[Prognostic value of skeletal muscle measured by CT at the T4 level in advanced EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with ecotinib].

Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of skeletal muscle measured by CT at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra (T4) in advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with ecotinib. Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed clinical and pathological characteristics of 176 patients with advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC who received ecotinib and underwent chest CT scans at Wuhan Union Hospital between January 2017 and October 2020. Among them, 70 were male and 106 were female, with ages ranging from 27 to 80 (58.6±10.6) years. As of August 21, 2021, the median follow-up duration was 19.2 months (95%CI: 15.3 to 23.7 months). The optimal cut-off value of skeletal muscle density (T4-SMD) on CT images at the T4 level were determined using X-tile software. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to plot progression-free survival curves. Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to analyze factors influencing 1-year progression-free survival (PFS), and a nomogram prognostic model was constructed accordingly. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were utilized to evaluate the predictive value of the nomogram. Results: The T4-SMD [M (Q1,Q3)] of 176 patients was 42.56 (37.05, 45.93) HU. Patients were divided into low T4-SMD group (n=122) and high T4-SMD group (n=54) based on the cut-off value (The values for males and females were 49.44 and 41.41 HU, respectively) of T4-SMD. The median PFS time and 1-year PFS rate in the low T4-SMD group were significantly lower than those in the high T4-SMD group [10.4 (95%CI: 9.3-11.8) vs 13.7 (95%CI: 11.1-18.5) months, 36.1% vs 59.3%, respectively, P=0.034]. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (HR=3.308, 95%CI: 1.183-9.247, P=0.023), lactate dehydrogenase level (HR=1.852, 95%CI: 1.037-3.307, P=0.037), systemic immune-inflammation index (HR=1.772, 95%CI: 1.019-3.080, P=0.043), and T4-SMD (HR=0.563, 95%CI: 0.325-0.974, P=0.040) were prognostic factors for 1-year PFS in advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC patients treated with ecotinib. A nomogram for predicting 1-year PFS of advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC patients treated with ecotinib was constructed based on the four indicators selected by multivariate Cox regression analysis. The area under the ROC curve of the nomogram was 0.775 (95%CI: 0.676-0.874). The calibration curve showed good consistency between the predicted and actual 1-year PFS. DCA demonstrated good clinical prediction effectiveness of the nomogram. Conclusion: Low T4-SMD is a prognostic risk factor for patients with advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC receiving icotinib therapy.

Liquid-like atoms in dense-packed solid glasses.

Revealing the microscopic structural and dynamic pictures of glasses is a long-standing challenge for scientists1,2. Extensive studies on the structure and relaxation dynamics of glasses have constructed the current classical picture3-5: glasses consist of some 'soft zones' of loosely bound atoms embedded in a tightly bound atomic matrix. Recent experiments have found an additional fast process in the relaxation spectra6-9, but the underlying physics of this process remains unclear. Here, combining extensive dynamic experiments and computer simulations, we reveal that this fast relaxation is associated with string-like diffusion of liquid-like atoms, which are inherited from the high-temperature liquids. Even at room temperature, some atoms in dense-packed metallic glasses can diffuse just as easily as they would in liquid states, with an experimentally determined viscosity as low as 107 Pa·s. This finding extends our current microscopic picture of glass solids and might help establish the dynamics-property relationship of glasses4.

Enabling early detection of knee osteoarthritis using diffusion-relaxation correlation spectrum imaging.

AIM: To present a technique that enables detection of early stage OA of the knee using diffusion-relaxation correlation spectrum imaging (DR-CSI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five early osteoarthritis patients (OA, Kellgren-Lawrence [KL] score 1 to 2; mean age, 56.4 years) and 49 healthy volunteers (mean age, 56.7 years) were underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with T2-mapping and DR-CSI techniques. Maps of mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), T2 relaxation time and volume fraction Vi for DR-CSI compartment i (A, B, C, D) sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratio (PLR, NLR) were assessed to determine the diagnostic accuracy for detection of early-stage degeneration of knee articular cartilage. The structural abnormalities of articular cartilage were evaluated using modified Whole-Organ MR Imaging Scores (WORMS). RESULTS: All intra- and interobserver agreements for DR-CSI compartment volume fractions and modified WORMS of cartilage were excellent. Early OA versus the controls had higher VC, lower VA and VB (p<0.001), but comparable VD (p>0.05). VA, VB and VC had a moderate association with WORMS. No significant correlation was identified between VD and WORMS. VC had better ability than VA,VB, VD, T2 and ADC to discriminate early OA patients from healthy controls (area under the curve, 0.898). Sensitivity, specificity, PLR, and NLR of VC with a cut-off value of 29.9% were 81.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69.1-90.9%), 95.9% (86-99.5%), 20.05% (5.13-78.34%), and 0.19% (0.11-0.33%). CONCLUSIONS: DR-CSI compartment volume fractions may be sensitive indicators for detecting early-stage degeneration in knee articular cartilage.

