Clinical characteristics of acute pancreatitis in children: a single-center experience in Western China.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of pediatric pancreatitis has been increasing over the last 20 years. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics for pediatric acute pancreatitis (AP) with adult AP, and investigate the risk factor for acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) in children. METHOD: From June 2013 to June 2019, a total of 130 pediatric patients with AP at the inpatient database were enrolled. Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for ARP in children. RESULT: Major etiologic factors in 130 patients were biliary (31.5%), idiopathic (28.5%). The etiology of pancreatitis in children was markedly different from that in adults (p < 0.001). Compared with the adult patients, the pediatric patients had significantly lower severity (p = 0.018) and occurrence rate of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.041), SIRS (p = 0.021), acute peripancreatic fluid collection (p = 0.014). Univariate and Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that female (p = 0.020; OR 3.821; 95% CI 1.231-11.861), hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.045; OR 3.111; 95% CI 1.024-9.447), pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.023; OR 5.768; 95% CI 1.278-26.034) were the independent risk factors of ARP. Hypertriglyceridemia AP had the highest risk of recurrence compared to other etiology (p = 0.035). CONCLUSION: Biliary and idiopathic disease were the major etiologies of AP in children. Children have simpler conditions than adults. Female, hypertriglyceridemia, and pancreatic necrosis were associated with the onset of ARP.

Comparison Between the Gut Microbiota in Different Gastrointestinal Segments of Large-Tailed Han and Small-Tailed Han Sheep Breeds with High-Throughput Sequencing.

Commensal microorganisms are essential to the normal development and function of many aspects of animal biology. However, the dynamic shift patterns of the microbiota of different gut segments in sheep and the correlation between fat type large-tailed phenotype and microbiota remain poorly unknown. This study therefore sought to assess the composition and distribution of the intestinal microbiome, and compared the difference of gut microbiota from different gastrointestinal segments within breeds and same intestinal sections between breeds. For these analyses, 16S rRNA V4 regions from 4 gut sections prepared from each of six individuals (3 from each breed) were sequenced to detect the microbiome composition in these samples. These analyses revealed the presence of 51,173 operational taxonomic units distributed across 24 phyla and 420 genera in these samples, with Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes being the most prevalent phyla of microbes present in these samples. Moreover, the bacterial composition showed distinct microbial communities in different gastrointestinal segments within breed, but showed similar and relative fixed bacterial abundance in the same intestinal segments from individuals of different breeds. We also found that only a few bacterial species (Lachnospiraceae, Akkermansia) were needed to distinguish between Small-tailed Han sheep (STH) and Large-tailed Han sheep (LTH) and their metabolic process maybe influence the fat type large-tailed phenotype formation in sheep. The functional profile analysis revealed that the environment information processing, genetic information processing, and metabolic pathways were enriched in all samples. The main functional roles of the gut microbiota were amino acid metabolism, replication and repair, carbohydrate metabolism, and membrane transport. Finally, our findings suggested that distinguished gut species between STH and LTH have relative fixed and the potential correlation is existing between the intestinal microorganisms and the large-tailed phenotype trait formation of sheep, which may offer clues for further investigation to detect the roles of intestinal microbiota in the metabolism and fat deposition in the tail of sheep.

Self-assembly and nanoaggregation of a pH responsive DNA hybrid amphiphile.

This work describes the design and preparation of a simple but novel hybrid amphiphile containing a pH-responsive DNA sequence. The formation of a bimolecular i-motif structure allows the control of reversible switching of the hybrid amphiphile between the dimer and unimer by pH. Thus, spherical aggregates with distinct self-assembly pathways, sizes and structures are obtained at pH 4.5 and pH 9.0, and the structures can be switched by the change of pH and thermal annealing. This work reports different self-assembled nanostructures and their transitions that give this amphiphile potential for the design of controllable drug delivery systems.

Molecular Phylogenetic Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Bacterial Communities in Cooling Stage during Swine Manure Composting.

Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and subsequent sub-cloning and sequencing were used in this study to analyze the molecular phylogenetic diversity and spatial distribution of bacterial communities in different spatial locations during the cooling stage of composted swine manure. Total microbial DNA was extracted, and bacterial near full-length 16S rRNA genes were subsequently amplified, cloned, RFLP-screened, and sequenced. A total of 420 positive clones were classified by RFLP and near-full-length 16S rDNA sequences. Approximately 48 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found among 139 positive clones from the superstratum sample; 26 among 149 were from the middle-level sample and 35 among 132 were from the substrate sample. Thermobifida fusca was common in the superstratum layer of the pile. Some Bacillus spp. were remarkable in the middle-level layer, and Clostridium sp. was dominant in the substrate layer. Among 109 OTUs, 99 displayed homology with those in the GenBank database. Ten OTUs were not closely related to any known species. The superstratum sample had the highest microbial diversity, and different and distinct bacterial communities were detected in the three different layers. This study demonstrated the spatial characteristics of the microbial community distribution in the cooling stage of swine manure compost.

Surface properties of nucleolipids and photo-controlled release of hydrophobic guest molecules from their micellar aggregates.

Two series of nucleolipids have been designed and synthesized, one with a varying chain length (the dT-Cn series) and the other incorporating an aromatic photo-responsive moiety at the molecular hydrophobic and hydrophilic interface (the P-dT-Cn series). Surface tension measurements revealed the variations of critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) with the alkyl chain length and the incorporation of the photo-responsive segment. The P-dT-Cn series showed broadly lower CMCs and the minimum area per molecule (Amin) values because the π-π stacking between the additional aromatic rings favours more tight packing in the micelle formation. Both series showed similar surface tensions at the CMCs to conventional surfactants with equivalent molecular structures. Their micellar aggregates were used for encapsulation of hydrophobic Nile Red (NR). For the P-dT-Cn series, the encapsulated NR was released upon light irradiation and the controlled release was readily realized by controlling irradiation intensities or switching on and off irradiation. The integration of biocompatibility, complementary base recognition and photo-responsiveness makes the amphiphilic nucleolipids promising in biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Pathogenicity Analyses of Rice Blast Fungus (Pyricularia oryzae) from Japonica Rice Area of Northeast China.

In order to understand the pathogenicity differentiation of rice blast fungus (Pyricularia oryzae Cavara), a total of 206 isolates of P. oryzae were collected from three Japonica rice regions in Jilin Province, northeast China. Pathogenicity test showed that the reaction pattern of 25 monogenic differential varieties (MDVs) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) demonstrated a wide pathogenic diversity among the isolates. Those MDVs harbor 23 resistance (R) genes with the susceptible variety Lijiangxintuanheigu (LTH) as control. Virulent isolates of MDVs harboring R genes Pish, Pit, Pia, Pii, Pik-s, Pik, Pita (two lines), and Pita-2 (two lines) had high frequencies ranging from 80 to 100%, to MDVs harboring R genes Pib, Pi5(t), Pik-m, Pi1, Pik-h, Pik-p, Pi7(t), Piz, Piz-5, and Piz-t showed intermediate frequencies ranging from 40 to 80%, and to MDVs with R genes Pi3, Pi9(t), Pi12(t), Pi19(t) and Pi20(t) presented low frequencies ranging only from 0 to 40%. The U-i-k-z-ta pattern of race-named criteria categorized the 206 isolates into 175 races. Sub-unit U73 for Pib, i7 for Pi3 and Pi5(t), k177 for Pik-m/Pik-h/Pik-p, z17 for Pi9(t), and ta332 for Pi20(t) were crucial on pathogenic differences in regions. Twenty-seven standard differential blast isolates (SDBIs) were selected to characterize resistance in rice accessions. This study could help to build a durable identification system against blast in the Japonica rice area of northeast China and enhance our understanding of the differentiation and diversity of blast races in the world.

Identification of quantitative trait loci for cadmium accumulation and distribution in rice (Oryza sativa).

Cadmium (Cd) poses a serious risk to human health due to its biological concentration through the food chain. To date, information on genetic and molecular mechanisms of Cd accumulation and distribution in rice remains to be elucidated. We developed an independent F7 RIL population derived from a cross between two japonica cultivars with contrasting Cd levels, 'Suwon490' and 'SNU-SG1', for QTLs identification of Cd accumulation and distribution. 'Suwon490' accumulated five times higher Cd in grain than 'SNU-SG1'. Large genotypic variations in Cd accumulation (17-fold) and concentration (12-fold) in grain were found among RILs. Significant positive correlations between Cd accumulation in grain with shoot Cd accumulation and shoot to grain distribution ratio of Cd signify that both shoot Cd accumulation and shoot to grain Cd distribution regulate Cd accumulation in japonica rice grain. A total of five main effect QTLs (scc10 for shoot Cd accumulation; gcc3, gcc9, gcc11 for grain Cd accumulation; and sgr5 for shoot to grain distribution ratio) were detected in chromosomes 10, 3, 9, 11, and 5, respectively. Of these, the novel potential QTL sgr5 has the strongest effect on shoot to grain Cd distribution. In addition, two digenic epistatic interaction QTLs were identified, suggesting the substantial contribution of nonallelic genes in genetic control of these Cd-related traits.

