[17-year study on the curative effect of treatment to prevent the recurrence of hepatitis B in different risk groups after liver transplantation]

Objective: To observe the recurrence condition of hepatitis B in different risk groups after liver transplantation in an attempt to provide useful information on whether to discontinue hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) in the future at an early stage. Methods: The patient population was divided into high, low-risk, and special groups [especially primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)] according to the guidelines for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation. The recurrence condition and risk factors in this population were observed for hepatitis B. Measurement data were analyzed using a t-test and a rank-sum test. Count data were compared using a χ(2) test between groups. Results: This study finally included 532 hepatitis B-related liver transplant cases. A total of 35 cases had HBV recurrence after liver transplantation, including 34 cases that were HBsAg positive, one case that was HBsAg negative, and 10 cases that were hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA positive. The overall HBV recurrence rate was 6.6%. The recurrence rate of HBV was 9.2% and 4.8% in the high- and low-risk HBV DNA positive and negative groups before surgery (P = 0.057). Among the 293 cases diagnosed with HCC before liver transplantation, 30 had hepatitis B recurrence after surgery, with a recurrence rate of 10.2%. The independent related factors for the recurrence of hepatitis B in patients with HCC after liver transplantation were HCC recurrence (HR =181.92, 95%CI 15.99~2 069.96, P < 0.001), a high postoperative dose of mycophenolate mofetil dispersible tablets (MMF) ( HR =5.190, 95%CI 1.289~20.889, P = 0.020), and a high dosage of HBIG (HR = 1.012, 95%CI 1.001~1.023, P = 0.035). Among the 239 cases who were non-HCC before liver transplantation, five cases (recurrence rate of 2.1%) arouse postoperative hepatitis B recurrence. Lamivudine was used in all cases, combined with on-demand HBIG prophylaxis after surgery. There was no hepatitis B recurrence in non-HCC patients who treated with entecavir combined with HBIG after surgery. Conclusion: High-barrier-to-resistance nucleotide analogues combined with long-term HBIG have a good effect on preventing the recurrence of hepatitis B after liver transplantation. The discontinuation of HBIG may be considered at an early stage after administration of a high-barrier-to-resistance nucleotide analogue in low-risk patients. Domestically, the HBV infection rate is high, so further research is still required to explore the timing of HBIG discontinuation for high-risk patients, especially those with HCC.

[Study on transcriptome characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in children by RNA sequencing]

To explore the biological characteristics related to the pathogenesis and severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis by RNA sequencing of white blood cells in children with RSV bronchiolitis. This study is a case-control study. A total of 87 children diagnosed with bronchiolitis and RSV antigen positive and/or RSV nucleic acid positive in the pediatric respiratory department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from October 2019 to April 2022 were selected as the case group. The case group was divided into three groups based on the condition: mild, moderate, and severe, and there were two groups according to the presence or absence of atopic symptoms: the atopic group and the non-atopic group, forty healthy children in the same period were selected as the control group. The whole blood leukocyte RNA of the children in the case group and the control group was extracted for RNA sequencing, and the data were analyzed to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, the immunobiological pathways and genes related to the pathogenesis, disease condition, and atopy were screened through Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) annotation, and protein interaction network (PPI) construction methods. Construct the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) module to identify potential biological indicators related to disease severity.Compared with the control group, the case group had a total of 1 782 DEGs, including 1 586 upregulated genes and 196 downregulated genes. The GO pathway enrichment of DEGs is mainly enriched in molecular functions such as peroxidase activity and oxidoreductase activity. In the cytological components, it is mainly enriched in cytoplasmic vesicle lumen and secretory granule lumen. In biological processes, it is mainly enriched in processes such as neutrophil activation involved in immune responses, neutrophil degranulation, and neutrophil activation. KEGG analysis is mainly concentrated in the signal pathway of the viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor. A PPI network was constructed to screen four genes at the core position, including CCL2, IL-10, MMP9 and JUN. The DEGs obtained by comparing different disease groups with the control group are mainly enriched in retrograde endocannabinoid signaling and cell apoptosis pathways. WGCNA analysis showed that the brown module related to oxygen saturation was most closely related to the disease, and its gene was mainly enriched in the RNA helicase retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) like receptor signal pathway. There are 230 specific DEGs in the atopic group and 444 in the non-atopic group. KEGG enrichment analysis results show that both groups are enriched to NF-κB signaling pathway, the characteristic does not cause significant changes in immune response and transcriptome characteristics in children with RSV bronchiolitis. In conclusion, neutrophil activation, degranulation pathway and signal pathway of interaction between viral protein and cytokine and cytokine receptor are involved in the immune response of RSV bronchiolitis host. CCL2, IL-10, MMP9 and JUN genes may be associated with the pathogenesis. They might be potential biomarkers related to disease severity in RIG-I like receptors, cell apoptosis, and endogenous cannabinoid related signaling pathways.

The lncRNA MEG3/miRNA-21/P38MAPK axis inhibits coxsackievirus 3 replication in acute viral myocarditis

Evidence is emerging on the roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as regulatory factors in a variety of viral infection processes, but the mechanisms underlying their functions in coxsackievirus group B type3 (CVB3)-induced acute viral myocarditis have not been explicitly delineated. We previously demonstrated that CVB3 infection decreases miRNA-21 expression; however, lncRNAs that regulate the miRNA-21-dependent CVB3 disease process have yet to be identified. To evaluate lncRNAs upstream of miRNA-21, differentially expressed lncRNAs in CVB3-infected mouse hearts were identified by microarray analysis and lncRNA/miRNA-21 interactions were predicted bioinformatically. MEG3 was identified as a candidate miRNA-21-interacting lncRNA upregulated in CVB3-infected mouse hearts. MEG3 expression was verified to be upregulated in HeLa cells 48 h post CVB3 infection and to act as a competitive endogenous RNA of miRNA-21. MEG3 knockdown resulted in the upregulation of miRNA-21, which inhibited CVB3 replication by attenuating P38-MAPK signaling in vitro and in vivo. Knockdown of MEG3 expression before CVB3 infection inhibited viral replication in mouse hearts and alleviated cardiac injury, which improved survival. Furthermore, the knockdown of CREB5, which was predicted bioinformatically to function upstream of MEG3, was demonstrated to decrease MEG3 expression and CVB3 viral replication. This study identifies the function of the lncRNA MEG3/miRNA-21/P38 MAPK axis in the process of CVB3 replication, for which CREB5 could serve as an upstream modulator.

Beyond Residence: A Mobility-based Approach for Improved Evaluation of Human Exposure to Environmental Hazards

Standard environmental hazard exposure assessment methods have been primarily based on residential places, neglecting individuals' hazard exposures due to activities outside home neighborhood and underestimating peoples' overall hazard exposures. To address this limitation, this study proposes a novel mobility-based index for the hazard exposure evaluation. Using large-scale human mobility data, we quantify the extent of population dwell time in high environmental hazard places in 239 US counties for three environmental hazards. We explore how human mobility extends the reach of environmental hazards and leads to the emergence of latent exposure for populations living outside high-hazard areas. Notably, neglect of mobility can lead to over 10% underestimation of hazard exposures. The interplay of spatial clustering in high-hazard regions and human movement trends creates "environmental hazard traps." Poor and ethnic minority residents disproportionately face multiple types of environmental hazards. This data-driven evidence supports the severity of these injustices. We also studied latent exposure arising from visits outside residents' home areas, revealing millions of the population having 5 to 10% of daily activities occur in high-exposure zones. Despite living in perceived safe areas, human mobility could expose millions of residents to different hazards. These findings provide crucial insights for targeted policies to mitigate these severe environmental injustices.

