Prevalence and associated factors of dry skin among older inpatients in hospitals and nursing homes: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Dry skin is a common skin problem in older persons. Aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, associated factors of dry skin in older inpatients. DESIGN: A multicenter cross-sectional study was designed and conducted. SETTINGS/PARTICIPANTS: On 31 March and 29 May in 2021 two days, fifty hospitals and two nursing homes in China participated in the study. In total, 33,769 participants were included. The mean age was 73.2 (SD 8.9) years. METHODS: A whole-body skin examination and associated data collection were performed by 1067 trained nurses based on a standardized data form and methods. Descriptive and univariable analyses and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted. RESULTS: In total, 11,602 participants had dry skin with a prevalence of 34.4%, mainly located on the upper and lower limbs with very severe skin dryness, 21.2% of the participants reported that their dry skin had pruritus, and 12.5% complained that sleep was affected by dry skin. The stronger predictor for dry skin was nursing homes (OR 5.07, 95% CI 3.99-6.45). Other predictors for dry skin were age, male sex, nutrition, lower activity level, skincare dependence, renal and pulmonary impairment, diabetes mellitus, varicose veins, cardiovascular diseases and Parkinsonism, diuretics, statins and antibiotics. The predictive model of area under ROC curve was 0.628(95% CI 0.622-0.634). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of dry skin among Chinese older patients was at high level and was associated with multiple factors. Persons with skin dryness have a higher proportion of skin itching and poor sleep. REGISTRATION: It has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100042893).

Genome-Wide Identification, Evolutionary Analysis, and Expression Patterns of Cathepsin Superfamily in Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) following Aeromonas salmonicida Infection.

Cathepsins are lysosomal cysteine proteases belonging to the papain family and play crucial roles in intracellular protein degradation/turnover, hormone maturation, antigen processing, and immune responses. In the present study, 18 cathepsins were systematically identified from the fish S. schlegelii genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that cathepsin superfamilies are categorized into eleven major clusters. Synteny and genome organization analysis revealed that whole-genome duplication led to the expansion of S. schlegelii cathepsins. Evolutionary rate analyses indicated that the lowest Ka/Ks ratios were observed in CTSBa (0.13) and CTSBb (0.14), and the highest Ka/Ks ratios were observed in CTSZa (1.97) and CTSZb (1.75). In addition, cathepsins were ubiquitously expressed in all examined tissues, with high expression levels observed in the gill, intestine, head kidney, and spleen. Additionally, most cathepsins were differentially expressed in the head kidney, gill, spleen, and liver following Aeromonas salmonicida infection, and their expression signatures showed tissue-specific and time-dependent patterns. Finally, protein-protein interaction network (PPI) analyses revealed that cathepsins are closely related to a few immune-related genes, such as interleukins, chemokines, and TLR genes. These results are expected to be valuable for comparative immunological studies and provide insights for further functional characterization of cathepsins in fish species.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Spleen Reveals Potential Regulation of Genes and Immune Pathways Following Administration of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. masoucida Vaccine in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar).

Aeromonas salmonicida is a global fish pathogen. Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. masoucida (ASM) is classified as atypical A. salmonicida and caused huge losses to salmonid industry in China. Hence, it is of great significance to develop ASM vaccine and explore its protection mechanism in salmonids. In this regard, we conducted RNA-seq analysis with spleen tissue of Atlantic salmon after ASM vaccination to reveal genes, their expression patterns, and pathways involved in immune protections. In our results, a total of 441.63 million clean reads were obtained, and 389.37 million reads were mapped onto the Atlantic salmon reference genome. In addition, 1125, 2126, 1098, 820, and 1351 genes were significantly up-regulated, and 747, 2626, 818, 254, and 908 genes were significantly down-regulated post-ASM vaccination at 12 h, 24 h, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months, respectively. Subsequent pathway analysis revealed that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following ASM vaccination were involved in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction (TNFRSF11b, IL-17RA, CCR9, and CXCL11), HTLV-I infection (MR1 and HTLV-1), MAPK signaling pathway (MAPK, IL8, and TNF-α-1), PI3K-Akt signaling pathway (PIK3R3, THBS4, and COL2A1), and TNF signaling pathway (PTGS2, TNFRSF21-l, and CXCL10). Finally, the results of qRT-PCR showed a significant correlation with RNA-seq results, suggesting the reliability of RNA-seq for gene expression analysis. This study provided insights into regulation of gene expression and their involved pathways in Atlantic salmon spleen in responses to vaccine, and set the foundation for further study on the vaccine protective mechanism in Atlantic salmon as well as other teleost species.

