[Analysis of related factors influencing the detection rate of mosaic embryo and the pregnancy outcomes with mosaic embryo transfers].

Objective: To explore the related factors influencing the detection rate of mosaic embryo and the pregnancy outcomes of mosaic embryo transfer in preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) based on next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Methods: A retrospective study was performed to analyze the clinical data of patients in 745 PGT-A cycles from January 2019 to May 2023 at Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, including 2 850 blastocysts. The biopsy cells were tested using NGS technology, and the embryos were divided into three groups based on the test results, namely euploid embryos, aneuploid embryos and mosaic embryos. The influence of population characteristics and laboratory-related parameters on the detection rate of mosaic embryo were analyzed, and the pregnancy outcomes of 98 mosaic embryo transfer cycles and 486 euploid embryo transfer cycles were compared during the same period, including clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate. Results: Among the embryos tested (n=2 850), the number and proportion of euploid embryos, aneuploid embryos and mosaic embryos were 1 489 (52.2%, 1 489/2 850), 917 (32.2%, 917/2 850) and 444 (15.6%, 444/2 850), respectively. Among mosaic embryos, 245 (55.2%, 245/444) were segmental mosaic embryos, 118 (26.6%, 118/444) were whole-chromosome mosaic embryos, and 81 (18.2%, 81/444) were complex mosaic embryos. NGS technology was performed in 4 genetic testing institutions and the detection rate of mosaic embryo fluctuated from 13.5% to 27.0%. The distributions of female age, level of anti-Müllerian hormone, PGT-A indications, ovulation-inducing treatments, gonadotropin (Gn) dosage, Gn days, inner cell mass grade, trophectoderm cell grade, genetic testing institutions and developmental stage of blastocyst were significantly different among the three groups (all P<0.05). Multi-factor analysis showed that the trophectoderm cell grade and genetic testing institutions were significantly related to the detection rate of mosaic embryo; compared with the trophectoderm cell graded as A, the detection rate of mosaic embryo was significantly increased in the trophectoderm cell graded as B-(OR=1.59, 95%CI: 1.04-2.44, P=0.033); compared with genetic testing institution a, the detection rate of mosaic embryo was significantly higher (OR=2.89, 95%CI: 2.10-3.98, P<0.001) in the testing institution c. The clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate with mosaic embryos transfer were significantly lower than those of euploid embryos transfer (clinical pregnancy rate: 51.0% vs 65.2%, P=0.008; live birth rate: 39.4% vs 53.2%, P=0.017). After adjustment for age, PGT-A indications, trophectoderm cell grade and days of embryo culture in vitro, the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate with mosaic embryos transfer were significantly lower than those of euploid embryos transfer (clinical pregnancy rate: OR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.32-0.83, P=0.007; live birth rate: OR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.31-0.83, P=0.007). Conclusions: The trophectoderm cell grade and genetic testing institutions are related to the detection rate of mosaic embryo. Compared with euploid embryos transfer, the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate with mosaic embryos transfer are significantly reduced. For infertile couple without euploid embryos, transplantable mosaic embryos could be recommended according to the mosaic ratio and mosaic type in genetic counseling to obtain the optimal pregnancy outcome.

[Characteristics and diagnostic value of serum bile acids profile in pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and asymptomatic hypercholanemia of pregnancy].

