C634Y mutation in RET-induced multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A: A case report

BACKGROUND

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) is a rare, autosomal dominant endocrine disease. Currently, the RET proto-oncogene is the only gene implicated in MEN2A pathogenesis. Once an RET carrier is detected, family members should be screened to enable early detection of medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, and hyperparatitity. Among these, medullary thyroid carcinoma is the main factor responsible for patient mortality. Accordingly, delineating strategies to inform clinical follow-up and treatment plans based on genes is paramount for clinical practitioners.

CASE SUMMARY

Herein, we present RET proto-oncogene mutations, clinical characteristics, and treatment strategies in a family with MEN2A. A family study was conducted on patients diagnosed with MEN2A. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of family members, and first-generation exon sequencing of the RET proto-oncogene was conducted. The C634Y mutation was identified in three family members spanning three generations. Two patients were sequentially diagnosed with pheochromocytomas and bilateral medullary thyroid carcinomas. A 9-year-old child harboring the gene mutation was diagnosed with medullary thyroid carcinoma. Surgical resection of the tumors was performed. All family members were advised to undergo complete genetic testing related to the C634Y mutation, and the corresponding treatments administered based on test results and associated clinical guidelines.

CONCLUSION

Advancements in MEN2A research are important for familial management, assessment of medullary thyroid cancer invasive risk, and deciding surgical timing.

Explainable machine learning for early predicting treatment failure risk among patients with TB-diabetes comorbidity

The present study aims to assess the treatment outcome of patients with diabetes and tuberculosis (TB-DM) at an early stage using machine learning (ML) based on electronic medical records (EMRs). A total of 429 patients were included at Chongqing Public Health Medical Center. The random-forest-based Boruta algorithm was employed to select the essential variables, and four models with a fivefold cross-validation scheme were used for modeling and model evaluation. Furthermore, we adopted SHapley additive explanations to interpret results from the tree-based model. 9 features out of 69 candidate features were chosen as predictors. Among these predictors, the type of resistance was the most important feature, followed by activated partial throm-boplastic time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), platelet distribution width (PDW), and prothrombin time (PT). All the models we established performed above an AUC 0.7 with good predictive performance. XGBoost, the optimal performing model, predicts the risk of treatment failure in the test set with an AUC 0.9281. This study suggests that machine learning approach (XGBoost) presented in this study identifies patients with TB-DM at higher risk of treatment failure at an early stage based on EMRs. The application of a convenient and economy EMRs based on machine learning provides new insight into TB-DM treatment strategies in low and middle-income countries.

[Research on the establishment of standard limits for perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate in the "Standards for Drinking Water Quality（GB5749-2022）"in China]

Perfluorinated compounds, especially Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), are widely detected in water environments in China. Considering the potential health risks of drinking water exposure routes, PFOA and PFOS have been added to the water quality reference index of the newly issued "Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB5749-2022)", with limit values of 40 and 80 ng/L, respectively. This study analyzed and discussed the relevant technical contents for determining the limits of the hygiene standard, including the environmental existence level and exposure status of PFOA and PFOS, health effects, derivation of safety reference values, and determination of hygiene standard limits. It also proposed prospects for the future direction of formulating drinking water standards.

[Standardization of clinical application of mass spectrometry method for measurement of vitamin D in capillary blood of children: a multicenter study]

Objective: To establish the norms and clinical application standards of mass spectrometry method to measure vitamin D in capillary blood. Methods: Following the "Province-City-Hospital" sampling procedure, a cross-sectional sample of 1 655 healthy children under 7 years of age were recruited from 12 provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities in China from November 2020 to December 2021. Both venous and capillary blood samples from the same individual were collected, for which serum 25(OH)D levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method. Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were used to detect the correlation and determine a correction algorithm. The agreement was analyzed using Bland-Altman plot and Kappa statistic. The sensitivity and specificity were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve method. Results: Venous and capillary 25(OH)D levels of 1 655 healthy children under 7 years of age were 74.25 (59.50, 92.00) and 68.75 (54.44, 86.25) nmol/L, respectively, showed a significant difference(Z=22.14, P<0.001) as well as a highly significant correlation between venous and capillary 25(OH)D levels(r=0.95, P<0.001). Linear regression analysis was then performed to determine the correction algorithm: lg(corrected capillary 25(OH)D)=0.13+0.95×lg(capillary 25(OH)D)(R²=0.90,P<0.001). The deviation between venous and corrected capillary 25(OH)D levels was (0.50±17.50) nmol/L, a difference value that did not reach statistical significance (P>0.05). The cut-off values of capillary blood 25(OH)D values 30.00, 50.00, 75.00 nmol/L corresponding to venous blood 25(OH)D values were 26.59, 45.56, and 69.84 nmol/L, respectively. Good consistency was observed between venous and corrected capillary 25(OH)D levels in clinical diagnosis (Kappa value 0.68-0.81). Corrected capillary 25(OH)D showed a high clinically predictive value (area under curve 0.97-0.99,sensitivity 0.72-0.92,specificity 0.89-0.99). Conclusion: The standardized capillary HPLC-MS/MS method can be used to detect 25(OH)D levels in children clinically.

Equation of state of Iridium: from insight of ensemble theory

The equations of state (EOS) of Iridium are, for the first time, obtained by solving the high-dimension integral of partition function based on a recently developed approach of ultrahigh efficiency and precision without any artificial parameter, and the deviation of 0.25% and 1.52% from the experiments was achieved respectively for the isobaric EOS in a temperature range of 300 K-2500 K and the isothermal EOS at 300 K up to 300 GPa. Specific comparisons show that the deviation of EOS based on harmonic approximation even including anharmonic effect, manifests worse than ours by several times or even one order of magnitude, indicating that ensemble theory is the very approach to understand the thermodynamic properties of condensed matter.

[Analysis of vitamin D status among children under 7 years of age in some regions of China]

Objective: To explore current vitamin D status and influential factors of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among children under 7 years of age in 11 provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities of China. Methods: According to the "province-city-hospital" sampling technical route, a total of 1 531 healthy children under 7 years of age were sampled from 11 provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities in China by the cluster random sampling method from November 2020 to November 2021. The demographic information, family conditions, behavior and living habits and feeding behaviors were collected using unified questionnaire. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(25(OH)D) levels were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Serum 25(OH)D<30 nmol/L was considered deficient and 30-50 nmol/L was considered insufficient. With 25(OH)D≤50 nmol/L as the dependent variable, multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the association between vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency and potential influential factors. Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among children under 7 years of age in 11 provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities of China was 14.0% (215/1 531), 3.8% (25/664) and 21.9% (190/867) in 0-<3 and 3-<7 of age years, respectively. Compared to children aged 0-<3 years, children aged 3-<7 years had a 2.6-fold increased risk of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency (OR=3.60, 95%CI 1.93-6.72, P<0.001). Frequent sunlight exposure (OR=0.46, 95%CI 0.29-0.73, P=0.001), vitamin D supplementation (sometimes, OR=0.33, 95%CI 0.21-0.51, P<0.001; daily, OR=0.20, 95%CI 0.11-0.36, P<0.001) and infant formula intake(4-7 times per weeks, OR=0.43, 95%CI 0.28-0.68, P<0.001) were protective factors for vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common among children under 7 years of age in 11 provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities of China, which is affected by age, sunlight exposure, vitamin D supplementation and infant formula intake.

[Association between the Controlling Nutritional Status score and long-term outcome in patients with acute heart failure]

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional status by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and its association with the long-term prognosis in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). Methods: This prospective monocentric study consecutively enrolled patients admitted to our hospital for AHF from April 2012 to May 2016. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the CONUT score at admission: normal (0-1), mild malnutrition (2-4) and moderate-severe malnutrition (5-12) groups. Baseline information was obtained and recorded within 24 hours after admission. All patients were followed up every 3 months by outpatient visit or telephone call until March 2019. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test were used to compare all-cause mortality between groups. Variables showing statistical significance in the univariate analysis were incorporated into multivariate Cox regression model to analyze the independent risk factors for all-cause mortality after discharge. Results: A total of 396 patients were enrolled in this study, including 114 patients with normal nutritional status, 200 patients with mild malnutrition and 82 patients with moderate-severe malnutrition. One hundred and fifty-eight patients died during a median follow-up of 34 (18, 46) months. The mortality was 32.4% (37/114), 39% (78/200) and 52.4% (43/82) in normal, mild malnutrition and moderate-severe malnutrition groups, respectively. The mortality was significantly higher in the moderate-severe malnutrition group than in normal nutrition group (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in mortality between normal and mild malnutrition group as well as between mild and moderate-severe malnutrition group (both P>0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that patients with high CONUT score group was at higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with those with low CONUT score (P=0.002). Cox proportional hazard analyses showed that the risk of all-cause mortality of moderate-severe malnutrition group was significantly higher than that of normal nutrition group (HR =1.648, 95%CI 1.021-2.660, P=0.041). Conclusions: The CONUT score of patients with AHF at admission is associated with the long-term prognosis. High CONUT score is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in AHF patients after discharge.

