Effect of Placental Transfusion on Long-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Premature Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiology and the potential risks of placental transfusion (PT) differ substantially in preterm infants, necessitating specific studies in this population. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PT in preterm infants from the perspective of long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search using placental transfusion, preterm infant, and its synonyms as search terms. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, and Embase were searched until March 07, 2023. Two reviewers independently identified, extracted relevant randomized controlled trials, and appraised the risk of bias. The extracted studies were included in the meta-analysis of long-term neurodevelopmental clinical outcomes using fixed-effects models.

RESULTS

A total of 5612 articles were identified, and seven randomized controlled trials involving 2551 infants were included in our meta-analysis. Compared with immediate cord clamping (ICC), PT may not impact adverse neurodevelopment events. No clear evidence was found of a difference in the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment (risk ratio [RR]: 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.76 to 1.03, P = 0.13, I2 = 0). PT was not associated with the incidence of cerebral palsy (RR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.59 to 2.57, P = 0.79, I2 = 0). Analyses showed no differences between the two interventions in cognitive, language, and motor domains of neurodevelopment.

CONCLUSIONS

From the perspective of long-term neurodevelopment, PT at preterm birth may be as safe as ICC. Future studies should focus on standardized, high-quality clinical trials and individual participant data to optimize cord management strategies for preterm infants after birth.

Low expression of lysosome-related genes KCNE1, NPC2, and SFTPD promote cancer cell proliferation and tumor associated M2 macrophage polarization in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Recent research has shown that lysosomes play a critical role in the onset and progression of malignancy by regulating tumor cell death through several mechanisms. Nevertheless, the involvement of lysosome-associated genes (LSAGs) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still not well understood.

Methods

LSAGs were identified in malignant lung epithelial cells, as well as biologically and functionally annotated by the comprehensive integration of single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data. Prognostic characterization of LSAGs was established, of which the accuracy and reliability were assessed by one-way Cox and LASSO regression. Correlations between LSAG properties and immune cell infiltration, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy were analyzed by integrated omics data. Finally, we characterized the expression of three LSAGs (KCNE1, NPC2, and SFTPD) in malignant lung epithelium and assessed their impact on tumor malignancy related phenotypes.

Results

We identified 18 LSAGs associated with prognosis, of which 3 LSAGs were used to construct prognostic models. High-risk patients had worse survival and the model predicted it better than other clinical indicators. Based on the functional enrichment analyses, LSAGs were associated with binding and molecular activity functions, inhibition of DNA damage repair and tumor growth, IL7 signaling pathway, and glycolysis. M0 macrophages and M1 macrophages were substantially enriched in high-risk patients. Conversely, there was a considerable enrichment of resting dendritic cells and M2 macrophages in patients at low risk. We also found that risk scores predicted the outcome of immunotherapy. In vitro, we found that KCNE1, NPC2, and SFTPD were lowly expressed in malignant epithelial cells and patients with low expression of KCNE1, NPC2, and SFTPD had a higher percentage of M2 macrophage infiltration. Overexpression of KCNE1, NPC2, and SFTPD suppressed the proliferation and invasion of malignant cells, and M0 macrophages remarkably reduced M2 macrophage polarization and cellular secretion of pro-tumor cytokines.

Conclusions

We used three LASGs-KCNE1, NPC2, and SFTPD-to develop and validate a predictive signature for LUAD patients. Furthermore, we found that low expression of KCNE1, NPC2, and SFTPD promotes lung cancer cell proliferation and invasion and M2 macrophage polarization. Our study may provide fresh perspectives for customized immunotherapy.

[Effect of preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen on postoperative pain after mandibular third molar extraction: a randomized controlled trial]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen on postoperative pain following the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars in a Chinese population, aiming to provide a clinical reference for its application. Methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial was conducted from April 2022 to October 2023 at the Capital Medical University School of Stomatology (40 cases), Beijing TianTan Hospital, Capital Medical University (22 cases), and Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University (20 cases). It included 82 patients with impacted mandibular third molars, with 41 in the ibuprofen group and 41 in the control group. Participants in the ibuprofen group received 300 mg of sustained-release ibuprofen capsules orally 15 min before surgery, while the control group received a placebo. Both groups were instructed to take sustained-release ibuprofen capsules as planned for 3 days post-surgery. Pain intensity was measured using the numerical rating scale at 30 min, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after surgery, and the use of additional analgesic medication was recorded during days 4 to 6 postoperatively. Results: All 82 patients completed the study according to the protocol. No adverse events such as nausea, vomiting, or allergies were reported in either group during the trial. The ibuprofen group exhibited significantly lower pain scores at 4 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 4.0 (3.0, 5.0)] (Z=-3.73, P<0.001), 6 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 5.0(2.5, 6.0)] (Z=-3.38, P<0.001), and 8 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 5.0 (2.0, 6.0)] (Z=-2.11, P=0.035) postoperatively compared to the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in pain scores between the groups at 30 min, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h postoperatively (P>0.05). Additionally, 11 out of 41 patients (26.8%) in the ibuprofen group and 23 out of 41 patients (56.1%) in the control group required extra analgesic medication between days 4 and 6 post-surgery, with the ibuprofen group taking significantly fewer additional pills [0.0 (0.0, 1.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0, 3.0)] (Z=-2.81, P=0.005). Conclusions: A pain management regimen involving 300 mg of oral sustained-release ibuprofen capsules administered 15 minutes before surgery and continued for 3 d postoperatively effectively reduces pain levels and the total amount of analgesic medication used after the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Considering its efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness, ibuprofen is recommended as a first-line drug for perioperative pain management, enhancing patient comfort during diagnosis and treatment in a feasible manner.

[The cases of tracing the source of patients infected with Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 based on wastewater-based epidemiology in Shenzhen]

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an emerging discipline, which has been applied to drug abuse tracking and infectious disease pathogen surveillance. During the COVID-19 epidemic, WBE has been applied to monitor the epidemic trend and SARS-CoV-2 variants etc. In order to detect hidden COVID-19 cases and prevent transmission in the community, wastewater surveillance system for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 RNA was developed in Shenzhen. The sewage sampling sites were set up in key places such as the port areas, urban villages and residential communities of Futian, Nanshan, Luohu and Yantian districts. From July 26 to November 30, 2022, a total of 369 sewage sampling sites were set up, covering 1.93 million people. Continuous sampling was carried out for 3 hours in the peak period of water use every day. Sewage virus enrichment and SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection were carried out by polyethylene glycol precipitation method and RT-qPCR, and a positive water sample disposal process was molded. This article aims to introduce the case of source tracing of COVID-19 infected patients based on urban sewage in Shenzhen. The sewage monitoring of Honghu water treatment plant in Luohu District played an early warning role, and the source of infection was traced. In the disposal of positive water samples in Futian South Road, Futian District, the important experience of monitoring point layout was obtained. In the sewage monitoring of Nanshan village, Nanshan District, the existence of occult infection was revealed. Sharing the experience of tracing the source of COVID-19 patients to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in the community based on wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Shenzhen, and summarizing the advantages and application prospects of sewage surveillance can provide new ideas for monitoring emerging or re-emerging pathogens that are known to exhibit gastrointestinal excretion in the future.