Objective: To analyze serum bile acid profiles in pregnant women with normal pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) and asymptomatic hypercholanemia of pregnancy (AHP), and to evaluate the application value of serum bile acid profiles in the diagnosis of ICP and AHP. Methods: The clinical data of 122 pregnant women who underwent prenatal examination in Xuzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from June 2022 to May 2023 were collected, including 54 cases of normal pregnancy group, 28 cases of ICP group and 40 cases of AHP group. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure the levels of 15 serum bile acids in each group, including cholic acid (CA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), lithocholic acid (LCA), ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), glycolcholic acid (GCA), glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA), glycolithocholic acid (GLCA), glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA), taurocholic acid (TCA), taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA). Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to screen differential bile acids. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of differential bile acids and combined indicators between groups. Results: (1) Compared with normal pregnancy group, the serum levels of LCA, GCA, GCDCA, GDCA, GLCA, UDCA, TCA, TCDCA, TDCA, TLCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in ICP group were significantly different (all P<0.05), while the levels of LCA, DCA, GCA, GCDCA, GDCA, GLCA, TCA, TCDCA, TDCA, TLCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in AHP group were significantly different (all P<0.05). Compared with ICP group, the serum levels of CDCA, DCA, UDCA, TDCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in AHP group were significantly different (all P<0.05). (2) In the OPLS-DA model, the differential bile acids between ICP group and AHP group were TUDCA, TCA, UDCA, GUDCA and GCA, and their variable importance in projection (VIP) were 1.489, 1.345, 1.344, 1.184 and 1.111, respectively. TCA, GCDCA, GCA, TDCA, GDCA and TCDCA were the differentially expressed bile acids between AHP group and normal pregnancy group, and their VIP values were 1.236, 1.229, 1.197, 1.145, 1.139 and 1.138, respectively. (3) ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of TUDCA, TCA, UDCA, GUDCA and GCA in the differential diagnosis of ICP and AHP was 0.860, and the sensitivity and specificity were 67.9% and 95.0%, respectively. The AUC of TCA, GCDCA, GCA, TDCA, GDCA and TCDCA in the diagnosis of AHP was 0.964, and the sensitivity and specificity were 95.0% and 93.1%, respectively. Conclusions: There are differences in serum bile acid profiles among normal pregnant women, ICP and AHP. The serum bile acid profiles of pregnant women have potential application value in the differential diagnosis of ICP and AHP and the diagnosis of AHP.

[Spatial and temporal distribution and predictive value of chest CT scoring in patients with COVID-19].

Objective: To explore a modified CT scoring system, its feasibility for disease severity evaluation and its predictive value in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Methods: This study was a multi-center retrospective cohort study. Patients confirmed with COVID-19 were recruited in three medical centers located in Beijing, Wuhan and Nanchang from January 27, 2020 to March 8, 2020. Demographics, clinical data, and CT images were collected. CT were analyzed by two emergency physicians of more than ten years' work experience independently through a modified scoring system. Final score was determined by average score from the two reviewers if consensus was not reached. The lung was divided into 6 zones (upper, middle, and lower on both sides) by the level of trachea carina and the level of lower pulmonary veins. The target lesion types included ground-glass opacity (GGO), consolidation, overall lung involvement, and crazy-paving pattern. Bronchiectasis, cavity, pleural effusion, etc., were not included in CT reading and analysis because of low incidence. The reviewers evaluated the extent of the targeted patterns (GGO, consolidation) and overall affected lung parenchyma for each zone, using Likert scale, ranging from 0-4 (0=absent; 1=1%-25%; 2=26%-50%; 3=51%-75%; 4=76%-100%). Thus, GGO score, consolidation score, and overall lung involvement score were sum of 6 zones ranging from 0-24. For crazy-paving pattern, it was only coded as absent or present (0 or 1) for each zone and therefore ranging from 0-6. Results: A total of 197 patients from 3 medical centers and 522 CT scans entered final analysis. The median age of the patients was 64 years, and 54.8% were male. There were 76(38.8%) patients had hypertension and 30(15.3%) patients had diabetes mellitus. There were 75 of the patients classified as moderate cases, as well as 95 severe cases and 27 critical cases. As initial symptom, dry cough occurred in 170 patients, 134 patients had fever, and 125 patients had dyspnea. Reparatory rate, oxygen saturation, lymphocyte count and CURB 65 score on admission day varied among patients with different disease severity scale. There were 50 of the patients suffered from deterioration during hospital stay. The median time consumed for each CT by clinicians was 86.5 seconds. Cronbach's alpha for GGO, consolidation, crazy-paving pattern, and overall lung involvement between two clinicians were 0.809, 0.712, 0.678, and 0.906, respectively, showing good or excellent inter-rater correlation. There were 193 (98.0%) patients had GGO, 147 (74.6%) had consolidation, and 126(64.0%) had crazy-paving pattern throughout clinical course. Bilateral lung involvement was observed in 183(92.9%) patients. Median time of interval for CT scan in our study was 7 days so that the whole clinical course was divided into stages by week for further analysis. From the second week on, the CT scores of various types of lesions in severe or critically patients were higher than those of moderate cases. After the fifth week, the course of disease entered the recovery period. The CT score of the upper lung zones was lower than that of other zones in moderate and severe cases. Similar distribution was not observed in critical patients. For moderate cases, the ground glass opacity score at the second week had predictive value for the escalation of the severity classification during hospitalization. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.849, the best cut-off value was 5 points, with sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of 75.0%. Conclusions: It is feasible for clinicians to use the modified semi-quantitative CT scoring system to evaluate patients with COVID-19. Severe/critical patients had higher scores for ground glass opacity, consolidation, crazy-paving pattern, and overall lung involvement than moderate cases. The ground glass opacity score in the second week had an optimal predictive value for escalation of disease severity during hospitalization in moderate patients on admission. The frequency of CT scan should be reduced after entering the recovery stage.