Global burden of neoplasms attributable to specific occupational carcinogens over 30 years: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to analyze the global burden of occupational neoplasms from various epidemiological perspectives. STUDY DESIGN: In this cross-sectional study, secondary analyses were conducted to assess the burden of neoplasms attributable to occupational carcinogens and their distribution characteristics using data from GBD 2019 and the World Bank database. METHODS: Based on the GBD 2019 and the World Bank database, we analyzed the global burden of occupational neoplasms including the age-period-cohort model, decomposition analysis, health inequality analysis, and panel model. All analyses were conducted in R (version 4.0.3) and Joinpoint (version 4.9.1). RESULTS: The absolute number of neoplasms burden attributable to occupational carcinogens has continued to rise over 30 years. In 2019, occupational neoplasms caused 333,867 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 263,491 to 404,641] mortalities and 6,964,775 (95% UI: 5,467,884 to 8,580,431) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally. Greenland, Monaco, the Netherlands, and Andorra suffered the highest burden. The burden was higher in countries with a higher sociodemographic index. The age effect was prominent in the elderly, and the 1925 birth cohort had the highest cohort effect. Population growth was the most significant driver of the mortalities (89%) and DALYs (111%) change. Moreover, the proportion of urban population was significantly positively associated with the disease burden, while GDP per capita was negatively correlated with the disease burden. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of occupational neoplasms was unevenly distributed across locations and populations. The need for rational allocation of healthcare resources was urgent.

[Expression level of Wilms' tumor 1 gene and its correlation with clinical features in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms].

Objective: To investigate the expression level of WT1 gene in patients with classical Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and its correlation with clinical features. Methods: A retrospective study included 252 patients with newly diagnosed MPN in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2015 to March 2023, including 128 males and 124 females, aged［M（Q1，Q3）］62 (53, 69) years. The WT1-positive group (n=93) and the WT1-negative group (n=159) were split based on the level of WT1 gene expression, and the variations in clinical indicators between the two groups were compared. Its levels of expression in each subtype and its relationships to thrombotic events and clinically significant variables were analyzed. As of March 31, 2023, the follow-up period [M (Q1, Q3)] was 12.0(6.5,21.0)months. The risk factors of thrombosis in MPN patients were analyzed by using the logistic regression analysis. Results: The WT1 gene expression level in the overall bone marrow samples of 252 patients with newly diagnosed MPN was 0.30% (0.10%, 1.10%). The expression level in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) patients was 1.45% (0.41%, 3.24%), which was higher than 0.15% (0.02%, 0.32%), 0.37% (0.16%, 1.09%) in essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV) patients (both P<0.05). Positive correlations were found between WT1 gene expression levels and JAK2V617F gene mutation load, RDW, MPV (r=0.478, 0.346, 0.236, all P<0.01). While negative correlations between WT1 gene expression levels and PLT, LYM, PTTA, LDH were found (r=-0.339, -0.170, -0.206, -0.388, all P<0.01). Patients in the WT1-positive group exhibited a higher percentage of somatic symptoms, splenomegaly, positive JAK2V617F gene mutation, and higher levels of RDW, LDH, NEUT, and MPV compared to the WT1-negative group. In contrast, the proportion of triple-negative (negative for all three hot mutations of JAK2V617F, CALR and MPL) was lower, and the levels of PLT, LYM and PTTA were lower (all P<0.05). The thrombotic event rates of WT1-positive group and WT1-negative group were 32.3% (30/93) and 32.1% (51/159), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.883). Logistic regression analysis showed that male (OR=2.41,95%CI:1.02-5.71,P=0.046) and positive JAK2V617F gene mutation (OR=3.96,95%CI:1.50-10.42,P=0.005) were risk factors for thrombotic events in ET patients. Conclusions: WT1 gene expression is elevated in PMF patients and correlated with indicators of disease progression and transformation in MPN patients. It can be utilized as an auxiliary diagnostic indicator for classical MPN staging but is not correlated with the incidence of thrombotic events. Male and positive JAK2V617F gene mutation are risk factors for thrombotic events in ET patients.

