Prognostic Role of EYA4 in Lower Grade Glioma with IDH1 Mutation and 1p19q Co-Deletion.

BACKGROUND: Eyes absent 4 (EYA4) participates in an important role in various cancers. Patients with low EYA4 expression have significantly favorable prognosis compared with those with high EYA4 expression. However, the expression and role of EYA4 in lower grade glioma (LGG) has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: The R2 and UCSC Xena browser based on data from 284 cases in GSE16011 from Gene Expression Omnibus datasets and 530 cases of patients with LGG in The Cancer Genome Atlas database were extracted for bioinformatic analyses. The EYA4 expression in different subtypes of LGG was detected. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated to explore the association between EYA4 expression and overall survival (OS) in both datasets. RESULTS: Patients with LGG with lower EYA4 expression had significantly longer 5- and 10-year OS in 2 datasets (P < 0.001). By matching histological subtypes and gene expression profiles of patients with LGG, oligoastrocytoma and oligodendroglioma groups had lower EYA4 expression and longer OS compared with the astrocytoma group (P < 0.05). Patients with IDH1 mutations and 1p19q co-deletion had longer 5- and 10-year OS (P < 0.001), and EYA4 expression was significantly downregulated in these patients (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that EYA4 can be used as a prognostic marker and provide a potential therapeutic target in patients with LGG with IDH1 mutation and 1p19q co-deletion.

Yunnanilus chuanheensis, a new loach species (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from the upper Lixianjiang River in Yunnan, China.

A new loach species (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae: Yunnanilini), Yunnanilus chuanheensis sp. nov., was caught from Chuanhe in the upper reaches of the Lixianjiang River, a tributary of the Red River in Nanjian County, Yunnan Province, China. This species is a member of the traditional Y. pleurotaenia species group based on the presence of a lateral line and cephalic lateral-line canals. It can be distinguished from other species in the Y. pleurotaenia species group by the following characters: lips without papillae, anterior and posterior nostrils separated, whole body scaled, eye diameter smaller than interorbital width, outer gill raker absent on first gill arch, eye diameter greater than 18% of head length, 10-11 inner gill rakers on first gill arch, and lateral line not extending to vertical through dorsal fin insertion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Yunnanilus species recorded from the Red River drainage.

Low expression of FOSL1 is associated with favorable prognosis and sensitivity to radiation/pharmaceutical therapy in lower grade glioma.

Objectives: FOSL1 is overexpressed in multiple cancers including malignant glioma and contributes to different cellular processes. However, little attention has been paid to the lower grade glioma (LGG).Methods: Cox coefficients were examined to compare FOSL1 expression among different tumors types using OncoLnc. The UCSC Xena browser was used to generate Kaplan-Meier survival curves and explore the association between FOSL1 expression and overall survival (OS) in TCGA-LGG and subgroups.Results: FOSL1 expression in LGG was ranked first among 21 different cancers. LGG with lower FOSL1 expression had longer OS (P < 0.001). The astrocytoma group had the highest FOSL1 expression and shortest OS, followed by oligoastrocytoma and oligodendroglioma (P < 0.05). The 1p19q co-deletion or IDH mutation subgroups had lower FOSL1 expression and longer OS (P < 0.001). Compared with the corresponding groups, LGG with lower FOSL1 expression had longer OS than the following groups: astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, with/without 1p19q co-deletion, with IDH mutation, with radiation, and with pharmaceutical therapy (P < 0.05).Discussion: FOSL1 is a prognostic marker in LGG and subgroups.

The rs-fMRI study of effects of fornix and hippocampus-related brain function after the transcallosal interforniceal approach.

