Northward shift of Indian summer monsoon and intensifying winter westerlies cause stronger precipitation seasonality over Pamirs and its downstream basins in the 21st century

Hydroclimate will change over Pamirs and its downstream basins (PDB), including Indus River, Tarim River, Amu Darya and Syr Darya Basins, in response to the variation of Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and mid-latitude westerlies. However, the precipitation variation and its mechanism over PDB in the 21st century are yet not fully understood. Here, the best models ensemble selected from 25 CMIP6 models under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios is applied to detect the precipitation variations over PDB in the 21st century. A remarkable dipolar pattern is found in both summer and winter precipitation over PDB, particularly in the central Indus River Basin and upper Amu and Syr Darya Basins. The central Indus River Basin (upper Amu and Syr Darya Basins) will experience an increasingly wet (dry) summer in response to northward ISM and a dry (wet) winter driven by mid-latitude westerlies. The amplifying dipolar pattern of seasonal precipitation thus increases the water resource vulnerability over PDB and emphasizes the role of Pamirs in modulating the water resources over surrounding basins, especially the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Basins in the future. The findings underscore the need for prioritizing policies by considering the impacts of precipitation seasonality on social planning.

[Preliminary observation of wearable balance diagnosis and treatment system in evaluating dynamic and static balance function in patients with vestibular vertigo]

A newly developed wearable balance diagnosis and treatment system was studied to evaluate the indexes of the abnormal balance function in patients with vestibular vertigo. A cross-sectional study was carried out. A total of 30 patients diagnosed with non-acute vestibular vertigo in the outpatient department of Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from July 2022 to May 2023 were selected as the vertigo group, including 13 males and 17 females, and aged (45.7±13.9) years. Meanwhile, 20 healthy controls (8 males and 12 females) were included as the control group, with a mean age of (43.6±8.0) years. The static balance and limits of stability (LOS) function of all subjects were assessed with wearable balance diagnosis and treatment system developed under the leadership of Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University. In the static balance test, the ratio of eyes open with cushions to eyes open without cushions in the vertigo group was less than that of the control group[1.20% (0.92%, 1.53%) vs 1.49% (1.22%, 1.81%), P=0.008], indicating that patients with non-acute vestibular vertigo may compensate static balance ability earlier. In vertigo group, the directional control in 8 directions, the maximum excursion in anterior, posterior, right anterior and right posterior directions, the endpoint excursion in the posterior, right posterior, and left posterior directions were all smaller than those of the control group (all P<0.05). The reaction time in the left posterior direction of vertigo group was longer than that of the control group (all P<0.05). Those results indicated that the directional control, maximum excursion and endpoint excursion of LOS could be considered as important reference indexes for dynamic balance function.

DNA Repair Genetics and the Risk of Radiation Pneumonitis in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

AIMS

ERCC1 rs11615 and ERCC2 rs238406 single nuclear polymorphism (SNPs) are known for their association with treatment outcome, likely related to radiosensitivity of both tumor and normal tissue in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. This study aimed to review the effect of 1) these ERCC1/2 SNPs and 2) other SNPs of DNA repair genes on radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients with lung cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SNPs of our interest included ERCC1 rs11615 and ERCC2 rs238406 and other genes of DNA repair pathways that are functional and biologically active. DNA repair SNPs reported by at least two independent studies were pooled for meta-analysis. The study endpoint was radiation pneumonitis (RP) after radiotherapy. Recessive, dominant, homozygous, heterozygous, and allelic genotype models were used where appropriate.

RESULTS

A total of 16 studies (3080 patients) were identified from the systematic review and 12 studies (2090 patients) on 11 SNPs were included in the meta-analysis. The SNPs were ATM rs189037, ATM rs373759, NEIL1 rs4462560, NEIL1 rs7402844, APE1 rs1130409, XRCC3 rs861539, ERCC1 rs11615, ERCC1 rs3212986, ERCC2 rs238406, ERCC2 rs13181, and XRCC1 rs25487. ERCC1 rs11615 (236 patients) and ERCC2 rs238406 (254 patients) were not significantly associated with RP. Using the allelic model, the G allele for NEIL1 gene was significantly associated with a reduced odds of developing symptomatic (grade ≥2) RP compared to the C allele for rs7402844 (OR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.99, P = 0.04). Similarly, the T allele for APE1 gene was significantly associated with a reduced odds of developing symptomatic (grade ≥2) RP compared to the G allele for rs1130409 (OR 0.59, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.81, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Genetic variation in the DNA repair pathway genes may play a significant role in the risk of developing radiation pneumonitis in patients with lung cancer. Further studies are needed on genotypic features of DNA repair pathway genes and their association with treatment sensitivity, as such knowledge may guide personalized radiation dose prescription.

Drought decreases cotton fiber strength by altering sucrose flow route

The potential mechanisms by which drought restricts cotton fiber cell wall synthesis and fiber strength formation are still not fully understood. Herein, drought experiments were conducted using two upland cotton cultivars of Dexiamian 1 (drought-tolerant) and Yuzaomian 9110 (drought-sensitive). Results showed that drought notably reduced sucrose efflux from cottonseed coats to fibers by down-regulating the expression of GhSWEET10 and GhSWEET15 in outer cottonseed coats, leading to promoted sucrose accumulation in cottonseed coats but decreased sucrose accumulation in fibers. Within cotton fibers, drought restricted the hydrolysis from sucrose to UDPG by suppressing sucrose synthase activity, and drought favored the conversion of UDPG to β-1, 3-glucan rather than cellulose by up-regulating GhCALS5. Hence, cellulose content was reduced, which was the main reason for the decreased fiber strength under drought. Moreover, drought promoted lignin synthesis by up-regulating the expression of Gh4CL4, GhPAL9, GhCCR5, GhCAD11, and GhOMT6, which partly offset the negative influence of reduced cellulose content on fiber strength. Compared with Yuzaomian 9110, the drought-tolerance of Dexiamian 1 was evidenced in the following ways: (1) slighter blocked sucrose flow from seedcoat to fiber, (2) less β-1, 3-glucan accumulation, and (3) more lignin biosynthesis under drought. Overall, this study provides new insights into the mechanism of drought impacting cotton fiber strength formation.

Cytomegalovirus Infection and Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence on the association of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is scarce and the results are inconsistent.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of CMV infection with the risk of AD.

METHODS

Observational studies on the relationship between CMV infection and AD were identified from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library until September 30, 2022. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random-effect meta-analysis was performed using a generic inverse-variance method, followed by sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses based on study designs, regions, adjustments, and population types.

