Integrated analysis of gut metabolome, microbiome, and exfoliome data in an equine model of intestinal injury

BACKGROUND

The equine gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome has been described in the context of various diseases. The observed changes, however, have not been linked to host function and therefore it remains unclear how specific changes in the microbiome alter cellular and molecular pathways within the GI tract. Further, non-invasive techniques to examine the host gene expression profile of the GI mucosa have been described in horses but not evaluated in response to interventions. Therefore, the objectives of our study were to (1) profile gene expression and metabolomic changes in an equine model of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced intestinal inflammation and (2) apply computational data integration methods to examine host-microbiota interactions.

METHODS

Twenty horses were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (n = 10): control (placebo paste) or NSAID (phenylbutazone 4.4 mg/kg orally once daily for 9 days). Fecal samples were collected on days 0 and 10 and analyzed with respect to microbiota (16S rDNA gene sequencing), metabolomic (untargeted metabolites), and host exfoliated cell transcriptomic (exfoliome) changes. Data were analyzed and integrated using a variety of computational techniques, and underlying regulatory mechanisms were inferred from features that were commonly identified by all computational approaches.

RESULTS

Phenylbutazone induced alterations in the microbiota, metabolome, and host transcriptome. Data integration identified correlation of specific bacterial genera with expression of several genes and metabolites that were linked to oxidative stress. Concomitant microbiota and metabolite changes resulted in the initiation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response within the intestinal mucosa.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of integrative analysis identified an important role for oxidative stress, and subsequent cell signaling responses, in a large animal model of GI inflammation. The computational approaches for combining non-invasive platforms for unbiased assessment of host GI responses (e.g., exfoliomics) with metabolomic and microbiota changes have broad application for the field of gastroenterology. Video Abstract.

Gut microbiota, a potential cause of higher insulin sensitivity in children with Prader-Willi syndrome

PURPOSE

Obesity is the main driving factor for comorbidities in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) patients due to overeating behaviors. The gut microbiota has been implicated in the etiology of obesity and associated comorbidities. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the fecal microbiota in Chinese patients with PWS and compare it to that of patients with obesity as well as healthy controls.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study with 35 PWS patients (PWS), 35 patients with obesity (OB), and 35 healthy controls (HC). Metagenomic sequencing was performed in stool samples.

RESULTS

The composition of the fecal microbiota in PWS patients differed from that of participants in the OB and HC groups. It was characterized by increased Akkermansia Eubacterium, Eubacterium rectale, and Roseburia intestinalis and decreased Parabacteroides and Phascolarctobacterium. Additionally, the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was lower in PWS patients than in patients with obesity. Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that Achromobacter, Acidiphilium, Xylophilus, and Frisingicoccus were significantly negatively correlated with HOMA-IR.

CONCLUSION

The composition of the gut microbiota in Chinese PWS patients differed from that in patients with obesity, which might contribute to higher insulin sensitivity in PWS patients.

Germline Cancer Susceptibility in Individuals with Melanoma

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have estimated a small number of individuals with melanoma (2-2.5%) have germline cancer predisposition, yet a recent twin study suggested melanoma has the highest hereditability among cancers.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence of hereditary melanoma and characterize the spectrum of cancer predisposition genes that may increase the risk of melanoma.

METHODS

400 individuals with melanoma and personal or family history of cancers underwent germline testing of >80 cancer predisposition genes. Comparative analysis of germline data was performed on 3 additional oncologic and dermatologic datasets.

RESULTS

Germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants were identified in 15.3% (61) individuals with melanoma. Most variants (41, 67%) involved genes considered unrelated to melanoma (BLM, BRIP1, CHEK2, MLH1, MSH2, PMS2, RAD51C). A third (20, 33%) were in genes previously associated with familial melanoma (BAP1, BRCA2, CDKN2A, MITF, TP53). Nearly half (30, 46.9%) of P/LP variants were in HRD genes. Validation cohorts demonstrated P/LP rates of 10.6% from an unselected oncologic cohort, 15.8% from a selected commercial testing cohort and 14.5% from a highly selected dermatologic study.

LIMITATIONS

Cohorts with varying degrees of selection, some retrospective.

CONCLUSION

Germline predisposition in individuals with melanoma is common, with clinically actionable findings diagnosed in 10.6% to 15.8%.

Inhibition of α-glucosidase activity by curcumin loaded on ZnO@rGO nanocarrier for potential treatment of diabetes mellitus

Curcumin (Cur) is an acidic polyphenol with some effects on α-glucosidase (α-Glu), but Cur has disadvantages such as being a weak target, lacking passing the blood-brain barrier and having low bioavailability. To enhance the curative effect of Cur, the hybrid composed of ZnO nanoparticles decorated on rGO was used to load Cur (ZnO@rGO-Cur). The use of the multispectral method and enzyme inhibition kinetics analysis certify the inhibitory effect and interaction mechanism of ZnO@rGO-Cur with α-Glu. The static quenching of α-Glu with both Cur and ZnO@rGO-Cur is primarily driven by hydrogen bond and van der Waals interactions. The conformation-changing ability by binding to the neighbouring phenolic hydroxyl group of Cur increased their ability to alter the secondary structure of α-Glu, resulting in the inhibition of enzyme activity. The inhibition constant (Ki, Cur  > Kis,ZnO@rGO-Cur ) showed that the inhibition effect of ZnO@rGO-Cur on α-Glu was larger than that of Cur. The CCK-8 experiments proved that ZnO@rGO nanocomposites have good biocompatibility. These results suggest that the therapeutic potential of ZnO@rGO-Cur composite is an emerging nanocarrier platform for drug delivery systems for the potential treatment of diabetes mellitus.

