A retrospective study: exploring the optimal patient population for adjuvant chemotherapy after D2 gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) constitutes the primary approach for treating resectable advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, the effectiveness of postoperative CT can differ across various patient groups. This retrospective study aimed to examine how variances in clinical and pathologic factors affect postoperative CT. METHODS: This study enrolled 2060 patients with GC who underwent curative gastrectomy at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between January 2008 and December 2017, with 1277 receiving postoperative CT. This study used Kaplan-Meier to determine the effect of clinical and pathology factors on CT benefits. In addition, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent prognosis risk factors. RESULTS: Both univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that the absence of postoperative CT is an independent factor associated with a poor prognosis in patients with GC. The Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis revealed that specific subgroups, including males, those with a normal body mass index (BMI), the elderly, individuals with gastric adenocarcinoma, cases of nerve invasion by the tumor, vascular invasion by the tumor, tumor size ≥ 5 cm, and Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) stage III, exhibited improved treatment outcomes with the administration of postoperative CT. The creation of nomograms using Cox regression and the rms package holds significant clinical relevance. CONCLUSION: Postoperative CT is advantageous for prolonging the survival of advanced patients undergoing D2 gastrectomy, particularly in male patients, the elderly, individuals with a normal BMI score, those diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma, cases, in which the tumor invades nerves or blood vessels, patients with a tumor size of ≥5 cm, and those with a TNM stage of III, as it results in improved treatment outcomes within these subgroups.

Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their mixture with risk of rheumatoid arthritis in the U.S. adult population.

BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known environmental contaminants with immunosuppressive properties. Their connection to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a condition influenced by the immune system, is not well studied. This research explores the association between PFAS exposure and RA prevalence. METHODS: This research utilized data from the NHANES, encompassing a sample of 10,496 adults from the 2003-2018 cycles, focusing on serum levels of several PFAS. The presence of RA was determined based on self-reports. This study used multivariable logistic regression to assess the relationship between individual PFAS and RA risk, adjusting for covariates to calculate odds ratios (ORs). The combined effects of PFAS mixtures were evaluated using BKMR, WQS regression, and quantile g-computation. Additionally, sex-specific associations were explored through stratified analysis. RESULTS: Higher serum PFOA (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.98), PFHxS (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.00), PFNA (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.98), and PFDA (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81, 0.99) concentration was related to lower odds of RA. Sex-specific analysis in single chemical models indicated the significant inverse associations were only evident in females. BKMR did not show an obvious pattern of RA estimates across PFAS mixture. The outcomes of sex-stratified quantile g-computation demonstrated that an increase in PFAS mixture was associated with a decreased odds of RA in females (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.92). We identified a significant interaction term of the WQS*sex in the 100 repeated hold out WQS analysis. Notably, a higher concentration of the PFAS mixture was significantly associated with reduced odds of RA in females (mean OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates potential sex-specific associations of exposure to various individual PFAS and their mixtures with RA. Notably, the observed inverse relationships were statistically significant in females but not in males. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence indicating that PFAS may have immunosuppressive effects.

Outdoor artificial light at night and reproductive endocrine and glucose homeostasis and polycystic ovary syndrome in women of reproductive age.

BACKGROUND: Artificial light at night, a well-recognized circadian clock disrupter, causes disturbances in endocrine homeostasis. However, the association of artificial light at night with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is still unknown. This study examines the effects of outdoor artificial light at night on sex hormones, glucose homeostasis markers, and PCOS prevalence in Anhui Province, China. METHODS: We recruited 20633 women of reproductive age from Anhui Medical University Reproductive Medicine Center. PCOS was diagnosed according to Rotterdam criteria. We estimated long-term (previous year) and short-term (previous month) artificial light at night values for residential addresses using 500-meter resolution satellite imagery. We fitted multivariable models, using both linear and logistic regression, to estimate the association of artificial light at night with sex hormones, glucose homeostasis markers, and PCOS prevalence. RESULTS: Both long-term and short-term exposure to outdoor artificial light at night were negatively associated with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, while positively associated with testosterone, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-ß levels. The second-highest quintile of artificial light at night was associated with increased PCOS prevalence (OR long-term =1.4, 95% CI: 1.2,1.6); OR short-term =1.3, 95% CI: 1.1,1.5) compared to the lowest quintile. In addition, prevalence of PCOS was linearly associated with long-term exposure to artificial light at night, but non-linearly associated with short-term exposure. This association was more evident in younger, obese or overweight, moderately educated, rural women, and for the summer and fall seasons. CONCLUSIONS: Outdoor artificial light at night may be a novel risk factor for PCOS.

