Galectin-3 inhibition alleviated LPS-induced periodontal inflammation in gingival fibroblasts and experimental periodontitis mice.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical studies have confirmed that galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels are significantly elevated in periodontitis patients. The present study aimed to explore the effects of Gal-3 inhibition on periodontal inflammation in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) with or without Gal-3 knockdown were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and a ligation-induced mouse periodontitis model treated with a Gal-3 inhibitor was established. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining were used to evaluate Gal-3 levels in gingival tissues. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect Gal-3, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) expression. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were used to detect NF-κB and ERK signaling pathway activation. Micro-computed tomography was used to analyse the degree of bone loss. RESULTS: Gal-3 was significantly up-regulated in inflamed gingival tissues and LPS-induced HGFs. Gal-3 knockdown markedly decreased LPS-induced IL-6, IL-8, and CCL2 expression and blocked NF-κB and ERK signaling pathway activation in HGFs. In the mouse periodontitis model, Gal-3 inhibition significantly alleviated IL-1ß and IL-6 infiltration in gingival tissue and mitigated periodontal bone loss. CONCLUSIONS: Gal-3 inhibition notably alleviated periodontal inflammation partly through blocking NF-κB and ERK signaling pathway activation.

Establishing a three-dimensional model for estimating partial-body irradiation doses based on γ-H2AX foci detection / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To construct a three-dimensional time-dose-response model for dose estimation and validate its feasibility.Methods:Based on a random number table, mice were divided into 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy groups for whole-body X-ray irradiation, with each group consisting of three mice. Hair follicle cells of whiskers were sampled at 1, 6, and 24 h after the irradiation. After immunofluorescence staining, the numbers of γ-H2AX foci at different time points from 1 to 24 h post-irradiation were observed using a confocal laser scanning microscope. The average numbers of γ-H2AX foci observed were corrected using the Dolphin’s model, followed by the fitting of dose-response curves. Using the R software, the equations and surfaces of the three-dimensional model for partial-body irradiation were established using the irradiation doses, post-irradiation time, and the corrected average numbers of γ-H2AX foci.Results:The average number of γ-H2AX foci increased with dose at fixed time points 1, 6, and 24 h but decreased with irradiation time at fixed doses 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy. The dose-response curve equations of partial-body irradiation were fitted as follows: YF = 2.853+ 3.775 D, R2= 0.928, at 1 h after the irradiation; YF = 0.144+ 2.775 D, R2= 0.903, at 6 h after the irradiation; YF = 0.066+ 2.472 D, R2= 0.85, at 24 h after the irradiation. The three-dimensional model equation fitted was YF = 6.837 t-1.728+ 3.113 t-0.071D, R2=0.897. Substituting different post-irradiation time points into the three-dimensional surface model appeared as a two-dimensional linear model. By substituting the number of γ-H2AX foci and irradiation time into the linear and the three-dimensional models, both models yielded relative deviations between the estimated and actual radiation doses of 30% or less. Conclusions:The three-dimensional time-dose-response model, established by using the number of γ-H2AX foci to estimate partial-body irradiation doses, can be preliminarily applied for dose estimation at all time points 1-24 h after irradiation.

Propylene glycol monomethyl ether isomers in workplace air determined by solvent desorption-gas chromatography / 环境与职业医学

