Effects of COVID-19 on Urban Population Flow in China.

The COVID-19 epidemic has become a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Thus, this sudden health incident has brought great risk and pressure to the city with dense population flow. A deep understanding of the migration characteristics and laws of the urban population in China will play a very positive role in the prevention and control of the epidemic situation. Based on Baidu location-based service (LBS) big data, using complex networks method and geographic visualization tools, this paper explores the spatial structure evolution of population flow network (PFN) in 368 cities of China under different traffic control situations. Effective distance models and linear regression models were established to analyze how the population flow across cities affects the spread of the epidemic. Our findings show that: (1) the scope of population flow is closely related to the administrative level of the city and the traffic control policies in various cities which adjust with the epidemic situation; The PFN mainly presents the hierarchical structure dominated by the urban hierarchy and the regional isolation structure adjacent to the geographical location.(2) through the analysis network topology structure of PFN, it is found that only the first stage has a large clustering coefficient and a relatively short average path length, which conforms to the characteristics of small world network. The epidemic situation has a great impact on the network topology in other stages, and the network structure tends to be centralized. (3) The overall migration scale of the whole country decreased by 36.85% compared with the same period of last year's lunar calendar, and a further reduction of 78.52% in the nationwide traffic control stage after the festival. (4) Finally, based on the comparison of the effective distance and the spatial distance from the Wuhan to other destination cities, it is demonstrated that there is a higher correlation between the effective distance and the epidemic spread both in Hubei province and the whole country.

Salinomycin-induced autophagy blocks apoptosis via the ATG3/AKT/mTOR signaling axis in PC-3 cells.

AIMS: This study evaluated the mechanism by which salinomycin-induced autophagy blocks apoptosis in PC-3 prostate cancer cells. MAIN METHODS: The anti-cancer effects of salinomycin in PC-3 cells were confirmed by flow cytometry, JC-1 staining and western blotting. Then, the autophagic effects were measured by western blotting, GFP-LC3 puncta formation assay, immunofluorescence staining and electron microscopy. Furthermore, we used lentivirus-mediated shRNA to silence ATG3, ATG5 and ATG7 expression in PC-3 cells to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of salinomycin-induced autophagy. KEY FINDINGS: Salinomycin could induce apoptosis and autophagy in PC-3 cells. Interestingly, autophagy inhibition could enhance salinomycin-induced apoptosis. We further showed that ATG3, a known critical regulator of autophagy, was downregulated and involved in the inhibition of apoptosis by salinomycin-induced autophagy via the AKT/mTOR signaling axis. SIGNIFICANCE: Our data indicated that salinomycin-induced autophagy blocks apoptosis via the ATG3/AKT/mTOR signaling axis in PC-3 cells, which provides new clues for the mechanisms of underlying the anti-cancer effects of salinomycin.

Serological TK1 predict pre-cancer in routine health screenings of 56,178 people.

BACKGROUND: People with biomarkers above cut-off values normally have higher risk to develop pre-malignancies and malignancies. OBJECTIVE: Here we investigate if serological TK1 protein (STK1p), AFP, CEA and PSA below cut-off values predict development of pre-cancer. METHODS: The mean values and the concentration distribution of STK1p, AFP, CEA and PSA were determined in a cohort of 56,178 persons participating a health screening group, consist of people with non-tumor diseases, pre-malignancy and diseases associated with the risk process of malignancy. A health disease-free group (n= 428) was selected among the 56,178 participants and used as controls. RESULTS: The STK1p below cut-off value (⩽ 2 pM) showed partly (51.6%) an almost normal concentration distribution and partly (43.9%) an extensive tail in the health screening group, which was not found in the disease-free group. Due to the extensive tail in the distribution, the mean value of STK1p increased significantly (p= 0.0001) from 0.38 ± 0.30 pM in the health disease-free group to 0.69 ± 0.55 pM in the group below the cut-off value. No significantly differences in the concentration distribution and the mean values among gender and ages were observed. On the other hand, there were no difference in the concentration distributions and the mean values of AFP, CEA and PSA between the health disease - free group and the group below cut-off values, as well as between gender and ages. Of interest, the elevated mean value of STK1p of the group below the cut-off value was correlated to pre-malignancy and diseases associated with the risk process of malignancy in liver and prostate. No such correlations were found with AFP, CEA and PSA. CONCLUSION: STK1p is a potential proliferating biomarker for early discover of persons in the risk to develop or already have pre-malignancies or diseases associated with the risk process of malignancy.