RESULTS

Our search yielded 870 articles, of which 200 were duplicates and 663 did not meet the inclusion criteria, and finally yielded seven studies with 6,772 participants. No strong evidence was observed in the summary analysis for the association of CMV infection and risk of AD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88, 2.03, I2 =69.9%). However, subgroup analysis showed that an increased risk of AD was detected in East Asians (OR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.63, 3.50, I2 = 0.00%), cohort studies (OR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.35, 2.94, I2 = 28.20%), and studies with confounder adjustment (OR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.52, 2.77, I2 = 0.00%).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis provides evidence to support the heterogeneity of the associations between CMV infection and AD. Future studies with larger sample sizes and multi-ethnic populations are necessary.

Real-time electron clustering in an event-driven hybrid pixel detector

Event-driven hybrid pixel detectors with nanosecond time resolution have opened up novel pathways in modern ultrafast electron microscopy, for example in hyperspectral electron-energy loss spectroscopy or free-electron quantum optics. However, the impinging electrons typically excite more than one pixel of the device, and an efficient algorithm is therefore needed to convert the measured pixel hits to real single-electron events. Here we present a robust clustering algorithm that is fast enough to find clusters in a continuous stream of raw data in real time. Each tuple of position and arrival time from the detector is continuously compared to a buffer of previous hits until the probability of a merger with an old event becomes irrelevant. In this way, the computation time becomes independent of the density of electron arrival and the algorithm does not break the operation chain. We showcase the performance of the algorithm with a 'timepix' camera in two regimes of electron microscopy, in continuous beam emission and laser-triggered femtosecond mode.

Highly dispersed Pd-based pseudo-single atoms in zeolites for hydrogen generation and pollutant disposal

Atomically dispersed metal catalysts with excellent activity and stability are highly desired in heterogeneous catalysis. Herein, we synthesized zeolite-encaged Pd-based pseudo-single atoms via a facile and energy-efficient ligand-protected direct H2 reduction method. Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, extended X-ray absorption, and pair distribution function measurements reveal that the metal species are close to atomic-level dispersion and completely confined within the intersectional channels of silicalite-1 (S-1) zeolite with the MFI framework. The Pd@S-1-H exhibits excellent activity and stability in methane combustion reactions with a complete combustion temperature of 390 °C, and no deactivation is observed even after 100 h on stream. The optimized bimetallic 0.8Pd0.2Ni(OH)2@S-1-H catalyst exhibits an excellent H2 generation rate from FA decomposition without any additives, affording a superhigh turnover frequency up to 9308 h-1 at 333 K, which represents the top activity among all of the best heterogeneous catalysts under similar conditions. Significantly, zeolite-encaged metal catalysts are first used for Cr(vi) reduction coupled with formic acid (FA) dehydrogenation and show a superhigh turnover number of 2980 mol(Cr2O72-) mol(Pd)-1 at 323 K, surpassing all of the previously reported catalysts. This work demonstrates that zeolite-encaged pseudo-single atom catalysts are promising in efficient hydrogen storage and pollutant disposal applications.

Predictive value of total ischaemic time and T1 mapping after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

AIM

To investigate the predictive value of ischaemic time and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) T1 mapping in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 127 patients with STEMI treated by primary PCI were studied. All patients underwent CMRI with native T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) measurement, 61 of whom also had 4-month follow-up data. The total ischaemic (symptom onset to balloon, S2B) time expressed in minutes was recorded. CMRI cine, T1 mapping, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images were analysed to evaluate left ventricular (LV) function, T1 value, ECV, and myocardial infract (MI) scar characteristics, respectively. The correlation between S2B time and T1 mapping was evaluated. The predictive values of S2B time and T1 mapping for large final infarct size were estimated.

RESULTS

The incidence of microvascular obstruction (MVO) increased with the prolongation of ischaemia time. Regardless of MVO or not, ECV in myocardial infarction (ECVMI) was significantly correlated with S2B time (r=0.61, p<0.001), while native T1 in MI (T1MI) was not (r=-0.19, p=0.029). In the 4-month follow-up, native T1MI was improved (1385.1 ± 90.4 versus 1288.6 ± 74 ms, p<0.001). Furthermore, ECVMI was independently associated with final larger infarct size (AUC = 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81-0.98, p<0.001) in multivariable regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

ECVMI was correlated with total ischaemic time and was an independent predictor of final larger infarct size.

[Current status and update of infantile hemangioma in diagnosis and therapy]

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are benign vascular tumors commonly observed in children. It is important to familiar with the characteristic features of hemangioma before diagnosis. Lesions located special position including periorbital and beard region, segmental hemangioma related PHACE syndrome and LUMBAR syndrome, hepatic hemangioma and related possible risks should be recognized. Early evaluation and assessment of risk grades should be done as early as possible before proliferation phase, so as to choosing the optimal treatment opportunity and scheme. β-blockers are the mainstay of therapy for moderate-to-high risk hemangiomas nowadays. Early initiation of treatment can prevent adverse complications and achieve the best outcome. During the diagnosis and treatment of infantile hemangioma, it emphasizes updating of the concept of naming and classification, treatment timing control and therapeutic scheme selection. Standardized clinical diagnosis and treatment should be promoted currently.

First Dark Matter Search Results from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Experiment

The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment is a dark matter detector centered on a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber operating at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota, USA. This Letter reports results from LUX-ZEPLIN's first search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with an exposure of 60 live days using a fiducial mass of 5.5 t. A profile-likelihood ratio analysis shows the data to be consistent with a background-only hypothesis, setting new limits on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon, spin-dependent WIMP-neutron, and spin-dependent WIMP-proton cross sections for WIMP masses above 9  GeV/c^{2}. The most stringent limit is set for spin-independent scattering at 36  GeV/c^{2}, rejecting cross sections above 9.2×10^{-48}  cm at the 90% confidence level.

Construction of a Novel Cascade Electrolysis-Heterocatalysis System by Using Zeolite-Encaged Ultrasmall Palladium Catalysts for H2 O2 Generation

In situ generation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ ) has attracted extensive attention, especially in water treatment. However, traditional anthraquinones can only produce high-concentration H₂ O₂ and its transportation and storage are not convenient and dangerous. Herein, an in situ and on-demand strategy to produce H₂ O₂ by using a cascade water electrolysis together with a heterocatalysis system is provided. Beginning with water, H_2, and O₂ can be generated via electrolysis and then react with each other to produce H₂ O₂ immediately on efficient zeolite-encaged ultrasmall Pd catalysts. Significantly, the H₂ O₂ generation rate in the optimized cascade system reaches up to 0.85 mol L^-1 h^-1 g_Pd ^-1 , overcoming most of the state-of-the-art catalysts in previous literature. The confinement effect of zeolites is not only beneficial to the formation of highly dispersed metal species, promoting the H₂ O₂ generation, but also inhibits the H₂ O₂ decomposition, enhancing the production yield of H₂ O₂ . In addition, the effect of electrolytes, sizes of Pd species, as well as zeolite acidity are also systematically studied. This work provides a new avenue for H₂ O₂ generation via a highly efficient cascade electrolysis-heterocatalysis system by using zeolite-supported metal catalysts. The high catalytic efficiency and green process for H₂ O₂ generation make it very promising for further practical applications.