Chemical constituents from Uncaria laevigata and their anti-inflammatory activities and action mechanism

A new alkaloid 1* (scandine Z) and fourteen known natural products were isolated from 95% ethanol extract of Uncaria laevigata for the first time. Besides compound 1*, these fourteen compounds were firstly isolated from Uncaria laevigata. Excitedly, compound 4 exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 = 8.12 μmol/L), which wasn't described before. Moreover, compound 1* also de--monstrated certain anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 = 10.34 μmol/L). Network pharmacology suggested that compound 4 was involved in the IL-17 signalling pathway and the regulation of inflammation pathway. Molecular docking confirmed that it showed strong binding activity with the target protein (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, PPAR). Overall, compounds 1* and 4 exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity and served as lead compounds and anti-inflammatory molecules for further study in vivo.

[Research progress on biomarkers and detection methods for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in vitro]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with insidious onset, posing a serious threat to human physical and mental health. The cognitive impairments caused by AD are generally diffuse and overlap symptomatically with other neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, the symptoms of AD are often covert, leading to missed opportunities for optimal treatment after diagnosis. Therefore, early diagnosis of AD is crucial. In vitro diagnostic biomarkers not only contribute to the early clinical diagnosis of AD but also aid in further understanding the disease's pathogenesis, predicting disease progression, and observing the effects of novel candidate therapeutic drugs in clinical trials. Currently, although there are numerous biomarkers associated with AD diagnosis, the complex nature of AD pathogenesis, limitations of individual biomarkers, and constraints of clinical detection methods have hindered the development of efficient, cost-effective, and convenient diagnostic methods and standards. This article provides an overview of the research progress on in vitro diagnostic biomarkers and detection methods related to AD in recent years.

[Clinicopathological and molecular diagnostic features of early-onset gastric cancer: a study based on data from a single-center dedicated gastric cancer database]

Objective: To clarify the clinicopathological, especially molecular, features of early-onset gastric cancer with the aim of informing analysis of treatment strategies. Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, we examined data from a dedicated gastric cancer database in Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University. The original cohort comprised 2506 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone gastrectomy in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University from July 2020 to October 2021, including 198 with early-onset gastric cancer (aged ≤45 years) and 2,308 with non-early gastric cancer. We used a simple random sampling method to select 396 of the 2,308 patients aged >45 years (ratio of 1:2) as the control group and then compared molecular diagnostic data and clinicopathological features of the two groups. Results: The median age was 39 years in the early-onset gastric cancer group, while 66 years in the control group. The clinicopathological features of early-onset gastric cancer included female predominance (59.1% [117/198] vs. 27.8% [110/396], χ2=54.816, P<0.001), less comorbidity (32.3% [64/198] vs. 57.1% [226/396], χ2=32.355, P<0.001), poorer differentiation (93.9% [186/198] vs. 74.5% [295/396], χ2=30.777, P<0.001) and higher proportion of diffuse type (40.4% [80/198] vs. 15.9% [63/396], χ2=69.639, P<0.001), distant metastasis (7.1% [14/198] vs. 2.8% [11/396], χ2=6.034, P=0.014). Regarding treatment, distal gastrectomy was more commonly performed than proximal gastrectomy (55.1% [109/198] vs. 47.0% [186/396], 1.5% [3/198] vs. 8.3% [33/396], χ2=11.644, P=0.003). Family history of gastric cancer, TNM stage, tumor size, lymph node dissection, nerve invasion, nodes harboring metastases, range of lymph node dissection, digestive tract reconstruction procedure, implementation of laparoscopic surgery, combined resection, and preoperative treatment did not differ significantly between the two groups (all P>0.05). Molecular diagnosis showed there was a smaller percentage of mismatch repair deficiency in the early-onset gastric cancer than in the control group (1.0% [2/198] vs. 10.1% [40/396], χ2=16.301, P<0.001), and a higher rate of positivity for Claudin 18.2 (77.8% [154/198] vs. 53.0% [210/396], χ2=5.442,P<0.001). HER-2 and Epstein-Barr virus positivity rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion: Early-onset gastric cancer is a distinct type of gastric cancer with a high degree of malignancy, and treatment targeting Claudin 18.2 may be effective.

Temporal Structures in Positron Spectra and Charge-Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic positron fluxes in the rigidity range from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 3.4×10^{6} positrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The positron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the electron fluxes at short and long timescales. A hysteresis between the electron fluxes and the positron fluxes is observed with a significance greater than 5σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. On the contrary, the positron fluxes and the proton fluxes show similar time variation. Remarkably, we found that positron fluxes are modulated more than proton fluxes with a significance greater than 5σ for rigidities below 7 GV. These continuous daily positron fluxes, together with AMS daily electron, proton, and helium fluxes over an 11-year solar cycle, provide unique input to the understanding of both the charge-sign and mass dependencies of cosmic rays in the heliosphere.

[Spatial-temporal Variation in Water Quality and Its Response to Precipitation and Land Use in Baiyangdian Lake in the Early Stage of the Construction of Xiong'an New Area]

To assess the water quality of Baiyangdian Lake in the early stage of construction of the Xiong'an New Area, the water quality data in Baiyangdian Lake from December 2020 to November 2021 were collected from five typical monitoring stations. Using the remote-sensing interpretation of land use types, Pearson correlation analysis, comprehensive pollution index, and principal component analysis, the spatial-temporal variation characteristics of the water quality and its response to precipitation and land use structure at different spatial scales were explored in Baiyangdian Lake. The results showed that:① the water quality of Baiyangdian Lake was the best in spring and the worst in summer. Nutrient pollution was the heaviest at Nanliuzhuang, which was greatly affected by the Fuhe River. Organic pollution was the heaviest at Caiputai. ② The comprehensive pollution index of Nanliuzhuang was the highest, followed by that of Shaochedian, Guangdianzhangzhuang, Caiputai, and Quantou. The main excessive pollutant was TN, and the pollution index of 1.55 reached the level of severe pollution. The water quality of Baiyangdian Lake was significantly better than that before the construction of the Xiong'an New Area. ③ The construction land and cropland within the 1.5 km buffer zone had the greatest impact on turbidity, NH₄⁺-N, and TP. While the reed wetland acted as the "sink" for intercepting and absorbing pollutants, it also released nitrogen into the 800 m buffer zone, which was the "source" of the pollutants. ④ The correlation between water quality indicators and land use structure in the rainy season was lower than that in the dry season. This was due to the dilution effect of the upstream reservoir discharging in the rainy season, which weakened the impact of pollutants in the rainfall runoff on the water quality of Baiyangdian Lake.