[Effect of recombinant human thrombin for hemostasis in liver resection: a randomized controlled phase Ⅲ clinical trial]

Objective: To evaluate the hemostatic efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of recombinant human thrombin in the treatment of liver wounds that still ooze after conventional surgical hemostasis. Methods: A multicenter, stratified randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase Ⅲ trial with a planned enrollment of 510 subjects at 33 centers, with a 2∶1 randomization to the thrombin group versus the placebo group. An interim analysis will be conducted after approximately 70% of the subjects have completed the observation period. The primary efficacy endpoint was the rate of hemostasis within 6 minutes at the point of bleeding that could be evaluated. Safety analysis was performed one month after surgery, and the positive rates of anti-drug antibody (ADA) and neutralizing antibody were evaluated. Results: At the interim analysis, a total of 348 subjects had been randomized and received the study drug (215 were male and 133 were female). They were aged 19-69 (52.9±10.9)years. Among them, 232 were in the thrombin group and 116 were in the placebo group, with balanced and comparable demographics and baseline characteristics between the two groups. The hemostasis rate at 6 minutes was 71.6% (95%CI:65.75%-77.36%) in the thrombin group and 44.0% (95%CI: 34.93%-53.00%) in the placebo group, respectively (P<0.001). No grade≥3 drug-related adverse events and no drug-related deaths were reported from the study.No recombinant human thrombin-induced immunologically-enhanced ADA or immunologically-induced ADA was detected after topical use in subjects. Conclusion: Recombinant human thrombin has shown significant hemostatic efficacy and good safety in controlling bleeding during liver resection surgery, while also demonstrating low immunogenicity characteristics.

Seven general radiography x-ray detectors with pixel sizes ranging from 175 to 76μm: technical evaluation with the focus on orthopaedic imaging

Aim. Flat panel detectors with small pixel sizes general can potentially improve imaging performance in radiography applications requiring fine detail resolution. This study evaluated the imaging performance of seven detectors, covering a wide range of pixel sizes, in the frame of orthopaedic applications.Material and methods. Pixel sizes ranged from 175 (detector A175) to 76μm (detector G76). Modulation transfer function (MTF) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were measured using International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) RQA3 beam quality. Threshold contrast (CT) and a detectability index (d') were measured at three air kerma/image levels. Rabbit shoulder images acquired at 60 kV, over five air kerma levels, were evaluated in a visual grading study for anatomical sharpness, image noise and overall diagnostic image quality by four radiologists. The detectors were compared to detector E124.Results. The 10% point of the MTF ranged from 3.21 to 4.80 mm-1, in going from detector A175to detector G76. DQE(0.5 mm-1) measured at 2.38μGy/image was 0.50 ± 0.05 for six detectors, but was higher for F100at 0.62. High frequency DQE was superior for the smaller pixel detectors, howeverCTfor 0.25 mm discs correlated best with DQE(0.5 mm-1). Correlation betweenCTand the detectability model was good (R2= 0.964).CTfor 0.25 mm diameter discs was significantly higher for D150and F100compared to E124. The visual grading data revealed higher image quality ratings for detectors D125and F100compared to E124. An increase in air kerma was associated with improved perceived sharpness and overall quality score, independent of detector. Detectors B150, D125, F100and G76, performed well in specific tests, however only F100consistently outperformed the reference detector.Conclusion. Pixel size alone was not a reliable predictor of small detail detectability or even perceived sharpness in a visual grading analysis study.

Porous nanosheet-nanosphere@nanosheet FeNi2-LDH@FeNi2S4 core-shell heterostructures for asymmetric supercapacitors

Transition bimetallic sulphides have emerged as important electrode materials for supercapacitors owing to their low toxicity, environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, multiple oxidation states, high natural abundance, flexible structure, and high theoretical specific capacitance. Herein, a porous nanosheet-nanosphere@nanosheet FeNi2-LDH@FeNi2S4 (FNLDH@FNS) core-shell heterostructure was directly prepared on nickel foam (NF) via a two-step hydrothermal method. The prepared electrode material exhibits an outstanding electrochemical performance. The specific capacity (Cs) values are 806 and 450 C g-1 at current density (Dc) values of 1 and 6 A g-1, respectively, revealing a satisfactory magnification performance. In addition, the FNLDH@FNS electrode exhibits a long cycle life with an supercapacitor (SC) retention rate of 92.3% after 5000 cycles at a Dc of 6 A g-1. The FNLDH@FNS//activated carbon (AC) asymmetric SC assembled with FNLDH@FNS (positive electrode) and activated carbon (AC, negative electrode) displays an energy density (Ed) of 36.67 Wh kg-1 and a power density (Pd) of 775.17 W kg-1.

[Characteristics of serum bile acids among healthy children in Zhejiang province]

Objective: To characterize the serum bile acid profiles of healthy children in Zhejiang Province. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 245 healthy children who underwent imaging and laboratory biochemical tests during routine physical examinations at the Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2020 to July 2022. Overnight fasting venous blood samples were collected, and the concentrations of 18 individual bile acids in the serum were accurately quantitated using tandem mass spectrometry. The concentration difference of bile acid were compared between different genders and to explore the correlation between age and bile acid levels. Used the Mann-Whitney U test for intergroup comparison and Spearman test to correlation analysis. Results: A total of 245 health children with a age of 10 (8, 12) years including 125 boys and 120 girls. There were no significant differences in levels of total bile acids, primary and secondary bile acids, free and conjugated bile acids between the two gender groups (all P>0.05). The serum concentrations of ursodeoxycholic acid and glycoursodeoxycholic acid in girls were significantly higher than those in boys (199.0 (66.9, 276.5) vs. 154.7 (49.3, 205.0) nmol/L, 274.0 (64.8, 308.0) vs. 181.0 (43.8, 209.3) nmol/L, Z=2.06, 2.71, both P<0.05). The serum taurolithocholic acid in both boys and girls were positively correlated with age (r=0.31, 0.32, both P<0.05). The serum chenodeoxycholic acid and glycochenodeoxycholic acid in the boys group were positively correlated with age (r=0.20, 0.23, both P<0.05), whereas the serum tauroursodeoxycholic acid in the girls group was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.27, P<0.05), and the serum cholic acid was positively correlated with age (r=0.34, P<0.05). Conclusions: The total bile acid levels are relatively stable in healthy children in Zhejiang province. However, individual bile acids showed gender differences and were correlated with age.

