Differential expression and significance of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine modification in hepatitis B virus carriers and patients with liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive carrier status and liver cancer has been extensively studied. However, the epigenetic changes that occur during progression from HBsAg-positive carrier status or cirrhosis to liver cancer are unknown. The epigenetic modification of DNA hydroxymethylation is critical in tumor development. Further, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is an important base for DNA demethylation and epigenetic regulation. It is also involved in the assembly of chromosomes and the regulation of gene expression. However, the mechanism of action of 5hmC in HBsAg-positive carriers or patients with cirrhosis who develop liver cancer has not been fully elucidated. AIM: To investigate the possible epigenetic mechanism of HBsAg-positive carriers and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression from cirrhosis. METHODS: Forty HBsAg-positive carriers, forty patients with liver cirrhosis, and forty patients with liver cancer admitted to the First People's Hospital of Yongkang between March 2020 and November 2021 were selected as participants. Free DNA was extracted using a cf-DNA kit. cfDNA was extracted by 5hmC DNA sequencing for principal component analysis, the expression profiles of the three groups of samples were detected, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) modified by hydroxymethylation were screened. Bioinformatic analysis was used to enrich DEGs, such as in biological pathways. RESULTS: A total of 16455 hydroxymethylated genes were identified. Sequencing results showed that 32 genes had significant 5hmC modification differences between HBsAg carriers and liver cancer patients, of which 30 were upregulated and 2 downregulated in patients with HCC compared with HBsAg-positive carriers. Significant 5hmC modification differences between liver cirrhosis and liver cancer patients were identified in 20 genes, of which 17 were upregulated and 3 were downregulated in patients with HCC compared with those with cirrhosis. These genes may have potential loci that are undiscovered or unelucidated, which contribute to the development and progression of liver cancer. Analysis of gene ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that the major signaling pathways involved in the differential genes were biliary secretion and insulin secretion. The analysis of protein interactions showed that the important genes in the protein-protein interaction network were phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and solute carrier family 2. CONCLUSION: The occurrence and development of liver cancer involves multiple genes and pathways, which may be potential targets for preventing hepatitis B carriers from developing liver cancer.

The application of multiple teaching methods based on outcome-based education in physiology teaching / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To explore the application effects of multiple teaching methods based on the outcome-based education (OBE) on the teaching of physiology.Methods:The application of multiple teaching methods based on the OBE was used in physiology teaching for 356 students majoring in anesthesiology, stomatology, medical imaging, and psychiatry of five-year undergraduate from 2020 in Shenyang Medical College. Analysis and assessments were done by course examinations and questionnaires. SPSS 16.0 was used for t-test. Results:According to the course examinations, students got higher scores in the medical licensing examination than in the western medicine integrated examination [(88.19±16.35) points vs. (66.69±21.45) points, P < 0.001], and students had higher scores in the final exam (A2 questions) than in the final exam (A1 questions) [(70.63±17.67) points vs. (63.16±14.80) points, P < 0.001]. At the same time, the results of questionnaires showed that students had a positive attitude towards multiple teaching methods. Conclusion:The multiple teaching methods based on the OBE applied in the teaching of physiology can enhance the comprehensive learning ability and future position competence of students, and improve the teaching quality.