Acute heat stress alters the expression of genes and proteins associated with the unfolded protein response pathway in the liver of broilers

1. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of acute heat stress on serum hormone levels and the expression of genes and proteins related to the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway and apoptotic process in the liver of broilers.2. A total of 144 Arbor Acres broilers (35-d-old) were randomly allocated to 4 different environmental-controlled chambers for acute heat exposure. The temperature of the 4 environmental chambers was adjusted to 26°C (control), 29°C, 32°C, and 35°C within 1 h, respectively. The blood and liver samples were collected after 6 h of constant heat exposure at set temperatures.3. The results showed that 6 h of acute heat stress increased serum hormone levels and up-regulated the expression of heat shock protein. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, GRP78 and GRP94, in the liver of broilers were significantly upregulated at the mRNA and protein levels. The PERK, IRE1, and XBP1 genes, which are involved in the unfolded protein response signalling, were significantly up-regulated at the mRNA levels. However, other pro-apoptotic genes showed no significant changes in the liver of broiler chickens in all groups except for upregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene BCL-xl.4. The results suggested that broilers have tolerance to acute heat stress to a certain extent. The UPR activation can alleviate ER stress and further prevent apoptosis in the liver of broilers under short-term exposure to high ambient temperatures.

The effect of microorganisms on the biomodification of montan resin from lignite

Montan resin (MR) is an industrial by-product or solid waste generated during the production of refined montan wax and is not typically reused. In this paper, a bio-modification method using three strains of microorganisms, Acinetobacter venetianus (AV), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), and Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PC), was studied to promote the performance and bio-function of MR so that MR could be recycled. MR can be degraded by these three microorganisms, and their weight loss rates were similar over the treatment period of 15 days. Compared with the original MR, the hydrophilicity of modified MRs was improved, which was related to the increase in apparent oil-water partition coefficients (Kows) and oxygen-containing and hydrophilic groups in modified MRs based on IR and GC-MS analysis. The bio-function of modified MRs by the three strains in terms of promoting maize seed germination and seedling growth was greater compared with untreated MR. Overall, these findings indicate that biomodified MRs might have useful agriculture applications.Implications: An environmentally-friendly method using microorganisms to achieve recycle of solid waste, montan resin (MR) was established in this study. Through this bio-treatment, the performance and bio-function of MR were both improved, that is the appearance and hydrophilicity of modified MRs were better than thoes in before, and the modified MRs treated by three strains showed the better promoting effects on maize seed germination and seedling growth than untreated MR, indicating the modified MRs have the certain potential of agricultural utilization in the future.

[Clinical analysis of pregnancy with cardiovascular diseases for a decade of Beijing Anzhen Hospital]

Objective: To analyze the clinical data of pregnant women complicated with cardiovascular disease in our center in the past 10 years, and to explore the trend of incidence, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. Methods: Clinical data of pregnant women with cardiovascular disease who delivered in Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from 2010 to 2019 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. According to the time of the establishment of multidisciplinary team (MDT) in the center, the pregnant women were divided into the first 5-year group (2010-2014) and the second 5-year group (2015-2019). The general data, the composition of pregnancy complicated with cardiovascular disease and the changes of maternal and infant outcomes of the two groups were analyzed. Results: (1) During 2010-2019, there were 2 267 cases of pregnancy complicated with cardiovascular disease (836 cases in the first 5-year group and 1 431 cases in the second 5-year group), with a total incidence of 10.2% (2 267/22 334). Among all kinds of cardiovascular diseases, arrhythmia (41.0%, 930/2 267) and congenital heart disease (38.2%, 865/2 267) were more common. (2) There were 212 cases (25.4%, 212/836) and 426 cases (29.8%, 426/1 431) classified as Ⅲ or Ⅳ by modified WHO cardiovascular risk classification in the first 5-year group and the second 5-year group, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=5.076,P=0.024). Among all kinds of cardiovascular diseases, there were 111 cases (13.3%, 111/836) and 159 cases (11.1%, 159/1 431) with valvular disease in the first 5-year group and the second 5-year group, respectively. The change of the component ratio was -16.5% (the difference was significant when the absolute value of change>10%), showing a significant decreasing trend. Aortic disease was found in 16 cases (1.9%, 16/836) and 56 cases (3.9%, 56/1 431), respectively, with a significant upward trend of 105.3%. (3) The mortality rate of pregnant women with cardiovascular disease was 1.0% (22/2 267), and 1.2% (10/836) and 0.8% (12/1 431) in the first 5-year grouop and the second 5-year group, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups (χ²=0.702,P=0.402). ICU occupancy rates in the first 5-year group and the second 5-year group were 25.6% (214/836) and 20.7% (296/1 431), respectively, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ²=7.306,P=0.007). There were no significant differences in cesarean section rate, mortality rate and incidence of adverse events between the two groups of pregnant women, and there were no significant differences in birth weight, preterm birth rate, mortality rate and asphyxia rate between the two groups of newborns (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Pregnancy complicated with cardiovascular disease is a common cause of adverse obstetric outcomes. There are various types of specific cardiovascular diseases, and the prognosis varies greatly. In recent years, the disease composition ratio has changed, and the severity and complexity of diseases have increased. Hierarchical management, MDT and individual management could improve the treatment level and reduce adverse outcomes.

[Analysis of the effect of stent-assisted embolization for low-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by V4 segment dissecting aneurysm of vertebral artery]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of different stents assisted embolization in the treatment of subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) caused by V4 dissecting aneurysm of vertebral artery. Methods: The clinical data of 39 patients with spontaneous SAH V4 dissecting aneurysm treated at the Department of Neurosurgery, the Northern Theater General Hospital from January 2016 to June 2019 were analyzed retrospectively.There were 21 males and 18 females, aged (48±17) years(range:35 to 68 years).There were 24 cases of HUNT-HESS grade Ⅰ and 15 cases of grade Ⅱ.Among them, 20 cases were treated with single stent-assisted embolization, 9 cases with multi-stent-assisted embolization, 9 cases with semi-dense mesh-assisted embolization, and 1 case with dense-mesh stent-assisted embolization.The perioperative and postoperative complications, postoperative recurrence were collected. Results: Intraoperative complications included 2 cases of aneurysm rupture and 2 cases of acute thrombosis.All aneurysms were densely packed according to the angiography performed immediately after operation.Postoperative complications included 3 cases of long-term responsible vascular ischemia(modified Rankin score<2). The patients were followed up for 15.1 months(range: 12 to 29 months). At the last follow-up, aneurysms recurrence occured in 10 cases, the recurrence rate was 25.6%(10/39). There were 6 cases of recurrence and 2 cases of complications in 20 cases with single stent-assisted embolization, 3 cases of recurrence and 4 cases of complications in 9 cases with multi-stent-assisted embolization, 1 case of recurrence and 1 case of complications in 9 cases with semi-dense mesh stent. Conclusion: Endovascular treatment is feasible for patients with vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm, and the appropriate surgical method should be selected according to the vascular structure and the location of the aneurysm.

[Association between sleep and prevalence of hypertension in elderly population]

Objective: To explore the association between sleep duration, sleep quality and the prevalence of hypertension in the elderly aged 65 years and above. Methods: This study was conducted among the elderly in communities in Yiwu, China from April to July, 2019, and participants were recruited through physical examination in the hospital. Face-to-face interview was performed to obtain basic information. Sleep duration and sleep quality were evaluated by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Associations between sleep duration, sleep quality and hypertension were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 3 169 elderly persons, aged ≥65 years old, were included in the study. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 50.8%. The elderly with very poor sleep quality and short sleep duration accounted for 22.4% and 28.5%, respectively. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle and health status, the OR of hypertension for the elderly with very poor sleep quality was 1.42 (95%CI: 1.12-1.80) compared with those with very good sleep quality. Compared with the elderly with sleep duration of 6-7 h a night, the OR of hypertension for those with sleep duration <6 h was 1.37 (95%CI: 1.15-1.65). As the sleep quality decreased, the risk for hypertension increased. An U-shaped association was found between sleep duration and risk of hypertension. Subgroup analyses showed that this association existed in both men and women, but only significant in the elderly aged <75 years. Conclusion: Poor sleep quality and short sleep duration were associated with risk for hypertension in the elderly.