[Analysis of the application of radiotherapy facility construction project evaluation standard in health management institutions]

Objective: To investigate the application of GBZ/T 220.2-2009 "The Specification of Radiological Protection Assessment for Occupational Hazard in Construction Project-Part 2: Radiotherapy Facility" in health management institutions, and to understand the scientificity, practicability and problems existing in the implementation of the standard. Methods: The method of multistage stratified sampling and questionnaire survey were used to collect the standard application status among 96 radiological health managers who had participated in the evaluation of radiotherapy facility construction projects in 6 provinces and cities from November 2020 to April 2021. A descriptive statistical analysis method was used to analyze the basic information of the survey object, the knowledge of the standard, the publicity and implementation of the standard. Results: The radiological health management personnel mainly came from health supervision agencies (62.5%, 60/96) , and 86.5% (83/96) were engaged in the pre-evaluation of radiotherapy device construction project and the approval and supervision of control effect evaluation. The awareness rate and training rate of radiological health managers on GBZ/T 220.2-2009 were 88.5% (85/96) and 31.3% (30/96) , respectively. 89.6% (86/96) managers thought it could meet the needs of radiotherapy facility construction project approval or supervision. 49.0% (47/96) of managers believed that the standard needed to be revised. Conclusion: The content of GBZ/T 220.2-2009 is basically scientific and reasonable, but the publicity, implementation and training of radiological health administrator still need to be strengthened. It is suggested to revise some clauses in the standard that do not meet the requirements.

Functionalization of Fe3O4/rGO magnetic nanoparticles with resveratrol and in vitro DNA interaction

Based on the previous research, we found that the magnetic nanocomposite Fe₃O₄/rGO (reduced graphene oxide) has a good drug loading effect. Therefore, in this paper, we studied the positive role of Fe₃O₄/rGO as a drug carrier in the interaction between resveratrol (RES) and calf-thymus DNA (ct-DNA). The fluorescence experiment is used to evaluate by the Stern-Volmer equation, the quenching constant of RES - ct-DNA system with and without Fe₃O₄/rGO decreases with the increasing temperature. It was found the quenching mode of RES - ct-DNA and Fe₃O₄/rGO - RES - ct-DNA systems were all static quenching, but the binding constant of RES -ct-DNA increased from 4.14 ± 0.21 × 10⁴ L mol^-1 to 10.12 ± 0.02 × 10⁴ L mol^-1. It was found that Fe₃O₄/rGO formed a ternary complex with RES and ct-DNA by ultraviolet spectrum (UV-vis), resonance light scattering experiments (RLS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Meanwhile, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and circular dichroism (CD) experiments show that Fe₃O₄/rGO and Fe₃O₄/rGO loaded with RES have effect on the secondary structure of ct-DNA and change the conformation of ct-DNA. On the cellular level, the comet assay shows that Fe₃O₄/rGO and Fe₃O₄/rGO - RES could not cause DNA strand break to the mouse hepatocytes after 24 co-incubation. These results confirm that Fe₃O₄/rGO nanocomposites have good application potential, which can be used as a good drug carrier in a wide range of therapeutic methods.

Does China’s green economic recovery generate a spatial convergence trend: an explanation using agglomeration effects and fiscal instruments

China’s urbanization process has entered a period of rapid development, and cities have become key to driving regional economic development. This paper uses data from 286 cities in China in the period 2005–2018 to construct an urban economic growth quality index system and examine the influence of spatial factors on the convergence trend of China’s urban economic growth quality. It is found that there is a β absolute convergence trend of economic growth quality in Chinese cities across the whole country. After controlling for the initial conditions of individual economies, spatial factors strengthen the spatial convergence trend of urban economic growth quality and significantly increase the corresponding convergence rate. Among the areas studied, the western region has the fastest convergence rate, followed by the central and eastern regions, and the convergence rates of both the central and western regions are higher than the national average. Agglomeration economies and fiscal policy tools are important for the promotion of the urban economic growth quality. The agglomeration of productive service industries significantly improves the spatial convergence rate of urban economic growth quality. This effect is mainly due to the spatial spillover of industrial agglomeration. The expansion of government fiscal expenditure also contributes to the spatial convergence trend of urban economic growth quality. Local economic growth quality is also affected by government fiscal expenditure in neighboring cities.

METTL3-Dependent Glycolysis Regulates Dental Pulp Stem Cell Differentiation

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is a eukaryotic messenger RNA modification catalyzed by methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), which is involved in various developmental and disease processes. However, the connection between the epigenetic modification of m⁶A and glucose metabolism during osteogenesis is still unclear. Here, we show that interference with METTL3 in dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) inhibits cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing and metabolic testing were used to explore the mechanism between glucose metabolism and m⁶A modification in METTL3-knockdown DPSCs. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and RNA stability assays were used to determine the target genes of METTL3. Mechanistically, METTL3 directly interacts with ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) and a mitochondrial citrate transporter (SLC25A1) and then further affects the glycolytic pathway. M⁶A-mediated ACLY and SLC25A1 stability depends on the m⁶A readers IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP2/3, respectively. Our experiments uncovered the potential molecular mechanism of epigenetic modification in osteogenic differentiation, providing new ideas for the clinical application of stem cells and the intervention of metabolic bone diseases.