Improved Measurement of the Evolution of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

Reactor neutrino experiments play a crucial role in advancing our knowledge of neutrinos. In this Letter, the evolution of the flux and spectrum as a function of the reactor isotopic content is reported in terms of the inverse-beta-decay yield at Daya Bay with 1958 days of data and improved systematic uncertainties. These measurements are compared with two signature model predictions: the Huber-Mueller model based on the conversion method and the SM2018 model based on the summation method. The measured average flux and spectrum, as well as the flux evolution with the ^{239}Pu isotopic fraction, are inconsistent with the predictions of the Huber-Mueller model. In contrast, the SM2018 model is shown to agree with the average flux and its evolution but fails to describe the energy spectrum. Altering the predicted inverse-beta-decay spectrum from ^{239}Pu fission does not improve the agreement with the measurement for either model. The models can be brought into better agreement with the measurements if either the predicted spectrum due to ^{235}U fission is changed or the predicted ^{235}U, ^{238}U, ^{239}Pu, and ^{241}Pu spectra are changed in equal measure.

Precision Measurement of Reactor Antineutrino Oscillation at Kilometer-Scale Baselines by Daya Bay

We present a new determination of the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ_{13} and the mass-squared difference Δm_{32}^{2} using a final sample of 5.55×10^{6} inverse beta-decay (IBD) candidates with the final-state neutron captured on gadolinium. This sample is selected from the complete dataset obtained by the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment in 3158 days of operation. Compared to the previous Daya Bay results, selection of IBD candidates has been optimized, energy calibration refined, and treatment of backgrounds further improved. The resulting oscillation parameters are sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.0851±0.0024, Δm_{32}^{2}=(2.466±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the normal mass ordering or Δm_{32}^{2}=-(2.571±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the inverted mass ordering.

Cobalt-Promoted Noble-Metal Catalysts for Efficient Hydrogen Generation from Ammonia Borane Hydrolysis

Ammonia borane (AB) has been regarded as a promising material for chemical hydrogen storage. However, the development of efficient, cost-effective, and stable catalysts for H₂ generation from AB hydrolysis remains a bottleneck for realizing its practical application. Herein, a step-by-step reduction strategy has been developed to synthesize a series of bimetallic species with small sizes and high dispersions onto various metal oxide supports. Superior to other non-noble metal species, the introduction of Co species can remarkably and universally promote the catalytic activity of various noble metals (e.g., Pt, Rh, Ru, and Pd) in AB hydrolysis reactions. The optimized Pt_0.1%Co_3%/TiO₂ catalyst exhibits a superhigh H₂ generation rate from AB hydrolysis, showing a turnover frequency (TOF) value of 2250 mol_H2 mol_Pt^-1 min^-1 at 298 K. Such a TOF value is about 10 and 15 times higher than that of the monometal Pt/TiO₂ and commercial Pt/C catalysts, respectively. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation reveals that the synergy between Pt and CoO species can remarkably promote the chemisorption and dissociation of water molecules, accelerating the H₂ evolution from AB hydrolysis. Significantly, the representative Pt_0.25%Co_3%/TiO₂ catalyst exhibits excellent stability, achieving a record-high turnover number of up to 215,236 at room temperature. The excellent catalytic performance, superior stability, and low cost of the designed catalysts create new prospects for their practical application in chemical hydrogen storage.

Effects of soil drought on cottonseed kernel carbohydrate metabolism and kernel biomass accumulation

Cottonseed is the main coproduct of cotton production. The carbohydrate metabolism provides carbon substrate for the accumulation of cottonseed kernel biomass which was the basis of cottonseed kernel development. However, the responses of drought stress on carbohydrate metabolism in kernels are still unclear. To address this, two cotton cultivars (Dexiamian 1 and Yuzaomian 9110) were cultivated under three water treatments including soil relative water content (SRWC) at (75 ± 5)% (control), (60 ± 5)% (mild drought) and (45 ± 5)% (severe drought) to investigate the effects of soil drought on cottonseed kernel carbohydrate metabolism and kernel biomass accumulation. Results suggested that drought restrained the accumulation of cottonseed kernel biomass which eventually decreased cottonseed kernel biomass at maturity. In detail, the down-regulation of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity led to the inhibition of sucrose synthesis, while the up-regulation of invertase (INV) promoted the sucrose decomposite, which reduced the sucrose content eventually under drought. Though hexose content was increased, phosphoenolpyruvic acid (PEP) content was decreased under drought by downregulating 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK) and pyruvate kinase (PK) activities, which hindered the conversion of hexose to PEP. The large decrease of sucrose and PEP contents hindered the accumulation of kernel biomass. The related substances contents and enzyme activities in carbohydrate metabolism of Yuzaomian 9110 were more susceptible to drought stress than Dexiamian 1.

Dynamic changes in protein concentrations of keratins in crop milk and related gene expression in pigeon crops during different incubation and chick rearing stages

1. The objective of this study was to examine the keratin composition of crop milk, the variation of epithelial thickness and keratin (K) gene expression in samples from young pigeon during incubation and chick rearing.2. Crop milk was collected from 1-, 3- and 5-day-old squab crops for keratin content analysis. Results showed that K4 accounted for the highest proportion of all detected keratins.3. In total, 42 pairs of adult pigeons were allocated to seven groups according to different stages to collect crop samples. Gene expression studies showed that the K3 gene expression was maximised at rearing Day 15 (15) and R1 in males and females, respectively. K6a gene level was the greatest at R15 in females, whereas it peaked at incubation Day 4 (I4) in males. The K12, K13, K23 and K80 gene levels were inhibited at the peak period of crop milk formation in comparison with I4. In females, K cochleal expression peaked at I10, whereas it was the greatest at R25 in males. K4 and K14 gene expression was the highest at I10 in females, while K4 and K14 were minimised at I17 and R7 in males, respectively. Gene expressions of K5, K8, K19 and K20 in males and K19 in females were maximised at R1. The K5, K20 and K75 gene levels in females peaked at R7. K75 and K8 expressions in males and females reached a maximum value at R25 and I17, respectively.4. The epithelial thickness of male and female crops reached their greatest levels at R1 and had the highest correlation with K19.5. These results emphasised the importance of keratinisation in crop milk formation, and different keratins probably play various roles during this period. The K19 was probably a marker for pigeon crop epithelium development. The sex of the parent pigeon affected keratin gene expression profiles.

