Unveiling the importance of VOCs from pesticides applicated in main crops for elevating ozone concentrations in China.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered as important precursors of ozone in the air, while the contribution of VOCs from pesticide application (PVOCs) to ozone production is unknown. Utilizing data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China and ChinaCropPhen1km, this paper developed PVOC emission inventories with a resolution of 1 km for the main crops (rice, maize, and wheat) from 2012 to 2019 in China. The results revealed that pesticide application is an important VOC emission source in China. Specially, the PVOC emissions from the major grain-producing regions in June accounted for approximately 30% of the annual total PVOC emissions in the local regions. The simulation with the Weather Research and Forecasting Community Multiscale Air Quality model (WRF-CMAQ) indicated that the PVOC emissions increased the mean maximum daily 8-hour average (MDA8) ozone concentration across China by 2.5 ppb in June 2019. During the same period, PVOCs in the parts of North China Plain contributed 10% of the ozone formation. Under the comprehensive emission reduction scenario, it is anticipated that by 2025, the joint implementation of measures including reducing pesticide application, improving pesticide utilization efficiency and promoting solvent substitution will decrease PVOC emissions by 60% compared with 2019, thereby mitigating ozone pollution.

A method of gas-related pollution source layout based on multi-source data: A case study of shaanxi province, China.

The location and layout of enterprises have an important impact on local air quality. However, a few studies on exploring of the optimal layout of gas-related enterprises from the perspective of optimizing the layout of air pollution sources. This study developed a method for the evaluation of air pollution source layout based on air pollutant emission inventory data, atmospheric self-purification capacity data, and satellite remote sensing air quality data. Taking Shaanxi Province as an example, the Moran's I index and GIS spatial analysis techniques were used to evaluate the layout of air pollution sources, analyze the spatial variation characteristics of air pollution sources, and propose specific countermeasures to optimize the layout of air pollution sources. Results showed that northern Shaanxi and Guanzhong Plain are the most unsuitable for the distribution of NOx and CO sources, accounting for 13.78% and 21.77% of the total area, respectively. The most suitable area for the distribution of NOx is southern Shaanxi, accounting for 65.77% of the total area, mainly concentrated in Hanzhong and Ankang regions. The most suitable area for the distribution of CO is southern Shaanxi, accounting for 40.97% of the total area, mainly concentrated in Hanzhong and Shangluo regions. The findings of this study could supplement and improve the evaluation of the layout of industrial enterprises in China from technical and methodological aspects, and provide new insight for local governments to adjust and optimize the layout of air pollution sources.

Relationship between social support and fear of cancer recurrence among Chinese cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: To quantitatively analyze the association between social support (SS) and fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) by reviewing current evidence from observational studies. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in nine databases from inception to May 2022. Observational studies that used both SS and FCR as study variables were included. Regression coefficient (ß') and correlation coefficient (r) were calculated with R software. Subgroup analysis was utilized to investigate the degree of the relationship between SS and FCR as well as the impact of various forms of SS on FCR in cancer patients. Results: Thirty-seven studies involving 8,190 participants were identified. SS significantly reduced FCR risk [pooled ß' = -0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.364 to -0.172], with moderate negative correlations (summary r = -0.52, 95% CI = -0.592 to -0.438). Meta-regression and subgroup analysis showed that types of cancer and study type were the source of heterogeneity. However, types of SS [actual SS, perceived social support (PSS), and others], source of actual SS, and source of PSS were not significant moderators. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to quantitatively investigate the association between SS and FCR in Chinese cancer patients using ß' and r coefficients. The results re-emphasized that social workers should enhance the use of SS by cancer patients and establish a sound SS system by either implementing more relevant research or developing targeted policies. Based on meta-regression and subgroup analyses, moderators of the association between SS and FCR should also be studied closely as they may help identify patients in need. In addition, longitudinal research, as well as mixed research, should be conducted to more comprehensively explore the relationship between SS and FCR. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42022332718.

Risk factors for pulmonary infection in elderly patients with acute stroke: A meta-analysis.