Prognostic significance of serum tumor markers in various pathologic subtypes of gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the utility of 6 serum tumor markers in prognosis between gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC). METHODS: A cohort of 3131 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma and 275 cases of gastric SRCC was assembled. The serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), carbohydrate antigen 125, alpha fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 242 (CA242), and carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724) were measured in all cases. The study analyzed the association between the levels of these 6 tumor markers and the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma and SRCC. RESULTS: The study revealed that gastric SRCC exhibited lower concentrations of CEA (P < .001) and CA19-9 (P = .002), along with reduced positive rates of CEA (P = .041), CA19-9 (P = .003), AFP (P < .001), and CA242 (P = .006), while displaying higher positive rates of CA724 (P = .024) than gastric adenocarcinoma. Nevertheless, the receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that serum tumor markers did not hold clinical significance in differentiating between gastric adenocarcinoma and SRCC. Survival analysis substantiated that the combined criteria of serum tumor markers stood as an independent risk factor for both gastric adenocarcinoma and SRCC. Notably, the nomogram indicated that serum tumor markers exerted a more substantial influence on the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma than on gastric SRCC. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that the combined criteria of serum tumor markers emerge as independent risk factors for both subtypes of gastric cancer. Furthermore, this combined approach exhibited enhanced efficacy in prognosticating the outcome of gastric adenocarcinoma compared with gastric SRCC.

Associations of perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate exposure with arthritis and inflammation indicators in young and middle-aged adults, NHANES 2005-2016.

Background: Perchlorates, nitrates, and thiocyanates are prevalent environmental chemicals. Their potential association with arthritis remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the link between perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate exposure and arthritis, as well as the potential role of inflammation in this context. Methods: Utilizing the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data spanning from 2005 to 2016, the study enrolled 6597 participants aged 20-59 (young and middle-aged), of which 1045 had arthritis. Employing multivariate logistic regression modeling, multiple linear regression models, restricted cubic spline analysis, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) modeling, and mediation analysis, we assessed these relationships. Results: There was a significant positive association between elevated urinary thiocyanate levels and arthritis risk [1.19 (1.11, 1.28)]. This association held true across subgroups of osteoarthritis (OA) [1.24 (1.10, 1.40)] and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [1.33 (1.15, 1.55)]. Thiocyanate levels displayed a dose-dependent relationship with arthritis risk, showing a linear trend (nonlinear P > 0.05). Conversely, perchlorate and nitrate did not exhibit associations with arthritis risk. BKMR outcomes highlighted a positive correlation between a mixture of perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate and arthritis risk, with thiocyanate being the predominant predictors. Moreover, BKMR and generalized linear model analyses unveiled no significant synergistic effect of urinary perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate on arthritis risk. Furthermore, thiocyanate exposure has been linked to elevated levels of inflammatory indicators (white blood cell, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII)). Conclusion: Heightened thiocyanate exposure may be linked to elevated arthritis risk, either single or in combined effects. Additionally, thiocyanate exposure is associated with heightened inflammation levels.

Crab microRNA-381-5p regulates prophenoloxidase activation and phagocytosis to promote intracellular bacteria Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection by targeting mannose-binding protein.

