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The molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) remain unclear. This study aimed to identify key molecules involved in the pathogenesis and progression of POP. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified based on gene expression data extracted from the GSE53868, GSE28660, and GSE12852 datasets in the gene expression omnibus database. The R software was used for data mining, and gene ontology functional annotation and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses were performed to explore the biological functions of DEGs. A protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database, and hub genes were identified by the Cytoscape plug-in cytoHubba. In addition, the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to analyze and evaluate immune cell infiltration in POP tissues. A total of 92 upregulated DEGs were identified and subjected to enrichment analysis. Gene ontology analysis revealed that these DEGs were associated with response to hormones, positive regulation of cell death, collagen-containing extracellular matrix, and extracellular matrix. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway analysis showed that the upregulated genes were mainly enriched in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT signaling pathway. The PPI network was structured. Nodes in the PPI network were associated with structural molecular activity and collagen-containing extracellular matrix. A total of 10 hub genes were identified, namely, CDKN1A, IL-6, PPARG, ADAMTS4, ADIPOQ, AREG, activating transcription factor 3, CCL2, CD36, and Cell death-inducing DNA fragmentation factor-like effector A. Furthermore, patients with POP were found to have a higher abundance of CD8-positive T cells in the 3 gene expression omnibus datasets. The abundance of CD8-positive T cells was negatively correlated with that of follicular helper T cells (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.34, P < .01) or gamma delta T cells (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.33, P < .01). But was positively correlated with that of M2 macrophages (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.35, P < .01) and activated memory CD4 T cells (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.34, P < .01). Altogether, PPARG, ADAMTS4, ADIPOQ, AREG, CD36, and Cell death-inducing DNA fragmentation factor-like effector A genes were discovered in the POP process for the first time, which should be intensively investigated., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Conservation tillage is an important management practice to guarantee soil fertility in degraded Mollisols. It is still unclear, however, whether the improvement and stability of crop yield under conservation tillage can be sustainable with increasing soil fertility and reducing fertilizer-N application. Based on a long-term tillage experiment initiated in Lishu Conservation Tillage Research and Development Station by Chinese Academy of Sciences, we conducted a 15 N tracing field micro-plot experiment to investigate the effects of reducing nitrogen application on maize yield and fertilizer-N transformation under long-term conservation tillage agroecosystem. There were four treatments, including conventional ridge tillage (RT), no-tillage with 0% (NT0), 100% (NTS) maize straw mul-ching, and 20% reduced fertilizer-N plus 100% maize stover mulching (RNTS). The results showed that after a complete cultivation round, the average percentages of fertilizer N recovery in soil residues, crop usage, and gaseous loss were 34%, 50%, and 16%, respectively. Compared with conventional ridge tillage, no-tillage with maize straw mulching (NTS and RNTS) significantly increased the use efficiency of fertilizer N in current season by 10% to 14%. From the perspective of N sourcing analysis, the average percentage of fertilizer N absorbed by crop parts (including seeds, straws, roots, and cobs) to the total N uptake reached nearly 40%, indicating that soil N pool was the main source of N for crop uptakes. In comparison with conventional ridge tillage, conservation tillage significantly increased total N storage in 0-40 cm by reducing soil disturbance and increasing organic inputs, and thus ensured the expansion and efficiency increment of soil N pool in degraded Mollisols. Compared with conventional ridge tillage, NTS and RNTS treatments significantly increased the maize yield from 2016 to 2018. In all, by improving fertilizer nitrogen utilization efficiency and maintaining the continuous supply of soil nitrogen, long-term management of no-tillage with maize straw mulching could achieve a stable and increasing maize yield in three consecutive growing seasons and simultaneously reduce environmental risks derived by fertilizer-N losses, even under the condition of 20% reduction of fertilizer-N application, and thus actualize the sustainable development of agriculture in Mollisols of Northeast China.

