[Correlation between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons component phenanthrene and clinical indicators in patients on peritoneal dialysis].

Objective: To explore the correlation between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) component phenanthrene and clinical indicators in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Methods: A total of 22 patients who underwent peritoneal dialysis catheterization and regular dialysis in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June to August 2018 were selected. Meanwhile, 18 healthy adults who underwent physical examination were also selected as the control group. Fasting blood samples were taken to detect the concentration of PAHs components for comparison, and the correlation between PAHs components and clinical indicators was further analyzed. Results: There were 22 cases in CAPD group (13 males and 9 females), and aged (45±13) years, while there were 18 cases in control group (6 males and 12 females), and aged (41±13) years. The concentration of blood phenanthrene (PHE) was the highest in CAPD group [0.449 (0.254, 0.581) mg/L], and it was only lower than acenaphthene in the control group [0.081 (0.050, 0.444) mg/L], with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.008). The analysis of PHE and clinical indicators showed that the concentration of PHE in CAPD patients was negatively correlated with weekly urea clearance index (Kt/V), weekly creatinine clearance (Ccr) and leukocyte level, but positively correlated with triglyceride level (r=-0.743, -0.749, -0.655 and 0.610, respectively, all P<0.05). Simple linear regression analysis demonstrated that for every 0.1 mg/L increase in PHE concentration, weekly Kt/V, weekly Ccr and white blood cell count decreased by 0.226, 3.050 L/1.73 m2 and 0.512×109/L, respectively, but triglyceride level increased by 0.152 mmol/L (all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the blood PHE concentration of CAPD patients was negatively correlated with weekly Kt/V and Ccr levels (t=-2.402 and -2.368, respectively, both P<0.05). All CAPD patients were followed up for 3 years, during which 8 patients (36.4%) withdrew from peritoneal dialysis due to technical failure, and the baseline PHE concentration was higher than that of patients who did not quit peritoneal dialysis [0.572 (0.416, 0.662) vs 0.268 (0.120, 0.475) mg/L, P=0.003]. Eight patients (36.4%) had cardiovascular events, and the baseline blood PHE concentration was higher than that of patients without cardiovascular events [0.542 (0.389, 0.741) vs 0.373 (0.157, 0.545) mg/L, P=0.045]. Conclusion: PHE correlates with clinical indicators of CAPD patients, including Kt/v, Ccr, leukocyte and triglyceride.

[Influential factors of non-motor symptoms prognosis in Parkinson's disease patients undergoing deep brain stimulation].

Objective: To investigate the effects of electrode activated contact location, volume of tissue activated (VTA) and age on non-motor symptoms, such as emotional symptoms and cognitive function, in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS). Methods: PD patients who underwent DBS of subthalamic nucleus (STN) at the Department of Functional Neurosurgery of Beijing Tiantan Hospital from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2022 were retrospectively enrolled. The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Mini-Mental State Examination Scales (MMSE) were used at the preoperative, 1-month and 12-month postoperative time points. In this study, patients were divided into middle-aged (age<60 years,n=39) and elderly (age≥60 years,n=62) groups to investigate the effect of age factor on the clinical outcome of surgery. Lead-DBS software was used to convert the patients' electrode reconstruction results into Montreal standard space, and the patients were divided into sensorimotor(n=43) and combined groups(n=53) according to the distribution of activation contact locations in the subzones of the STN. In addition, the patients were divided into a cognitive improvement group(n=57)and a cognitive deterioration group(n=44) based on the results of MoCA at 12 months. The positional information of the electrode activation contacts was collected and the VTA was calculated to analyze the effects on electrode activation electroshock location and activated tissue volume on patients' non-motor symptoms. Results: A total of 101 patients with PD were enrolled, including 46 males and 55 females, aged (62.6±8.4) years. Middle-aged patients had significantly higher MoCA scores, delayed recall scores, attention scores, and naming scores than older patients at 12 months postoperatively (all P<0.05). At 12-month follow-up, the improvement rate of MoCA score, HAMA score and HAMD score were -1.77%±20.36%, 39.65%±42.91% and 36.23%±45.45% respectively in sensorimotor group. At 12-month follow-up, the improvement rate of MoCA score, HAMA score and HAMD score was 11.69%±22.24%, 16.62%±68.10% and 2.30%±95.04% respectively in the combined group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (MoCA: P=0.002; HAMA: P=0.040; HAMD: P=0.033) The distribution of VTA in the sensory motor area and marginal area of the left hemisphere STN in patients with improved cognitive function was significantly smaller than that in the deterioration group [(60.53±52.04)mm³vs (84.55±61.00)mm³, P=0.035; (41.81±33.36)mm³vs (59.05±45.46)mm³, P=0.030]. Conclusion: The effect of STN-DBS on emotional symptoms and cognitive function in PD patients is influenced by various factors and is closely related to the patient's age, electrode activation contact location and VTA.