The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is a risk factor for frequent premature ventricular complexes: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the link between the monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) and frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). This investigation aimed to evaluate the link between the MHR and frequent PVCs in patients, as well as their outcomes, using the axis, burden, coupling interval-ventricular tachycardia (ABC-VT) risk score (ARS). METHODS: Two hundred patients with frequent PVCs and 70 controls were retrospectively enrolled, and their general data were gathered. The MHR and ARS were calculated. Then, patients developing frequent PVCs were classified into a medium-/high-risk subgroup and a low-risk subgroup according to ARS. The results were evaluated employing comparative statistical analyses, Spearman's correlation, logistic regression analyses, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The MHR in the controls was obviously lower than that in the frequent PVC group. In addition, the MHR was the lowest in the control group and highest in the medium-/high-risk subgroup, with that of the low-risk subgroup falling in the middle. Spearman's correlation analyses showed that the MHR was positively correlated with the ARS (ρ = 0.307, P < 0.001). Ultimately, the MHR was found to be a risk factor for frequent PVCs in the multivariate analysis. In addition, an MHR cutoff point of 254.6 featured 67.50% sensitivity and 67.14% specificity for predicting frequent PVCs, and the area under the curve (AUC) reached 0.694 (95% confidence interval: 0.623-0.766) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The MHR is positively and independently correlated with frequent PVCs and can be used as a practical, cost-saving and simple biomarker of inflammation owing to its value in predicting frequent PVCs. In addition, the MHR is crucial to risk stratification and prognosis, which may give it clinical value in the prevention and management of frequent PVCs.

Preliminary Study on Risk Factors for Morbidity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in High-Income Male Population.

OBJECTIVES: Believed to be a result of metabolic syndrome and unhealthy lifestyle, the incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a serious public health problem. Among the high-income male population, metabolic syndrome and unhealthy lifestyle are particularly prominent. Therefore, we conducted a survey on 375 high-income male subjects, expecting to understand the risk factors and related factors for morbidity of NAFLD among the high-income male population being physically examined in Shanghai. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was applied to 375 high-income male subjects (including 190 patients with NAFLD and 185 non-NAFLD subjects) who were examined in the special needs clinic at Huadong Hospital affiliated to Fudan University. In combination with medical history, physical examination, and laboratory test results and by use of a self-made NAFLD health questionnaire, the basic data of the research objects were collected and the obtained data were subject to a correlation analysis. RESULTS: This study investigated 375 high-income males, and the morbidity rate of NAFLD was 50.67%. The NAFLD group was higher than the non-NAFLD group in terms of body weight, BMI, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05). Hypertension (OR = 2.944), diabetes (OR = 7.278), and hyperuricemia (OR = 1.922) are the risk factors for NAFLD; compared with no metabolic diseases, one (OR = 1.848), two (OR = 2.417), and three metabolic diseases (OR = 14.788) are risk factors for the development of NAFLD. Compared with the non-NAFLD group, the NAFLD group had a higher level of WBC, RBC, Hb, PLT, FPG, HbA1c, ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, TP, and UA (P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the intake of supper and staple foods between the NAFLD group and the non-NAFLD group, and the highly greasy diet was a risk factor for NAFLD (OR = 2.173) as opposed to the nongreasy diet. CONCLUSION: High-income male population is a high-risk group of NAFLD. Most of the patients with NAFLD have abnormal biochemical indicators as opposed to the healthy population and are more likely to be complicated with other chronic diseases or abnormal health status. And the occurrence of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperuricemia is the risk factor for the development of NAFLD. At the same time, the number of metabolic diseases complicated is also a risk factor for NAFLD as compared with the absence of complications with such metabolic diseases. Compared with a diet that is not greasy, the fact that high-income male NAFLD patients have a very greasy diet increases the risk of NAFLD.