To investigate the effects of no-tillage and different amounts of stover mulch on soil microbial community composition and their residues, we set up a field experiment of different amounts of stover mulch under no-tillage on the long-term maize conservation tillage station located in the Mollisols area of Northeast China (built in 2007), including without stover mulch (NT0), 1/3 stover mulch (NT1/3), 2/3 stover mulch (NT2/3) and full stover mulch (NT3/3), and the conservation tillage (plowing without stover mulch, CT) as control. We analyzed phospholipid fatty acid, amino sugar biomarker and soil physicochemical properties at different soil layers (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-20 cm). The results showed that compared to CT, no-tillage without stover mulch (NT0) did not affect soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (DOC, DON), water content, microbial community and their residue. The main effects of no-tillage and stover mulch were found in the topsoil. Specifically, the NT1/3, NT2/3 and NT3/3 significantly increased SOC content by 27.2%, 34.1% and 35.6%, respectively, phospholipid fatty acid content was significantly increased under NT2/3 and NT3/3 by 39.2% and 65.0%, respectively, and NT3/3 significantly increased the content of microbial residue-amino sugar by 47.2% in the depth of 0-5 cm compared with CT. The variations in soil properties and microbial community induced by no-tillage and different amounts stover mulch decreased with soil depth, with almost no difference in the 5-20 cm soil layer. SOC, TN, DOC, DON, and water content were the main factors influencing the composition of the microbial community and the accumulation of microbial residue. Microbial biomass was positively correlated with microbial residue, particularly fungal residue. In conclusion, all stover mulch treatments promoted SOC accumulation to different degrees. When there is sufficient stover, it is advisable to opt for no-tillage with full stover mulch, as it is most conducive to the increases of soil microbial biomass, microbial residue and SOC. In case when the amount of stover is inadequate, however, no-tillage with 2/3 stover mulch can still improve soil microbial biomass and SOC content. This study would provide practical guidance for stover management in conservation tillage and sustainable agricultural development in the Mollisols area of Northeast China.

Elucidating the interannual variation of soil organic nitrogen fractions and its response to straw returning is of great significance for rational regulation of soil organic nitrogen pool and sustainable soil utilization. We conducted a field microcosm experiment with typic hapludoll soil at the National Field Observation and Research Station of Shenyang Agroecosystems. Three treatments were set, including nitrogen fertilizer addition (200 kg N·hm -2 , the same in other treatments), nitrogen fertilizer addition with 50% straw return, and nitrogen fertilizer addition with 100% straw return. We classified soil organic nitrogen fractions in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th years of the experiment by using the Bremner acid hydrolysis method. The results showed that the content of amino acid nitrogen increased with the tillage years, with an increase rate of 39.8% compared with 1st year. The content of hydrolyzable unknown nitrogen increased by 10.8% compared with 1st year, which reached the highest in the 3rd year. The content of total soil nitrogen and other organic nitrogen fractions showed limited variation with tillage years. The proportion of hydrolyzable total nitrogen that is relatively easy to mineralize in the total soil nitrogen gradually increased with the tillage years, and that of relatively stable acid insoluble nitrogen to total soil nitrogen gradually decreased, indicating that soil nitrogen availability increased with the tillage years, which would facilitate the soil nitrogen supply capacity. Compared with the treatment without straw returning, adding straw improved soil total nitrogen and each hydrolyzable nitrogen contents, with such positive effect be stronger under the treatment with heavier straw returning. The effect of straw returning on hydrolyzable nitrogen fractions mainly occurred in the 6th and 9th years. The components of soil total nitrogen that have been increased were mainly the amino acid nitrogen and hydrolyzed unknown nitrogen, resulting in increased proportion of hydrolyzable nitrogen. Straw returning could increase soil nitrogen pool and improve soil nitrogen conservation and supply capacity.

