Analysis of postoperative recurrence-free survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients based on consensus clustering.

AIMS: This study aims to assess whether consensus clustering, based on computed tomography (CT) radiomics from both intratumoral and peritumoral regions, can effectively stratify the risk of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and predict their postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of surgical patients diagnosed with NSCLC between December 2014 and April 2020. After preprocessing CT images, radiomic features were extracted from a 9-mm region encompassing both the tumor and its peritumoral area. Consensus clustering was utilized to analyze the radiomics features and categorize patients into distinct clusters. A comparison of the differences in clinical pathological characteristics was conducted among the clusters. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was employed to investigate differences in survival among the clusters. RESULTS: A total of 266 patients were included in this study, and consensus clustering identified three clusters (Cluster 1: n=111, Cluster 2: n=61, Cluster 3: n=94). Multiple clinical risk factors, including pathological TNM staging, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression status exhibit significant differences among the three clusters. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated significant variations in RFS across the clusters (P<0.001). The 3-year cumulative recurrence-free survival rates were 76.5% (95% CI: 68.6-84.4) for Cluster 1, 45.9% (95% CI: 33.4-58.4) for Cluster 2, and 41.5% (95% CI: 31.6-51.5) for Cluster 3. CONCLUSIONS: Consensus clustering of CT radiomics based on intratumoral and peritumoral regions can stratify the risk of postoperative recurrence in patients with NSCLC.

Prediction of programmed death-1 expression status in non-small cell lung cancer based on intratumoural and peritumoral computed tomography (CT) radiomics nomogram.

AIMS: This study aimed to predict the expression of programmed death-1 (PD-1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using intratumoral and peritumoral computed tomography (CT) radiomics nomogram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred patients pathologically diagnosed with NSCLC from two hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. Of these, 159 NSCLC patients from our hospital were randomly divided into a training cohort (n=96) and an internal validation cohort (n=63) at a ratio of 6:4, while 41 NSCLC patients from another medical institution served as the external validation cohort. The radiomic features of the gross tumor volume (GTV) and peritumoral volume (PTV) were extracted from the CT images. Optimal radiomics features were selected using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis. Finally, a CT radiomics nomogram of clinically independent predictors combined with the best rad-score was constructed. RESULTS: Compared with the 'GTV' and 'PTV' radiomics models, the combined 'GTV + PTV' radiomics model showed better predictive performance, and its area under the curve (AUC) values in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts were 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83-0.97), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.74-0.96) and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63-0.92). The nomogram constructed by the rad-score of the 'GTV + PTV' radiomics model combined with clinical independent predictors (prealbumin and monocyte) had the best performance, with AUC values in each cohort being 0.92 (95% CI: 0.85-0.98), 0.88 (95% CI: 0.78-0.97), and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.66-0.94), respectively. CONCLUSION: The intratumoral and peritumoral CT radiomics nomogram may facilitate individualized prediction of PD-1 expression status in patients with NSCLC.

[Clinical characteristics of anti-CV2 antibody-associated neurological diseases].

This study reviewed the clinical data of patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2017 to October 2020. A total of 46 patients with positive serum anti-CV2 antibody were included. The average age of the patients was (54±15) years old, with a male to female ratio of 1.88∶1. Twenty-six patients were diagnosed with paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS). The most malignant tumors were thymoma, small cell lung cancer, and prostate cancer. The most common PNS included myasthenia gravis, subacute cerebellar degeneration, and subacute/chronic sensorimotor neuropathies. Twenty non-PNS patients exhibited subacute/old cerebral infarction, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and so on. Among them, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 10 cases showed different degrees of white matter demyelination, some of which were accompanied by brain atrophy. The current study found that the positive predictive value of anti-CV2 antibody for the diagnosis of PNS was 56.5%, which was relatively weak. As an accompanying antibody, it may be a coincidence, and it may also be related to the involvement of family members in the pathological process of the diseases.

Classification of dark solitons via topological vector potentials.

Dark solitons are some of the most interesting nonlinear excitations and are considered to be the one-dimensional topological analogs of vortices. However, in contrast to their two-dimensional vortex counterparts, the topological characteristics of a dark soliton are far from fully understood because the topological charge defined according to the phase jump cannot reflect its essential property. Here, similar to the complex extension used in the exploration of the partition-function zeros to depict thermodynamic states, we extend the complex coordinate space to explore the density zeros of dark solitons. Surprisingly we find that these zeros constitute some pointlike magnetic fields, each of which has a quantized magnetic flux of elementary π. The corresponding vector potential fields demonstrate the topology of the Wess-Zumino term and can depict the essential characteristics of dark solitons. Then we classify the dark solitons according to the Euler characteristic of the topological manifold of the vector potential fields. Our study not only reveals the topological features of dark solitons but can also be applied to explore and identify new dark solitons with high topological complexity.