[Correlation between fluid parameter and cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients based on repeated body composition analyses].

Objective: To explore the correlation between fluid load index and cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients based on repeated body composition analyses. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted to collect the clinical data of patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) in the Department of Nephrology, Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from July to September 2020. The pre-dialysis fluid overload (FO) index-overhydration (OH) was measured by bioelectrical impedance method, and the follow-up monitoring was conducted every 6 months. According to the baseline OH value, patients were divided into non-FO group (OH≤2.5 L) and FO group (OH>2.5 L). Moreover, according to the repeated measurements, the patients were divided into continuous non-FO group, continuous FO group and intermittent FO group. All patients were followed up until October 1, 2022, and the outcomes were recorded. The end point of follow-up was cardiovascular events. The cumulative incidence of cardiovascular events was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the risk factors of cardiovascular events were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: A total of 289 patients were included, including 88 patients (30.4%) with FO and 201 patients (69.6%) with non-FO. There were 168 males (58.1%) and 121 (41.9%) females, with an average age of (58±13) years and an average follow-up time of (22.0±6.5) months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the incidence of cardiovascular events in the baseline FO group was higher than that in the non-FO group (log-rank χ2=14.44, P<0.001). The incidence of cardiovascular events in both the continuous FO group and the intermittent FO group was higher than that in the continuous non-FO group (log-rank χ2=41.47, P<0.001; log-rank χ2=18.36, P<0.001). After adjustment for gender, age, comorbidities, and biochemical indicators, the incidence of cardiovascular events in the baseline FO group was 1.850 times of the non-FO group (95%CI: 1.046-3.271, P=0.034). The incidence of cardiovascular events in the continuous FO group was 4.679 times of the continuous non-FO group (95%CI: 2.189-10.002, P<0.001). The incidence of cardiovascular events in the intermittent FO group was 3.410 times of the continuous non-FO group (95%CI: 1.696-6.857, P=0.001). Conclusions: OH value measured by bioelectrical impedance can be used as an important reference index for clinical monitoring of cardiovascular events in MHD patients. Continuous chronic and intermittent exposures to FO are risk factors for cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients.

[Retrospective analysis of associated factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of different types of placenta previa].

Objective: To analyze associated factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of puerperae with different types of placenta previa. Methods: This retrospective research was a case-control study. Puerperae with cesarean section of placenta previa from January 2019 to December 2020 in Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University were collected and divided into the<1 000 ml control group or ≥1 000 ml postpartum hemorrhage group according to the amount of blood loss during cesarean section. Differences in continuous variables were analyzed by t-test and categorical variables were analyzed by χ2 test. The risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage were analyzed by logistic multivariate regression. Results: A total of 962 puerperae were enrolled with 773 cases in the control group and 189 cases in the postpartum hemorrhage group. The incidence of gestational weeks, gravidity, parity, induced abortion, placental accreta and preoperative hemoglobin<110 g/L was significantly different between two groups in different types of placenta previa (P<0.001). Logistic multivariate regression model analysis showed that the independent risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of low-lying placenta included placental accreta (OR=12.713, 95%CI: 4.296-37.625), preoperative hemoglobin<110 g/L (OR=2.377, 95%CI: 1.062-5.321), and prenatal vaginal bleeding (OR=4.244, 95%CI: 1.865-9.656). The independent risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of placenta previa included once induced abortion (OR=2.789, 95%CI:1.189-6.544), induced abortion≥2 (OR=2.843, 95%CI:1.101-7.339), placental accreta (OR=6.079, 95%CI:3.697-9.996), HBsAg positive (OR=3.891, 95%CI:1.385-10.929), and placental attachment to the anterior uterine wall (OR=2.307, 95%CI:1.285-4.142). The rate of postpartum hemorrhage and premature delivery in puerperae with placenta previa was higher than that in puerperae with low-lying placenta (P<0.001). Conclusions: The associated factors of postpartum hemorrhage in puerperae with different types of placenta previa are different. Placenta accreta is the common risk factor of postpartum hemorrhage in puerperae with low-lying placenta and placenta previa.