Objective: The study aims to systematically evaluate the risk factors of pulmonary infection in elderly patients with acute stroke. Methods: PubMed, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, and four Chinese databases (CNKI, SinoMed, VIP, and Wanfang databases) for studies involving risk factors of pulmonary infection in elderly patients with acute stroke were searched. Then, two researchers independently read the article titles and abstracts to screen the literature, extracted relevant research data, and evaluated the methodological quality. Finally, a meta-analysis was performed. Results: In total, fifteen studies were included, with medium and high-grade quality. Meta-analysis results showed: age [OR = 1.70, 95% CI (1.27, 2.29), P = 0.0004], type of stroke [OR = 1.30, 95% CI (1.21, 1.40), P < 0.00001], conscious disturbance [OR = 2.27, 95% CI (1.44, 3.58), P = 0.0004], dysphagia [OR = 3.24, 95% CI (2.06, 5.12), P < 0.00001], diabetes mellitus [OR = 2.35, 95% CI (1.23, 4.48), P = 0.010], hypertension [OR = 2.05, 95% CI (1.83, 2.31), P < 0.0001], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [OR = 2.69, 95% CI (1.90, 3.81), P < 0.00001], hyperlipidemia [OR = 1.29, 95% CI (1.19, 1.39), P < 0.00001], invasive procedure [OR = 3.37, 95% CI (2.30, 4.94), P < 0.00001], hospital stays [OR = 1.41, 95% CI (1.22, 1.62), P < 0.00001], bedridden time [OR = 1.51, 95% CI (1.36, 1.68), P < 0.00001], and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score [OR = 1.67, 95% CI (1.02, 2.75), P = 0.04] were independent risk factors. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score was not a risk factor. However, the relationship between atrial fibrillation, smoking history, and pulmonary infection in elderly patients with acute stroke needs further proof. Conclusions: Age, type of stroke, conscious disturbance, dysphagia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, COPD, hyperlipidemia, invasive procedure, hospital stays, bedridden time, and NIHSS score were risk factors for pulmonary infection in elderly patients with acute stroke.

Status of work alienation among nurses in China: A systematic review.

Background: Work alienation is a common feeling of estrangement from the work and its context. Nurses are prone to feel alienated due to the high risk of infection, heavy workload, and the persistence of stress at high levels. Work alienation has serious negative outcomes, organizationally as well as personally. In recent years, the issue of work alienation among nurses has received considerable attention in China, but no systematic reviews have yet been published and its epidemiological status among Chinese nurses remains unclear. Objective: To systematically evaluate the status and distribution characteristics of work alienation among nurses in China. Methods: CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, CENTRAL, Wanfang, SinoMed, CNKI, and VIP were searched for cross-sectional studies before 10 January 2022 on the current status of work alienation among nurses. Two investigators independently screened the articles, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of literature bias. Stata16.0 software was used for analysis. Results: A total of 12 studies were included, with 7,265 nurses involved. Meta-analysis results showed that the score of work alienation was 35.43 [95%CI (31.82, 39.04)]. Subgroup analysis showed that the scores of male and female nurses were 37.62 and 35.79 respectively; the scores of junior, undergraduate, and graduate nurses were 34.90, 37.15, and 40.02 respectively; the scores of primary, intermediate, and senior nurses were 36.95, 35.38, and 33.11 respectively; the scores of unmarried and married nurses were 38.59 and 36.70 respectively; the scores of nurses who had worked for 1~ <6 years, 6~10 years, and more than 10 years were 37.46, 36.69, and 32.89 respectively; the scores of nurses with salary <5,000 yuan, 5,000~10,000 yuan, and more than 10,000 yuan were 40.25, 37.19 and 34.52 respectively; and the scores of nurses in emergency department and intensive care units, internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics were 37.25, 38.73, 36.28, and 31.98 respectively. Conclusion: Chinese nurses had a moderate level of work alienation. The scores of nurses in the following categories were quite high: male, higher education levels, low-professional titles, unmarried, shorter clinical working time, lower income, working in internal medicine, and working in the emergency department and intensive care units. Managers should take effective measures as soon as possible to reduce the occurrence of nurses' sense of work alienation. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022298746.