Effect of Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids on ER-P38/MAPK pathway of memory impaired mice / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To study the effect of total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae on learning and memory impairment mice induced by sodium nitrite. Methods:75 mice were divided into blank group, model group, Kangnaoshuai capsule group, Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group and Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids+inhibitor group according to the random number table method, with 15 mice in each group. The Kangnaoshui Capsule group was administered with Kangnaoshui Capsule 585 mg/kg, the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group was administered with the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids 97.5 mg/kg, the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group and the inhibitor group were administered with the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids by intragastric administration 97.5 mg/kg, and intraperitoneal injection of 0.072 mg/kg ICI182780 for 21 days, once a day. The model was established on the 22nd day. Except for the blank group, the other mice were injected with sodium nitrite intraperitoneally to replicate the mice model with impaired learning and memory capability. The learning and memory capabilit of mice were detected with water maze method, and the estrogen receptor in hippocampus was detected by immunohistochemistry β (estrogen receptor β, ERβ). The expression of ERβ in hippocampus and the expression of phosphorylated P38 (P-P38) and the protein contents of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated death promoter (Bad) and Caspase-3 in the apoptotic system was detected by Western blot. The kit was used to detect MDA,SOD and NO protein content in hippocampus. Results:The latency of Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group was significantly shorter than the model group, the number of crossing platform and the residence time in the target quadrant were significantly increased ( P<0.01); The expression of ERβ Protein in mice hippocampus (0.371 ± 0.010 vs. 0.124 ± 0.009), Bcl-2 protein (1.146 ± 0.028 vs. 0.726 ± 0.016) and the contents of SOD [(153.657 ± 6.385) U/mg vs. (67.719±5.845) U/mg] increased significantly ( P<0.01); The expression of P-P38/P38 protein (0.412 ± 0.043 vs.0.806 ± 0.069), Bad protein (0.421 ± 0.010 vs.0.633 ± 0.010), Caspase-3 protein (0.923 ± 0.042 vs.1.437 ± 0.033), and the content of MDA [(8.669 ± 0.662) nmol/mg vs. (11.772 ± 1.054) nmol/mg] and NO [(4.259 ± 0.225) nmol/mg vs. (10.805 ± 0.415) nmol/mg] decreased significantly ( P<0.01). In addition, ER blocker can antagonize the above recovery and improvement effects of Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group. Conclusion:Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids can regulate memory impairment, inhibit neuronal apoptosis and reduce oxidative stress in sodium nitrite model mice through ER-P38/MAPK signal pathway.

Understanding the physiological functions of the host xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptors PXR and CAR on the gut microbiome using genetically modified mice

Pharmacological activation of the xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptors pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is well-known to increase drug metabolism and reduce inflammation. Little is known regarding their physiological functions on the gut microbiome. In this study, we discovered bivalent hormetic functions of PXR/CAR modulating the richness of the gut microbiome using genetically engineered mice. The absence of PXR or CAR increased microbial richness, and absence of both receptors synergistically increased microbial richness. PXR and CAR deficiency increased the pro-inflammatory bacteria Helicobacteraceae and Helicobacter. Deficiency in both PXR and CAR increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, which has bile salt hydrolase activity, corresponding to decreased primary taurine-conjugated bile acids (BAs) in feces, which may lead to higher internal burden of taurine and unconjugated BAs, both of which are linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, and cytotoxicity. The basal effect of PXR/CAR on the gut microbiome was distinct from pharmacological and toxicological activation of these receptors. Common PXR/CAR-targeted bacteria were identified, the majority of which were suppressed by these receptors. hPXR-TG mice had a distinct microbial profile as compared to wild-type mice. This study is the first to unveil the basal functions of PXR and CAR on the gut microbiome.

The protective effects of disialyllacto-N-tetraose of neonatal intestinal barriers in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis / 中国新生儿科杂志