[Progress in surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava].

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is one of the most common malignancies of the digestive system,which is prone to be associated with microvascular or macrovascular invasion. Among them,HCC with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus(IVCTT) or right atrium tumor thrombus(RATT) is rare and has a poor prognosis. However,surgical treatment of HCC with IVCTT and (or) RATT is rarely reported and summarized. The review described the classification of HCC tumor thrombus with IVCTT and (or) RATT, summarized the progress of surgical approaches and surgical operations,and introduced a case of thrombectomy after pushing from the outer surface of the atrium,rendering the RATT to the inferior vena cava under non-cardiopulmonary bypass. The review also proposed the prospective treatments for HCC with IVCTT or RATT,providing clinical guidance to hepatobiliary surgeons.

Evaluation of articular cartilage in knee osteoarthritis using hybrid multidimensional MRI.

AIM: To evaluate a two-compartment model with a normal and an abnormal compartment using hybrid multidimensional (HM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detection of early stage degeneration in knee articular cartilage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty mild osteoarthritis (OA; Kellgren-Lawrence grades [KLGs] 1 and 2), 27 moderate OA (KLG 3), and 23 healthy controls were included in the study. HM imaging using a two-compartment model was used to measure a normal and an abnormal cartilage compartment. The relationship between Vnormal and the degree of cartilage degeneration was examined using whole-organ MRI scores (WORMS). Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to detect the ability of Vnormal, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and T2 relaxation time to discriminate healthy controls from early OA. RESULTS: The intra- and interobserver reproducibility for calculated mean Vnormal values and WORMS indicated substantial agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient and weighted kappa >0.8). Overall, Vnormal in all compartments significantly differed among the healthy controls (50 ± 5.5%) and mild (41.1 ± 5.3%) and moderate OA (36.4 ± 8.1%). Mean Vnormal correlated negatively with the degree of OA progression (ρ = -0.778, p<0.001). Mean Vnormal was characterised by a higher sensitivity (82.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI = 67.2-92.7) and specificity (87%, 95% CI = 66.4-97.2), with a cut-off value of 44.4%, compared to ADC and T2 values or a combination of ADC and T2 to differentiate early OA from healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: HM-MRI coupled with values of ADC and T2 may provide value for detecting cartilage degeneration at an early stage of OA.

[Effect evaluation of the primary screening strategy for liver cancer in rural areas of China].

Objective: To estimate the effectiveness of the primary screening strategy for liver cancer in rural areas to provide basic information for the optimization and perfection of the technical program for the early detection and treatment of liver cancer. Methods: Residents including males aged 35-64 and females aged 45-64 from 9 counties in rural China between 2013 and 2015 were selected as the target population. The participant was classified into a high-risk and non-high-risk group based on the standardized questionnaire or HBsAg, and the Chi-squared test was applied to compare differences between the two groups. The Cox proportional hazard regression models were applied to assess hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: 358 348 participants were recruited from 2013 to 2015. 1 196 individuals were identified with liver cancer until December 31, 2021, with an incidence density of 52.0/10(5) person-years. Of the participants, 54 650 were assessed as high risk (15.3%) based on the questionnaire and the status of HBsAg. The high-risk population had a higher incidence density (168.3/10(5) person-years vs 31.5/10(5) person-years) and higher risk of developing liver cancer (HR=2.98, 95% CI=2.64-3.35), compared to the non-high-risk group. Based on the questionnaire-based high-risk assessment system, 47 884 (13.4%) individuals were identified as high risk, who showed statistical differences in terms of incidence density and incidence risk, in comparison to the low-risk population (all P<0.05). HBsAg can screen out a higher proportion of high-risk individuals who are women, non-smokers, non-drinkers, and individuals without a family history of liver cancer (all P<0.05). The sensitivity analysis of the effectiveness of the whole primary screening method is stable, and high-risk individuals still had a higher risk of liver cancer. Conclusions: The primary screening method of the questionnaire-based risk assessment system and HBsAg can achieve satisfactory effectiveness. The questionnaire-based risk assessment system could identify high-risk individuals to some extent, however, it still needs to be improved to meet the actual requirements.

[Prognostic value of pulmonary hemodynamic parameters for predicting survival in acute coronary syndrome].