Aloin A prevents ulcerative colitis in mice by enhancing the intestinal barrier function via suppressing the Notch signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies reported that Aloe vera ameliorated DSS-induced colitis and promoted mucus secretion. However, the effect of Aloin A (AA), a major compound of Aloe vera, on colitis and its exact mechanism remains uncovered. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were successively subjected to 3% DSS solution for 5 days and distilled water for 2 days. Concurrently, AA (25, 50 mg/kg) and 5-aminosalicylic (500 mg/kg) were administrated intragastrically from day 1 to day 7. Colitis was evaluated by disease active index (DAI), colon length, inflammation response, and intestinal barrier function. In vitro LS174T cells challenged with 50 ng/ml of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were used to validate the modulatory action of AA on the Notch signaling pathway. RESULTS: Our results showed that oral administration with AA prominently prevented DSS-induced colitis symptoms in terms of decreased DAI, prevention of colon shortening, and reduced pathological damage. AA mitigated the inflammatory response evidenced by the decreased proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6) and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10). Besides, AA inhibited apoptosis and facilitated proliferation in colons. Moreover, AA treatment up-regulated the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins (ZO-1, Occludin) and promoted the secretion of MUC2 to decrease colon permeability. Mechanistically, AA inhibited the Notch pathway to promote the secretion of MUC2, which was consistent with LPS-challenged LS174 cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that AA could prevent colitis by enhancing the intestinal barrier function via suppressing the Notch signaling pathway. Thus, AA might be a prospective remedy for ulcerative colitis.

Epidemiological characteristics of home enteral nutrition in patients from a Chinese tertiary hospital in 2021: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Home enteral nutrition was reported to be a treatment reducing malnutrition rates and improving the rational allocation of medical resources. We aim to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and improved the management of home enteral nutrition. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: 3953 patients with home enteral nutrition were enrolled in West China Hospital, located in Sichuan province, between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. RESULTS: 7238 visit records (3429 females and 3809 males) were included. The median age was 59.0, with the age from 1 to 115. The top two diseases were oncologic disorders (40.3%) and digestive disorders (15.9%). Oral nutritional supplements (86.2%) was the major treatment of home enteral nutrition. The median daily energy intake and daily protein intake were 575.1 kcal and 31.2 g. 25.8%, 39.3%, 34.9% patients choose online clinic (1867), offline clinic (2843) and hospital to home (2528) respectively. Interestingly, 63.6% patients were revisited, and the rate of online clinic, offline clinic and hospital to home was increasingly lower (91.9%, 71.5%, 33.8%) among them, revealing online clinic improving the revisit rate. Most patients lived in Chengdu (60.5%), and 67.4% patients from Chengdu were revisited. The median monthly cost of hospital to home patients (¥ 1863.8) was higher than the total median monthly cost (¥ 1714.5), illustrating the cost may reduce the revisit rate. CONCLUSIONS: Distance, cost and convenience may be the key factors to determine the method of visit and revisit in patients of home enteral nutrition. Online clinic may enhance the patients' follow-up.

Diagnosis of Ectopic Intrathyroidal Parathyroid Adenoma with Nodular Goiter by 18F Fluorocholine: A Case Report.

The occurrence of ectopic intrathyroidal parathyroid adenoma (EPTA) is very rare, which causes some difficulties in diagnosis and complicates treatment. In addition, the occurrence of EPTA with nodular goiter (NG) is rare, which makes diagnosis difficult and requires the assistance of clinical evidence, imaging data, and cytological examination results. Therefore, we present a patient with a final diagnosis of ETPA with NG.