Objective:To study the expression of zonula occludens-1(ZO-1) in neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and to explore the effects of disialyllacto-N-tetraose (DSLNT), a compound extracted from human milk, on the intestinal barriers in rat model of NEC.Methods:(1) Human study: From Feb 2013 to Dec 2020, the pathological samples of ileum tissue from 21 neonates (12 patients with NEC and 9 with intestinal atresia) from Pathology Department of our hospital were collected. The expressions of ZO-1 in these samples were examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) method. (2) Animal study: A total of 28 newborn rats were randomly assigned into control group ( n=8), NEC group ( n=10) and DSLNT+NEC group ( n=10). Experimental NEC model was established based on hypoxia (95%N 2 10 min) /cold exposure (4 ℃ 10 min) three times a day for consecutive 3 days. DSLNT+NEC group were fed with formula+DLSNT (300 μmol/L) during hypoxia/cold exposure. All the surviving rats were sacrificed at the end of the experiment (72 h) and the terminal ileum tissues were collected. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate tissue damage and Western blotting was used to determine the expressions of ZO-1. (3) Cellular study: Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to establish a cellular inflammation model in human intestinal epithelial cell lines (Caco-2) and DSLNT (300 μmol/L) was applied to this model. Thiazolyl blue assay was used to examine cell viabilities and immunofluorescence assay was used to detect ZO-1 expression. The effects of DSLNT on cell growth and tight junctions of Caco-2 cells were analyzed. Results:(1)Human study: The villi of mucous layer of the lesion were damaged in NEC patients. ZO-1 expressions at the epithelial junction of NEC patients were decreased compared with intestinal atresia patients and non-lesion intestines of NEC patients. (2)Animal study: Apical extrusion, necrosis and shedding of epithelial cell were seen at the lesions in NEC group. The expression of ZO-1 in NEC group was significantly lower than the control group and DSNLT+NEC group ( P<0.05).DSNLT+NEC group had higher survival rates (8/10 vs. 6/10) and lower ileum inflammatory pathological scores [2.0(1.0, 2.8) vs. 3.5(3.0, 4.0)] than NEC group. (3) Cellular study: Caco-2 cells exposed to LPS showed inhibited cell growth and decreased ZO-1 immunofluorescence staining. Caco-2 cells in the DSLNT+LPS group showed better viability than LPS group and were comparable with the control group. The expression of ZO-1 was significantly increased in the DSLNT+LPS group. Conclusions:Tight junction injury of the intestinal epithelial cell is an important characteristic of NEC. ZO-1 is a potential target for the prevention and treatment of NEC. DSLNT may protect the neonatal intestines by modulating the expression of ZO-1 and keeping tight junction integrity.

Classification of Prostate Transitional Zone Cancer and Hyperplasia Using Deep Transfer Learning From Disease-Related Images.

Purpose The diagnosis of prostate transition zone cancer (PTZC) remains a clinical challenge due to their similarity to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) on MRI. The Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) showed high efficacy in diagnosing PTZC on medical imaging but was limited by the small data size. A transfer learning (TL) method was combined with deep learning to overcome this challenge. Materials and methods A retrospective investigation was conducted on 217 patients enrolled from our hospital database (208 patients) and The Cancer Imaging Archive (nine patients). Using T2-weighted images (T2WIs) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, DCNN models were trained and compared between different TL databases (ImageNet vs. disease-related images) and protocols (from scratch, fine-tuning, or transductive transferring). Results PTZC and BPH can be classified through traditional DCNN. The efficacy of TL from natural images was limited but improved by transferring knowledge from the disease-related images. Furthermore, transductive TL from disease-related images had comparable efficacy to the fine-tuning method. Limitations include retrospective design and a relatively small sample size. Conclusion Deep TL from disease-related images is a powerful tool for an automated PTZC diagnostic system. In developing regions where only conventional MR scans are available, the accurate diagnosis of PTZC can be achieved via transductive deep TL from disease-related images.

Analysis of taste characteristics and identification of key chemical components of fifteen Chinese yellow tea samples.

In order to explore the taste characteristics and molecular sensory basis of Chinese yellow tea, in this study, quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were used to analyze the sensory characteristics and chemical components of 15 yellow tea samples from different regions of China. The results showed that: 11 sensory descriptors and their definitions were obtained by QDA, namely, sweet, umami, bitter, sour, astringent, sweet after taste, mellow, neutral, after-taste, thick and tainted taste. The results of variance indicated that there were significant variation in taste sub-attributes of different samples (p <0.05). Principal component analysis indicated that there was a positive correlation between bitter and astringent, between sweet, umami and sour, and between mellow, thick, after-taste and neutral. All yellow tea samples were divided into four categories according to cluster analysis. The results of PLSR showed that there were 22 chemical components that had an important contribution to the taste characteristics of yellow tea, and the chemical components that had an important influence on each taste component were obtained. The identification of key contribution components of taste characteristics in yellow teas will provide a theoretical basis for further research on the directional adjustment and control of tea taste quality.