[Diagnosis and treatment of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: a series of 7 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis, prognosis of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis (MMTVT). Methods: The clinicopathological data of 7 patients with MMTVT who treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2010 and October 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were first diagnosed at (M (IQR)) 49 (23) years old (range: 27 to 64 years old). The main clinical manifestations were scrotal enlargement (7 cases) and hydrocele (2 cases). Results: Three patients underwent radical orchiectomy as initial treatment, 2 cases underwent hydrocelectomy due to diagnosis of hydrocele, followed by radical orchiectomy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and 2 cases underwent transscrotal orchiectomy. Common tumor markers of testicular cancer were not significantly elevated in MMTVT. The expression of tumor PD-L1 was positive in 2 out of the 3 cases. One patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and 2 patients received first-line chemotherapy after tumor recurrence. Chemotherapy regimens used include cisplatin+pemetrexed. Up to October 2022, 3 cases relapsed, of which 2 cases died. The median overall survival was 35 months (range: 4 to 87 months) and the median progression-free survival was 6 months (range: 2 to 87 months). Conclusions: MMTVT at early stage should be treated with early radical orchiectomy and followed up closely after surgery. The cisplatin+pemetrexed regimen is a common option for the treatment of metastatic MMTVT, while whether immune checkpoint inhibitors could serve as a second-line treatment option deserves further research.

Action recognition for sports combined training based on wearable sensor technology and SVM prediction

In the field of sports, coaches have mainly relied on observing the performance of athletes on the spot to formulate suitable training plans for athletes, which has extremely high requirements for the professionalism of coaches. Based on the above requirements, this paper designs a sports action recognition system for sports enthusiasts based on the SVM algorithm optimization model, and for the purpose of verifying the applicability of the system to different sports fields, experiments are carried out on basketball actions and race walking actions. The system uses wearable sensors to capture the motion data of the user, and then analyzes and identifies the user's actions through the SVM algorithm optimization model. By standardizing the user's sports combination training under the system algorithm, the user can improve their training efficiency and reduce the risk of injury. To establish the human body motion model, this paper divides the human skeleton model into five motion branches. The rotation freedom constraints and joint rotation angle range limits are added to the model to ensure the accuracy of the motion analysis. Combining the forward kinematics of the robot and the homogeneous coordinate transformation, the human body joint rotation motion model and the human bone position and posture model are established. In the end, the user can standardize the sports combination training under the system algorithm. In this paper, through the research of wearable sensor technology and sports combined training action recognition, and apply it to practical life, it aims to promote its development and application.

[How do young surgeons understand and grasp the new concepts, new techniques, and recent progress of hernia and abdominal wall surgery?]

With the development of modern surgery, the field of hernia and abdominal wall surgery is undergoing a transformative change, and new techniques, new concepts, and recent progress are being updated, which have motivated the high-quality development of the discipline. In the past two decades, the development of hernia and abdominal wall surgery in China has been recognized by international peers. Many young surgeons have gradually become the main force in the treatment of hernia and leaders in surgical technique. The innovation and development of discipline will never terminate; young surgeons as the main force should seriously think about how to improve their professional qualities. Young surgeons are interested in the innovation of surgical techniques and need to push for a traditional operation on the one hand and an innovative operation on the other. Updates to concepts and acquisition of new materials are more important, which can provide a solid foundation for technological innovation. Young surgeons should start with the basics and classics. Understanding the history and development of new techniques, new concepts and recent progress, and grasping indications of clinical application, is the important part of growing up for young surgeons, which can make surgical treatment more standardized, benefit patients, and promote the progress of Chinese specialized medical education.

Potent NKT cell ligands overcome SARS-CoV-2 immune evasion to mitigate viral pathogenesis in mouse models

One of the major pathogenesis mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 is its potent suppression of innate immunity, including blocking the production of type I interferons. However, it is unknown whether and how the virus interacts with different innate-like T cells, including NKT, MAIT and γδ T cells. Here we reported that upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, invariant NKT (iNKT) cells rapidly trafficked to infected lung tissues from the periphery. We discovered that the envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2 efficiently down-regulated the cell surface expression of the antigen-presenting molecule, CD1d, to suppress the function of iNKT cells. E protein is a small membrane protein and a viroporin that plays important roles in virion packaging and envelopment during viral morphogenesis. We showed that the transmembrane domain of E protein was responsible for suppressing CD1d expression by specifically reducing the level of mature, post-ER forms of CD1d, suggesting that it suppressed the trafficking of CD1d proteins and led to their degradation. Point mutations demonstrated that the putative ion channel function was required for suppression of CD1d expression and inhibition of the ion channel function using small chemicals rescued the CD1d expression. Importantly, we discovered that among seven human coronaviruses, only E proteins from highly pathogenic coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS suppressed CD1d expression, whereas the E proteins of human common cold coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU1, did not. These results suggested that E protein-mediated evasion of NKT cell function was likely an important pathogenesis factor, enhancing the virulence of these highly pathogenic coronaviruses. Remarkably, activation of iNKT cells with their glycolipid ligands, both prophylactically and therapeutically, overcame the putative viral immune evasion, significantly mitigated viral pathogenesis and improved host survival in mice. Our results suggested a novel NKT cell-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic approach.

[The versions of Shiguzhai Hui Ju Jian Bian Dan Fang by Wu Mianxue]

Shiguzhai Hui Ju Jian Bian Dan Fang, was the only medical book for prescription and formula collected and compiled by Wu Mianxue in the period of the Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620). It had seven volumes in total with six of them popular at that time. The volumes contained 1,460 folk formula and clinical prescriptions which were divided into 111 categories based on their corresponding symptoms of diseases. The set was issued in the beginning of the 17^th century, with only three subsets of the volumes left in China today. The three remained versions were the subset of volumes 4-5 left in the Ming Dynasty in the Medical College of Tianjin, the subset of volumes 1-2 and 6-7, with preface, left in the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty (1660) in the Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine and the subset of volumes 4 and 6-7 from time unknown. Additionally, three unabridged versions were found in the Cabinet Library of the National Archives of Japan. They were the Ming version with preface of the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty and a hand-copied version left in the Edo period. It was found that the preface in the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty in both of these versions in China as well as the version in Japan, were counterfeit. The main texts in these versions were edited according to the Ming version. The hand-copied version in Japan was transcribed by Kasahara Eisan and edited by Tanba Motoken according to the Ming version in the late Edo Period.

Engineered coxsackievirus B3 containing multiple organ-specific miRNA targets showed attenuated viral tropism and protective immunity

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) can cause viral myocarditis, pancreatitis, and aseptic meningitis. This study aimed to construct an engineered CVB3 harboring three different tissue-specific miRNA targets (CVB3-miR3*T) to decrease the virulence of CVB3 in muscles, pancreas, and brain. CVB3-miR3*T and CVB3-miR-CON (containing three sequences not found in the human genome) were engineered and replicated in HELA cells. A viral plaque assay was used to determine the titers in HELA cells and TE671 cells (high miRNA-206 expression), MIN-6 cells (high miRNA-29a-3p expression), and mouse astrocytes (high miRNA-124-3p expression). We found that engineered CVB3 showed attenuated replication and reduced cytotoxicity, the variability of each type of cell was also increased in the CVB3-miR3*T group. Male BALB/c mice were infected to determine the LD50 and examine heart, pancreas, and brain titers and injury. Viral replication of the engineered viruses was restricted in infected mouse heart, pancreas, and brain, and viral plaques were about 100 fold lower compared with the control group. Mice immunized using CVB3-miR3*T, UV-inactivated CVB3-WT, and CVB3-miR-CON were infected with 100 × LD50 of CVB3-WT to determine neutralization. CVB3-miRT*3-preimmunized mice exhibited complete protection and remained alive after lethal virus infection, while only 5/15 were alive in the UV-inactivated mice, and all 15 mice were dead in the PBS-immunized group. The results demonstrate that miR-206-, miRNA-29a-3p-, and miRNA-124-3p-mediated CVB3 detargeting from the pancreas, heart, and brain might be a highly effective strategy for viral vaccine development.