[Research progress on the human health risks assessment of radionuclides in water environment]

The quality of the water environment is one of the most important factors that can directly affect the health of human beings and other non-human species. The levels of the radionuclides in water environment are the key indicator while assessing the quality of water environment. Recently, with the development of the nuclear energy in China, the public people have paid a focus attention on the levels and the health risks of the radionuclides. This paper introduced the sources, the health effects, the health risk assessment methods and the current status of the health risk assessment study about the radionuclides, in order to provide basis for the health risk assessment of radionuclides in water environment and the protection of human health.

MiRNA-128-3p induces osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via activating the Wnt3a signaling

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the biological function of miRNA-128-3p in influencing the progression of osteoporosis by inducing osteogenic differentiation of MSCs via activating the Wnt3a signaling.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Dynamic expression levels of miRNA-128-3p in osteogenically differentiated MSCs at the different time points were detected by qRT-PCR. The binding sites in the seed sequence of miRNA-128-3p and Wnt3a were predicted using the bioinformatic tool, and their interaction was further confirmed by Dual-Luciferase reporter assay. Co-regulation of miRNA-128-3p and Wnt3a on relative levels of osteogenesis-associated genes, ALP activity and mineralization ability in glucocorticoid-induced MSCs were assessed.

RESULTS

MiRNA-128-3p was gradually upregulated with the prolongation of osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Overexpression of miRNA-128-3p reversed the declines in glucocorticoid-induced expression levels of osteogenesis-associated genes (Bglap, RUNX2 and BMP-2), ALP activity and mineralization ability in MSCs. Wnt3a was able to bind miRNA-128-3p. Its level was positively regulated by miRNA-128-3p in MSCs. Enhanced ALP activity and mineralization ability in glucocorticoid-induced MSCs overexpressing Wnt3a were partially abolished by knockdown of miRNA-128-3p.

CONCLUSIONS

By positively regulating Wnt3a, miRNA-128-3p alleviates the progression of osteoporosis through inducing osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.

The facile synthesis of a Co3O4-NiNP composite as an electrochemical non-enzymatic sensing platform for small chemical molecules

In this paper, a new Co3O4-Ni nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon electrode (Co3O4-NiNPs/GCE) was successfully constructed and used to detect glucose and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The morphologies and structures of the Co3O4 and Co3O4-Ni nanocomposites were characterized via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The construction process of the modified electrode was characterized via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. Co3O4-NiNPs/GCE shows more excellent electrocatalytic activity for the detection of glucose and H2O2 compared with Co3O4/GCE and NiNPs/GCE. The amperometric i-t method was used for the quantitative analysis of glucose and H2O2. The plots of current difference versus concentration of glucose and H2O2 were linear in the range of 0.3-550 μM and 0.5-89 μM, respectively. The corresponding limits of detection (LODs) were 0.086 μM and 0.23 μM for glucose and H2O2, respectively. This recommended sensor was successfully applied for the quantitative analysis of glucose in fruit and H2O2 in water samples.

Magnetic reduced graphene oxide as a nano-vehicle for loading and delivery of curcumin

Magnetic nanoparticles have been widely used in the field of nanomedicine as drug delivery vehicles for targeted imaging-guided and controlled drug uptake and release actions. In this work, the loading of curcumin on Fe₃O₄/rGO nanocomposites and their interaction mechanism were investigated by multispectral methods including resonance light scattering (RLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). Results revealed that the drug loading was a complex process which is not governed by a simple adsorption. The interactions of vitro human serum albumin (HSA) with free curcumin and/or curcumin-Fe₃O₄/rGO complex have been studied. Outcomes from the fluorescence quenching showed that the binding constant of curcumin to HSA increased significantly in the presence of Fe₃O₄/rGO, confirming the enhanced effect of Fe₃O₄/rGO besides its low toxicity towards HSA. Findings from this work verified that Fe₃O₄/rGO nanocomposite has a promising potential as a good drug loading carrier that can be used and broad range of therapies.

MoS2/polyaniline/functionalized carbon cloth electrode materials for excellent supercapacitor performance

In this study, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), polyaniline (PANI) and their composite (MoS₂/PANI) were facilely prepared via a liquid-phase method and in situ polymerization. An MoS₂/PANI/functionalized carbon cloth (MoS₂/PANI/FCC) was facilely constructed by a drop-casting method. MoS₂/PANI-10/FCC displays remarkable electrochemical performances, and its specific capacitances varied from 452.25 to 355.5 F g⁻¹ at current densities ranging from 0.2 to 4 A g⁻¹, which were higher than those of MoS₂/CC (from 56.525 to 7.5 F g⁻¹) and pure PANI/CC (319.5 to 248.5 F g⁻¹), respectively. More importantly, the MoS₂-10/PANI/FCC electrode has a long cycling life, and a capacity retention of 87% was obtained after 1000 cycles at a large current density of 10 A g⁻¹. Moreover, the MoS₂/PANI-10/FCC-based symmetric supercapacitor also exhibits excellent rate performance and good cycling stability. The specific capacitance based on the total mass of the two electrodes is 72.8 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.2 A g⁻¹ and the capacitance retention of 85% is obtained after 1000 cycles.

A MoS₂/PANI/functionalized carbon cloth (MoS₂/PANI/FCC) was constructed by a drop-casting method. Its specific capacitances were higher than those of MoS₂/CC and pure PANI/CC.