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

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

Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic-Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the properties of primary cosmic-ray sulfur (S) in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.38×10^{6} sulfur nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment (AMS). We observed that above 90 GV the rigidity dependence of the S flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of Ne-Mg-Si fluxes, which is different from the rigidity dependence of the He-C-O-Fe fluxes. We found that, similar to N, Na, and Al cosmic rays, over the entire rigidity range, the traditional primary cosmic rays S, Ne, Mg, and C all have sizeable secondary components, and the S, Ne, and Mg fluxes are well described by the weighted sum of the primary silicon flux and the secondary fluorine flux, and the C flux is well described by the weighted sum of the primary oxygen flux and the secondary boron flux. The primary and secondary contributions of the traditional primary cosmic-ray fluxes of C, Ne, Mg, and S (even Z elements) are distinctly different from the primary and secondary contributions of the N, Na, and Al (odd Z elements) fluxes. The abundance ratio at the source for S/Si is 0.167±0.006, for Ne/Si is 0.833±0.025, for Mg/Si is 0.994±0.029, and for C/O is 0.836±0.025. These values are determined independent of cosmic-ray propagation.

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

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

Temporal Structures in Electron Spectra and Charge Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.

First-in-human, phase I study of AK109, an anti-VEGFR2 antibody in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors

BACKGROUND

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) plays a key role in antiangiogenesis which has been an essential strategy for cancer treatment. We report the first-in-human study of AK109, a novel anti-VEGFR2 monoclonal antibody, to characterize the safety profile and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) properties, and explore the preliminary antitumor efficacy in patients with solid tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a multicenter, open-label, phase I study, including dose escalation and dose expansion (NCT04547205). Patients with advanced cancers were treated 2 and 3 weekly with escalating doses of AK109. A 3 + 3 design was used to determine the maximum tolerated dose. Blood was sampled for PK/PD analysis. The primary endpoint was safety and recommended phase II dose (RP2D).

RESULTS

A total of 40 patients were enrolled. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed. However, 38 patients reported treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs); grade ≥3 TRAEs occurred in 10 patients. The most common TRAEs were proteinuria (n = 24, 60%), hypertension (n = 13, 32.5%), increased aspartate transaminase (n = 11, 27.5%), thrombopenia (n = 10, 25%), and anemia (n = 10, 25%). A total of 28 patients (70%) reported adverse events of special interest (AESIs). The most common AESIs were proteinuria (60%), hypertension (32.5%), and hemorrhage (32.5%), mainly including gum bleeding and urethrorrhagia. AK109 exhibited an approximately linear PK exposure with dose escalation at 2-12 mg/kg. PD analyses showed rapid target engagement. Among the 40 patients, 4 achieved partial response and 21 achieved stable disease with an objective response rate of 10% and a disease control rate of 62.5%. Based on the safety profile, the PK/PD profile, and preliminary antitumor activities, 12 mg/kg Q2W and 15 mg/kg Q3W were selected as RP2D.

CONCLUSIONS

AK109 showed manageable safety profile and promising antitumor activity, supporting further clinical development in a large population.

Risk factors for early local lymph node recurrence of thoracic ESCC after McKeown esophagectomy

Objectives

Even underwent radical resection, some patients of thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are still exposed to local recurrence in a short time. To this end, the present study sought to differentiate patient subgroups by assessing risk factors for postoperative early (within one year) local lymph node recurrence (PELLNR).

Methods

ESCC patients were selected from a prospective database, and divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the time of their local lymphatic recurrence (within one year or later). Survival analysis was conducted by the Cox regression model to evaluate the overall survival (OS) between the two groups. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of different variables were also calculated. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the high-risk factors for PELLNR with the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI calculated.

Results

A total of 432 cases were included. The survival of patients in the high-risk group (n = 47) was significantly inferior to the low-risk group (n = 385) (HR = 11.331, 95% CI: 6.870-16.688, P < 0.001). The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rate of the patients in high/low-risk groups were 74.5% vs. 100%, 17% vs. 88.8%, and 11.3% vs. 79.2%, respectively (P < 0.001). Risk factors for local lymph node recurrence within one year included upper thoracic location (OR = 4.071, 95% CI: 1.499-11.055, P = 0.006), advanced T staging (pT3-4, OR = 3.258, 95% CI: 1.547-6.861, P = 0.002), advanced N staging (pN2-3, OR = 5.195, 95% CI: 2.269-11.894, P < 0.001), and neoadjuvant treatment (OR = 3.609, 95% CI: 1.716-7.589, P = 0.001). In neoadjuvant therapy subgroup, high-risk group still had unfavorable survival (Log-rank P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that upper thoracic location (OR = 5.064, 95% CI: 1.485-17.261, P = 0.010) and advanced N staging (pN2-3) (OR = 5.999, 95% CI: 1.986-18.115, P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for early local lymphatic recurrence. However, the cT downstaging (OR = 0.862, 95% CI: 0.241-3.086, P = 0.819) and cN downstaging (OR = 0.937, 95% CI: 0.372-2.360, P = 0.890) for patients in the neoadjuvant subgroup failed to lower PELLNR. The predominant recurrence field type was single-field.

Conclusions

Thoracic ESCC patients with lymph node recurrence within one year delivered poor outcomes, with advanced stages (pT3-4/pN2-3) and upper thoracic location considered risk factors for early recurrence.

Tumor necrosis factor-related lncRNAs predict prognosis and immunotherapy response for patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has become one of the most lethal cancers, for which the recurrence and survival rates remain unfavorable. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family is involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Various long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles by mediating the TNF family in cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to construct a TNF-related lncRNA signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in LUAD.

Methods

The expression of TNF family members and their related lncRNAs in a total of 500 enrolled LUAD patients was collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Univariate Cox and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox analysis was used to construct a TNF family-related lncRNA prognostic signature. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis was used to evaluate survival status. The time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) values were used to assess the predictive value of the signature to 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS). Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were applied to identify the signature-related biological pathways. Furthermore, tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) analysis was employed to evaluate immunotherapy response.

Results

A total of 8 TNF-related lncRNAs significantly associated with OS of LUAD patients were used to construct a TNF family-related lncRNA prognostic signature. According to risk score, these patients were divided into high- and low-risk subgroups. The KM survival analysis indicated that patients in the high-risk group showed significantly less favorable OS than that of low-risk group. The AUC values in predicting 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS were 0.740, 0.738, and 0.758, respectively. Moreover, the GO and KEGG pathway analyses demonstrated that these lncRNAs were closely involved in immune-related signaling pathways. The further TIDE analysis indicated that high-risk patients had a lower TIDE score than that of low-risk patients, indicating that high-risk patients may be appropriate candidates for immunotherapy.

