In Situ Photogenerated Radicals of Hydroxyl Substituted Pyrene-Based Triphenylamines with Enhanced Transport and Free Doping/Post-Oxidation for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

The high-performance hole transporting material (HTM) is one of the most important components for the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in promoting power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, the low conductivity of HTMs and their additional requirements for doping and post-oxidation greatly limits the device performance. In this work, three novel pyrene-based derivatives containing methoxy-substituted triphenylamines units (PyTPA, PyTPA-OH and PyTPA-2OH) are designed and synthesized, where different numbers of hydroxyl groups are connected at the 2- or 2,7-positions of the pyrene core. These hydroxyl groups at the 2- or 2,7-positions of pyrene play a significantly role to enhance the intermolecular interactions that are able to generate in situ radicals with the assistance of visible light irradiation, resulting in enhanced hole transferring ability, as well as an enhanced conductivity and suppressed recombination. These pyrene-core based HTMs exhibit excellent performance in PSCs, which possess a higher PCE than those control devices using the traditional spiro-OMeTAD as the HTM. The best performance can be found in the devices with PyTPA-2OH. It has an average PCE of 23.44% (PCEmax = 23.50%), which is the highest PCE among the reported PSCs with the pyrene-core based HTMs up to date. This research offers a novel avenue to design a dopant-free HTM by the combination of the pyrene core, methoxy triphenylamines, and hydroxy groups.

Changes in menopausal symptoms comparing oral estradiol versus transdermal estradiol

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of oral and transdermal estradiol in alleviating menopausal symptoms.

METHOD

A total of 257 recently menopausal women were randomized into two groups. The t-E2 group received transdermal estradiol (2.5 g per day) (n = 128) and the o-E2V group received oral estradiol valerate (2 mg per day) (n = 129) for 24 weeks; both groups received micronized progesterone (200 mg per day). The primary outcome measure is the change in the modified Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI) after 24 weeks of treatment. Menopausal symptoms were recorded at screening and at 4, 12 and 24 weeks using both the KMI and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).

RESULTS

Significant amelioration was observed by KMI and MRS scores for both groups after treatment (p < 0.001). The mean KMI scores showed no difference between the two groups. The mean MRS scores were similar between the two groups at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. The results showed statistical differences after 12 weeks and 24 weeks of treatment (p = 0.005 and p = 0.011). Both the after-treatment scores minus the baseline scores of KMI and MRS and the incidence of adverse effects showed no difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that both transdermal and oral estradiol are effective in relieving menopausal symptoms, with little difference in treatment efficacy and safety.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

ChiCTR2300073146.

Effect of SIRT1 gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms on susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in a Han Chinese population

AIMS

SIRT1 deficiency has been associated with diabetes, and a variant of the SIRT1 gene has been found to be involved in human autoimmune diabetes; however, it is unclear whether this genetic variation exists in Han Chinese with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and whether it contributes to development of T1D. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association of the SIRT1 gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs10997866 and rs3818292 in a Han Chinese population with T1D.

METHODS

This study recruited 2653 unrelated Han Chinese individuals, of whom 1289 had T1D and 1364 were healthy controls. Allelic and genotypic distributions of SIRT1 polymorphisms (rs10997866 and rs3818292) were determined by MassARRAY. Basic characteristics, genotype and allele frequencies of selected SNPs were compared between the T1D patients and healthy controls. Further genotype-phenotype association analysis of the SNPs was performed on the T1D patients divided into three groups according to genotype. Statistical analyses included the chi-square test, Mann‒Whitney U test, Kruskal‒Wallis H test and logistic regression.

RESULTS

The allelic (G vs. A) and genotypic (GA vs. AA) distributions of SIRT1 rs10997866 were significantly different in T1D patients and healthy controls (P = 0.039, P = 0.027), and rs10997866 was associated with T1D susceptibility under dominant, overdominant and additive models (P = 0.026, P = 0.030 and P = 0.027, respectively). Moreover, genotype-phenotype association analysis showed the GG genotype of rs10997866 and the GG genotype of rs3818292 to be associated with higher titers of IA-2A (P = 0.013 and P = 0.038, respectively).

CONCLUSION

SIRT1 rs10997866 is significantly associated with T1D susceptibility, with the minor allele G conferring a higher risk of T1D. Moreover, SIRT1 gene rs10997866 and rs3818292 correlate with the titer of IA-2A in Han Chinese individuals with T1D.

Pyrene-Based Deep-Blue Fluorophores with Narrow-Band Emission

High-efficiency narrow-band luminescent materials have attracted intense interest, resulting in their great colorimetric purity. This has led to a variety of high-tech applications in high-definition displays, spectral analysis, and biomedicine. In this study, a rigid pyrene core was employed as the molecular backbone, and four narrow-band pyrene-based blue emitters were synthesized using various synthetic methods (such as Lewis-acid catalyzed cyclization domino reactions, Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions like Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira). Due to the steric effect of the hydroxy group at the 2-position, the target compounds exhibit deep blue emission (<429 nm, CIEy < 0.08) with full width at half-maximum (FWHM) less than 33 nm both in solution and when solidified. The experimental and theoretical results indicated that the substituents at the 1- and 3-positions afford a large dihedral angle with the pyrene core, and the molecular motion is almost fixed by multiple intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions in the crystallized state, leading to a suppression of the vibrational relaxation of the molecular structure. Moreover, we observed that the suppression of the vibrational relaxation in the molecular structures and the construction of rigid conjugated structures can help develop narrow-band organic light-emitting materials.

Influence of Steric Effects on the Emission Behavior of Pyrene-Based Blue Luminogens

Pyrene-based derivatives have been widely deployed in organic luminescent materials because of their bright fluorescence, high charge carrier mobility, and facile modification. Nevertheless, the fluorescence output of conventional pyrenes is prone to quenching upon aggregation due to extensive intermolecular π-π stacking interactions. To address this issue, a set of new Y-shaped pyrene-containing luminogens are synthesized from a new bromopyrene chemical precursor, 2-hydroxyl-7-tert-butyl-1,3-bromopyrene, where the bromo and hydroxyl groups at the pyrene core can be readily modified to obtain the target products and provide great flexibility in tuning the photophysical performances. When the hydroxy group at the 2-position of pyrene was replaced by a benzyl group, the steric hindrance of the benzyl group not only efficiently inhibits the detrimental intermolecular π-π stacking interactions but also rigidifies the molecular conformation, resulting in a narrow-band blue emission. Moreover, the TPE-containing compounds 2c and 3c possessed characteristic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties with fluorescence quantum yields of up to 66% and 38% in the solid state, respectively. Thus, this article has methodically investigated the factors influencing the optical behavior, such as intermolecular interactions, and the steric effects of the substituent group, thereby opening up the potential to develop narrow-band pyrene-based blue emitters for OLED device applications.

Porcine Intestinal Mucosal Peptides Target Macrophage-Modulated Inflammation and Alleviate Intestinal Homeostasis in Dextrose Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis in Mice

Porcine intestinal mucosal proteins are novel animal proteins that contain large amounts of free amino acids and peptides. Although porcine intestinal mucosal proteins are widely used in animal nutrition, the peptide bioactivities of their enzymatic products are not yet fully understood. In the present study, we investigated the effect of porcine intestinal mucosal peptides (PIMP) on the RAW264.7 cell model of LPS-induced inflammation. The mRNA expression of inflammatory factors (interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β) and nitrous oxide levels were all measured by quantitative real-time PCR and cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression measured by Western blot. To investigate the modulating effect of PIMP and to establish a model of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, we examined the effects of hematoxylin-eosin staining, myeloperoxidase levels, pro-inflammatory factor mRNA content, tight junction protein expression, and changes in intestinal flora. Nuclear factor κB pathway protein levels were also assessed by Western blot. PIMP has been shown in vitro to control inflammatory responses and prevent the activation of key associated signaling pathways. PIMP at doses of 100 and 400 mg/kg/day also alleviated intestinal inflammatory responses, reduced tissue damage caused by DSS, and improved intestinal barrier function. In addition, PIMP at 400 mg/kg/day successfully repaired the dysregulated gut microbiota and increased short-chain fatty acid levels. These findings suggest that PIMP may positively influence inflammatory responses and alleviate colitis. This study is the first to demonstrate the potential of PIMP as a functional food for the prevention and treatment of colitis.