[Clinical characteristics and ketogenic diet therapy of glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome in children: a multicenter clinical study]

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics of pediatric glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1 DS), evaluate the efficacy and safety of ketogenic diet therapy (KDT). Methods: Clinical data of 19 children with GLUT1 DS admitted to Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Tianjin Children's Hospital, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital between 2015 and 2019 were collected retrospectively. The first onset symptom, main clinical manifestations, cerebrospinal fluid features and genetic testing results of patients were summarized, the efficacy and safety of ketogenic diet treatment were analyzed. Results: Among the 19 cases, 13 were males and 6 females. The age of onset was 11.0 (1.5-45.0) months,the age of diagnosis was 54.0 (2.8-132.0) months. Epilepsy was the first onset symptom of 13 cases. Different forms of tonic-clonic seizures were the most common types of epilepsy (7 cases with generalized tonic-clonic seizures, 5 cases with focal tonic or clonic seizures, 4 cases with generalized tonic seizures). Antiepileptic drugs were effective in 4 cases. Paroxysmal motor dysfunction was present in 12 cases and ataxia was the most common one. All patients had different degrees of psychomotor retardation. Among 17 patients received cerebrospinal fluid examination, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose level was lower than 2.2 mmol/L and CSF glucose/glycemic index was<0.45 in 16 cases, only 1 case presented normal CSF glucose level (2.3 mmol/L) and normal CSF glucose/glycemic index(0.47). SLC2A1 gene mutations were found in 16 patients, missense, frameshift and nonsense mutations were the common types with 5 cases, 5 cases and 3 cases respectively. All 19 patients were treated with ketogenic diet, which was effective in 18 cases in seizure control, 11 cases in dyskinesia improvement and 18 cases in cognitive function improvement. No serious side effects were reported in any stage of KDT. Conclusions: The diagnosis of GLUT1 DS is often late. It is necessary to improve the early recognition of the disease and perform CSF glucose detection and genetic testing as early as possible. The KDT is an effective and safe treatment for GLUT1 DS, but a small number of patients have not response to diet therapy.

Adenine-stabilized carbon dots for highly sensitive and selective sensing of copper(II) ions and cell imaging

Adenine-stabilized carbon dots (A-CDs) are shown to be a viable fluorescent probe for highly sensitive detection and imaging of Cu²⁺. The probe has a linear fluorometric response in the 1-700 nM concentration range and a 0.3 nM detection limit. The probe, with excitation/emission maxima at 380/435 nm, is highly selective for Cu²⁺ over other metal ions, anions, amino acids, and biomolecules. The fluorescence quenching mechanism of the A-CDs by Cu²⁺ is investigated using transmission electron microscopy images coupled with elemental mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray-excited Auger electron spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime, UV-visible spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The experimental results show that the fluorescence quenching is caused by the combination of Cu²⁺-coordination-induced aggregation of the A-CDs, the reduction of Cu²⁺ by the A-CDs, and the nonradiative photoinduced electron transfer process from the A-CDs to Cu²⁺ or metallic Cu. The high sensitivity and high selectivity of the sensor are ascribed to the chemical interactions between the A-CDs and Cu²⁺, the photophysical process between the A-CDs and Cu²⁺, and the high fluorescence quantum yield of the A-CDs (44.6%). The A-CDs have excellent water solubility, good stability to variation of pH values, high photostability, fast response time, and low cytotoxicity. They are successfully employed for intracellular imaging of Cu²⁺ in HepG2 cells and Cu²⁺ detection in the tap water samples.

Interaction between aspirin and vitamin C with human serum albumin as binary and ternary systems

Foods generally contain special ingredients which easily to interact with drugs human intaking, thus affecting drug efficacy and excretion, and even cause adverse reactions. Vitamin C (Vit. C) is abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables. It plays a regulatory role in redox metabolism, and its absence can cause scurvy. Aspirin (ASP) can be used to treat many diseases, is the earliest, common and widely used as antipyretic, analgesic and antirheumatic medicine. Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in vertebrate plasma and has the property of combining and transporting endogenous and exogenous substances. In this paper, the effects of Vit. C on the combination of ASP and HSA were studied by multi-spectra and voltammetric approaches. Fluorescence spectra showed that the quenching mode between Vit. C and HSA is dynamic, and the main binding force is hydrophobic force. The quenching mode between ASP and HSA is static one, and the main binding force is hydrogen bond and van der Waals force. For ternary biological system of (HSA-ASP)-Vit. C, the binding constant decreases compared with HSA-Vit. C system. However, for (HSA-Vit. C)-ASP system, the binding constant does not change when compared with binary system of HSA-ASP. Based on the technology combination of voltammetry, infrared, three-dimensional fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD), it is proved that the existence of ASP will influence the binding process of Vit. C to HSA. It could be concluded that taking Vit. C first doesn't affect the absorption of ASP and may be good for health; in contrast, it is not good to take Vit. C immediately as one have just taken ASP, because the existence of ASP reduce the absorption of Vit. C for human body.

LncSNHG16 promotes proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells by targeting microRNA-146a-5p

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to elucidate the regulatory role of lncSNHG16 in the progression of osteosarcoma (OS) and its underlying mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expressions of lncSNHG16, microRNA-146a-5p and NOVA1 in OS tissues and adjacent normal tissues were determined by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Their expressions in OS cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR as well. We analyzed the relationship between lncSNHG16 expression and tumor stage, diagnosis and survival prognosis of OS patients, respectively. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell experiments were conducted to explore proliferative and migratory changes of OS cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the binding relationship of lncSNHG16 to microRNA-146a-5p, and microRNA-146a-5p to NOVA1. Finally, rescue experiments were performed to elucidate the regulatory effect of lncSNHG16 on the cellular behaviors of OS cells.