[Characteristics of PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment of DLBCL with MYD88 L265P mutation]

Objective: To study the effect of MYD88 L265P mutation on the expression of PD-L1 in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and to provide theoretical basis for immunotherapy for patients. Methods: Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used to detect the frequency of MYD88 L265P mutation in 72 cases of DLBCL diagnosed by pathologists in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from August 2008 to May 2010. Expression of PD-L1 in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment in all samples was evaluated using PD-L1 (22C3) and PD-L1 (SP142) with Ventana automatic immunohistochemical (IHC) platform. The relationship between MYD88 L265P mutation and the expression of PD-L1 in DLBCL tumor cells and tumor microenvironment was assessed. Results: Of the 72 cases of DLBCL, MYD88 L265P mutation was detected in 15 (20.8%) cases. Nine cases with JAK2 amplification were excluded, and the remaining 63 cases of DLBCL were divided into MYD88 L265P mutant group (n=14) and MYD88 L265P wild-type group (n=49). IHC results showed that among the 14 cases of MYD88 L265P mutant groups, PD-L1 (22C3) was positive in 7 cases (7/14) of tumor cells and PD-L1 (SP142) was positive in 4 cases (4/14) of tumor microenvironment. Among the 49 cases of MYD88 L265P wild-type group, 9 cases (18.4%) were positive for PD-L1 (22C3) in tumor cells, and 38 cases (77.6%) were positive for PD-L1(SP142) in tumor microenvironment. In addition, among the 16 cases with PD-L1(22C3) expression in tumor cells, only 2 of the 7 cases with MYD88 L265P mutation were positive for PD-L1 (SP142) in tumor microenvironment. All 9 cases with wild-type MYD88 L265P were positive for PD-L1 (SP142) in tumor microenvironment. Statistical analysis showed that the expression level of PD-L1 (22C3) in tumor cells in the MYD88 L265P mutant group was significantly higher than that in the MYD88 L265P wild-type group (P=0.017). The expression level of PD-L1 (SP142) in tumor microenvironment in the MYD88 L265P mutant group was significantly lower than that in the MYD88 L265P wild-type group (P=0.001). Conclusions: MYD88 L265P mutation may play an important role in the regulation of PD-L1 expression in DLBCL tumor cells and tumor microenvironment. Further studies will provide a theoretical basis for immunotherapy of DLBCL patients with MYD88 L265P mutation.

[Clinical application and curative effect observation of follicular unit extraction and transplantation in the treatment of cicatricial alopecia]

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of treatment with follicular unit extraction (FUE) and transplantation in treating cicatricial alopecia. Methods: The retrospective cohort study was conducted. From January 2012 to January 2018, 56 patients (36 males and 20 females, aged (25±9) years, 1% to 30% alopecia area of the whole scalp area) who met the inclusion criteria visited the outpatient department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University. They were treated with FUE transplantation. The procedure of treatment was performed through the preoperative planning, follicular extraction, follicular preparation, punching recipient site and hair transplantation. The survival rate of hair and density of survived hair were calculated, hair growth and complication were observed. The evaluation was conducted through questionnaire survey by 4 levels: very satisfied, satisfied, not satisfied, and not at all satisfied with effects. Results: After a follow-up of 9 to 24 months, the survival rate of hair in 56 patients was (70±9)%, and the density of survived hair was (35±8) roots/cm². In the evaluation of the curative effect after the first stage surgery, 34 cases (60.7%) were very satisfied, 16 cases (28.6%) were satisfied, and 6 cases (10.7%)thought the treatment was effective but not satisfied. Six unsatisfactory patients and 16 satisfactory patients underwent the second-stage transplantation, with 19 (86.4%) of them being very satisfied and 3 cases (13.6%) satisfied after the second-stage operation. None of the patients underwent the third-stage surgery. The transplanted hairs grew naturally, and there were no serious complications in all cases. Conclusions: FUE transplantation can effectively treat and improve cicatricial alopecia with less trauma, fewer complication, no scar in the donor site and rapid post-operative recovery, so it is worthy of clinical promotion.

[Clinical and genetic studies on 76 patients with hydrocephalus caused by methylmalonic acidemia combined with homocysteinuria]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features, genetic characteristics, treatment and follow-up results of patients with hydrocephalus caused by methylmalonic acidemia combined with homocysteinuria, and to discuss the optimal strategies for assessing and treating such patients. Methods: From January 1998 to December 2020, 76 patients with hydrocephalus due to methylmalonic acidemia combined with homocysteinuria in the Department of Pediatrics in 11 hospitals including Peking University First Hospital were diagnosed by biochemical, genetic analysis and brain imaging examination. The patients were divided into operation-group and non-operation-group according to whether they underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The clinical features, laboratory examinations, genotype, and follow-up data were retrospectively analyzed. Data were compared between the two groups using rank sum test, and categorical data were compared using χ² test. Results: Among the 76 patients (51 male, 25 female), 5 were detected by newborn screening, while 71 were diagnosed after clinical onset, 68 cases (96%) had early-onset, 3 cases (4%) had late-onset. The most common clinical manifestations of 74 cases with complete data were psychomotor retardation in 74 cases (100%), visual impairment in 74 cases (100%), epilepsy in 44 cases (59%), anemia in 31 cases (42%), hypotonia or hypertonia in 21 cases (28%), feeding difficulties in 19 cases (26%) and disturbance of consciousness in 17 cases (23%). Genetic analysis was performed in 76 cases, all of whom had MMACHC gene variations, including 30 homozygous variations of MMACHC c.609G>A. The most common variations were c.609G>A (94, 62.7%), followed by c.658_660del (18, 12.0%), c.567dupT (9, 6.0%) and c.217C>T (8, 5.3%). Therapy including cobalamin intramuscular injection, L-carnitine and betaine were initiated immediately after diagnosis. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt operation was performed in 41 cases (operation group), and 31 patients improved after metabolic intervention (non-operation group). There was no significant difference in the age of onset, the age of diagnosis, the blood total homocysteine, methionine, and urinary methylmalonic acid concentration between the two groups (all P>0.05). The symptoms of psychomotor development, epilepsy, and visual impairments improved gradually after a long-term follow-up in the operation group. Conclusions: Hydrocephalus is a severe complication of methylmalonic acidemia combined with homocysteinuria. The most common clinical manifestations are psychomotor retardation, visual impairment, and epilepsy. It usually occurs in early-onset patients. Early diagnosis and etiological treatment are very important. Hydrocephalus may improve after metabolic intervention in some patients. For patients with severe ventricular dilatation, prompt surgical intervention can improve the prognosis.

[Clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcome of 14 pregnant women with history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease]

Objective: To summarize the clinical characters and pregnancy outcome in pregnant women with history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Methods: A total of 14 pregnant women with pre-existing ASCVD admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital from October 2013 to May 2020 were enrolled as subjects, whose ASCVD disease status, clinical manifestations, treatment and pregnancy outcomes were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results: The age of subjects at diagnosis of ASCVD was (31±7) years old. The main intervention before pregnancy was revascularization (10 cases), and the rest 4 cases were treated with medicine. The age of subjects at pregnancy was (36±5) years old. A total of 12 cases had risk factors of ASCVD. In early stages of pregnancy, there were 1 case with cardiac function level Ⅲ and 1 with cardiac function level Ⅳ. Abnormal ventricular wall motion and ventricular aneurysm formation were determined in 3 cases by echocardiography, one of which was complicated with moderate left ventricular ejection fraction impairment. Abnormal ST segment in 4 cases and sinus tachycardia in 1 case were found by electrocardiogram. Troponin (TNI) increased in 1 case. The serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol level (LDL-C) of these pregnant women at early stages of pregnancy was (2.3±1.0) mmol/L. A total of 9 pregnant women entered later stages of pregnancy, 1 of whom had chest tightness after slight activity. There were 4 cases with excessive weight gain and 2 cases with insufficient weight gain during pregnancy, and there were 1 case with cardiac function level Ⅲ and 1 case with mild impaired left heart function. The average level of LDL-C was (2.6±0.6) mmol/L in 5 pregnant women at their later stages of pregnancy. The main treat measures included anti-platelet therapy (aspirin, 75-100 mg/d) and healthy lifestyle interventions. Five pregnant women terminated their pregnancy at the early stage of pregnancy, and 9 full-term pregnant women underwent hysterotomy with intraoperative blood loss of 180-800 ml. Adverse cardiac events occurred in 2 cases and gestational diabetes was diagnosed in 3 cases during pregnancy, among which 2 cases were complicated with chronic hypertension and preeclampsia. The weight of 9 live newborns was (3 102±647) g, among which 2 were smaller than gestational age and 1 was of low birth weight. Conclusions: Women with established ASCVD before preynancy have risk of adverse cardiac events in pregnancy. Strengthening the management of high risk factors in pregnancy is conducive to achieving a good pregnancy outcome.