Preoperative prediction of vasculogenic mimicry in lung adenocarcinoma using a CT radiomics model

AIM

To develop and validate a non-invasive computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics model for predicting vasculogenic mimicry (VM) status in lung adenocarcinoma (LA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred and three patients with LA were enrolled retrospectively and grouped into training and test groups with a ratio of 7:3. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed in the training cohort to screen the independent clinical and radiological factors for VM, and the clinical model was then established. A radiomics model was established based on the rad-scores through support vector machine (SVM). A radiomics nomogram model was subsequently constructed by combining the rad-score with clinical-radiological factors. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were conducted to evaluate the performance of the three models.

RESULTS

Nine selected radiomics features were selected for the radiomics model and the maximum length and spiculation sign were constructed for the clinical model. The radiomics nomogram model integrating the maximum length, spiculation sign, and rad-score yielded the best AUC in both the training (AUC = 0.925) and test cohorts (AUC = 0.978), in comparison with the radiomics model (AUC = 0.907 and 0.964, in both the training and test cohorts) and the clinical model (AUC = 0.834 and 0.836 in both training and test cohorts).

CONCLUSIONS

The CT-based radiomics nomogram model showed satisfying discriminating performance for preoperatively and non-invasively predicting VM expression status in LA patients.

Intrinsically Stretchable, Self-Healing, and Large-Scale Epidermal Bioelectrode Arrays for Electrophysiology and Gesture Recognition

Electrophysiological (EP) signals, referred to as low-level biopotentials driven by active or passive human movements, are of great importance for kinesiology, rehabilitation, and human-machine interaction. To capture high-fidelity EP signals, bioelectrodes should possess high conductivity, high stretchability, and high conformability to skin. While traditional metal bioelectrodes are endowed with stretchability via complex structural designs, they are vulnerable to external or internal inference due to their low fracture strain and large modulus. Here, we report a self-healing elastic composite of silver nanowire (AgNW), graphite nanosheet, and styrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene, which exhibits high stretchability of ε = 500%, high conductivity of σ = ∼1923 S·cm-1, and low resistance change (ΔR/R0) of 0.14 at ε = 40% while its resistance increases ∼0.8% after a 24 h stretching operation at ε = 50%. We employed the elastic composites for accurate and stable monitoring of electrocardiograph and surface electromyography (sEMG) signals. Further, we demonstrate an all-solution and printable process to obtain a large-scale sEMG bioelectrode array, enabling highly conformal adhesion on skin and high-fidelity gesture recognition.

New pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrroles with AIE characteristics for detection of dichloromethane and chloroform

Three new pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole derivatives containing methoxyphenyl, pyrene or tetraphenylethylene (TPE) units (compounds 1-3) have been designed, synthesized and fully characterized. The aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties of compounds 1-3 were tested in different water fraction (fw ) of tetrahydrofuran (THF). The pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole derivative 3 containing TPE units exhibited typical AIE features with an enhanced emission (∼32-fold) in the solid state versus in solution; compounds 1 and 2 exhibited an aggregation-caused quenching effect. In addition, the steric and electronic effects of the peripheral moieties on the emission behavior, both in solution and in the solid state, have been investigated. Moreover, pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole 1 exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for dichloromethane and chloroform solvents, with the system displaying a new emission peak and fast response time under ultraviolet irradiation.

Using CT imaging features to predict visceral pleural invasion of non-small-cell lung cancer

AIM

To examine the diagnostic performance of different models based on computed tomography (CT) imaging features in differentiating the invasiveness of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with multiple pleural contact types.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 1,573 patients with NSCLC (tumour size ≤3 cm) were included retrospectively. The clinical and pathological data and preoperative imaging features of these patients were investigated and their relationships with visceral pleural invasion (VPI) were compared statistically. Multivariate logistic regression was used to eliminate confounding factors and establish different predictive models.

RESULTS

By univariate analysis and multivariable adjustment, surgical history, tumour marker (TM), number of pleural tags, length of solid contact and obstructive inflammation were identified as independent risk predictors of pleural invasiveness (p=0.014, 0.003, <0.001, <0.001, and 0.017, respectively). In the training group, comparison of the diagnostic efficacy between the combined model including these five independent predictors and the image feature model involving the latter three imaging predictors were as follows: sensitivity of 88.9% versus 77% and specificity of 73.5% versus 84.1%, with AUC of 0.868 (95% CI: 0.848-0.886) versus 0.862 (95% CI: 0.842-0.880; p=0.377). In the validation group, the sensitivity and specificity of these two models were as follow: the combined model, 93.5% and 74.3%, the imaging feature model, 77.4% and 81.3%, and their areas under the curve (AUCs) were both 0.884 (95% CI: 0.842-0.919). The best cut-off value of length of solid contact was 7.5 mm (sensitivity 68.9%, specificity 75.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

The image feature model showed great potential in predicting pleural invasiveness, and had comparable diagnostic efficacy compared with the combined model containing clinical data.

Serum metabolomics identifies uric acid as a possible novel biomarker for predicting recurrence of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

BACKGROUND

Metabolomics has proven to be a valuable tool in gaining new insights into disease progression and prognosis, the specific metabolic alterations in the serum of recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients remain unknown. This study aims to explore the serum metabolomic profiles of recurrent CRSwNP and identify potential predictive biomarkers.

METHODS

A prospective, single-center study was conducted on CRSwNP patients prior to endoscopic sinus surgery. Serum samples were subjected to untargeted metabolomic profiling. Patients were followed up for over 2 years and categorized into recurrence and non-recurrence groups. Metabolite differences between the two groups were compared, and the identified differentially regulated metabolites were subsequently validated in a large clinical cohort.

RESULTS

67 CRSwNP patients completed the follow-up schedule, with 47 classified into the non-recurrent group and 20 into the recurrent group. Significant differences were found in the metabolomic profiles between both groups, and serum uric acid (SUA) showed promising predictive potential for postoperative recurrence in both positive and negative ion models. A validation cohort comprising 398 non-recurrent and 142 recurrent CRSwNP patients was recruited, and a significant elevation in SUA levels was observed in recurrent cases. Patients were stratified into tertiles based on the distribution of baseline SUA levels. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that higher tertiles of SUA were associated with an increased risk of CRSwNP recurrence compared to lower tertiles, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors. The receiver operating characteristic curve and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis highlighted that elevated SUA levels exhibited potential predictive values for postoperative recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Serum metabolic signatures might predict postoperative recurrence in CRSwNP patients. Increased SUA concentrations were found to be associated with a higher risk of future postoperative recurrence in CRSwNP, independent of traditional risk factors.

Endothelial-dependent relaxation of α-pinene and two metabolites, myrtenol and verbenol, in isolated murine blood vessels

Epidemiological evidence shows that residential proximity to greenspaces is associated with lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality; however, the mechanism(s) underlying this link remains unclear. Plants emit biogenic volatile organic compounds such as α-pinene that could elicit beneficial cardiovascular effects. To explore the role of α-pinene more directly, we studied the metabolism and the vascular effects of α-pinene. We found that exposure of mice to α-pinene (1 ppm, 6 h) generated two phase I oxidation metabolites, cis- and trans-verbenol [(1R,2R,5R)-verbenol and (1 R,2S,5R)-verbenol)] and myrtenol [(1S,5R)-(+)-myrtenol] that were identified in urine by GC-MS. Precontracted naïve murine male and female aorta and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) were relaxed robustly (60% tension reduction) by increasing concentrations of α-pinene, myrtenol, and verbenol to 0.3 mM, whereas 1 mM α-pinene was vasotoxic. The SMA was six times more sensitive than the aorta to α-pinene. Both myrtenol and verbenol were equally potent and efficacious as parent α-pinene in male and female SMA. The sensitive portion of the α-pinene-, myrtenol-, and verbenol-induced relaxations in male SMA was mediated by 1) endothelium, 2) eNOS-derived NO, and 3) guanylyl cyclase (GC) activity. Moreover, α-pinene activated the transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) channel whereas the metabolites did not. Endothelial-derived NO regulates blood flow, blood pressure, and thrombosis, and it is plausible that inhaled (and ingested) α-pinene (or its metabolites) augments NO release to mediate the cardiovascular benefits of exposure to greenness.NEW & NOTEWORTHY A common plant-derived biogenic volatile organic compound, α-pinene, and two of its metabolites, myrtenol and verbenol, stimulate vasorelaxation in murine superior mesenteric artery. Both α-pinene- and its metabolites induce vasorelaxation by activation of the endothelium, nitric oxide, and guanylyl cyclase. α-Pinene also activates the transient receptor potential ankyrin-1. Positive associations between greenness exposure and human cardiovascular health may be a result of the vascular action of α-pinene and its metabolites, a novel consideration.