Insulin receptor substrate-1 and dishevelled 2 are negatively regulated by microRNA-144 and inhibit nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell malignancy.

Insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) is reported to play a critical role in the development, progression, invasion and metastasis of several types of tumors and is abnormally expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Although IRS-1 is predicted to be targeted by microRNA (miR)-144, the biological roles and potential mechanisms of miR-144 in NPC remain unclear. In the present study, the expression levels of miR-144 and IRS-1 in several NPC cell lines were first examined, and found that they were negatively correlated. Following the introduction of the miR-144 mimic, IRS-1 was downregulated at the protein level without affecting the mRNA level. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay showed that the miR-144 mimic and siRNA targeting IRS-1 mRNA significantly decreased cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G1/G0 phase. The malignant behaviours of NPC cell lines, including migration, invasion and tumour formation in soft agar, were then analyzed after regulating miR-144 levels; as expected, the results showed that both the miR-144 mimic and siIRS-1 decreased these malignant behaviours. Furthermore, the downregulation of IRS-1 by miR-144 decreased the expression level of dishevelled 2 (Dvl2) protein without affecting its mRNA level, and Dvl2 overexpression abolished the inhibitory effect of the miR-144 mimic in NPC, indicating that miR-144 potentially regulates NPC by indirectly regulating Dvl2. Taken together, the present study results suggest that miR-144 acts as a tumour suppressor in NPC cell lines by regulating IRS-1 and Dvl2, which indicates that it is a potential therapeutic target for NPC treatment.

Incidence and Prognostic Significance of PD-L1 Expression in High-Grade Salivary Gland Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: PD-L1 is one of the predictors of immunotherapy efficacy. Our goal was to analyze its expression and prognostic significance in high-grade salivary gland carcinoma (SGC). METHODS: PD-L1 expression was evaluated using paraffin-embedded specimens from patients with surgically treated high-grade SGC, and it was scored by the tumor proportion score (TPS), combined positive score (CPS), and immune cell (IC) score. Associations between clinicopathological variables, disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and PD-L1 expression were assessed. RESULTS: TPS≥1% occurred in 47 patients with an incidence of 43.1%, and it was significantly related to an advanced tumor stage. In patients with TPS<1%, TPS ranging from 1% to 20%, and TPS≥20%, the 5-year DFS rates were 36%, 26%, and 13%, respectively, and the difference was significant. In patients with TPS<1%, TPS ranging from 1% to 20%, and TPS≥20%, the 5-year OS rates were 49%, 24%, and 13%, respectively, and the difference was significant. CPS≥1 occurred in 87 patients with an incidence of 79.8%. IC scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3 were noted in 24 (22.0%), 37 (33.9%), 31 (28.4%), and 17 (15.6%) patients, respectively. Both CPS and IC scores had no impact on DFS or OS. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of PD-L1 in tumor cells of high-grade SGCs was not uncommon, and it was significantly associated with tumor stage. PD-L1 expression in tumor cells rather than in immune cells indicated a poor prognosis.