[Direct intraoperative two-step distraction and reduction for basilar invagination with atlantoaxial dislocation]

Objective: To assess the clinical impact of direct two-step distraction reduction (TSDR) for basilar invagination (BI) with atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD). Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients who underwent TSDR and occipitocervical fusion in West China Hospital between October 2013 and March 2021. Depending on whether the preoperative decrease was greater than 50% on preoperative hyperextension X-rays, the patients were split into two groups. The neurological function [Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score], atlantodens interval (ADI), the distance of odontoid process beyond McRae Line (ML) and Wackenheim Line (WL), cervicomedullary angle (CMA), O-C₂ angle (OC2A), and complications incidence were compared between two groups preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: There were 12 men and 23 women among the 35 patients with BI and AAD, and the age ranged from 28 to 71 years, with an mean age of (52.0±13.4) years. In the preoperative reduction ≥50% group, there were 4 males and 9 females with an average age of (54.0±13.8) years; in the preoperative reduction <50% group, there were 8 males and 14 females with a mean age of (50.9±13.4) years. All the patients were followed-up for a mean time of (23.3±13.4) months. There was no significant difference in age, gender, bleeding, length of hospital stay and follow-up time between the two groups (all P>0.05). The JOA score, ADI, WL, ML and CMA of 35 patients were significantly improved when compared with those before operation (all P<0.05). The reduction degree of ADI, ML and WL was more than 80% in 31 cases (88.57%), 30 cases (85.71%) and 31 cases (88.57%), respectively. There was no significant difference in postoperative ADI, ML and WL between the two groups (all P>0.05). All patients had no incision infection, no loosening or breakage of the internal fixators. Dysphagia occurred in 3 patients, non-fusion happened in 1 patient, but no instability in X-ray of cervical dynamic position was found, no loosening or displacement occurred in internal fixators, and partial spontaneous fusion occurred between atlantoaxial lateral mass joints. Conclusions: For BI with AAD without atlantoaxial bony connection or serious atlantoaxial facet joint inclination, TSDR could obtain satisfactory reduction degree. The reduction degree on preoperative hyperextension X-ray doesn't affect the degree of intraoperative reduction.

[Clinical significance of autoantibodies against ubiquitin carboxyl hydrolase L1 epitopes in the screening and diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome]

Objective: To study the clinical significance of autoantibodies against different ubiquitin carboxyl hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) epitopes in Sjogren syndrome (SS). Methods: The serum levels of different UCH-L1 epitope autoantibodies in 98 SS patients [SS group, 17 males and 81 females, aged (49.1±12.3) years] in the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Peking University People's Hospital from January 2017 to January 2020 and 37 healthy controls [control group, 6 males and 31 females, aged (46.3±5.8) years] were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three potential epitopes of UCH-L1 protein were analyzed and synthesized and anti-UCH-L1^203-214 and anti-UCH-L1^58-69 antibodies were studied between the two groups. The levels of the two anti-UCH-L1 antibodies in the two groups were compared. The correlation between the levels of UCH-L1 antibodies and clinical data of SS patients were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The serum levels of anti-UCH-L1^203-214 and anti-UCH-L1^58-69 antibody in SS patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (HCs) (anti-UCH-L1^203-214: 108.2±54.3 vs 78.9±25.8, P<0.001, anti-UCH-L1^58-69: 86.8±33.3 vs 60.4±21.5, P<0.001). The positive rates of anti-UCH-L1^203-214 and anti-UCH-L1^58-69 antibodies in serums of SS patients were 27.6 % (27/98) and 25.5% (25/98), and those in HCs were 2.7%(1/37) and 5.4 %(2/37), respectively. In SS patients with positive serum anti-UCH-L1^58-69 antibody, the levels of IgG, γ globulin and rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-SS-related antigen B (anti-SSB) antibody positive rate were all significantly higher than those in patients with negative antibody (all P<0.05). In SS patients with negative antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-RNA binding protein (anti-RNP) antibody, anti-SS-related antigen A (anti-SSA) antibody and anti-SSB antibody, the positive rates of anti-UCH-L1^203-214 antibody was 32.1%(9/28), 27.2%(25/92), 36.4%(12/33), 28.6%(18/63), respectively; and the positive rates of anti-UCH-L1^58-69 antibody was 21.4%(6/28), 30.4%(28/92), 30.3%(10/33), 20.6%(13/63), respectively. The level of serum anti-UCH-L1^203-214 antibody in SS patients was positively correlated with the IgA level (r=0.21, P=0.024). The level of anti-UCH-L1^58-69 antibody in SS patients was positively correlated with the levels of γ-globulin, IgG and RF (r=0.35, 0.33, 0.32, all P<0.01). Conclusion: Autoantibodies against UCH-L1 epitopes are correlated with some clinical parameters of SS patients, which is of promising significance in the screening and diagnosis of SS.

Changes in macular vascular density and retinal thickness in young myopic adults without pathological changes: an OCTA study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to quantify the macular vascular density and retinal thickness in the eyes of young myopic people with myopia without pathological changes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 160 eyes of 80 myopia subjects without pathological changes were classified into three groups: mild myopia (N=40 eyes), moderate myopia (N=66 eyes), and high myopia (N=54 eyes). Macular vascular density (VD), retinal thickness, area of the foveal avascular zone, the flow area of the outer retina and choriocapillaris (CC) were measured using OCTA. The effects of other confounding factors including axial length, the spherical equivalent, and some systemic factors (blood pressure, height, weight, etc.) were also considered.

RESULTS

As the severity of myopia increases, the CC flow area decreased (p=0.029). The superficial VD in the temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior regions was significantly lower in high myopia group compared to moderate and low myopia groups (all p<0.001). With increasing myopia, a significant reduction of deep VD was found in the superior region of the macula (p=0.007). In the fovea, there was no difference in the superficial or deep VD across groups (p=0.268 and p=0.413, respectively). Parafoveal retinal thickness was thinnest in the high myopia group and thickest in the mild myopia group (all p<0.05). The fovea was thickest in the high myopia group and thinnest in the mild myopia group (p=0.030).