BACKGROUND: The tumors in third ventricle are common intracranial tumors in children, characterized by various pathological types and difficult to be removed. The transcallosal interforniceal approach is often used for these tumors. The separation of bilateral fornix causes multiple surgical complications. In the past, complications could only be assessed by clinical feature and traditional imaging, lack of quantitative data to support. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) can assess brain functional connectivity between local regions and different regions in quiet state. The changes of ReHo, ALFF, fALFF and brain function connections (DMN and Hippocampus as ROI) can be used to evaluate the effects caused by operation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of brain function caused by operation. METHODS: 9 children patients with tumors in third ventricle were randomly selected in Yuquan hospital, and scanned by rs-fMRI before and after operation. ReHo, ALFF, fALFF and function connections (DMN and Hippocampus as ROI) were chosen to analyze rs-fMRI data. RESULTS: The results of ReHo, ALFF, fALFF and brain function connections (DMN and Hippocampus as ROI) showed that: (1) Compared with preoperative state, ReHo decreased in left superior frontal gyrus in 1 month after operation, while increased in right middle occipital gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, and left posterior central gyrus. In 2 months after operation, ReHo decreased in left superior temporal gyrus and right precentral gyrus compared with that in 1 month after operation. (2) Compared with preoperative state, ALFF decreased in left middle frontal gyrus and increased in left superior temporal gyrus in 1 month after operation; ALFF decreased in right fusiform gyrus and right supramarginal gyrus, while increased in left parahippocampal gyrus and left caudate nucleus in 2 months after operation. When compared with these in 1 month after operation, ALFF decreased in right fusiform gyrus and left precentral gyrus in 2 months after operation. (3) Compared with preoperative state, fALFF decreased in left superior frontal gyrus in 1 month after operation, and decreased in left middle frontal gyrus in 2 months after surgery. (4) The connections of DMN showed that enhanced connections of bilateral middle frontal gyrus and other regions in 1 month after operation, which restored to preoperative state in 3 months after operation. (5) There were changes of connections between bilateral hippocampus and related brain regions without any interruption occurred. The effects of approach can disappear in 3 months after operation. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term effects of ReHo, ALFF and fALFF in brain regions of children patients can recover to preoperative state with time. The operation did not interrupt the connections between DMN and hippocampus related brain areas. The effects of surgery can restore to the preoperative state in 3 months after operation.

A comparison of satellite observations with the XCO2 surface obtained by fusing TCCON measurements and GEOS-Chem model outputs.

Ground observations can capture CO2 concentrations accurately but the number of available TCCON (Total Carbon Column Observing Network) sites is too small to support a comprehensive analysis (i.e. validation) of satellite observations. Atmospheric transport models can provide continuous atmospheric CO2 concentrations in space and time, but some information is difficult to generate with model simulations. The HASM platform can model continuous column-averaged CO2 dry air mole fraction (XCO2) surface taking TCCON observations as its optimum control constraints and an atmospheric transport model as its driving field. This article presents a comparison of the satellite observations with a HASM XCO2 surface obtained by fusing TCCON measurements with GEOS-Chem model results. We first verified the accuracy of the HASM XCO2 surface using six years (2010-2015) of TCCON observations and the GEOS-Chem model XCO2 results. The validation results show that the largest MAE of bias between the HASM results and observations was 0.85ppm and the smallest MAE was only 0.39ppm. Next, we modeled the HASM XCO2 surface by fusing the TCCON measurements and GEOS-Chem XCO2 model results for the period 9/1/14 to 8/31/15. Finally, we compared the GOSAT and OCO-2 observations with the HASM XCO2 surface and found that the global OCO-2 XCO2 estimates more closely resembled the HASM XCO2 surface than the GOSAT XCO2 estimates.

What is the destiny of a threatened fish, Ptychobarbus chungtienensis, now that non-native weatherfishes have been introduced into Bita Lake, Shangri-La?

Biological invasion is a pervasive negative force of global change, especially in its effects on sensitive freshwater ecosystems. Even protected areas are usually not immune. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis is a threatened freshwater fish now almost confined to Bita Lake, in the Shangri-La region of Yunnan province, China. Its existence is threatened by the introduction of non-native weatherfishes (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and Paramisgurnus dabryanus) by an unusual method known as 'prayer animal release'. Periodic surveys revealed the ratio of invasive weatherfishes to P. chungtienensis has been increasing since the former species was first recorded from the lake in August, 2009. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis shows low genetic diversity in the relict Lake Bita population. Weatherfishes, however, have highly successful survival strategies. The degree of dietary overlap between the species is alarming and perhaps critical if food is found to be a limiting factor.

[Use of alizarin red S and alizarin complexone for immersion marking Sinocyclocheilus grahami].