[Mutation characteristics of osteosarcoma: a single center study of 64 cases using next-generation sequencing].

Objective: To investigate the distribution and characteristics of gene mutations in osteosarcoma, and to analyze the frequency and types of detectable mutations, and to identify potential targets for individualized treatment of osteosarcoma. Methods: The fresh tissue or paraffin-embedded tissue samples of 64 cases of osteosarcoma that were surgically resected or biopsied and then subject to next generation sequencing, were collected from Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, China from November 2018 to December 2021. The tumor DNA was extracted to detect the somatic and germline mutations using targeted sequencing technology. Results: Among the 64 patients, 41 were males and 23 were females. The patient age ranged from 6 to 65 years with a median age of 17 years, including 36 children (under 18 years old) and 28 adults. There were 52 cases of conventional osteosarcoma, 3 cases of telangiectatic osteosarcoma, 7 cases of secondary osteosarcoma, and 2 cases of parosteosarcoma. The detection rate of gene mutations was overall 84.4% (54/64). There were 324 variations in 180 mutated genes, including 125 genes with copy number variations, 109 single nucleotide variants, 83 insertions or deletions, and 7 gene fusions. The most common mutated genes were TP53, VEGFA, CCND3, ATRX, MYC, RB1, PTEN, GLI1, CDK4 and PTPRD. Among them, TP53 had the highest mutation rate (21/64, 32.8%), single nucleotide variant was the main mutation type (14/23, 60.9%), and 2 cases carried the TP53 germline mutation. VEGFA and CCND3 showed copy number amplification simultaneously in 7 cases. Conclusions: The high-frequency mutation of TP53 suggests that it plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of osteosarcoma. VEGFA, CCND3 and ATRX are mutated genes in osteosarcoma and worthy of further studies. Combination of pathologic diagnosis and next generation sequencing with clinical practice can guide individualized treatment for patients with refractory, recurrent and metastatic osteosarcoma.

[Associations between early onset of puberty and obesity types in children: Based on both the cross-sectional study and cohort study].

OBJECTIVE: To explore and analyze the relationship between early onset of puberty and different types of obesity in children, by combining large sample cross-sectional survey data with long-term longitudinal cohort data, so as to provide clues for further clarifying the health hazards of early onset of puberty and obesity prevention and control. METHODS: The research data were from the cross-sectional survey data of seven provinces(autonomous regions, municipalities) in China and the cohort data of adolescent development in Xiamen. The study first found the association between early onset of puberty and obesity by Logistic regression on the cross-sectional data, and then used Poisson regression to analyze the association between early puberty initiation and various types of obesity risk. RESULTS: In the study, 43 137 and 1 266 children were included in the cross-sectional survey and cohort survey respectively. The cross-sectional study found that among the girls aged 10-13 years, compared with the girls of the same age who did not start puberty, the body mass index (BMI)-Z score of the girls in the puberty start group was 0.5-0.8 higher, and the waist circumference Z score was 0.4-0.7 higher, and the risk of various types of obesity was higher. At the same time, the early onset of puberty was positively correlated with simple obesity, central obesity and compound obesity, the OR (95%CI) were 1.86 (1.42-2.44), 1.95 (1.65-2.32) and 1.86 (1.41-2.45), respectively. No significant association was found in boys. According to the cohort data, in girls, the risk of simple obesity was 6.00 times [RR (95%CI): 6.00 (1.07-33.60)], the risk of central obesity was 3.30 times [RR (95%CI): 3.30 (1.22-8.92)], and the risk of compound obesity was 5.76 times [RR (95%CI): 5.76 (1.03-32.30)], compared with the group without early puberty initiation, while no association between early puberty initiation and obesity was found in boys. CONCLUSION: Based on the cross-sectional survey and longitudinal cohort survey, it is confirmed that the early onset of puberty in girls may increase the risk of simple obesity, central obesity and compound obesity, while there is no significant correlation between puberty onset and obesity in boys.