Association between 23 drugs and Parkinson's disease: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common degenerative nervous system disease. At present, there are certain limitations in various treatment options aimed at preventing or delaying the progression of PD. Therefore, the exploration of new drugs for PD is beneficial. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis can be used to explore the association between drugs and diseases. In this study, MR analysis was adopted to investigate the causal relationship between 23 drugs and PD. These drugs have been approved for the treatment of different diseases, such as salicylic acid and derivatives (collectively called salicylates, e.g., aspirin, used for fever and pain relief), antithrombotic agents (e.g., warfarin, aspirin, used for preventing thrombotic events).

METHODS

The GWAS data for the 23 drugs were obtained from the UK Biobank (UKB) project, while the GWAS data for PD were sourced from FinnGen. Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as instrumental variables (IVs). We first performed a series of quality control steps (including MR-PRESSO) to select the appropriate SNPs. Two-sample MR analysis was performed using five different methods, including inverse variance weighting (IVW) with random-effects model, weighted median, MR-Egger, simple model, and weighted model. At the same time, sensitivity analysis was carried out using the MR-Egger and Cochran's Q test to ensure the authenticity and reliability of the results.

RESULTS

In MR-PRESSO, salicylates and antithrombotic agents showed statistically significant associations with PD, respectively. In the main MR analysis (IVW), there was a negative causal relationship between salicylates and PD (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.54-0.98, p = .039). Similarly, there was a negative causal relationship between antithrombotic agents and PD (OR = 0.70, 95%CI = 0.52-0.96, p = .027). No statistically significant association was found between the remaining 21 drugs and PD.

CONCLUSION

This MR study demonstrated that salicylates and antithrombotic agents can reduce the risk of PD, thus providing a novel avenue for future drug exploration in PD.

Effects of adverse childhood experiences on the Charlson comorbidity index in US adults

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article was to explore the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and to provide valuable information for public health professionals and policymakers to improve quality of life and reduce mortality.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data pooled from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

METHODS

This study involved 102,393 US adult participants from the 2020 BRFSS. The zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) and mixed graphical model (MGM) models were used to explore the effect of ACEs on CCI and the interaction between ACEs.

RESULTS

In the count part of the model (CCI ≥0), sexual abuse had the strongest association with CCI (relative risk [RR] = 1.111, P < 0.001). In the logit part of the model (CCI = 0), the likelihood of having CCI equal to 0 decreased by 23.0% for household substance abuse, which was the highest percentage decrease for all ACEs. Compared to those with ACE scores equal to 0, individuals with ACE scores ≥4 have an expected CCI RR of 1.222, and the likelihood of having CCI equal to 0 decreased by 50.2%. Household substance abuse and incarceration history in the home had the strongest association among interactions of ACEs (0.85).

CONCLUSIONS

Associations between ACEs and CCI were observed in this study, and these associations differed between genders. The findings of this study provide data to design strategies for disease prevention and improvement of quality of life.

Heat-Killed Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Repairs Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Damage via MLCK/MLC Pathway Activation

Intestinal epithelial barrier function is closely associated with the development of many intestinal diseases. Heat-killed Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (HK-LP) has been shown to improve intestinal health and enhance immunity. However, the function of HK-LP in the intestinal barrier is still unclear. This study characterized the inflammatory effects of seven HK-LP (1 μg/mL) on the intestinal barrier using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 μg/mL)-induced Caco-2 cells. In this study, HK-LP 6105, 6115, and 6235 were selected, and their effects on the modulation of inflammatory factors and tight junction protein expression (claudin-1, zona occludens-1, and occludin) were compared. The effect of different cultivation times (18 and 48 h) was investigated in response to LPS-induced intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction. Our results showed that HK-LP 6105, 6115, and 6235 improved LPS-induced intestinal barrier permeability reduction and transepithelial resistance. Furthermore, HK-LP 6105, 6115, and 6235 inhibited the pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory factors (IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-β). HK-LP 6105, 6115, and 6235 ameliorated the inflammatory response. It inhibited the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway-mediated myosin light chain (MLC)/MLC kinase signaling pathway by downregulating the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NF-κB pathway. Thus, the results suggest that HK-LP 6150, 6115, and 6235 may improve intestinal health by regulating inflammation and TJ proteins. Postbiotics produced by these strains exhibit anti-inflammatory properties that can protect the intestinal barrier.

Influence of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction on the Diagnostic Performance of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve

OBJECTIVES

Our study aimed to demonstrate the influence of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction on the diagnostic performance of coronary computed tomography angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR).

METHODS

One hundred vessels from 90 patients were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent echocardiography, coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), CT-FFR, invasive coronary angiography (ICA), and fractional flow reserve (FFR). The study population was divided into normal and dysfunction groups according to the LV diastolic function, and the diagnostic performance in both groups was assessed.

RESULTS

There was a good correlation between CT-FFR and FFR (R = 0.768 p < 0.001) on a per-vessel basis. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 82.3%, 81.8%, and 82%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 84.6%, 88.5%, and 87.2% in the normal group and 81%, 77.5%, and 78.7% in the dysfunction group, respectively. CT-FFR showed no statistically significant difference in the AUC in the normal group vs. the dysfunction group (AUC: 0.920 [95% CI 0.787-0.983] vs. 0.871 [95% CI 0.761-0.943], Z = 0.772 p = 0.440). However, there was still a good correlation between CT-FFR and FFR in the normal group (R = 0.767, p < 0.001) and dysfunction group (R = 0.767 p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

LV diastolic dysfunction had no effect on the diagnostic accuracy of CT-FFR. CT-FFR has good diagnostic performance in both LV diastolic dysfunction and the normal group and can be used as an effective tool for finding lesion-specific ischemia while screening for arterial disease in patients.

The role and molecular mechanism of gut microbiota in Graves' orbitopathy

PURPOSE

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is an autoimmune orbital disorder. Gut microbiota dysfunction plays a vital role in autoimmune diseases, including Graves' disease (GD) and GO. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the change of gut microbiota in GD/GO using mouse model.

METHODS

The murine model of GD/GO was established by the challenge of adenovirus expressing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TSHR) (Ad-TSHR). The histological changes of orbital and thyroid tissues were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. The fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatics analysis.

RESULTS

The GD/GO model was established successfully, as manifested as the broadened eyelid, exophthalmia and conjunctive redness, severe inflammatory infiltration among thyroid glands and between extraocular muscle space, hypertrophic extraocular muscles, elevated thyroxine (T4) and decreased TSH, and positive CD34, CD40, collagen I, and α-SMA staining. A total of 222 operational taxonomic units (OUTs) were overlapped between mice in the Ad-NC and Ad-TSHR groups. The microbial composition of the samples in the two groups was mainly Bacteroidia and Clostridia, and the Ad-NC group had a significantly lower content of Bacteroidia and higher content of Clostridia. KEGG orthology analysis results revealed differences in dehydrogenase, aspartic acid, bile acid, chalcone synthase, acetyltransferase, glutamylcyclotransferase, glycogenin, and 1-phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase between two groups; enzyme commission (EC) analysis results revealed differences in several dehydrogenase, oxidase, thioxy/reductase between two groups; MetaCyc pathways analysis results revealed differences in isoleucine degradation, oxidation of C1 compounds, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle IV, taurine degradation, and biosynthesis of paromamine, heme, colonic acid building blocks, butanediol, lysine/threonine/methionine, and histidine/purine/pyrimidine between two groups.

CONCLUSION

This study induced a mouse model of GD/GO by Ad-TSHR challenge, and gut microbiota characteristics were identified in the GD/GO mice. The Bacteroidia and Clostridia abundance was changed in the GD/GO mice. These findings may lay a solid experimental foundation for developing personalized treatment regimens for GD patients according to the individual gut microbiota. Given the potential impact of regional differences on intestinal microbiota, this study in China may provide a reference for the global overview of the gut-thyroid axis hypothesis.

Short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic low anterior resection with "dog ear" invagination anastomosis for mid and distal rectal cancer a propensity score matched analysis

Background

The lateral intersecting margin (dog-ear) was a weak spot of the double stapled technique (DST), We designed "dog-ear" invagination anastomosis (DAIA), which could eliminate the "dog-ear" in laparoscopic anterior resection.

Patients and methods

A total of 202 patients underwent elective curative LLAR + DST (n = 143) or LLAR + DAIA (n = 59) were enrolled in the study. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize the adverse effects. The clinical data between LLAR + DST and LLAR + DAIA was compared, and the effect of factors on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was analyzed.