Objective: To explore the characteristics and prognostic value of pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: From a prospective multicenter registry study of pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease, consecutive ACS patients who underwent coronary angiography in combination with left and right heart catheterization during hospitalization between January 2013 and November 2016 were involved. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The prognostic variables identified by the Lasso analysis were included in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score. Model performance was evaluated before and after the addition of hemodynamic parameters. Results: A total of 251 patients were enrolled, with age of (63.7±11.5) years. A total of 198 males (78.9%) and 53 females (21.1%) were recruited, and the median follow-up time was 34.7 months. Right heart catheterization-assessed mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and diastolic pressure gradient (DPG) were found to be significant predictors for survival in ACS. Adjusted for age and sex, the adjusted HR (95%CI) of mPAP, sPAP and DPG were 1.068 (1.015-1.123), 1.033 (1.002-1.065) and 1.094 (1.008-1.187), respectively (P<0.05). Applied to the present cohort of 251 patients, the median of the GRACE score was 123 points, with a C-index of 0.703 (95%CI: 0.615-0.791) for predicting mortality. After the addition of mPAP or DPG to the GRACE score, the C-index increased to 0.715 (95%CI: 0.629-0.801) or 0.711 (95%CI: 0.625-0.797), respectively. When comparing two models before and after the addition of mPAP or DPG, the integrated discriminatory index (IDI) was 4.3% (95%CI: 0.2%-13.5%, P=0.030) and 3.0% (95%CI: 0.2%-11.1%, P=0.020), respectively. Conclusion: Pulmonary hemodynamics can be predictive for survival in ACS patients, providing incremental prognostic value to risk assessment in ACS.

[Association between occupational hazard exposures and small airway function among middle-aged and elderly people].

Objective: To investigate the association between occupational hazard exposures and small airway function among middle-aged and elderly people. Methods: From July to December in 2015, a multistage cluster random sampling method was used to select 3 600 residents aged 40 years old and above from 6 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease surveillance points in Jiangsu province. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect relevant information. Multivariable linear regression model was performed to determine the relationship between occupational hazard exposures and small airway function. Results: A total of 3 347 participants were included in the final analysis, and 44.6% of participants had been exposed to occupational hazard exposures. Compared with participants without the exposure history of occupational hazards, the significantly lower post-bronchodilator FEF50%, FEF75% and MMEF levels were observed in those with the exposure history of occupational hazards (ß=-82.74, -55.43 and -91.57, respectively). Post-bronchodilator FEF75% and MMEF (ß=-51.78 and -79.47, respectively) in the participants with the exposure history of occupational dust and post-bronchodilator FEF50%, FEF75% and MMEF (ß=-96.84, -32.87 and -75.72, respectively) in the participants with the exposure history of occupational harmful gas all showed a lower level. Post-bronchodilator FEF75% was negatively associated with occupational hazard exposures in males (ßmale=-91.65 vs. ßfemale=-27.21, P for interaction=0.022). Conclusions: The small airway function is worse in the middle-aged and elderly population with the exposure history of occupational hazards, and it is more significant in the male population.

Detection of toxin B of Clostridium difficile based on immunomagnetic separation and aptamer-mediated colorimetric assay.

Clostridium difficile can cause antibiotic-associated diarrhoea or pseudo-membranous colitis in humans and animals. Currently, the various methods such as microbiological culture, cytotoxic assay, ELISA and polymerase chain reaction have been used to detect Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). These conventional methods, however, require long detection time and professional staff. The paper is to describe a simple strategy which employs immunomagnetic separation and aptamer-mediated colorimetric assay for the detection of toxin B of C. difficile (TcdB) in the stool samples. HRP-labelled aptamer against TcdB selected by SELEX was firstly captured on the surface of magnetic beads (MB) by DNA hybridization with a complementary strand. In the presence of TcdB, aptamer specifically recognized and bound TcdB, disturbing the DNA hybridization and causing the release of HRP-aptamer from MB. This reduced the catalytic capacity of HRP and consequently the absorption intensity. As there was a relationship between the decrease in the absorption intensity and target concentration, a quantitative analysis of TcdB can be accomplished by the measurement of the absorption intensity. Under the optimal conditions, the assay system is able to detect TcdB at a concentration down to 5 ng ml-1 . Moreover the method had specificity of 97% and sensitivity of 66% and the system remained excellent stability within 4 weeks. The proposed method is a valuable screening procedure for CDI and can be extended readily to detection of other clinically important pathogens.