[Efficacy analysis of high-sensitivity troponin I concentration and its changes in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction].

Objective: To explore the feasibility and accuracy of 0-1 h high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) concentration and its changes in judging non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and to investigate the feasibility of a simplified process. Methods: Patients with acute chest pain and suspected NSTEMI who were admitted to the emergency department of Fuwai Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Nanjing First Hospital from January 2017 to September 2020 were selected. Hs-cTnI test was carried out for the selected patients at the time of visit (0 h) and 1 h after visit. According to the 0-1 h hs-cTnI diagnostic process and threshold standard recommended by European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines in 2015, the laboratory adjudication was determined. Cardiologists who did not participate in the project design and did not know the results of hs-cTnI test performed the clinical judgment according to the routine diagnosis and treatment process of emergency department. Taking clinical judgment as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficacy of 0-1 h hs-cTnI concentration and its change recommended by the guidelines for judging NSTEMI in Chinese population was analyzed. The guide process was simplified. Under the condition of not considering the time of chest pain, the guideline threshold was used for test and judgement, and the diagnostic efficacy of the simplified process was evaluated. Results: A total of 1 534 patients were enrolled in the study, aged (62±12) years and 952 (62.1%) patients were male. Among them, 402 patients (26.2%) were clinically diagnosed as NSTEMI and 1 132 patients (73.8%) were diagnosed as non-NSTEMI. According to the diagnosis and determination process recommended by the guidelines, NSTEMI was excluded in 672 patients (42.8%), and 464 patients (30.2%) were diagnosed as NSTEMI. The consistency rate with clinical determination reached 92.4% (1 050/1 136), the sensitivity of excluding diagnosis was 99.5% (95%CI: 98.0%-99.9%), the negative predictive value was 99.7% (95%CI: 98.8%-99.9%), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.008 (95%CI: 0.002-0.335). The diagnostic specificity was 92.6% (95%CI: 90.9%-94.0%), the positive predictive value was 81.9% (95%CI: 78.0%-85.2%), and the positive likelihood ratio was 12.739 (95%CI: 10.356-15.670). According to the simplified process, NSTEMI was excluded in 675 patients (44.0%), and 463 patients (30.2%) were diagnosed as NSTEMI. The consistency rate with clinical judgment was 92.4% (1 051/1 138), the sensitivity of exclusion diagnosis was 99.3% (95%CI: 97.6%-99.8%), the negative predictive value was 99.6% (95%CI: 98.6%-99.9%), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.012 (95%CI: 0.004-0.389). The diagnostic specificity was 92.6% (95%CI: 90.9%-94.0%), the positive predictive value was 81.9% (95%CI: 78.0%-85.2%), and the positive likelihood ratio was 12.705 (95%CI: 10.328-15.630). There was no significant difference in diagnostic efficacy between the simplified process and the recommended process (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The diagnostic process for judging NSTEMI according to the 0-1 h hs-cTnI concentration and its change criteria recommended by the 2015 ESC guidelines is applicable in the Chinese population and remains highly accurate in judging NSTEMI without considering the duration of chest pain at the time of presentation.

Tunable spin Hall shift of light from graphene-wrapped spheres.

Graphene has taken impressive roles in light manipulation and optical engineering. The most attractive advantage of graphene is its tunable conductivity that could be dynamically modulated by various means. In this paper, we show that the spin Hall shift of light is dynamically tunable via changing the Fermi level of the graphene-wrapped spheres. Such tunability is prominent when different modes interfere with each other, such as at the interference of electric and magnetic dipolar modes or at the interference of electric dipolar and electric quadrupole modes. The circular polarization degree in the near field clearly demonstrates the strength of spin-orbit interaction, which is associated with spin Hall shift of light in the far-field. In addition, the spin Hall effect is shown in far-field detection plane and should be observed in experiment. Our results provide insights into how the spin Hall effect could be tuned and add new perspective in designing optical super-resolution imaging techniques.