Results

After PSM, 53 pairs of the LLRA + DST and LLRA + DAIA patients were enrolled in the study. The LLRA + DAIA group has a higher level (3.50 ± 1.03 vs. 2.87 ± 1.10, P = 0.01) of the anastomosis than that of the LLRA + DST group. Patients in LLAR + DAIA group have a lower incidence of protecting loop ileostomy compared to LLAR + DST group (20.75% vs. 5.66%, P < 0.05). The LLRA + DAIA patients presented better rates of LARS compare to LLRA + DST patients at 6 months (major LARS 37.74% (n = 20) vs. 67.93% (n = 36); P = 0.007) and 12 months (major LARS 13.21% (n = 7) vs. 20.37% (n = 11); P = 0.03) after surgery. The OS and DFS rates were similar (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Laparoscopic low anterior resection with "dog-ear" invagination anastomosis technique are well-established procedures for patients with low rectal cancer. "Dog-ear" invagination anastomosis technique may reduce the incidence of protecting loop ileostomy and significantly affect LARS score, and demonstrate a positive impact on the quality of life after surgery.

Rapid sequence and functional diversification of a miRNA superfamily targeting calcium signaling components in seed plants

MicroRNA (miRNA)-directed posttranscriptional gene silencing (miR-PTGS) is an integral component of gene regulatory networks governing plant development and responses to the environment. The sequence homology between Sly-miR4376, a miRNA common to Solanaceae and reported to target autoinhibited Ca²⁺ -ATPase 10 (ACA10) messenger RNA (mRNA) in tomato, and Arabidopsis miR391 (Ath-miR391), previously annotated as a nonconserved member of the deeply conserved miR390 family, has prompted us to revisit the function of Ath-miR391, as well as its regulatory conservation. A combination of genetic, molecular, and bioinformatic analyses revealed a hidden conservation for miR-PTGS of ACA10 homologs in spermatophytes. We found that the Arabidopsis ACA10 mRNA undergoes miR391-directed cleavage in vivo. Furthermore, transgenic overexpression of miR391 recapitulated the compact inflorescence (cif) phenotypes characteristic of ACA10 loss-of-function mutants, due to miR391-directed PTGS of ACA10. Significantly, comprehensive data mining revealed robust evidence for widespread PTGS of ACA10 homologs directed by a superfamily of related miRNAs sharing a conserved sequence core. Intriguingly, the ACA-targeting miRNAs in Poaceae also direct PTGS for calmodulin-like proteins which are putative Ca²⁺ sensors. The PTGS of ACA10 homologs is therefore directed by a miRNA superfamily that is of ancient origin and has undergone rapid sequence diversification associated with functional innovation.

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging as a quantitative tool for evaluating disease activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis

AIM

To determine the correlations between four quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters derived from intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted images (IVIM DWI) and the semi-quantitative Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) score of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and five clinical activity indices in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

AND METHODS

A total of 75 patients with axSpA and complete clinical activity indices and SIJ MRI were enrolled to this prospective study. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate correlations between MRI parameters and clinical activity indices after controlling for confounders. All data were further analysed using Pearson's correlation coefficients (r).

RESULTS

Only pure diffusion coefficient (D) and incoherent perfusion related microcirculation (D∗) were found to be independently positively correlated with several clinical activity indices (all p<0.05). Positive correlations were observed between D and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Patient Global Assessment (PGA), extent of influence of pain, with r of 0.605, 0.402, 0.319, and 0.485 (all p<0.0125). D∗ correlated positively with BASDAI, BASFI, and PGA (r=0.436, 0.356, 0.301, respectively; all p<0.0125).

CONCLUSION

D and D∗ derived from IVIM DWI could be associated with some disease activity indices in patients with axSpA; apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and SPARCC scores were not correlated with these indices. IVIM DWI may be a useful tool for the quantitative assessment of disease activity in patients with axSpA.

Phenotype expansion of variants affecting p38 MAPK signaling in hypospadias patients

Background

Hypospadias is a congenital anomaly of the male urogenital system. Genetics factors play an important role in its pathogenesis. To search for potential causal genes/variants for hypospadias, we performed exome sequencing in a pedigree with three patients across two generations and a cohort of 49 sporadic patients with hypospadias.

Results

A novel BRAF variant (NM_004333.6: c.362C > A) was found to co-segregate with the hypospadias phenotype in the disease pedigree. In cells overexpressing the BRAF mutant, the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK was significantly increased as compared with the cells overexpressing the wild-type BRAF or RASopathy-related BRAF mutant. This variant further led to a reduced transcription level of the SRY gene, which is essential for the normal development of the male reproductive system. In the cohort of sporadic patients, we identified two additional variants in p38 MAPK signaling-related genes (TRIM67 and DAB2IP) potentially associated with hypospadias.

Conclusion

Our study expands the phenotypic spectrum of variants affecting p38 MAPK signaling toward the involvement of hypospadias.

[Analysis of HIV-1 genetic subtype and pretreatment drug resistance among men who have sex with men infected with HIV-1 from 19 cities of 6 provinces in China]

Objective: To investigate the distribution of HIV-1 genetic subtypes and pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) among men who have sex with men (MSM) from 19 cities of 6 provinces in China. Methods: From April to November 2019, 574 plasma samples of ART-naive HIV-1 infected MSM were collected from 19 cities in Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces, total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted and amplified the HIV-1 pol gene region by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after reverse transcription. Then sequences were used to construct a phylogenetic tree to determine genetic subtypes and submitted to the Stanford drug resistance database for drug resistance analysis. Results: A total of 479 samples were successfully amplified by PCR. The HIV-1 genetic subtypes included CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC, B, CRF55_01B, CRF59_01B, CRF65_cpx, CRF103_01B, CRF67_01B, CRF68_01B and unrecognized subtype, which accounted for 43.4%, 36.3%, 6.3%, 5.9%, 0.8%, 0.8%, 0.4%, 0.4%, 0.2% and 5.5%, respectively. The distribution of genetic subtypes among provinces is statistically different (χ²=44.141, P<0.001). The overall PDR rate was 4.6% (22/479), the drug resistance rate of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors were 3.5% (17/479), 0.8% (4/479) and 0.2% (1/479), respectively. The PDR rate of recent infections was significantly higher than that of long-term infections (χ²=4.634, P=0.031). Conclusions: The HIV-1 genetic subtypes among MSM infected with HIV-1 from 19 cities of 6 provinces in China are diverse, and the distribution of subtypes is different among provinces. The overall PDR rate is low, while the PDR rate of recent infections was significantly higher than that of long-term infections, suggesting the surveillance of PDR in recent infections should be strengthened.

A unimorph nanocomposite dielectric elastomer for large out-of-plane actuation

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) feature large, reversible in-plane deformation, and stacked DEA layers are used to produce large strokes in the thickness dimension. We introduce an electrophoretic process to concentrate boron nitride nanosheet dispersion in a dielectric elastomer precursor solution onto a designated electrode surface. The resulting unimorph nanocomposite dielectric elastomer (UNDE) has a seamless bilayer structure with 13 times of modulus difference. The UNDE can be actuated to large bending curvatures, with enhanced breakdown field strength and durability as compared to conventional nanocomposite dielectric elastomer. Multiple UNDE units can be formed in a simple electrophoretic concentration process using patterned electrode areas. A disc-shaped actuator comprising six UNDE units outputs large bidirectional stroke up to 10 Hz. This actuator is used to demonstrate a high-speed lens motor capable of varying the focal length of a two-lens system by 40 times.

Exome-wide Analysis of De Novo and Rare Genetic Variants in Patients With Brain Arteriovenous Malformation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM) is a congenital disorder and a leading cause of hemorrhagic stroke. Germline genetic variants play an essential role in the pathogenesis of brain arteriovenous malformation. However, the biological relevance of the disease-associated genes identified in previous studies is elusive. In this study, we aim to systematically investigate the contribution of germline variants to bAVM and explore the critical molecular pathways underlying the pathogenesis of bAVM.

METHODS

Probands with sporadic bAVM were consecutively recruited into this study from November 2015 to November 2018 and underwent exome sequencing. The controls were aggregated from individuals who were not known to have vascular malformation and underwent exome sequencing for clinical or research purposes. The retained control dataset included 4609 individuals, including 251 individuals with parental samples sequenced. We firstly compared de novo variants in cases and controls and performed a pathway enrichment analysis. A gene-based rare variant association analysis was then performed to identify genes whose variants were significantly enriched in cases.