CONCLUSIONS

In young myopic people without pathological changes, superficial VD and retinal thickness decreased with myopia progression, except in the fovea. The CC flow area decreased with increasing myopia.

First Measurement of High-Energy Reactor Antineutrinos at Daya Bay

This Letter reports the first measurement of high-energy reactor antineutrinos at Daya Bay, with nearly 9000 inverse beta decay candidates in the prompt energy region of 8-12 MeV observed over 1958 days of data collection. A multivariate analysis is used to separate 2500 signal events from background statistically. The hypothesis of no reactor antineutrinos with neutrino energy above 10 MeV is rejected with a significance of 6.2 standard deviations. A 29% antineutrino flux deficit in the prompt energy region of 8-11 MeV is observed compared to a recent model prediction. We provide the unfolded antineutrino spectrum above 7 MeV as a data-based reference for other experiments. This result provides the first direct observation of the production of antineutrinos from several high-Q_{β} isotopes in commercial reactors.

[Genetic testing and analysis of 2 cases of trisomy 11 mosaicism]

Trisomy 11 mosaicism is clinically rare, for which making diagnostic and treatment decisions can be challenging. In this study, we used noninvasive prenatal testing, chromosome karyotype analysis, chromosome microarray analysis, copy number variation sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization for detecting trisomy 11 mosaicism in two cases and provided them with genetic counseling. In one of the cases, the fetus with confined placental mosaicism trisomy 11 presented with severe growth restriction and a placental mosaic level of 44%, and pregnancy was terminated at 25+3 weeks of gestation. In the other case with true low-level fetal mosaicism of trisomy 11, the pregnancy continued after exclusion of the possibility of uniparental disomy and structural abnormalities and careful prenatal counseling. The newborn was followed up for more than one year, and no abnormality was found. Noninvasive prenatal testing is capable of detecting chromosomal mosaicism but may cause missed diagnosis of true fetal mosaicism. For cases with positive noninvasive prenatal testing but a normal karyotype of the fetus, care should be taken in prenatal counseling and pregnancy management.

Leaf anatomical alterations reduce cotton's mesophyll conductance under dynamic drought stress conditions

Drought stress significantly affects cotton's net photosynthetic rate (A) by restraining stomatal (g_s ) and mesophyll conductance (g_m ) as well as perturbing its biochemical process, resulting in yield reductions. Despite the significant progress in dissecting effects of drought on photosynthesis, the variability observed in cotton's g_m , and the mechanisms contributing to that variability under dynamic drought stress conditions are poorly understood. For that reason, a controlled-environment experiment with two cotton genotypes (Dexiamian 1, Yuzaomian 9110), three water levels (soil relative water content: control [75 ± 5]%, moderate drought [60 ± 5]%, severe drought [45 ± 5]%), and two drought durations (10 and 31 days) were conducted. The results indicated that the cotton boll biomass was significantly decreased under 10-day severe drought and 31-day moderate and severe drought. Decreases in g_s were later accompanied by decreases in g_m and further combined with reductions in electron transport rate, as drought stress progressed in duration and severity, ultimately resulting in significant reductions in A of subtending leaf. Stomatal and mesophyll conductance constraints were the primary factors limiting photosynthesis, while biochemical constraints decreased, as drought stress progressed. Considering g_m , its decline was ascribed to increases in the diffusion resistance of CO₂ through cytoplasm (r_cyt ), under short- or long-term drought, as well as to increases in leaf dry mass (LMA), and decreases in the chloroplast surface area exposed to intercellular air space (S_c /S), under long-term drought. It was concluded that A could be enhanced, under dynamic drought stress conditions, by increasing g_m through increasing S_c /S and reducing LMA and r_cyt .

[Clinical and molecular pathological features of bronchopulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinical manifestations, imaging, pathological and molecular features of bronchopulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Methods: The clinical data of 216 LCNEC patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2011 to 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical manifestations, tumor location and size, characteristics of CT images, immunohistochemical and molecular pathological features were analyzed and compared with 115 cases of mixed small cell carcinoma (M-SCLC) diagnosed in the same period. Results: Among the 216 LCNEC patients, there were 190 males and 26 females, with a median age of 65 years. The first symptoms of the patients were mainly cough (106 cases, 49.1%) and bloody sputum (48 cases, 22.2%). The median tumor length were 4.7cm, including 55 cases of nodular type (25.5%) and 161 cases of mass-forming type (74.5%). CT imaging results showed that LCNEC lesions had soft tissue density, and the proportion of slight enhancement lesions was significantly lower than that in M-SCLC group (52.3% vs 74.8%, P<0.001). In contrast, the proportion of necrosis (87.0% vs 58.3%, P<0.001) and calcification (26.9% vs 2.6%, P<0.001) in LCNEC patients was significantly higher than that in M-SCLC group. Immunohistochemical results showed that the positive rate of CK in LCNEC was significantly higher than that in M-SCLC (99.0 % vs 90.5%, P<0.05), while the positive rate of TTF-1 was significantly lower than that in M-SCLC (51.6% vs 67.0%, P<0.05). In LCNEC group, the proportion of patients with Ki-67 positive index between 50% and 80% was significantly higher than that of M-SCLC (41.2% vs 25.2%), while the proportion between 80% and 100% was lower than that of M-SCLC (51.9% vs 72.2%). There was no significant difference in the positive rates of CD56 (91.7% vs 94.6%, P=0.336), Syn (83.8% vs 84.7%, P=0.838) and CgA (54.8% vs 50.0%, P=0.632) in both tumor types. Molecular pathology results showed that frequent mutatios were TP53 (54.5%), RB1 (36.4%), KEAP1 (18.2%), MYC(18.2%), and PTEN (14.3%), and the rate of tumor mutation burden which is more than 25 mutation/Mb was 27.3%. Conclusions: LCNEC lacks specific clinical manifestations. CT imaging is powerful in distinguishing LCNEC from M-SCLC. LCNEC contains a specific mutation spectrum. Pathology combined with immunohistochemical staining is still the gold standard for LCNEC diagnosis, and the differentiation from M-SCLC mainly depends on cell size and nuclear chromatin pattern with light microscopy.