[Analysis on the law of height growth spurt in adolescence of children and adolescents in Zhongshan City].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of the age at peak height velocity and peak height velocity of primary and middle school students in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, and to explore the law of the sudden increase in adolescent height in this area, and to understand the law of height growth spurt in adolescence by longitudinal tracking of the height of children and adolescents in Zhong-shan City. METHODS: Based on the physical examination database of primary and middle school students in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province from 2005 to 2016, individuals who had been continuously tracked for more than 6 times were selected as research samples. SITAR model was used to fit the height data of the sample population, and the age at peak height velocity and peak height velocity were calcula-ted. RESULTS: A total of 49 579 subjects were included in this study, including 26 524 boys and 26 008 urban students. The median follow-up ages of boys and girls were 7.74 and 7.72 years, respectively. The boy's height spurt peak age was (12.72±0.89) years, and later than the girls at the age of (10.98±0.95) years (t=207.639, P < 0.001), the boy's height spurt peak velocity of (10.12±1.49) cm/year, higher than the girls of (8.35±1.12) cm/year (t=150.826, P < 0.001). The gender differences of height spurt peak age and height spurt peak speed in urban and rural students were consistent with the whole sample. The height surge peak age of urban male students was earlier than that of rural male students, and the height surge peak speed of urban female students was lower than that of rural female students. CONCLUSION: The peak age of the surge of girls was earlier than that of boys, but the peak rate of the surge of girls was lower than that of boys, the peak age of urban students was earlier than that of rural students, but the peak rate of urban boys was lower than that of rural boys in Guangdong Province.

[Application of traction metal clip with fishhook-like device in endoscopic resection].

From July 2020 to June 2021, patients in Jiangyin Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University who met the enrollment criteria were treated with the fishhook-like device during the operation to suture the postoperative wound (group A). Patients with similar conditions and similar size wounds who were treated with a "purse-string suture" to suture the wounds were retrospectively analyzed as the control group (group B). Difference in the suture rate, adverse events, time required for suturing, and number of metal clips were compared between the two groups. The time required for suturing was (7.83±2.41) min in group A and (11.00±3.31) min in group B. The difference was statistically significant (P=0.002). The number of metal clamps used in group A averaged 7.17 pieces/case, and the number of metal clamps used in group B averaged 7.06 pieces/case. The difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05).The traction metal clip with the fishhook-like device is ingeniously designed and easy to operate. It has a good suture effect on the wound after endoscopic resection and effectively prevents postoperative adverse events.

[Research progress on antibody-dependent enhancement in infectious diseases].

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) refers to the process in which some virus-specific antibodies (generally non-neutralizing antibodies) bind to the virus and bind to some cells expressing FcR on the surface through their Fc segment, thereby mediating the endocytosis and replication of the virus and enhancing the infection of the virus. This review summarized experience of ADE in respiratory syncytial virus, dengue virus, influenza virus infection and explored the possible mechanism of COVID-19 high incidence and severity of the disease, which implied challenges in the process of vaccine development and provided some insights for COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Oridonin Enhances the Anti-Metastasis Effect of Oxaliplatinliplatin on Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis.

The anti-metastasis effect of oridonin in combination with oxaliplatin on colorectal cancer liver metastasis was studied using a BALB/c nude mouse model. The liver condition, bloody ascites, cholestasis, and liver metastasis scores in the three groups receiving oxaliplatin combined with oridonin were significantly milder than in the control group and importantly the anti-migratory effect of oxaliplatin combined with oridonin was obviously the strongest (p<0.05). Oridonin possessed no hepatotoxicity; instead, it effectively alleviated liver injury caused by oxaliplatin. Oridonin alone or in combination with oxaliplatin significantly decreased serum levels of α-fetoprotein and carcinoembryonic antigen. Therefore, oridonin combined with oxaliplatin displays great potential to markedly increase the anti-metastasis effect of oxaliplatin in the treatment of liver metastases of colorectal cancer.

[Efficacy of drug coated balloon versus conventional balloon in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions: a meta-analysis].

Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of drug coated balloon (DCB) versus conventional balloon in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions. Methods: The databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of science, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang database, VIP, China Biology Medicine disc, Chinese clinical trial registry, American clinical trial registry and cardiovascular related websites until September 2020 were retrieved for collecting the randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing DCB versus conventional balloon in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk assessment tool. The meta-analysis was performed by using Revman 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software. Results: Seven RCTs with a total of 613 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Among the included studies, 4 articles reached the low risk of bias, and the other 3 articles reached the medium risk of bias. The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the major adverse cardiac events (RR=0.65, 95%CI 0.39-1.08, P=0.10), myocardial infarction (RR=0.68, 95%CI 0.25-1.80, P=0.43), target lesion revascularization (RR=0.94, 95%CI 0.53-1.67, P=0.83) between DCB group and conventional balloon group. Late lumen loss of side branch was less in the DCB group than that in the conventional balloon group (WMD=-0.25, 95%CI -0.41--0.09, P<0.01) and the risk of side branch restenosis was also lower in the DCB group than that in the conventional balloon group (RR=0.47, 95%CI 0.22-0.98, P<0.05). However, subgroup analysis showed that the conclusions of domestic studies and foreign studies on late lumen loss and side branch restenosis were inconsistent. The meta-analysis based on domestic literature showed that the risk of side branch restenosis after DCB treatment was lower compared with conventional balloon group (RR=0.29, 95%CI 0.15-0.57, P<0.05), while this parameter derived from foreign literatures remained unchanged between two groups (P=0.53). The meta-analysis results of domestic literature showed that late lumen loss in DCB group was less than that in conventional balloon group (WMD=-0.32, 95%CI -0.51--0.13, P<0.05), but this phenomenon was not observed in foreign literatures (P=0.30). Conclusions: The use of DCB in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions has the potential to reduce the rate of restenosis and late lumen loss of side branch compared with conventional balloon group. However, due to the limitation on quantity, quality and results of published studies, more high-quality and large scale RCTs are still needed to confirm these findings.

[The impact of occupational aluminum exposure on workers' overall cognitive function and various cognitive fields].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of occupational aluminum exposure on workers' overall cognitive function and cognitive fields. Methods: From July to August 2019, using the method of cluster sampling, 101 and 117 workers were selected from the electrolytic aluminum workshop of an aluminum plant in a region and the maintenance workshop of a plant in the same region. The venous blood of the subjects was collected, the plasma was extracted, and the blood aluminum concentration was measured by ICP-MS. According to the blood aluminum concentration and type of work, 93 workers who were lower than the median blood aluminum concentration and in the maintenance workshop of a factory were divided into low aluminum exposure group, and 85 workers who were higher than the median blood aluminum concentration and in the electrolytic aluminum workshop of an aluminum factory were divided into high aluminum exposure group. The basic information of the respondents, was collected through the employee physical examination form. The overall cognitive function of workers was evaluated by Beijing Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) . Multiple linear regression analysis and logistic regression analysis were used for multiple statistical analysis. Results: Compared with the low aluminum exposure group (25.42±1.808) , the total score of MoCA in the high aluminum exposure group (23.84±2.919) was significantly lower, and the scores of visual space, executive function, abstract and delayed recall were significantly lower (P<0.05) . Linear regression analysis showed that the total score of MoCA, visual space and executive function, naming and delayed recall were negatively correlated with blood aluminum concentration (ß=-0.018、-0.008、-0.003、-0.008, P<0.05) .MOCA total score, visual space and executive function, attention, language, abstraction, orientation were positively correlated with educational level (ß=0.853、0.310、0.216、0.171、0.412、0.122, P<0.05) . Logistic regression analysis showed that adjusting for age, smoking, drinking and education, blood aluminum was a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment (OR=1.017, P<0.05) ; Education level was the protective factor of mild cognitive impairment (OR=0.419, P<0.05) . Conclusion: Occupational aluminum exposure can affect the overall cognitive function of workers, and occupational aluminum exposure increases the risk of MCI.