Semaphorin 3D inhibits proliferation and migration of papillary thyroid carcinoma by regulating MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Semaphorin 3D (SEMA3D) plays an important role in the occurrence and development of multifarious cancers. However, the relationship between SEMA3D and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the functions and mechanism of SEMA3D in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). METHODS: The expression of SEMA3D in PTC tissues and cell lines was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to detect the expression of the related proteins. CCK-8 and colony formation assays and Transwell assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation and migration, respectively. A xenograft model was induced to further verify the effect of SEMA3D in vivo. RESULTS: In this study, we found that SEMA3D was downregulated in PTC tissues and PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and BCPAP). The expression level of SEMA3D was significantly related to age (P < 0.01), extrathyroidal extension (P < 0.01), TNM stage (P < 0.01) and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). In vitro experiments showed that overexpression of SEMA3D inhibited the proliferation and migration of TPC-1 and BCPAP cells and that upregulated SEMA3D inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and the expression of the phenotype-related proteins PCNA and MMP2. In addition, SEMA3D overexpression inhibited tumour growth in vivo. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that SEMA3D is significantly downregulated in PTC tissues. SEMA3D inhibits the proliferation and migration of PTC cells and suppresses tumour growth in vivo, possibly partially through the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway, suggesting that SEMA3D may be a reliable molecular marker for the diagnosis and treatment of PTC.

Analysis of DNA methylation in potato tuber in response to light exposure during storage.

Exposure to light induces tuber greening and the accumulation of the toxic alkaloid Solanine in potato (Solanum tuberosum L) during storage greatly reduce tuber value. While the mechanism of this greening process remains unclear, it is well understood that DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating gene expression in response to environmental conditions. In this study, methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism was used to assess the effect of light exposure on DNA methylation during storage of potato tubers. Light-induced genome-wide DNA demethylation and the rate of DNA methylation decreased with long storage times. Following, the sequencing of 14 differentially amplified fragments and analysis using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, eight genomic sequences and six annotated fragment sequences were identified. The latter included ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase 1/2, chlorophyllide a oxygenase 1 (CAO1), receptor-like protein kinase HAIKU2, and repressor of GA4, all of which are involved in starch biosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, endosperm development, and gibberellic acid signaling, respectively. Demethylation was observed in the CpG island (-273 to -166 bp) of the CAO1 promoter in response to light, which further confirmed that the variations in genome methylation are dependent upon the light exposure and suggests a direct role for DNA methylation. Our results provide an epigenetic perspective for further exploring the mechanism of light-induced tuber greening.

Thyroid disease is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the relationship between thyroid diseases and the risk of breast cancer (BC). Clarifying this issue can help medical staff perform of early prevention, diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer patients. METHODS: The meta-analysis combined data from cohort studies and case-control to obtain a comprehensive result of the relationship between thyroid diseases and risk of BC. We comprehensively searched PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The search period was from the establishment of the databases to August 2020. Literature was collected and screened individually by two reviewers. There was English language restriction on the search and unpublished literature was excluded. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of the selected studies prior to data extraction. The data collected included country, author, year of publication, research type, and number of cases. In cases where the data and study heterogeneity permitted, meta-analyses were performed, and odd ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Data were analyzed using the STATA 15.1 software. RESULTS: A total of 21 articles were included in this study. Hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) levels, and thyroid microsomal antibody (TPOAb) levels were all significantly associated with an increased risk of BC, while hypothyroidism was associated with a reduced risk of BC. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis (AITD), and thyroid cancer are significantly associated with an increased risk of BC, while hypothyroidism is associated with a reduced risk of BC.

A retrospective analysis on epidemiological characteristics of home enteral nutrition: results from a Chinese tertiary hospital in 2018.

BACKGROUND: The use of home enteral nutrition (HEN) has increased enormously. HEN has been shown to decrease length of stays, improve clinical outcomes, and increase quality of life. Literature on HEN epidemiology has also sprouted recently. Nevertheless, studies on Chinese HEN users are hardly seen. The objective of this study was thus to describe the epidemiological characteristics of HEN users from a Chinese tertiary hospital in 2018. METHODS: Data were retrospectively analyzed using the personal patient profiles we created upon each HEN initiation. In the year of 2018, 2007 patients and a cumulative total of 3375 episodes were recorded. RESULTS: The median age was 61 (IQR 46-75) years, and 63 (IQR 49-75) for males and 55 (IQR 43-72) for females. The most frequent indication for HEN implementation was oncological diseases (35.8%), followed by digestive diseases (13.4%), and neurological diseases (9.0%). Overall, 90.0% of the episodes were prescribed for oral nutrition supplement (ONS) and 9.5% for tube feeding (TF). Majority (70.8%) of the episodes comprised standard commercial formula. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed some fundamental epidemiological characteristics of Chinese HEN patients. This preliminary single-center study has multiple limitations but still possesses revelatory and referential significance for other Chinese practitioners in the field of HEN. In future, multicenter studies and qualified HEN registries are widely needed in China.