Background Propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME) is a widely used organic solvent. It exists in the form of two isomers in the workplace, which will cause adverse effects such as eye and upper respiratory tract irritation in workers. However, there is still a lack of standard detection methods for simultaneous detection of two isomers of PGME in China. Objective To establish a solvent desorption-gas chromatographic method for two isomers of PGME [1-methoxy-2-propanol (α-PGME), 2-methoxy-1-propanol (β-PGME)] in workplace air. Methods A method of solvent desorption-gas chromatography for α-PGME and β-PGME in workplace air were proposed. Air samples were collected with solvent desorption activated carbon tubes, desorbed using a desorption solution of dichloromethane/methanol (85:15), and then separated on a free fatty acid phase (FFAP) fused silica capillary chromatography column , detected with a flame ionization detector (FID), and quantified by peak area. Standard evaluation protocol was followed to obtain key indicators: standard curve, limit of detection, lower limit of quantification, relative standard deviation (RSD) that measures precision, and spiked recovery of sample solutions that measures accuracy. Desorption efficiency, sampling efficiency, and adsorption capacity tests were conducted, sample stability was evaluated using spiked activated carbon tube preservation test, and interference test was also assessed. The developed method was then applied to field air sample testing. Results In this method, using dichloromethane/methanol (85:15) as the sample desorption solution, the quantitative detection ranges of α-PGME and β-PGME were 0.95-923.0 μg·mL−1 and 0.97-912.0 μg·mL−1 with both correlation coefficients of 0.999 9, the method limits of detection were 0.28 µg·mL−1 and 0.29 µg·mL−1, and the lower limits of quantification were 0.95 µg·mL−1 and 0.97 µg·mL1, respectively. The lowest concentrations detected were both 0.19 mg·m−3, and the lowest concentrations quantified were 0.63 mg·m−3 and 0.65 mg·m−3, respectively, under the conditions of sampling volume of 1.5 L and the volume of desorption solution of 1.0 mL. The intra-batch precisions for α-PGME and β-PGME were 2.8%-4.9% and 2.8%-5.1%, the inter-batch precisions were 4.2%-5.7% and 4.5%-5.9%, the spiked recoveries were 98.8%-100.3% and 96.4%-102.9%, and the desorption efficiencies were 92.7%-97.3% and 92.2%-98.1%, respectively. The average sampling efficiency was 100%, and the samples could be stored at room temperature (25-30 ℃) for at least 7 d and at 4 ℃ for at least 15 d. The adsorption capacities of the activated carbon sampling tube for α-PGME and β-PGME were greater than 13.9 mg and 2.7 mg (100 mg of activated carbon adsorbent), respectively. Possible co-existing components in workplace did not interfere with the determination of α-PGME and β-PGME. The short-time exposure concentrations of α-PGME and β-PGME in the spray painting unit of an automobile manufacturing company were determined to be 18.69 mg·m−3 and 2.19 mg·m−3, and the time-weighted average concentrations were 6.03 mg·m−3 and 1.08 mg·m−3 respectively. Conclusion This method is accurate, precise and suitable for on-site monitoring of the two isomers of PGME in workplace air.

Role of senescence-associated secretory phenotype-related premature senescence in ionizing radiation-induced damage to vascular endothelial cells / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Radiation-induced damage to vascular endothelium is a major complication of radiotherapy and a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in the population exposed to radiation. Ionizing radiation-induced cellular senescence serves as a critical factor in damage to vascular endothelial cells. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of cellular senescence caused by senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), as well as its role in ionizing radiation-induced damage to vascular endothelial cells, is significant for preventing and treating ionizing radiation-induced damage to vascular endothelial cells. In this study, the relationship between SASP-related premature senescence and this ionizing radiation-induced damage was explored from the following aspects: the mechanisms behind ionizing radiation-induced damage to vascular endothelial cells, ionizing radiation-induced cellular senescence, and the role of SASP-related premature senescence in the ionizing radiation-induced damage to vascular endothelial cells, as well as potential targets.

Background radioactivity levels of gross α and gross β in foods around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant, China / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To investigate the radioactivity levels of gross α and gross β in foods around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant, China before operation. Methods Forty-nine samples from 33 kinds of foods in 5 categories of daily food around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant were collected, pretreated, dried, and ashed. The radioactivity levels of gross α and gross β were measured by the low-background α and β measuring instrument. The atomic absorption technique was employed to measure the level of potassium (K), and the radioactivity level of gross β (subtracting 40K) was calculated with K concentrations in different foods consulted from the nutritional dietary system. Results The radioactivity levels of gross α in vegetables and fruits, grain, poultry and livestock, aquatic products, and tea around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant were < minimum detectable level (MDL)-7.97, < MDL-6.82, < MDL, < MDL-20.76, and 11.90-23.08 Bq/kg, respectively; the radioactivity levels of gross β were 34.56-122.81, 13.05-188.96, 56.00-108.34, 17.86-169.01, and 123.74-171.63 Bq/kg, respectively; the radioactivity levels of gross β (subtracting 40K) were not detected (ND)-14.27, ND-27.86, ND-48.72, ND-45.85, and 6.69-13.79 Bq/kg, respectively. Conclusion The radioactivity of gross α and gross β in foods around Zhangzhou nuclear power plant before operation is basically at the same level as that in other areas of China.

