR VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: THE SLE-VTE SCORE

Background:

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a substantially increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). An individual VTE risk assessment is important to ensure that all patients are assessed and given adequate thromboprophylaxis.

Objectives:

We conducted this study to develop a risk score for VTE in patients with SLE.

Methods:

Patients with SLE who participated in the Chinese SLE Treatment and Research group were enrolled in this study. Patient baseline information and clinical laboratory indicators were obtained, and VTE events were recorded every 3-6 months during follow-up visits. The risk prediction model was created and internally validated using the bootstrap methods, and a scoring system was established (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Flow chart of study design.

Results:

Out of 4,502 patients included in this study, 135 had a VTE event. After univariate analysis and Lasso regression, the following 11 variables were identified and included in the risk prediction model: male sex, age, BMI ≥25 kg/m2, hyperlipidemia, hypoalbuminemia, hsCRP>3 mg/L, renal involvement, nervous system involvement, anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibody positivity, lupus anticoagulant positivity, and no use of hydroxychloroquine. The AUC for the SLE-VTE score (Table 1) was 0.947 (95% CI, 0.9249-0.9694). The SLE-VTE score’s sensitivity and specificity with the optimal cutoff value of 13 were 0.919 and 0.881, respectively. The SLE-VTE score was superior to the GAPSS system in predicting the risk of VTE in patients with SLE (AUC= 0.947 vs. 0.680, P< 0.001; integrated discrimination improvement (IDI)= 0.6652, P< 0.001; net reclassification improvement (NRI)= 0.6652, P< 0.001).

Table 1.

Final multivariable analysis for venous thromboembolism risk in patients with SLE

β coefficientsOdds ratio* (95% CI)P-valuePoints in scoring systemMale0.6211.86(0.953-3.503)0.0612Age at study entry(≥50)0.8372.308(1.339-3.915)0.0023BMI02(kg/m20.7922.209(1.333-3.627)0.0023Hyperlipemia0.8382.313(1.246-4.166)0.0063Hypoalbuminemia2.1638.697(5.185-14.794)< 0.0017hsCRP>3 mg/L1.4524.272(2.618-6.968)< 0.0015Anti β2GPI1.0132.754(1.543-4.853)0.0013LA1.5594.752(2.799-8.072)< 0.0015Nervous system2.38210.832(6.163-18.998)< 0.0018Lupus nephritis0.8352.305(1.414-3.756)0.0013No use of hydroxychloroquine1.7715.876(3.722-9.401)< 0.0016

BMI: body mass index; hsCRP: Hypersensitive c-reactive protein; ACL: anticardiolipin, antiβ2GPI: anti-β2-glycoprotein I, LA: lupus anticoagulantm;

Values in bold are statistically significant at p <0.05.

Conclusion:

Various factors are related to the occurrence of VTE in patients with SLE. The proposed SLE-VTE risk score can accurately predict the risk of VTE and help identify SLE patients with a high risk of VTE who may benefit from thromboprophylaxis.

References:

[1]Ramirez GA, Efthymiou M, Isenberg DA, Cohen H. Under crossfire: thromboembolic risk in systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatology. 2018;58:940-952.

[2]Chung WS, Lin CL, Chang SN, Lu CC, Kao CH. Systemic lupus erythematosus increases the risks of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism: a nationwide cohort study. J Thromb Haemost. 2014;12:452-458.

[3]Liew NC, Alemany GV, Angchaisuksiri P, et al. Asian venous thromboembolism guidelines: updated recommendations for the prevention of venous thromboembolism. Int Angiol. 2017;36:1.

[4]Savino S, Giovanni S, Veronica M, Dario R, Khamashta MA, Laura BM. GAPSS: the Global Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome Score. Rheumatology. 2013:8.

[5]Konstantinides SV, Meyer G, Becattini C, et al. 2019 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism developed in collaboration with the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Eur Heart J. 2020;41:543-603.