Plasma lipidomic analysis of sphingolipids in patients with large artery atherosclerosis cerebrovascular disease and cerebral small vessel disease.

BACKGROUND: Sphingolipids mainly consist of ceramides (Cer), sphingomyelins (SM) and glycosphingolipids. Sphingolipids are related with coronary heart disease and metabolic disease, but there're few studies about cerebrovascular disease. The purpose was to detect sphingolipids in plasma of patients with large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) cerebrovascular disease and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) to explore the similarities and differences of pathogenesis of the two subtypes. METHODS: 20 patients with LAA cerebrovascular disease, 20 patients with age-related CSVD, 10 patients with Fabry disease and 14 controls were enrolled from October 2017 to January 2019. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadruple-time-of-flight mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry was used to determine sphingolipids. Univariate combined with multivariate analysis was used for comparison. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine sensitivities and specificities. RESULTS: 276 sphingolipids were detected, including 39 Cer, 3 ceramide phosphates, 72 glycosphingolipids and 162 SM. (1) Cer (d36:3), Cer (d34:2), Cer (d38:6), Cer (d36:4) and Cer (d16:0/18:1) were increased in LAA; SM (d34:1), Cer (d34:2), Cer (d36:4), Cer (d16:0/18:1), Cer (d38:6), Cer (d36:3) and Cer (d32:0) were increased in age-related CSVD. (2) Cer (d36:4) and SM (d34:1) were increased in age-related CSVD compared with LAA. (3) Total trihexosyl ceramides were increased in Fabry group compared with control (P<0.05); SM (d34:1) was increased in Fabry group. CONCLUSIONS: Ceramides are increased in both LAA and age-related CSVD, which may be related to similar risk factors and pathophysiological process of arteriosclerosis; SM is increased in both age-related CSVD and Fabry disease, suggesting that increased SM may be associated with CSVD. Glycosphingolipids, trihexosylceramides in particular, are increased in Fabry disease.

Enteral nutrition for severe malnutrition Crohn's disease patient: Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease with indefinite remission and relapse cycles, which can result in a high incidence rate of malnutrition. There has been increasing clinical interest in enteral nutrition (EN) as an adjunct treatment for CD. This report aims to present a case of a severely malnourished CD patient given EN support in combination with conventional infliximab (IFX) treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 42-year-old CD patient with severe malnutrition. She once weighted 27.5 kg (BMI 11.4 kg/m) with hyponatremia, which may cause sudden death at any time. DIAGNOSIS: In this study, the diagnosis of CD made by our gastroenterologist was based on integrating patient symptoms, radiologic findings, and biopsy results. The patient had no differential diagnosis. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received EN support and actively followed up for more than 2 years. The patient also received IFX treatment and four surgeries on an as-needed basis to manage her symptoms. OUTCOMES: The patient's inflammation and symptoms were finally improved by a combination of enteral nutrition and IFX, and her body weight increased to 44 kg. CONCLUSION: The jejunal feeding tube was the starting point of her weight gain and inflammation reduction, which allowed her adequate energy. EN may be a potential complementary therapeutic strategy to manage clinical symptoms of CD and improve severe malnutrition.

Role of daily anal stimulation for intractable functional constipation in infants.