Chemical modification of montan resin by peracetic acid and agricultural application of its modified products

Montan resin (MR) is a by-product produced during the refinement process of montan wax extracted from lignite and has no usage yet. Chemical modification is an effective method to change the material property for expanding or converting the application area of the material itself. Our previous study found that the high hydrophobicity of MR is the primary limiting factor for its utilization in agriculture. Based on this point, this study attempted to chemically modify MR using the oxidation of peracetic acid, resulting that the MR hydrophilicity was significantly improved, and a water-soluble product (WSP) was obtained. The optimized oxidation conditions of MR, including the reaction temperature (X₁), reaction time (X₂), weight ratio of oxidant and montan resin (X₃), and oxidant concentration (X₄), were determined using single-factor experiments and response surface analysis. The modification degree was evaluated using elemental and oil-water partition coefficient analyses, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), revealing that the oil-water partition coefficient of the modified product decreased and that the number of chemical constituents with oxygen-containing functional groups clearly increased after modification. Furthermore, the WSP was tested its effects on germination and seedling growth of the wheat seed. Compared with the control group, the WSP showed a promoting effect on the growth and germination of wheat. The WSP concentrations of 600 mg·L^-1 and 300 mg·L^-1 had the most substantial effect on the root and seedling growth of wheat, respectively. Implications: Montan resin, a useless by-product produced from crude montan wax, was chemically modified via oxidation of peracetic acid. Its hydrophilicity was significantly improved, and a water-soluble product was obtained after the chemical modification. The optimized oxidation conditions of montan resin were determined using single-factor experiments and response surface analysis. The amount of chemical constituents with oxygen-containing functional groups increased in the modified products after modification, as determined by IR and GC-MS analysis, among other methods. The water-soluble modified product showed an obvious effect in promoting growth and germination of wheat at 600 mg·L-1 and 300 mg·L-1, respectively.

Cooperative Shear in Bulk Metallic Glass Composites Containing Metastable β-Ti Dendrites

We report a novel plastic deformation mechanism of bulk metallic glass composites (BMGCs) containing metastable β-Ti dendrites. Plastic deformation of the BMGCs beyond the ultimate tensile strength is mediated by cooperative shear events, which comprise a shear band in the glassy matrix and a continuous ω-Ti band with a thickness of ∼10  nm in the β-Ti dendrite. The cooperative shear leads to serrated shear avalanches. The formation of narrow ω-Ti bands is caused by high local strain rates during the cooperative shear. The cooperative shear mechanism enriches the deformation mechanisms of BMGCs and also deepens the understanding of ω-Ti formation.

miR-143-3p inhibits proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating its target gene FGF1

PURPOSE

To explore FGF1 and miR-143-3p expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and its related mechanisms.

METHODS

Eighty-two HCC patients treated at our hospital from January 2018 to January 2019 were enrolled as Group A, while further 80 healthy people undergoing physical examinations during the same time period were enrolled as Group B. HCC cells and normal human liver cells were purchased, with HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-FGF1, si-FGF1, NC, miR-143-3p-inhibitor and miR-143-3p-mimics. FGF1 and miR-143-3p expression was detected by qRT-PCR. The expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail, Slug, E-cadherin and γ-catenin was detected by Western Blotting (WB). Cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Cell invasion was detected by Transwell. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry (FCM).

RESULTS

FGF1 was highly expressed but miR-143-3p was poorly expressed in HCC cells. Areas under the curves (AUCs) of the two indicators were > 0.8. The indicators were correlated with the age, gender, tumor invasion, degree of differentiation, tumor location and TNM staging of the patients. Silencing FGF1 and overexpressing miR-143-3p could promote cell apoptosis, inhibit cell growth, cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail and Slug, and increase the expression of E-cadherin and γ-catenin. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay (DLRGA) confirmed that FGF1 and miR-143-3p had a targeted relationship. The rescue experiment showed that the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells in the miR-143-3p-mimics+pcDNA3.1-FGF1 and miR-143-3p-inhibitor+Si-FGF1 groups were not different from those in the miR-NC group.

CONCLUSION

Inhibiting FGF1 can upregulate miR-143-3p-mediated Hedgehog signaling pathway, and affect cells' EMT, proliferation and invasion, so FGF1 is expected to become a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Unstably controlled systolic blood pressure trajectories are associated with markers for kidney damage in prediabetic population: results from the INDEED cohort study

Background

The association between blood pressure change and kidney damage in patients with abnormal blood glucose remains unclear. The current study aimed to identify systolic blood pressure (SBP) trajectories among the prediabetic population and to determine their association with kidney damage after a long-term follow-up.

Methods

The incidence, development, and prognosis of diabetic kidney disease (INDEED) study is nested in the Kailuan cohort study with a focus on population with diabetes and prediabetes. We screened out people with prediabetes in 2006 and with more than three SBP records from 2006 to 2014 biennially. We used the latent mixture modeling to fit five groups of trajectories of SBP. In 2016, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary albumin creatinine ratio (uACR), and urinary α1-microglobulin (α1MG), transferrin and α1-acid glycoprotein were measured, and the association between SBP trajectories and these markers was analyzed by linear regression and logistic regression models.

Results

Totally, 1451 participants with prediabetes and without kidney damage were identified in 2006. Five heterogeneous SBP trajectories were detected based on the longitudinal data from 2006 to 2014, as low-stable group (n = 323), moderate-stable group (n = 726), moderate-increasing group (n = 176), moderate-decreasing group (n = 181), and high-stable group (n = 45). Linear regression analysis showed that the moderate and high SBP groups had lower eGFR, higher uACR, higher urinary α1MG, higher transferrin, and higher α1-acid glycoprotein than the low-stable group. Multivariable analysis attenuated the association but did not change the statistical significance.

Conclusions

Prediabetic patients with persistent high-level SBP trajectory or gradually increased SBP trajectory had severer kidney damage during follow-up.

Effects of dietary energy and protein content and lipid source on growth performance and carcass traits in Pekin ducks

The present study was conducted to determine the impact of dietary energy and protein concentrations and lipid sources on growth performance and carcass traits of Pekin ducks. In Exp. 1, 15-day-old ducks (6 replicate pens, 60 ducks/pen) were randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatments with different metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) concentrations (2,850 kcal/kg and 16%, 2,950 kcal/kg and 16.5%, 3,050 kcal/kg and 17.0%, and 3,150 kcal/kg and 17.5%) based on body weight (BW). In Exp. 2, 20-day-old ducks (4 replicate pens, 60 ducks/pen) were randomly allotted to 3 dietary fat sources (soybean oil, lard, and palm oil) with or without emulsifier in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. In Exp. 1, increasing ME and CP level improved (P < 0.05) body weight gain (BWG) and cost-to-gain ratio linearly, but reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake (FI) and feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) linearly. Breast skin thickness and liver redness (a*) value increased (P < 0.05) linearly with the increasing ME and CP level. In Exp. 2, no interactions between fat sources and emulsifier were observed. Feeding lard and palm oil diets increased (P < 0.05) final BW and BWG compared to soybean oil. Birds fed soybean oil and palm oil diets had lower (P < 0.05) FI compared to those fed lard diet. F/G in soybean oil and lard groups was higher (P < 0.05) compared to palm oil group. Birds in palm oil and lard groups had higher (P < 0.05) European production efficiency factor than those in soybean oil group. The addition of emulsifier increased (P < 0.05) BWG. In summary, the optimal ME and CP level for roasting was 2,950 kcal/kg ME and 16.5% CP and the palm oil was better than soybean oil and lard in Pekin ducks from 15 to 40 D of age.

Effects of methylsulfonylmethane on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant capacity, and meat quality in Pekin ducks

This study was conducted to determine the effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on growth performance, immune function, antioxidant capacity, and meat quality in Pekin ducks. A total of 960 female 1-day-old Pekin ducklings (53.3 ± 0.4 g) were randomly allotted to 3 treatments with 8 replicates of 40 birds, based on their body weight (BW). The experiment lasted 6 wks, and dietary treatments included a corn–soybean meal–based diet supplemented with 0%, 0.15%, and 0.3% MSM, that is, CON, MSM1, and MSM2, respectively. Growth performance, serum profiles, and meat quality were determined. During the period of days 22–42, BW gain (BWG) in MSM2 treatment was higher (P < 0.05) and feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) was lower (P < 0.05) than those of CON and MSM1 treatments. BW gain and final BW in MSM2 treatment were increased (P < 0.05) compared with CON and MSM1 treatments during the period of days 1–42. Serum activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, total antioxidative capacity, and concentrations of interleukin-2 and interleukin-6 were higher (P < 0.05) in MSM2 than in CON treatment. Ducks in the MSM2 treatment group had lower (P < 0.05) serum malondialdehyde, interferon gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels than those in the CON treatment group. The supplementation of MSM increased (P < 0.05) water-holding capacity and redness (a*) and decreased (P < 0.05) values for 2-thiobarbituric acid and drip loss on day 5. Ducks in the MSM2 treatment group had higher (P < 0.05) pH_24h than those in the CON treatment group. Taken together, the inclusion of MSM (0.3%) increased final BW and BWG during periods of days 22–42 and days 1–42, reduced feed-to-gain ratio during the period of days 22–42, and resulted in positive effects on immunity, antioxidant capacity, and meat quality.

