Genetic Evidence for a Causal Relationship Between Innate Leukocytes and the Risk of Digestive System Cancers in East Asians and Europeans.

Background: Peripheral traditional immune cell disorder plays an important role in cancer onset and development. The causal relationships between leukocytes prior to cancer and the risk of digestive system cancer remain unknown. This study assesses the causal correlations between leukocytes and digestive system cancer risk in East Asians and Europeans. Methods: Summary-level data on leukocyte-related genetic variation were extracted from Biobank Japan (107,964 participants) and a recent large-scale meta-analysis (563,946 participants). Summary-level data for the cancers were obtained from Biobank Japan (212,978 individuals) and the FinnGen consortium (178,802 participants). Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed on East Asians and Europeans separately. Results: Univariable MR analysis demonstrated the significant association between circulating eosinophil counts and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in East Asians (odds ratio (OR) = 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69 - 0.92, P = 0.002) and a suggestive relationship in the European population (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77 - 0.97, P = 0.013). An inverse suggestive association was observed between levels of basophils and the risk of gastric cancer (GC) in East Asians (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.72 - 0.97, P = 0.019). The multivariable MR analysis showed the independent causal effect of eosinophil count on CRC risk in East Asians (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.57 - 0.92, P = 0.009) and Europeans (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.70 - 0.92, P = 0.002). Circulating basophils served as the negative causal factor in GC risk in East Asians (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67 - 0.94, P = 0.007). Conclusions: Our MR analyses revealed a genetic causal relationship between reduced blood eosinophils and an increased CRC risk in both Europeans and East Asians. Furthermore, our results suggested a causal association between decreased basophils and an elevated GC risk specifically in East Asians.

The association between changes in multifidus muscle morphology and back pain scores following discectomy surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of discectomy on back muscles (e.g. multifidus muscle (MM)) morphology in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) following discectomy surgery, address the association of back muscles morphology with pain score preoperatively and post-operatively, and investigate the relationships between the changes from pre- to post-operative back muscles measurements and pain score (primary outcome) and disability score (secondary outcome) change following discectomy if any. METHODS: We searched three online databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. In LDH patients, eligible for discectomy surgery, pre- and post-operative and the changes from pre- to post-operative of back and/or leg pain with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and multifidus muscle morphology, were considered as primary outcomes. Cochrane Risk-of-Bias 2 tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) were used to assess the methodological quality of RCTs and observational studies, respectively. Standardize mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was evaluated. A meta-regression analysis was conducted. GRADE approach was used to summarize the strength of evidence. RESULTS: One RCT and five observational studies were included in the analysis of 489 patients with LDH undergoing discectomy surgery. The mean overall follow-up was 64.9 weeks (6 to 148.7 weeks). There was a significant negative relationship between the change from pre- to post-operative cross-sectional area (CSA) in MM and change in VAS back pain [regression coefficient = -0.01, (95% CI = -0.02, -0.01), p = 0.044] after discectomy surgery. No significant relationship between preoperative CSA in MM and preoperative/post-operative clinical (any of the follow-up periods) scores could be established. CONCLUSION: The results of this study found very low-quality grade evidence for an association between higher reduction of CSA in MM and less reductions of back pain scores following discectomy surgery for patients with LDH. Due to the heterogeneity and methodological limitations, further studies will improve understanding and aid preoperative counselling.

Study on the differential gene expression of elm leaves fed on by Tetraneura akinire Sasaki.

BACKGROUND: To study the essential molecular mechanism of gall formation is very important. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differential gene expression in leaves fed on by Tetraneura akinire Sasaki and to provide a basis for the better understanding of the essential molecular mechanism of gall formation. METHODS: The infected leaves of the elm were divided into three periods: initial formation period (T2), growth and differentiation period (T3), and cracking period (T4). The untouched leaves were used as the control (T1). RNA-Seq was performed, and the high-quality sequences were mapped to the reference genome and the elm gene database to obtain the gene expression profiles. The expression level of each gene was calculated by the RPKM method. A combination of FDR ≤ 0.01 and the absolute value of |log2 ratio (T/CK)| ≥ 2 was used as the threshold to determine the significance of gene expression. Finally, GO and pathway enrichment analyses were used to identify the significantly enriched functional classification and metabolic pathways in DEGs. RESULTS: The results revealed that approximately 244 mRNAs were detected between T1 and T2, including 192 up-regulated and 52 down-regulated mRNAs; approximately 175 mRNAs were detected between T1 and T3, including 145 up-regulated and 30 down-regulated mRNAs; and approximately 372 mRNAs were detected between T1 and T4, including 360 up-regulated and 12 down-regulated mRNAs. Approximately 34 differentially expressed genes were identified by Venn analysis. Comparing the three infection periods to the control, there were 28 up-regulated and six down-regulated mRNAs. Additionally, 562 genes were used for cluster analysis, which revealed that the gene expression in T2 and T3 changed greatly. Genes related to cell proliferation and respiration, such as microtubulin and 6-phosphoric acid fructose kinase were mainly up-regulated during the T2 period. Genes encoding lipoxygenase, glutathione-S-transferase, superoxide dismutase and protease inhibitor were up-regulated during T2 and T3. Genes encoding lignocellulose synthase were up-regulated during T4, which suggests the reinforcement of the cell wall to improve the resistance to the damage of the Tetraneura akinire Sasaki. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that the feeding of Tetraneura akinire Sasaki caused the differential expression of elm genes and influenced cellular energy metabolism. These changes in physiological response and gene expression of the elm compose the physiological and molecular basis of the gall formation and may improve the resistance of elm to Tetraneura akinire Sasaki.