[Targeted binding of rs1053005 locus of STAT3 with miR-452-3p and the association between STAT3 gene polymorphism and noise-induced hearing loss].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between rs1053005 of signal conversion and transcription activator 3 (STAT3) and miR-452-3p, and the association between STAT3 gene polymorphism and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) . Methods: In December 2017, 1220 workers were selected from an automobile manufacturing factory, an energy company and a chemical fiber factory in Jiangsu Province who had occupational noise exposure and working age of more than 3 years. The workers with the mean hearing threshold of ≥26 dB (A) of the two ear high frequency (3000, 4000 and 6000 Hz) were defined as case group (n=609) , and the rest were control group (n=611) . Five single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites of STAT3 (rs4796793, rs1053023, rs1053005, rs1053004 and rs3744483) were selected to explore the association between STAT3 gene polymorphism and NIHL by analyzing the points. The double luciferase reporter gene verified whether miR-452-3p was targeted to bind STAT3, and overexpressed miR-452-3p in HEI-OC1 cells to explore the mechanism of STAT3 expression regulation. Results: There was no significant difference in gender, age, smoking and drinking between the two groups (P>0.05) . Compared with the control group[ (15.58±4.76) dB], the mean hearing threshold of the case group [ (37.50±12.39) dB] was higher, and the difference were statistically significant (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the C alleles of rs1053023 and rs1053005 were higher in the case group (OR=1.367, 1.370, P<0.05) . The risk of NIHL in men with TC/CC genotype were 1.545 and 1.531 times higher than that in men with TT genotype (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the mRNA expression of STAT3 in the case group was significantly increased (P<0.05) . The STAT3 mRNA expression of miR-452-3p group cells was significantly decreased (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The rs1053023 and rs1053005 polymorphism of STAT3 are related to NIHL. The C alleles of rs1053023 and rs1053005 may be biomarkers of workers exposed to noise.

Topologically-tuned spin Hall shift around Fano resonance.

The topological magnetoelectric effect is associated with the photonic spin-orbit interaction. However, due to the proportionate fine structure constant of the topological term, the topological magnetoelectric effect is usually weak. In this paper, we demonstrate that the axion term enables manipulation of the spin Hall shift of light around Fano resonance. And, the excited surface plasmon near the nanoparticle's interface could enhance the topological magnetoelectric effect for several orders. Numerical simulation of near field and far-field scattering confirms our theoretical results. Our work may pave the way to exploit the topological magnetoelectric effect in practical applications, such as optical sensing and nanoprobing.

Realizing optical bistability and tristability in plasmonic coated nanoparticles with radial-anisotropy and Kerr-nonlinearity.

We theoretically study the optical bistability and tristability in plasmonic coated nanospheres containing the nonlinear plasmonic shell and the dielectric core with radial anisotropy. Based on self-consistent mean-field approximation, we establish the relationship between the local field in the shell and the applied incident field, taking into account the Lorentz local field. One or two optical bistabilities and even optical tristability can be observed. Especially, there are two critical geometric parameters between which two optical bistabilities exist. Physically, two optical bistablities result from the excitations of two surface plasmonic resonant modes in the inner and outer interfaces of coated nanospheres, which are well reflected from the spectral representation with two poles. Moreover, the involvement of the radial anisotropy is quite essential to realize the optical tristability. Further discussion on the field-induced tuning of the reflectance reveals the macroscopic properties of this nonlinear optical structure, which provides a potential candidate for designing multi-stable optical devices at the nanoscale.

Construction of CTC-ALK gene fusion detection system based on the multi-site magnetic separation in lung cancer and its clinical verification.

Detected in a variety of solid tumors, including lung cancer, the EML4-ALK fusion gene plays an important role in promoting the occurrence and development of cancer. The existing detection methods for EML4-ALK fusion gene are all targeted at surgical or post-sampling tumor tissues, which cannot achieve early detection and real-time monitoring; therefore, a minimally invasive ALK gene fusion detection system is explored and constructed. Vimentin, EpCAM, and EGFR antibodies were grafted, respectively, to prepare multi-site immunoliposome magnetic beads, so as to capture CTC in blood for RT-PCR detection, and then the feasibility of this method was verified by detecting the positive rate of the EML4-ALK fusion gene and clinical information in combination with WB and IHC. The prepared multi-site immunoliposome magnetic beads showed high specificity and stability, and the average proliferation rate and capture rate of cells were 95% and 85%, respectively. In clinical blood samples, the CTC level of the grade I (G1) patients before the operation was lower than grade 2 (G2), and that of grade II (G2) was significantly lower than grade III (G3), but the difference was not significant after the operation. The RT-PCR results of CTC and the RT-PCR, WB, and IHC results of tissues were highly consistent in the fusion gene detection, and the positive rate of ALK gene fusion in 60 lung cancer patients was 31.67% and 28.33% before and after the operation, mostly EML4-ALK (V3) gene fusion. The CTC-ALK gene fusion detection system constructed successfully could avoid the problem of difficult sampling and post-sampling complications, and truly achieve the minimally invasive biopsy, so it was of important clinical significance for the diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of lung.