Social media mining under the COVID-19 context: Progress, challenges, and opportunities

Social media platforms allow users worldwide to create and share information, forging vast sensing networks that allow information on certain topics to be collected, stored, mined, and analyzed in a rapid manner. During the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive social media mining efforts have been undertaken to tackle COVID-19 challenges from various perspectives. This review summarizes the progress of social media data mining studies in the COVID-19 contexts and categorizes them into six major domains, including early warning and detection, human mobility monitoring, communication and information conveying, public attitudes and emotions, infodemic and misinformation, and hatred and violence. We further document essential features of publicly available COVID-19 related social media data archives that will benefit research communities in conducting replicable and reproducible studies. In addition, we discuss seven challenges in social media analytics associated with their potential impacts on derived COVID-19 findings, followed by our visions for the possible paths forward in regard to social media-based COVID-19 investigations. This review serves as a valuable reference that recaps social media mining efforts in COVID-19 related studies and provides future directions along which the information harnessed from social media can be used to address public health emergencies.

Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice

Invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are unconventional T cells that respond to glycolipid antigens found in microbes in a CD1d-dependent manner. iNKT cells exert innate-like functions and produce copious amounts of cytokines, chemokines and cytotoxic molecules within only minutes of activation. As such, iNKT cells can fuel or dampen inflammation in a context-dependent manner. In addition, iNKT cells provide potent immunity against bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Although microbiota-iNKT cell interactions are not well-characterized, mounting evidence suggests that microbiota colonization early in life impacts iNKT cell homeostasis and functions in disease. In this study, we showed that CD1d^-/- and Vα14 Tg mice, which lack and have increased numbers of iNKT cells, respectively, had no significant alterations in gut microbiota composition compared to their littermate controls. Furthermore, specific iNKT cell activation by glycolipid antigens only resulted in a transient and minimal shift in microbiota composition when compared to the natural drift found in our colony. Our findings demonstrate that iNKT cells have little to no influence in regulating commensal bacteria at steady state.Abbreviations: iNKT: invariant Natural Killer T cell; αGC: α-galactosylceramide.

The fine-scale associations between socioeconomic status, density, functionality, and spread of COVID-19 within a high-density city

Background

Motivated by the need for precise epidemic control and epidemic-resilient urban design, this study aims to reveal the joint and interactive associations between urban socioeconomic, density, connectivity, and functionality characteristics and the COVID-19 spread within a high-density city. Many studies have been made on the associations between urban characteristics and the COVID-19 spread, but there is a scarcity of such studies in the intra-city scale and as regards complex joint and interactive associations by using advanced machine learning approaches.

Methods

Differential-evolution-based association rule mining was used to investigate the joint and interactive associations between the urban characteristics and the spatiotemporal distribution of COVID-19 confirmed cases, at the neighborhood scale in Hong Kong. The associations were comparatively studied for the distribution of the cases in four waves of COVID-19 transmission: before Jun 2020 (wave 1 and 2), Jul–Oct 2020 (wave 3), and Nov 2020–Feb 2021 (wave 4), and for local and imported confirmed cases.

Results

The first two waves of COVID-19 were found mainly characterized by higher-socioeconomic-status (SES) imported cases. The third-wave outbreak concentrated in densely populated and usually lower-SES neighborhoods, showing a high risk of within-neighborhood virus transmissions jointly contributed by high density and unfavorable SES. Starting with a super-spread which considerably involved high-SES population, the fourth-wave outbreak showed a stronger link to cross-neighborhood transmissions driven by urban functionality. Then the outbreak diffused to lower-SES neighborhoods and interactively aggravated the within-neighborhood pandemic transmissions. Association was also found between a higher SES and a slightly longer waiting period (i.e., the period from symptom onset to diagnosis of symptomatic cases), which further indicated the potential contribution of higher-SES population to the pandemic transmission.

Conclusions

The results of this study may provide references to developing precise anti-pandemic measures for specific neighborhoods and virus transmission routes. The study also highlights the essentiality of reliving co-locating overcrowdedness and unfavorable SES for developing epidemic-resilient compact cities, and the higher obligation of higher-SES population to conform anti-pandemic policies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-022-07274-w.

A CFD study on the performance of CO2 methanation in a water-permeable membrane reactor system

A water-permeable membrane reactor is proposed to promote CO2 methanation with in situ removal of H2O. A two-dimensional CFD simulation model is built up and the effects of GHSV, H2O permeance and CO2/H2 permeation selectivity are investigated.

Cost-Sensitive Siamese Network for PCB Defect Classification

After the production of printed circuit boards (PCB), PCB manufacturers need to remove defected boards by conducting rigorous testing, while manual inspection is time-consuming and laborious. Many PCB factories employ automatic optical inspection (AOI), but this pixel-based comparison method has a high false alarm rate, thus requiring intensive human inspection to determine whether alarms raised from it resemble true or pseudo defects. In this paper, we propose a new cost-sensitive deep learning model: cost-sensitive siamese network (CSS-Net) based on siamese network, transfer learning and threshold moving methods to distinguish between true and pseudo PCB defects as a cost-sensitive classification problem. We use optimization algorithms such as NSGA-II to determine the optimal cost-sensitive threshold. Results show that our model improves true defects prediction accuracy to 97.60%, and it maintains relatively high pseudo defect prediction accuracy, 61.24% in real-production scenario. Furthermore, our model also outperforms its state-of-the-art competitor models in other comprehensive cost-sensitive metrics, with an average of 33.32% shorter training time.

[Baseline characteristics of the participants of China National Birth Cohort]

Objective: To explore the effects of environmental, genetic factors as well as the interactions in early life on the short-term and long-term health of offspring and to systematically evaluate the pregnancy outcomes and health of offspring after birth between families with assisted reproductive technology (ART) conception and families with spontaneous conception. Methods: The China National Birth Cohort (CNBC), a multicenter prospective birth cohort study, includes both families with ART conception and families with spontaneous conception. Since 2016, CNBC has recruited families from 24 hospitals located in 12 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions throughout China. Information and biospecimens were collected before ART treatment, embryo transfer, at early, second, third trimester and delivery, and at 42 days, 6, 12 and 36 months after birth. Results: By June 2020, CNBC had included 27 044 families with ART conception and 29 589 families with spontaneous conception. The majority of the participants are urban residents. Among the families with ART conception, 65.5% of the men and 63.7% of the women had college degrees or higher. The mean age distribution of men and women was (33.83±5.52) and (32.38±4.67) years. 83.2% of women were primiparas, and the prevalence rates of current regular smokers and current alcohol drinkers were 0.8% and 2.1% in women. Among the families with spontaneous conception, 81.5% of the men and 86.5% of the women had college degrees or higher. The mean age distribution of men and women was (32.06±5.09) and (30.40±4.27) years. 67.2% of women were primiparas, and the prevalence rates of current regular smokers and current alcohol drinkers were 0.1% and 2.2% in women. The baseline characteristics were different between the families with ART conception and spontaneous conception in different regions. Conclusion: CNBC provides a powerful and rich resource in studying the impact of genetic, environmental factors and interactions in early life and ART treatment on the health of offspring after birth.