Sulphate-reducing bacteria-mediated pyrite formation in the Dachang Tongkeng tin polymetallic deposit, Guangxi, China.

Mediation by sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is responsible for pyrite (FeS2) formation. The origin of the Dachang tin polymetallic ore field is related to the mineralisation of submarine hydrothermal vent sediments. Here, we investigated SRB in these ores via morphological, chemical, and isotopic analyses. Polarised and scanning electron microscopy indicated that trace SRB fossils in the metal sulphide ore were present in the form of tubular, beaded, and coccoidal bodies comprising FeS2 and were enclosed within a pyrrhotite (FeS) matrix in the vicinity of micro-hydrothermal vents. The carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) contents in the FeS2 synthesised by SRB were high, and a clear biological Raman signal was detected. No such signals were discerned in the peripheral FeS. This co-occurrence of FeS, FeS2, and the remains of bacteria (probably chemoautotrophic bacteria) was interpreted as the coprecipitation process of SRB-mediated FeS2 formation, which has, to the best of our knowledge, not been reported before. Our study also illustrates that combined energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and isotopic analysis can be used as a novel methodology to document microbial-mediated processes of mineral deposition in submarine hydrothermal vent ecology on geological time scales.

Bioinformatics Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes and Related Pathways in Acute Pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: Microarray datasets GSE3644, GSE65146, and GSE109227 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Then, a comprehensive analysis of these genes was performed using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network analysis, core gene correlation analysis, and transcription factor prediction. Finally, the differences in the expression of hub genes in human organs and survival analysis in pancreatic carcinoma were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 137 DEGs were screened, 128 genes were upregulated, and 9 genes were downregulated. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that these genes were mostly enriched in biological processes such as positive regulation of macroautophagy, cellular component such as focal adhesion, molecular function such as cadherin binding involved in cell-cell adhesion, and multiple pathways including tight junction. CDH1 and VCL were identified as hub DEGs, close interactions with MAZ, were expressed in human pancreas organs in various degrees. The high expression of CDH1 and VCL was significantly associated with poor prognosis in pancreatic carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: The core genes CDH1 and VCL may play a key role in AP through regulation by MAZ.

Development and Evaluation of a Nomogram to Predict the Eventual Severity of the First Episode of Acute Pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to establish a nomogram for early prediction of the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: A total of 1860 AP patients from 2013 to 2020 were included in this study. According to the 2012 revised Atlanta classification, patients were divided into nonsevere AP group and severe AP (SAP) group. The baseline characteristics and first laboratory indicators after admission between the 2 groups were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis in training set. R language was used for establishing a predictive nomogram and further verified in validation set. RESULTS: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis in the training set showed red blood cell distribution width, d -dimer, apolipoprotein A1, and albumin were independent factors for SAP. A predictive nomogram was accordingly established based on the 4 indicators. Validation on this predictive nomogram showed high internal validation concordance index of 0.940 (95% confidence interval, 0.922-0.958) and high external validation concordance index of 0.943 (95% confidence interval, 0.920-0.966). The calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis all showed that the nomogram had good predictive ability. CONCLUSIONS: This nomogram may be an effective clinical tool for predicting the first episode of SAP.

Population-specific quantitative trait loci mapping for functional stay-green trait in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The functional stay-green trait gives leaves a longer duration of greenness and photosynthetic capacity during the grain-filling period. We developed two independent recombinant inbred line populations from the intra- and intersubspecific crosses of Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica 'Suweon490' (japonica) × O. sativa subsp. japonica 'SNU-SG1' (japonica) and O. sativa subsp. indica 'Andabyeo' (indica) × O. sativa subsp. japonica 'SNU-SG1' (japonica), respectively. The common parental line 'SNU-SG1' was the functional source for the stay-green trait. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping based on simple sequence repeat markers identified a total of six QTLs associated with two stay-green traits across two populations. The two traits were cumulative chlorophyll content (SPAD value) of flag leaf (CSFL) and total cumulative SPAD value of the four upper leaves (TCS). Four QTLs, tcs4, csfl6, csfl9 (or tcs9), and csfl12, located on chromosomes 4, 6, 9, and 12, respectively, were detected simultaneously in both populations. The remaining two QTLs, csfl2 (or tcs2) and tcs5, on chromosomes 2 and 5, respectively, were found to be population specific. Moreover, the functional stay-green trait of 'SNU-SG1' positively correlated with grain yield performance. Two yield QTLs, yld6 and yld9, on chromosomes 6 and 9 found in both populations were positioned at the same locations with the csfl6 and tcs9 QTLs for stay-green traits. Thus, the identified chromosomal regions can be promising targets of marker-assisted introgression of the functional stay-green trait into breeding materials for improvement of rice yield.