Early Life Exposure to Environmental Contaminants (BDE-47, TBBPA, and BPS) Produced Persistent Alterations in Fecal Microbiome in Adult Male Mice.

The gut microbiome is a pivotal player in toxicological responses. We investigated the effects of maternal exposure to 3 human health-relevant toxicants (BDE-47, tetrabromobisphenol [TBBPA], and bisphenol S [BPS]) on the composition and metabolite levels (bile acids [BAs] and short-chain fatty acids [SCFAs]) of the gut microbiome in adult pups. CD-1 mouse dams were orally exposed to vehicle (corn oil, 10 ml/kg), BDE-47 (0.2 mg/kg), TBBPA (0.2 mg/kg), or BPS (0.2 mg/kg) once daily from gestational day 8 to the end of lactation (postnatal day 21). 16S rRNA sequencing and targeted metabolomics were performed in feces of 20-week-old adult male pups (n = 14 - 23/group). Host gene expression and BA levels were quantified in liver. BPS had the most prominent effect on the beta-diversity of the fecal microbiome compared with TBPPA and BDE-47 (QIIME). Seventy-three taxa were persistently altered by at least 1 chemical, and 12 taxa were commonly regulated by all chemicals (most of which were from the Clostridia class and were decreased). The most distinct microbial biomarkers were S24-7 for BDE-47, Rikenellaceae for TBBPA, and Lactobacillus for BPS (LefSe). The community-wide contributions to the shift in microbial pathways were predicted using FishTaco. Consistent with FishTaco predictions, BDE-47 persistently increased fecal and hepatic BAs within the 12α hydroxylation pathway, corresponding to an up-regulation with the hepatic BA-synthetic enzyme Cyp7a1. Fecal BAs were also persistently up-regulated by TBBPA and BPS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry). TBBPA increased propionic acid and succinate, whereas BPS decreased acetic acid (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). There was a general trend in the hepatic down-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines and the oxidative stress sensor target gene (Nqo1), and a decrease in G6Pdx (the deficiency of which leads to dyslipidemia). In conclusion, maternal exposure to these toxicants persistently modified the gut-liver axis, which may produce an immune-suppressive and dyslipidemia-prone signature later in life.

Total flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma regulates ER-p38 MAPK signaling pathway to improve scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in model mice / 中国中药杂志

This study intended to explore the effect and mechanism of total flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma in improving scopola-mine-induced learning and memory impairments in model mice. Ninety four-month-old Kunming(KM) mice were randomly divided into six groups. The ones in the model group and blank group were treated with intragastric administration of normal saline, while those in the medication groups separately received the total flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma, Kangnaoshuai Capsules, donepezil, as well as total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae plus estrogen receptor(ER) blocker by gavage. The mouse model of learning and memory impairments was established via intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine. Following the measurement of mouse learning and memory abilities in Morris water maze test, the hippocampal ERβ expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the expression levels of ERβ and phosphorylated p38(p-p38) in the hippocampus and B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated death promoter(Bad), and cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-3(caspase-3) in the apoptotic system were assayed by Western blot. The contents of malondia-ldehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and nitric oxide(NO) in the hippocampus were then determined using corresponding kits. Compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significantly prolonged incubation period, reduced frequency of cros-sing the platform, shortened residence time in the target quadrant, lowered ERβ, Bcl-2 and SOD activity in the hippocampus, and increased p-p38/p38, Bad, caspase-3, MDA, and NO. Compared with the model group, the total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae increased the expression of ERβ and SOD in the hippocampus, down-regulated the expression of neuronal pro-apoptotic proteins, up-re-gulated the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins, and reduced p-p38/p38, MDA, and NO. The effects of total flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma on the above indexes were reversed by ER blocker. It has been proved that the total flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma obviously alleviate scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in mice, which may be achieved by regulating the neuronal apoptotic system and oxidative stress via the ER-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(ER-p38 MAPK) signaling pathway.