Serum TK1 is a more reliable marker than CEA and AFP for cancer screening in a study of 56,286 people.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that the number of cancer patients will increase by about 70% during the next 25 years world-wide. To deal with this problem, WHO has suggested a focus on prevention of tumor incidence and health screening for early detection of people with tumors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of thymidine kinase 1 (TK1), CEA and AFP in serum to discover people with malignant tumors through health cancer screening. METHODS: Of a cohort in 486,085 people of a routine health screening at the Health Centre, Fujun 180 Hospital, Quanzhou city, China, 56,286 people were investigated according to the presence of cancer during 2009-2014. The concentration of CEA and AFP were determined by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay from Roche Diagnostics e601GmbH and STK1 by a commercial kit based on an enhanced chemiluminescent dot blot assay. RESULTS: The cancer incident rate increased from 0.048/100,000 to 0.220/100,000. The most common types of tumors were those of the liver, cervix and lung. STK1 correlated to tumor growth rate, was more sensitive than CEA and AFP for discovering people with malignant tumors and more sensitive among people who had diagnosis of malignant tumor. STK1 was also a prognostic biomarker for death at 10-40 months follow-up, while CEA and AFP were not. A combination of these markers increased the sensitivity by about 30%. CONCLUSION: STK1 is a reliable biomarker for discovering people with malignant tumors in cancer screening.

The role of CD29-ILK-Akt signaling-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition of liver epithelial cells and chemoresistance and radioresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) are aggressive cancers, and the prognosis of HCC patients is poor. This study investigated the roles of CD29 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and chemoresistance and radioresistance in HCC tumors. CD29 expression in HCC and peritumoral tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry. CD29 overexpression was established by an adenovirus-carrying CD29 gene expression cassette, while silencing of CD29 expression was established by an adenovirus-carrying shRNA. Western blot was used to measure protein expression, and MTT was used to analyze cell viability. Xenograft HCC mouse model was established by inoculating isolated CD29(+) and CD29(-) HCC tumor cells. Significantly higher percentage of positive CD29 expression was observed in HCC tissues compared to peritumoral tissues. Xenograft CD29(+) tumors grew more quickly than CD29(-) tumors. CD29(+) tumors were more resistant to radiotherapy and cisplatin therapy than CD29(-) tumors. Overexpression of CD29 significantly increased the resistance of CD29(-) tumors to radiation and cisplatin treatment. In contrast, silencing of CD29 expression significantly sensitized CD29(+) tumors to irradiation and cisplatin treatment. Overexpression of CD29 decreased E-cadherin, but increased fibronectin, vimentin, ILK activity, Akt Ser(473) phosphorylation, and mTORC1 protein expression in Hep G2 and THLE-3 cells. Moreover, overexpression of CD29 significantly increased the resistance of Hep G2 and THLE-3 cells to starvation, radiation, and cisplatin treatments. This study suggests that CD29 plays a crucial role in the resistance of HCC to chemo/radiotherapy and EMT of liver epithelial cells.

Intracranial transplant of olfactory ensheathing cells can protect both upper and lower motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease that involves the degeneration of cortical and spinal motor neurons. Mutant SOD1(G93A) rats constitute a good animal model for this pathological condition. We have previously demonstrated that transplantation of neonatal olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) into the dorsal funiculus of the spinal cord of mutant SOD1(G93A) transgenic rats increases the survival of spinal motor neurons and remyelinates the impaired axons through the pyramidal tract. In the present study, we examine whether intracranial cell implantation could also exert a similar effect on cortical motor neurons and on the lower motor neurons in the spinal cord. We injected OECs from the bulb of 7-day-old GFP green rats into the corona radiata of adult SOD1 mutant rats stereotaxically to observe any changes of the upper motor neurons as well as the lower motor neurons. We found that more motor neurons at both the motor cortices and ventral horns of the spinal cord survived in grafted ALS rats than in control rats. Prolonged survival and behavioral tests including a screen test, hind limb extension, rotarod, and gait control showed that the treated animals were better than the control group. This manuscript is published as part of the International Association of Neurorestoratology (IANR) supplement issue of Cell Transplantation.

[Applied anatomy of the reverse pedicled island skin flap with arterial arch at the superior border of the abductor hallucis muscle for repairing fore foot skin defect].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the blood supply of the reverse arterial arch at the superior border of the hallucal abductor island flap and provide an anatomical basis for repairing fore foot skin defect using this flap. METHODS: The constitution, course, distribution, and external diameter of the arterial arch at the superior border of the hallucal abductor, and the concomitant veins and nerves were observed on 12 sides of formaldehyde-fixed and 12 fresh adult foot specimens perfused with red latex. The surgical approach using the arterial arch at the superior border of the hallucal abductor for repairing fore foot skin defect were designed. RESULTS: The arterial arch at the superior border of the hallucal abductor, constituted by the branch of the medial tarsal artery or the branch of the anterior medial malleolus artery anastomosed with the superficial branch of the medial basal hallucal artery or the branch of the superficial branch of the medial plantar artery or the all the four branches, functioned as the axis of the medial tarsal, the medialis pedis and the medial plantar. The external diameters of the anterior medial malleolus artery, the medial tarsal artery, the branch of the superficial branch of the medial plantar artery, and the distal arterial arch at the superior border of the hallucal abductor were 1.02∓0.03 mm, 0.73∓0.04 mm, 0.56∓0.02 mm, and 0.53∓0.14 mm, respectively. Most of the arteries (91.67%) had one concomitant vein with the external diameters of 1.01∓0.03 mm, 0.81∓0.04 mm, 0.57∓0.01 mm, and 0.61∓0.02, respectively, and only a small fraction of them (8.33%) had two concomitant veins. CONCLUSIONS: The fore foot skin defect can be repaired using this flap supplied by the branch of the anterior medial malleolus artery and the medial tarsal artery, the superficial branch of the medial plantar artery, or all the three. The pivot point formed by the neck of the first metatarsal or metatarsophalangeal joint allows for long vessel pedicles and larger flap areas to increase the flexibility of surgery.