[6]Moghadamyeghaneh Z, Hanna MH, Carmichael JC, Nguyen NT, Stamos MJ. A Nationwide Analysis of Postoperative Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism in Colon and Rectal Surgery. J Gastrointest Surg. 2014;18:2169-2177.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Effect of radiomics from different virtual monochromatic images in dual-energy spectral CT on the WHO/ISUP classification of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

AIM

To investigate the effect of radiomics obtained from different virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) in dual-energy spectral computed tomography (CT) on the World Health Organization/International Association for Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP) classification of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of 99 ccRCC patients who underwent contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT was undertaken. ccRCC was confirmed at surgery or biopsy and graded according to the WHO/ISUP pathological grading criteria as low grade (n=68, grade I and II) or high grade (n=31, grade III and IV). Radiomics risk scores (RRSs) for differentiating high and low grades of ccRCC were constructed from 11 sets of VMI in (40-140 keV, 10 keV interval) the cortical phase. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn and the area under the curves (AUCs) was calculated to evaluate the discriminatory power of RRS for each VMI. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to evaluate the goodness-of-fit of each model and the decision curve was used to analyse its net benefit to patients.

RESULTS

The AUC values for distinguishing low-from high-grade ccRCC with RRS of 40-140 keV VMIs were all >0.920. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the p-values of RRS of VMIs were >0.05, suggesting good fits. In the decision curve analysis, RRS from the 40-140 keV VMIs had similar decision curves and provided better net benefits than considering all patients either as high-grade or low-grade.

CONCLUSIONS

The RRS obtained from multiple VMIs in dual-energy spectral CT have high diagnostic efficiencies for distinguishing between low- and high-grade ccRCC with no significant differences between different VMIs.

Effect of macro-calcification on the failure mechanics of intracranial aneurysmal wall tissue

BACKGROUND

Calcification was recently found to be present in the majority of cerebral aneurysms, though how calcification and the presence or absence of co-localized lipid pools affect failure properties is still unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective is to quantify the biomechanical effect of a macro-calcification with surrounding Near-Calcification Region (NCR) of varying mechanical properties on tissue failure behavior.

METHODS

We utilized a structurally informed finite element model to simulate pre-failure and failure behavior of a human cerebral tissue specimen modeled as a composite containing a macro-calcification and surrounding NCR, embedded in a fiber matrix composite. Data from multiple imaging modalities was combined to quantify the collagen organization and calcification geometry. An idealized parametric model utilizing the calibrated model was used to explore the impact of NCR properties on tissue failure.

RESULTS

Compared to tissue without calcification, peak stress was reduced by 82% and 49% for low modulus (representing lipid pool) and high modulus (simulating increase in calcification size) of the NCR, respectively. Failure process strongly depended on NCR properties with lipid pools blunting the onset of complete failure. When the NCR was calcified, the sample was able to sustain larger overall stress, however the failure process was abrupt with nearly simultaneous failure of the loaded fibers.

CONCLUSIONS

Failure of calcified vascular tissue is strongly influenced by the ultrastructure in the vicinity of the calcification. Computational modeling of failure in fibrous soft tissues can be used to understand how pathological changes impact the tissue failure process, with potentially important clinical implications.

Effect of dietary l-arginine of broiler breeder hens on embryonic development, apparent metabolism, and immunity of offspring