[Contrast-enhanced CT and texture analysis of mass-forming pancreatitis and cancer in the pancreatic head]

Objective: To explore the value of contrast-enhanced CT combined with texture analysis in differentiating pancreatic cancer from mass-forming pancreatitis in pancreatic head. Methods: A retrospective study collected 21 patients with pancreatic head mass-forming pancreatitis confirmed by surgery or biopsy and 47 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma confirmed by surgery. The patients visited the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College between January 2014 and December 2017. Gender, age and CT findings were collected. The parenchymal phase was selected for texture analysis. The minimum absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was applied for dimensionality reduction.Two independent sample t-tests or Mann-Whitney U test were used for continuous variables based on the Shapiro-Wilks normality test results. Categorical variables were tested by Chi-square or Fisher test. By multivariable regression analysis, CT findings, CT texture analysis, CT findings combined with texture analysis prediction models were established. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of individual indicators and each prediction model. The Delong test was used to compare the area under the curve (AUC) of each model. Results: The CT findings prediction model consisted of CT value of lesion on pancreatic parenchymal phase and pancreatic duct penetrating sign. The texture analysis prediction model consists of root mean square and low grey level run emphasis_angle135. The AUC of them were not statistically different (Z=0.150,P>0.05). The combined predictive model had the better diagnostic performance (AUC 0.944, sensitivity 83.0%, specificity 95.2%, +LR 17.43, -LR 0.18) than CT sign prediction model (Z=2.008, P<0.05) and texture analysis prediction model(Z=2.236, P<0.05) were significantly different. Conclusions: The CT findings model and the texture analysis model have equivalent diagnostic performance in the differentiation of mass-forming pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The enhanced CT combined with texture analysis model has the best diagnostic efficiency and can further improve the diagnostic ability.

Effects of stale maize on growth performance, immunity, intestinal morphology and antioxidant capacity in broilers

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to determine the effects of stale maize on growth performance, immunity, intestinal morphology, and antioxidant capacity in broilers.

METHODS

A total of 800 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers (45.4±0.5 g) were blocked based on body weight, and then allocated randomly to 2 treatments with 20 cages per treatment and 20 broilers per cage in this 6-week experiment. Dietary treatments included a basal diet and diets with 100% of control maize replaced by stale maize.

RESULTS

The content of fat acidity value was higher (p<0.05) while the starch, activities of catalase and peroxidase were lower (p<0.05) than the control maize. Feeding stale maize diets reduced (p<0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) throughout the experiment, feed conversion ratio (FCR) during d 0 to 21 and the whole experiment as well as relative weight of liver, spleen, bursa of Fabricius and thymus (p<0.05) on d 21. Feeding stale maize diets decreased jejunum villus height (VH) and VH/crypt depth (CD) (p<0.05) on d 21 and 42 as well as ileum VH/CD on d 42. The levels of immunoglobulin G, acid α-naphthylacetate esterase positive ratios and lymphocyte proliferation on d 21 and 42 as well as lysozyme activity and avian influenza antibody H5N1 titer on d 21 decreased (p<0.05) by the stale maize. Feeding stale maize diets reduced (p<0.05) serum interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-2 on d 21 and interleukin-6 on d 21 and 42. Broilers fed stale maize diets had lower levels of (p<0.05) total antioxidative capacity on d 42, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase on d 21 and 42, but higher (p<0.05) levels of malondialdehyde on d 21 and 42.

CONCLUSION

Feeding 100% stale maize decreased ADFI and FCR, caused adverse effects on immunity and antioxidant function and altered intestinal morphology in broilers.

[Clinicopathological characteristics and differential diagnosis of interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma]

Objective: To analyze the clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS). Methods: The clinical pathological features of 7 IDCS were analyzed. Among them, the follow-up results of 6 cases were available. Results: Among the 7 IDCS patients, 4 cases were male and 3 were female. The age of the patients ranged from 26 to 69 years.Three cases were originated from lymph nodes and 4 cases were originated from skin, stomach, adrenal gland and mesentery, respectively. Microscopically, the tumor cells presented as fascicular and storiform proliferation and infiltrated by lymphocytes. The tumor cells were short-spindle or ovoid, with indistinct border of cytoplasm. The immunohistochemistry results showed that tumor cells were S-100, Vim, CD68 and CD163 positive, and AE1/AE3, EMA, CD117, CD34, Desmin, SMA, CD1α, CD21, CD23, CD35, HMB45, Melan-A, MelanPan and ALK negative.The BRAF mutation and clonal rearrangement of T and B cells were not detected. Among the follow-up period of 7 IDCS patients, 3 occurred disease progressions. Conclusions: IDCS is extremely rare with unique pathological features, and its lesion is not limited to the lymph node. The IDCS patients with extensive lesions may have worse prognose. The differential diagnosis of IDCS includes other histiocytic and dendritic cell neoplasms, malignant melanoma and soft tissue neoplasms.

Effects of absorbents on growth performance, blood profiles and liver gene expression in broilers fed diets naturally contaminated with aflatoxin

Objective

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the absorbent (a mixture of activated carbon and hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate) on growth performance, blood profiles and hepatic genes expression in broilers fed diets naturally contaminated with aflatoxin.

Methods

A total of 1,200 one-day-old male chicks were randomly assigned to 6 treatments with 10 replicate cages per treatment. The dietary treatments were as follows: i) control (basal diets); ii) 50% contaminated corn; iii) 100% contaminated corn; iv) control+1% adsorbent; v) 50% contaminated corn+1% absorbent; vi) 100% contaminated corn+1% absorbent.

Results

During d 1 to 21, feeding contaminated diets reduced (p<0.05) body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI), but increased (p<0.05) feed-to-gain ratio (F/G). The absorbent supplementation increased (p<0.05) BW, ADG, and ADFI. There were interactions (p<0.05) in BW, ADG, and ADFI between contaminated corn and absorbent. Overall, birds fed 100% contaminated diets had lower (p<0.05) final BW and ADG, but higher (p<0.05) F/G compared to those fed control diets. The absorbent addition increased (p<0.05) serum albumin concentration on d 14 and 28 and total protein (TP) level on d 28, decreased (p<0.05) alanine transaminase activity on d 14 and activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase on d 28. Feeding contaminated diets reduced (p<0.05) hepatic TP content on d 28 and 42. The contaminated diets upregulated (p<0.05) expression of interleukin-6, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), but downregulated (p<0.05) glutathione S-transferase (GST) expression in liver. The absorbent supplementation increased (p<0.05) interleukin-1β, CAT, SOD, cytochrome P450 1A1 and GST expression in liver. There were interactions (p<0.05) in the expression of hepatic CAT, SOD, and GST between contaminated corn and absorbent.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the naturally aflatoxin-contaminated corn depressed growth performance, while the adsorbent could partially attenuate the adverse effects of aflatoxin on growth performance, blood profiles and hepatic genes expression in broilers.

[Diagnostic efficiency of NO/ET-1 and HCY level in severe OSAHS patients with cognitive impairment]

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic efficiency of HCY and NO/ET-1 to cognitive dysfunction in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome, and to interfere with the cognitive function of severe OSAHS patients. Method: Eighty-six patients with OSAHS were divided into mild group (22 cases), moderate group (23 cases), severe group (41 cases) and healthy physical examination group (50 cases). The levels of serum HCY and NO/ET-1 were compared between the four groups. The Montreal cognitive assessment scale was used to evaluate the incidence of mild cognitive impairment in severe OSAHS group, and the correlation between the level of serum HCY, NO/ET-1 and cognitive function in severe OSAHS group was analyzed. Result:The level of serum HCY in patients with severe OSAHS with cognitive impairment was(32.28±3.92)μmol/L, higher than that of the cognitive moderate group(26.34±4.05)μmol/L, and mild group (18.62±3.29)μmol/L. The level of serum NO/ET-1 in patients with severe OSAHS with cognitive impairment was (0.69±0.19), higher than that of the cognitive moderate group(2.76±0.28), and mild group (3.98±0.37), the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). In severe group, there was a negative correlation between the level of serum HCY and the score of MoCA and its subscores (P<0.05), and there was a positive correlation between the total scores of NO/ET-1 and MoCA and their subscores (P<0.05), and negative correlation between HCY and NO/ET-1 (P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve of predicting serum HCY and NO/ET-1 levels in severe OSAHS patients with cognitive impairment were 0.788(95%CI0.654-0.921) and 0.770 (95%CI0.642-0.899). Conclusion:Serum HCY and NO/ET-1 were the factors influencing the formation of cognitive impairment in severe OSAHS patients. The level of HCY was negatively correlated with the degree of cognitive impairment, and NO/ET-1 was positively correlated with the degree of cognitive impairment.