[Characteristics of heavy metal elements and their relationship with magnetic properties of river sediment from urban area in Lanzhou].

The contents of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V and Zn in the surface sediments from 8 rivers in urban area in Lanzhou were monitored by ecological risk which was assessed by the potential ecological Håkanson index, and the index of geoaccumulation (Igeo), sediment enrichment factor (R), and environmental magnetism. The results showed that: (1) the potential ecological risk of heavy metals of As, Co, Ni, V in surface sediments from 8 rivers were low, which belonged to low ecological risk. But the risk of heave metals Cr, Pb, Zn in surface sediments from Yuer river was high, which belonged to middle ecological risk, and in downstream of Yuer river, the element of Cu belonged to high ecological risk. (2) The rivers in Lanzhou could be divided into four groups according to the heavy mental pollution degree: first type, such as Paihong river, Shier river, Yuer river and Shuimo river, called downstream concentrate type; second type, such as Qili river, called upstream concentrate type; third type, such as Luoguo river and Dasha river, called less affected type; fourth type, Lanni river, which polluted heavily in up and downstream; (3) The correlation analysis between magnetic parameters and element contents show that the parameters which mainly reflect the concentration of the magnetic minerals (X, SIRM, Ms) have close association with Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu, So we can infer that the magnetic minerals in deposits samples mainly came from electroplating effluent, motor vehicle emission, and domestic sewage. SIRM/X shows a strong correlation with Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, indicating the distribution of anthropogenic particulates. (4) The magnetic minerals(X, SIRM, Ms) have a strong correlation with the geoaccumulation (Igeo) than potential ecological risk index and enrichment factor (R). These results suggest a possible approach for source identification of magnetic material in pollution studies and the validity of using magnetic measurements to mapping the polluted area.

The immunohistochemical characterization of human fetal olfactory bulb and olfactory ensheathing cells in culture as a source for clinical CNS restoration.

Clinical studies have expanded the therapeutic olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplantation to different human Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases. In fact, the OEC transplantation in clinic is a mixture of olfactory bulb cells; they even have not demonstrated that they have such a subpopulation yet. However, as a source of OECs transplantation, the development and identification of human fetal OECs are still need more understanding, because some surgery try to restoration CNS injury with a more purity of OEC cultures generated by a number of different procedures. In this article, twelve human fetal olfactory bulb (OB) samples were obtained from six fetuses in 20 weeks of gestation, it was studied by immunofluorescence on histological sections and cultured cells with multiple antibodies under confocal microscopy. The P75NTR positive OB-OECs (olfactory ensheathing cell from the olfactory bulb) were present in both outer olfactory nerve layers and glomerular layer. The percentage of OB cells in culture, about 22.31 was P75NTR positive, 45.77 was S100beta, and 31.92 was GFAP. P75NTR and GFAP were coexpressed with S100beta, respectively; however, P75NTR was not coexpressed with GFAP in human fetal OECs. It is suggested that the localization and development of human OECs in OB are different to those in rodent, and the P75NTR immunohistological staining is still necessary to identify and characterize human fetal OECs in culture before transplantation.

[Ultrasonic atomization of Shaduolika and dexamethasone for pain relief in patients with foliate papillitis].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of ultrasonic atomization of Shaduolika (a traditional Chinese herb), dexamethasone for pain relief in patients with foliate papillitis. METHODS: 84 patients with foliate papillitis were divided into two groups randomly with the single-blind method. Patients in the experimental group were treated with ultrasonic atomization of Shaduolika and dexamethasone, while patients in the control group were treated by taking Niuhuangjiedu tablets (mixed traditional Chinese medicine). All the patients were observed for five days. Pain relief degree by VAS and the response to the interventions between the experimental and the control group were recorded and compared. The data was analyzed with Ridit test, Chi-square test and Student's t test using SAS6.12 software package, respectively. RESULTS: Pain scores between the experimental and the control group prior to treatment had no significant difference (U=0.1859<1.96, P>0.05), while significant difference existed in pain relief after treatment (U=5.773, P<0.01). The effect of ultrasonic atomization of Shaduolika and dexamethasone for pain relief was significantly better than the control group (U=5.233,P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with foliate papillitis, ultrasonic atomization of Shaduolika and dexamethasone is a safe and effective method.