RESULTS

We collected an exome-sequenced bAVM cohort consisting of 152 trios and 40 singletons. By firstly focusing on de novo variants, we observed a significant mutational burden of de novo likely gene-disrupting variants in cases versus controls. By performing a pathway enrichment analysis of all nonsynonymous de novo variants identified in cases, we found the angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8) regulatory pathway to be significantly enriched in patients with bAVM. Through an exome-wide rare variant association analysis utilizing 4394 in-house exome data as controls, we identified SLC19A3 as a disease-associated gene for bAVM. In addition, we found that the SLC19A3 variants in cases are preferably located at the N' side of the SLC19A3 protein. These findings implicate a phenotypic extension of SLC19A3-related disorders with a domain-specific effect.

DISCUSSION

This study provides insights into the biological basis of bAVM by identifying novel molecular pathways and candidate genes.

Mutational spectrum of syndromic genes in sporadic brain arteriovenous malformation

Background

Brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) are abnormal vessels that are apt to rupture, causing life-threatening intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The estimated prevalence of BAVMs is 0.05% among otherwise healthy individuals. In this study, we aim to investigate the mutational spectrum of syndromic genes in sporadic BAVM.

Methods

We recruited a cohort of 150 patients with BAVM and performed whole-exome sequencing on their peripheral blood DNA. To explore the mutational spectrum of syndromic genes in sporadic brain arteriovenous malformation, we selected six genes according to the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and literature. All variants in the six candidate genes were extracted and underwent filtering for qualifying variants.

Results

There are a total of four patients with rare variants in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia-related genes. In addition, we identified two patients have the variant of RASA1 gene in our database, which are also rare mutations that are absent from population databases. However, we did not find any patients with GNAQ mutations in our database.

Conclusions

In conclusion, we demonstrated that variants in syndromic vascular malformations play important roles in the etiology of sporadic BAVM.

[Application of limiting antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay for estimating HIV-1 incidence in men who have sex with men]

Objective: To estimate the incidence of HIV-1 infection in men who have sex with men (MSM) in key areas of China through HIV-1 limiting antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay (LAg-Avidity EIA), analyze the deviation from the actual results and identify influencing factors, and provided reference for improving the accuracy of estimation results. Methods: Based on the principle of the cohort randomized study design, 20 cities were selected in China based on population size and the number of HIV-positive MSM. The sample size was estimated to be 700 according to the HIV-1 infection rate in MSM. MSM mobile phone app. was used to establish a detection appointment and questionnaire system, and the baseline cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to November 2019. LAg-Avidity EIA was used to identify the recent infected samples. The incidence of HIV-1 infection was calculated and then adjusted based on the estimation formula designed by WHO. The influencing factors were identified by analyzing the sample collection and detection processes. Results: Among the 10 650 blood samples from the participants, 799 were HIV-positive in initial screening, in which 198 samples (24.78%) missed during confirmation test. Only 621 samples were received by the laboratory. After excluding misreported samples, 520 samples were qualified for testing. A total of 155 samples were eventually determined as recent infection through LAg-Avidity EIA; Based on the estimation formula , the incidence of HIV-1 infection in MSM in 20 cities was 4.06% (95%CI:3.27%-4.85%), it increased to 5.53% (95%CI: 4.45%-6.60%)after the adjusting for sample missing rate. When the sample missing rate and misreporting rate were both adjusted, the incidence of HIV-1 infection in the MSM increased to 5.66% (95%CI:4.67%-6.65%). The actual incidence of HIV-1 infection in MSM in the 20 cities might be between 4.06% and 5.66%. Conclusions: Sample missing and misreporting might cause the deviation of the estimation of HIV-1 infection incidence. It is important to ensure the sample source and the quality of sample collection and detection to reduce the deviation in the estimation of HIV-1 infection incidence.

Antigen Presentation and Proteome Study of Exosomes Secreted by Co-Culture of Macrophages and Talaromyces marneffei

It is known that intracellular pathogens interact and react with the cellular immune system through exosomes produced by macrophages. This study aimed to determine whether co-culture of macrophages and Talaromyces marneffei induces exosomes and leads to immune responses. T. marneffei was incubated to collect conidia, co-cultured with human macrophages, which then induced exosomes. In cellular experiments, after extraction and purification, the exosomes were then observed by electron microscopy and detected by flow cytometry and mass spectrometry. In animal experiments, flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to examine whether exosomes were antigenpresenting. The results showed that purified exosomes produced a pro-inflammatory response and stimulated production of TNF-α in non-fungal-treated macrophages. Protein mass spectrometry analysis of exosomes also indicated their potential ability to activate the internal immune response system and the pro-inflammatory response. Translation and ribosomes were the most abundant GO terms in proteins, and the most relevant KEGG pathway was the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Furthermore, in vivo experiments revealed that exosomes induced activation of lymphocytes and increased expression of TNF-α and IL-12 in the lung, mediastinum, and spleen area. In conclusion, exosomes can be released by co-culture of T. marneffei and macrophages, having antigen-presenting functions, promoting macrophage inflammation, and initiating adaptive immune responses. These processes are inextricably linked to the translation of secondary metabolites, ribosomes and biosynthesis.

Development and Application of a Reverse-transcription Recombinase-Aided Amplification Assay for Subgroup J Avian Leukosis Virus

Subgroup J Avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) is an important pathogen of poultry tumor diseases. Since its discovery, it has caused significant economic losses to the poultry industry. Thus, the rapid detection of molecular level with strong specificity is particularly important whether poultry are infected with ALV-J. In this study, we designed primers and probe for real-time fluorescent reverse-transcription recombinase-aided amplification assay (RT-RAA) based on the ALV-J gp85 sequence. We had established a real-time fluorescent RT-RAA method and confirmed this system by verifying the specificity and sensitivity of the primers and probe. In addition, repeatability tests and clinical sample regression tests were used for preliminary evaluation of this detection method. The sensitivity of established method was about 10¹ copies/μL, and the repeatability of the CV of the C_T value is 4%, indicating repeatability is good. Moreover, there was no cross-reactivity with NDV, IBV, IBDV, H9N2, MDV, and REV, and other avian leukosis virus subgroups, such as subgroups A, B, C, D, K and E. Importantly, the real-time fluorescent RT-RAA completed the test within 30 min at a constant temperature of 41°C. Forty-two clinical samples with known background were tested, and the test results were coincided with 100%. Overall, these results suggested that the real-time fluorescent RT-RAA developed in this study had strong specificity, high sensitivity, and good feasibility. The method is simple, easy, and portable, that is suitable for clinical and laboratory diagnosis, and provides technical support for the prevention and control of ALV-J.

Precision luminosity measurement in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016 at CMS

The measurement of the luminosity recorded by the CMS detector installed at LHC interaction point 5, using proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016, is reported. The absolute luminosity scale is measured for individual bunch crossings using beam-separation scans (the van der Meer method), with a relative precision of 1.3 and 1.0% in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The dominant sources of uncertainty are related to residual differences between the measured beam positions and the ones provided by the operational settings of the LHC magnets, the factorizability of the proton bunch spatial density functions in the coordinates transverse to the beam direction, and the modeling of the effect of electromagnetic interactions among protons in the colliding bunches. When applying the van der Meer calibration to the entire run periods, the integrated luminosities when CMS was fully operational are 2.27 and 36.3 fb - 1 in 2015 and 2016, with a relative precision of 1.6 and 1.2%, respectively. These are among the most precise luminosity measurements at bunched-beam hadron colliders.

Acrolein but not its metabolite, 3-Hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (3HPMA), activates vascular transient receptor potential Ankyrin-1 (TRPA1): Physiological to toxicological implications

Acrolein, an electrophilic α,β-unsaturated aldehyde, is present in foods and beverages, and is a product of incomplete combustion, and thus, reaches high ppm levels in tobacco smoke and structural fires. Exposure to acrolein is linked with cardiopulmonary toxicity and cardiovascular disease risk. The hypothesis of this study is the direct effects of acrolein in isolated murine blood vessels (aorta and superior mesenteric artery, SMA) are transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) dependent. Using isometric myography, isolated aorta and SMA were exposed to increasing levels of acrolein. Acrolein inhibited phenylephrine (PE)-induced contractions (approximately 90%) in aorta and SMA of male and female mice in a concentration-dependent (0.01-100 μM) manner. The major metabolite of acrolein, 3-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (3HPMA), also relaxed PE-precontracted SMA. As the SMA was 20× more sensitive to acrolein than aorta (SMA EC50 0.8 ± 0.2 μM; aorta EC50 > 29.4 ± 4.4 μM), the mechanisms of acrolein-induced relaxation were studied in SMA. The potency of acrolein-induced relaxation was inhibited significantly by: 1) mechanically-impaired endothelium; 2) Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME); 3) guanylyl cyclase (GC) inhibitor (ODQ); and, 4) a TRPA1 antagonist (A967079). TRPA1 positive immunofluorescence was present in the endothelium. Compared with other known TRPA1 agonists, including allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), cinnamaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and formaldehyde, acrolein stimulated a more potent TRPA1-dependent relaxation. Acrolein, at high concentration [100 μM], induced tension oscillations (spasms) independent of TRPA1 in precontracted SMA but not in aorta. In conclusion, acrolein is vasorelaxant at low levels (physiological) yet vasotoxic at high levels (toxicological).