Objective: Functional constipation is one of the most common problems in pediatric gastroenterology. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of daily anal stimulation in infants with intractable functional constipation (IFC). Our evaluation was based on clinical improvement and on changes in manometric parameters through time. Methods: Infants with IFC treated between January 2018 and December 2019 were included in this retrospective study. Treatment processing included daily anal stimulation for infants and psychological counseling for parents. All cases underwent a complete intervention program and were evaluated for improvement in symptoms and for changes in anorectal manometry within 1 year of follow-up. Results: A total of 161 patients were included in this study. Positive response was achieved in all patients. Frequency of defecation, change in stool form and decrease in the defecatory pain were significantly relieved in all infants after intervention. On anorectal manometry, no significant difference was found in the peristaltic frequency of distal rectum before and after treatment. There was a significant increase in the mean amplitude of peristalsis and improvement in the rhythm after intervention. In the 1 year of follow-up, three patients had recurrence of constipation requiring colectomy. Conclusion: In terms of the high clinical efficacy and limited side effects, daily anal stimulation may be included in the initial part of an intervention program for IFC in infants.

Home enteral nutrition may prevent myelosuppression of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to assess the effect of home enteral nutrition (HEN) on the myelosuppression of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) during the course of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: A total of 18 outpatients with NPC administered oral nutritional supplementation intervention at home during the course of CCRT were designated as the HEN group, whereas 36 patients with NPC who had previously completed CCRT were retrospectively included as the control group. Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment, body mass index (BMI), and blood test were evaluated prior to CCRT. During the course of CCRT, blood test was assessed every 2 weeks. RESULTS: In male patients, hemoglobin (HB) and red blood cell were decreased (P < .05) in both HEN and control group after CCRT, whereas white blood cell (WBC) started to decrease since week 2 of CCRT in the control group but maintained in the HEN group which was significantly higher than the control (5.05 ± 1.29 vs 3.77 ± 1.5, P < .05). In female patients, HB and WBC were reduced in control group during CCRT, whereas these indicators also maintained in the HEN group. Surprisingly, all patients with lower BMI (<24 kg/m2 ) had a significant increase in platelet (PLT) after CCRT (200.78 ± 58.03 vs 253.00 ± 69.82, P < .05), while had steady HB and WBC values in the HEN group. At the end of CCRT, WBC and PLT of the HEN group were both higher than those in the control group (5.21 ± 1.07 vs 3.37 ± 1.52), (253.00 ± 69.82 vs 165.57 ± 59.56) (P < .05 for both). Our findings suggest that HEN is effective in preventing myelosuppression during CCRT for patients with NPC. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that HEN is effective in preventing myelosuppression during CCRT for patients with NPC.

Development of an Axiom Sugarcane100K SNP array for genetic map construction and QTL identification.

KEY MESSAGE: An Axiom Sugarcane100K SNP array has been designed and successfully utilized to construct the sugarcane genetic map and to identify the QTLs associated with SCYLV resistance. To accelerate genetic studies in sugarcane, an Axiom Sugarcane100K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array was designed and customized in this study. Target enrichment sequencing 300 sugarcane accessions selected from the world collection of sugarcane and related grass species yielded more than four million SNPs, from which a total of 31,449 single-dose (SD) SNPs and 68,648 low-dosage (33,277 SD and 35,371 double dose) SNPs from two datasets, respectively, were selected and tiled on Affymetrix Axiom SNP array. Most of selected SNPs (91.77%) were located within genic regions (12,935 genes), with an average of 7.1 SNPs/gene according to sorghum gene models. This array was used to genotype 469 sugarcane clones, including one F1 population derived from the cross between Green German and IND81-146, one selfing population derived from CP80-1827, and 11 diverse sugarcane accessions as controls. Results of genotyping revealed a high polymorphic SNP rate (77.04%) among the 469 samples. Three linkage maps were constructed by using SD SNP markers, including a genetic map for Green German with 3482 SD SNP markers spanning 3336 cM, a map for IND81-146 with 1513 SD SNP markers spanning 2615 cM, and a map for CP80-1827 with 536 SD SNP markers spanning 3651 cM. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis identified 18 QTLs controlling Sugarcane yellow leaf virus resistance segregating in the two mapping populations, harboring 27 disease-resistant genes. This study demonstrated the successful development and utilization of a SNP array as an efficient genetic tool for high-throughput genotyping in highly polyploid sugarcane.