Comparison between Pelvic IMRT and 3D-CRT in Combination with Chemotherapy via Nrf2 Expression on the High-Risk Endometrial Cancer

This study aimed to explore the clinical efficacy of pelvic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) in combination with chemotherapy on high-risk endometrial cancer. The effect of these methods is evaluated via Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) expression, the levels of chitinase protein 40 (YKL-40), human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), and prolactin (PRL) in serum. For this purpose, between August 2014 and July 2017, 114 endometrial cancer patients admitted to this hospital for treatment were randomized into the observation group (n=60) and control group (n=54). Following the surgery, patients in these two groups received the chemotherapy of taxol and carboplatin (TC). Based on the chemotherapy, patients in the observation underwent the IMRT, while those in the control group adopted the 3D-CRT. The Nrf2 expression was performed based on the Real-time PCR technique. The incidence rate of adverse reactions was a 3-year recurrence rate and mortality rate. Results showed that after treatment, levels of YKL-40, HE4, and PRL in the serum of patients in two groups decreased compared to those before treatment (all P < 0.05). In comparison, the difference between the two groups showed no statistical significance (P > 0.05). The evaluation of Nrf2 transcription factor expression showed significant differences started in comparisons of the Nrf2 Expression between two groups (P > 0.05), and this enhancement was significant in the control group after treatment. Comparison of the incidence rates of the bone marrow suppression during treatment showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). However, the incidence rates of radiation enteritis and radio-cystitis in the observation group were much lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). During the follow-up, there were five patients in the control group and 7 in the observation group losing to the follow-up, and among the remaining subjects, no significant difference was identified in the comparison of the recurrence rate or mortality rate between the two groups (all P > 0.05). In general, Pelvic IMRT in combination with chemotherapy is a promising and safe candidate for high-risk endometrial cancer with mild radiation injury; besides, YKL-40, HE4, and PRL are the effective indicator for the prediction of efficacy in chemotherapy for endometrial cancer.

Joint Determination of Reactor Antineutrino Spectra from ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu Fission by Daya Bay and PROSPECT

A joint determination of the reactor antineutrino spectra resulting from the fission of ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu has been carried out by the Daya Bay and PROSPECT Collaborations. This Letter reports the level of consistency of ^{235}U spectrum measurements from the two experiments and presents new results from a joint analysis of both data sets. The measurements are found to be consistent. The combined analysis reduces the degeneracy between the dominant ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu isotopes and improves the uncertainty of the ^{235}U spectral shape to about 3%. The ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu antineutrino energy spectra are unfolded from the jointly deconvolved reactor spectra using the Wiener-SVD unfolding method, providing a data-based reference for other reactor antineutrino experiments and other applications. This is the first measurement of the ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu spectra based on the combination of experiments at low- and highly enriched uranium reactors.

Trapping Alkaline Earth Rydberg Atoms Optical Tweezer Arrays

Neutral atom qubits with Rydberg-mediated interactions are a leading platform for developing large-scale coherent quantum systems. In the majority of experiments to date, the Rydberg states are not trapped by the same potential that confines ground state atoms, resulting in atom loss and constraints on the achievable interaction time. In this Letter, we demonstrate that the Rydberg states of an alkaline earth atom, ytterbium, can be stably trapped by the same red-detuned optical tweezer that also confines the ground state, by leveraging the polarizability of the Yb^{+} ion core. Using the previously unobserved ^{3}S_{1} series, we demonstrate trapped Rydberg atom lifetimes exceeding 100  μs, and observe no evidence of auto- or photoionization from the trap light for these states. We measure a coherence time of T_{2}=59  μs between two Rydberg levels, exceeding the 28  μs lifetime of untrapped Rydberg atoms under the same conditions. These results are promising for extending the interaction time of Rydberg atom arrays for quantum simulation and computing, and are vital to capitalize on the extended Rydberg lifetimes in circular states or cryogenic environments.

Introduction to DOK2 and its potential role in cancer

Cancer is a complex, multifactorial disease that modern medicine ultimately aims to overcome. Downstream of tyrosine kinase 2 (DOK2) is a well-known tumor suppressor gene, and a member of the downstream protein DOK family of tyrosine kinases. Through a search of original literature indexed in PubMed and other databases, the present review aims to extricate the mechanisms by which DOK2 acts on cancer, thereby identifying more reliable and effective therapeutic targets to promote enhanced methods of cancer prevention and treatment. The review focuses on the role of DOK2 in multiple tumor types in the lungs, intestines, liver, and breast. Additionally, we discuss the potential mechanisms of action of DOK2 and the downstream consequences via the Ras/MPAK/ERK or PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways.

[Clinical effects of negative pressure wound therapy in treating the poor healing of incisions after different abdominal operations]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effects of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in treating the poor healing of incisions after different abdominal operations. Methods: The retrospective observational study was conducted. From June 2019 to December 2020, 42 patients with poor healing of incisions after abdominal surgery were admitted to Center of Burns and Trauma of the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, including 29 males and 13 females, aged 23-81 years. The disease course of poor healing of abdominal incision was 3-60 d. The preoperative examination of patients was completed after admission, and NPWT was used after debridement. According to the dehiscence level of incision, the negative pressure value of -10.64 to -6.65 kPa was set. The incisions were sutured in the second stage when the incisions had good blood circulation. The cause of abdominal surgery, the dehiscence level and the cause of poor healing of abdominal incision were investigated, and the final healing of abdominal incision and the occurrence of complication were observed. Results: The causes of abdominal operations in this group of patients who ocurred poor healing of abdominal incisions were ranked according to the composition ratio, with the top 4 causes being colon cancer (9 cases, accounting for 21.4%), bile duct disease (8 cases, accounting for 19.0%), liver cancer (5 cases, accounting for 11.9%), and appendicitis (4 cases, accounting for 9.5%). There were 25 cases (59.5%) with dehiscence of abdominal incision in the deep fascia layer, and the other 17 cases (40.5%) with dehiscence of abdominal incision in the superficial fascia layer. The causes of poor healing of abdominal incision were ranked according to the composition ratio, with the top 3 causes being infection (24 cases, accounting for 57.1%), fat liquefaction (11 cases, accounting for 26.2%), and suture reaction (5 cases, accounting for 11.9%). The blood circulation in 40 patients was improved after being treated with NPWT, and the incisions were sutured in the second stage. The incisions healed well when the suture lines were removed in the second to third week. Intestinal fistula and bile leakage developed during the NPWT treatment, respectively in the other 2 patients, in which negative pressure equipment was removed subsequently, and the incisions healed after adequate drainage and conventional dressing changes. Conclusions: NPWT is effective in treating poor healing of abdominal incision after different abdominal surgeries. The clinicians need to comprehensively assess the patient's condition to determine when and how to use NPWT to avoid the occurrence of intestinal fistula, bile leakage, and other complications.

[Assessment of biological activities of exopolysaccharides with different relative molecular masses extracted from Rhizopus nigricans]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the antioxidant, anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities of exopolysaccharides with different molecular masses isolated from Rhizopus nigricans.