Lactobacillus plantarum and molasses alter dynamic chemical composition, microbial community, and aerobic stability of mixed (amaranth and rice straw) silage

BACKGROUND

The objective was to determine how molasses and Lactobacillus plantarum affect chemical composition, fermentation quality, aerobic stability, and the microbial community of an ensiled mixture of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriaus, AF) and rice straw. Treatments were control (C, no addition), L. plantarum (L; 2 × 10⁵  cfu g^-1 fresh weight), molasses (M; 40 g kg^-1 fresh matter), and their combination (LM). All treatments were ensiled for 1, 3, 5, 7, and 30 days.

RESULTS

All additives improved fermentation quality with greater lactic acid (LA), acetic acid, and lower pH than C silage over the ensiling period. The LM silage combination optimized fermentability, manifested as greater LA contents and a more rapid pH reduction during the first 7 days of ensiling than L or M silages. After 30 days of ensiling, inoculant L. plantarum increased Lactobacillus abundance and reduced bacterial diversity and Enterobacteriaceae abundance compared with silage treated with molasses. Molasses addition reduced the relative concentration of structural carbohydrates (neutral and acid detergent fiber, and hemicellulose) after 30 days of ensiling. Finally, there was spoilage after 2 days and 4 days of aerobic exposure in C and LM silages respectively, whereas L silage had not spoiled after 4 days.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the combination of L. plantarum and molasses further optimized fermentation characteristics, L silage had better aerobic stability. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

POS0443 EXPLORING NOVEL TENOSYNOVITIS AND COMBINED INFLAMMATION IMAGING OUTCOMES: RESULTS FROM A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL IN EARLY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Background:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) trial outcomes have largely focused on synovitis, bone marrow oedema (BME) and erosions. Tenosynovitis is a common manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but is relatively understudied; a combined inflammation score (CIS) summing synovitis, BME and tenosynovitis may be a highly responsive measure. We previously showed the responsiveness of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) RA MRI scoring system (RAMRIS) and a machine-learning derived automated tool (RAMRIQ) in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of tofacitinib and methotrexate (MTX) in MTX-naïve patients (pts) with early RA.1

Objectives:

This post hoc analysis assessed the impact of tofacitinib ± MTX on MRI tenosynovitis and CIS in pts with early RA using semiquantitative and quantitative MRI outcomes.

Methods:

Study A3921068 (NCT01164579), a 1-year, exploratory, Phase 2, RCT, compared tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily (BID) ± MTX, and MTX monotherapy, in MTX-naïve pts with early RA.1 MRI of unilateral wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints was performed at screening/baseline (BL) and Months (M)1/3/6/12. MRI tenosynovitis and CIS were assessed using RAMRIS and RAMRIQ. Changes from BL (Δ) in RAMRIS and RAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS were evaluated at M1/3/6/12. Data were assessed using a mixed-effect model for repeated measures, with treatment arms as factors and BL values as covariates. Using data pooled across treatment arms, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated for associations between BL RAMRIS and BL RAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS vs BL Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, C-reactive protein (DAS28-4[CRP]), and ΔRAMRIS and ΔRAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS at M12 vs ΔDAS28-4(CRP) at M12.

Results:

In total, 109 pts were randomised and treated. ΔRAMRIS and ΔRAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS were generally significantly greater at M3/6/12 in pts receiving tofacitinib ± MTX vs MTX, while ΔRAMRIQ CIS was also significantly greater at M1 (Figure 1). Compared with RAMRIS, RAMRIQ outcomes were generally more responsive to treatment with tofacitinib ± MTX. Significant correlations were seen between BL RAMRIS and BL RAMRIQ tenosynovitis and BL RAMRIS CIS vs BL DAS28-4(CRP), and between ΔRAMRIS and ΔRAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS at M12 vs ΔDAS28-4(CRP) at M12 (Table 1). In general, stronger correlations were seen between BL DAS28-4(CRP) and BL RAMRIS vs BL RAMRIQ parameters, while correlations were similar between ΔDAS28-4(CRP) at M12 and ΔRAMRIS and ΔRAMRIQ parameters at M12.

Table 1.

Correlations between a) BL RAMRIS and BL RAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS vs BL DAS28-4(CRP) (N=109) and b) ΔRAMRIS and ΔRAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS at M12 vs ΔDAS28-4(CRP) at M12 (N=73) across treatment armsa

a)BL DAS28-4(CRP)b)ΔDAS28-4(CRP)BL imaging featureCorrelationp valueΔImaging featureCorrelationp valueRAMRIStenosynovitis0.3660.0001RAMRIStenosynovitis0.531<0.0001RAMRIS CIS0.399<0.0001RAMRIS CIS0.554<0.0001RAMRIQtenosynovitis0.2050.037RAMRIQtenosynovitis0.543<0.0001RAMRIQ CIS0.1800.062RAMRIQ CIS0.564<0.0001

aData were pooled across the tofacitinib 10 mg BID ± MTX and MTX monotherapy arms

Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients and p values were calculated for associations between RAMRIS and RAMRIQ parameters and DAS28-4(CRP); tenosynovitis and CIS were assessed using combined data from metacarpophalangeal and wrist joints; CIS is the sum of synovitis, BME and tenosynovitis values

Δ, change from BL; N, number of pts with values at BL/timepoint of interest

Conclusion:

Responsiveness of RAMRIS and RAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS was demonstrated with significant improvements through M12 in pts receiving tofacitinib 10 mg BID ± MTX vs MTX. Construct validity for RAMRIS and RAMRIQ tenosynovitis and CIS was evident from correlations with DAS28-4(CRP). Further work is needed to validate these novel imaging biomarkers in terms of relative responsiveness and prediction of later structural progression.

References:

[1]Conaghan et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2016; 75: 1024-1033.

Acknowledgements:

Study sponsored by Pfizer Inc. Medical writing support was provided by Jennifer Arnold, CMC Connect, and funded by Pfizer Inc.

Disclosure of Interests:

Philip G Conaghan Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Novartis, Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Flexion, Galapagos, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Regeneron, Mikkel Østergaard Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Centocor, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Hospira, Janssen, Merck, Mundipharma, Novartis, Novo, Orion, Pfizer Inc, Regeneron, Roche, Schering-Plough, Takeda, UCB, Wyeth, Consultant of: AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Centocor, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Hospira, Janssen, Merck, Mundipharma, Novartis, Novo, Orion, Pfizer Inc, Regeneron, Roche, Schering-Plough, Takeda, UCB, Wyeth, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Centocor, Merck, Orrin Troum Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Horizon, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Sanofi-Genzyme, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Horizon, Pfizer Inc, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Centocor, Corrona, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Zhiyong Xie Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Alan Brett Shareholder of: Stryker Corp, Employee of: Stryker Corp, Mark Snyder Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Abbas Ebrahim Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Douglass Chapman Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Gosford Sawyerr Consultant of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Syneos Health, John Andrews Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc

Association of clinical factors and recent anticancer therapy with COVID-19 severity among patients with cancer: a report from the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium

BACKGROUND

Patients with cancer may be at high risk of adverse outcomes from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We analyzed a cohort of patients with cancer and coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) reported to the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) to identify prognostic clinical factors, including laboratory measurements and anticancer therapies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with active or historical cancer and a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis recorded between 17 March and 18 November 2020 were included. The primary outcome was COVID-19 severity measured on an ordinal scale (uncomplicated, hospitalized, admitted to intensive care unit, mechanically ventilated, died within 30 days). Multivariable regression models included demographics, cancer status, anticancer therapy and timing, COVID-19-directed therapies, and laboratory measurements (among hospitalized patients).