Analysis of codon usage patterns in Bupleurum falcatum chloroplast genome / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#In order to distinguish the traditional Chinese medicine Bupleurum falcatum and its adulterants effectively and develop a better understanding of the factors affecting synonymous codon usage, codon usage patterns of chloroplast genome, we determine the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of B. falcatum and clarify the main factors that influence codon usage patterns of 78 genes in B. falcatum chloroplast genome.@*METHODS@#The total genomic DNA of fresh leaves from a single individual of B. falcatum was extracted with EASYspin plus Total DNA Isolation Kit and 2 μg genome DNA was sequenced using Illumina Hiseq 2500 Sequencing Platform. The cp genome of B. falcatum was reconstructed with MITObim v1.8 and annotated in the program CPGAVAS2 with default parameters. Python script and Codon W were used to calculate the codon usage bias parameters.@*RESULTS@#The full length of B. falcatum cp genome was 155 851 bp, 132 different genes were annotated in this cp genome containing 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. The codon usage models tended to use A/T-ending codons. The neutrality plot, ENC plot, PR2-Bias plot and correspondence analysis showed that both compositional constraint under selection and mutation could affect the codon usage models in B. falcatum cp genome. Furthermore, three optimal codons were identified and most of these three optimal codons ended with G/U.@*CONCLUSION@#The cp genome of B. falcatum has been characterized and the codon usage bias in B. falcatum cp genome is influenced by natural selection, mutation pressure and nucleotide composition. The results will provide much more barcode information for species discrimination and lay a foundation for future research on codon optimization of exogenous genes, genetic engineering and molecular evolution in B. falcatum.

Research progress on the relationship between intestinal flora and mild cognitive impairment / 中国综合临床

Changes in the composition and ratio of the gut microbes may be associated with many diseases, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI includes amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment (non-aMCI). AMCI translates into Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk is higher, so aMCI may be the best stage for the prevention of AD in the future. Studies have shown that modulating the gut microbiota in patients with aMCI can improve their cognitive function.