Research on function and mechanisms of a novel small molecule WG449E for hypertrophic scar.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scars are complications of severe wound healing characterized by excessive fibrosis associated with aberrant function of fibroblasts. However, no available drugs can be utilized to effectively treat these scars. The transforming growth factor ß (TGFß) signalling pathway regulates collagen synthesis and plays an important role in scar formation. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the anti-scar effects of TGFß inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Col1α2-luciferase reporter assay was used to screen the compounds suppress type I collagen gene transcription. Sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay and colony formation assay were used to test the compound's effect on cell proliferation. Wound healing and transwell assay were performed to test the cell migration and invasion. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and Q-PCR assay were used to determine the protein and mRNA levels. 3D cell contraction assay was used to examine the cell contraction. Flow cytometry was performed to analyse cell apoptosis. Masson stain, H&E stain and immunochemistry were used to analyse the scar formation in vivo. RESULTS: WG449E, as one of the most potent inhibitors, was identified to significantly downregulate the mRNA and protein levels of collagen in hypertrophic scar-derived fibroblasts through inhibiting Smad2/3 phosphorylation. WG449E inhibited the proliferation, migration and contraction of fibroblasts in vitro and in vivo. In addition, WG449E induced cell apoptosis through the activation of cleaved-caspase3. Moreover, WG449E significantly attenuated hypertrophic scar formation and collagen deposition in a mechanical load-induced mouse model. CONCLUSIONS: WG449E is a potential candidate for the treatment of hypertrophic scars.WG449E downregulates the mRNA and protein levels of collagen in hypertrophic scar-derived fibroblasts through inhibiting Smad2/3 phosphorylation and nucleic localization. WG449E blocks HSF migration and invasion by regulating F-actin assignment. In addition, WG449E induces HSF apoptosis through the activation of cleaved-caspase3.

Effect of Lonicera japonica extract on lactation performance, antioxidant status, and endocrine and immune function in heat-stressed mid-lactation dairy cows.

Here, we examined the effects of Lonicera japonica extract (LJE) on lactation performance, antioxidant status, and endocrine and immune function in heat-stressed mid-lactation dairy cows. Twenty-four healthy Chinese Holstein mid-lactation dairy cows, all with similar milk yield (30.0 ± 1.0 kg/d), parity (2.5 ± 0.3), and days in milk (105 ± 5 d) were allocated to 4 groups using a randomized complete block design: a negative control group (without LJE supplementation; CON) and groups that received LJE at 14, 28, and 56 g/d. The experiment lasted 10 wk over a hot summer, with a pre-feeding period of 2 wk. Cows were exposed to heat stress, as the average temperature-humidity index was greater than 72. The results showed that LJE had no effect on respiration rate; however, it reduced the rectal temperature of dairy cows experiencing heat stress in both a linear and quadratic manner; the lowest (39.03°C) was recorded for the LJE-28 group, lower than the CON group. Supplementation with LJE did not affect dry matter intake, milk yield, or milk composition. The majority of biochemical parameters in serum were unaffected by supplementation with different amounts of LJE; the exception was creatinine, which was reduced quadratically. Compared with the CON group, serum triiodothyronine concentrations increased significantly in the LJE-28 group. Addition of LJE to the diet increased thyroxine concentrations quadratically; values peaked at 18.62 ng/mL in the LJE-28 group. Furthermore, supplementation with increasing amounts of LJE quadratically increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity in serum but decreased concentration of malondialdehyde. Although we detected no differences in the concentrations of IgA, IgM, or cytokines, dairy cows in the LJE-28 group had higher IgG and IL-4 concentrations than did cows in the CON group. Supplementation with LJE increased concentrations of IgG and IL-4 in the serum quadratically but decreased that of IL-2. Finally, heat shock protein 72 concentrations in the serum tended to fall quadratically as the amount of LJE increased. In summary, LJE had no negative effects on lactation performance but helped to alleviate heat stress by improving antioxidant status and promoting endocrine and immune functions. Supplementation with LJE at 28 g/d is recommended for lactating dairy cows experiencing heat stress during hot summers.