A case of Diphyllobothrium latum infection in Dalian and a brief review of diphyllobothriasis in China.

Diphyllobothrium latum infection in human is not common in China and only 15 cases have been reported since 1927. We document a case of Diphyllobothrium latum infection caused by the ingestion of raw fish in a 23-year-old woman in Dalian (Liaoning Province), and diphyllobothriasis latum in China is briefly reviewed. The patient experienced abdominal discomfort for about 6 months with a history of discharging proglottids in the feces. The morphologic characteristic of the gravid proglottids and eggs were identified as that of Diphyllobothrium latum. The patient was treated with pumpkin seed powder (100g) and betel nut(100g) on an empty stomach. The majority of reported human cases occurred due to the ingestion of raw or uncooked fish, such as pikes, burbots, trouts, perch and salmons. The patient is the first case reported in Dalian (Lianning Province).

[Current status of warfarin therapy in Chinese patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a single center analysis].

Objective: To investigate the current status of warfarin therapy and the related factors in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation(NVAF) based on data from a single center. Methods: We analyzed clinical data including baseline clinical characteristics, complications, concomitant medications and anti-thrombotic treatment in patients who were admitted to our hospital with NVAF from January 2014 to June 2014. The data were analyzed by t test, Chi-square test, fisher exact test and binary logistic regression analysis for the above indexes with warfarin utilization. Results: A total of 600 patients enrolled in this study, 560(93.3%) patients had a CHA2DS2-VASc score≥1, 162(28.9%) patients received warfarin (alone or in combination with antiplatelet agents), 244(43.6%) patients were treated with aspirin, 137(24.5%) patients did not receive anti-thrombotic treatment. Of the 600 patients, 172(28.7%) patients were treated in line with the current guideline recommendation, 266(44.3%) patients were treated improperly, 23(3.8%) patients were over-treated, 139(23.2%) patients received no anti-thrombotic treatment. Factors associated with anti-thrombotic treatment were persistent atrial fibrillation (OR=3.92, 95%CI 1.43-10.78, P=0.008), radiofrequency ablation (OR=26.82, 95%CI 7.03-102.38, P<0.001), the use of statins (OR=3.35, 95%CI 1.30-8.63, P=0.012), anti-arrhythmic therapy (OR=3.42, 95%CI 1.29-9.07, P=0.014), and aspirin (OR=0.02, 95%CI 0-0.07, P<0.001). Conclusions: In this study, 428 (71.3%) NVAF patients were either un-treated, over-treated or inadequately treated. Intensive efforts are necessary to improve anti-thrombotic therapy status in NVAF population in China.

[Jaridonin, a new diterpenoid from Isodon rubescens, induces cell cycle arrest in gastric cancer cells through activating ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Jaridonin, a novel diterpenoid from isodon rubescens, on the cell cycle of human gastric cancer cells and its molecular mechanism of action. METHODS: Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle distribution and expression of ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM) after Jaridonin treatment. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of cell cycle-related proteins. RESULTS: The results of flow cytometry showed that the percentages of MGC-803 cells in G(2)/M phase at 6 hours after 0, 10, 20 µmol/L Jaridonin-treatment were (10.8±2.2)%, (18.2±2.5)%, (27.3±3.2)%, respectively; those at 12 hours after Jaridonin-treatment were (12.0±1.5)%, (24.1±2.0)% and (39.7±5.2)%, respectively, indicating a G2/M phase arrest of MGC-803 cells was resulted in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The expressions of ATM, Chk1, Chk2, phosphorylated Cdc2 and CDK2 were up-regulated in the MGC-803 cells after Jaridonin treatment, while the levels of Cdc2 and CDK2 were decreased. KU-55933, an inhibitor of ATM, reversed the expression of relevant proteins and G(2)/M phase arrest induced by Jaridonin. CONCLUSIONS: Jaridonin can significantly induce G(2)/M arrest in gastric cancer MGC-803 cells. Its mechanism may be related to the activation of ATM and Chk1/2, and inactivation of Cdc2 and CDK2 phosphorylation.

The Impact of Clinical Pharmacist Support on Patients Receiving Multi-drug Therapy for Coronary Heart Disease in China.

The study determined pharmacist support on patients receiving multi-drug therapy for coronary heart disease by evaluating patient self-care ability, quality of life, and drug therapy compliance. In this study, ninety patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=45) and a control group (n=45). The control group received conventional clinical care. The experimental group received clinical care plus pharmacist support that included medication review, patient education, lifestyle management, discharge guidance, and telephone follow-up. Eighty-five patients completed the study. Self-care ability and quality of life were evaluated before hospital discharge. The experimental group understood their condition better than the control group (P<0.05), the differences between the groups in understanding treatment goals, drug regimens, lifestyle modifications, psychogenic disorders, and satisfaction evaluations were more pronounced (P<0.01). At six-month follow-up, the difference between the groups in drug therapy compliance was P<0.01, as was success rate by intention-to-treat (77.8% vs. 48.9%) and per-protocol (81.4% vs. 52.4%). Two adverse drug reactions occurred in the experimental group and three in the control group. Pharmacist support improved self-care ability, quality of life, drug therapy compliance, and treatment success rate in coronary heart disease patients.