METHODS

Three polysaccharides with different molecular masses, namely RPS-1, RPS-2 and RPS-3, were separated from the fermentation broth of Rhizopus nigricans by fractional ethanol precipitation, and their capacity for scavenging DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radicals was assessed. Cell counting kit-8 was used to analyze the changes in the viability of MFC, A549 and RAW 264.7 cells following treatments with the 3 polysaccharides; The level of nitric oxide in the supernatant of RAW 264.7 cells was detected using a nitric oxide detection kit, and the apoptosis rate of A549 cells was analyzed with flow cytometry.

RESULTS

All the 3 polysaccharides had good antioxidant activities, and among them RPS-1 with a medium molecular mass exhibited the strongest scavenging capacity for DPPH and ABTS radicals (P < 0.05) while RPS-3 with the lowest molecular mass had the best scavenging activity for hydroxyl radicals (P < 0.01). All the 3 polysaccharides were capable of inhibiting the proliferation of MFC cells and A549 cells, activating the macrophages RAW 264.7 cells, and inducing apoptosis of A549 cells. RPS-2 with the highest molecular mass showed the strongest inhibitory effects against MFC and A549 cells (P > 0.05), and RPS-2 had the strongest activity for inducing apoptosis in A549 cells (P < 0.05). Compared with the other two polysaccharides, RPS-2 more strongly promoted the proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells and enhanced NO release from the cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The 3 polysaccharides all have antioxidant, anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities, and among them RPS-1 and RPS-3 have better antioxidant activities, and RPS-2 has stronger anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities.

Effects of miR-202-5p silencing PIK3CA gene expression on proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cervical cancer SiHa cells through inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway activation

To explore the mechanism of miR-202-5p targeting the expression of PIK3CA and mediating the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway on the proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cervical cancer. The objects of study were 105 cases of cervical cancer and their corresponding normal tissues. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-202-5p and PIK3CA in adjacent normal tissue and cervical cancer tissue. Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the targeting relationship between miR-202-5p and PIK3CA gene. Human cervical cancer cell lines HPV-16E6, SiHa, HeLa, and CaSki were purchased for our cell experiments. The expression levels of PIK3CA in the cells were detected by qRT-PCR. The cell line with higher expression levels was selected to complete the follow-up experiment. The cultured cells were transfected and divided into the miR-202-5p mimic NC group, miR-202-5p mimic group, miR-202-5p inhibitor NC group, miR-202-5p inhibitor group, siRNA-PIK3CA NC group, siRNA-PIK3CA group, miR-202-5p inhibitor NC + siRNA-PIK3CA NC group, miR-202-5p inhibitor + siRNA-PIK3CA NC group, and miR-202-5p inhibitor + siRNA-PIK3CA group. QRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-202-5p. Western blot and qRT-PCR were applied to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of related pathway proteins (PIK3CA, PI3K, PTEN, p-Akt1, and p-mTOR) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related factors (N-cadherin, E-cadherin, and vimentin). Cell proliferation was detected by plate colony formation assay. Transwell assay was used to detect the invasion ability of each group. When compared with the adjacent tissues, PIK3CA mRNA expression level was significantly increased and miR-202-5p expression level was significantly decreased in cervical cancer tissues (all P < 0.05). PIK3CA was a target gene of miR-202-5p. The mRNA expression level of PIK3CA in SiHa cervical cancer cells was significantly higher than that in CaSki, HeLa, and HPV-16E6 cells (all P < 0.05), and SiHa cervical cancer cells were selected to complete the follow-up experiments. When compared with the corresponding NC group, the expression of miR-202-5p in miR-202-5p mimic group was increased. In addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of E-cadherin and PTEN in miR-202-5p mimic and siRNA-PIK3CA groups were increased, and the protein expression of p-Akt1 and p-mTOR was decreased, and also, the mRNA and protein expression levels of PIK3CA, PI3K, N-cadherin, and vimentin were decreased (all P < 0.05); in miR-202-5p inhibitor group, the expression levels of miR-202-5p, E-cadherin, and PTEN decreased, the protein expression of p-Akt1 and p-mTOR increased, and the mRNA and protein expression of PIK3CA, PI3K, N-cadherin, and vimentin increased in miR-202-5p inhibitor group (all P < 0.05); in miR-202-5p inhibitor + siRNA-PIK3CA group, the expression of miR-202-5p decreased (P < 0.05), but the mRNA and protein expression of PIK3CA, PI3K, p-Akt1, p-mTOR, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, and vimentin had no significant changes (all P > 0.05). When compared with the corresponding NC group, the number of cell clones in miR-202-5p mimic group and siRNA-PIK3CA group was decreased, and the invasion ability of miR-202-5p inhibitor group was increased, and the invasion ability was enhanced (all P < 0.05); miR-202-5p inhibitor + siRNA-PIK3CA group showed no significant change in the number of cell clones and the rate of invasion (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the overexpression of miR-202-5p can suppress PIK3CA gene expression and the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to suppress the proliferation, invasion, and EMT of cervical cancer.

Circular RNA circ-PRKCI promotes lung cancer progression by binding to microRNA-1324 to regulate MECP2 expression

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the expression and specific molecular mechanism of circ-PRKCI in lung cancer (LCa).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The relationship between the expression level of circ-PRKCI and the prognosis of patients was analyzed. The impacts of circ-PRKCI on the invasiveness of LCa cells were examined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) experiments, clone formation experiments, and transwell invasion experiments. Subcellular localization of circ-PRKCI was determined through nuclear separation experiments. Downstream target genes that can bind to circ-PRKCI was predicted through bioinformatics analysis, and was then verified by Dual-Luciferase experiments, quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments, and Western blot experiments.

RESULTS

Circ-PRKCI level was remarkably elevated in LCa tumor tissues and cell lines. At the same time, highly expressed circ-PRKCI was correlated with the poor prognosis of LCa patients. In vitro cell experiments revealed that inhibition of circ-PRKCI in LCa cell lines remarkably inhibited cell invasiveness and proliferation. In addition, circ-PRKCI can compete with MECP2 to bind microRNA-1324 and thus affect the progression of LCa.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows for the first time that circ-PRKCI modulates the progression of LCa through microRNA-150-5p/MECP2 axis.

[The development history of oral contraceptives]

The creation of oral contraceptives goes back 60 years. It has gone through a long and complex process from the discovery of sex hormones to their development into drugs to market. A correct understanding of the developmental history of oral contraceptives is of great importance for human reproduction. Gregory G Pincus successfully synthesized the first oral contraceptive Enovid based on research by Carl Djerassi, this was approved for marketing by the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in May 1960. However, due to the severe side effects of Enovid, the safer and more effective second generation oral contraceptives - Levonorgestrel and the third generation oral contraceptives - Pregnene are widely used and continue to be used to this day. The introduction of oral contraceptives not only dampened the explosive growth of the world's population, but also improved the social status of women, and catalyzed the sexual liberation movement.