Nonsmoking and Nondrinking Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients: A Different Entity.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to analyze the demographic and pathologic characteristics as well as prognosis in nonsmoking and nondrinking (NSND) oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients compared with typical oral SCC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 353 patients were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups: the NSND group and the current smoking/current drinking (CSCD) group. Demographic, pathologic, and molecular data were compared between the two groups. The main research endpoints were locoregional control (LRC) and disease-specific survival (DSS). RESULTS: In the NSND group, 16.3%, 41.9%, and 53.5% of patients were aged no more than 40 years, were female, and had an educational background of high school or above compared to 3.7%, 6.0%, and 38.2% of patients in the CSCD group, respectively. A total of 15.1% of the NSND patients had SCC of the lower gingiva and floor of the mouth, which was lower than the 35.6% of patients in the CSCD group. CSCD patients were likely to have an advanced disease stage (48.7% vs 32.5%, p=0.042) and poorly differentiated cancer (26.6% vs 16.3%, p=0.042). The NSND patients had a mean Ki-67 index of 24.5%, which was lower than the mean of 35.7% in the CSCD patients. The two groups had no HPV infection and similar p16 expression (4.7% vs 10.1%, p=0.132), but there was higher expression of p53 (38.6% vs 17.4%, p<0.001) and p63 (59.9% vs 29.1%, p<0.001) in the CSCD group. The 5-year LRC rates for NSND patients and CSCD patients were 48% and 38%, respectively, and the difference was significant (p=0.048). The 5-year DSS rates for NSND patients and CSCD patients were 56% and 39%, respectively, and the difference was significant (p=0.047). Further, a Cox model confirmed the independence of smoking and drinking status for affecting LRC and DSS. CONCLUSION: NSND oral SCC patients are a different entity. HPV infection has a limited role in carcinogenesis in NSND patients, and p16 expression is associated with worse locoregional control.

Survival Significance of Number of Positive Lymph Nodes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Stratified by p16.

Objectives: To analyze the significance of the number of positive lymph nodes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) stratified by p16. Methods: A total of 674 patients were retrospectively enrolled and divided into 4 groups based on their number of positive lymph nodes (0 vs. 1-2 vs. 3-4 vs. ≥5). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rates. Cox model was used to evaluate the independent risk factor. Results: p16 showed positivity in 85 patients with a rate of 12.6%. In patients with p16 negativity, the 5-year DFS rates were 52%, 39%, and 21% in patients with 0, 1-2, and 3-4 positive lymph nodes, respectively, in patients with ≥5 positive lymph nodes, all patients developed recurrence within 2 years after operation, the difference was significant; the 5-year DSS rates were 60, 38, and 18% in patients with 0, 1-2, and 3-4 positive lymph nodes, respectively, in patients with ≥5 positive lymph nodes, all patients died within 4-years after operation. The difference was significant. In p16 positivity patients, the 3-year DFS rates were 41% and 17% in patients with 0-2 and ≥3 positive lymph nodes, respectively, the difference was significant; the 3-year DSS rates were 84 and 46% in patients with 0-2 and ≥3 positive lymph nodes, the difference was significant. Conclusions: The number of positive lymph nodes is significantly associated with the survival in oral SCC, its survival effect is not affected by p16 status.

Parathyroid Hormone Level Changes Following Radioiodine Therapy for Thyroid Cancer: A Prospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to analyze the effect of radioiodine (RAI) therapy on parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. METHODS: A total of 137 patients were included and divided into 2 groups based on pretherapy PTH levels. The residual thyroid tissue volume was classified into 4 grades (0-3), and a value of 0 indicated that there was no apparent residual tissue. We analyzed the PTH level changes among different time points in each group and the factors that could predict the PTH level changes. RESULTS: In 113 patients with normal parathyroid gland function, the PTH level at baseline, 1 day, 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after RAI therapy did not show any significant difference; in 24 patients with decreased parathyroid gland function, the level of PTH immediately decreased after the implementation of RAI therapy but gradually returned to a pre-RAI therapy level within 6 months. On the seventh day after therapy, the mean value of PTH in patients with a residual thyroid tissue volume of extent of 0/1 was 8.0 ± 2.3 pg/mL, which was significantly higher than that in patients with a residual thyroid tissue volume of extent of 2/3 (P = .011). Similar phenomena were observed 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after therapy. CONCLUSION: RAI therapy had a significant transient adverse effect on parathyroid gland function in patients with decreased PTH secretion pretherapy, and the extent was associated with the amount of residual thyroid tissue.