Clarifying the differences of maize yield and its stability under long-term no-tillage with different stover mulching amounts can provide theoretical and technical supports for establishing and evaluating long-term conservation tillage pattern and promoting grain production. Based on a long-term conservation tillage field experiment in the mollisol area of Northeast China since 2007, we analyzed the interannual variation, variation coefficient and stability of maize yield during 2013 and 2019 across five treatments, i.e ., no-tillage stover-free mulching (NT 0 ), no-tillage with 33% stover mulching (NT 33 ), no-tillage with 67% stover mulching (NT 67 ) and no-tillage with 100% stover mulching (NT 100 ), with the traditional ridge cropping (RT) as the control. The results showed that compared with RT, long-term no-tillage with stover mulching treatments could increase maize yield. NT 100 had the highest increasing rate of 11.4%, followed by NT 67 and NT 0 , with the increasing rate of 11.0% and 10.4%, respectively. Maize yield exhibited a nonlinear relationship with the amount of stover mulch. The variation coefficient of maize yield under multi-year no-tillage with different stover mulching could be sorted as NT 67 100 33 0 , and the yield sustainability index was NT 67 >NT 0 >NT 100 >RT>NT 33 , indicating that NT 67 treatment could significantly reduce the interannual fluctuation of maize yield and had better sustainability of yield. No-tillage stover mulching significantly increased soil total carbon and total nitrogen contents, which were significantly positively correlated with maize yield. In conclusion, compared with traditional tillage, no-tillage stover mulching could increase maize yield and soil carbon and nitrogen contents. Appropriate stover mulching (NT 67 )had the potential to improve the stability and sustainability of maize yield.

Background: Emerging evidence indicates that the sineoculis homeobox homolog 1-eyes absent homolog 1 (SIX1-EYA1) transcriptional complex significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple cancers by mediating the expression of genes involved in different biological processes, such as cell-cycle progression and metastasis. However, the roles of the SIX1-EYA1 transcriptional complex and its targets in colorectal cancer (CRC) are still being investigated. This study aimed to investigate the roles of SIX1-EYA1 in the pathogenesis of CRC, to screen inhibitors disrupting the SIX1-EYA1 interaction and to evaluate the efficiency of small molecules in the inhibition of CRC cell growth., Methods: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to examine gene and protein levels in CRC cells and clinical tissues (collected from CRC patients who underwent surgery in the Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, between 2016 and 2018, n = 24). In vivo immunoprecipitation and in vitro pulldown assays were carried out to determine SIX1-EYA1 interaction. Cell proliferation, cell survival, and cell invasion were determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, clonogenic assay, and Boyden chamber assay, respectively. The Amplified Luminescent Proximity Homogeneous Assay Screen (AlphaScreen) method was used to obtain small molecules that specifically disrupted SIX1-EYA1 interaction. CRC cells harboring different levels of SIX1/EYA1 were injected into nude mice to establish tumor xenografts, and small molecules were also injected into mice to evaluate their efficiency to inhibit tumor growth., Results: Both SIX1 and EYA1 were overexpressed in CRC cancerous tissues (for SIX1, 7.47 ± 3.54 vs.1.88 ± 0.35, t = 4.92, P = 0.008; for EYA1, 7.61 ± 2.03 vs. 2.22 ± 0.45, t = 6.73, P = 0.005). The SIX1/EYA1 complex could mediate the expression of two important genes including cyclin A1 (CCNA1) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) by binding to the myocyte enhancer factor 3 consensus. Knockdown of both SIX1 and EYA1 could decrease cell proliferation, cell invasion, tumor growth, and in vivo tumor growth (all P < 0.01). Two small molecules, NSC0191 and NSC0933, were obtained using AlphaScreen and they could significantly inhibit the SIX1-EYA1 interaction with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 12.60 ± 1.15 μmol/L and 83.43 ± 7.24 μmol/L, respectively. Administration of these two compounds could significantly repress the expression of CCNA1 and TGFB1 and inhibit the growth of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo., Conclusions: Overexpression of the SIX1/EYA1 complex transactivated the expression of CCNA1 and TGFB1, causing the pathogenesis of CRC. Pharmacological inhibition of the SIX1-EYA1 interaction with NSC0191 and NSC0933 significantly inhibited CRC cell growth by affecting cell-cycle progression and metastasis., (Copyright © 2021 The Chinese Medical Association, produced by Wolters Kluwer, Inc. under the CC-BY-NC-ND license.)