RESULTS

A total of 4966 patients were included (median age 66 years, 51% female, 50% non-Hispanic white); 2872 (58%) were hospitalized and 695 (14%) died; 61% had cancer that was present, diagnosed, or treated within the year prior to COVID-19 diagnosis. Older age, male sex, obesity, cardiovascular and pulmonary comorbidities, renal disease, diabetes mellitus, non-Hispanic black race, Hispanic ethnicity, worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, recent cytotoxic chemotherapy, and hematologic malignancy were associated with higher COVID-19 severity. Among hospitalized patients, low or high absolute lymphocyte count; high absolute neutrophil count; low platelet count; abnormal creatinine; troponin; lactate dehydrogenase; and C-reactive protein were associated with higher COVID-19 severity. Patients diagnosed early in the COVID-19 pandemic (January-April 2020) had worse outcomes than those diagnosed later. Specific anticancer therapies (e.g. R-CHOP, platinum combined with etoposide, and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors) were associated with high 30-day all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical factors (e.g. older age, hematological malignancy, recent chemotherapy) and laboratory measurements were associated with poor outcomes among patients with cancer and COVID-19. Although further studies are needed, caution may be required in utilizing particular anticancer therapies.

CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFIER

NCT04354701.

POS0775 APLS-ASSOCIATED RETINAL VASCULOPATHY AS A PRESENTATION OF THROMBOTIC MICROANGIOPATHY

Background:

Persistent antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) positivity was a recognized risk factor for thrombotic events, obstetric morbidity and a variety of manifestations beyond thrombosis. The presence of some non-criteria manifestations including thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and APS nephropathy should prompt consideration for thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA).1 Patients with APS can also present with a variety of ocular and neuro-ophthalmic manifestations, such as retinal artery/vein occlusion, retinal arteritis, optic neuritis and ischemic optic neuropathy, with underlying mechanisms remained elusive. Retinal vasculopathy including retinal artery occlusion (RAO) or retinal vein occlusion (RVO) was recently found occurred more frequently in APS patients with thrombocytopenia2, suggested other possible mechanisms besides thromboembolism.

Objectives:

To explore risk factors and possible mechanisms of retinal vasculopathy among APS patients.

Methods:

In this single-center case-control study among APS patients, we evaluated patients who fulfilled 2006 Sapporo APS Classification Criteria3 with or without retinal vasculopathy during 2018-2020 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Demographic data, aPL-related manifestations, cardiovascular risk factors and antibodies profile were compared and a logistical regression model was built. Hierarchical cluster analysis with the Euclidean distance and the Ward method was applied to identify clusters of variables.

Results:

A total of 310 APS patients (67.4% female, mean age 38.1 years) were included, of whom 18 patients were diagnosed with retinal vasculopathy (9 with RVO and 9 with RAO). No significant differences was found among most demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, or antibody profile. However, APS-related heart valve disease (OR 13.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.55-40.98), APS nephropathy (OR 12.77, 95% CI 4.04-40.35), thrombocytopenia (OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.01-6.89) and high serum IgM (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.30-10.40) were predictive of retinal vasculopathy (Figure 1 A). APS-related heart valve disease and nephropathy were also found statistical significant in multivariate logistical regression (Figure 1 B). They and other non-criteria manfestations were aggregated with retinal vasculopathy from cluster analysis of variables (Figure 1 C).

Conclusion:

Patients with APS-related heart valve disease and nephropathy suffered a higher risk of retinal vasculopathy including RAO and RVO. The underlying mechanisms of aPLs-associated retinal vasculopathy may involve TMA, leading to a poor prognosis and therapeutic changes.

References:

[1]Kotzen ES, Roy S, Jain K. Antiphospholipid Syndrome Nephropathy and Other Thrombotic Microangiopathies Among Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Adv Chronic Kidney Dis. 2019 Sep;26(5):376-386.

[2]Ermakova NA, Alekberova ZS, Reshetniak TM, Kalashnikova LA, Kosheleva NM. [Retinal vascular lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome]. Vestn Oftalmol. 2005 Sep-Oct;121(5):31-6.

[3]Miyakis S, Lockshin MD, Atsumi T, Branch DW, Brey RL, Cervera R, et al. International consensus statement on an update of the classification criteria for definite antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). J Thromb Haemost. 2006 Feb;4(2):295-306.

Figure 1. A) Forest plot of univariate analysis; B) Forest plot of multivariate logistic regression; C) Cluster analysis of variables.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

POS0186 METABOLOMIC SIGNATURES FOR KNEE CARTILAGE VOLUME LOSS OVER 10 YEARS

Background:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, and its impact is increasing year by year due to an aging population and lack of effective treatments. One of the main structural pathological changes of OA is the loss of articular cartilage. Tools that can predict cartilage loss would help identify people at high risk, thus preventing OA development.

Objectives:

Using a metabolomics approach, the current study aimed to identify serum metabolomic signatures for predicting the loss of knee cartilage volume over 10 years in a well-established community-based cohort - the Tasmania Older Adult Cohort (TASOAC).

Methods:

TASOAC is an on-going, prospective, population-based study of older adults who were randomly selected from the roll of electors in Southern Tasmania, Australia. Participants had a right knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at baseline and a 10-year follow-up. Cartilage volume was measured in the medial, lateral, and patellar compartments and change in cartilage volume over 10 years was calculated as percentage change per year. Fasting serum samples collected at 2.6-year follow-up were metabolomically profiled using the TMIC Prime Metabolomics Profiling Assay which measures a total of 143 metabolites. 129 metabolite concentrations passed the quality control and the pairwise ratios of them as the proxies of enzymatic reaction were calculated. Linear regression models were used to test the association between each of the metabolite ratios and change in cartilage volume in each of the knee compartments with adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). The significance was defined at a=3.0×10-6 to control multiple testing of 16,512 ratios with Bonferroni method.

Results:

A total of 344 participants (51% females) were included. The mean baseline age was 62.83±6.13 years and the mean BMI was 27.48±4.41 kg/m2. The average follow-up time was 10.84±0.66 years. Cartilage volume reduced by 1.34±0.72%, 1.06±0.58%, and 0.98±0.46% per year in the medial, lateral, and patellar compartments, respectively. Our data showed that an increased ratio of hexadecenoylcarnitine (C16:1) to tetradecanoylcarnitine (C14) was associated with a 0.12±0.02% per year reduction in patellar cartilage volume (p = 8.80×10-7). An increased ratio of hexadecenoylcarnitine (C16:1) to dodecanoylcarnitine (C12) was also associated with a 0.12±0.02% per year reduction in patellar cartilage volume (p = 2.66×10-6). While there were several metabolite ratios associated with cartilage volume loss in the medial and lateral compartments, none of them reached the predefined significance level.

Conclusion:

Our data suggested that alteration of fatty acid β-oxidation is involved in knee cartilage loss, especially in the patellar compartment, and the serum ratio of C16:1 to C14 and to C12 could be used to predict long-term patellar cartilage loss.

Acknowledgements:

We thank all the study participants who made the study possible. The original TASOAC study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the current study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Serum-Derived Exosomes from Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Induce Endothelial Injury and Inflammation in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Endothelial injury and inflammation have been found to be essential in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Circulating exosomes are of great value as novel biomarkers for CAD. However, the role of circulating exosomes in the pathogenesis of CAD remains unclear. Thus, in this study, we aimed to examine whether circulating exosomes from CAD are involved in the endothelial injury and inflammation. The serum-derived exosomes were isolated from CAD and controls using an ExoQuick reagent, and these were then quantified by measuring the protein levels using BCA methods. The uptake of exosomes by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was observed by laser scanning microscope and analyzed via flow cytometry. Then, HUVECs were treated with vehicle, exosomes from CAD (CAD-exo), and controls (ctrl-exo) in the absence and presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis were evaluated using CCK-8 assay, scratch assay, and tube formation assay. Inflammatory factors including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 levels were detected via qPCR. As per our findings, no significant differences were noted in uptake of ctrl-exo and CAD-exo by HUVECs. CAD-exo suppressed cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with ctrl-exo, CAD-exo-treated HUVECs significantly suppressed migration and angiogenesis. However, CAD-exo had a stronger inhibitory effect on VEGF-induced migration and angiogenesis compared with ctrl-exo. Moreover, IL-1β, TNF-α, and ICAM-1 were determined to be significantly upregulated in HUVECs treated with CAD-exo, but IL-6 and VCAM-1 expressions were not affected. Overall, our results suggest that CAD-exo are involved in endothelial injury and inflammation, which may, in turn, cause endothelial dysfunction and potentially promote the development of CAD.