Performance characteristics of the light-initiated chemiluminescent assay for quantitative determination of progesterone.

BACKGROUND: To study the performance of quantitative determination of progesterone by light-initiated chemiluminescent assay (LICA). METHODS: Clinical samples of serum were used for detection of progesterone by LICA. The precision study was performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) EP15-A3, the linear range validation was performed according to CLSI EP06-A, accuracy was evaluated according to CLSI EP9-A3, and the performance of detection capability was confirmed according to CLSI EP17-A2. All data were analyzed using SPSS software. Function regression analysis was performed by OriginPro software. RESULTS: The LICA-800 system exhibited low coefficients of variation (CVs) and high reproducibility, and the calculated synthetic CV was 2.16%. The access progesterone assay showed excellent linearity in the assay measuring range (0.37-40 ng/mL) using the polynomial regression method in accordance with CLSI EP06-A. Bias assessment was used to verify accuracy, and the percentage deviation met the quality requirements of the laboratory's allowable deviation of 10.00%. In terms of the detection capability of LICA, the calculated limit of blank (LoB) was 0.046 ng/mL, limit of detection (LoD) was 0.057 ng/mL, and the limit of quantitation (LoQ) value was 0.161 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The competitive LICA provided a highly sensitive, accurate and precise method for measuring serum progesterone level.

A nomogram prediction of overall survival based on lymph node ratio, AJCC 8th staging system, and other factors for primary pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: As a malignant tumor with poor prognosis, accurate and effective prediction of the prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) is crucial. METHODS: A total of 12,909 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program between 2004 and 2016. The sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, metastasis status, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, tumor size, regional nodes examined, regional nodes positive of each patient were recorded. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify prognostic factors with a threshold of P<0.05, and a nomogram was constructed. Harrell's concordance indexes and calibration plots were used to verify the predictive power of the model. The risk groups were also stratified by quartile of the total score. Survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Age, year of diagnosis, sex, grade, histologic, marital, TNM stage, surgery of the primary site, tumor size, regional nodes positive and regional nodes examined ratio (LNR), lymph node dissection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were identified as prognostic factors for the construction of the nomogram. The nomogram exhibited a clinical predictive ability of 0.675(95% CI, 0.669~0.681) in the internal verification. The predicted calibration curve was similar to the standard curve. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had value in terms of clinical application. Besides, the nomogram was able to divide the patients into different groups according to total points. CONCLUSIONS: Hence, our nomogram was highly effective in predicting overall survival in patients with PC, which may provide a reference tool for clinicians to guide individualized treatment and follow-ups for patients with PC, accurately determine the 1-,3- and 5-year overall survival of patients.

Dissecting the meteorological and genetic factors affecting rice grain quality in Northeast China.

BACKGROUND: The Northeast Plain of China, which is an important region for the production of high grain quality rice in China. However, the grain quality of the rice produced varies across this region, even for the same cultivar. OBJECTIVE: In order to explore the meteorological factors that have the greatest influence on quality and the transcriptional level differences between different cultivars and different locations at grain filling stage. METHODS: We grew eight rice cultivars in three locations in Northeast China during two growing seasons (2017 and 2018). We recorded meteorological conditions, including air temperature, air temperature range, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) during the grain-filling stage of each cultivar, and analyzed the grain quality of those eight cultivars. RESULTS: Across all eight cultivars, meteorological factors had a stronger effect on eating quality than genotype, while genotype had a stronger effect on milling quality. Of the three environmental factors assessed, PAR was significantly correlated with the most grain quality traits. Using RNA-sequencing analysis, we identified 573 environment-specific DEGs (Differentially Expressed Genes), and 119 genotype-specific DEGs; 11 DEGs were responsive to genotype × environment interactions. These DEGs were involved in many key metabolic processes. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that interactions among environmental factors, especially PAR, affected rice quality in Northeast China. Further analyses of the DEGs identified herein may provide useful information for future breeding programs aiming to develop high grain quality rice varieties suitable for cultivation across Northeast China.