Agricultural tillage practices significantly affect the structure and function of soil micro-bial community, as well as its control over soil carbon cycling. Conservation tillage practice based on no-tillage and crop straw returning is an important measure to improve soil carbon sequestration and fertility, in which soil microorganisms play a key role. Although many previous studies focus on the structure and function of microbial communities under conservation tillage, our overall understanding of soil microbial responses at community level upon conservation tillage is still lacking, due to the complexity of the soil, environmental factors and the different selections of microbial research methods. Furthermore, previous studies paid more attention to the role of soil microorganisms as decomposers and the contribution of plant-derived carbon to the formation of soil carbon pool, but ignored the contribution of microbial-derived carbon to the formation and stability of soil carbon pool. We summarized the paradigm shift in soil organic matter formation and stability theories, reviewed the research methods of soil microbial community, focused on the effects of conservation tillage on soil microbial biomass, community diversity and composition, carbon metabolism, as well as microbial-derived carbon storage, and proposed suggestions for future study, aiming to provide support for future studies regarding microbial responses and its control over soil carbon dynamics in agroecosystem.

We examined carbon chemical composition and stability along soil depth (topsoil 0-5 cm, mid-soil 20-40 cm, and deep soil 60-100 cm) in a no-tillage (NT) agricultural system with various amount of corn stover as mulch for 8 years, including 0 (NT 0 ), 33% (NT 33 ), 67% (NT 67 ) and 100% (NT 100 ), in Northeast China, using mid-infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that, relative to NT 0 , the treatments of NT 33 and NT 100 increased polysaccharide content of the top layer and mid-layer soils, the former decreased topsoil carbon component diversity, while the latter maintained soil carbon stability of three soil layers. NT 67 increased carbon stability at the deep layer soil. Our results demonstrated that if corn stover resources were sufficient, NT with 100% corn stover mulch could both be beneficial to carbon availability at 0-40 cm soil layer and stability of the whole soil profile. The nonlinear relationship between the amount of corn stover mulch and the mid-infrared spectral characteristics of the soil called for further research on the microbial-control mechanism over soil carbon cycling under different amounts of corn stover mulch.

Cover crops are grown in temporal and spatial gaps of agricultural production to reduce or avoid soil exposure. As it can protect farmland soil from wind erosion, water erosion and human disturbance, planting cover crops is considered as a new type of conservation tillage practice. Here, we briefly introduced the planting management of cover crops, including crop species, planting modes, and the returning to farmland after their termination, which could provide a reference for efficiently planting cover crops at large scale during the fallow period. Based on domestic and foreign studies, we summarized the benefits of cover crops on agroecosystem, including cash crops, soil quality, weed control, greenhouse gas emission, and soil microbes. Our review illustrated their importance in improving soil quality and achieving sustainable agricultural development, despite the limitation of cover crops, including unobvious benefits in the short-term and the reduction of crop yield caused by improper management.

To speed up the fabrication of optical metamaterials by making use of the fast speed advantage of femtosecond laser preparation, a metamaterial appropriate for femtosecond laser processing was designed, and the interaction between femtosecond laser and metal-dielectric-metal fishnet stacks was investigated in detail. Two kinds of processing mechanisms, thermal melting and stress break, were revealed during the fabrication. The thermal melting process, dominated by the interaction of femtosecond laser with metals, makes the upper and lower metal layers adhere to each other, which leads to the magnetic resonance impossible. The stress break process, dominated by the interaction of femtosecond laser with dielectrics, can keep the upper and lower metal coatings isolated. Fishnet optical metamaterial was fabricated by femtosecond laser-induced stress break technique, using back side ablation, high numerical aperture and super-Gaussian beam. The resolution and speed can reach 500 nm, and 100 units/s, respectively. Spectrophotometer measurement results proved that the magnetic resonances were found in the fishnet nanostructure. The theoretical refractive index of the metamaterial on a glass substrate reached -0.12 at the wavelength of 3225 nm. It proved that femtosecond laser-induced stress break was a good and fast tool during the fabrication of optical metamaterials.

Nonconvulsive electrotherapy (NET) defined as electrical brain stimulation administered like standard electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but below seizure threshold, could be effective for patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD) with fewer adverse neurocognitive outcomes. However, there is a lack of studies in Chinese patients with TRD. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the efficacy and safety of adjunctive NET for Chinese patients with TRD. Twenty TRD patients were enrolled and underwent six NET treatments. Depressive symptoms, response, and remission were assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) at baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 NET treatments. Neurocognitive function was assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) at baseline and after the completion of six NET treatments. Mean HAMD-17 scores declined significantly from 26.2 to 10.4 (p < 0.001) after post-NET. The rates of response and remission were 60.0% (95% CI: 36.5-83.5) and 10.0% (95% CI: 0-24.4), respectively. Neurocognitive performance improved following a course of NET. No significant association was found between changes in depressive symptoms and baseline neurocognitive function. Adjunctive NET appeared to be effective for patients with TRD, without adverse neurocognitive effects. Randomized controlled studies were warranted to confirm these findings.