Conclusions

For the first time, this study constructed and validated a prognostic predictive signature of LUAD patients based on TNF-related lncRNAs, and the signature showed good performance to predict immunotherapy response. Therefore, this signature may provide new strategies for individualized treatment of LUAD patients.

[Interpretation of the European Federation of Periodontology S3 level clinical practice guideline for treatment of stage Ⅳ periodontitis]

The S3 level clinical practice guideline for the treatment of stage Ⅳperiodontitis, developed by the European Federation of Periodontology, was published in April 22, 2022 (DOI: 10.1111/jcpe.13639). According to the severity and complexity, stage Ⅳ periodontitis was grouped into four case types, and comprehensive treatment plans were formulated correspondingly in the guideline, including tooth splinting, occlusal adjustment, orthodontic therapy, restorative therapy, and personalized supportive periodontal care as well. The aim of present work is to intensively interpret the key points of the guideline and help the clinicians to understand this guideline better, in order to improve the treatment level of stage Ⅳ periodontitis in China.

Consequences and Mechanisms of Left Atrium Remodeling in Aging Rabbits

To investigate the consequences and mechanisms of myocardium remodeling of aging left atrium, we analyzed the main cardiac electrophysiological parameters such as rest membrane potential, action potential amplitude, maximum rate of action potential increase (max dV/dt), action potential plateau, and 30, 50, and 90% action potential duration (APD₃₀, APD₅₀, and APD₉₀, respectively), as well as the inducibility and duration of atrial arrhythmias in adult and aging rabbits. L-type calcium current was also recorded. The collagen content in the myocardium and ultrastructure of left atrial cells were also studied. Significant changes were detected in the electrophysiological parameters and structure in aged left atrium, which can contribute to atrial susceptibility to arrhythmia in aged rabbits.

Environmentally benign cinchonain IIa from Uncaria laevigata for corrosion inhibition of Q235 steel in HCl corrosive medium: Experimental and theoretical investigation

Traditional corrosion inhibitors make great contribution to metal protection, but also cause environmental pollution. To solve the problem, plant extracts as green corrosion inhibitors have attracted much attention in recent years. Plants are good raw materials for corrosion inhibitors and also meet the requirements of industry. However, they have not been successfully applied in industry due to the unknown composition of the effective corrosion inhibitors and large dosage thereof. Therefore, cinchonain IIa was separated from Uncaria laevigata with abundant sources and low cost from nature in this work. Here we hypothesized that cinchonain IIa could show good corrosion inhibition performance for Q235 steel in the acidic medium. Through experiments and theoretical calculation, we studied the corrosion inhibition effect of cinchonain IIa on Q235 in 1 M HCl solution at 298 K for 48 h. Electrochemical experiments revealed that the inhibition efficiency of 200 mg/L cinchonain IIa in 1 M HCl for Q235 steel was 94.08% for 48 h. It even showed over 93% corrosion inhibition efficiency and durable protection performance to 28 d. Surface observations indicated that cinchonain IIa were firmly attached to the steel surface by forming a protective film. Moreover, quantum chemical calculation and molecular dynamics simulation revealed the inhibition mechanism at molecular and atomic level. Compared with some plant extracts, here we demonstrate that the outstanding advantages of cinchonain IIa include sustained protective effect, small dosage, and low toxicity. Accordingly, it may be used as a green industrial corrosion inhibitor with great potential in oilfield acidification and acid pickling.

miR-20b-5p is a novel biomarker for detecting prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequently diagnosed solid tumor and the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality among men worldwide. The prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for PCa remains controversial. Therefore, the development of more effective non-invasive biomarkers for PCa is necessary. The present study evaluated the diagnostic value of microRNA (miR)-20b-5p in PCa. Tissue miR-20b-5p expression levels and their correlation with clinical parameters were assessed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets, and the diagnostic value of the miR-20b-5p expression levels in PCa tissues was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to assess the relative expression levels of miR-20b-5p in PCa tissues compared with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) tissues. In addition, miR-20b-5p expression levels in PCa cell lines and non-tumorigenic prostate epithelial cells were compared. In this study, exosomes were extracted from the prostatic fluid as a source of liquid biopsy for the detection of PCa. The prostatic fluid exosomal miR-20b-5p expression levels between patients with PCa and the biopsy-negative patients were compared, and the diagnostic efficiency of prostatic fluid exosomal miR-20b-5p expression levels in PCa was compared with PSA and with the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) risk calculator. The mechanism by which miR-20b-5p may function in PCa was assessed using bioinformatic analysis and validation experiments. miR-20b-5p was expressed at a markedly higher level in PCa tissues compared with normal prostate tissues with high diagnostic efficiency (area under the curve: 0.826). The expression levels of miR-20b-5p were also significantly higher in PCa tissues compared with BPH tissues; similarly, miR-20b-5p was more highly expressed in PCa cells compared with non-tumorigenic prostate epithelial cells. Prostatic fluid exosomal miR-20b-5p expression levels in patients with PCa were significantly higher compared with confirmed to be biopsy-negative, and the diagnostic performance of miR-20b-5p was superior to PSA and ERSPC risk calculator. The results of RT-qPCR and western blotting following transfection of DU145 cells with miR-20b-5p mimics and inhibitor showed that miR-20b-5p reduced the expression of retinoblastoma-associated protein 1 (RB1). Therefore, RB1 may be a significant target gene for miR-20b-5p. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that miR-20b-5p was upregulated in PCa at the tissue and cellular levels, as well as in prostatic fluid exosomes. Therefore, miR-20b-5p may be a promising early diagnostic biomarker for PCa and an important tool to guide the decision-making of prostate biopsy.

[Recent progress of aptasensors for tumor exosome-associated protein detection]

Exosomes are phospholipid bilayer membrane-enclosed vesicles released from cells with diameters of 30-150 nm, exosomes can directly reflect the physiological and functional state of secretory cells, participate in material transport and information communication between cells, which are of great significance as biomarkers for early tumor diagnosis and treatment evaluation. There are many detection methods for exosomes, among which aptasensor technology with the properties of low price and easy operation, fast response, high sensitivity, remarkable specificity helps tumor patients to find, diagnose and treat early, improve the survival rate, and provide important basis for the evaluation of the prognosis. There are seven types of common aptasensors: fluorescent, electrochemical, colorimetric, luminescence, lateral flow strips, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and surface plasmon resonance sensors. Different aptasensors have different characteristics, this article focuses on the research progress of several common aptasensor for tumor exosomes detection.