[The comparison of the indoor environmental factors associated with asthma and related allergies among school-child between urban and suburban areas in Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To study the indoor environmental factors associated with the prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children. METHODS: A cluster sampling method was used and the ISAAC questionnaire was conducted. A total of 4612 elementary students under Grade Five of 7 schools were enrolled in the survey for the impact of indoor environmental factors on the prevalence of asthma and related allergies in several urban and suburban schools of Beijing. RESULTS: A total of 4060 sample were finally analyzed including 1992 urban and 2068 suburban. The prevalence of wheeze, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema in the past 12 months was 3.1% (61/1992), 5.3% (106/1992), 1.1% (22/1992) among urban children while 1.3% (27/2068), 3.1% (65/2068), 1.0% (22/2068) among suburban children respectively. The prevalence of wheeze and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis of the past 12 months in urban were both significantly higher than that in suburban (χ(2) = 14.77, 11.93, P < 0.01). The incidences of having asthma and eczema ever among urban children (5.3% (105/1992), 29.4% (586/1992)) were significantly (χ(2) = 39.03, 147.22, P < 0.01) higher than that among suburban (1.7% (35/2068), 13.8% (285/2068)). Although the distributions of indoor environmental factors were similar in both areas, passive smoking and interior decoration had different influence on the prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children in the two areas. The significant impact of passive smoking on having asthma ever among suburban children was observed (OR = 2.70, 95%CI = 1.17 - 6.23) while no significant result in urban (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.71 - 1.58); the percentage of interior decoration was 84.0% (1673/1992) among urban children and 80.0% (1655/2068) among suburban children, there was significant impact of interior decoration on the prevalence of having eczema ever among urban children (OR = 1.57, 95%CI = 1.17 - 2.10) but no significant results were found in suburban sample (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.76 - 1.48). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children is much higher in urban areas than that in suburban areas and the indoor environmental factors such as passive smoking and interior decoration may differently explain the prevalence of asthma and related allergies in the two areas.

Five serum proteins identified using SELDI-TOF-MS as potential biomarkers of gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to detect serum proteomic patterns in gastric cancer serum samples using Surface-enhanced Laser Desorption/ionization-Time-of-flight-Mass Spectrometry ProteinChip array technology, to screen biomarker candidates, to build diagnostic models and to evaluate their clinical significance. METHODS: Serum samples from patients with gastric cancer and normal healthy control subjects (n = 125) were analysed using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization technology. The spectra were generated on weak cation exchange (WCX2) chips, and protein peak clustering and classification analyses were established using Ciphergen Biomarker Wizard and Biomarker Pattern software, respectively. The diagnostic models were developed and validated by discriminant analysis. In addition, the results of the surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization model were compared with the biomarkers carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 199 in a subset of samples using a microparticle enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Five protein peaks at 2046, 3179, 1817, 1725 and 1929 m/z were automatically chosen as components of the best biomarker pattern for diagnosis of gastric cancer. In addition, we identified a single protein peak at 4665 m/z, which could distinguish between stage I/II and stage III/IV gastric cancer with a specificity and sensitivity of 91.6% (11/12) and 95.4% (21/22), respectively. When this biomarker was validated in the second set of samples, the specificity and sensitivity were 91.7% (11/12) and 86.3% (19/22), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that serum surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization protein profiling can distinguish patients with gastric cancer, and in particular stage I/II patients, from normal subjects with a relatively high sensitivity and specificity. Surface-enhanced Laser Desorption/ionization-Time-of-flight-Mass Spectrometry is a potential new diagnostic tool for the screening of gastric cancer.

[Clinical application of expansive unilateral open-door laminoplasty of the cervical spine with OsteoMed M3 plate and screws].

OBJECTIVE: To introduce a new technique using OsteoMed M3 titanium plate and screws for fixation of the posterior elements in the open position after expansive unilateral open-door laminoplasty and evaluate its clinical effect. METHODS: Sixteen patients with multilevel cervical disc herniation and canal stenosis were treated with an expansive unilateral open-door laminoplasty using OsteoMed M3 plate and screws, and the follow-up period lasted for over 6 months. RESULTS: Most of the patients had marked neurological improvement after the surgery. The mean Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score of the patients increased significantly from 9.06-/+2.380 (range 5 to 13) before surgery to 13.63-/+1.408 (range 11 to 16) at the final follow-up (P<0.005), with a mean recovery rate of 57.5%. One patient without postoperative neurological improvement underwent an additional anterior multilevel corpectomy. Bone fusion of the surgical lamina was achieved in all the cases without canal stenosis. CONCLUSION: Unilateral open-door laminoplasty with OsteoMed M3 titanium plate and screw fixation can effectively maintain the expansion of the spinal canal and resist closure while preserving the spinal alignment and stability. This modified technique is easy to perform and is associated with a low complication rate.