Effect of kallikrein 12 on the proliferation, invasion and migration of pancreatic cancer cells / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective:To explore the effects of kallikrein 12 (KLK12) on the proliferation, invasion and migration ability of pancreatic cancer cells.Methods:Pancreatic cancer tissues and para-cancer tissues were collected from 95 patients who underwent radical surgical resection, and pathologically diagnosed as pancreatic cancer at the Department of Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC between February 2014 and October 2018. Expression of KLK12 in pancreatic cancer tissues was investigated using immunohistochemistry, and the correlation between KLK12 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of pancreatic cancer was analyzed. Western blot and qPCR methods were used to detect the expression of KLK12 protein and mRNA in pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990, PANC1 and normal pancreatic gland cells HPDE6-C7. Pancreatic cancer cell lines with up-regulated and down-regulated KLK12 expression were constructed by plasmid transfection. Non-transfected pancreatic cancer cells and transfected pancreatic cancer cells carrying negative control plasmids were used as blank control group and negative control group. CCK8 and Transwell chamber experiments were used to study the changes in cell proliferation, invasion and migration.Results:The positive rate of KLK12 in pancreatic cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in para-cancer tissues (70.5% vs 29.5%, P<0.001), and was significantly related to low tumor differentiation, late TNM stage and lymph node metastasis (all P value <0.05). The expression of KLK12 protein and mRNA in SW1990 and PANC1 cell lines was higher than that in HPDE6-C7 (0.34±0.01, 0.28±0.01 vs 0.21±0.01; 3.31±0.10, 2.91±0.09 vs 1.41±0.20; all P value <0.01). In cells with down-regulated KLK12 expression and then cultured for 72 h, the A450 value of SW1990 cell proliferation (0.94±0.02 vs 1.16±0.05), the number of invading membrane penetrating cells (373.7±14.8 vs 726.0±11.8 per high magnification field) and the number of migrating penetrating cells (696.0±13.1 vs 841.3±15.4 per high magnification field) were significantly decreased. The A450 value of PANC1 cell proliferation (0.96±0.03 vs 1.21±0.03), the number of invading membrane penetrating cells (556.3±13.6 vs 646.0±15.1 per high magnification field) and the number of migrating penetrating cells (449.0±16.5 vs 595.7±8.6 per high magnification field) were also significantly decreased. When the expression of KLKL12 was up-regulated in cells and cultured for 72 h, the A450 value of SW1990 cell proliferation (1.32±0.03 vs 1.11±0.03), the number of invading membrane penetrating cells (556.3±22.2 vs 402.7±10.5 per high magnification field) and the number of migrating penetrating cells (639.3±16.5 vs 433.0±11.8 per high magnification field) were significantly increased. The A450 value of PANC1 cell proliferation (1.26±0.04 vs 1.08±0.03), the number of invading membrane penetrating cells (571.0±17.4 vs 426.7±23.3 per high magnification field) and the number of migrating penetrating cells (740.3±13.0 vs 442.7±10.3 per high magnification field) were also significantly increased (all P value <0.05). Conclusions:KLK12 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer, and up-regulated KLK12 expression can promote the proliferation, invasion and migration ability of pancreatic cancer cells.

The efficacy of immunosuppression combined with Eltrombopag in the treatment of severe aplastic anemia in children / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To explore the efficacy and clinical significance of Eltrombopag combined with immunosuppression therapy(IST) in the treatment of severe aplastic anemia (SAA) in children.Methods:Clinical data of 63 children with initially diagnosed SAA in the Department of Hematology of Xinxiang Central Hospital from May 2017 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.All of them were all donors without siblings and they were classified into observation group (31 cases) and control group (32 cases). Patients in the observation group received IST combined with Eltrombopag treatment, and those in the control group received IST treatment.The Chi- square test was used to compare the overall remission (OR) rate and complete remission (CR) rate at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, and incidence of infection and significant bleeding between groups.The t-test was used to compare the application of gra-nulocyte colony stimulating factor, the mean red blood cell transfusion, and the mean platelet infusion volume between groups.Kaplan-Meier method was adopted to analyze the 2-year overall survival (OS) rate and failure-free survival (FFS) rate, followed by the Log- rank test. Results:The 3-month and 6-month OR rate of the observation group were 61.29%(19/31 cases) and 80.64% (25/31 cases), respectively, which was significantly higher than that of the control group [37.50%(12/32 cases) and 59.38%(19/32 cases), χ2=45.27, 43.81, respectively, all P<0.05]. The 3-month and 6-month CR rate of the observation group were 32.26%(10/31 cases) and 45.16%(14 /31 cases), respectively, which was significantly higher than that of the control group [15.62%(5/32 cases) and 28.13%(9/32 cases), χ2=47.02, 48.35, respectively, all P<0.05]. The 12-month OR rate and CR rate in the observation group were 83.87%(26/31 cases), and 64.52%(20/31 cases), respectively, which were 81.25%(26/32 cases), and 59.38%(19/32 cases), respectively in the control group, and no significant differences in them were detected between the two groups (all P>0.05). The total amount of granulocyte colony stimulating factors [(13.58±4.28) doses vs.(23.24±6.68) doses, t=2.591], and the mean infusion volume of red blood cells [(5.48±1.67) U vs.(10.58±3.67) U, t=2.040] and platelets (4.15±2.47) bags vs.(9.15±3.87) bags, t=2.744) used in observation group within 6 months of treatment were significantly lower than those of the control group (all P<0.05). The rate of infection (16.13% vs.43.75%, χ2=47.12) and significant bleeding (16.13% vs.37.50%, χ2=44.52) in the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group (all P<0.05). The 2-year OS rate of the observation group and control group were 93.55% (29/31 cases), and 87.50% (28/32 cases), respectively.No significant difference in the OS rate was found between groups ( P=0.407 3), nor as the 2-year FFS rate(87.10% vs.78.13%, P=0.326 6). Conclusions:IST combined with Eltrombopag can significantly improve the early treatment response rate of SAA children without a sibling identical donor, which can reduce red blood cell and platelet transfusion, and the incidence of infection and bleeding.