[Drugs endocrine therapy improves lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with prostate cancer and analysis of related factors].

Objective: To study the improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms and related influencing factors in patients with prostate cancer complicated with lower urinary tract symptoms after drugs endocrine therapy. Methods: The clinical data of 80 patients with prostate cancer with lower urinary tract symptoms and receiving drug endocrine therapy in Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital from March 2015 to June 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients were followed up, and the mode of administration of the endocrine therapy, the time of administration, and the international prostate symptom score (IPSS2) and quality of life score (QOL2) after treatment were recorded. The improvement of IPSS score and quality of life score after endocrine therapy was observed. The correlation between variance and age, the prostate volume, PSA, tumor stage, Gleason score, symptom severity, medication mode, and medication time were analyzed by variance, chi-square test and paired sample t test. Results: The differences of QOL and IPSS before and after therapy were statistically significant (P<0.05). Chi-square test found that the effective rate of drug endocrine therapy was not related to age (χ2=0.800; P=0.371), tumor stage (χ2=0.094; P=0.759), PSA (χ2=0.651; P=0.420), prostate volume (χ2=0.216; P=0.642), Gleason score (χ2=0.157; P=0.692), symptom severity (χ2=0.457; P=0.499), medication mode (χ2=2.910; P=0.233), and medication time (χ2=4.159; P=0.385). Analysis of variance found that prostate volume and the severity of symptoms was significantly associated with improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms. Conclusions: Drug endocrine therapy can effectively improve the lower urinary tract symptoms of patients with prostate cancer, and the more severe the symptoms and prostate volumeof the patients, the more obvious the improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms. The age, tumor stage, PSA, Gleason score, time and manner of administration were not significantly correlated with improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms.

[Bleeding control of periodontal mechanical therapy for patients taking aspirin].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of periodontal mechanical therapy for chronic periodontitis and coronary heart disease patients with low dose of aspirin. METHODS: Sixty nine chronic periodontitis patients with coronary heart disease were randomly selected as the experimental group (medication group, group A), the control group (withdrawal group, group B) including 20 chronic periodontitis patients with coronary artery disease, stopping the drug for one week and another control group with 50 chronic periodontitis patients (group C). The three groups were examined with pocket probing, and received supragingival scaling, subgingival scaling, and root planning. Local bleeding after operation was observed. In 30 minutes after periodontal mechanical treatment, there was still a need to take some hemostatic measures (containing the oxidized cellulose putting in the periodontal pocket, gauze oppressing, and suturing). Nd:YAG laser was used to stop bleeding 60 minutes after operation. RESULTS: At baseline, there was no significant difference in the three groups, as to the plaque index(PLI), the probing depth (PD), and the attachment loss (AL). The bleeding index (BI)in group A was significantly higher than that in group C (P=0.024), higher than that in group B (P=0.088). The platelet maximum aggregation rate (Agg(max)) was detected in some subjects. The average Agg(max) value group A was 15.2%, which was much greater than that in group B (60.7%) and group C (62.5%). The three groups were all safe in the treatment of periodontal therapy. There were five cases of active bleeding in group A, one case in group B and one case in group C in 30 minutes after operation. In 60 minutes after operation, there was one case of bleeding actively in group A. Nd:YAG laser was used to stop bleeding successfully. CONCLUSION: The chronic periodontitis and coronary heart disease patients with long-term oral administration of low dose of aspirin can be safely treated with periodontal mechanical treatment, and the effect of local hemostasis is positive without stopping the drug.

[Paracondylar-lateral cervical approach for resection of jugular foramen schwannomas: a retrospective analysis of 15 cases].