This study investigated the effects of supplemented l-arginine (l-Arg) in broiler breeder hens' diets on the embryonic development and physiological changes of offspring during the hatching period. A total of 480 35-wk-old healthy female Arbor Acres broiler breeders were randomly divided into 6 groups and fed a corn and soybean meal diet with 6 digestible Arg levels (0.96%, 1.16%, 1.35%, 1.55%, 1.74%, and 1.93%). After a 10-wk experiment, eggs were collected for incubation. At embryonic day (E) 11 to E21, eggs, embryos, and organs (liver, breast muscle, and thigh muscle) were weighed. Total protein, urea nitrogen, creatinine, cholesterol, and triglyceride in plasma, were measured. Plasma level of immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were measured at E13, E17, and E21. Messenger RNA expression of carbamoyl phosphate synthase I (CPS1), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), and argininosuccinate synthase (ASS) in liver and breast muscle tissues was assessed at E13, E17, and E21. The results showed that 1.16% Arg in maternal diet increased egg weight (P < 0.05). The level of Arg in maternal diet has a significant effect on organ index and embryo weight of multiple embryonic days (P < 0.05). Embryonic plasma total protein concentration was significantly affected by maternal dietary Arg level (P < 0.05) and exhibited quadratic responses at E11, E15, E17, and E21 (P < 0.01). Plasma urea nitrogen, creatinine, triglyceride, and cholesterol level were also significantly affected by the level of maternal Arg at different embryonic ages (P < 0.05). Dietary digestible Arg levels quadratically influenced plasma urea nitrogen level at E21 (P < 0.05) and cholesterol concentration at E17 and E19 (P < 0.01). L-Arg supplementation in maternal diet significantly improved the IgG level at E17 and E21 (1.16%, 1.35%, 1.55%, and 1.74%; P < 0.05), the IgM level at E13 (1.35%, 1.55%, 1.74%, and 1.93%) and E17 (P < 0.05) and the NOS level at E13, E17, and E21 (P < 0.05). Maternal dietary L-Arg supplementation significantly improved the expression of CPS1 gene, OTC gene (1.16%, 1.35%, and 1.55%), and ASS gene (1.35% and 1.55%) in the liver (P < 0.05), and also enhanced the CPS1 gene (except 1.35%) and OTC gene (1.55% and 1.74%) expression in the breast muscle (P < 0.05). In conclusion, maternal Arg level affected the embryonic development of offspring and regulated the apparent metabolic programming and immunity state of the embryo. Arginine level of 1.55% in hens' diet was beneficial to the protein synthesis and immunity of the offspring in the embryonic period, and it was recommended to obtain healthy offspring.

Convolutional neural network based proton stopping-power-ratio estimation with dual-energy CT: a feasibility study

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has shown a great potential for lowering range uncertainties, which is necessary for truly leveraging the Bragg peak in proton therapy. However, analytical stopping-power-ratio (SPR) estimation methods have limitations in resolving the influence from the beam-hardening artifact, i.e. CT number variation of the same object scanned under different imaging conditions, such as different patient size and location in the field-of-view (FOV). We present a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based framework to estimate proton SPR that accounts for patient geometry variation and addresses CT number variation. The proposed framework was tested on both prostate and head-and-neck (HN) patient datasets. Simulated CT images were used in order to have a well-defined ground-truth SPR for evaluation. Two training scenarios were evaluated: training with patient CT images (ideal scenario) and training with computational phantoms (realistic scenario). For the training in ideal scenario, computational phantoms were created based on 120 kVp patient CT images using a custom-defined density and material translation curve. Then, 80 kVp and 150 kVp Sn DECT image pairs were obtained using ray-tracing simulation, and their corresponding SPR was calculated from the known density and elemental compositions. For the training in realistic scenario, computational phantoms were created based on the geometry of calibration phantoms. For both scenarios, evaluation was performed on the phantoms created from patient CT images. Compared to a conventional parametric model, U-net trained with computational phantoms (realistic scenario) reduced the SPR estimation uncertainty (95th percentile) of the prostate patient from 1.10% to 0.71%, and HN patient from 2.11% to 1.20%. With the U-net trained with patient images (ideal scenario) uncertainty values were 0.32% and 0.42% for prostate and HN patients, respectively. These results suggest that CNN has great potential to improve the accuracy of SPR estimation in proton therapy by incorporating individual patient geometry information.