[Acquired blood coagulation factor Ⅴ deficiency in a patient with severe burn]

In March 2017, a severely burned male patient aged 36 years with hypovolemic shock was admitted to our hospital. The patient received large quantities of antibiotics and blood products and repeated skin graft after admission, and then he suffered wound errhysis and throat congestion. The patient was healthy before without family history of bleeding or thrombosis disease. Laboratory tests showed that prothrombin time and activated partial coagulation time were remarkably prolonged, blood coagulation factor Ⅴ activity was extremely low, and the result of qualitative test of coagulation factor inhibitor was positive. Acquired blood coagulation factor Ⅴ deficiency was diagnosed. After application of dexamethasone (5 mg, twice per day) and infusion of fresh frozen plasma, blood coagulation indicators of patients recovered in 4 days, the result of qualitative test of coagulation factor inhibitor was negative, and bleeding symptoms were improved.

Effect of probiotics and xylo-oligosaccharide supplementation on nutrient digestibility, intestinal health and noxious gas emission in weanling pigs

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of probiotics (Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium) and xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum profiles, intestinal health, fecal microbiota and noxious gas emission in weanling pigs.

METHODS

A total of 240 weanling pigs ([Yorkshire×Landrace]×Duroc) with an average body weight (BW) of 6.3±0.15 kg were used in this 28-day trial. Pigs were randomly allocated in 1 of the following 4 dietary treatments in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with 2 levels of probiotics (0 and 500 mg/kg probiotics) and XOS (0 and 200 mg/kg XOS) based on the BW and sex.

RESULTS

Administration of probiotics or XOS improved average daily gain (p<0.05) during 0 to 14 d and the overall period, while pigs that were treated with XOS had a greater average daily gain and feed efficiency (p<0.05) compared with unsupplemented treatments throughout 15 to 28 d and the whole experiment. Either probiotics or XOS treatments increased the apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients (p<0.05) during 0 to 14 d. No effects on serum profiles were observed among treatments. The XOS increased villus height: crypt depth ratio in jejunum (p<0.05). The supplementation of probiotics (500 mg/kg) or XOS (200 mg/kg) alone improved the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen and gross energy on d 14, the activity of trypsin and decreased fecal NH3 concentration (p<0.05). Administration of XOS decreased fecal Escherichia coli counts (p<0.05), while increased lactobacilli (p<0.05) on d 14. There was no interaction between dietary supplementation of probiotics and XOS.

CONCLUSION

Inclusion of XOS at 200 mg/kg or probiotics (Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium) at 500 mg/kg in diets containing no antibiotics significantly improved the growth performance of weanling pigs. Once XOS is supplemented, further providing of probiotics is not needed since it exerts little additional effects.

[Effects of lappaconitine on intraoperative administration of remifentanil induced postoperative hyperalgesia in general anaesthesia patients]

Objective: To explore the effects of lappaconitine on intraoperative administration of remifentanil induced postoperative hyperalgesia in general anaesthesia patients. Methods: One hundred and twenty patients from March to October 2016 undergoing elective thyroid operation under general anaesthesia at Ningbo NO.2 hospital, American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA) Ⅰ or Ⅱ grade, aged 20-60, were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to 3 groups (n=40). Remifentanil was intraoperatively infused at 0.1 μg·kg(-1)·min(-1) (Group S) or 0.3 μg·kg(-1)·min(-1) (Groups L and G), and patients in group G received lappaconitine 8 mg 30 minutes before the ending of surgery. Mechanical pain thresholds, visual analogue scale (VAS) and additional analgesics were recorded at 2, 6 and 24 hours after the operation. Results: There was no significant difference among the VAS and additional analgesics in three groups at 2, 6 and 24 h after operation (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference among the mechanical pain thresholds in three groups before and 2 h after operation (all P>0.05). The mechanical pain thresholds of group S, L and G was (45.7±15.6), (35.8±15.0), (47.6±16.4)g at 6 h and (50.7±17.0), (33.7±14.0), (49.7±13.9 )g at 24 h after operation. There was significant difference among the mechanical pain thresholds in group S, L and G at 6 h and 24 h after operation (F=6.586, 16.089, all P<0.01). Compared to group S, the mechanical pain thresholds significantly decreased in group L at 6 h and 24 h after operation (q=2.837, 5.045, all P<0.01). While there was a significantly increase in pain thresholds at 6 h and 24 h postoperatively in group G, as compared with the group L (q=3.384, 4.770, all P<0.01). Conclusion: Lappaconitine significantly alleviated intraoperative administration of remifentanil induced postoperative hyperalgesia in general anaesthesia patients.

[Effects of benzo(a)pyrene on expressions of insulin-degrading enzyme and neprilysin in neuroglia cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate effects of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on expressions of insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) and neprilysin (NEP) which have the ability to degrade β-amyloid (Aβ) in neuroglia cells.

METHODS

Primary mix-neuroglia cells were cultured from newborn SD rats. After exposure to BaP, Aβ_1-42 oligomer or Aβ_1-42 fiber individually or jointly for 24 h, the cell survival rate was measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). Afterwards, the primary mix-neuroglia cells were divided randomly into six groups: Control group, BaP group (2.00 μmol/L), Aβ_1-42 oligomer group (20.00 mg/L), BaP plus Aβ_1-42 oligomer group, Aβ_1-42 fiber group (20.00 mg/L) and BaP plus Aβ_1-42 fiber group, of which BaP was pretreated for 12 h followed by cotreatment with different aggregated Aβ_1-42. The expressions of IDE and NEP were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for mRNA level and Western blotting for protein level.

RESULTS

The cell survival rate showed no significant differences after treatment with BaP (≤20.00 μmol/L), Aβ_1-42 oligomer (20.00, 40.00 mg/L), Aβ_1-42 fiber (20.00, 40.00 mg/L) or cotreatment with BaP and Aβ_1-42 oligomer or BaP and Aβ_1-42 fiber. Compared with the control group, expressions of IDE and NEP in BaP-treated alone group had no obvious change; however, exposure to Aβ_1-42 oligomer alone significantly increased the mRNA and protein level of IDE (P<0.05), and the BaP pretreatment could significantly inhibit the up-regulated expressions of IDE by Aβ_1-42 oligomer (P<0.05); on the other hand, exposure either to Aβ_1-42 fiber alone or under the BaP pretreatment did not change the mRNA and protein level of IDE and NEP obviously.

CONCLUSION

On the premise of no significant change of cell survival rate, BaP pretreatment inhibited the up-regulated expressions of IDE in primary mixed neuroglia cells under cotreatment with Aβ oligomer, indicating that BaP may disturb degradation of Aβ oligomer and cause deposition of β-amyloid and further induce cognitive decline and acceleration of Alzheimer.

Effects of dietary energy and lipase levels on nutrient digestibility, digestive physiology and noxious gas emission in weaning pigs

Objective

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary energy and lipase supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum profiles, intestinal morphology, small intestinal digestive enzyme activities, biochemical index of intestinal development and noxious gas emission in weaning pigs.

Methods

A total of 240 weaning pigs ([Yorkshire×Landrace]×Duroc) with an average body weight (BW) of 7.3±0.12 kg were used in this 28-d experiment. Weaning pigs were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with 2 levels of energy (net energy = 2,470 kcal/kg for low energy diet and 2,545 kcal/kg for basal diet) and 2 levels of lipase (0 and 1.5 U/g of lipase) according to BW and sex. There were 6 replications (pens) per treatment and 10 pigs per pen (5 barrows and 5 gilts).

Results

Weaning pigs fed the low energy diet had lower (p<0.05) gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) throughout the experiment, apparent digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, ether extract, and gross energy during d 0 to 14, average daily gain during d 15 to 28, lipase activity in duodenum and ileum and protein/DNA in jejunum (p<0.05), respectively. Lipase supplementation had no effect on growth performance but affected apparent nutrient digestibility (p<0.05) on d 14 and enhanced lipase activity in the duodenum and ileum and protease activity in duodenum and jejunum of pigs (p<0.05) fed the low energy diet. Lipase reduced serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG), NH₃ production (p<0.05) from the feces.