Straw returning is one of the important measures for improving soil fertility. It is unclear, however, whether the regulation function of soil on nitrogen (N) cycle after fertilization is sustainable and the relationship between the regulation function and the amount of straw returned to the field. In this study, a 3-year straw returning field trial was set up in a field had been carried out straw returning of all the havested straw for nine years. The amount of straw returned was 100%, 67%, 33% and 0 of the average annual straw yield (7500 kg·hm -2 ) to identify the effects of different straw returned amount on N transformation in the fertilized soil (0-10 cm). Results showed that the amount of straw returning affected the production and consumption of NH 4 + -N and NO 3 - -N by affecting the potential gross N transformation rate. When the amount of straw returning was less than 67%, the production rate of NH 4 + -N significantly reduced and the consumption rate significantly increased, and thus led to the decrease in soil NH 4 + -N retention capacity. The NO 3 - -N production rate increased and the retention capacity decreased, and the NO 3 - -N accumulation and leaching loss risk increased. Therefore, returning more than 67% of harvested straw was necessary to maintain the function of soil N conservation.

Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis type II (ADO II), characterized by increased bone mass and density, is caused by mutations in the chloride channel 7 ( CLCN7 ) gene. In this study, a novel missense variant in CLCN7 (c.1678A > G; p.Met560Val) was identified in three symptomatic subjects and one carrier of a Chinese family with ADO II. Notably, bone formation markers, including osteocalcin and total procollagen type N-terminal propeptide, have increased or presented at the upper limit of the normal range in the three patients. Serum factors secreted by osteoclast lineage cells and affecting the CD31 hi EMCN hi vessel formation, such as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, vascular endothelial growth factor, and SLIT3, had a higher expression in three ADO II subjects than in 15 healthy age-matched and sex-matched controls. Moreover, the conditioned medium was obtained from preosteoclast induced from the ADO II patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells. It was found to promote the CD31 hi EMCN hi vessel formation of human microvascular endothelial cells and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells. Taken together, our finding revealed a novel CLCN7 variant associated with ADO II and suggested that the sclerotic bone was potentially associated with the increase of the CD31 hi EMCN hi vessel formation and bone formation., (Copyright © 2020 Peng, He and Wen.)

Fertilization is an effective management to maintain and increase soil organic carbon (SOC) level in agroecosystems. Both microbial metabolism and plant component retention control SOC sequestration. Here, we used amino sugars and lignin as biomarkers to investigate the responses of distribution of microbial necromass and plant debris in a long-term cultivated soil (30 years) and SOC accumulation to different fertilization regime. The results showed that, compared with unfertilized treatment, inorganic fertilizer application (N fertilizer-only or the combination of organic or inorganic fertilizers) increased crop production and soil amino sugar accumulation, but did not affect the concentrations of lignin and SOC, indicating that inorganic fertilizer stimulated the assimilation of microbial substrate and accelerated the turnover of SOC and lignin in the plough layer. Compared with inorganic fertilizer treatment, long-term organic fertilizer application promoted SOC accumulation (38.3%), but did not affect amino sugar concentration in SOC, which indicated that soil could reach a 'saturation' state with respect to microbial residue accumulation. In contrast, the application of organic fertilizer increased the proportion of lignin in SOC,indicating that the contribution of plant residues to SOC persistence was enhanced. Compared with the manure-only treatment, organic-inorganic combined application mainly increased the contribution of amino sugar to SOC accumulation. Our findings indicated that long-term fertilization could affect SOC dynamics through modulating the accumulation processes of microbial necromass and plant debris.