Objective: To explore the effects of paracondylar-lateral cervical approach for resection of the jugular foramen schwannoma(JFS). Methods: A total of 15 patients with JFS operated via the paracondylar-lateral cervical approach between December 2011 and March 2016 at Department of Neurosurgery in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were retrospectively analyzed. There were 7 males and 8 females, aging from 22 to 77 years with a mean age of (41.9±15.8) years.There were 12 patients who accepted primary surgery, 3 patients who accepted secondary surgery. There were 10 patients with tinnitus or hearing loss, 8 patients with dysphagia, 9 patients with hoarseness, 7 patients with tongue hemiparesis, 8 patients with ataxia, 1 patient with Pyramidal signs, 2 patients with facial hypesthesia or pain, 1 patient with facial paresis. According to Samii JFS grading system, 2 patients were type B, 4 were type C and 9 were type D. All patients were followed-up through outpatient and telephone by MRI in 3, 9, 12 months postoperation. Results: Gross total removal of tumors were achieved in 14 patients and subtotal removal in 1 patient. Two patients had new hoarseness, 2 had new dysphagia and 3 had more serious dysphagia, 1 patient had more serious facial paresis after the operation. There were 2 patients with intracranial infection, 2 with pneumonia, 1 with subcutaneous effusion, 1 with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, 5 with gastric intubation during perioperative period. There were no death, intracranial hematoma and decreased hearing patients. All patients were followed up, the follow-up time were 3 to 33 months with a mean of (26.9±11.2) months. Till to the latest follow up, dysphagia improved in 2 cases, hoarseness and tongue hemiparesis improved in 3 cases, hearing loss and tinnitus improved in 9 cases, balance function improved in 7 cases, facial hypesthesia and pain improved in 2 cases, pyramidal signs disappeared in 1 case, facial nerve function improved to normal in 1 case. There was no recurrence and progressed case. Conclusion: Paracondylar-lateral cervical approach is an alternative approach for both intracranial and extracranial JFS.

[The circumferential decompression by posterior transpedicular osteotomy and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion for thoracic ossification of posterior iongitudinal ligament].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of the circumferential decompression with posterior transpedicular osteotomy and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion for thoracic ossification of posterior Iongitudinal ligament (T-OPLL). METHODS: From May 2012 to June 2015, 16 consecutive patients underwent posterior transpedicular osteotomy and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion.Osteotomy range was depended by length and types of OPLL.Patient's data included level, clinical presentation, blood loss, length of surgery, complications, VAS, JOA, and Frankel grading system before and after the surgery. All data were collected, retrospectively. RESULTS: The follow-up period was (30±19) months (range from 12 to 50 months). The operation time was (261.6±51.3) min (range from 190 to 310 min). The blood loss was (980.3±370.5) ml (range from 600 to 2 100 ml). All patients were well treated with posterior compression and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion.The VAS score was (4.2±0.2) in all patients at a week, improving to (2.7±0.1) points at 3 months, (2.4±0.2) at 1 year, and (2.0±0.1) at last fellow-up.The statistical analysis of the results showed a significant improvement of pain at 3 months (P<0.05) when compared to the preoperative status.The preoperative JOA score was (4.2±1.7) in all patients, improving to (7.8±2.5) points at 3 months, (8.5±2.7) at 1 year, and (9.0±1.0) at last fellow-up.The mean recovery rate for the total JOA score was (72%±8%). Differences in the overall JOA Scores showed significant postoperative improvement.Frankel grade improved by either 1 or 2 grades in 16 patients at the last follow-up.None of the patients showed any signs of instrument migration or failure during follow-up. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the procedure achieved a total resection of the ossified posterior longitudinal ligament.The treatment method with posterior transpedicular osteotomy and circumferential decompression was found to be safe, effective, reliable, and technically feasible.

[Determination of trace cobalt in human urine by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometr].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method to determine cobalt in human urine by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. METHODS: Urine with 2% nitric acid diluted two-fold, to quantify the curve, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric detection. RESULTS: Co was linear within 2.5~40.0 ng/ml with r>0.999. Spike experiment showed that Co received good recovery rate, which was 90.8%~94.8%. Intra-assay precisions were 3.2%~5.1% for Co, inter-assay precisions were 4.4%~5.2% for Co. CONCLUSION: The method by using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometr to determine urine Co was fast, accurate and with low matrix effect. It could meet the requirement in GBZ/T 210.5-2008.