Mannose-binding lectin plays an essential role in bacteria or virus-triggered immune response in mammals. Previous proteomic data revealed that in Eriocheir sinensis, the mannose-binding protein was differentially expressed after Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection. However, the function of mannose-binding protein against pathogen infection in invertebrates is poorly understood. In this study, a crab mannose-binding protein (EsMBP) was characterized and enhanced the host resistance to S. eriocheiris infection. The application of recombinant C-type carbohydrate recognition domain (CTLD) of EsMBP led to increased crab survival and decreased S. eriocheiris load in hemocytes. Meanwhile, the overexpression of CTLD of EsMBP in Raw264.7 cells inhibited S. eriocheiris intracellular replication. In contrast, depletion of EsMBP by RNA interference or antibody neutralization attenuated phenoloxidase activity and hemocyte phagocytosis, rendering host more susceptible to S. eriocheiris infection. Furthermore, miR-381-5p in hemocytes suppressed EsMBP expression and negatively regulated phenoloxidase activity to exacerbate S. eriocheiris invasion of hemocytes. Taken together, our findings revealed that crab mannose-binding protein was involved in host defense against S. eriocheiris infection and targeted by miR-381-5p, providing further insights into the control of S. eriocheiris spread in crabs.

Clinicopathological characteristics of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms: A comprehensive analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic implications of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NENs). METHODS: A retrospective enrollment of 142 patients diagnosed with g-NENs was conducted at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2021. The study compared essential clinicopathological features and survival rates. Additionally, the prognosis of gastric neuroendocrine carcinomas/mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NEC/MiNEN) were contrasted with those of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) and signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC). RESULTS: The study comprised a total of 142 g-NENs cases, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 2:1. The 5-year survival rates for g-NEC and g-MiNEN were 26.7% and 35.2%, respectively. Corresponding 5-year survival rates for G1 and G2 were observed at 100% and 80.0%, respectively. g-NEC/MiNEN showed a significantly worse prognosis compared to g-NET (p < 0.001). g-NEC/MiNEN exhibited a poor prognosis compared to GAC (p < 0.001), and within poorly differentiated GAC, g-NEC/MiNEN demonstrated a worse prognosis (p = 0.007). Additionally, patients receiving postoperative adjuvant therapy exhibited notably prolonged overall survival (OS) in the case of g-NEC/MiNEN (p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: In short, the prognosis of g-NEC/MiNEN was worse than that of g-NET, GAC and poorly differentiated GAC, but this group benefit from postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Factors and outcomes for placental anomalies: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Background: Placental anomalies, including placenta previa (PP), placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS), and vase previa (VP), are associated with several adverse foetal-neonatal and maternal complications. However, there is still a lack of robust evidence on the pathogenesis and adverse outcomes of the diseases. Through this umbrella review, we aimed to systematically review existing meta-analyses exploring the factors and outcomes for pregnancy women with placental anomalies. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception to February 2023. We used AMSTAR 2 to assess the quality of the reviews and estimated the pooled risk and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each meta-analysis. Results: We included 34 meta-analyses and extracted 55 factors (27 for PP, 22 for PAS, and 6 for VP) and 16 outcomes (12 for PP, and 4 for VP) to assess their credibility. Seven factors (maternal cocaine use (for PP), uterine leiomyoma (for PP), prior abortion (spontaneous) (PP), threatened miscarriage (PP), maternal obesity (PP), maternal smoking (PAS), male foetus (PAS)) had high epidemiological evidence. Twelve factors and six outcomes had moderate epidemiological evidence. Twenty-two factors and eight outcomes showed significant association, but with weak credibility. Conclusions: We found varying levels of evidence for placental anomalies of different factors and outcomes in this umbrella review. Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42022300160.

Association between diurnal temperature range and sperm quality: Evidence from a prospective cohort in Central China.