A 2D Refreshable Braille Display Based on a Stiffness Variable Polymer and Pneumatic Actuation

Visual impairments limit a person's ability to process information such as obstacles, environments, reading and especially multimedia content (e.g., photographs and videos). In this work, we present the design and operating mechanism of Braille PolyPad, a prototype 2D refreshable braille display featuring 4×10 braille cells, enabling the transformation of images to 2D braille information. The Braille Polypad is based on a miniature pump enabled pneumatic actuation of Braille pins. The encoder transformed the pattern information to a heating circuits to trigger the softening of a stiffness variable polymer, allowing for large pneumatic actuation in the softened pin area. The braille pattern can switch on and off in 0.5s each regardless of the number of braille cells and pins, with low operation voltage and low power consumption. The technical features in this work could enable low-cost, large-size matrix refreshable braille displays in compact form factor. Full development of the prototype device is still ongoing, including materials optimization, actuation uniformity, and improvement of user-friendly control interface.

Setting the new FRAX reference threshold without bone mineral density in Chinese postmenopausal women

PURPOSE

Despite the large number of osteoporosis patients in China, the diagnosis and treatment rates remain low. The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) can be used to effectively evaluate fracture risk. In this study, we explored the Chinese-specific thresholds of FRAX without the T-score.

METHODS

In all, 264 postmenopausal women aged > 50 years were randomly recruited from community-medical centers. All subjects completed self-reported questionnaires, BMD measurements, and spinal radiographs. The 10-year hip and major osteoporotic fracture risks were calculated by FRAX. A new threshold for both 10-year hip and major osteoporotic fracture risk was explored with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 92 subjects were diagnosed with osteoporosis. Among them, 14 participants with T-score > - 2.5 were diagnosed with osteoporosis based on clinical fractures. ROC analysis showed the cut-off value of the 10-year hip osteoporotic fracture for detecting osteoporosis was 0.95%, while that of 10-year major osteoporotic fracture was 4.95%. The sensitivity and specificity of the 10-year hip osteoporotic fracture probability for detecting osteoporosis were 0.86 and 0.59, respectively, while the guideline-recommended threshold had a sensitivity of 0.49 and specificity of 0.83. The sensitivity and specificity of the 10-year major osteoporotic fractures with the new threshold were 0.76 and 0.69, respectively, while the recommended threshold had a sensitivity of 0 and specificity of 1.

CONCLUSION

Current guideline-recommended FRAX thresholds without BMD showed low sensitivity. Therefore, 10-year osteoporotic hip fracture probability ≥ 0.95% and 10-year osteoporotic major fracture probability ≥ 4.95% are recommended as the new thresholds.

Krüppel-like factor 6 promotes odontoblastic differentiation through regulating the expression of dentine sialophosphoprotein and dentine matrix protein 1 genes

AIM

To investigate the potential role of Krüppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) in the odontoblastic differentiation of immortalized dental papilla mesenchymal cells (iMDP-3) cells.

METHODOLOGY

Alizarin Red S (ARS) and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was used to examine the mineralization effect of iMDP-3 cells after odontoblastic induction. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were employed to analyse dentine sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), dentine matrix protein 1 (DMP1), RUNX family transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), ALP and KLF6 expression during this process. Co-expression of the KLF6 with DMP1, DSPP and RUNX2 was detected by double immunofluorescence staining to explore their local relationship in the cell. To further investigate KLF6 functions, Klf6 gain- and loss-of-function assays followed by ARS and ALP stainings, real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed using Klf6-overexpression plasmids and Klf6 siRNA to investigate whether changes in Klf6 expression affect the odontoblastic differentiation of iMDP-3 cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to elucidate the mechanistic regulation of Dspp and Dmp1 expression by Klf6. Means were compared using the unpaired t-test and Kruskal-Wallis one-way anova with P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 defined as statistical significance levels.

RESULTS

The expression levels of Klf6 (P < 0.01), Dspp (P < 0.05), Dmp1 (P < 0.01), Runx2 (P < 0.01) and Alp (P < 0.01) were significantly elevated during odontoblastic differentiation of iMDP-3 cells. KLF6 was co-localized with DSPP, DMP1 and RUNX2 in the cytoplasm and nucleus of iMDP-3 cells. Overexpression of Klf6 promoted the odontoblastic differentiation of iMDP-3, whereas the inhibition of Klf6 prevented this procession. Dual-luciferase assays revealed that Klf6 upregulates Dspp and Dmp1 transcription in iMDP-3 cells during odontoblastic differentiation.

CONCLUSION

Klf6 promoted odontoblastic differentiation by targeting the transcription promoter of Dmp1 and Dspp. This study may offer novel insights into strategies for treating injuries to dental pulp tissue.

Cellular viability and death biomarkers enables the evaluation of ocular irritation using the bovine corneal opacity and permeability assay

The BCOP assay is used in the identification of chemicals that cause no ocular irritation or serious damage. However, this method has not been found to adequately discriminate between mild from moderate ocular irritation (category 2A/2B), based upon the animal data. In this study, we aimed to establish methods for discerning ocular irritation by chemicals. We used the BCOP assay and the fluorescence staining methods based on biomarkers for cellular viability and death. The potential for ocular irritation by 12 chemicals from different UN GHS categories was assessed by the BCOP assay. Cryosections of bovine corneas were obtained. The necrotic nucleus was TUNEL labeled, cytoplasmic f-actin was stained by phalloidin while the nucleus was stained by DAPI. The depth of injury (DOI) was then measured. According to BCOP assay, in vivo data of Draize eye test and DOI, the results showed that category NC irritants caused ≤ 10 % epithelial DOI, irritants of category 2B caused >10 % epithelial DOI and showed no stromal damage, while category 2A showed damage to the stroma. Based on these results, the GHS prediction model could distinguish between GHS 2A and 2B. Authenticating the viability of BCOP by DOI measurements can provide a more reliable basis for classifying ocular irritants.

LncRNA UCA1 affects osteoblast proliferation and differentiation by regulating BMP-2 expression

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to detect the expression of long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1) in the plasma of patients with osteoporosis (OST), and to investigate its influences on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and its mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Plasma samples were collected from 52 OST patients treated in our hospital and 30 healthy subjects receiving a physical examination, respectively. The expression level of lncRNA UCA1 in OST patients and healthy subjects were detected via Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cell lines with a stable knockout of UCA1 in mice were constructed using small-interfering RNA (siRNA). The influence of UCA1 knockout on the proliferation of osteoblasts was detected using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Meanwhile, the proportion of EdU-positive cells in osteoblasts of the control group and UCA1 knockout group was detected using EdU staining. Moreover, the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of differentiation-related genes, including Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), Collagen1α1, osteoclast (OC), osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteopontin (OPN) and Osterix (OSX), were detected via RT-PCR. The protein expression level of Runx2 was detected via Western blotting. In addition, osteoblasts were cultured with a bone-derived medium for 14 d. Then, the differentiation status was detected via alizarin red staining and alkaline phosphatase staining. Finally, the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2)/(Smad1/5/8) signaling pathway was analyzed using Western blotting.

RESULTS

The expression of plasma lncRNA UCA1 was significantly increased in OST patients (p<0.05). Cell experiments revealed that UCA1 siRNA intervention could significantly promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cell lines. In addition, Western blotting showed that the pro-apoptotic effect of UCA1 might be mediated by the BMP-2/(Smad1/5/8) signaling pathway in osteoblasts.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhibiting lncRNA UCA1 can promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts by activating the BMP-2/(Smad1/5/8) signaling pathway in osteoblasts. Therefore, UCA1 is expected to be a new therapeutic target for OST.

Mitochondrial ribosomal protein S9M is involved in male gametogenesis and seed development in Arabidopsis

Mitochondrial function is critical for cell vitality in all eukaryotes including plants. Although plant mitochondria contain many proteins, few have been studied in the context of plant development and physiology. We used knock-down mutant RPS9M to study its important role in male gametogenesis and seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Knock-down of RPS9M in the rps9m-3 mutant led to abnormal pollen development and impaired pollen tube growth. In addition, both embryo and endosperm development were affected. Phenotype analysis revealed that the rps9m-3 mutant contained a lower amount of endosperm and nuclear proteins, and both embryo cell division and embryo pattern were affected, resulting in an abnormal and defective embryo. Lowering the level of RPS9M in rps9m-3 affects mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis, energy metabolism and production of ROS. Our data revealed that RPS9M plays important roles in normal gametophyte development and seed formation, possibly by sustaining mitochondrial function.

[COVID-19 pandemic: global epidemiological trends and China's subsequent preparedness and responses]

The outbreak of COVID-19 has spread quickly across 114 countries/territories/areas in six continents worldwide and has been announced as a pandemic by WHO. This study analyzed global COVID-19 epidemiological trends, examined impact of the pandemic on global health security, diplomacy, and social environment in China, and provided short- and long-term strategic policy recommendations for China's subsequent preparedness and responses.