In the present study, we examined the potential uses of Alizarin complexone and Alizarin red S to mark S. grahami larvae and juveniles. Individuals of different ages (6 days, 20 days, 90 days) were immersed in four concentrations of a solution of each chemical (50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/L) for different periods of time (4-36 h). Marked individuals were euthanized 4-27 days after immersion, and the lapillus was removed and used to determine mark quality. After marking with 50-150 mg/L ALC and ARS, violet marks were visible under normal light, and scarlet fluorescent marks were visible under 510-560 nm green light. The clear marks under normal light were recorded, and a 100% survival rate was guaranteed under the following conditions: 6 day old larvae immersed in 50 mg/L ALC or ARS for 8h; 20 day old larvae immersed in 50 mg/L ALC or 100 mg/L ARS for 24h; 90 day old juveniles immersed in 100mg/L ALC or 150 mg/L ARS for 24 h.

[Overview of the artificial enhancement and release of endemic freshwater fish in China].

Due to declining fishery resources and the growing development of conservation aquaculture, artificial freshwater fish enhancement and releasing have begun to replace traditional means of recovering endemic and rare fish populations. Artificial proliferation can be beneficial both to endemic fish conservation and technical bottleneck breakthroughs. This overview presents a review of the latest research and the underlying principles behind the conservation implementation processes, as well as the research status of artificial enhancement and release of endangered freshwater fish species in China, such as Mylopharyngodon piceus, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, H. nobilis, Acipenser sinensis, Myxocyprinus asiaticus, and Sinocyclocheilus grahami. The overview also presents evolutionarily significant units, sperm and egg quality, and cryopreservation technologies and cell cultures used in artificial enhancement and release, which help standardize genetic management and minimize the genetic differences between hatched and wild populations. Monitoring fish from cultivation to release is essential to evaluating wild population recovery and adjusting recovery plans. Moreover, the remaining problems of artificial releases are discussed in-depth, touching on issues such as the limitations of domestic hatching, the base number of wild populations necessary to the environment, the proper size at which to release juveniles' into the environment, the geographic confusion of populations, the contradictions in commercial fish selection and fish conservation, and "exotic species" invasion.

[Analysis of the nutritional components in muscle of Sinocyclocheilus grahami and S. tingi].

In this study, we investigated the nutritive composition in the muscle of Sinocyclocheilus grahami and S. tingi. The contents of crude protein in the fresh muscle of S. grahami and S. tingi can be described as being 21.7% and 20.6%, crude fat were 3.43% and 2.66%, and total amino acid were 19.23% and 17.67%, respectively. Essential amino acids accounted for 44.08% and 43.69% of total amino acids of S. grahami and S. tingi, respectively. The values of essential amino acid index (EAAI) of the two species were 70.00% and 65.99%, respectively, with S. grahami being better than S. tingi. Ultimately, the amino acid composition of S. grahami and S. tingi muscle tissue met the standards of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as well as those of the World Health Organization (FAO/WHO). According to the nutritive evaluation in amino acid score (AAS), the first limited amino acids of both fish were cystine+methionine. Compared with other commercial fish, the nutrition value of the muscle of Sinocyclocheilus fish can generally be considered as being better.

MR molecular imaging of thrombus: development and application of a Gd-based novel contrast agent targeting to P-selectin.

Molecular imaging of thrombus formation at initial stage requires a robust thrombus-specific contrast agent with high sensitivity. In this study, we report a novel P-selectin-targeted paramagnetic molecular imaging agent and the agent's potential to sensitively detect occult microthrombi on the intimal surface of endothelium. Platelet clots and blood clots targeted in vitro with paramagnetic nanoparticles presented a highly detectable, homogeneous T1-weighted contrast enhancement that was improved with increasing gadolinium level. In vivo contrast enhancement under part of circulation conditions was assessed in dogs. The micro-thrombi around the femoral vein of dog demonstrated higher signal intensities than the control clots and the adjacent muscle. Histology was performed on regions likely to contain thrombus as indicated by MRI. These results suggest that molecular imaging of P-selectin-targeted paramagnetic nanoparticles can provide sensitive detection and localization of P-selectin and may allow for early, direct identification of microthrombi, leading to early diagnosis.