Ocular lens opacity in residents of areas with high natural radiation background in Yangjiang City, China / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of long-term and low dose ionizing radiation on ocular lens opacities of residents living in areas with high natural radiation background(HNRB) in Yangjiang City, China. METHODS: A total of 483 Han residents from Yangjiang City(HNRB area) and 517 from Enping City(control area) were selected as study subjects using a cluster random sampling method. Questionnaire survey and lens examination were carried out. The risk factors of lens opacity and its severity were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of lens opacity, cortical opacity and posterior subcapsular opacity in HNRB area were higher than those in control area(60.7% vs 51.6%, 53.4% vs 46.8%, 21.9% vs 9.3%, all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in karyotype turbidity between HNRB area and control area(52.4% vs 47.6%, P>0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors including age, gender, cardiovascular/metabolic diseases, smoking, alcohol drinking and tea drinking, the unconditional logistic regression analysis results showed that the risk of ocular opacity, cortical opacity and posterior subcapsular opacity in residents of HNRB area was higher than that in control area(all P<0.05). Multivariate disordered logistic regression analysis results showed that residents in the HNRB area had a higher risk of grade two karyotype turbidity than grade one karyotype turbidity(P<0.01). Ordered logistic regression analysis results showed that residents in HNRB area had an increased risk of developing severe cortical turbidity(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Long-term and low dose ionizing radiation exposure may increase the risk of ocular lens opacity, especially cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract, and affect the severity of the disease.

Analysis of serum anti-EB virus antibody in children with infectious mononucleosis / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To understand the profile type of serum Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies in children with infectious mononucleosis (IM), and to analyze the significance of viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG antibody affinity in the diagnosis of IM.Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed on the results of the serum anti-EBV antibody profile and plasma EBV nucleic acid test of 150 hospitalized children with IM diagnosed in Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University, from May 2016 to May 2019.Anti-EBV antibody profiles, including anti-VCA-IgG, anti-VCA-IgM, anti-early antigen (EA) IgA, anti-EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) IgG, and anti-VCA-IgG affinity, were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma EBV nucleic acids were detected by real-time quantitative PCR.Results:There were mainly two types of anti-EBV antibody profiles in 150 children with IM: (1)130 cases who were positive for anti-VCA-IgM/IgG, negative for anti-EBNA-IgG and positive for anti-VCA-IgG antibodies with low affinity, accounting for 86.7% (130/150 cases), of which 50 cases were positive for anti-early antigen IgA; (2)18 cases who were negative for anti-VCA-IgM, positive for anti-VCA-IgG, negative for anti-EBNA-IgG and positive for anti-VCA-IgG antibody with low affinity, accounting for 12.0% (18/150 cases), of which 5 cases were positive for anti-EA IgA.EBV DNA was measured in 132 children, with a posi-tive rate of 37.9% (50/132 cases).Conclusions:There were several types of serum EBV antibody profiles in children with IM, 12.0% of patients with IM in this study were negative for anti-VCA-IgM, and the diagnosis of IM was confirmed by the affinity of anti-VCA IgG.

Research progress on the mechanism of epithelial mesenchymal transformation in RPE cells and the treatment of PVR / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#Proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR)is a serious complication arisen from ocular trauma, diabetic retinopathy, vascular retinopathy, inflammatory retinopathy and other ocular diseases. It is also the most important reason for the failure of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery, which is a great threat of visual function. A large number of studies have proved that the main risk factor for PVR is the damage of blood-retinal barrier, in which retinal pigment epithelial(RPE)cells are stimulated by cytokines in the vitreous cavity. RPE cells underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT), which transformed into fibroblasts. The cell morphology changed, the tight junctions between cells disappeared, the cell polarity lost, and the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities were enhanced. A contractile fibrous proliferative membrane is formed on the anterior surface or under the retina. The fibrous proliferative membrane will lead to the retina folds, pull the retina and lead to retinal detachment, which will eventually lead to vision loss or even blindness. Nowadays, plenty of studies investigating the prevention and treatment of PVR have been carried out at home and abroad. In this review, we briefly illustrated the signaling pathways related to epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in RPE cells and the treatment of PVR.