[Looking for the roots of Wa Na Qi]

Wa Na Qi(), is a traditional-curing male impotence medicinal. We have made several conclusions through a field investigation to Antarctica, material medica literature research, and current market investigation. Throughout history, Wa Na Qi (also known ashaigou shen) was a word of vague connotation which was not the meaning of a specific product. However, the most common meaning of Wa Na Qi was the penises of several different species of seals. The name Wa Na Qi was adapted from a foreign word, and it is believed to sound like walrus, which has also been credited as a source for Wa Na Qi. In Chinese, Wa Na was a reference to the roundness of the walrus but eventually became a general description of heaviness. Later, it became a name for fur seals. The Song Dynasty Materia Medica Bencao Tujing(, Illustration of Materia Medica) and the Ming Dynasty Materia Medica Bencao Pinhui Jingyao(, Collected Essentials of Species of Materia Medica) both had animal illustrations resembling fur seals. The illustrations in the Compendium of Materia Medica, or Bencao Gangmu, Jinling edition also had characteristics of a fur seal. However, in the Buyi Leigong Paozhi Bianlan(, Lei Gong's Guide to Drug Preparation with Addenda) and later materia medica works, the animal illustrations became distorted and almost myth-like. After a field investigation in Antarctica, we learned that historically, name Wa Na Qi probably originated from seals, such as fur seals. This information matches the current medicines available on the market.

SAT0326 SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS WITHOUT ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODIES: A MULTI-CENTER STUDY OF EUSTAR COHORT IN CHINA

Background:

The presence of circulating antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) is a hallmark of immune dysregulation and malfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)[1]. A variety of ANAs[2], including anti-centromere antibody, anti-topoisomerase I antibody, and anti-RNA polymerase III antibody, are associated with unique sets of disease manifestations and widely used in routine clinical practice for diagnosis, clinical subgrouping, risk stratification and prediction of future organ involvements and prognosis in SSc patients[3,4].

Objectives:

This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of SSc patients with negative ANAs in a European League Against Rheumatism Scleroderma Trials and Research Group (EUSTAR) and Chinese Rheumatism Data Center (CRDC) multi-center cohort in China.

Methods:

Patients were prospectively recruited between April 2008 and June 2019 based on the EUSTAR database and CRDC multi-center cohort from 154 clinical centers nationwide, all of whom fulfilled the 2013 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for systemic sclerosis. Antinuclear antibody testing result was intensively collected. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were compared between ANA-positive SSc patients and those with negative ANAs. T-test and chi-square analysis were performed in the comparisons.

Results:

Antinuclear antibodies were detected in 2129 out of 2809 systemic sclerosis patients enrolled in the multi-center cohort and 4.2% of them were negative. There was significant difference between patients with negative and positive ANAs based on gender (29/60 vs 294/1746, p<0.001). The presence of Raynaud’s phenomenon is less common (71.8% vs 99.8%, p<0.001) in the ANA-negative patients. In addition, compared with ANA-positive patients, the incidence of certain critical organ involvements, including gastroesophageal reflux (5.6% vs 18.5%, p=0.002), interstitial lung disease (65.2% vs 77.9%, p=0.015) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (11.5% vs 29.0%, p=0.006) were significantly lower in ANA-negative patients than in the positive group. The proportion of IgG elevation, an indicator of disease activity and severity of inflammation, was significantly lower in the ANA-negative patients than that in the positive group (14.3% vs 41.2%, p<0.001), while no significant differences were found in other inflammatory indicators and skin scores.

Conclusion:

This study describes the clinical features of SSc patients with negative ANAs, which have been rarely mentioned or focused in existing studies. Antinuclear antibody is proved to be strongly associated with the clinical manifestations of systemic sclerosis patients and ANA-negative SSc patients tend to be in relatively milder conditions, including a less common involvement of critical organs and a more temperate inflammatory severity.

References:

[1]Seri, Jeong, Dahae, et al. Diagnostic value of screening enzyme immunoassays compared to indirect immunofluorescence for anti-nuclear antibodies in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. [J]. Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism, 2018.

[2]Hesselstrand, R. The association of antinuclear antibodies with organ involvement and survival in systemic sclerosis[J]. Rheumatology, 2003, 42(4):534-540.