Association of CSMD1 with Tumor Mutation Burden and Other Clinical Outcomes in Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy is considered as a powerful and promising clinical approach for the treatment of gastric cancer (GC). However, it is still challenging to precisely screen patients who potentially benefit from immune checkpoint therapy (ICT). Identification of potential biomarkers for selecting patients sensitive to immunotherapy was urgently needed. METHODS: Public sequence data and corresponding clinical data were used to explore the potential biomarkers for immunotherapy. RESULTS: We found that CSMD1 is the most frequently mutated gene and its mutation is highly correlated with prognosis in gastric cancer patients. Interestingly, patients with mutated CSMD1 exhibit a high mutation burden and upregulated PDL1 expression. The ratio of microsatellite instability (MSI) in the CSMD1 mutation cohort was higher than that in the cohort without CSMD1 mutation. Furthermore, patients with CSMD1 mutation have been found to possess a higher number of activated CD4+ T cells and neoantigens. CONCLUSION: CSMD1 mutation may act as a novel biomarker for assessing the survival and immune therapy response in patients with gastric cancer.

Optimal Dietary Levels of 1α-Hydroxycholecalciferol in Broiler Chickens from 1 to 42 Days of Age.

1α-Hydroxycholecalciferol (1α-OH-D3) is an active vitamin D derivative. In this study, three experiments were conducted to evaluate the optimal dietary levels of 1α-OH-D3 in broiler chickens from 1 to 42 days of age. 1α-OH-D3 levels used were 0, 1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 µg/kg in experiment 1, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 µg/kg in experiment 2, and 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, and 5 µg/kg in experiment 3. In experiment 1, the addition of 0 to 10 µg/kg of 1α-OH-D3 quadratically improved growth performance, tibia development, and mRNA expression levels of nuclear vitamin D receptor (nVDR), membrane vitamin D receptor (mVDR), and type IIb sodium-phosphate cotransporter (NaPi-IIb) in the duodenum of broiler chickens from 1 to 12 days of age. Body weight gain (BWG), the weight and ash weight of the tibia, and mRNA expression levels of mVDR and NaPi-IIb of broilers fed with 0 and 10 µg/kg of 1α-OH-D3 were lower than those of birds fed with 2.5 µg/kg of 1α-OH-D3. In experiment 2, 1α-OH-D3 levels were quadratically related to BWG and to weight and ash weight of the femur and the tibia of broiler chickens at 42 days of age. The highest values of growth performance and bone mineralization were recorded in broilers fed with 2.5 to 5 µg/kg of 1α-OH-D3. In experiment 3, there was no difference observed in BWG and the weight and ash weight of the femur and the tibia of the 42-day-old broilers fed with 2 to 5 µg/kg of 1α-OH-D3. These data suggest that the optimal dietary levels of 1α-OH-D3 were 2 to 5 µg/kg for broiler chickens from 1 to 42 days of age.

Characterization of the bacterial microbiota composition and evolution at different intestinal tract in wild pigs (Sus scrofa ussuricus).

Commensal microorganisms are essential to the normal development and function of many aspects of animal biology, including digestion, nutrient absorption, immunological development, behaviors, and evolution. The specific microbial composition and evolution of the intestinal tracts of wild pigs remain poorly characterized. This study therefore sought to assess the composition, distribution, and evolution of the intestinal microbiome of wild pigs. For these analyses, 16S rRNA V3-V4 regions from five gut sections prepared from each of three wild sows were sequenced to detect the microbiome composition. These analyses revealed the presence of 6,513 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) mostly distributed across 17 phyla and 163 genera in these samples, with Firmicutes and Actinobacteria being the most prevalent phyla of microbes present in cecum and jejunum samples, respectively. Moreover, the abundance of Actinobacteria in wild pigs was higher than that in domestic pigs. At the genus level the Bifidobacterium and Allobaculum species of microbes were most abundant in all tested gut sections, with higher relative abundance in wild pigs relative to domestic pigs, indicating that in the process of pig evolution, the intestinal microbes also evolved, and changes in the intestinal microbial diversity could have been one of the evolutionary forces of pigs. Intestinal microbial functional analyses also revealed the microbes present in the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) and large intestine (cecum and colon) of wild pigs to engage distinct metabolic spatial structures and pathways relative to one another. Overall, these results offer unique insights that would help to advance the current understanding of how the intestinal microbes interact with the host and affect the evolution of pigs.