[Profile of China National Birth Cohort]

With the rapid changes in lifestyle, natural and social environment, the reproductive health status of couples in childbearing age continues to decline, and long-term outcomes of the rapidly increasing offspring conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART) needs to be evaluated urgently. Therefore, the focus of research now needs to be extended from death and severe diseases to full life cycle and full disease spectrum. In order to meet the demand for such research, we launched the China National Birth Cohort (CNBC) study, an ongoing prospective and longitudinal study aiming to recruit 30 000 families underwent ART and 30 000 families with spontaneous pregnancies. Long-term follow-up programs will be conducted for both spouses and their offspring. Data of couples and their offspring, such as environmental exposure, reproductive history, psychological and behavioral status, will be collected during follow-up. Peripheral blood, urine, umbilical blood, follicular fluid, semen were also collected at different follow-up nodes. Based on high-quality data and biological samples, CNBC will play an extremely important supporting role and have a far-reaching impact on maternal and children's health care and reproductive health in China. This paper is exactly a brief introduction to the construction and basic design of CNBC.

[A comparative study on the construction methods of animal models of aortic arch dissection]

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of different methods to construct animal models of aortic arch dissection (AAD), and explore safe and effective methods for constructing AAD animal models. Methods: Twenty-four healthy mongrel dogs were divided into 4 groups by random number table (n=6). Group A: Venous incision needle high pressure water flow impact method; Group B: Venous incision needle non-high pressure water flow impact method; Group C: Transarterial sheath non-high pressure water flow impact method; Group D: Two-way balloon expansion combined with elastase perfusion method. Imaging examinations were performed immediately and 7 days after operation, aortic tissue biopsy and pathological staining were performed 15 days after operation to observe the formation of AAD. The operation time, aortic blood flow block time, model construction success rate, dissection tear length, postoperative survival rate and survival time of four groups of experimental dogs were collected to compare the effectiveness and safety of different construction methods. Results: There were no significant difference of the gender, age and weight between four groups of experimental dogs (all P>0.05). The operation time of four groups of experimental dogs were (111.6±8.0), (168.0±17.4), (164.4±13.9), (202.8±21.5)min, and the difference was statistically significant (F=39.973, P<0.001). The operation time of group A was significantly lower than group B, C and D (all P<0.001). The aortic blood flow block time of four groups of experimental dogs were (5.2±1.8), (19.6±3.8), (20.6±3.9), and (18.6±3.0) min, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.001). The aortic blood flow block time of group A was significantly lower than group B, C and D (F=27.598, P<0.001). The four groups of experimental dogs had 5, 5, 4, and 1 model were successfully constructed, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.008). The successful rate of model construction in group A was significantly higher than that in group D (P=0.040). The dissection tear length of four groups were (14.4±3.0), (11.3±4.2), (7.0±2.3), (4.7±0.6) cm,and the difference was statistically significant (F=8.103, P=0.003). The dissection tear length of group A was significantly longer than group C, D (all P<0.05). The postoperative survival time were 15.0(10.0, 15.0), 5.0(3.0, 10.0), 3.5(1.5, 4.8), 10.0(2.8, 15.0) days, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=7.825,P=0.036). The postoperative survival time of group A was significantly higher than group B, C (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the survival rate of the four groups (P=1.000). The pathological staining results showed that the elastic fiber at the tearing point of AAD was destroyed, and the elastic fiber on the outer wall of the false cavity was over-stretched, which was consistent with the pathological changes of aortic dissection. Conclusion: Transvenous incision needle high-pressure water flow impact modeling method is easy to operate. The aortic blood flow block time is short, the dissection tear length is wide, and the postoperative survival time is long, can be used as the preferred method of animal AAD model construction.

[Use of sofosbuvir-based regimens in the treatment of adolescents and children with chronic hepatitis C]

Sofosbuvir has ushered in a new era of hepatitis C treatment with its strong inhibition on the replication of hepatitis C virus, favorable safety profile and less interactions with other drugs. Sofosbuvir-based regimens have been included as the first-line therapies for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in international guidelines. Available clinical trial data show that sofosbuvir with ribavirin and ledipasvir/sofosbuvir are highly efficacious and safe in CHC patients aged 3-17 years old; therefore, they can meet the unmet medical needs of adolescents and children with CHC in China. Furthermore, the pan-genotypic sofosbuvir/velpatasvir is being investigated in adolescents and children with CHC, which is expected to make the treatment in such patients more convenient upon approval.

Overview of high intensity ion source development in the past 20 years at IMP

Ion source development over the last 20 years at the IMP is reviewed. For versatile purposes, several types of ion sources have been involved in the research and development work at the IMP, i.e., the highly charged ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) ion source, intense microwave ion source or the 2.45 GHz intense beam ECR ion source, and laser ion source (LIS). In the development of ECR ion sources, SECRAL (Superconducting ECR ion source with Advanced design in Lanzhou), Lanzhou ECR ion source, and Lanzhou all permanent magnet ECR ion source series have been made, which can cover the operation microwave frequency range of 10-28 GHz. The LIS with an Nd:YAG laser with a maximum output energy of 8 J in 8 ns pulse duration has been developed for very intense short pulse ion beams from solid materials such as C, Ti, Ni, Ag, and so on. Microwave ion sources have been built to produce intense pulsed or direct current beams from several mA to 100 mA for either high intensity accelerators or applications. This paper will give an overview of the high intensity ion source development at the IMP, especially on the recent progress and new results, such as the status of the fourth generation ECR ion source (first fourth generation ECR ion source), the production of recorded highly charged ion beams with SECRAL sources, key technology research studies, and so on.

WHITE STRIPE LEAF8, encoding a deoxyribonucleoside kinase, is involved in chloroplast development in rice

WSL8 encoding a deoxyribonucleoside kinase (dNK) that catalyzes the first step in the salvage pathway of nucleotide synthesis plays an important role in early chloroplast development in rice. The chloroplast is an organelle that converts light energy into chemical energy; therefore, the normal differentiation and development of chloroplast are pivotal for plant survival. Deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dNKs) play an important role in the salvage pathway of nucleotides. However, the relationship between dNKs and chloroplast development remains elusive. Here, we identified a white stripe leaf 8 (wsl8) mutant that exhibited a white stripe leaf phenotype at seedling stage (before the four-leaf stage). The mutant showed a significantly lower chlorophyll content and defective chloroplast morphology, whereas higher reactive oxygen species than the wild type. As the leaf developed, the chlorotic mutant plants gradually turned green, accompanied by the restoration in chlorophyll accumulation and chloroplast ultrastructure. Map-based cloning revealed that WSL8 encodes a dNK on chromosome 5. Compared with the wild type, a C-to-G single base substitution occurred in the wsl8 mutant, which caused a missense mutation (Leu 349 Val) and significantly reduced dNK enzyme activity. A subcellular localization experiment showed the WSL8 protein was targeted in the chloroplast and its transcripts were expressed in various tissues, with more abundance in young leaves and nodes. Ribosome and RNA-sequencing analysis indicated that some components and genes related to ribosome biosynthesis were down-regulated in the mutant. An exogenous feeding experiment suggested that the WSL8 performed the enzymic activity of thymidine kinase, especially functioning in the salvage synthesis of thymidine monophosphate. Our results highlight that the salvage pathway mediated by the dNK is essential for early chloroplast development in rice.