[Determination of trace cobalt and tungsten in human urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method to determine cobalt and tungsten in human urine by ICP-MS. METHODS: Both Co and W were linear within 0.05~10.00 ng/ml with r>0.999. Spike experiment showed that both Co and W received good recovery rate, which were 90%~97%. Intra-assay precisions were 3.2%~5.1% for Co and 2.2%~4.1% for W, inter-assay precisions were 4.4%~5.2% for Co and 3.7%~4.5% for W. CONCLUSION: The method by using ICP-MS to determine urine Co and W was fast, accurate and with low matrix effect. It could meet the requirement in GBZ/T 210.5-2008.

Pressure-Induced Electronic Transition in Black Phosphorus.

In a semimetal, both electrons and holes contribute to the density of states at the Fermi level. The small band overlaps and multiband effects engender novel electronic properties. We show that a moderate hydrostatic pressure effectively suppresses the band gap in the elemental semiconductor black phosphorus. An electronic topological transition takes place at approximately 1.2 GPa, above which black phosphorus evolves into a semimetal state that is characterized by a colossal positive magnetoresistance and a nonlinear field dependence of Hall resistivity. The Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations detected in magnetic field reveal the complex Fermi surface topology of the semimetallic phase. In particular, we find a nontrivial Berry phase in one Fermi surface that emerges in the semimetal state, as evidence of a Dirac-like dispersion. The observed semimetallic behavior greatly enriches the material property of black phosphorus and sets the stage for the exploration of novel electronic states in this material.

Association between the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and risk of cervical carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Numerous studies have evaluated the association between Arg399Gln polymorphism of DNA repair gene XRCC1 and cervical carcinoma risk. However, the specific association is still controversial. To assess the relationship between XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and cervical carcinoma, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of 10 case-control studies with 2051 cervical carcinoma cases and 2919 controls. Meta-analysis results based on all the studies showed a significant association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and cervical carcinoma risk (GlnGln vs ArgArg: OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 0.90-1.85; GlnGln vs ArgGln: OR = 1.15, 95%CI = 0.93-1.43; the dominant model: OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.66-0.99; the recessive model: OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 0.93-1.49). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, the results also showed significant association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and susceptibility to cervical carcinoma in both Caucasian and Asian populations. The Arg399Gln polymorphism in the XRCC1 gene may be related to the increased risk of cervical carcinoma. Conclusive evidence on the effects of the variants in cervical carcinoma should be addressed in further studies.

Retraction Note: MicroRNA-132 promotes neurons cell apoptosis and activates Tau phosphorylation by targeting GTDC-1 in Alzheimer's disease.

The article "MicroRNA-132 promotes neurons cell apoptosis and activates Tau phosphorylation by targeting GTDC-1 in Alzheimer's disease", by D.-Y. Liu and L. Zhang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (19): 8523-8532-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201910_19166-PMID: 31646584 has been retracted by the Editor in Chief. A 2020 investigation by a third party evidenced doubts about the originality of the Western blot figures, which share a similar background, regularly spaced bands, and rounded edges as a set of published papers. A report published by China's Ministry of Science and Technology in 2022 affirmed that upon investigation, it was discovered that instances of proxy investment were present in this paper. The Editor in Chief mistrusts the results and decided, therefore, to withdraw the manuscript for malpractice. The corresponding authors did not respond to journal correspondence about the retraction of this article. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/19166.