RESULTS

LncSNHG16 was highly expressed in OS tissues and cell lines. Its expression was positively correlated with the tumor stage of OS patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves suggested that lncSNHG16 can be used as a clinical indicator to distinguish OS patients from healthy controls. Survival analysis indicated a negative correlation between lncSNHG16 expression and survival of OS patients. Overexpression of lncSNHG16 enhanced the proliferative and migratory potentials of OS cell lines 143B and MNNG/HOS. MicroRNA-146a-5p was predicted to be the target gene of lncSNHG16, which was lowly expressed in OS tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of lncSNHG16 downregulated the expression of microRNA-146a-5p in 143B and MNNG/HOS cells. Furthermore, we verified that lncSNHG16 could bind to microRNA-146a-5p. The promotive role of lncSNHG16 in proliferative and migratory potentials of OS cells was reversed by microRNA-146a-5p. Subsequently, NOVA1 was predicted to be the target gene of microRNA-146a-5p, and was further verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Correlation analysis showed that microRNA-146a-5p expression was negatively correlated with NOVA1 expression in OS. More importantly, NOVA1 reversed the inhibitory effect of microRNA-146a-5p on the proliferative and migratory capacities of 143B and MNNG/HOS cells.

CONCLUSIONS

LncSNHG16 is highly expressed in OS tissues and cell lines, participating in the development of OS by downregulating microRNA-146a-5p to upregulate NOVA1 expression.

0348 Sleep EEG-Based Brain Age Index is Reduced Under Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment

Introduction

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a treatment for apnea. With long-term CPAP, changes in electroencephalogram (EEG) include increased delta power (1 - 4Hz) and sigma power (11 - 15Hz, spindle). However, the short-term EEG response to CPAP in a split-night study is less quantified. We recently developed a “brain age” model using sleep EEG features. The brain age index (BAI) is defined as the difference between chronological age and brain age (BA - CA). Here we first quantify how BAI changes during CPAP in the same patient, and then investigate how much brain age features during the diagnostic part can predict the reduction in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) during CPAP.

Methods

The dataset consisted of 160 subjects. The average age was 59 years with 53% male, 24% female and 23% unknown. We extracted 480 features including band powers, and then computed the BAIs for both diagnostic and CPAP parts. To predict the reduction in AHI during CPAP, we fit a Bayesian regression model using the brain age features, demographics, and sleep parameters during the diagnostic part, and assessed the feature importance using dominance analysis.

Results

The BAI from the diagnostic part is significantly reduced compared to BAI during CPAP for the same subject (paired t-test, p &lt; 0.01). The diagnostic part has an average BAI 2.24 years; and the CPAP part -4.75 years. The brain age features that are increased during CPAP include sigma powers in N2 and N3. The prediction of AHI reduction has Pearson’s correlation 0.85. The features predictive of reduced AHI are the diagnostic AHI (explained variance 69%), followed by high/low waveforms during N2 (e.g. K-complex, measured by kurtosis) (8.6%), delta power during REM (4.5%) and N1 (2%). The feature predictive of increased AHI is frontal alpha power during quiet awake (2.6%).

Conclusion

The average BAI is reduced during CPAP. BAI provides a novel view of the acute response to CPAP in sleep EEG. Future study with more CPAP failure patients has the potential of predicting CPAP failure.

Support

MBW is supported by Glenn Foundation for Medical Research. RJT is supported by Category I AASM Foundation.

0670 The Outcome Of Cpap Titration Under Drug-induced Sleep Endoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

Introduction

The titration pressure of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an important issue for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to understand the impact of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE)-guided CPAP pressure and doctor-guided CPAP pressure on patients with OSA.

Methods

In this randomized controlled single-blinded crossover trial, we compared the effects of 1 month CPAP treatment on patients with OSA. Twenty-four patients with OSA were recruited and completed this study. They all underwent polysomnography, DISE-guided CPAP titration and accommodation. Doctor-guided CPAP pressure was determined before DISE. Patients were randomly assigned to receive DISE-guided or Doctor-guided CPAP pressure treatment for 1 month. Then, they switched to another CPAP pressure for another 1 month. Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) will be recorded at baseline, 1 month and 2 months.

Results

The DISE-guided CPAP pressure and Doctor-guided CPAP pressure had no significant difference (13.9±0.7 cm H2O vs 13.5±0.5 cm H2O; P=0.92). In addition, residual AHI and compliance were also no significant difference between two groups. The ESS was significantly improved from baseline to 1 month CPAP treatment in both groups. Epiglottis (anterior-posterior collapse) was significant associated with AHI (P &lt; 0.001, by Spearman correlation). Both Epiglottis (anterior-posterior collapse) and tongue base collapse were significant associated with 95% CPAP pressure (P = 0.031 and 0.038). After multivariate regression analyses, epiglottis (anterior-posterior collapse) is the independent factor for 95% CPAP pressure.

Conclusion

The DISE-guided CPAP pressure and Doctor-guided CPAP pressure had no significant difference on the improvement of ESS. Epiglottis (anterior-posterior collapse) is the independent factor for AHI and 95% CPAP pressure.

Support

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University

0661 Comparison Between Ventilator Detected Apnea Hypopnea Index and Manual Scored Results

Introduction

The apnea hypopnea index and percentage of periodic breathing detected by the ventilator machine are often used by sleep doctors to evaluate whether sleep apnea has been adequately treated or need further interventions. There are concerns about the accuracy of this autodetection.

Methods

Patients with sleep apnea who were treated with positive airway pressure at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston) and tracked by the EncoreAnywhere system were included. The machine detected AHI(AHIm) and PB(PBm) were extracted from the first week data in every month from the start of use. The manual scored AHI(AHIs) and PB(PBs) were calculated from the last waveform graph during every month. The apnea hypopnea index as well as periodic breathing in 1st, 2nd, 3rd,6th month AHIm, AHIs, PBm and PBs were compared respectively.