[Relationship between onco-immunological and morphologic characteristics of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma and lymphocyte subtypes of peripheral blood]

Objective: To study the relationship between the onco-immunological and morphologic characteristics of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) and peripheral blood lymphocyte subtypes and its clinical significance. Methods: The pathologic and clinical data of 117 LELC patients who were admitted to the Tumor Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences from 2006 to 2018 were collected. The histological classification was based on previously reported morphological classification method. The onco-immunological and morphologic characteristics of the tumors such as lymphoid follicle formation and interstitial fibrous hyperplasia, patient's peripheral blood lymphocyte subtypes and prognosis data were collected. The relationship between various factors and their impact on prognosis were analyzed. Results: There were 117 patients, including 61 females and 56 males. The male to female ratio was 0.9∶1.0. The age of onset was 24-89 years (median 52 years). Primary sites included head and neck (68 cases), lungs (26 cases), stomach (15 cases), and others (eight cases). Morphologically, 54 cases were type Ⅰ, 62 cases were type Ⅱ, and one case could not be classified. The onco-immunological and morphologic features of the LELC tumors showed a continuous spectrum. Interstitial TILs were noted from focally to diffuse, and the interstitial fibrous tissues were from hardly visible to obvious sclerotic. Formation of lymphoid follicles was seen in 42 patients; obvious fibrosis was seen in 31 cases. Data of peripheral blood lymphocyte subtyping by flow cytometry were available in 73 cases. These data included CD3⁺total T cells, CD3⁺CD4⁺helper T cells, CD3⁺CD8⁺cytotoxic T cells, CD3^-CD56⁺natural killer (NK) cells, CD3^-CD19⁺B cells, CD4⁺CD45RA^-T helper induction subgroup, CD4⁺CD45RA⁺ T suppression induction subgroup, CD4⁺CD45RO⁺memory T cell subgroup, CD45RA⁺CD45RO⁺activated T cell subgroup, CD8⁺CD38⁺activated cytotoxic T cell, and CD25⁺lymphocytes and CD44⁺lymphocyte. The proportion of lymphocytes of each subtype was normal in most patients, but the proportion of CD44⁺lymphocytes in 61 cases (83.6%) was increased; the proportion of T cell suppression induced subgroups was decreased in 53 cases (72.6%). Correlation analysis found a significant correlation between clinical stage and NK cells (P=0.023); tumor histologic type and cytotoxic T cells were significantly positively correlated (P=0.012); while tumor cell morphologic differentiation was significantly related to total T cells (P=0.003) and NK cells (P=0.026); Formation of interstitial lymphoid follicles was positively correlated with memory T cell subsets (P=0.025); Tumor interstitial fibrosis was significantly positively correlated with T suppression-induced subpopulations (P=0.004), and was significantly negatively correlated with total T cells (P=0.023) and with the expression of CD44 adhesion molecules (P=0.003). Survival analysis found that lymphoid follicle formation was a favorable prognostic factor for LELC (P=0.001). Conclusions: The onco-immunological and morphologic features in LELC show a continuous spectrum; the tumor clinicopathological characteristics and onco-immunological morphology are closely related to peripheral blood T lymphocyte subtypes, and the formation of interstitial lymphoid follicles is a favorable prognostic factor for LELC.

10−7 M genistein partially alleviates 10−7 M MEHP unfavorable effects in a new modified fetal rat testis culture system

Background: Recent studies revealed that some common endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) including phthalates and phytoestrogens may exhibit low-dose effects properties. However, how low dose of these EDCs and their mixture would affect fetal rat testis development still needs further investigation. Moreover, testis organ culture system also needs further modification to provide an effective tool for ex vivo EDCs study.

Methods: We firstly modified the agarose organ culture system, in which fetal rat testes were cultured for 4 days (d1 to d4) on agarose gels held by Millicell inserts. Then we used the modified agarose culture system to study the combined effects of multiple EDCs exposure. 15.5 dpc fetal rat testes were isolated and treated with vehicle, MEHP (0.1 μmol/L), GEN (0.1 μmol/L) or MEHP (0.1 μmol/L) + GEN (0.1 μmol/L). Parameters concerning testicular cell development and function were evaluated, trying to gain insight into the early molecular events after multiple EDCs exposure.

Results: The development of somatic, germ cells and seminiferous tubule in 15.5 dpc fetal rat testis was better sustained in the modified agarose culture system. Based on the modified system, we found that MEHP at 0.1 μmol/L induced alterations in gonocyte markers, antioxidative enzyme activity as well as transient reduction of testosterone production, accompanied by mitochondria swelling in gonocytes and Sertoli cells. No obvious morphological and histological alterations were observed in all treated groups. However, coadministration of genistein at 0.1 μmol/L partially alleviated MEHP-induced fetal testis damage ex vivo through enhancement of antioxidative action. MEHP at low dose still showed weak endocrine disrupting properties but did not exhibit typical low-dose effects.

Conclusion: Our findings indicated that the modified agarose culture system could better mimic testicular microenvironment without obvious hypoxic cell damage. Furthermore, low dose of MEHP induced mild disruption to fetal testis development, cotreatment of genistein at low dose attenuated MEHP induced fetal testis injuries in part by balancing redox state, indicating that low dose of genistein may partially protect fetal testis from phthalates induced injury.

[Application of mathematical models of infectious diseases in the evaluation of COVID-19 transmission risk at mass gatherings]

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is rampant in Europe and the United States, and the Delta variant has caused several small-scale outbreaks in China. It is particularly important to simulate the transmission risk of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) during large-scale events, so as to ensure a good preparation of personnel, materials, isolation sites and other support work in advance. Taking the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games as an example, this study introduces the use of mathematical models to simulate the entry risks, closed-loop risks and prevention and control measures of athletes, officials and other stakeholders of the Olympic Games. In the simulation results on January 19, 2022, the estimated number of Olympic Games-related infections who were identified at borders was 357 (95%CI: 153-568) and the observed number was 323. The estimated number of "seed" cases that entered the closed-loop of Olympics Games was 195 (95%CI: 43-335), and the observed number of cases in the closed-loop was 212. This study demonstrates the important role of mathematical models of infectious diseases in the pragmatic application of preventive medicine and public health.

First Measurement of High-Energy Reactor Antineutrinos at Daya Bay

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

Properties of Daily Helium Fluxes

We present the precision measurement of 2824 daily helium fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 in the rigidity interval from 1.71 to 100 GV based on 7.6×10^{8} helium nuclei collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The helium flux and the helium to proton flux ratio exhibit variations on multiple timescales. In nearly all the time intervals from 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent helium flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. In the entire time period, we found that below ∼7  GV the helium flux exhibits larger time variations than the proton flux, and above ∼7  GV the helium to proton flux ratio is time independent. Remarkably, below 2.4 GV a hysteresis between the helium to proton flux ratio and the helium flux was observed at greater than the 7σ level. This shows that at low rigidity the modulation of the helium to proton flux ratio is different before and after the solar maximum in 2014.

[Can periodontitis affect colorectal cancer by altering microbiota balance?]

Emerging evidence suggests that, along with dietary, genetic and environmental factors, gut microbiota plays a role in the progress of colorectal cancer. Dysbiosis of oral flora in patients with periodontitis affects the composition of microbial community in the gut, impairs gut barrier function, and induces a proinflammatory microenvironment, all of which contribute to the progression of colorectal cancer. In view of the influences by microbiota dysbiosis, this article reviews the role of periodontitis in affecting the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer.