Role of low-density lipoprotein in mediating the effect of air pollution on coronary heart disease: a two-step multivariate Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: Air pollution is affecting the health of millions of people all over the world. The causal correlations of PM2.5, PM10, and nitrogen dioxide (NOx), as the main fine particulate matter, and coronary heart disease (CHD) are yet to be explored. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been a principal factor in the pathogenesis of CHD. It is an interesting issue to consider whether LDL mediates the effect of air pollutants in CHD pathogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A genome-wide association study (GWAS) on the European population, followed up from 2010 to 2018, involving over 400,000 participants, was based on a land-use regression model. The annual mean concentrations of major air pollutant particles, PM2.5 (n=423,796), PM10 (n=423,796), and NOx (n=456,380), were recorded. The large GWAS database of CHD covered over ten million SNPs with independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). LDL database collected major biochemical blood parameters from over 400,000 patients (n=440,546). Taken together, we conducted independent two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses for the causality between air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, and NOx) and CHD. Multivariate MR analysis was conducted using causal relationships to determine the direct effects of exposure on outcome. The fixed-effect inverse variance weighted (IVW2) method was mainly employed to assess this relationship, with a confidence interval of 95% for the odds ratio (OR). Also, MR-Egger, weighted median, maximum likelihood ratio method, and random-effects inverse variance-weighted (IVW1) method were adopted as supplementary methods. RESULTS: Two-sample MR results based on the IVW2 method suggested positive correlations between PM2.5 and CHD [OR 1.875 (1.279-2.748), p=0.001], PM10 and CHD [OR 2.586 (1.479-4.523), p=0.001], and NOx and CHD [OR 2.991 (2.021-4.427), p=4.37E-08]. The direct effect and mediating proportion were calculated using multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR). Lastly, the mediating proportions of LDL in the regulatory roles of PM2.5, PM10, and NOx in CHD were 2.82%, 4.73%, and 9.54%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PM2.5, PM10, and NOx share direct causal associations with CHD, and LDL performs a mediating role in this pathogenic process. Early prevention against air pollution (such as increasing green areas and reducing large-scale industrial dust emissions) and early lipid-lowering treatment can effectively prevent the occurrence of CHD.

Effect of hyperoxia on pulmonary SIgA and its components, IgA and SC.

PURPOSE: Oxygen therapy (hyperoxia) is essential for the treatment of some neonatal critical care conditions. The lung is the primary target for the changes induced by hyperoxia. Secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), IgA and secretory component (SC) reflect the local immunity in the respiratory tract induced by hyperoxia. METHODS: The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry staining, Western blot and Real-time PCR were used to detect the levels of cytokines, IgA and SIgA in bronchoalveolar lavage as well as IgA and SC/pIgR in pulmonary tissue. RESULTS: The levels of IgA and SIgA in BAL fluid were gradually increased following neonatal rat development. Compared with air-inhaling group, in the hyperoxia group IgA, SIgA and other cytokines except IL-1 in BAL fluid were significantly elevated on the 3rd, 5th and 7th days, but on the 10th day TNF-α, SIgA and IgA rapidly decreased. In the hyperoxia group, both the protein expression of SC/pIgR and the mRNA expression of SC/pIgR were remarkably increased on the 3rd, 5th and 7th days, but were significantly decreased on the 10th day, respectively. CONCLUSION: The large amount of SIgA, IgA and SC in the early period of hyperoxia might protect the lungs of the neonatal rats against acute pulmonary injury, however, in the late period of hyperoxia, the abruptly drop of SIgA and its component might lead to pulmonary immunity abnormality. In hyperoxia, the increased expression of cytokines might contribute to the expression of IgA and SC.

[Analysis of characteristics of types of primary sexual partners and related factors of not being tested for HIV among men who have sex with men].

Objective: To compare the characteristics of MSM with different types of primary sexual partners and to analyze the factors associated with MSM not being tested for HIV in the last six months. Methods: MSM were recruited in nine cities of Shandong Province from April to July 2021, and face-to-face questionnaires were conducted to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, high-risk behaviors, and HIV testing of MSM. Blood samples were taken for serological tests of HIV and syphilis antibodies. Results: A total of 3 008 men who had anal sex with men in the last six months were divided into three groups according to the type of primary sexual partner in the last six months: the fixed sexual partner group (36.83%, 1 108/3 008), the commercial sexual partner group (3.06%, 92/3 008), and casual sexual partner group (60.11%, 1 808/3 008). There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of age, local residence time, education level, the primary place to find male sexual partners, use of new-type drugs in the last six months, consistent condom use every time during same-sex anal sex in the last six months, group sex in the last six months, no HIV testing in the last six months, having had a sexually transmitted disease in the last year, receiving peer education in the last year, and frequency of syphilis testing in the last year among different groups (P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that related factors of not being tested for HIV in the last six months in MSM were those aged less than 30 years old (aOR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.06-1.83), married/cohabiting (aOR=1.74, 95%CI: 1.39-2.16), high school education or less (aOR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.15-1.67), had not used new-type drugs in the last six months (aOR=2.27, 95%CI: 1.89-2.71), had not received peer education in the last year (aOR=1.59, 95%CI: 1.28-1.98), had never been tested for syphilis (aOR=11.30, 95%CI: 8.15-15.66), had not been tested in the last year but had been previously tested for syphilis (aOR=5.65, 95%CI: 4.19-7.62), the type of primary sexual partner in the last six months being a commercial sexual partner (aOR=1.80, 95%CI: 1.01-3.20), and the type of primary sexual partner in the last six months being a casual sexual partner (aOR=1.50, 95%CI: 1.26-1.80). Conclusions: The characteristics of MSM with different types of primary sexual partners are different, and the proportion of HIV testing still needs to be improved. In the future, we should make full use of the Internet and peer education to expand the coverage of HIV testing for MSM, targeting the characteristics of MSM with different types of primary sexual partners.