Research on electroencephalogram power spectral density of stroke patients under transcranial direct current stimulation / 生物医学工程学杂志

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has become a new method of post-stroke rehabilitation treatment and is gradually accepted by people. However, the neurophysiological mechanism of tDCS in the treatment of stroke still needs further study. In this study, we recruited 30 stroke patients with damage to the left side of the brain and randomly divided them into a real tDCS group (15 cases) and a sham tDCS group (15 cases). The resting EEG signals of the two groups of subjects before and after stimulation were collected, then the difference of power spectral density was analyzed and compared in the band of delta, theta, alpha and beta, and the delta/alpha power ratio (DAR) was calculated. The results showed that after real tDCS, delta band energy decreased significantly in the left temporal lobes, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05); alpha band energy enhanced significantly in the occipital lobes, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05); the difference of theta and beta band energy was not statistically significant in the whole brain region ( P > 0.05). Furthermore, the difference of delta, theta, alpha and beta band energy was not statistically significant after sham tDCS ( P > 0.05). On the other hand, the DAR value of stroke patients decreased significantly after real tDCS, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in sham tDCS ( P > 0.05). This study reveals to a certain extent the neurophysiological mechanism of tDCS in the treatment of stroke.

Establishment of Cryosectioning Method and Histochemical Localization Analysis of Volatile Oil and Coumarin Components of Ferula ferulaeoides / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo establish the frozen section method of Ferula ferulaeoides， and to study the histochemical localization of volatile oil and coumarins in different organs of F. ferulaeoides. MethodThe roots， stems， petioles and leaves of F. ferulaeoides were used as materials to investigate the concentration of sucrose protectant， liquid nitrogen flash-freezing time， embedding conditions， section thickness， freezing temperature and time and post-treatment methods， the most suitable section conditions were screened by comparing the integrity， microscopic effect， elongation and clarity of frozen sections. Sudan Ⅳ staining method and fluorescence microscopy were used to locate the volatile oil and coumarins of F. ferulaeoides. ResultThe optimal conditions for frozen sections of the roots， stems， petioles and leaves of F. ferulaeoides were as follows：10%， 15% and 20% gradient sucrose as the protectant for roots， 10%， 20% and 30% gradient sucrose as the protectant for stems and petioles， 20%， 25% and 30% gradient sucrose as the protectant for leaves， glue-water （2∶1） as the embedding agent， quick-freeze in liquid nitrogen for 20 s， warmed up at -25 ℃ for 30 min， sliced at -20 ℃ with the thickness of 25 μm， rinsed with the same concentration of sucrose solution （gradient sucrose solution selected the last concentration）， and the slices placed on the ice pack for a period of time and stored at room temperature. Among them， the concentration of sucrose protectant was the most important factor. The results of histochemical localization showed that volatile oil and coumarins in four organs of F. ferulaeoides were mainly distributed in resin canal. ConclusionFrozen section of F. ferulaeoides is established for the first time with high rate of slicing and simplified steps， its volatile oil and coumarins are mainly accumulated in resin canal.

A Novel Assay for Screening Inhibitors Targeting HIV Integrase LEDGF/p75 Interaction Based on Ni(2+) Coated Magnetic Agarose Beads.