[3]Behmanesh F, Amin R, Khajedaluee M, et al. Autoantibody Profile in Systemic Sclerosis[J]. Acta Medica Iranica, 2010, 48(1):12-20.

[4]Hachulla E, Dubucquoi S. Nuclear auto-antibodies: a useful tool for the diagnosis, the classification and the prognosis of systemic sclerosis. [J]. La Revue de Médecine Interne, 2004, 25(6):442-447.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Molecular analysis and clinical diversity of distal hereditary motor neuropathy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Distal hereditary motor neuropathies (dHMNs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders. The purpose of this study was to identify the genetic distribution of dHMNs in a large cohort of Chinese patients and provide insight into the underlying common pathophysiology of dHMNs.

METHODS

Multi-gene panel testing or whole-exome sequencing was performed in 70 index patients with clinically diagnosed dHMN between January 2007 and December 2018. The clinical features, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathy scores and electrophysiological data at diagnosis were recorded.

RESULTS

Twenty-four causative mutations were identified in 70 index patients with dHMN (34.3%). Mutation in the HSPB1 gene was the most common cause of dHMN. Some CMT genes (MPZ, SH3TC2, GDAP1) were found to be related to dHMN with minor sensory involvement. Patients with a dHMN-plus phenotype (distal motor neuropathy and additional neurological deficits) carried variants in genes related to hereditary spastic paraplegia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy (FUS, KIF5A, KIF1B, ZFYVE26, DNAJB2).

CONCLUSIONS

Comprehensive genetic testing of dHMN patients allows for identification of the pathogenic mutation in one-third of cases. Pure motor neuropathies and motor neuropathies with minor sensory involvement share many genes with CMT disease. Causes for dHMN-plus phenotypes overlap with motor neuron disease.

Multi-Level Features Extraction for Discontinuous Target Tracking in Remote Sensing Image Monitoring

Many techniques have been developed for computer vision in the past years. Features extraction and matching are the basis of many high-level applications. In this paper, we propose a multi-level features extraction for discontinuous target tracking in remote sensing image monitoring. The features of the reference image are pre-extracted at different levels. The first-level features are used to roughly check the candidate targets and other levels are used for refined matching. With Gaussian weight function introduced, the support of matching features is accumulated to make a final decision. Adaptive neighborhood and principal component analysis are used to improve the description of the feature. Experimental results verify the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method.

5033Effect of intraoperative hybrid surgery on incidence of CPB-AKI in children Congenital heart disease patients: a propensity score matched study

Objective

Cardiopulmonary bypass-associated acute kidney injury (CPB-AKI) is a frequent complication after cardiac surgery in children patients. Intraoperative hybrid cardiac surgery (IPH) is a new technique which needed contrast administration. Contrast was also reported to induce AKI. Therefore, we hypothesized that the IPH would increase the occurrence of CPB-AKI in children Congenital heart disease patients.

Methods

A total of 1509 consecutive patients (age≤3 year) undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery were enrolled in this study from November, 2017 to May, 2018. Multivariate logistic regression was performed in this retrospective study. Propensity score matched analysis was applied for confounding factors. Perioperative and interoperative characteristics and outcomes in IHP group with or without AKI are compared. CPB-AKI was determined by serum Creatinine (SCr) increased twice as much as preoperative or need dialysis within 7 days postoperatively.

Result

IPH was found to be an independent risks factor in the development of CPB-AKI development (OR 2.798, 95% CI 1.823–4.296, p<0.001). Other independent risk factors for CSA-AKI were: CPB time >100 min (OR 2.068, 95% CI 1.521–2.811, P<0.001), weight≤5 kg (OR 3.409, 95% CI 2.192–5.302, P<0.001). Cohort analysis revealed that AKI occurred more frequently in the IPH group before and after matching (30.4% vs. 12.97%, P<0.001; 32.2% vs. 18.3% %, P=0.015, respectively). IPH group also had higher prolonged length of postoperative stay in the hospital (11 vs 7.5, P<0.001; 10.9 vs 7.7, p=0.01), and higher length of mechanical ventilation support (27 vs 10, P<0.001; 26 vs 16, <0.001) before and after matching. Perioperative and interoperative characteristics and outcomes of patients with or without AKI are compared. Only CPB duration was an independent factor for AKI in IPH group.