Conclusion

The low energy diet decreased G:F throughout the experiment and nutrient digestibility during d 0 to 14 as well as lipase activity in duodenum and ileum. Lipase supplementation increased nutrient digestibility during d 0 to 14 and exerted beneficial effects on lipase activity in duodenum and ileum as well as protease activity in duodenum and jejunum, while reduced serum LDL-C, TG and fecal NH₃.

Effects of tail docking and tail biting on performance and welfare of growing-finishing pigs in a confinement housing system

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of tail docking on the welfare and performance of victimized pigs by tail biting and tail biters. Pigs ( = 240; 25.7 ± 2.9 kg average weight), including 120 pigs that were tail docked at birth and 120 pigs that remained with intact tails, were used. Pigs were housed in 8 pens of 30 pigs in a confinement barn for 16 wk, with 4 pens each housing pigs of both sexes with docked or intact tails. Tail biters and victimized pigs with damaged tails were identified during outbreaks of tail biting. Growth performance was monitored, and skin lesions on the tail, ears, and body were assessed. Blood samples were collected from focal tail biters, victimized pigs, and nonvictimized pigs for analysis of total serum protein, IgG, and substance P concentrations. When pigs were marketed, carcass weights and the number of pigs with carcass trim loss were recorded. During the growing-finishing period, 48% of pigs with docked tails and 89% of pigs with intact tails experienced lesions on their tails, including 5% of docked pigs and 30% of intact pigs identified as victimized pigs that experienced puncture wounds with signs of infection on their tails or loss of tails ( < 0.001). Victimized pigs tended to gain less weight ( = 0.07) between 17 and 21 wk of age than other pigs when tail biting prevailed in this study. Victimized pigs were more frequently ( = 0.04) sold for less than full value and had a lower dressing percentage ( < 0.001) compared with nonvictimized pigs. For victimized pigs, total serum protein and IgG concentrations were elevated 5 d after tails were injured, suggesting that tail damage can cause inflammation, which may lead to carcass abscesses and trim loss. Compared with victimized pigs and nonvictimized pigs, tail biters had lower total serum protein ( = 0.01) and IgG ( = 0.01) concentrations, indicating that tail biters may experience poor immune functions. Results of this study demonstrated that tail docking reduced tail damage in pigs kept in a confinement system. Tail damage can cause inflammation and reduce the value of market pigs. More research is needed to test whether compromised immune functions predispose pigs to tail biting.

Atmospheric ammonia alters lipid metabolism-related genes in the livers of broilers (Gallus gallus)

Atmospheric ammonia in animal housing is reported to have adverse effects on livestock performance and animal health. Previous experiments have found that 75 ppm ammonia reduced the production performance and altered body fat distribution quality of broilers. In this study, we examined the body fat distribution, serum metabolites and lipid metabolism gene expression of broiler exposed to ammonia. A total of 400 chickens were randomly allocated to four groups with four replicates and received ammonia treatments at 0, 25, 50 and 75 ppm, respectively, for 3 weeks. The average daily feed intake and weight gain were decreased when broiler was exposed to ammonia concentration exceeding 50 ppm (p < .05). The increased abdominal fat and reduced thickness of subcutaneous adipose were found in broilers of 75 ppm group (p < .05). When ammonia exceeded 50 ppm, the content of fat in breast muscle of broiler was increased, and when ammonia was higher than 25 ppm, the fat in liver was increased (p < .05). It showed that the fat content in liver was a sensitive index for broilers exposed to ammonia. Furthermore, ammonia exposure had no significant effect on total cholesterol and triglyceride in serum, but significantly increased the relative mRNA expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p = .046) and malic enzyme in liver (p = .038), which indicated that ammonia exposure may increase the de novo fat synthesis in liver. In addition, ammonia increased the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = .02) and activity of hepatic lipase in serum (p < .001), which indicated that ammonia exposure may improve the transportation of cholesterol to liver. To conclude, our results indicated that ammonia exposure might increase the de novo fat synthesis in liver and increased the transportation of cholesterol to liver. In addition, the concentration of ammonia in poultry house should be limited lower than 25 ppm based on the variation of hepatic fat content.

Lung radiodensity along the needle passage is a quantitative predictor of pneumothorax after CT-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy

AIM

To analyse whether the lowest value of lung radiodensity along the passage of the biopsy needle is a quantitative predictor of pneumothorax.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CT-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy (PCNB) procedures performed at Zhongnan Hospital were analysed retrospectively. Age, gender, lesion size, lesion depth, lesion location, patient position, number of passages, needle pleural angle, pulmonary bleeding, and lung radiodensity along the needle passage were collected and classified by the extent of pneumothorax. Univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were assessed to explore the independent risk factors for pneumothorax.

RESULTS

Six hundred and seventy-seven cases were included in the study, including 456 males and 221 females. Pneumothorax occurred in 40.18% of cases, of which 82.4% were mild, 14% were moderate, and 3.7% were severe. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that lesion size ≤2 cm (p=0.002), two or more passages (p=0.033), and lung radiodensity of -850 HU or less (p≤0.001) were independent risk factors for pneumothorax; bleeding (p<0.001) was a protective factor for pneumothorax.

CONCLUSIONS

The lowest value of lung radiodensity along the needle passage was a quantitative predictor of pneumothorax. A value of -850 HU or less was an independent risk factor for pneumothorax. As the value decreased, there was a higher risk of occurrence of more severe pneumothorax.

[Association of drug resistance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae with DNA load and genotypes in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of drug resistance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) with DNA load and genotypes in children with MP pneumonia.

METHODS

A total of 230 children who were hospitalized and diagnosed with MP pneumonia between January 2012 and December 2016 were enrolled. Throat swabs were collected from the 230 children, and a rapid drug sensitivity assay was used to determine the sensitivity of clinical isolates of MP to nine commonly used antibacterial agents. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure MP-DNA load in throat swabs. PCR sequencing was used to determine the genotype of 2063 locus of the MP 23S rRNA V domain.

RESULTS

Of the 230 children, 86 (37.4%) had genotype A in 2063 locus, 134 (58.3%) had genotype G, 8 (3.5%) had genotype C, and 2 (0.9%) had genotype T. Mutant strains (genotype G+C+T) had a significantly higher MP-DNA load than wild-type strains (genotype A) (P<0.05). The strains resistant to erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, and clindamycin had a significantly higher MP-DNA load than non-resistant strains (P<0.05). MP had a high drug resistance rate to macrolide antibiotics. More than 60% of the cases with resistance to macrolides were found to have A2063G mutations. MP was rarely resistant to quinolones (less than 2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Mutations in 2063 locus of the MP 23S rRNA V domain may result in the resistance of MP to macrolides and the change in DNA load and can be used as a basis for selecting drugs for MP.

[Effect of simulating leg length inequality on spinal and pelvic posture in the elderly]

Objective: To study the effects of simulating leg length inequality on the spine and pelvic posture in standing and walking states and to explore their compensatory laws. Methods: From January to April, a total of 44 healthy volunteers were rasterstereographically examined for spine and pelvis in Institute of Digitized Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University and Department of Orthopaedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University.Volunteers wore uniform shoes, and single 5 mm thick insoles were customized.The simulating leg length inequalities (5-30 mm) were artificially created by increasing insole height.The parameters of 3D body surface parameters and 4D dynamic parameters of the pelvic and spine were measured and statistically analyzed in standing and walking states. Results: In the static standing state, with the increase of the difference of both lower extremities, coronal plane pelvic tilt and sagittal plane pelvic torsion also increased[the maximum value about (10.6±4.3) mm and (3.3±3.5)°], as well as the frontal deviation of the spine [the maximum value about (11.1±17.9) mm]. But the pelvic rotation, vertebral surface rotation angle (rms) and spine sagittal plane deviation were no obvious changes.In the walking state, with the difference between lower extremities increased, the maximum angles of vertebral surface rotation to the left and right and pelvic rotation to the left and right were no obvious changes, but (coronal) spinal maximum offset distance to left and right increased [the maximum value about (9.8±5.1), (10.4±6.9) mm]. Conclusion: The effect of the leg length discrepancy on the pelvic coronal plane and the sagittal plane changes are obvious, but little effect has on the pelvic cross section.The pelvis is compensated by the increase of the inclination of the coronal plane and the sagittal angle at first order.Similarly, the effect on the coronal plane of the spine is more markedly, but the changes of sagittal and cross-section of the spine is less affected, the spine is mainly compensated by the coronal plane bending at second order.