HIV-1 integrase (IN) plays an essential role in viral replication and thus serves as an important target for chemotherapeutic intervention against HIV-1 infection. However, the current three clinical IN inhibitors, raltegravir, elvitegravir and dolutegravir share the same inhibitory mechanism, resulting in a common clinical resistance profile which have emerged in infected patients receiving treatment. Therefore, it is important to develop small molecule inhibitors that impair IN function with distinct mechanisms of action. In this work, a magnetic-beads based biochemical assay targeting the protein-protein interaction (PPI) between HIV IN and the cellular cofactor LEDGF/p75 was developed for identification of HIV-1 IN inhibitors. Furthermore, a library containing 1000 US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs currently used for human medication was screened to identify inhibitors targeting the PPI. The assay was proved to be quite robust and with the novel assay we successfully identified dexlansoprazole (IC50 of 4.8 µM), a FDA-approved proton pump inhibitor, as a potential inhibitor for the PPI between IN and LEDGF/p75, which bound to the LEDGF/p75 partner with a kinetic dissociation (Kd) constant of 330 nM ± 2.6 nM.

The valve of non-invasive pressure-strain loop in evaluating left ventricular systolic function of young strength athletes with different heart rates / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To explore the application value of non-invasive pressure-strain loop (PSL) in evaluating left ventricular systolic function of young strength athletes with different heart rates.Methods:Thirty-five young wrestlers were collected randomly and divided into 2 groups according to the heart rate: group 1 (heart rate of 40-59 beats/min, n=20) and group 2 (heart rate of 60-80 beats/min, n=15). Thirty healthy young males were selected as the control group at the same period. Non-invasive PSL was used to obtain left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), longitudinal peak strain dispersion (PSD), global myocardial work index (GWI), global constructive myocardial work (GCW), global wasted myocardial work (GWW) and global myocardial work efficiency (GWE) in three groups, and the differences between them were measured. Results:Compared with the control group, GWE in the athlete group 1 and 2 reduced, PSD, GWW were increased, and GWI, GCW in the athlete group 1 were decreased, and all differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Compared with the athlete group 1, PSD, GWI, GCW, GWW in the athlete group 2 increased and GWE was reduced (all P<0.05). Conclusions:PSL can quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular myocardial work of young strength athletes with different heart rates, and then assess the effect of heart rates on the left ventricular systolic function of athletes.

Research on characteristics of brain functional network in stroke patients during convalescent period under transcranial direct current stimulation / 生物医学工程学杂志

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an emerging non-invasive brain stimulation technique. However, the rehabilitation effect of tDCS on stroke disease is unclear. In this paper, based on electroencephalogram (EEG) and complex network analysis methods, the effect of tDCS on brain function network of stroke patients during rehabilitation was investigated. The resting state EEG signals of 31 stroke rehabilitation patients were collected and divided into stimulation group (16 cases) and control group (15 cases). The Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between the channels, brain functional network of two groups were constructed before and after stimulation, and five characteristic parameters were analyzed and compared such as node degree, clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, global efficiency, and small world attribute. The results showed that node degree, clustering coefficient, global efficiency, and small world attributes of brain functional network in the tDCS group were significantly increased, characteristic path length was significantly reduced, and the difference was statistically significant (

Relation Between CD8+T Lymphocyte Infiltration and Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Triple-negative Breast Cancer / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To investigate the relation between the characteristics of CD8+T lymphocyte infiltration and the prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of 126 patients with triple-negative breast cancer undergoing preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the relation between CD8+T lymphocyte infiltration and clinicopathological characteristics. Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the survival curve, and Cox risk ratio regression model was used to analyze the prognostic factors affecting disease-free survival time (DFS). Results High-density CD8+Tils was associated with age < 60 years old, high pathological grade and high clinical stage (P < 0.05). The pCR rate of high-density CD8+Tils group was higher than that of the low-density group (66.7% vs. 19.8%, P=0.000). The median DFS of the high-density group was significantly longer than that of the low-density group (49 vs. 25 months, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that high pathological grade, tumor diameter > 2 cm, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion and CD8+Tils low-density infiltration were factors for poor prognosis (P < 0.05), and CD8+Tils was an independent prognostic factor. Conclusion CD8+Tils may be an independent prognostic indicator for triple-negative breast cancer. The patients with high-density infiltration have high postoperative pCR rate, long DFS and better long-term efficacy.