[Non-surgical treatment of acute pancreatitis with colonic fistula]

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of non-operative of colonic fistula following acute pancreatitis. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 354 patients with acute pancreatitis who were admitted to Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2013 to December 2018. Age of the patients was (46±14) years (range: 14-85 years); 249 cases (70.3%) were males. There were 41 cases of acute edematous pancreatitis and 313 cases of acute necrotising pancreatitis. Two hundred and fifteen cases were diagnosed as moderate severe acute pancreatitis and 139 were diagnosed as severe acute pancreatitis. Among 313 cases of acute necrotising pancreatitis, 62 cases underwent non-surgical treatment, 251 cases underwent surgical treatment in which 218 of minimal access retroperitoneal pancreatic necrosectomy underwent percutaneous nephroliguectomy with peripancreatic necrotic tissue removal technique. Results: There were 15 cases of colon fistula following acute necrotising pancreatitis, and the incidence rate was 4.2%(15/354). There were 7 males and 8 females, with age of (39±8) years (range: 27 to 50 years). The median interval between acute pancreatitis onset and diagnosis of colonic fistula was 71 days(27-134) days. Two cases occurred at the hepatic flexure of the colon, 4 cases at transverse colon, and 9 cases at splenic flexure of colon. Of the 354 patients, 39 cases died and the mortality was 11.0%. Two patients underwent laparotomy, and one of them died. The remaining 13 patients underwent non-surgical treatment and were discharged. Conclusion: Acute pancreatitis with colonic fistula can be treated with non-surgical treatment and can achieve good prognosis.

[Expression of CD45 in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and the relationship with prognosis]

目的

观察CD45在初诊多发性骨髓瘤（MM）患者中的表达，探讨其与MM疗效和预后的关系。

方法

回顾性分析2010年1月至2017年1月河南省人民医院收治的130例初诊MM患者骨髓异常浆细胞中CD45的表达情况，对CD45⁺与CD45⁻患者的疗效和预后进行比较。

结果

①130例初诊MM患者中CD45⁺组33例（25.38%），CD45⁻组97例（74.62%）。②CD45⁺组和CD45⁻组的客观缓解率（ORR）分别为33.33%和64.95%，差异有统计学意义（P=0.002）；以硼替佐米为基础方案治疗的患者，CD45⁺组和CD45⁻组的ORR分别为35.71%和66.25%，差异有统计学意义（P=0.005）。③130例MM患者的中位无进展生存（PFS）时间为33.3（95%CI 6.0~69.0）个月，中位总生存（OS）时间为36.3（95%CI 6.0~78.0）个月，CD45⁺组与CD45⁻组的中位PFS时间分别为29.8（95%CI 10.0~59.0）个月和34.5（95%CI 6.0~69.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=14.59，P<0.001），中位OS时间分别为32.5（95%CI 10.0~68.0）个月和37.6（95%CI 6.0~78.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=11.42，P=0.001）；接受硼替佐米的患者中，CD45⁺组与CD45⁻组的中位PFS分别为30.3（95%CI 10.0~59.0）个月和36.3（95%CI 6.0~69.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=14.75，P=0.001）。中位OS时间分别为34.0（95%CI 10.0~68.0）个月和39.5（95%CI 6.0~78.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=10.62，P=0.001）。④Cox风险回归模型分析显示血肌酐≥176.8 µmol/L[HR=2.723（95%CI 1.744~6.723），P=0.001]、CD45阳性[HR=1.330（95%CI 1.067~1.804），P=0.008]，LDH ≥ 220 IU/L[HR=1.308（95%CI 1.160~2.417），P=0.015]是独立于其他临床指标的预后危险因素。

结论

CD45阳性是MM患者的预后不良因素。硼替佐米不能改善CD45⁺MM患者的不良预后。

The protective role of microRNA-21 against coxsackievirus B3 infection through targeting the MAP2K3/P38 MAPK signaling pathway

Background

The P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway plays an essential role in CVB3-induced diseases. We previously demonstrated microRNA-21 has potential inhibitory effect on the MAP2K3 which locates upstream of P38 MAPK and was upregulated in mouse hearts upon CVB3 infection. However, the effect and underlying mechanism of miRNA-21 on CVB3 infection remain unclear.

Methods

We detected continuous changes of cellular miRNA-21 and P38 MAPK proteins expression profiling post CVB3 infection in vitro within 12 h. P38 MAPK signaling was inhibited by the specific inhibitor, small interfering RNA and miRNA-21 mimic in vitro, CVB3 replication, cell apoptosis rate and proliferation were detected. Viral load in the mice heart, cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate and histological of the heart were also detected in the mice model of viral myocarditis pretreated with miRNA-21-lentivirus.

Results

We observed significant upregulation of miRNA-21 expression followed by suppression of the MAP2K3/P38 MAPK signaling in CVB3-infected Hela cells. The inactivation of the MAP2K3/P38 MAPK signaling by P38 MAPK specific inhibitor, small interfering RNA against MAP2K3, or miRNA-21 overexpression significantly inhibited viral progeny release from CVB3-infected cells. Mechanistically, when compared with control miRNA, miRNA-21 showed no effect on capsid protein VP1 expression and viral load within host cells, while significantly reversing CVB3-induced caspase-3 activation and cell apoptosis rate, further promoting proliferation of infected cells, which indicates the inhibitory effect of miRNA-21 on CVB3 progeny release. In the in vivo study, when compared with control miRNA, miRNA-21 pretreatment remarkably inactivated the MAP2K3/P38 MAPK signaling in mice and protected them against CVB3 infection as evidenced by significantly alleviated cell apoptosis rate, reduced viral titers, necrosis in the heart as well as by remarkably prolonged survival time.

Conclusions

miRNA-21 were reverse correlated with P38 MAPK activation post CVB3 infection, miRNA-21 overexpression significantly inhibited viral progeny release and decreased myocytes apoptosis rate in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that miRNA-21 may serve as a potential therapeutic agent against CVB3 infection through targeting the MAP2K3/P38 MAPK signaling.

[Clinical outcome of postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and predicting retroperitoneal histology in advanced nonseminomatous germ cell tumours of the testis]

Objective: To explore the clinical outcome of advanced testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer patients undergoing post chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND), and to analyze the relevant prognostic factors of lymph node pathological. Methods: A total of 43 consecutive testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer patients underwent PC-RPLND between March 2001 and December 2014 in Department of Urology at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were retrospectively reviewed. The average age of the patients was (29.0±11.5) years (ranging from 12 to 58 years). Before PC-RPLND, 22 patients were classified as phase Ⅱ, while 21 were phase Ⅲ. Primary tumor histology revealed seminomatous elements in 19 cases, embryonal cell carcinoma in 22 cases, yolk sac tumor in 13 cases, chorionic carcinoma in 3 cases, mature teratomatous elements in 11 and immature teratomatous elements in 2 cases. Patients were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy after orchectomy and then underwent surgical resection of retroperitoneal lymph nodes.After PC-RPLND, all patients underwent a periodic review including the blood routine, biochemistry routine and computed tomography or ultrasonograph of the chest, the abdomen and the pelvis. The association of pathological data with patient's clinic features and the correlations between molecular features detected with each other were assessed by the t test, χ(2) and Fisher's exact test. Multivariate logistic regression were used to assess prognostic factors. Results: The median operative time was 278 minutes (ranging from 50 to 715 minutes). Median blood loss was 425 ml (ranging from 50 to 5 000 ml). Eight patients received blood transfusion intra-operatively, 2 patients underwent adjunctive surgical procedures, 4 patients developed ileus and 4 had an ascites chylosus following PC-RPLND, 1 patient had a postoperative hyperthermia and retrograde ejaculation was present in 10 patients. The transverse diameter of the residual tumor in patients ranged from 0.8 to 18.2 cm. Necrosis, teratoma and viable germ cell tumors were found in 15, 17 and 11 of all patients. The median follow-up time was 46 months (ranging from 6 to 169 months). There were 39 patients had no tumor recurrence, 7 patients were found recurrence after PC-RPLND, 5 died of malignant germ cell tumor. The normal serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level before chemotherapy (HR=25.811, 95%CI: 0.678 to 982.624, P=0.017) and relative changes more than 50% in retroperitoneal lymph node size (HR=0.016, 95%CI: 0 to 0.698, P=0.032) were statistically significant prognostic factors of the presence of necrosis. Conclusions: Since most residual masses are not sensitive to chemotherapy, PC-RPLND is still an essential part of the treatment of metastatic testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer. Patients with the normal serum LDH level before chemotherapy and a shrinkage of 50% or more in retroperitoneal mass have a considerably chance of having necrosis in the retroperitoneum resection. This may help to refine the selection of candidates for PC-RPLND.