Inter-day temperature variability has been reported to be associated with sperm quality in a city-level exposure assessment study. However, studies exploring the impact of temperature variability within a single day on sperm quality at individual level are still lacking. The present study aims to bridge this research gap by analyzing the linear and non-linear associations between diurnal temperature range (DTR) exposure and sperm quality, utilizing data from the Anhui Prospective Assisted Reproduction Cohort. The study included 15,112 males (totaling 28,267 tests) and assessed individual exposure to various environmental factors (residential greenness, ambient particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, relative humidity, ambient temperature, and DTR) during the 0-90 day period before semen analysis. A combination of a linear mixed model, natural cubic splines, and subgroup analysis was employed. Significant "U"-shaped non-linear associations were observed between DTR exposure and total motility, sperm concentration, sperm count, total motile sperm count, and progressive motile sperm count. Lower DTR levels negatively impacted these parameters, whereas higher DTR levels showed a positive effect. Notably, these associations were more pronounced at ambient temperatures below 16.5 °C, while absent in warmer conditions. Sperm quality demonstrates increased sensitivity to DTR exposure in cooler environments. Therefore, implementing effective individual temperature management strategies is crucial for mitigating decreased sperm quality associated with DTR exposure, highlighting the potential benefits of government policies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality to enhance overall sperm quality in the general population.

Hemolymph exosomes inhibit Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection by promoting Tetraspanin-mediated hemocyte phagocytosis in crab.

Exosomes released from infected cells are thought to play an important role in the dissemination of pathogens, as well as in host-derived immune molecules during infection. As an intracellular pathogen, Spiroplasma eriocheiris is harmful to multiple crustaceans. However, the immune mechanism of exosomes during Spiroplasma infection has not been investigated. Here, we found exosomes derived from S. eriocheiris-infected crabs could facilitate phagocytosis and apoptosis of hemocytes, resulting in increased crab survival and suppression of Spiroplasma intracellular replication. Proteomic analysis revealed the altered abundance of EsTetraspanin may confer resistance to S. eriocheiris, possibly by mediating hemocyte phagocytosis in Eriocheir sinensis. Specifically, knockdown of EsTetraspanin in E. sinensis increased susceptibility to S. eriocheiris infection and displayed compromised phagocytic ability, whereas overexpression of EsTetraspanin in Drosophila S2 cells inhibited S. eriocheiris infection. Further, it was confirmed that intramuscular injection of recombinant LEL domain of EsTetraspanin reduced the mortality of S. eriocheiris-infected crabs. Blockade with anti-EsTetraspanin serum could exacerbate S. eriocheiris invasion of hemocytes and impair hemocyte phagocytic activity. Taken together, our findings prove for the first time that exosomes modulate phagocytosis to resist pathogenic infection in invertebrates, which is proposed to be mediated by exosomal Tetraspanin, supporting the development of preventative strategies against Spiroplasma infection.

Associations of exposure to ambient fine particulate matter constituents from different pollution sources with semen quality: Evidence from a prospective cohort.

The association between ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and semen quality remains inconclusive, possibly due to variations in pollution sources and PM2.5 compositions. Studies investigating the constituents of PM2.5 have been hindered by small sample sizes, and research exploring the relationships between PM2.5 pollution sources and semen quality is lacking. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive study based on the Anhui prospective assisted reproduction cohort to evaluate the associations between semen quality and the constituents and pollution sources of PM2.5. This study included 9013 semen samples from 4417 males in the urban districts of Hefei. The median concentrations of PM2.5 constituents, including eight metals and four water-soluble ions (WSIs), were measured for seven days per month at two monitoring stations during the 0-90-day exposure window. A linear mixed-effects model, weighted quantile sum regression, and positive matrix factorisation were used to evaluate the associations of the constituents and pollution sources of PM2.5 with semen quality. The results showed that exposure to PM2.5-bound metals (antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and thallium) and WSIs (sulphate and chloride) were negatively associated with semen quality parameters. Moreover, mixtures of PM2.5-bound metals and WSIs were negatively associated with semen quality. Additionally, PM2.5 derived from traffic emissions was negatively associated with semen quality. In summary, our study revealed that ambient PM2.5 and its constituents, especially metals, were negatively associated with semen quality. Antimony, lead, and thallium emerged as the primary contributors to toxicity, and PM2.5 from traffic emissions was associated with decreased semen quality. These findings have important public health implications for the management of PM2.5 pollution in the context of male reproductive health.