[Consensus of experts on the oral health management and medical risk prevention for the patients with chronic airway diseases (2022 edition)]

Today, there is greater awareness on the association between oral diseases and respiration diseases after the outbreak of COVID-19. However, confusion regarding the oral health management and medical risk prevention for patients with chronic airway diseases has been remained among dental clinicians. Therefore, the dental experts of the Fifth General Dentistry Special Committee, Chinese Stomatological Association, combined with the experts of respiratory and critical care medicine, undertook the formation of consensus on the oral health management of patients with chronic airway diseases in order to help dental clinicians to evaluate medical risks and make better treatment decision in clinical practice. In the present consensus report, the relationship of oral diseases and chronic airway diseases, the oral health management and the treatment recommendations of patients with chronic airway diseases are provided.

[Consensus of experts on the medical risk prevention for the patients with cardiovascular diseases during dental treatment (2022 edition)]

With the aging process of population in the society, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in China is increasing continuously and the number of dental patients with CVD is increasing gradually too. Due to the lack of guidelines for dental patients with CVD in our country, how to implement standardized preoperative evaluation and perioperative risk prevention remains a problem to be solved for dentists at present. The present expert consensus was reached by combining the clinical experiences of the expert group of the Fifth General Dentistry Special Committee, Chinese Stomatological Association and respiratory and cardiology experts in diagnosis and treatment for CVD patients, and by systematically summarizing the relevant international guidelines and literature regarding the relationship between CVD and oral diseases and the diagnosis and treatment of dental patients with heart failure, hypertension and antithrombotic therapy. The consensus aims to provide, for the dental clinicians, the criteria on diagnosis and treatment of CVD in dental patients in China so as to reduce the risk and complications, and finally to improve the treatment levels of dental patients with CVD in China.

A predictive model of lymph node metastasis for thymic epithelial tumours

OBJECTIVES

Thymic epithelial tumours (TETs) are relatively rare indolent malignancies in the mediastinum. Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is an important prognostic indicator for TETs; however, the pattern of LNM involved in TETs has yet to be elucidated.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with histologically confirmed thymoma (A-B3), thymic carcinomas and thymic neuroendocrine tumours, between 1988 and 2016 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to identify the predictors for LNM. The predictive nomogram was built from the independent risk factors and measured using the concordance statistic.

RESULTS

The overall proportion of TETs with LNM was 18.5% (200/1048). The rate of LNM in thymoma, thymic carcinomas and thymic neuroendocrine tumours was 6.8% (42/622), 30.2% (100/331) and 61.1% (58/95), respectively. According to the logistic regression analysis, histology type and T stage were independent factors correlated with LNM. A predictive nomogram model was developed with a concordance statistic of 0.807 (95% confidence interval: 0.773-0.841), which was significantly better than the T stage (P < 0.001) while had limited benefit to the histology type (P = 0.047). The calibration curve for the nomogram comparing the predicted and actual probabilities after bias correction showed good agreement.

CONCLUSIONS

Nodal involvement was not uncommon in TETs. Main factors related to LNM in TETs were histology type and T stage. The probability of LNM could be well calculated using the predictive model.

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

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

The Tipped Balance of ILC1/ILC2 in Peripheral Blood of Oral Lichen Planus Is Related to Inflammatory Cytokines

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an immune-inflammatory disease mediated by T cells. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) constitute a novel family of immune cells that initially originate from common innate lymphoid progenitors. Termed “T cells counterparts,” ILCs play a prominent role in inflammatory-immune diseases. However, the characterization of ILCs and their related induced factors were unclear in OLP. In the present study, the phenotypic characteristics of ILCs and their correlation with inflammatory cytokines were explored in the peripheral blood of OLP patients and healthy controls. We found that the proportion of total ILCs was expanded in OLP and was positively correlated with disease severity. The highly skewed distribution of ILC subpopulations was notable in OLP. Specifically, the frequency of ILC1s was significantly increased, while that of ILC2s was significantly reduced in total ILCs of OLP, resulting in the markedly elevated ILC1/ILC2 ratio in OLP. Correspondingly, ILCs in OLP displayed high expression of T-bet but low expression of GATA3. In addition, the IFN-γ expression level was elevated in ILC1s, whereas the IL-4 expression level was decreased in ILC2s. Moreover, ILC-associated activators IL-12, IL-18, and IL-1β were upregulated in OLP plasma, with IL-12 and IL-1β both positively correlated with the ILC1/ILC2 ratio. Further in vitro stimulation tests indicated that OLP plasma remarkedly increased the ILC1/ILC2 ratio, especially that IL-12 and IL-1β tipped the balance between ILC1s and ILC2s toward ILC1s in total ILCs. Overall, elevated levels of IL-12 and IL-1β might act as environmental cues in tipping the balance of ILC1/ILC2 in the peripheral blood of OLP, contributing to the immune dysregulation in OLP.

Advances in the treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and tertiary hyperparathyroidism (THPT) are common and complicated clinical endocrine diseases. The parathyroid glands maintain endocrine homeostasis by secreting parathyroid hormone to regulate blood calcium levels. However, structural alterations to multiple organs and systems occur throughout the body due to hyperactivity disorder in SHPT and THPT. This not only decreases the patients' quality of life, but also affects mortality. Since current treatments for these diseases remains unclear, we aimed to develop a comprehensive review of advances in the treatment of SHPT and THPT according to the latest relevant researches.

Periodicities in the Daily Proton Fluxes from 2011 to 2019 Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station from 1 to 100 GV

We present the precision measurement of the daily proton fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 (a total of 2824 days or 114 Bartels rotations) in the rigidity interval from 1 to 100 GV based on 5.5×10^{9} protons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard the International Space Station. The proton fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. From 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. The rigidity dependence of the 27-day periodicity is different from the rigidity dependences of 9-day and 13.5-day periods. Unexpectedly, the strength of 9-day and 13.5-day periodicities increases with increasing rigidities up to ∼10  GV and ∼20  GV, respectively. Then the strength of the periodicities decreases with increasing rigidity up to 100 GV.

Gastrointestinal symptoms as the first sign of chronic granulomatous disease in a neonate: A case report

BACKGROUND

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) characterized by recurrent and severe bacterial and fungal infections is most common in childhood.

CASE SUMMARY

We reported a 24-d-old male infant who developed gastrointestinal symptoms as the first sign of CGD.

CONCLUSION

Gastrointestinal symptoms representing the first sign of CGD are very rare, and prompt diagnosis and treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics were of crucial importance.