[Neurosyphilis and HIV co-infection with the initial symptom of sudden deafness and optic atrophy: a case report]

A 46-year-old male presented with left ear hearing loss,vertigo,tinnitus and left eye blurred vision. Pure tone audiometry showed left ear had been total deafness. Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay was reactive. The serum rapid plasma regain (RPR) was 1∶16. Human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) 1/2 antibody immunoassay was positive，and the CD4 cell count was low at 100 cells/μl. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TPPA was positive,with a white blood cell count of 53×10 ⁶ /L and protein level of 1.08 g/L.The diagnosis was:①left ear sudden deafness(total deafness type);②neurosyphilis;③acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS).

Dietary sources of phosphorus affect postileal phosphorus digestion in growing pigs

The present study was conducted to investigate the postileal P digestion response of growing pigs to dietary P concentrations and sources. Twenty-four pigs (57.3 ± 1.9 kg initial BW) fitted with T-cannulas at the distal ileum were assigned to a duplicated 12 × 4 incomplete Latin square design with 12 diets and 4 periods. The 12 experimental diets consisted of 9 cornstarch-based diets using soybean meal (SBM), corn distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS), and canola meal (CM) as assay ingredients at 3 levels and 3 corn-SBM-based practical diets with 3 levels of dicalcium phosphate (DCP). Chromic oxide was included as an indigestible marker to calculate apparent ileal digestibility (AID), apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), and apparent postileal digestibility (APID) of P. Each period consisted of 5 d of adaption period, 2 d of fecal samples collection, and 2 d of ileal digesta collection. The results showed that ileal P output, fecal P output, ileal digested P, total tract digested P, and the AID and ATTD of P were affected by the interaction of P concentrations and sources ( < 0.01). When pigs were fed the semipurified diets containing SBM and corn-SBM-based practical diets, the AID and ATTD of P increased with increasing dietary P level (linear, < 0.01). However, there were no linear or quadratic responses in the AID and ATTD of P for pigs fed diets containing increasing levels of CM and corn DDGS. Postileal digested P, the proportion of ileal digested P to total tract digested P, the proportion of postileal digested P to total tract digested P, APID of P, and hindgut disappearance of P were affected by dietary sources of P ( < 0.01). When pigs were fed the semipurified diets containing SBM and CM, there were no differences between the AID and ATTD of P. In contrast, the ATTD of P were greater than the AID of P for pigs fed diets containing corn DDGS and corn-SBM-based practical diets with DCP supplementation. In summary, postileal P digestion response of growing pigs was affected by dietary P sources.

[Diagnostic value of combining serum soluble ST2 and interleukin-33 for heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction]

Objective: Diagnostic efficacy of serum markers is low for heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HF-pEF) as compared to heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.We sought to explore the diagnostic value of serum levels of soluble ST2 (sST2) combined with interleukin-33 (IL-33) for the diagnosis of HF-pEF in this study. Methods: A total of 376 patients with HF-pEF (HF group), 376 matched-control patients without heart failure who shared similar clinical characteristics (non-HF group) were included in the study.Another 500 healthy individuals were recruited for assessing the normal ranges of IL-33 and sST2.Serum levels of NT-proBNP were measured by chemi-luminescence assay, while IL-33 and sST2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 were not normally distributed in healthy population.Serum concentrations of IL-33 and sST2 were significantly higher in HF-pEF patients than in patients in non-HF group (median, IL-33: 0.437 μg/L vs. 0.127 μg/L, P<0.01; sST: 0.118 μg/L vs. 0.067 μg/L, P<0.01). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was 0.763 (95%CI 0.729-0.795, P<0.01), with 71.01% sensitivity and 66.75% specificity, the AUC was 0.884 (95%CI 0.859-0.908, P<0.01), with 80.05% sensitivity and 81.91% specificity in patients with serum IL-33 higher than 0.117 μg/L (median level of serum IL-33 in healthy individuals, n=306). The AUC of NT-proBNP for detecting HF-pEF was 0.83, with 74.73% sensitivity and 84.57% specificity.The AUC of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was significantly higher than NT-proBNP in population with high serum IL-33 (AUC: 0.88 vs. 0.83, P<0.01). Conclusion: Serum sST2 could serve as a satisfactory biomarker for HF-pEF diagnosis, especially for patients with high serum IL-33 concentrations.

[A retrospective study on the liver pathological characteristics and the effect of antiviral treatment for 1 to 7 years old children with heptitis B e antigen negative chronic hepatitis B]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the liver pathological characteristics and the clearance rate of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with antiviral treatment for 1 to 7 years old children with heptitis B e antigen(HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B.

METHOD

A total of 49 cases with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B were treated with interferon (IFN) or IFN treatment for 6 months added with lamivudine, and were followed up for at least 6 months.Retrospective analysis was performed on the liver pathological characteristics, the efficacy of antivirus treatment and its influencing factors of the HBsAg clearance rate in the cases from June 2006 to December 2013 in the 302 Hospital of People's Liberation Army.The χ(2) test was used to compare the rates.

RESULT

(1)The median age of cases was 3 years old(1-7 years old), 38 children were male(78%). Cases in the age group 1-2, >2 -3, >3 -4, >4-5, >5-6 and >6-7 were 7, 8, 14, 6, 6 and 8 respectively. HBsAg was 100% positive in mother of the cases. (2)There were 7 children whose pre-treatment alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were ≤80 U/L and pre-treatment ALT>200 U/L in 25 children. There were 24 children whose pre-treatment HBVDNA ≥1×10(7) U/ml. Genetype analysis was detected in 43 children, 3 children were B genotype, 38 were C genotype, 2 were B and C genotype. (3)Liver biopsy was performed in all children. The degree of liver inflammation ≥2 was seen in 48 (98%) children.Severe liver fibrosis and cirrhosis were found in 21(43%) children. (4)In the age group 1-2, >2-3, >3-4, >4-5, >5-6 and >6-7 years old , the clearance of HBsAg was 5, 6, 2, 1, 0 and 0 respectively. The HBsAg clearance rate between 1-3 years old group and 3-7 years old group has significant difference ((73%(11/15) vs. 9%(3/34), χ(2)=18.180, P=0.000). (5)The clearance of HBsAg in male group was 11, but 3 in female group.It showed no significant difference between two groups (χ(2)=0.073, P=0.787). (6) The clearance rate of HBsAg were 0, 24%(4/17) and 40%(10/25) in the groups of pre-treatment ALT ≤80 U/L, 80<ALT≤200 U/L and ALT >200 U/L, respectively. There were no significant difference between the groups of ALT≤200 U/L and ALT > 200 U/L(χ(2)=2.223, P=0.136). In the groups with pre-treatment HBV DNA <1×10(7)U/ml and HBV DNA≥1×10(7)U/ml, the clearance rate of HBsAg was 28%(7/25) and 29%(7/24). There were no significant elifference between two groups(χ(2)=0.008, P=0.928). (7)The clearance rate of HBsAg was 33%(7/21) in children with severe liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, while 25%(7/28) in children who had no severe liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.There were no significant difference between two groups(χ(2)=0.408, P=0.523).

CONCLUSION

There are obvious liver injuries and severe liver fibrosis in 1-7 years old children with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. The HBsAg clearance rate in the children with antiviral treatment correlated with age, among those who received antiviral treatment before 3 years old, the HBsAg clearance rate is relatively higher.

Effects of feeding frequency on meat quality traits and Longissimus muscle proteome in finishing pigs

Sixty-four barrows with an initial body weight of 59.8 ± 2.1 kg were allocated to one of the two feeding frequency regimes (had free access to diet and fed two meals per day). Pigs had free access (FA) to feed were fed on an ad libitum basis during the 8-week experimental period. Pigs fed twice daily (M2) were allowed to consume their meals in 2 h. Pigs fed twice daily had lower average daily feed intake (p < 0.01) and average daily gain (p < 0.1), but a greater G:F (p < 0.05) than FA pigs. Lower perirenal fat deposition, hot carcass weight, intramuscular fat content (p < 0.05) and dressing percentage (p < 0.1) were found in M2 pigs compared with FA pigs. Activities of citrate synthase, β-hydroxylacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase were greater in the Longissimus muscle (LM) of M2 pigs compared with FA pigs (p < 0.05). Proteomic analysis revealed that expression abundances of proteins involved in glucose metabolism, energy production and lipid utilization were upregulated, but expression levels of proteins participating in protein and amino acid metabolism, stress response and redox homeostasis were downregulated in the LM of M2 pigs than those in FA pigs (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the less meal frequency impairs growth rate, has marginal effects on carcass and meat quality traits and affects expression abundances of proteins in the LM of finishing pigs.