The mechanism of inhibitory control on the development of theory of mind in old age-based on the two-component model of psychological theory.

OBJECTIVE: Based on the two-component model of theory of mind, the current study explored the cognitive and emotional theory of mind of the elderly by using false-belief pictures and eye-reading tasks respectively, and examined effects of inhibitory control on elderly adults' cognitive and emotional theory of mind. METHOD: One-hundred twelve elderly participants were randomly recruited, and the control task, cognitive theory of mind, emotional theory of mind and the Stroop task were used. RESULTS: The results showed the following: (1) Elderly adults' theory of mind decreased compared with that of young people; specifically, cognitive theory of mind showed an aging trend (aged above 75 years), while emotional theory of mind developed at a relatively gentle speed during old age; (2) Compared with young people, the inhibitory control of the elderly gently declined among those aged above 75 years; (3) Inhibitory control partially mediated the relationship between age and cognitive theory of mind. CONCLUSION: The cognitive and emotional components of theory of mind in the elderly were distinct. It was difficult for the elderly to complete psychological tasks related to social cognition that required high inhibitory control; however, they could complete psychological tasks that did not require high inhibitory control.

Corrigendum: Incidence and Prognostic Significance of PD-L1 Expression in High-Grade Salivary Gland Carcinoma.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.701181.].

The relationship between health-promoting lifestyles and depression in the elderly: roles of aging perceptions and social support.

PURPOSE: At present, it is not clear about the influence of health-promoting lifestyle, aging perceptions, social support, and other psychosocial factors on elderly depression. This study aims to explore the mediating role of aging perceptions between health-promoting lifestyle and elderly depression, and the moderating role of social support in the mediating process. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 359 elderly people in six districts of a city. The Chinese version of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-IIR), the Brief Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (B-PQ), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-DR), and the Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS) were conducted and recollected on the spot. Stepwise analysis was used to test the mediating effect and moderating effect, and age and gender variables were controlled. RESULTS: The results showed the following: (1) health-promoting lifestyle is an important influencing factor of elderly depression; (2) aging perceptions plays a mediating role in the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and elderly depression, accounting for 31.8% of the total utility; and (3) social support plays a moderating role between aging perceptions and elderly depression, with a high level of social support. The effect of aging perceptions on depression is less than that of the elderly with low social support level. CONCLUSION: Health-promoting lifestyle influence the depression of elderly people through aging perceptions and social support moderates the influence of aging perceptions on the elderly depression.

Impact of submandibular gland preservation in neck management of early-stage buccal squamous cell carcinoma on locoregional control and disease-specific survival.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility of submandibular gland (SMG) preservation in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has occasionally been analyzed, but the differences in survival associated with the presence or absence of SMG preservation remain unknown. We aimed to prospectively evaluate the oncologic results of SMG preservation in cT1-2 N0 buccal SCC. METHODS: This was a prospective, non-randomized cohort study. Patients with surgically treated cT1-2 N0 buccal SCC were prospectively enrolled and divided into two groups based on the management of the SMG. Level 1b lymph nodes were categorized into six groups based on the positional relationship between the lymph node and the SMG. The main study endpoints were locoregional control (LRC) and disease-specific survival (DSS). RESULTS: A total of 31 of the 137 included patients underwent SMG-sparing neck dissection. Patients with SMG preservation were likely to be young persons. Superior metastasis occurred in 11 patients with a prevalence of 8.0%, followed by an anterior metastasis rate of 5.1%, and no metastases developed deeply or within the SMG. The 5-year LRC rates in the SMG-sparing and SMG-excision groups were 74 and 75%, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.970). The 5-year DSS rates in the SMG-sparing and SMG-excision groups were 74 and 69%, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.709). CONCLUSIONS: SMG involvement was rare, and the superior group carried the highest risk for lymph node metastasis. SMG-sparing neck dissection is selectively suggested in cT1-2 N0 buccal SCC patients, and could avoid postoperative asymmetric appearance and dry mouth.