[Safety of double and a half layered esophagojejunal anastomosis in radical gastrectomy: A prospective, multi-center, single arm trial].

Objective: To evaluate the safety of double and a half layered esophagojejunal anastomosis in radical gastrectomy. Methods: This prospective, multi-center, single-arm study was initiated by the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University in June 2021 (CRAFT Study, NCT05282563). Participating institutions included Nanyang Central Hospital, Zhumadian Central Hospital, Luoyang Central Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan Polytechnic University, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University, Luohe Central Hospital, the People's Hospital of Hebi, First People's Hospital of Shangqiu, Anyang Tumor Hospital, First People's Hospital of Pingdingshan, and Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) gastric adenocarcinoma confirmed by preoperative gastroscopy;(2) preoperative imaging assessment indicated that R0 resection was feasible; (3) preoperative assessment showed no contraindications to surgery;(4) esophagojejunostomy planned during the procedure; (5) patients volunteered to participate in this study and gave their written informed consent; (6) ECOG score 0-1; and (7) ASA score I-III. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) history of upper abdominal surgery (except laparoscopic cholecystectomy);(2) history of gastric surgery (except endoscopic submucosal dissection and endoscopic mucosal resection); (3) pregnancy or lactation;(4) emergency surgery for gastric cancer-related complications (perforation, hemorrhage, obstruction); (5) other malignant tumors within 5 years or coexisting malignant tumors;(6) arterial embolism within 6 months, such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular accident; and (7) comorbidities or mental health abnormalities that could affect patients' participation in the study. Patients were eliminated from the study if: (1) radical gastrectomy could not be completed; (2) end-to-side esophagojejunal anastomosis was not performed during the procedure; or (3) esophagojejunal anastomosis reinforcement was not possible. Double and a half layered esophagojejunal anastomosis was performed as follows: (1) Open surgery: the full thickness of the anastomosis is continuously sutured, followed by embedding the seromuscular layer with barbed or 3-0 absorbable sutures. The anastomosis is sutured with an average of six to eight stitches. (2) Laparoscopic surgery: the anastomosis is strengthened by counterclockwise full-layer sutures. Once the anastomosis has been sutured to the right posterior aspect of the anastomosis, the jejunum stump is pulled to the right and the anastomosis turned over to continue to complete reinforcement of the posterior wall. The suture interval is approximately 5 mm. After completing the full-thickness suture, the anastomosis is embedded in the seromuscular layer. Relevant data of patients who had undergone radical gastrectomy in the above 12 centers from June 2021 were collected and analyzed. The primary outcome was safety (e.g., postoperative complications, and treatment). Other studied variables included details of surgery (e.g., surgery time, intraoperative bleeding), postoperative recovery (postoperative time to passing flatus and oral intake, length of hospital stay), and follow-up conditions (quality of life as assessed by Visick scores). Result: [1] From June 2021 to September 2022,457 patients were enrolled, including 355 men and 102 women of median age 60.8±10.1 years and BMI 23.7±3.2 kg/m2. The tumors were located in the upper stomach in 294 patients, mid stomach in 139; and lower stomach in 24. The surgical procedures comprised 48 proximal gastrectomies and 409 total gastrectomies. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 85 patients. Other organs were resected in 85 patients. The maximum tumor diameter was 4.3±2.2 cm, number of excised lymph nodes 28.3±15.2, and number of positive lymph nodes five (range one to four. As to pathological stage,83 patients had Stage I disease, 128 Stage II, 237 Stage III, and nine Stage IV. [2] The studied surgery-related variables were as follows: The operation was successfully completed in all patients, 352 via a transabdominal approach, 25 via a transhiatus approach, and 80 via a transthoracoabdominal approach. The whole procedure was performed laparoscopically in 53 patients (11.6%), 189 (41.4%) underwent laparoscopic-assisted surgery, and 215 (47.0%) underwent open surgery. The median intraoperative blood loss was 200 (range, 10-1 350) mL, and the operating time 215.6±66.7 minutes. The anastomotic reinforcement time was 2 (7.3±3.9) minutes for laparoscopic-assisted surgery, 17.6±1.7 minutes for total laparoscopy, and 6.0±1.2 minutes for open surgery. [3] The studied postoperative variables were as follows: The median time to postoperative passage of flatus was 3.1±1.1 days and the postoperative gastrointestinal angiography time 6 (range, 4-13) days. The median time to postoperative oral intake was 7 (range, 2-14) days, and the postoperative hospitalization time 15.8±6.7 days. [4] The safety-related variables were as follows: In total, there were 184 (40.3%) postoperative complications. These comprised esophagojejunal anastomosis complications in 10 patients (2.2%), four (0.9%) being anastomotic leakage (including two cases of subclinical leakage and two of clinical leakage; all resolved with conservative treatment); and six patients (1.3%) with anastomotic stenosis (two who underwent endoscopic balloon dilation 21 and 46 days after surgery, the others improved after a change in diet). There was no anastomotic bleeding. Non-anastomotic complications occurred in 174 patients (38.1%). All patients attended for follow-up at least once, the median follow-up time being 10 (3-18) months. Visick grades were as follows: Class I, 89.1% (407/457); Class II, 7.9% (36/457); Class III, 2.6% (12/457); and Class IV 0.4% (2/457). Conclusion: Double and a half layered esophagojejunal anastomosis in radical gastrectomy is safe and feasible.