Research on the relationship between common metabolic syndrome and meteorological factors in Wuhu, a subtropical humid city of China.

As climate conditions deteriorate, human health faces a broader range of threats. This study aimed to determine the risk of death from metabolic syndrome (MetS) due to meteorological factors. We collected daily data from 2014 to 2020 in Wuhu City, including meteorological factors, environmental pollutants and death data of common MetS (hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes), as well as a total number of 15,272 MetS deaths. To examine the relationship between meteorological factors, air pollutants, and MetS mortality, we used a generalized additive model (GAM) combined with a distributed delay nonlinear model (DLNM) for time series analysis. The relationship between the above factors and death outcomes was preliminarily evaluated using Spearman analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). As per out discovery, diurnal temperature range (DTR) and daily mean temperature (T mean) increased the MetS mortality risk notably. The ultra low DTR raised the MetS mortality risk upon the general people, with the highest RR value of 1.033 (95% CI: 1.002, 1.065) at lag day 14. In addition, T mean was also significantly associated with MetS death. The highest risk of ultra low and ultra high T mean occured on the same day (lag 14), RR values were 1.043 (95% CI: 1.010, 1.077) and 1.032 (95% CI: 1.003, 1.061) respectively. Stratified analysis's result showed lower DTR had a more pronounced effect on women and the elderly, and ultra low and high T mean was a risk factor for MetS mortality in women and men. The elderly need to take extra note of temperature changes, and different levels of T mean will increase the risk of death. In warm seasons, ultra high RH and T mean can increase the mortality rate of MetS patients.

Development and application of the MIRA and MIRA-LFD detection methods of Spiroplasma eriocheiris.

The tremor disease (TD) caused by Spiroplasma eriocheiris is the most destructive disease of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. This study attempts to construct Multienzyme Isothermal Rapid Amplification (MIRA), a quick and simple nucleic acid amplification method that operates at room temperature. Based on the gene sequences of S. eriocheiris, appropriate amplification primers were constructed and screened in this investigation. Both the relevant specific probe and the chosen specific amplification primers were designed and labeled. The MIRA and MIRA-LFD reaction conditions were then optimized. The result showed MIRA and MIRA-FFD could identify S. eriocheiris at 37 °C in 30 min and 15 min, respectively. To investigate the specificity of MIRA and MIRA-LFD, three Gram-negative bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Staphylococcus aureus), three Gram-positive bacteria (Escherichia coli, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Salmonella typhimurium) and S. eriocheiris were selected. The result showed MIRA and MIRA-LFD were highly specific to S. eriocheiris and did not react with other six pathogens. The sensitivities of PCR, MIRA, and MIRA-LFD were then evaluated. The result showed the detection limit of PCR is 1 ng/L whereas the detection limit of MIRA and MIRA-LFD is 10 pg/L. Finally, the established MIRA and MIRA-LFD detection methods had the advantages of being quick, sensitive, and specific for S. eriocheiris detection, as well as not requiring any specialized equipment.

Association between exposure to mixture of heavy metals and hyperlipidemia risk among U.S. adults: A cross-sectional study.