An inversion model for estimating the negative air ion concentration using MODIS images of the Daxing'anling region.

The negative air ion (NAI) concentration is an essential indicator of air quality and atmospheric pollution. The NAI concentration can be used to monitor air quality on a regional scale and is commonly determined using field measurements. However, obtaining these measurements is time-consuming. In this paper, the relationship between remotely sensed surface parameters (such as land surface temperature, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and leaf area index) obtained from MODIS data products and the measured NAI concentration using a stepwise regression method was analyzed to estimate the spatial distribution of the NAI concentration and verify the precision. The results indicated that the NAI concentration had a negative correlation with temperature, leaf area index (LAI), and gross primary production while it exhibited a positive correlation with the NDVI. The relationship between land surface temperature and the NAI concentration in the Daxing'anling region is expressed by the regression equation of y = -35.51x1 + 11206.813 (R2 = 0.6123). Additionally, the NAI concentration in northwest regions with high forest coverage was higher than that in southeast regions with low forest coverage, suggesting that forests influence the air quality and reduce the impact of environmental pollution. The proposed inversion model is suitable for evaluating the air quality in Daxing'anling and provides a reference for air quality evaluation in other areas. In the future, we will expand the quantity and distribution range of sampling points, conduct continuous observations of NAI concentrations and environmental parameters in the research areas with different land-use types, and further improve the accuracy of inversion results to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamic changes in NAI concentration and explore the possibility of expanding the application areas of NAI monitoring.

Transplacental arsenic exposure produced 5-methylcytosine methylation changes and aberrant microRNA expressions in livers of male fetal mice.

Arsenic is a known human carcinogen. Early-life exposure to inorganic arsenic induces tumors in humans and in C3H mice. We hypothesized that arsenic exposure in utero may induce epigenetic changes at the level of DNA methylation and miRNA alterations that could lead to greater postnatal susceptibility to cancer. To test this hypothesis, pregnant C3H mice were given sodium arsenite at doses known to cause liver cancer (42.5 and 85 ppm in the drinking water) from gestation day 8-19, and the livers from male fetal mice were collected for analysis. The antibody against 5-methylcytosine was used to perform chromatin-immunoprecipitation coupled with sequencing (ChIP-Seq) to determine genome-wide methylation alterations. In utero arsenic exposure produced global DNA hypomethylation and an array of gene-specific DNA methylation changes, including hypomethylation of Cyclin D1 and hypermethylation of Tp53. Illumina Correlation Engine analysis revealed 260 methylation alterations that would affect 143 microRNAs. MicroRNA array further revealed 140 aberrantly expressed miRNAs out of the 718 miRNAs. The increased expression of miR-205, miR-203, miR-215, miR-34a, and decreased expression of miR-217 were confirmed by qPCR. Comparison of the methylation changes to those of microarray analyses indicates little if any correspondence between gene methylation and gene expression. The increased expression of Xist, Prrc2, Krit1, Nish, and decreased expression of Prss2, Spp1, Col1a2, and Lox were confirmed by qPCR. In summary, in utero arsenic exposure induced global alterations in DNA methylation and aberrant miRNA expression that might contribute to adult adverse outcomes including liver cancer.