Results

A total of 128 patients were included. The mean age was 56.5 and 66% of them were male. In the first month, the mean AHIs was significantly higher than AHIm, 16.27 vs. 5.36, p&lt;0.001. There was also a large difference between percentage of PBs and PBm, 15.55% vs. 1.96, p&lt;0.001. 78% patients whose AHIm &lt;5 were actually has AHIs &gt;5. The Kappa value for the AHIm and AHIs were 0.074, p=0.069; the value of PBm and PBs was 0.216, p=0.015. In the 2nd, 3rd and 6th months, the mean difference between AHIs and AHIm was 10.58, 10.68, 10.12, respectively. The mean difference between PBs and PBm was 12.32%,11.53%,and 9.18%.

Conclusion

Autodetection of respiratory events consistently under-estimates the severity of residual events. Mean differences remained stable over 6 months. Caution is recommended when attributing non-apnea reasons for residual symptoms in patients with apparently low machine estimated AHI and PB.

Support

This study is supported by American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation, category-I award to RJT

Simultaneous Spectrophotometric Kinetic Determination of Four Flavor Enhancers in Foods with the Aid of Chemometrics

A sensitive kinetic spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of four flavor enhancers—maltol, ethyl maltol, vanillin, and ethyl vanillin—in food samples. The method was based on the reduction of iron(III) by the four analytes in a sulfuric acid medium (0.012 mol/L), and the subsequent interaction of iron(II) with hexacyanoferrate(III) to form the strongly colored Prussian blue complex, which exhibited an absorption maximum at 800 nm. The optimized method had linear calibrations over the concentration ranges of 0.2–2.8 mg/L for maltol, ethyl maltol, and vanillin, as well as 0.2–1.8 mg/L for ethyl vanillin; the corresponding detection limits were 0.07, 0.07, 0.06, and 0.06 mg/L, respectively. Calibration models were constructed from the original and frst-derivative spectral data with the use of partial least-squares (PLS) and principal component regression chemometrics methods. Ultimately, the proposed analytical procedure was successively applied for the determination of the four compounds in commercial food samples with the use of a PLS calibration based on the frst-derivative spectral data. The results were comparable with those from a reference HPLC method.

[Trend in proportion and clinicopathological characteristics of young women with stage Ⅰa2 to Ⅱa2 cervical cancer]

Objective: To analyze the 13 years trend in proportion, risks factors and clinicopathological characteristics of young women with stage Ⅰa2 to Ⅱa2 cervical cancer by using multi-center data of cervical cancer in China. Methods: The clinicopathological data of 46 313 patients with cervical cancer treated from 37 hospitals in China were obtained from January 2004 to December 2016. Using clinical and pathologic data, each patient's stage was reclassified by the 2018 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system. A total of 19 041 patients were selected according to the following criteria: FIGO stage Ⅰa2 to Ⅱa2, underwent type B or C radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. All the patients were divided into two groups: the study group of 1 888 patients aged 35 years or younger and the control group of 17 153 patients aged over 35 years. The 13 years trend in proportion of young women with stage Ⅰa2 to Ⅱa2 cervical cancer, risks factors and clinicopathological characteristics of two groups were retrospectively analyzed. Results: (1) The total number of hospitalized patients with stage Ⅰa2 to Ⅱa2 cervical cancer increased annually. However, a downward trend of patients aged 35 years or younger was observed (P<0.01) . The constituent ratio of patients aged 35 years or younger was significantly greater during 2004-2010 than that during 2011-2016 [12.6% (820/6 484) and 8.5% (1 068/12 557) , respectively; χ(2)=82.101, P<0.01]. (2) Compared with patients aged over 35 years, patients aged 35 years or younger had an earlier age at menarche, a later age at marriage, lesser gravida and parity (all P<0.01). The positive rate of high-risk HPV infection was not statistically different between two groups (all P>0.05). (3) The proportions of stage Ⅰ, exophytic type and non-squamous histological type in patients aged 35 years or younger were clearly higher than those in patients aged over 35 years (83.4% vs 68.5%, P<0.01; 63.2% vs 56.2%, P<0.01; 13.9% vs 12.0%, P<0.05, respectively). Whereas the poor differentiation ratios of the two groups had no statistical significance (P>0.05). (4) As for the postoperative pathological risk factors, the rate of surgical margin involvement in patients aged 35 years or younger was lower than that aged over 35 years (1.1% vs 1.8%, P<0.05), and the rate of depth of stromal invasion >1/2 in patients aged 35 years or younger was lower than that in patients aged over 35 years (40.1% vs 50.9%, P<0.01). In addition, there were no significant difference in parametrial margin involvement, tumor size and lymph vascular space invasion between two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The trend in proportion among hospitalized patients for stage Ⅰa2 to Ⅱa2 cervical cancer in young women is decreasing yearly. Compared with cervical cancer in middle-aged and elderly women, cervical cancer in young women have an earlier age at menarche, a higher proportion of stage Ⅰ patients and non-squamous histological type. In terms of the postoperative pathological risk factors, the rate of surgical margin involvement and depth of stromal invasion >1/2 in young women with cervical cancer are lower than in middle-aged and elderly women.

Rapid, one-pot, protein-mediated green synthesis of water-soluble fluorescent nickel nanoclusters for sensitive and selective detection of tartrazine

In the work, water-soluble bovine serum albumin-protected fluorescent nickel nanoclusters (BSA-NiNCs) are used as fluorescent probes to construct a label-free fluorescence quenching sensor for sensitive and selective detection of tartrazine. The fluorescent BSA-NiNCs are synthesized in one pot using BSA as both the template and reducing agent, and hydrogen peroxide as the additive. The as-prepared NiNCs are characterized by using various analytical techniques like transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The synthesized BSA-NiNCs have a quantum yield of ca. 8% by using quinine sulfate as a standard. The sensor for tartrazine detection shows a wide linear range of 0.01-3.5 μM, with a low detection limit of 4 nM. The fluorescence quenching very likely results from the combination of the intermolecular interactions and the secondary inner filter effect between BSA-NiNCs and tartrazine. Then, the proposed sensor is successfully employed for tartrazine detection in drink samples, and the results are comparable with those based on a reference HPLC method.