[Surgical treatment for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in genito-urinary system: a study of 15 cases]

Objective: To present 15 cases of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) in genitor-urinary system, and analyze the characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods: The diagnostic and therapeutic process of 15 confirmed cases admitted to Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between March 2009 and September 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the total cases, 11 cases were diagnosed with cystic IMT with a maximum diameter of 1.0-4.5 cm, 8 cases underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor(TURBT)and 4 of them underwent partial cystectomy after TURBT and 3 underwent partial cystectomy directly. Two cases were renal IMT with a maximum diameter of 4.0-9.0 cm, one underwent partial nephrectomy and the other accepted radical nephrectomy. One case who was diagnosed with prostatic IMT with a maximum diameter of 3.4 cm underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and postoperative radiotherapy. One case who was diagnosed with perineal IMT with a maximum diameter of 2.1 cm underwent tumor resection. Results: The patients were followed up for 10-32 months with a median time of 27 months. No cases relapsed during the follow-up. Conclusion: Surgery is the preferred method for treating IMT in genitor-urinary system. Retrospective study shows a good prognosis in IMT patients, but a long-term follow-up is still required.

Synthesis of hard magnetic NdFeB composite particles by recycling the waste using microwave assisted auto-combustion and reduction method

The present work provides a facile and energy-saving approach to recycle Nd-Fe-B wastes. Employing the severely oxidized and contaminated sintered Nd-Fe-B scraps as the raw materials, sub-micro sized Nd-Fe-B/α-Fe composite magnetic powders were successfully synthesized by microwave assisted auto-combustion method followed by a reduction diffusion process. In details, the waste magnets were dissolved in HNO₃ solution and both the rare earth oxides and iron oxide were obtained by auto-combustion approach with the help of microwave heating. These oxides were then reduced to achieve Nd-Fe-B alloys with the reducing agent CaH₂. To modify the composition of the final product, Nd(NO₃)₃·6H₂O and H₃BO₃ were added during dissolving and consequently three compositions of the final products were obtained. TEM results demonstrate that the sizes of α-Fe and Nd₂Fe₁₄B grains are below 10 nm and 20 nm, respectively. The magnetic properties of the composite powders obtained from the wastes in this study are comparable to those obtained by other methods using pure reagents. The room temperature coercivity of as-synthesized Nd₁₅Fe₇₇B₈ is higher than 400 kA/m. In addition, an appropriate mass ratio of CaH₂ to Nd-Fe-B oxides is required in order to obtain good magnetic properties.

Plasma interleukin-37 is increased and inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients

Background

Interleukin (IL)-37 has emerged as a novel anti-inflammatory cytokine that play an immunosuppressive role in regulating inflammatory response. This study aimed to measure IL-37 levels in the plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA), and to establish the correlation between IL-37 levels and disease activity, laboratory parameters and inflammatory cytokines.

Methods

The mRNA levels of IL-37 in PBMCs and plasma IL-37 concentrations in 46 sJIA patients and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The correlations between plasma IL-37 levels and disease activity, laboratory parameters and inflammatory cytokines in sJIA were analyzed by Spearman correlation test. PBMCs from the sJIA patients were stimulated with recombinant human IL-37 (rhIL-37) protein, expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-17 were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA.

Results

Plasma levels of IL-37 and relative IL-37 mRNA expression were significantly elevated in sJIA patients, especially in active sJIA patients, when compared with the healthy controls (P < 0.001). Furthermore, patients with active disease showed higher IL-37 mRNAs and plasma protein levels than those with inactive disease as well as healthy controls. Plasma IL-37 levels were correlated with disease activity and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17 and GM-CSF) in sJIA patients. The productions of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17 in PBMCs from sJIA patients were obviously decreased after recombinant IL-37 stimulation, whereas the production of IL-1β was not changed.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that levels of IL-37 were higher in sJIA patients, which were correlated with disease activity and sJIA related inflammatory cytokines. In addition, rhIL-37 down-regulates the expressions of inflammatory cytokines form PBMCs in sJIA patients, suggesting that IL-37 may have the potential role as a natural inhibitor for the pathogenesis and therapy of sJIA.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-018-1655-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

[The role of estrogen related-receptor γ and ATP-dependent K(+) channel Kcnj1 in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between estrogen related-receptorγ (ERRγ) and ATP-dependent K(+) channel Kcnj1 in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury and its possible role in regulating ischemic preconditioning. Methods: The expression of ERRγ in kidney tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 in human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) under hypoxia (1% O(2)) were detected by RT-PCR. The ERRγ-deficient heterozygous mice model and the ERRγ-deficient completely mice model were established. The pretreatedischemia-reperfusion model were constructed in wild-type mice, ERRγ-deficient heterozygous mice and ERRγ-deficient completely mice, respectively. Renal injury was observed under a light microscope with PAS staining. ERRγ and Kcnj1 were tested by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Results: ERRγ in mice kidney tissue was mainly expressed in renal tubules, and the expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 were decreased 59% and 29.5% respectively after hypoxia in the renal tubular cells (HK-2). In the animal model, the expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 were decreased 31.9% and 11% in early ischemic mice kidney tubular cells of wild type. The expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 in renal tubular cells were decreased 33.2% and 19.1% after ischemia and reperfusion. When ERRγ were overexpressed in renal tubular cells, ERRγ was increased by 89%, and the expression of Kcnj1 was increased by 72.5%. The expression of Kcnj1 was decreased by 75.7% in ERRγ-deficient completely mice. However, Kcnj1 expression in renal tissue of ERR-γ-deficient mice was stable, but ischemic preconditioning failed to interfere with renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Conclusion: ERRγ-Kcnj1 is closely related to ischemic preconditioning and protects renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, and may be one of the regulatory factors. To explore the protective effect of the regulating pathway on ischemia reperfusion injury couldprovide a theoretical basis for the development of drug pretreatment.