Previous studies have suggested that exposure to heavy metals might increase the risk of hyperlipidemia. However, limited research has investigated the association between exposure to mixture of heavy metals and hyperlipidemia risk. To explore the independent and combined effects of heavy metal exposure on hyperlipidemia risk, this study involved 3293 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), including 2327 with hyperlipidemia and the remaining without. In the individual metal analysis, the logistic regression model confirmed the positive effects of barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), and uranium (U) on hyperlipidemia risk, Ba, Cd, Hg and Pb were further validated in restricted cubic splines (RCS) regression model and identified as positive linear relationships. In the metal mixture analysis, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and quantile-based g computation (qgcomp) models consistently revealed a positive correlation between exposure to metal mixture and hyperlipidemia risk, with Ba, Cd, Hg, Pb, and U having significant positive driving roles in the overall effects. These associations were more prominent in young/middle-aged individuals. Moreover, the BKMR model uncovered some interactions between specific heavy metals. In conclusion, this study offers new evidence supporting the link between combined exposure to multiple heavy metals and hyperlipidemia risk, but considering the limitations of this study, further prospective research is required.

Comparison of Clinicopathological Features and Prognosis of Mucinous Gastric Carcinoma and other Gastric Cancers: A Retrospective Study of 4,417 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Mucinous gastric carcinoma (MGC) is a distinct histologic subtype of gastric cancer (GC) that is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of MGC, when compared to adenocarcinoma and signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC), are currently subjects of debate and require further investigation. METHODS: In this study, we conducted an investigation on 4,417 patients who were hospitalized with GC at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between April 2008 and December 2019. The objective was to compare the prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics of MGC with other types of GC. RESULTS: In comparison to adenocarcinoma, MGC patients exhibited more advanced tumor infiltration (p < 0.001), lower tumor differentiation (p < 0.001), and higher rates of preoperative tumor marker positivity (except for AFP and CA125) (all p < 0.05). However, after propensity score matching (PSM) to eliminate confounding factors, MGC patients surprisingly exhibited a better prognosis than adenocarcinoma patients (p = 0.008), and the results in multifactorial COX regression were similar (HR = 0.792, 95% CI 0.629-0.997, p = 0.047). Among patients with MGC, age, pN stage, as well as preoperative levels of CA125 and CA724 (all p < 0.05), emerged as independent prognostic markers. While overall survival did not significantly differ between MGC and SRCC (p = 0.196), significant survival disparities emerged in advanced-stage patients (p = 0.009), with MGC showing better survival rates. Furthermore, a nomogram was developed to predict 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival in gastric cancer patients based on various factors, achieving a C-index of 0.772 (95% CI: 0.745-0.799). CONCLUSIONS: While the poorer prognosis associated with MGC may be linked to its advanced stage and lower degree of differentiation, its biological behavior could contribute to improved survival.

Associations of long-term exposure to air pollution and green space with reproductive hormones among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology: A longitudinal study.

Studies investigating the association between long-term exposure to air pollution (AP)/green space and female reproductive hormones are still limited. Furthermore, their interactive effects remain unclear. Our study sought to explore the separate and interactive impacts of AP/green space on reproductive hormones among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. We measured estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), testosterone (T), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the longitudinal assisted reproduction cohort in Anhui, China. The annual mean concentrations of air pollutants were calculated at the residential level. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within 500-m represented green space exposure. To assess the effect of AP/green space on hormones, we employed multivariable linear mixed-effect models. Our results showed that each one-interquartile range (IQR) increment in particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) was associated with -0.03[-0.05, -0.01], -0.03[-0.05, -0.02], and -0.03[-0.05, -0.01] decrease in P. An IQR increase in PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and carbon monoxide (CO) was associated with a -0.16[-0.17, -0.15], -0.15[-0.16, -0.14], -0.15[-0.16, -0.14], and -0.12[-0.13, -0.11] decrease in T and a -0.31[-0.35, -0.27], -0.30[-0.34, -0.26], -0.26[-0.30, -0.22], and -0.21[-0.25, -0.17] decrease in FSH. Conversely, NDVI500-m was associated with higher levels of P, T, and FSH, with ß of 0.05[0.02, 0.08], 0.06[0.04, 0.08], and 0.07[0.00, 0.14]. Moreover, we observed the "U" or "J" exposure-response curves between PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 concentrations and E2 and P levels, as well as "inverted-J" curves between NDVI500-m and T and FSH levels. Furthermore, we found statistically significant interactions of SO2 and NDVI500-m on E2 and P as well as CO and NDVI500-m on E2. These findings indicated that green space might mitigate the negative effects of SO2 on E2 and P, as well as the effect of CO on E2. Future research is needed to determine these findings and underlying mechanisms.