Photoswitchable chevron topographies of glassy nematic coatings

We report a strategy to create photoswitchable chevron topographies via buckling of glassy nematic coatings with zigzag director alignments on soft elastic substrates. The idea is confirmed by numerical simulations where the nonlinear deformation of the coating is modeled by the Föppl-von Kármán plate theory. It is remarkable that the inclination angle of the chevron pattern may deviate significantly from the director orientation and depends on the period of director alignment. Our quantitative analysis shows that the phenomena are caused by in-plane shear stress which alters the direction of maximum principal stress in the coating and decreases monotonically with decreasing period of the director distribution.

The clinical significance of perineural invasion in patients with de novo metastatic prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

The clinical value of perineural invasion (PNI) in patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa) is widely explored. However, its role in metastatic PCa (mPCa) remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES

We aim to investigate the clinical significance of PNI in patients with mPCa.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data of 515 mPCa patients between 2012 and 2018 were retrospectively studied. PNI and its intensity were identified by prostate biopsy. The prognostic value of PNI was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional-hazards model.

RESULTS

Perineural invasion was detected in 170/515 (33.0%) cases. Among them 73/170 (42.9%) and 97/170 (57.1%) harbored unifocal PNI (uni-PNI) and multifocal PNI (multi-PNI), respectively. Compared to patients without PNI, those with PNI had statistically shorter castration-resistant PCa-free survival (CFS) and numerically shorter overall survival (OS) (mCFS: 15.4- vs. 18.5-Mo, p = 0.015; mOS: 63.8- vs. 71.4-Mo, p = 0.108). Patients harboring multi-PNI were associated with poorer clinical outcomes than those with uni-PNI (mCFS: 12.4- vs. 18.0-Mo, p = 0.040; mOS: 39.7-Mo vs. NR, p = 0.018) or those without PNI (mCFS: 12.4- vs. 18.5-Mo, p = 0.002; mOS: 39.7- vs. 71.4-Mo, p = 0.002). Totally, neither uni-PNI nor multi-PNI was an independent risk factor impacting survival outcomes in multivariate analyses. While remarkably, for patients with favorable/intermediate-risk mPCa, multi-PNI was an independent adverse prognosticator for both CFS and OS (CFS: HR: 1.705, 95% CI: 1.029-2.825, p = 0.038; OS: HR: 3.294, 95% CI: 1.464-7.413, p = 0.004).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This study filled the blank of the clinical significance of PNI in mPCa. We found that multi-PNI could distinguish men with relatively poor prognosis from patients initially regarded as with favorable survival outcomes by other prognosticators, and thus, avoid disease underestimation in this group of patients. Our finding would help physicians have a deeper understanding of the heterogeneity of mPCa and make better individualized therapeutic strategy.

Next Generation Sequencing Identified a Novel Multi Exon Deletion of the NF1 Gene in a Chinese Pedigree with Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disease involving neurocutaneous abnormalities. Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the neurofibromas and café-au-lait spots. Mutation in the NF 1 gene causes NF1. The NF 1 gene encodes neurofibromin. In this study, we found a 31-year-old Chinese boy with NF1. He presented only with café-au-lait spots over the whole body. The proband's mother had a severe phenotype with neurofibroma and café-au-lait macules over her whole body, mostly in the facial region. A novel multi exon deletion c.(4661+1_4662-1)_(5748+1_5749-1)del; [EX36_39DEL] on the NF 1 gene has been identified in the proband. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) confirmed that this mutation is co-segregated well and was inherited from the proband's mother. The mutation was absent in the proband's father and normal individuals. The novel multi exon deletion results in the formation of a truncated NF1 protein that caused the NF1 phenotype in this family. Our present study also emphasized the significance of rapid, accurate and cost-effective screening for the patient with NF1 by next generation sequencing (NGS).

Effects of chronic dexamethasone exposure on bile acid metabolism and cecal epithelia function in goats

Bile acids (BAs) are synthesized in the liver via the oxidation of cholesterol and further metabolized by microbiota in the gut, where they simultaneously impact gut function. In the present study, 10 goats were randomly divided into 2 groups; 1 group was injected with dexamethasone (Dex; 0.2 mg/kg), and the other group was injected with saline as the control (Con) for 21 d. Expression levels of key genes and proteins in the liver and gut mucosa were analyzed and compared to investigate the impact of chronic stress on BA metabolism and related functions in ruminants. The results revealed that Dex decreased plasma total BAs (TBAs) concentration (P < 0.05) but increased TBA concentration in the cecal digesta (P < 0.05). Total cholesterol in the liver decreased moderately in response to Dex. The protein expression of cytochrome P450 family 7 subfamily A member 1 and cytochrome P450 family 27 subfamily A member 1, 2 enzymes that control BA synthesis in the liver, remained unchanged by Dex administration (P > 0.05). The expression of several genes in the cecal mucosa encoding epithelial tight junction proteins, including occludin (P < 0.05), tight junction protein 1 (P < 0.01), and claudin 1 (P < 0.05), increased significantly in response to Dex, and expression of defensin beta 1, which can strengthen the innate immune system, was also upregulated (P < 0.05). In addition, BAs increased the expression of the Solute Carrier family 9 member A 2 (P < 0.01) that encodes a sodium hydrogen exchanger. These results suggest that the Dex-induced disruption of BA homeostasis might be mediated through a liver-independent pathway in goats, and the Dex-induced accumulation of TBAs in the cecal digesta may improve volatile fatty acid transportation and mucosal defense.