Specific humoral reaction of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) patients in China to recombinant nucleocapsid proteins from European hantaviruses.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is endemic in East Asia and Europe. This study was initiated to investigate the reactivity of antibodies in sera of Chinese HFRS patients with the recombinant nucleocapsid proteins (rNPs) of Hantaan virus (HTNV), Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV), and Puumala virus (PUUV), which are the prevalent hantavirus strains in Europe. Forty-eight pairs of acute and convalescent sera were collected from HFRS patients in Hubei, China (1985-2002) and tested by indirect IgG, IgA, and IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with six rNPs of European hantaviruses as coated antigens, respectively. The results showed that the sensitivity of rNPs against IgG was HTNV-rNP > DOBV-rNP > PUUV-rNP, while the sensitivity against IgA was DOBV-rNP > HTNV-rNP > PUUV-rNP. Quantitative analysis revealed both acute and convalescent sera from HFRS patients predominantly exhibit high levels of IgA. Although PUUV-rNPs showed very weak reactivity to the three kinds of immunoglobulins in all samples, three pairs of sera unexpectedly cross-reacted strongly to all three PUUV-rNP subtypes. We first observe that HFRS patients' sera from Hubei Province show new prevalent characteristics of cross-reacting with PUUV-rNPs and continued high level of IgA in convalescent phase, as well as in China.

Circular RNA CircMTO1 suppressed proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma through miR-630/KLF6 axis.

OBJECTIVE: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) could regulate gene expression which may induce tumor occurrence and progression. In the current study, we first investigated the expression of circMTO1 in osteosarcoma, and the underlying mechanism was further elucidated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Circular RNA microarrays were used to identify the differential expression of circRNAs in osteosarcoma tissues and the corresponding normal tissues. qRT-PCR was used to examine the level of circMTO1 in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines. In addition, circMTO1 overexpression was constructed using lentiviral transfection in cell lines. Subsequently, the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), cell migration and invasion, and flow cytometry were used to investigate the effect of circMTO1 on the biological functions of cells. The Western Blot and the recovery experiments were used to explore the potential mechanism. RESULTS: Here, we measured 20 circRNAs which were downregulated in osteosarcoma tissues using circRNA microarray. CircMTO1 expression was decreased in osteosarcoma cell lines. Besides, circMTO1 could inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed that circMTO1 serves as a sponge for miR-630 and KLF6 is a direct target of miR-630. Furthermore, circMTO1 functions through regulation of miR-630/KLF6 axis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests circMTO1 could suppress osteosarcoma progression by regulating miR-630/KLF6 axis, which may highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of these molecules in osteosarcoma treatment.