Serum lipid abnormalities are not associated with apoB 3' VNTR polymorphism in nephrotic children.

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) gene 3' variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) is highly variable, and therefore can be an informative marker for associative analysis of lipid metabolism. This is the first report focusing on a possible association of apoB VNTR polymorphism with nephrotic hyperlipidemia. Genomic DNA was extracted from 500 children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) and 500 healthy controls. The apoB genotype was determined by PCR analysis. Allele size distribution followed a unimodal curve, with the main peak at the hypervariable element 35 (HVE35); the most prevalent genotype was HVE35/35 in both control and PNS children. The genotype and allele distributions of apoB variants in PNS children were not significantly different from controls. There was significant variation in serum lipid profiles among different genotypes in control children. Individuals with the long (L) allele exhibited significantly higher total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apoB levels than those with the medium (M) or short (S) allele; consequently, M/L carriers had significantly higher total cholesterol, LDL-C and apoB concentrations than did S/S, S/M, S/L, or M/M carriers. However, in PNS children, no significant differences in serum lipid levels were observed among individuals with different genotypes and alleles of apoB 3' VNTR. We conclude that hyperlipidemia in nephrotic children is not associated with apoB 3' VNTR polymorphism.

First Report of Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus Infecting Sweet Potato in China.

Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV) (genus Crinivirus, family Closteroviridae) is a whitefly-transmitted co-infectant of the sweet potato virus disease (SPVD), which can cause severe yield losses in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) (2,3). One isolate was obtained in Guangdong Province in August 2009 from sweet potato plants of cv. Guangshu No. 87 exhibiting symptoms typical of SPVD, including stunting, leaf distortion, vein clearing, and chlorosis. Leaf extracts from the symptomatic plants tested positive for SPCSV by nitrocellulose membrane ELISA with antisera specific for SPCSV obtained from the International Potato Center. Total RNA was extracted from young leaves of sweet potato and reverse transcription-PCR was performed by using primer pairs SPSP1 (5'-ATGRMTACTGRCAAAGTAAACGATG-3') and SPSP4 (5'-TCAACAGTGAAGACCRGYACCRGTCAA-3') corresponding to the capsid protein (CP) gene of SPCSV. Expected DNA fragments of 774 bp were obtained from symptomatic plants but not from control plants. The 774-bp fragments obtained by amplification were purified and cloned into the PMD19-T vector (TaKaRa, Dalian, China). Recombinant plasmids were then transformed into competent cells of Escherichia coli strain Jm109. Sequencing of the fragments from two individually clones plasmids yielded a nucleotide sequence (GenBank Accession No. HM773432) with 97.4 to 98.7% similarity to the CP gene of East African SPCSV isolates (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of SPCSV in sweet potato fields from China. This virus may threaten sweet potato production in China, so cultivars and germplasm should be evaluated for resistance. References: (1) V. Aritua et al. J. Phytopathol. 156:181, 2008. (2) R. W. Njeru et al. Ann. Appl. Biol. 145:71, 2004. (3) G. A. Schaefer and E. R. Terry. Phytopathology 66:642, 1976.

Molecular and cytogenetic paternity testing of a male offspring of a hinny.

An alleged male foal of a female mule, whose sire and grandparents were unknown, was identified for its pedigree. Parentage testing was conducted by comparing polymorphism of 12 microsatellite DNA sites and mitochondrial D-loop sequences of the male foal and the female mule. Both the sequence analysis of species-specific DNA fragments and a cytogenetic analysis were performed to identify the species of the foal and its parents. The results showed that the alleged female mule is actually a hinny, and the male foal, which possesses 62 chromosomes, qualifies as an offspring of the female hinny and a jack donkey.

Differentiating among horse (Equus caballus), donkey (Equus asinus) and their hybrids with combined analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial gene polymorphism.