[Combined application of multi-parameter semiquantitative Alberta stroke program early CT score to assess infarction severity in acute ischemic stroke]

Objective: To explore the significance of multi-parameter semiquantitative Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) in detecting core infarction in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Methods: Twenty-one consecutive AIS patients from Beijing Hospital were retrospectively reviewed in this study from August 2016 to August 2017. All the patients presented within 6 hours since symptom onset.All the patients underwent one-stop dynamic whole brain 4D CTA-CTP scan before treatments (intravenous thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, or other endovascular recanalization). MRI scan was performed in all patients 3 to 7 days after initial administration. Multi-parameter ASPECTS was calculated on the affected hemisphere regarding noncontrast CT (NCCT) map, cerebral blood flow (CBF) map, cerebral blood volume (CBV) map, mean transit time (MTT) map and MRI-DWI map by subtracting 1 point from 10 for any abnormalities visually detected. The evaluative consistency and diagnostic efficiency were analyzed by Pearson's χ(2) test, kappa identity test, and Kendall's coefficient of concordance using IBM SPSS statistics 22.0 software. Results: Compared with DWI-ASPECTS or follow-up NCCT-ASPECTS, CBV-ASPECTS had the best performance on both the kappa identity test (kappa coefficient κ=0.74)and Kendall's coefficient of concordance (τ=0.70). All the values of sensitivity (77.8%), specificity (95.5%), positive likelihood ratio (17.27) and AUC(0.87)were the highest in CBV-ASPECTS, followed by dMTT-ASPECTS. Meanwhile, the misdiagnosis rate (4.5%), missed diagnosis rate (22.2%) and negative likelihood ratio were the lowest in CBV-ASPECTS, followed by dMTT-ASPECTS. dMTT-ASPECTS had the same specificity(95.5%) as CBV-ASPECTS did and it could reveal the infarction in the areas where CBV map showed normal. NCCT-ASPECTS had the lowest sensitivity (64.7%) and highest missed diagnosis rate (35.3%). The misdiagnosis rate of CBF-ASPECTS was the highest (25.2%) and AUC was the lowest (0.76). Conclusions: Multi-parameter semiquantitative ASPECTS may predict the infarction accurately in AIS patients. Compared with the single parameter of NCCT-ASPECTS, this new method may have better detectability and diagnostic performance.

Understanding the element segregation and phase separation in the Ce-substituted Nd-(Fe,Co)-B based alloys

Ce substituted Nd₂Fe₁₄B (2:14:1)-type permanent magnets have shown increasing potential in the applications due to their high properties/cost ratio. However, the element segregation and phase separation in the Ce substituted magnets have not been fully understood yet. In this work, (Nd_1−xCe_x)₂₅Fe₄₀Co₂₀Al₄B₁₁ alloys with high coercivities were prepared by copper mold casting. Based on detailed microstructure and composition analysis, the segregation of rare earth (RE) elements was observed in the as-cast alloys. Nd element prefers to enter into the 2:14:1 phase and the Ce element enter into the 1:2 phase. The existence of the 1:2 phase can promote the element segregation. The alloy shows an abnormal increase of coercivity from 641 kA/m for x = 0.2 to 863 kA/m for x = 0.3. This increase could be attributed to the phase separation of the 2:14:1 phase, which has been confirmed by the microstructural characterization. The present data provides useful information for exploring Ce-containing Nd-Fe-B magnets.

[Expression of nucleolar protein 14 and CD31 in pancreatic cancer mouse model and its correlation with tumor progression]

Objective: To investigate expression of nucleolar protein 14(NOP14) and CD31 in pancreatic cancer mouse model and its correlation with tumor progression. Methods: Clinicopathological data of 5 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC) and hepatic metastasis between January 2013 and December 2015 was collected in Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Immunohistochemistry staining was employed to detect the expression of NOP14 in matched primary PDAC and relevant metastasis.Pancreatic cancer cells with NOP14 stably knocked down were established by transfecting lentivirus with NOP14 targeted silencing RNA.The inhibition efficacy was detected by quantitative real time PCR and western blot.Microvascular density(MVD) in pancreatic cancer transplantation mouse model was determined by CD31 immunohistochemistry staining analysis and correlated with NOP14 expression and tumor progression. Results: NOP14 had a significant higher expression in liver metastasis than primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma (2.09±0.45 vs. 1.31±0.27, P=0.028). NOP14 was knocked down 86 percent on mRNA level determined by qPCR and 78 percents on protein level detected by western blot. MVD was significantly decreased in NOP14-inhibited tumor from both pancreatic cancer cells subcutaneously and orthotopically grafted tumor mouse model with the value of 61.40±13.85 vs. 85.53±14.59 (P=0.041) and 38.33±10.91 vs. 59.33±15.37(P =0.037), respectively. Besides, MVD was positively associated with tumor volume(r=0.842, P<0.01) and metastasis (r=0.726, P=0.008). Conclusion: NOP14 presents higher expression in hepatic metastasis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and might promote tumor progression by increasing microvascular density.

[A preliminary study on the mechanical characteristics of the titanium scaffolds with three-dimensional mesh structure fabricated by electron beam melting]

Objective: To examine the biomechanical properties of three-dimensional(3D) printed electron beam melting(EBM) Ti-6Al-4V mesh as scaffold for mandibular repairment. Methods: We fabricated Ti-6Al-4V samples of different structures with strut, sheet and 3D mesh scaffolds(a controllable diameter 0.35, 0.50, 0.70 mm, distribution density: intensive sparse) by EBM process. The mechanical properties of these structures were examined by X-ray energy dispersive spectrum(EDS), uniaxial tensile test, three-point bending test, under compression load and compared with their different microstructure and mechanical properties. Results: Compressive deformation behavior of these cellular structures exhibited brittle character that had a typical irregular plateau region in the stress-strain curves. The mesh of larger diameter(d=0.70 mm) showed higher specific strength than the meshs of small diameter(d=0.35 mm) did, and the other 3D mesh under the same condition showed identical specific stiffness. Conclusions: EBM was successfully used to fabricate novel 3D mesh Ti-6Al-4V structures for applications. By optimizing the buckling and bending deformation, Ti-6Al-4V cellular solids with high strength, low modulus. Furthermore, the results of mechanical property and chemistry composition showed that the scaffold could completely satisfy the requirement of hard tissue repairment.

[Experience of minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement in treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis]

Objective: To explore the experience of minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement in treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis(IPN). Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 12 patients with IPN who underwent minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement between June 2008 and June 2013 in People's Liberation Army General Hospital and First Affiliated Hospital of People's Liberation Army General Hospital, respectively.There were 10 male patients and 2 female patients aging from 33 to 55 years with mean age of(43±8)years.Pancreas infective necrosis, the serious complications of severe acute pancreatitis occurred in all of the patients among which there were 2 patients with infection after percutaneous catheter drainage(PCD)in early phase of disease, and 12 patients with spontaneous during the late phase. The technical strategies of the minimally invasive treatment mainly included PCD, minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement, and irrigation. Results: Ten patients received PCD and the median time from onset of acute necrotizing pancreatitis to PCD was mean of 24 days(range 8-86 days). Minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement was performed after 18 days(range 3-29 days) after PCD.Three patients died after surgery.Five patients had hemorrhage complication and 3 had colonic fistula.Pancreatic fistula occurred in 2 patients. Conclusions: The technique of minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement has advantage and some minor disadvantage.Delayed minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement is recommended.

Enhanced adhesion and field emission of CuO nanowires synthesized by simply modified thermal oxidation technique

Metal oxide nanowires (NWs) can be easily grown by the thermal oxidation method, but the low adhesion between the NWs and the substrate restricts their practical applications in functional devices. In this work, the conventional hotplate technique is simply modified by introducing one or two stainless steel plates to supply a more stable oxidation environment, which is found to be beneficial to the growth and adhesion of CuO NWs on the Cu substrate. In detail, the Cu foils were heated on the hotplate directly, on one plate over the hotplate, and between two plates over the hotplate at 400 °C in ambient condition. It is found that the NWs obtained between two plates exhibit large length and diameter with moderate density. The sufficient activated oxygen, stable temperature, and proper temperature gradient configuration caused by the two plates accelerate the formation of CuO NWs, and result in the longest NWs with enhanced adhesion. The grain-boundary diffusion and Kirkendall effect are proposed to explain the mechanism of NWs growth and the formation of cracks. The NWs obtained between two plates also showed the best field emission properties, with lowest turn-on field (5.31 V μm(-1)) and threshold field (9.8 V μm(-1)). Excellent field emission properties and enhanced NW-substrate adhesion indicate that these NW arrays could be potentially used as the cathode of field emission displays.