Identification of Eight Small Nucleolar RNAs as Survival Biomarkers and Their Clinical Significance in Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of most common cancers worldwide. Studies have shown that small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) play important roles in several cancers. In this study, we analyzed the snoRNAs that were differentially expressed between gastric tumors and normal tissues, identified survival-associated snoRNAs, and developed an eight-snoRNA signature to predict overall survival of patients with gastric cancer. Furthermore, we explored the clinical significance of the eight signature snoRNAs. The risk biomarker established by the eight snoRNA signature was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 3.43, 95% confidence interval: 1.93-6.09, P = 2.72e-05). Furthermore, we validated the expression pattern of those snoRNAs in different gastric cancer cell lines and 5 paired normal and tumor tissues by using real time quantification PCR. Knocking down U66, one of the eight snoRNAs, inhibited the cell proliferation. In conclusion, we identified an eight-snoRNA risk signature to predict overall survival of gastric cancer patients. Seven of these snoRNAs were associated with clinical features of the disease. Knocking down U66 inhibited cell proliferation. These findings provide new clues with prognostic and therapeutic implications in gastric cancer.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of hepatitis B vaccine booster in children born to HBsAg-positive mothers in rural China.

OBJECTIVE: In rural areas of China with highly endemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, protective efficacy was observed in adulthood when a one-dose HBV vaccine booster was administered to high-risk children born to mothers who were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The aim of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of an HBV vaccine booster in this specific group of children when given at 10 years of age. METHODS: Two potential strategies were considered: strategy 1 was a one-dose booster given if the child was negative on HBsAg screening; strategy 2 was a one-dose booster given if the child was negative on both HBsAg plus anti-HBs screening. A decision tree combined with a Markov model was developed to simulate the booster intervention process and to simulate the natural history of HBV infection in a cohort of 10-year-old children who were born to HBsAg-positive mothers. The model was calibrated based on multiple selected outcomes. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were measured from a societal perspective. Cost-effectiveness ratios (CERs) of the different strategies were compared in both base-case and one-way sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: Compared to the current practice of 'no screening and no booster', both strategy 1 and strategy 2 were cost-saving, with CERs estimated at US$ -6961 and US$ -6872 per QALY gained, respectively. In the one-way sensitivity analysis for strategy 1, all the CERs were found to be less than US$ -5000 per QALY gained after considering the uncertainty of all the variables, including vaccination protective efficacy, natural history, behavior, and various costs and utility weights. In a 'worst case' scenario (all parameter values simultaneously being at the worst), the CER of strategy 1 increased to US$ 3263 per QALY gained, which was still less than the GDP per capita of China in 2016 (US$ 8126). CONCLUSIONS: A hepatitis B vaccine booster given to children born to HBsAg-positive mothers in rural China would be cost-effective and could be considered in HBV endemic areas.

A 15-lncRNA signature predicts survival and functions as a ceRNA in patients with colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of lncRNAs in CRC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed gene expression profiling to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs between 51 normal and 646 tumor tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Cox regression and robust likelihood-based survival models were used to find prognosis-related lncRNAs. A lncRNA signature was developed to predict the overall survival of patients with CRC. In addition, a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to identify the optimal cutoff with the best Youden index to divide patients into different groups based on risk level. RESULTS: Eighty survival-related lncRNAs were identified and a 15-lncRNA signature was developed on the basis of a risk score to comprehensively predict the overall survival of patients with CRC. The prognostic value of the 15-lncRNA risk score was validated using the internal testing set and total set. The risk indicator was shown to be an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio =2.92; 95% CI: 1.73-4.94; P<0.001). Notably, all 15 lncRNAs (AC024581.1, FOXD3-AS1, AC012531.1, AC003101.2, LINC01219, AC083967.1, AL590483.1, AC105118.1, AC010789.1, AC067930.5, AC105219.2, LINC01354, LINC02474, LINC02257, and AC079612.1) were newly found to correlate with the prognosis of patients with CRC. Furthermore, the function of 15 lncRNAs was explored through the ceRNA network. These lncRNAs regulated coding genes that were involved in many key cancer pathways. CONCLUSION: A 15-lncRNA expression signature was discovered as a prognostic indicator for patients with CRC, which may act as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNAs) to play a crucial role in the modulation of cancer-related pathways. These findings may allow a better understanding of the prognostic value of lncRNAs.