A novel and brief method of differentiating among horse (Equus caballus) and donkey (Equus asinus) and their hybrids (mule, E. asinus x E. caballus and hinny, E. caballus x E. asinus) with combined analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial gene polymorphism (CANMGP) was reported in the present report. A nuclear gene, protamine P1 gene of donkey was sequenced and compared with the known horse sequence from GenBank while a published equid mitochondrial gene, cytochrome b gene of donkey was compared with that of horse. In each of the two genes, a fixed nucleotide substitution within an exon that could be recognized by Dpn II restriction enzyme was found between the two species. Two pairs of primers were designed for amplifying the fragments within the two genes containing the informative nucleotide positions in 65 horses and 41 donkeys and 38 hybrids and conditions of polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis were optimized. Horse, donkey and mule and hinny had their own specific cleavage patterns after the PCR-RFLP analysis was performed, which made it very easy to identify them from each other. As multiplex PCR can be conducted with the two pairs of primers and only one restriction enzyme is involved in PCR-RFLP analysis, the method described in the present study is a convenient way to identify horse and donkey and their hybrids. The idea involved in the method of CANMGP can be also used to differentiate other animal species or breeds and their hybrids.

Inhibition of the specific 3H-DL-Glu binding in the hippocampus of rat brain by lead.

The effect of Pb2+ on 3H-DL-Glutamate (3H-DL-Glu) binding in the membrane preparations from the hippocampus of rat brain was investigated with a view to explaining the cognitive and learning deficits produced by the heavy metal. The results indicated that Pb2+ (3.1-25.0 mumol.L-1) inhibited 3H-DL-Glu binding in a concentration-dependent manner. Scatchard analysis further revealed that at a concentration of 6.3 mumol.L-1 Pb2+ interfered with binding mainly through significantly decreasing the density of binding sites. This finding provided an important insight into Pb2(+)-induced impairments in learning and memory previously documented in children and in experimental animals chronically exposed to Pb2+.

Indoor air pollution in four cities in China.

The study reports the investigation of indoor air pollution carried out in four cities in China (Chengde, Shanghai, Shenyang and Wuhan). The concentrations of RP, SO2, CO and NO2 were measured in kitchens and bedrooms, both in summer and in winter. The results showed that indoor air pollution, as measured by RP, SO2, CO, was heavy when coal was used as domestic fuel. This was particularly severe in winter. For example, the concentrations of SO2 in homes with coal stoves were more than 10 times higher than those in homes with gas or LPG in Shanghai. The concentrations of pollutants in kitchens were higher than those in bedrooms. The source of pollutants was fuel combustion from kitchen. The highest concentrations in kitchen could reach 665 micrograms/m3 (RP), 860 micrograms/m3 (SO2) and 14.07 mg/m3 (CO). The concentrations in bedrooms were up to 270 micrograms/m3, 502 micrograms/m3, and 13.67mg/m3, respectively.

[Immunological change in pigmentary degeneration of retina and its relation to traditional Chinese medicine differentiation of syndromes].

Using monoclonal antibody technique, T lymphocyte cell subgroups, immunoglobins, complements, and circulating immune complexes (CIC) were measured in 60 patients with pigmentary degeneration of retina (RP) and 40 normal subjects. The results indicated that T1, T4, T8, C3 and C4 of the patients were lower than those of the controls; T4/T8, IgM and CIC of the patients were more than those of the controls. The differences between the patients and the controls were remarkably significant. Similarly, by investigating the objective quota of TCM differentiation of syndromes, the authors divided the RP patients into Liver-Kidney deficiency of Yin and Spleen-Kidney deficiency of Yang groups, and compared them with normal subjects. The results indicated that the two groups underwent similar change of immunology. But they had their own characteristics. The Yin-deficiency group showed remarkable increase of T4/T8 and normal T4; the Yang-deficiency group showed remarkable reduction of T1 and reduction of T4.

Studies on the mutagenicity of hair dyes made in China.

A total of 13 commercial hair dye products made in China were tested for mutagenicity in 2 short-term bioassays, the histidine-requiring mutants of Salmonella typhimurium (strains TA98 and TA100) and the micronucleus test with mouse bone-marrow polychromatic erythrocyte cells in vivo. The results showed that the 13 hair dyes were not mutagenic in strains TA98 and TA100 with and without S-9. In the micronucleus test, no mutagenic effect was observed.

Metabolism of 1,2,3,4-, 1,2,3,5-, and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene in the rat.

Adult male rats were given orally single doses of 14C-labeled 1,2,3,4-, 1,2,3,5-, or 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (TCB) at 10 mg/kg body weight, and were housed in individual metabolism cages to collect urine and feces for radioassay. For 1,2,3,4- and 1,2,3,5-TCB, approximately 46-51% of the doses were excreted in urine and feces within 48 h after administration. During the same period only 8% of the administered 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene was excreted. Analysis of urine indicted that the tetrachlorobenzenes were biotransformed to a number of polar compounds. The metabolites for each of the three TCBs in decreasing order of quantities were as follows: 1,2,3,4-TCB, to 2,3,4,5- and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol and a trace of tetrachlorothiophenol and 2,3,4-trichlorophenol; 1,2,3,5-TCB, to 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, isomeric hydroxythrichlorothiophenols, and a trichlorophenol; 1,2,4,5-TCB, to 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol, tetrachloroquinol, and a trichlorophenol.