[Analysis of the correlation between lymphocyte subsets and severity of corona virus disease 19].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the differences in lymphocyte subsets in patients with different clinical classifications of corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19). METHODS: Eighty-one patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to the isolation ward under the responsibility of three medical aid teams in the Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, from February 8, 2020 to March 28, 2020, were selected to collect clinical data. According to the relevant diagnostic criteria, the disease status of the patients was classified into moderate cases (n=35), severe cases (n=39) and critical cases (n=7) when lymphocyte subset testing was performed. Their blood routine tests, lymphocyte subsets and other indicators were tested to compare whether there were differences in each indicator between the patients of different clinical classification groups. RESULTS: The differences in the absolute count of total lymphocytes, T-lymphocytes, CD4+T-lymphocytes, CD8+T-lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells among the three groups of patients were all statistically significant (P < 0.05), and the critical cases were significantly lower than the moderate and severe cases in the above indicators, and the indicators showed a decreasing trend with the severity of the disease. In 22 patients, the six indicators of the absolute count of T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, CD4+T-lymphocytes, CD8+T-lymphocytes and NK cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio were all within the normal reference range in the first test, and 59 patients had abnormalities of the above indicators, with the absolute count of NK cells and CD8+ T lymphocytes decreasing most frequently (61%, 56%). The patients with the absolute count of NK cells and CD8+ T lymphocytes below the normal reference range were one group, and the remaining abnormal patients were the other group. There were more critical cases in the former group (moderate : severe : critical cases were 4 : 8 : 7 vs. 19 : 21 : 0, respectively, P=0.001), and all the deaths were in this group (6 cases vs. 0 case, P=0.001). The absolute B lymphocyte count was below the normal reference range in 15 patients, and the remaining 64 cases were within the normal range. The ratio of moderate, severe and critical cases in the reduced group was 4 : 7 : 4, and the ratio of critical cases was more in normal group which was 30 : 31 : 3, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P=0.043). CONCLUSION: The more critical the clinical subtype of patients with COVID-19, the lower the absolute count of each subset of lymphocytes.

[Features of gut microbiota in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease].

Objectives: To investigate whether the fecal microbiome of Parkinson's disease patients differs from that of healthy population and explore the pathogenesis and new treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Methods: A total of 30 patients diagnosed as idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD group) in Beijing Friendship Hospital between April 2017 and June 2018 were enrolled and 30 healthy controls (NC group) were recruited at the same time.Medical records and score of unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) were collected and fresh fecal samples were obtained and stored in refrigerator (-80℃). The microbial compositions of fecal samples were investigated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing targeting the V3-V4 region. The taxa abundance and microbial composition were tested. Results: There was no difference of age and sex in PD and NC groups. Chao1 and Shannon indexes tended to be higher in PD group, yet failed to reach statistic significance (P=0.115 and 0.052). Relative abundance of gut microbiota differed in each taxonomic category. The relative abundance of Firmicutes in PD group was 53.6%(41.7%-64.8%), while that of Bacteroidetes in NC group was 51.7%(31.7%-65.3%). The ratios of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes were significantly different between the two groups (1.6(0.9-3.4) vs 0.7(0.5-1.4), P=0.001). In Clostridia, Bacilli and Erysipelotrichia of Firmicutes, the relative abundances of Clostridiales, Christensenellaceae, Peptoclostridium, Lactobacillus and Erysipelatoclostridium were higher in PD group (P=0.024, 0.046, 0.036, 0.022 and 0.037). The relative abundance of Prevotella of Bacteroidales, was lower in PD group, yet failed to reach statistic significance (P=0.121). The relative abundances of Alistipes of Rikenellaceae and Butyricimonas of Marinilabiliales in PD group were significantly higher than those in NC group (P=0.047 and 0.033). The relative abundance of Bifidobacterium of Actinobacteria was significanly higher in PD group when compared with NC group (P=0.009). Despite the relatively low abundance, Akkermansia of Verrucomicrobia was significantly higher in PD group than in NC group (P=0.025). Conclusion: The structures of the fecal microbiota differ significantly between PD patients and healthy controls.