Application of PCR and High-Resolution Melting for Rapid Identification of Yeasts Routinely Isolated in a Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.

This study aimed to develop a method for rapid and accurate identification of yeasts obtained in the clinic, especially from immunocompromised patients, in order to provide a timely and appropriate antifungal therapy. A total of 112 Candida isolates were analyzed in this study; 28 of them were used to validate the PCR-HRM method in species identification in a blinded manner. Strains were identified by conventional techniques that use VITEK 2 YST cards and Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). These methods were compared to the newly developed technique based on real-time polymerase-chain reaction high-resolution melting (PCR-HRM). Discordant results were resolved with internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene sequencing, the "golden standard" used to evaluate the reliability of all methods in identifying yeasts at the species level. PCR-HRM sensitivity was assessed with the isolated strains. VITEK 2, MALDI-TOF-MS, and PCR-HRM accurately identified 89.2% (74/83), 97.6% (81/83), 100% (83/83) of the isolates, respectively. PCR-HRM detection limit was 1fg/µl of yeasts. In validation assays, a 100% accuracy rate was achieved by the use of PCR-HRM. Therefore, the PCR-HRM method is a rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic approach, which provides a cost-effective and more suitable alternative for yeast identification in a clinical laboratory. Future research is needed for automation of data acquisition.

Comparison between pyrophosphate method and infrared spectrophotometry for determination of silicon dioxide content in dust / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective@#To discuss the difference between pyrophosphoric acid method and infrared spectrophotometry for the determination of silica content in dust.@*Methods@#The content of silica in the laboratory comparison samples organized by CDC Occupational Health Institute in China in 2018, and purchased quality control samples were determined by pyrophosphate method. Meanwhile, the samples were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by infrared spectrophotometry, and the results obtained by the two methods were compared.@*Results@#Four samples (062C1、062C2、GDOHZKTG012-1、GDOHZKTG012-2) were detected by pyrophosphate method and infrared spectrophotometry. The results of pyrophosphate method were 55.49%, 5.24%, 4.90% and 54.72%, respectively. The results of infrared spectrophotometry were 0.91%, 1.87%, 1.29% and 1.16% respectively.@*Conclusion@#The content of silica in dust determined by pyrophosphate method is higher than that by infrared spectrophotometry.