Feasibility of Submandibular Gland Preservation in cT1-2N0 Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Floor of the Mouth.

Purpose: Our goal was to analyze the feasibility of submandibular gland (SMG) preservation in cT1-2N0 floor of the mouth (FOM) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. Methods: Patients with cT1-2N0 FOM SCC were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups according to the management of the SMG. Level 1b tissues were divided into six groups according to their location with respect to the SMG. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the locoregional control (LRC) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rates. A Cox model was used to determine the independent risk factors. Results: Twenty-nine patients underwent SMG-preserving neck dissection, and lymph node metastasis occurred in the superior group in 3 of the 37 dissections with a prevalence of 8.1% and in the anterior group in 2 of the 37 dissections with a prevalence of 5.4%. In patients without SMG preservation, lymph node metastasis occurred in the superior group in 7 of the 137 dissections with a prevalence of 5.1% and in the anterior group in 6 of the 137 dissections with a prevalence of 4.4%. The only pattern of SMG involvement was invasion by positive lymph nodes. The 5-year LRC rates for patients with SMG preservation and patients with SMG excision were 84 and 73%, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.239). The 5-year DSS rates for patients with SMG preservation and patients with SMG excision were 88 and 84%, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.524). Conclusions: In early-stage FOM SCC patients, SMG involvement is rare, the most common metastatic site in level 1b is the superior group, and SMG preservation does not decrease the LRC or DSS rates. Therefore, the findings suggest that there might be high feasibility of SMG-preserving neck dissection in cT1-2N0 FOM SCC.

Author Correction: Revealing the complex genetic structure of cultivated amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybridum) using transcriptome-derived microsatellite markers.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Predictive Value of Occult Metastasis and Survival Significance of Metabolic Tumor Volume Determined by PET-CT in cT1-2N0 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue.

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to analyze the possibility of using metabolic tumor volume (MTV) to predict occult cervical metastasis and survival in cT1-2N0 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue. METHODS: Data on the primary tumor MTV and cervical node status as determined by the maximum standardized uptake value were retrieved. The sensitivity and specificity in predicting occult metastasis were calculated with a fourfold table. Associations between occult metastasis and clinicopathological variables were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. The main study endpoints were locoregional control (LRC) and disease-specific survival (DSS). RESULTS: A total of 24 (20.3%) of 118 patients had occult metastasis. An MTV cutoff value of 4.3 cm3 showed a sensitivity of 50.0% and a specificity of 76.6% in predicting occult metastasis. The sensitivity and specificity of PET-CT in predicting occult metastasis in cT1 tumors were 66.6 and 89.8%, respectively, with values of 83.3 and 67.3%, respectively, when combined with the MTV. The sensitivity and specificity of PET-CT in predicting occult metastasis in cT2 tumors were 72.2 and 82.2%, respectively, with values of 88.9 and 57.8%, respectively, when combined with the MTV. Patients with MTV ≥4.3 cm3 had a higher occult metastasis rate than patients with MTV <4.3 cm3. The 5-year LRC and DSS rates were 86 and 94%, respectively, in patients with MTV <4.3 cm3 and 54 and 72%, respectively, in patients with MTV ≥4.3 cm3. Both differences were found to be significant in univariate and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: MTV ≥4.3 cm3 was associated with an increased probability of occult metastasis and lower LRC and DSS rates in early-stage SCC of the tongue.

Susceptibility of Four Species of Aphids in Wheat to Seven Insecticides and Its Relationship to Detoxifying Enzymes.

Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus), Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are important pests of wheat and other cereals worldwide. In this study, the susceptibilities of four wheat aphid species to seven insecticides were assessed. Furthermore, the activities of carboxylesterase (CarE), glutathione S-transferase (GSTs), and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450s) were determined in imidacloprid treated and untreated aphids. The results showed that the susceptibilities of four wheat aphid species to tested insecticides are different and M. dirhodum has shown higher tolerance to most insecticides. Relatively higher CarE and GST activities were observed in M. dirhodum, and P450s activities increased significantly in response to imidacloprid treatment. Moreover, susceptibility to imidacloprid were increased by the oxidase inhibitor piperonyl butoxide in M. dirhodum (20-fold). The results we have obtained imply that P450s may play an important role in imidacloprid metabolic process in M. dirhodum. We suggest that a highly species-specific approach is essential for managing M. dirhodum.