[Biomarkers screening for viral myocarditis through proteomics analysis of plasma exosomes].

Objective: To compare and analyze the differentially expressed plasma exosomic proteome between healthy control group (Control group) and viral myocarditis group (VMC group) to search for biomarkers that maybe used for early diagnosis of VMC. Methods: Fifty plasma samples of Control group and VMC group were collected respectively from Henan Provincial People's Hospital (from January 2016 to December 2017), and then 5 samples (1 ml) of each group were selected randomly, after exosomes extraction with ultra-centrifugation, difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE) was used to isolate the total proteins, and then the protein spots with more than 2-fold changes between VMC and Control group were picked up after the software analysis, afterward, the varied proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Finally, the specifically related protein was selected to be verified by ELISA with the plasma exosomic samples of Control (n=40) and VMC (n=40). Results: A total of 10 varied protein spots were found including 8 up-regulated proteins and 2 down-regulated proteins between VMC and Control group. After MS analysis, the up-regulated proteins in VMC group contained KRT2, KRT5, KRT9, KRT77, KRT78, AZGP1, HP and RBP4, whereas the down-regulated ones were CD5L and C1QB. RBP4 was selected to validate by ELISA analysis, and the corresponding results showed that RBP4 was increased specifically in plasma exosomes of VMC group (P<0.05) after comparing with Control group, which was consistent with DIGE. Conclusion: Ten proteins related to VMC are detected in total, and RBP4 might serve as a potential specific biomarker for early screening and diagnosis of VMC.

[Analysis on the burden of cardio-cerebral vascular disease deaths attributed to smoking in inhabitants aged 30 years and above in Jiangsu Province].

Objective: To analyze the attributable burden of smoking on the deaths of cardio-cerebral vascular diseases (CCVD) in inhabitants aged 30 years and above in Jiangsu Province. Methods: Comparative risk assessment approach in Global Burden of Disease (GBD) was used with the data from Jiangsu Non-communicable Disease and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and Death Monitoring Surveillance System in 2013, and population attributable fraction (PAF), years of life lost (YLL), work of potential years of life lost, index of life lost and life loss attributed to smoking were calculated. Results: In 2013, there were 162 158 CCVD deaths aged 30 years and above in the surveillance areas of Jiangsu Province, of which 25 102 deaths were attributed to smoking (PAF: 15.48%, attributed mortality rate: 55.13/100 000). The YLL, work of potential years of life lost and index of life lost were 532 494 person years, 78 024 person years and 9.15 years respectively. The decline of life expectancy was 0.58 years. The PAF of CCVD attributed to smoking in male and female were 27.97% and 3.18%, respectively, and the mortality rate of cardio-cerebral diseases attributed to smoking in male and female were 100.13/100 000 and 11.27/100 000, respectively. The burden of ischemic heart disease and hemorrhagic stroke were most severe, with standardized YLL rate were 3.65‰ and 3.20‰, respectively. Conclusion: Smoking caused a great burden of cardio-cerebral disease deaths in inhabitants in Jiangsu province.

Relaxation Decoupling in Metallic Glasses at Low Temperatures.

Upon cooling, glass-forming liquids experience a dynamic decoupling in the fast ß and slow α process, which has greatly influenced glass physics. By exploring an extremely wide temporal and temperature range, we find a surprising gradual change of the relaxation profile from a single-step to a two-step decay upon cooling in various metallic glasses. This behavior implies a decoupling of the relaxation in two different processes in a glass state: a faster one likely related to the anomalous stress-dominated microscopic dynamics, and a slower one associated with subdiffusive motion at larger scales with a broader distribution of relaxation times.

Fast Surface Dynamics of Metallic Glass Enable Superlatticelike Nanostructure Growth.

Contrary to the formation of complicated polycrystals induced by general crystallization, a modulated superlatticelike nanostructure, which grows layer by layer from the surface to the interior of a Pd_{40}Ni_{10}Cu_{30}P_{20} metallic glass, is observed via isothermal annealing below the glass transition temperature. The generation of the modulated nanostructure can be solely controlled by the annealing temperature, and it can be understood based on the fast dynamic and liquidlike behavior of the glass surface. The observations have implications for understanding the glassy surface dynamics and pave a way for the controllable fabrication of a unique and sophisticated nanostructure on a glass surface to realize the properties' modification.

Nanoporous FeP nanorods grown on Ti plate as an enhanced binder-free hydrogen evolution cathode.