[A survey on human resources of dentists who deal with periodontal disease in Beijing]

Objective: To investigate the status quo of human resources of dentists who deal with periodontal disease in Beijing area through an online survey, which may hopefully provide a preliminary basis for the decision-making of administrative departments and the formulation of periodontal professional development plan. Methods: The dentists who deal with periodontal disease at least half a day per week in Beijing area were investigated. A questionnaire was designed by the chairman of the Periodontology Committee of Beijing Stomatological Association. The questionnaire was sent to and finished by the dentists via "WenJuanXing" online survey software. The contents of the survey included general condition, the property of practice unit, title and position of the dentist, membership of professional society, time and content of periodontal treatment, adoption of new technology and new method of periodontal therapy during the past one year, status of periodontal treatment in the local population and reasons, understanding and influencing factors of periodontal professional development. Results: A total of 1 255 dentists completed the survey, who came from all 16 districts in Beijing, mainly Haidian, Chaoyang, Dongcheng and Xicheng Districts [The total percentage of these four main districts was 70.3% (882/1 255)]. The mean age of the dentists was (36.1±8.3) years. Among the dentists, 71.1% (892/1 255) were females, 88.1% (1 106/1 255) got a Bachelor's degree or above. It was estimated that 35.4% (444/1 255) of the dentists had received standardized periodontal training ever. The percentage of dentists carrying out new technology in the past one year was as high as 68.1% (855/1 255). There were only 163 periodontal specialists (13.0%) out of the dentists in the survey. Only 15.9% (200/1 255) of the dentists routinely performed periodontal surgery. The majority of the dentists [82.8% (1 039/1 255)] were from the state-owned hospitals. Fifty-four point seven percemt (686/1 255) of the dentists thought that lack of knowledge was the main reason why the general public failed to receive periodontal treatment. As for the biggest bottleneck affecting periodontal professional development, fifty-one point zero percent (640/1 255) of the dentists attributed it to the public neglect. Conclusions: The periodontal practitioners in Beijing are young, highly educated, unevenly distributed in 16 districts and mostly females. State-owned oral health institutions are an important force in periodontal diagnosis and treatment services in Beijing. The number of periodontal specialists need to be improved. Promotion of standardized periodontal surgery and the popularization of healthcare knowledge on periodontal disease should also be the focus in the future.

Assessment of 2-allyl-4,5-dimethoxyphenol safety and attractiveness to mature males of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)

Males of the Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) are highly attracted to, and compulsively feed, on methyl eugenol (ME). ME is converted into 2-allyl-4,5-dimethoxyphenol (DMP) and (E)-coniferyl alcohol (E-CF), which are temporarily sequestered in the fly's rectal gland prior to being released at dusk. Previous research initially confirmed that DMP is a relatively strong lure to B. dorsalis males. However, the characteristics of males' response to DMP and toxicology of DMP remains largely unclear. In our study, we demonstrated that DMP was more attractive to sexually mature males than E-CF tested in laboratory bioassays. Interestingly, the responsiveness of mature males to DMP was not uniform throughout the day, eliciting the highest response during the day and dropping to a low level at night. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the olfactory responses of virgin and mated mature males to DMP. No obvious signs of toxic symptom and deaths were observed in mice during a 14-day acute oral toxicity testing. Further, toxicologically significant changes were not observed in body weight, water intake, food consumption, and absolute and relative organ weights between control and treated groups, implying DMP could be regarded as nontoxic. Lastly, the cytotoxicity data of DMP on cells showed that it exhibited no significant cytotoxicity to normal human and mouse cells. Taken together, results from both the acute and cellular toxicity experiments demonstrated the nontoxic nature of DMP. In conclusion, DMP shows promise as an effective and eco-friendly lure for B. dorsalis males, and may contribute to controlling B. dorsalis in the flied.

Erratum: Properties of a New Group of Cosmic Nuclei: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on Sodium, Aluminum, and Nitrogen [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 021101 (2021)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.021101.

Global view on virus infection in non-human primates and implications for public health and wildlife conservation

Viruses can be transmitted from animals to humans (and vice versa) and across animal species. As such, host-virus interactions and transmission have attracted considerable attention. Non-human primates (NHPs), our closest evolutionary relatives, are susceptible to human viruses and certain pathogens are known to circulate between humans and NHPs. Here, we generated global statistics on virus infections in NHPs (VI-NHPs) based on a literature search and public data mining. In total, 140 NHP species from 12 families are reported to be infected by 186 DNA and RNA virus species, 68.8% of which are also found in humans, indicating high potential for crossing species boundaries. The top 10 NHP species with high centrality in the NHP-virus network include two great apes (Pan troglodytes, Pongo pygmaeus) and eight Old World monkeys (Macaca mulatta, M. fascicularis, M. leonina, Papio cynocephalus, Cercopithecus ascanius, C. erythrotis, Chlorocebus aethiops, and Allochrocebus lhoesti). Given the wide distribution of Old World monkeys and their frequent contact with humans, there is a high risk of virus circulation between humans and such species. Thus, we suggest recurring epidemiological surveillance of NHPs, specifically Old World monkeys that are in frequent contact with humans, and other effective measures to prevent potential circulation and transmission of viruses. Avoidance of false positives and sampling bias should also be a focus in future work.

Erratum: Azimuthal Anisotropy at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider: The First and Fourth Harmonics [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 062301 (2004)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.062301.

Properties of a New Group of Cosmic Nuclei: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on Sodium, Aluminum, and Nitrogen

We report the properties of sodium (Na) and aluminum (Al) cosmic rays in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.46 million sodium and 0.51 million aluminum nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. We found that Na and Al, together with nitrogen (N), belong to a distinct cosmic ray group. In this group, we observe that, similar to the N flux, both the Na flux and Al flux are well described by the sums of a primary cosmic ray component (proportional to the silicon flux) and a secondary cosmic ray component (proportional to the fluorine flux). The fraction of the primary component increases with rigidity for the N, Na, and Al fluxes and becomes dominant at the highest rigidities. The Na/Si and Al/Si abundance ratios at the source, 0.036±0.003 for Na/Si and 0.103±0.004 for Al/Si, are determined independent of cosmic ray propagation.