Lycopene improves the efficiency of anti-PD-1 therapy via activating IFN signaling of lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Monoclonal antibodies targeting programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) have been developed to treat cancers including lung cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether lycopene could promote the effect of anti-PD-1 treatment on lung cancer. METHODS: Tumor formation assay was conducted. Immune reactions were assessed by detecting several cytokine levels using enzyme-like immunosorbent assay. T cell activity was analyzed using cytometry. The mechanism of lycopene action was investigated using Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and bisulfite sequencing analysis. RESULTS: After the mice injected with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells were sacrificed, we found that combined lycopene and anti-PD-1 reduced the tumor volume and weight compared to control treatment. Cell apoptosis in the tumor tissues was significantly enhanced in mice with combined lycopene and anti-PD-1 treatment in comparison with those of either lycopene or anti-PD-1 alone. Furthermore, lycopene could assist anti-PD-1 to elevate the levels of interleukin (IL)-1 and interferon (IFN) γ while reduce the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in the spleen of mice injected with LLC cells. Lycopene treatment increased the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the spleen and promoted IFNγ-expressing CD8+ T cells in tumor tissues. Upon IFNγ stimulation, lycopene diminished PD-L1 expression via activating JAK and repressing phosphorylation of AKT. CONCLUSION: Our results have demonstrated that lycopene could be used as a potential adjuvant drug to synergistically improve the efficiency of anti-PD-1 therapy.

Target enrichment sequencing of 307 germplasm accessions identified ancestry of ancient and modern hybrids and signatures of adaptation and selection in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), a 'sweet' crop with 'bitter' genomes.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a highly energy-efficient crop primarily for sugar and bio-ethanol production. Sugarcane genetics and cultivar improvement have been extremely challenging largely due to its complex genomes with high polyploidy levels. In this study, we deeply sequenced the coding regions of 307 sugarcane germplasm accessions. Nearly five million sequence variations were catalogued. The average of 98× sequence depth enabled different allele dosages of sequence variation to be differentiated in this polyploid collection. With selected high-quality genome-wide SNPs, we performed population genomic studies and environmental association analysis. Results illustrated that the ancient sugarcane hybrids, S. barberi and S. sinense, and modern sugarcane hybrids are significantly different in terms of genomic compositions, hybridization processes and their potential ancestry contributors. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis showed a large extent of LD in sugarcane, with 962.4 Kbp, 2739.2 Kbp and 3573.6 Kbp for S. spontaneum, S. officinarum and modern S. hybrids respectively. Candidate selective sweep regions and genes were identified during domestication and historical selection processes of sugarcane in addition to genes associated with environmental variables at the original locations of the collection. This research provided an extensive amount of genomic resources for sugarcane community and the in-depth population genomic analyses shed light on the breeding and evolution history of sugarcane, a highly polyploid species.

Comprehensive analysis of aberrantly expressed profiles of lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs with associated ceRNA network in cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly malignant and poorly differentiated bile duct cancer with an extremely poor prognosis, but the pathogenesis of CCA remains not well-known. Attention has been increasingly focused on long noncoding RNAs, which plays an important role in tumorigenesis. However, the roles of cancer specific lncRNA and its related competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network in CCA remain elusive. In this study, we comprehensively integrated expression profiles, including data on mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs obtained from 36 CCA tissues and 9 normal tissues in The Cancer Genome Atlas. 1434 cancer specific lncRNAs, 68 miRNAs and 3538 mRNAs (|logFC|> 1, p< 0.05) were identified. Based on bioinformatics generated from miRcode, starBase, miRTarBase, TargetScan and miRDB, we constructed an lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network (ceRNA network) in CCA. We constructed the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network consisting of 206 molecules and 454 interactions. In addition, we used Cytoscape software to visualize the ceRNA network in WGCNA, 22 mRNA network modules were identified, five of which were significantly related to tumor grade and survival time. Moreover, three lncRNAs COL18A1-AS1, SLC6A1-AS1 and HULC were found to be significantly associated with overall survival. The present study provides novel insight for better understanding of lncRNA-related ceRNA network in CCA and useful resource for identifcation of novel biomarkers of CCA.