TCF19 aggravates the malignant progression of colorectal cancer by negatively regulating WWC1

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to clarify the role of TCF19 in influencing the malignant progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) by negatively regulating WWC1.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Relative expression levels of TCF19 and WWC1 in CRC tissues and cells were detected by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The prognosis of CRC patients was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Meanwhile, the correlation between TCF19 and pathological indexes of CRC patients was evaluated. Regulatory effects of TCF19/WWC1 on viability, colony formation ability, and migration in HT29 and HCT-8 cells were evaluated. Finally, rescue experiments were conducted to elucidate a negative feedback loop of TCF19/WWC1 in influencing the progression of CRC.

RESULTS

TCF19 was significantly up-regulated in CRC, while WWC1 was down-regulated. High-level TCF19 or low-level WWC1 indicated worse survival of CRC patients. Besides, TCF19 expression level was positively correlated with the occurrence of distant metastasis in CRC. Silence of TCF19 significantly attenuated proliferative and migratory capacities of HT29 cells. However, overexpression of TCF19 yielded the opposite trends in HCT-8 cells. WWC1 expression was negatively regulated by TCF19 in CRC tissues. In addition, knockdown of WWC1 abolished the regulatory effect of TCF19 on CRC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

TCF19 is closely correlated with the occurrence of distant metastasis and poor prognosis of CRC. Furthermore, it aggravates the malignant progression of CRC via negatively regulating WWC1.

Assessing Farm Stress and Community Supports in a U.S.-Mexico Border County

Imperial County, California, is a high-need, medically underserved area that has some of the worst overall health outcomes of all California counties. Given this and the high depression and anxiety rates in agricultural occupations, Imperial County farmers and ranchers may be at an increased risk of stress and poor mental health outcomes. An exploratory mixed methods assessment was used to collect information from 24 farmers and ranchers in Imperial County. Survey topics included questions about farm or ranch operations, farm-related stress, mental health, community support, and health behaviors. The results indicate that most respondents perceive unpredictable factors, such as government regulations, as the most impactful stressors related to their farm or ranch operations. Additionally, depression symptomatology scores were positively correlated with respondents' ability to obtain credit. Efforts to understand farm-related stress and how community support can help Imperial County farmers and ranchers mediate adverse physical and mental health effects through formal and informal networks are considered.

[Effects of preoperative segmental mobility on the clinical and radiographic outcomes following one-level artificial cervical disc replacement]

Objective: To investigate the effects of preoperative segmental range of motion (ROM) on clinical and radiographical outcomes after artificial cervical disc replacement (ACDR) and explore whether ACDR could be indicated for patients with preoperative limited or excessive segmental ROM. Methods: From January 2008 to December 2017, patients who underwent Prestige-LP ACDR in West China Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The preoperative and postoperative X-rays of the cervical spine were collected to measure the radiographic parameters, including cervical lordosis (CL), C(2-7) ROM, disc height (DH), disc angle (DA) and ROM at the arthroplasty level. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores. The correlation between preoperative segmental ROM and postoperative clinical and radiographical outcomes were also analyzed. Results: A total of 161 patients were analyzed, with 73 males and 88 females. The mean age was (44±8) years, and the follow-up period was 34 months (12-120 months). JOA and NDI scores improved after ACDR (P<0.05). However, postoperative C(2-7) ROM and ROM at the arthroplasty level were comparable with preoperative counterparts (both P>0.05). Preoperative segmental ROM positively correlated with C(2-7) ROM and ROM at the arthroplasty segment (r=0.213、0.271, both P<0.05), but was negatively correlated with the change of ROM (r=-0.534, P<0.05). The segmental ROM was 4.0°±1.0° in the limited-ROM group (A) and 14.6°±1.3° in the excessive-ROM group (B), respectively. There were significantly more patients diagnosed with cervical spondylosis in group A than in group B (35.5% vs 10.7%, P<0.05). The level-distribution was statistically different between the two groups. C(5/6) and C(6/7) were prone to limited motion in group A, while C(4/5) and C(5/6) were predisposed to excessive motion in group B (all P<0.05). After surgery, C(2-7) ROM increased for 14.2°±16.8° in group A, while paradoxically decreased for 2.2°±14.4° in group B. However, C(2-7) ROM in group B was still larger than that in group A (P<0.05). Similarly, the ROM at the arthroplasty level increased by 3.1°±3.7° in group A, whereas the values decreased by 4.4°±4.2° in group B postoperatively. In addition, group A still had less segmental ROM than group B (P<0.05). The preoperative DH in group A was less than that in group B (P<0.05). The rates of ASD, HO, and high-grade HO in group A were all higher than those in group B but without significant differences (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Preoperative segmental ROM has no significant effects on clinical outcomes after ACDR; it has a positive correlation with postoperative global and segmental ROM while is negatively correlated with ROM change.

MiR-491 functions as a tumor suppressor through Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling in the development of glioma

OBJECTIVE

Glioma is the most frequent brain tumor that has high invasion and usually disperses to the whole brain through blood and basement membranes. MicroRNA-491 (miR-491) has been reported to have low expression and act as a tumor suppressor in several cancers. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a classic signaling pathway that participated in several biological processes. Our purpose was to detect the molecular mechanism of miR-491 in regulating the growth and metastasis of glioma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Real Time-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was applied to calculate the mRNA level of miR-491 and target gene. The protein expression of special genes was assessed by Western blot. The proliferation and invasive abilities were measured by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assays. The Kaplan-Meier method was conducted to evaluate the association between the expressions of miR-491 with the overall survival of glioma patients.

RESULTS

We discovered that miR-491 was lowly expressed in glioma and downregulation of miR-491 predicted poor outcome of glioma patients. Similarly, a high expression of miR-491 suppressed the growth and metastasis in glioma cell line LN229. MiR-491 high expression inhibited the growth of glioma in a mouse xenograft model. Moreover, Wnt3a was a target gene of miR-491 and miR-491 mediated the invasion-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by regulating the expression of Wnt3a. Additionally, miR-491 regulated the proliferation through the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway by targeting Wnt3a.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-491 overexpression inhibited the proliferation through the Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway and invasion-mediated EMT in glioma. The newly identified miR-491/Wnt3a/β-catenin axis provides novel insight into the pathogenesis of glioma.