The prognostic significance of dynamic monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) status in patients with newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma / 中华血液学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the prognostic value of kinetic changes in minimal residual disease (MRD) status, as well as its relationship with risk stratification, therapeutic response and treatment in patients with newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) .@*Methods@#A total of 135 patients with newly-diagnosed MM were screened, and 105 patients who achieved VGPR or more as the best responses were included into this study. The MRD status was determined by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) at multiple intervals after two cycles of treatment until clinical relapse, death, or last follow-up. The statistical methods included Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression, etc.@*Results@#①In all 135 patients, 57.8% (78/135) patients achieved MRD negativity (MRD-) after treatment. In 105 patients who achieved VGPR and thus included in this study, the MRD- rate was 72.4% (76/105) , with a median interval of 3 months from starting treatment to achievement of MRD- status. ②The 2-year PFS rate of patients with MRD- status was significantly higher than that of MRD+ status (62.2% vs 41.3%, P=0.001) , while MRD persistence (MRD+) was an independent factor for poor prognosis (multivariate analysis for PFS: P=0.044, HR=3.039, 95%CI 1.029-8.974) . ③Loss of MRD- status (i.e., MRD reappearance) showed inferior outcomes compared with MRD sustained negative ones, the PFS was 18 months versus not reach (P<0.001) and the OS was not reach for both (P=0.002) . ④The 2-year PFS and OS rates of patients with duration of MRD-status≥12 months were significantly higher than those of the control group (PFS: 77.7% vs 36.7%, P<0.001; OS: 96.4% vs 57.9%, P<0.001 respectively) . Duration of MRD- status was associated with a marked reduction in risk of relapse or death (univariate analysis for PFS: P<0.001, HR=0.865, 95%CI 0.815-0.918; for OS: P=0.001, HR=0.850, 95%CI 0.741-0.915 respectively) . ⑤Moreover, even in patients carrying high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (CA) or ineligible for ASCT, MRD negativity remained its prognostic value to predict PFS (high-risk CA medianPFS: not reach vs 19 months, P=0.006; ineligible for ASCT medianPFS: not reach vs 25 months, P=0.052 respectively) . ⑥Last, treatment with the bortezomib-based regimens contributed to prolonged MRD- duration (median MRD- duratio: 25 months vs 10 months, P=0.034) .@*Conclusion@#Our findings supported MRD+ status as an independent poor prognostic factor in MM patients, which implicated that duration of MRD- status also played a significant role in evaluation of prognosis, while loss of MRD-status might serve as an early biomarker for relapse. Therefore, monitoring of MRD kinetics might more precisely predict prognosis, as well as guide treatment decision, especially for when to start retreatment in relapsed patients.

Complete genomic sequence analysis of a GV Murine Norovirus in wild mice / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

0bjective To identify the molecular structure and genome homology characteristics of a GV murine norovirus (MNV) from wild mice.Methods@#Nucleic acids were extracted from collected mouse intestinal specimens and subjected to high-throughput sequencing. The whole genome sequence was obtained by RT-PCR and RACE method .@*Results@#The MNV genome was 7, 832 bp in length, with 76.8%-78.1% nucleotide identity to other selected murine norovirus strains in GenBank. The P2 region, the hypervariable area in viral protein 1 gene shows highest heterology, and the identity was among 60.9%-78.1%, lower than other genes regions. The result demonstrated the higher variability of this newly isolated WNV strain.@*Conclusions@#The wild-type MNV isolated in this study is first reported in China, which enriched the domestic MNV gene pool and provided a reference for understanding the molecular genetic characteristics and evolutionary origin of MNV in China.

Results of occupational health examination for gas station workers / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To understand the occupational health status of gas station workers, to analyze the characteristics of early health damage, and to provide a reference for the occupational health monitoring of workers in this industry. Methods The gas station workers who underwent occupational health examination in an occupational health examination institution in Tianjin in 2021were selected as the research subjects. The examination results were statistically analyzed. Results A total of 381 gas station workers were included in this study, with a sex ratio of male to female of 1.40:1. The top three tests with abnormal results from high to low were abdominal color Doppler ultrasound (39.63%), urine routine (29.13%), and blood pressure (23.62%). The detected fatty liver accounted for 74.83% of abnormal abdominal color Doppler ultrasound. Analysis of abnormal results of different genders showed that the detection rate of abnormal blood pressure, fatty liver and liver function in males was higher than that in females (χ2=16.40, 25.40, 15.98，P＜0.05), the detection rate of high GGT in males was significantly higher than that in females (χ2=16.04，P＜0.05）. The detection rate of abnormal urine routine in females was higher than that in males (χ2=12.85，P＜0.05), and the positive rate of urine white blood cells and blood in urine were significantly higher I women than those in men (χ2 =16.80, 11.66，P＜0.05). The abnormal detection rate of electrocardiogram of gas station workers increased with age (χ2=28.02，P＜0.05), and the abnormality of high blood pressure showed an increasing trend with age and working years（χ2=25.00, 15.26，P＜0.05). Conclusion The long-term exposure of gas station workers to chemical toxic substances such as organic solvents and benzene series and physical factors such as high temperature in summer and low temperature in winter will have a certain impact on health. It is suggested that employers should reasonably arrange their work systems and carry out occupational health monitoring in a targeted manner.