Atypical Gerstmann-Str(a)ussler-Scheinker syndrome caused by PRNP P102L mutation: a case report and literature review / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To improve the clinician's recognition of Gerstmann-Str(a)ussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS).Methods The detailed clinical information,neuropsychological examination,cerebrospinal fluid examination,imaging characteristics,electroencephalogram examination and gene detection were analyzed in a case of GSS similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in symptomatology.The differences between the two different prion diseases were compared in combination with the literature review.Results The patient is a 62-year-old woman,with cerebellar ataxia as the first symptom,followed by rapid dementia,accompanied by pyramidal and extrapyramidal signs.Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyper-intense signal in diffusion weighted imaging in caudatum and cortical ribboning,and protein 14-3-3was negative.PRNP gene analysis showed P102L gene mutation.Conclusions The typical clinical manifestation of GSS is hereditary ataxia followed by cognitive decline of varying severity.Detection of PRNP plays an important role in the diagnosis of GSS.

3D-printing non-coplanar template assisted 125I seed implantation for head and neck tumor: individualized template design and application / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective To compare the dosimetric data between preoperative plans and postoperative verification in computed tomography (CT)-guided and 3D-printing non-coplanar template-assisted 125I seed implantation for head and neck tumor,aiming to explore the safety,feasibility and accuracy of the individualized template design method.Methods A total of 42 patients with recurrent/metastatic malignant head and neck tumor admitted to Peking University Third Hospital from January to December 2016 were recruited in this study.A prescribed dose of l10-160Gy was adopted.3D-printing non-coplanar templates were designed for 42 cases.The dosimetric parameters including D90,minimum peripheral dose (mPD),V100,V150,V200,conformal index (CI),external index (EI) and homogeneity index (HI) were statistically compared before and after surgery.Results All templates were properly implanted intraoperatively.Compared with preoperative planning,postoperative D90,V100,CI,EI and HI did not significantly differ (P=0.490,0.407,0.893,0.143 and 0.079),whereas mPD,V150 and V200 significantly differed (P=0.036,0.007 and 0.000).Conclusion After postoperative verification,the main dosimetric parameters have high therapeutic accuracy and properly match with preoperative planning,which can meet clinical requirements.

Prenatal diagnosis and pedigree analysis of a case of Nail-patella syndrome / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To carried out prenatal diagnosis and genetic analysis for a case with Nail-patella syndrome.@*METHODS@#Based on the clinical phenotype and prenatal imaging, genetic testing and prenatal diagnosis were carried out through whole exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing.@*RESULTS@#Analysis of amniotic fluid showed that the fetus has carried a heterozygous c.139+1G>T splicing site variant [Chr9(GRCh37): g.129376868G>T] of the LMX1B gene, which was verified by Sanger sequencing. The same heterozygous variant was found in the pregnant woman, her daughter and her mother but not in her husband. Searching of HGMD database showed that the c.139+1G>T was previously unreported.@*CONCLUSION@#Nail-patella syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder with various clinical manifestations. WES is helpful for its genetic and prenatal diagnosis.

Metabonomic analysis of plasma biochemical changes in pyrexia rats after treatment with Gegenqinlian decoction, aspirin and itraconazole by UHPLC-FT-ICR-MS / 药物分析学报

A metabonomic approach involving an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography combined with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (UHPLC-FT-ICR-MS) was used to investi-gate the changes in the endogenous metabolites in the plasma of rats with yeast-induced pyrexia treated with Gegenqinlian decoction (GQLD), aspirin and itraconazole. The differences in the small molecule profiles of treatment using traditional Chinese medicine, etiological treatment and symptomatic treat-ment were elucidated. Thirty-six plasma metabolites were identified or putatively identified, and the effects of the three medicines on the thirty-six metabolites were studied. Their metabolic pathways indicated that GQLD, aspirin and itraconazole ameliorated the rats with yeast-induced pyrexia pre-dominantly by regulating the metabolisms of phospholipid, sphingolipid, fatty acid oxidation, fatty acid amides, amino acid and glycerolipid in vivo. The pharmacodynamics and metabonomic results showed that the three medicines exhibited the therapeutic effects on pyrexia by regulating the perturbations of multiple metabolisms. The study provided a scientific basis for an in-depth understanding of the ther-apeutic effects of GQLD, aspirin and itraconazole on rats with yeast-induced pyrexia.