The percentages of signet-ring cells (SRCs) affects the prognosis after radical gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: Only recently has the percentage of signet-ring cells (SRCs) been shown to affect the prognosis following gastric cancer surgery. It is uncertain whether the SRC percentage has a role in tumour biology or prognosis of gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma (GSRCC). For this research, we assessed the effect of the SRC percentage on the clinicopathological and prognostic characteristics of gastric cancer (GC) tumours and created and verified a prognostic nomogram to assess the overall survival (OS) of GSRCC patients. METHODS: In our study, 1100 GC patients with signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from December 2013 to December 2018 who underwent curative gastric cancer resection were retrospectively analysed. The patients were separated into two groups: those with SRCC (SRC percentage >50%; n = 157) and those with partial signet-ring cell carcinoma (PSRCC) (SRC percentage ≤50%; n = 943). We compared the clinicopathological characteristics of both groups. To estimate OS and determine correlations with the SRC percentage, the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used. To develop the prognostic nomogram, independent prognostic indicators for OS were identified using Cox regression analyses. Predictions were assessed using the calibration curve and C-index. RESULTS: Our research showed that there was no discernible difference in OS between the two groups. The preoperative CA242 level, pT stage, pN stage, age, nerve invasion, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, postoperative chemotherapy, and maximum tumour diameter were independent prognostic risk factors for OS for GC (all p < 0.05). However, for advanced GC, the SRC percentage (HR = 1.571, 95% CI 1.072-2.302, p = 0.020) was an independent prognostic factor of OS. Other independent prognostic risk factors were age, pT stage, pN stage, nerve invasion, tumour location, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, postoperative chemotherapy, preoperative CA50 level, and preoperative CEA level (all p < 0.05). On these bases, nomograms were constructed for GC and advanced GC, with C-indexes of 0.806 (95%CI 0.782-0.830) and 0.728 (95%CI 0.697-0.759), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of advanced gastric cancer, the SRC percentage served as a standalone prognostic indicator for OS. An effective tool for assessing the prognosis of GSRCC was offered by the nomogram.

The active phthalate metabolite, DHEP, induces proliferation and metastasis of prostate cancer cells via upregulation of ß-catenin and downregulation of KLF7.

Phthalates such as DHEP are among the widely used compounds in industry. It has been shown that DHEP can convey various biological consequences in mammalian cells, among them, the carcinogenic effects of DHEP are emphasized. The present study aimed to assess the impact of DHEP exposure on the proliferation and invasiveness of DU145 prostate cancer cells through in vitro and in vivo models. The DU145 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of DHEP and the tumorigenic parameters were analyzed. KLF7 as a probable mediator of the effect of DHEP was either overexpressed or knocked down in DU145 to evaluate the probable impact of KLF7 on the biological effects of DHEP. The effect of DHEP was also studied in a DU145 xenograft tumor model. The moderate doses of DHEP increased the proliferation and migration of DU145 cells. In the case of gene expression patterns, DHEP reduced the levels of p53 and KLF7 while elevated the expression of ß-catenin. The knock-down of KLF7 conveyed comparable effects to that of DHEP to some degree and increased the proliferation of DU145 cells, while the transduction of KLF7 increased the expressions of p53 and p21 along with controlling the tumor size. The present study demonstrated the potential of DHEP in increasing the tumorigenic properties of DU145 cells along with a focus on the underlying mechanisms. Sustained exposure to DHEP can cause a dysregulation in balance between oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes which is the hallmark of malignant transformation. Thus, special considerations seem necessary for the safe exploitation of phthalates.