Comparison of outcomes Variablesa Without PSM PSM IPH group (n=128) No IPH group (n=1381) P IPH group (n=117) No IHP group (n=117) P Median LOSPHOS (days) 11 (8.0, 13.0) 7.4 (6.5, 10.6) <0.001d 11.0 (8.0, 13.0) 7.5 (6.5, 14.7) <0.001d Median LOSMV (hours) 27 (19.0, 71.0) 10 (5, 24) <0.001d 27.0 (18.0, 71.0) 17 (3.0, 49.0) <0.001d Overall mortality n (%) 0 (0%) 14 (1.0%) 0.252c 0 (0%) 2 (1.7%) 0.156c Dialysis, n (%) 3 (2.4%) 23 (1.6%) 0.573c 3 (2.6%) 6 (2.6%) 1.000c AKI, n (%) 39 (30.4%) 176 (12.7%) <0.001b 37 (31.6%) 21 (17.9%) 0.015b aLOSPOHOS: length of postoperative stay in hospital; LOSMV: length of mechanical ventilation; CPB: cardiopulmonary bypass. bχ2 test. cFisher's exact test. dRank sum test.

Study flow

Conclusion

IPH was associated with a higher incidence of CPB-AKI.

Genome-Wide Identification of Circular RNAs Revealed the Dominant Intergenic Region Circularization Model in Apostichopus japonicus

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were recently recognized to act as competing endogenous RNAs and play roles in gene expression regulation. Previous studies in humans and silkworms have shown that circRNAs take part in immune regulation. Here, we conducted coelomocyte circRNA sequencing to explore its immune functions in healthy and skin ulceration syndrome (SUS)-diseased sea cucumbers. A total of 3,592 circRNAs were identified in libraries with diversified circularization patterns compared with animal models. The common intron-pairing-driven circularization models are not popular in sea cucumber genome, which was replaced with intergenic region circularization. The accuracy of these identified circRNAs was further validated by Sanger sequencing and RNase R-treated assays. Expression profile analysis indicated that 117 circRNAs were upregulated and 144 circRNAs were downregulated in SUS-diseased condition, of which 71.6% were intergenic-type circRNAs. The interaction network of differentially expressed circRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) was constructed and showed that miR-2008 and miR-31, detected with significantly differential expression in SUS-affected samples in a previous study, were predicted to be regulated by 10 and 11 differentially expressed circRNAs with more than 10 binding sites, respectively. Moreover, seven circRNAs were further validated by quantitative real-time PCR, whose variation trends were consistent with circRNA sequencing. All our results supported that intergenic-type circRNAs might have a dominant function in Apostichopus japonicas immune response by acting as miRNA regulators.

Flotillin 1 is differentially expressed in human epithelial ovarian tumors

Although Flotillin 1 (FLOT1) is highly expressed in various human cancers, its relationship with ovarian cancer (OC) remains unknown. This study determines FLOT1 expression in human ovarian tumors and examines its effect on OC   cell proliferation. FLOT1 protein expression was assessed in a tissue microarray by immunohistochemical staining. We found that 81.48% malignant and 50% borderline tumors were FLOT1 protein-positive, whereas benign tumors and normal ovarian tissues were negative. The staining was strongest in serous malignant tumor and transitional cell carcinoma and weakest in mucinous tumor. Differentially expressed FLOT1 in freshly isolated serous tumors was confirmed by Western blot and we then evaluated FLOT1 expression association with OC patients' clinical characteristics. Histological typing established that FLOT1 protein expression was significantly associated with serous tumor (P Keywords: cell proliferation, epithelial ovarian cancer, FLOT1, miRNA, therapeutic target, tumorigenesis.