[Study of B10 cells in the pathogenesis of the interaction between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and periodontal disease]

Objective: To determine the ratio of ingerleukin(IL)-10 secreting regulatory B cells (B10 cells) and the levels of IL-10 in peripheral blood of periodontitis patients with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and to explore the function of B10 cells in the pathogenesis of the interaction between COPD and periodontitis. Methods: Forty-five periodontitis patients and healthy people were recruited and divided into three groups: COPD group, COPD+periodontitis group and health controls with 15 people in each group. Peripheral blood samples were collected to determine the B10 population. Another group of 93 periodontitis patients and healthy people were also collected and divided into the same 3 groups with 31 people in each group. Peripheral blood samples were collected to determine the cytokine IL-10. Results: After stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)+phorbol-12-myristate13-acetate+ionomycin+brefeldin A (PIB) for 5 h, the ratio of B10 in COPD+periodontitis group [(0.44±0.11)%] was significantly lower than that in the control group [(0.63±0.14)%] and periodontitis group [(0.62±0.13)%] (P<0.01), respectively. The ratio of B10 cells showed no significant difference between periodontitis group and healthy control group (P>0.05). After stimulation with LPS+PIB for 48 h, the ratio of B10 cells in COPD+periodontitis group [(7.59±1.33)%] was significantly lower than that in the periodontitis group [(10.14±2.02)%] and the healthy controls [(11.80±1.71)%] (P<0.01), respectively. The ratio of B10 cells in periodontitis group was significantly lower than that in the healthy controls (P<0.05). The levels of IL-10 in periodontitis group [(2.55±0.61) ng/L] and COPD+periodontitis group [(1.95±0.45) ng/L] were significantly lower than that in the control group [(3.96±1.15) ng/L] (P<0.01) respectively. Moreover, the level of IL-10 in COPD+periodontitis group was significantly lower than that in the periodontitis group (P<0.01). Conclusions: The dysfunction of immune system caused by the decreased proportion of B10 cells might be involved in the pathological process of COPD promoted by periodontitis.

Significance of tumor mutation burden and immune infiltration in thymic epithelial tumors

Background

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are relatively rare malignant thoracic tumors. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) and immune infiltration play important roles in tumorigenesis.

Methods

Research data was obtained using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to evaluate the landscape of tumor mutations, related factors, and relationship of prognosis. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to evaluate immune cell infiltration in TETs and its relationship with TMB. Immune‐related differentially expressed genes (irDEGs) were identified. Hub irDEGs independently related to prognosis were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. A survival signature was constructed from hub irDEGs.

Results

A total of 122 patients were included in this study. GTF2I was the most common gene mutation. Higher TMB was significantly associated with the later stage, more advanced pathological type, and older age. The overall survival (OS) of patients in the low‐TMB group was significantly better. There was no significant correlation between TMB levels and PD‐L1 expression. Enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were mainly involved in the P13K–Akt signaling pathway. There were significant differences in macrophage and other types of immune cell infiltration between the high‐ and low‐TMB groups. CCR5, FASLG, and CD79A independently relating to prognosis were screened from 391 irDEGs. The low‐risk group had a significantly better prognosis than the high‐risk group based on the signature, which has a good predictive effect on OS.

Conclusions

In this study, TETs patients with high TMB had a significantly poor prognosis and an immune‐related gene signature was found to effectively evaluate the long‐term prognosis.

Measurement of the Cosmic Ray Helium Energy Spectrum from 70 GeV to 80 TeV with the DAMPE Space Mission

The measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic ray helium nuclei from 70 GeV to 80 TeV using 4.5 years of data recorded by the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) is reported in this work. A hardening of the spectrum is observed at an energy of about 1.3 TeV, similar to previous observations. In addition, a spectral softening at about 34 TeV is revealed for the first time with large statistics and well controlled systematic uncertainties, with an overall significance of 4.3σ. The DAMPE spectral measurements of both cosmic protons and helium nuclei suggest a particle charge dependent softening energy, although with current uncertainties a dependence on the number of nucleons cannot be ruled out.

Dynamic nomogram for long-term survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer after pneumonectomy

Background

The study aims to identify prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) in patients who had pneumonectomy, in order to develop a practical dynamic nomogram model.

Methods

A total of 2,255 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent pneumonectomy were identified from 2010-2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The cohort was divided into a training (2011-2015) and a validation [2010] cohort. A nomogram and a risk classification system were constructed from the independent survival factors in multivariable analysis. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was measured through internal and external validation.

Results

Independent prognostic factors associated with OS were gender, age, pathology, tumor size, N stage, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The C-index of the nomogram for OS was 0.675 (95% CI: 0.655-0.694). Similarly, the AUC of the model was 0.733, 0.709, and 0.701 for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS, respectively. The calibration curves for survival demonstrated good agreement. Significant statistical differences were found in the OS of patients within different risk groups. An online calculation tool was established for clinical use.

Conclusions

This novel nomogram was able to provide a reliable prognosis for survival in patients with NSCLC undergoing pneumonectomy.

Properties of Heavy Secondary Fluorine Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Precise knowledge of the charge and rigidity dependence of the secondary cosmic ray fluxes and the secondary-to-primary flux ratios is essential in the understanding of cosmic ray propagation. We report the properties of heavy secondary cosmic ray fluorine F in the rigidity R range 2.15 GV to 2.9 TV based on 0.29 million events collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. The fluorine spectrum deviates from a single power law above 200 GV. The heavier secondary-to-primary F/Si flux ratio rigidity dependence is distinctly different from the lighter B/O (or B/C) rigidity dependence. In particular, above 10 GV, the F/Si/B/O ratio can be described by a power law R^{δ} with δ=0.052±0.007. This shows that the propagation properties of heavy cosmic rays, from F to Si, are different from those of light cosmic rays, from He to O, and that the secondary cosmic rays have two classes.

Survival and Prognostic Nomogram for Primary Gastrointestinal Melanoma (PGIM): A Population-based Study

BACKGROUND/AIM

Primary gastrointestinal mucosal melanoma (PGIM) is an aggressive and rare disease, commonly with poor prognosis. We aimed to determine the clinical risk and prognosis of this rare entity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients (n=962) with PGIM documented in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 1975-2016 were included. Prognostic factors on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were identified. A nomogram was constructed to predict the OS of PGIM patients.

RESULTS

Primary site, summary stage, and therapeutic method were all independent predictors of OS and CSS, and age was the only factor significantly associated with OS. Independent prognostic factors of OS were selected to develop a predictive nomogram. The Harrell's C-index of the nomogram was 0.712, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.746, 0.758, 0.810 for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS, respectively, and calibration plots were in good agreement.

CONCLUSION

Several prognostic factors of PGIM were demonstrated and a practical nomogram model was created in this study.

Conditional Generative ConvNets for Exemplar-Based Texture Synthesis

The goal of exemplar-based texture synthesis is to generate texture images that are visually similar to a given exemplar. Recently, promising results have been reported by methods relying on convolutional neural networks (ConvNets) pretrained on large-scale image datasets. However, these methods have difficulties in synthesizing image textures with non-local structures and extending to dynamic or sound textures. In this article, we present a conditional generative ConvNet (cgCNN) model which combines deep statistics and the probabilistic framework of generative ConvNet (gCNN) model. Given a texture exemplar, cgCNN defines a conditional distribution using deep statistics of a ConvNet, and synthesizes new textures by sampling from the conditional distribution. In contrast to previous deep texture models, the proposed cgCNN does not rely on pre-trained ConvNets but learns the weights of ConvNets for each input exemplar instead. As a result, cgCNN can synthesize high quality dynamic, sound and image textures in a unified manner. We also explore the theoretical connections between our model and other texture models. Further investigations show that the cgCNN model can be easily generalized to texture expansion and inpainting. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our model can achieve better or at least comparable results than the state-of-the-art methods.