Plasma miR-26a as a Diagnostic Biomarker Regulates Cytokine Expression in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Objective.

We sought to identify specific microRNA (miRNA) for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and to determine the involvement of these miRNA in regulating the expression of cytokines.

Methods.

Microarray profiling was performed to identify differentially expressed miRNA in sJIA plasma. Levels of candidate miRNA and mRNA were assessed by real-time PCR, and cytokines were measured by ELISA. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the direct interaction between miR-26a and interleukin 6 (IL-6).

Results.

Forty-eight miRNA were differentially expressed in the plasma of patients with sJIA compared with healthy controls (HC). Five miRNA were selected for further validation. The expression level of miR-26a was exclusively elevated in the plasma of patients with sJIA as compared with 4 rheumatic diseases and 2 subtypes of JIA (oligoarticular and polyarticular). The levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the plasma of patients with sJIA were increased, and only IL-6 presented a positive correlation with miR-26a (r = 0.539, p < 0.0001). After stimulation with IL-6, miR-26a expression was upregulated in THP-1 cells, while the supernatant level of IL-6 was downregulated by transfection of miR-26a mimics. Consistently, direct target relationship between miR-26a and IL-6 was confirmed.

Conclusion.

This study demonstrates that miR-26a is expressed specifically and highly in sJIA plasma and suggests that miR-26a may regulate the levels of cytokines in sJIA. Our findings highlight miR-26a as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis as well as differential diagnosis of sJIA.

Detection of Piwi-interacting RNAs based on sequence features

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs. Distinguishing piRNAs from other non-coding RNAs is important because of their important role in the physiological regulation of spermatogenesis, genome protection from transposons, and regulation of mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs. Few computational studies have addressed piRNAs detection, and both effectiveness and efficiency of piRNA detection tools require improvement. In this study, a piRNA detection method based on sequence features and a support vector machine was developed. Four types of features are proposed: weighted k-mer, weighted k-mer with wildcards, position-specific base, and piRNA length. The piRNA sequences from human, mouse, rat, and drosophila were respectively used in this experiment. Compared to existing algorithms, the proposed method provides a better balance between precision and sensitivity (both are approximately 90%), and although these values were slightly slower than those obtained using the piRNA annotation approach, the proposed method was four-fold faster than piRPred and 229-fold faster than piRNA predictor.

Misdiagnosis of primary hepatic marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type, a case report

Background

Extra-nodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue originating in the liver is less common.

Case presentation

We described the clinical presentation, immunohistochemistry, and immunophenotypes of this lymphoma, which was misdiagnosed with tiny hepatic carcinoma in a 44-year-old woman with hepatitis C; the patient underwent left lateral sectionectomy. The immunophenotype identified the most of the lymphoid cells as positive CD20, CD34, Ki67, CD3, CD4, CD79a, CD45RO, MUM-1, and CD5 and negative CD10, CD15, CD30, ACT, CK, CRO, DES, and HMB45. The diagnosis of primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) was made by histology after surgery; the patient went through the excellent recovery with no chemotherapy and is disease free for 27 months.

Conclusions

Primary hepatic MALT is less common with incidental finding; local resection is beneficial due to its oncological indolence.

Strain-tuned optoelectronic properties of hollow gallium sulphide microspheres

Sulfide semiconductors have attracted considerable attention. The main challenge is to prepare materials with a designable morphology, a controllable band structure and optoelectronic properties. Herein, we report a facile chemical transportation reaction for the synthesis of Ga2S3 microspheres with novel hollow morphologies and partially filled volumes. Even without any extrinsic dopant, photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength could be facilely tuned from 635 to 665 nm, depending on its intrinsic inhomogeneous strain distribution. Geometric phase analysis (GPA) based on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) imaging reveals that the strain distribution and the associated PL properties can be accurately controlled by changing the growth temperature gradient, which depends on the distance between the boats used for raw material evaporation and microsphere deposition. The stacking-fault density, lattice distortion degree and strain distribution at the shell interfacial region of the Ga2S3 microspheres could be readily adjusted. Ab initio first-principles calculations confirm that the lowest conductive band (LCB) is dominated by S-3s and Ga-4p states, which shift to the low-energy band as a result of the introduction of tensile strain, well in accordance with the observed PL evolution. Therefore, based on our strain driving strategy, novel guidelines toward the reasonable design of sulfide semiconductors with tunable photoluminescence properties are proposed.

Coxsackievirus B3 induces autophagy in HeLa cells via the AMPK/MEK/ERK and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathways

In a previous study, the number of autophagosomes increased after coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection. However, the exact mechanism by which CVB3 regulates the number of autophagosomes is unclear. Earlier studies have found that infection with CVB3 activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). ERK is essential for CVB3 replication and can increase the number of autophagosomes. In the current study, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 was activated in HeLa cells after CVB3 infection. The ERK kinase inhibitor, U0126, was then used to inhibit the activity of ERK. Treatment with U0126 led to a significant reduction in the number of autophagosomes indicating that the CVB3-induced autophagosome accumulation may have occurred via the ERK pathway. The relationship between CVB3 infection and ERK pathway activation was also investigated. The results showed that the RasGAP protein could be further cleaved, leading to the activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK (mitogen/extracellular signal-regulated kinase)/ERK pathway and that CVB3 infection could result in an increase in the concentration of calcium in the cytoplasm, resulting in mitochondrial damage, a decrease in the concentration of ATP and activation of the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase)/MEK/ERK pathway. In summary, CVB3 might directly or indirectly induce autophagy via AMPK/MEK/ERK and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathways in the host cells, representing a pivotal mechanism for CVB3 pathogenesis.

Antinuclear antibody-positive cohort constitutes homogeneous entity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To identify a homogeneous entity for antinuclear antibody (ANA)-positive patients suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

METHODS

All of the clinical features were recorded retrospectively. ANA positivity was defined as more than twice positive results at a titer of > 1:100. The correlation between ANA positivity and clinical parameters was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULT

Of 120 patients, 49 patients were ANA positive (31 oligoarthritis, 18 rheumatoid factor [RF]-negative polyarthritis) and 71 patients were ANA negative (48 oligoarthritis, 23 RF-negative polyarthritis), and were recruited retrospectively to this study according to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) criteria. In ANA-positive cohort, the characteristics of early-onset age, female predominance, and asymmetric arthritis were observed compared with ANA-negative cohort including oligoarthritis and RF-negative polyarthritis. Correspondingly, we found that ANA-positive cohort had higher cumulative number of joints affected at 9 and 12 months after disease presentation than ANA-negative cohort, had lower frequency of occurrence of image change, and had a different pattern of affected arthritis than ANA-negative cohort, which was more likely to have knee involvement and less likely to have hip and shoulder involvement. ANA positivity correlated strongly with asymmetric arthritis, female predominance and wrist involvement.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that ANA-positive cohort divided into different subgroups by present ILAR criteria share the similar features and suggests that ANA positivity might serve as a novel potential value for JIA classification.