A porous and interconnected nanorod-like FeP structure on titanium plate has been fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method and followed by a calcination process. The nanorod is assembled by many paralleled FeP nanowires with a porous structure. With the porous surface structure of FeP nanorods and the synergetic effect from the electronic conductive Ti support, this binder-free FeP electrode brings about a desirable electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), showing a low onset overpotential of 23 mV and a small Tafel slope of 39 mV dec-1. Meanwhile, its catalytic activity could be maintained almost unchanged for at least 12 h in an acidic solution. This work provides us an effective HER electrocatalyst which can be easily produced on a large scale and at low cost.

Reevaluation of Two Quantitative Trait Loci for Type II Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat Germplasm PI 672538.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a destructive disease in wheat. A population consisting of 229 F2 and F2:3 plants derived from the cross PI 672538 × L661 was used to evaluate the reactions to FHB. The FHB resistance data distribution in the F2 population indicates that some quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were controlling the FHB resistance in PI 672538. We further detected two major QTLs (Qfhs-2B, Qfhs-3B) from analysis of the resistance data and the PCR-amplified results using WinQTLCart 2.5 software. Qfhs-2B, flanked by Xbarc55-2B and Xbarc1155-2B, explained more than 11.6% of the phenotypic variation of the percentage of diseased spikelets (PDS), and Qfhs-3B, flanked by Xwmc54-3B and Xgwm566-3B, explained more than 10% of the PDS phenotypic variation in the F2:3 population. In addition, Qfhs-3B was different from Fhb1 in terms of the pedigree, inheritance, resistance response, chromosomal location, and marker diagnosis. We also detected QTLs for other disease resistance indices, including the percentage of damaged kernels and 1,000-grain weight, in similar chromosomal regions. Therefore, the FHB resistance of PI 672538 was mainly controlled by two major QTLs, mapped on 2B (FhbL693a) and 3B (FhbL693b). PI 672538 could be a useful germplasm for improving wheat FHB resistance.

[Report of cancer incidence and mortality in Jiangsu Province in 2013].

Objective: To estimate the cancer incidence and mortality in Jiangsu, 2013. Methods: Up to June 2016, registration data in 2013 from 35 cancer registries in Jiangsu was collected by Jiangsu Provincial Central Cancer Registry. All data were checked and evaluated by the method and criteria of data quality control making by the National Central Cancer Registry, data from 34 registries' data were eligible and accepted as pooled data. Stratified by urban and rural, gender, age and cancer site, crude incidence/mortality rate, age-specific incidence/mortality rate, age-standardized incidence/mortality rate by Chinese standard population, age-standardized incidence/mortality rate by world standard population, composition, cumulative incidence/mortality rate (0-74 age years old) and the 10 leading cancers were calculated. Cancer incidence and mortality were estimated by using provincial population of Jiangsu in 2013. Chinese population census in 2000 and World Segi's population were used to age-standardize incidence and mortality. Results: All 34 cancer registries (10 in urban and 24 in rural areas) covered a total of 38 938 470 population (19 682 921 in males and 19 255 549 in females), accounted for 51.12% of whole provincial population in 2013. It was estimated that new cancer cases and cancer deaths were 232.6 thousands (136.7 thousands in males and 95.9 thousands in females) and 155.3 thousands (99.7 thousands in males and 55.6 thousands in females), respectively. The crude incidence rate in Jiangsu in 2013 was 305.22/100 000, age-standardized incidence rate by Chinese standard population and by world standard population were 184.04/100 000 and 181.16/100 000, respectively, with cumulative incidence rate (0-74 age years old) of 21.38%. The crude mortality rate was 203.94/100 000, age-standardized mortality rate by Chinese standard population and by world standard population were 116.28/100 000 and 115.12/100 000, respectively, with cumulative mortality rate (0-74 age years old) of 13.11%. Cancers of lung, esophagus, stomach, liver, colorectum and female breast were the most common cancers in Jiangsu, accounting for about 71% of all new cancer cases in 2013. Lung cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer and colorectal cancer were the leading cause of cancer death, accounting for about 74% of all cancer deaths. Conclusion: The crude incidence and mortality rate of cancer in Jiangsu Province were at a high level. For the most common cancers such as lung, esophagus, stomach, liver, colorectum and female breast cancer, effective prevention and control activities should be strengthened.