Value of lingual lymph node metastasis in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of lingual lymph node (LLN) metastasis on locoregional control (LRC) in patients with locally advanced tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: A total of 231 patients were prospectively enrolled. Analyses focused on the association between the LLN metastasis and clinical pathologic variables as well as the significance of LLN metastasis in predicting prognosis. RESULTS: LLNs were noted in 58 patients, 33 of whom were positive for LLN metastasis. LLN metastasis was significantly related to adverse pathologic characteristics. In patients with LLN metastasis, the 5-year LRC rate was 45%. In patients without LLN metastasis, the 5-year LRC rate was 65% and the difference was significant (P = 0.013). Further, Cox model analysis confirmed the independence of LLN metastasis from prognosis prediction. CONCLUSION: LLN metastasis in locally advanced tongue SCC is relatively uncommon; however, LLNs should be routinely dissected because they could significantly decrease locoregional control. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b. Laryngoscope, 129:2527-2530, 2019.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus type-18 in head and neck cancer among the Chinese population: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: China has a high burden of head and neck cancer globally and oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) has been hypothesized as a risk factor for head and neck cancer, but research was absent for establishing HPV prevalence in China. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the high-risk HPV-18 prevalence of head and neck cancer in the Chinese population. METHODS: This meta-analysis was reported following the guideline of PRISMA. The reports on HPV and head and neck cancer in a Chinese population published between Jan 1, 2006 and May 31, 2018 were retrieved via CNKI/WANFANG/MEDLINE/EMBASE/COCHRANE databases. A random-effect model was used to calculate pooled prevalence and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 1881 head and neck cancer cases from 19 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the pooled HPV-18 prevalence among head and neck cancer cases was 6.0% (4.1%-7.9%) in China, 31.2% (13.0%-49.4%) in laryngeal cancer, 7.2% (3.9%-10.5%) in oral cancer and 0.6% (0.0%-1.3%) in oropharyngeal cancer, 18.7% (6.2%-31.2%) in fresh or frozen biopsies and 4.3% (2.5%-6.1%) in paraffin-embedded fixed biopsies, 29.5% (15.6%-43.3%) by E6/E7 region and 3.9% (0.5%-7.4%) by L1 region of HPV gene. The highest HPV-18 prevalence was found in Central China. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of HPV-18 was found in the samples of Chinese head and neck cancers. Prophylactic HPV-vaccination may reduce the burden of HPV-related head and neck cancer in China.

Revealing the complex genetic structure of cultivated amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybridum) using transcriptome-derived microsatellite markers.

Although amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybridum) plants are commonly used in physiological and ecological research, the extent of their genomic and genetic resources remains limited. The development of molecular markers is therefore of great importance to accelerate genetic improvements in Hippeastrum species. In this study, a total of 269 unique genes were defined that might regulate the flower spathe development of amaryllis. In addition, 2000 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected based on 171,462 de novo assembled unigenes from transcriptome data, and 66,4091 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were also detected as putative molecular markers. Twenty-one SSR markers were screened to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure of 104 amaryllis accessions. A total of 98 SSR loci were amplified for all accessions. The results reveal that Nei's gene diversity (H) values of these markers ranged between 0.055 and 0.394, whereas the average values of Shannon's Information index (I) ranged between 0.172 and 0.567. Genetic tree analysis further demonstrates that all accessions can be grouped into three main clusters, which can be further divided into two subgroups. STRUCTURE-based analysis revealed that the highest ΔK values were observed when K = 5, K = 6, K = 7 and K = 8. The results of this study enable large-scale transcriptomics and classification of Hippeastrum genetic polymorphisms and will be useful in the future for resource conservation and production.