Objective: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and in the antidepressant response. This study examined whether changes in serum BDNF levels are associated with the antidepressant effects of nonconvulsive electrotherapy (NET)., Methods: For BDNF analyses, serum samples were collected from 20 patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD) and from 20 healthy controls. Serum samples were also collected from patients following a course of NET., Results: Although significantly lower baseline serum BDNF levels were observed in TRD patients than in healthy controls, no changes in serum BDNF levels were found in TRD patients after a course of NET compared to baseline. No significant association was found between serum BDNF levels and depression severity., Conclusion: Serum BDNF levels appear to have no clinical utility in the prediction of the antidepressant effects of NET in patients with TRD. Future studies of higher quality and with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2020 Zheng et al.)

The modified Van Assche magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based score is a feasible system to assess the clinical status of anal fistulas in Crohn disease. In this study, we evaluated this score's association with clinical status in patients with anal fistulas (AFs).We included all patients with AF who underwent contrast-enhanced pelvic MRI and surgery between January 2011 and December 2016. The score was evaluated retrospectively preoperatively and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the risk factors for AF recurrence were also performed.We retrospectively analyzed data for 104 patients. Twelve (11.5%) patients developed AF recurrence. We classified patients' preoperative clinical status into three grades: 52 (50.0%) grade A, 31 (29.8%) grade B, and 21 (20.2%) grade C. The preoperative MRI-based score was significantly correlated with patients' preoperative clinical status grade (Pearson correlation: 0.547; P < .001). The 3 preoperative clinical status grades showed significant (F = 23.303, P < .001) tendencies for associations with lower respective MRI-based scores. The incidence of AF recurrence decreased with the MRI-based score to 1-month postoperatively, then gradually increased (F = 60.863, P = .000). Long duration of disease, prior interventions, and high MRI-based score were independent risk factors for AF recurrence.The MRI-based score objectively assessed the clinical status and disease activity of patients with AFs, with a high score being associated with severe clinical status and long recovery time.

Objective: Ketamine and propofol have become increasingly popular in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) anaesthesia. This study was conducted to examine whether changes in serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are associated with the antidepressant effects of ketofol, a combination of ketamine and propofol, in ECT for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD)., Methods: Thirty patients with TRD (18-65 years) were enrolled and underwent eight ECT sessions with ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) plus propofol (0.5 mg/kg) (ketofol). Symptom severity was monitored using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and serum levels of BDNF were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline and after 2, 4, and 8 ECT treatments. Serum levels of BDNF were also collected from thirty healthy controls., Results: At baseline, there were no significant differences in serum levels of BDNF between patients with TRD and healthy controls. The response and remission rates in patients with TRD were 100% (30/30) and 53.3% (16/30) after ECT treatment, respectively. Despite a significant reduction in HAMD-17 and BPRS scores after ECT, no changes in serum levels of BDNF were observed after ECT treatment when compared to baseline. No association was found between serum levels of BDNF and changes in illness severity., Conclusion: Serum levels of BDNF did not represent a suitable candidate biomarker for determining the antidepressant effects of ketofol during ECT for patients with TRD., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2020 Huang et al.)

Background: Data on the pharmacological management of acute agitation in schizophrenia are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the prescription practices in the treatment of agitation in Chinese patients with schizophrenia., Methods: We conducted a large, multicenter, observational study in 14 psychiatry hospitals in China. Newly hospitalized schizophrenia patients with the PANSS-EC total score ≥ 14 and a value ≥4 on at least one of its five items were included in the study. Their drug treatments of the first 2 weeks in hospital were recorded by the researchers., Results: Eight hundred and 53 patients enrolled in and 847 (99.30%) completed the study. All participants were prescribed antipsychotics, 40 (4.72%) were prescribed benzodiazepine in conjunction with antipsychotics and 81 were treated with modified electric convulsive therapy (MECT). Four hundred and 12 (48.64%) patients were prescribed only one antipsychotic, in the order of olanzapine (120 patients, 29.13%), followed by risperidone (101 patients, 24.51%) and clozapine (41 patients, 9.95%). About 435 (51.36%) participants received antipsychotic polypharmacy, mostly haloperidol + risperidone (23.45%), haloperidol+ olanzapine (17.01%), olanzapine+ ziprasidone (5.30%), haloperidol + clozapine (4.37%) and haloperidol + quetiapine (3.90%). Binary logistic regression analysis suggests that a high BARS score (OR 2.091, 95%CI 1.140-3.124), severe agitation (OR 1.846, 95%CL 1.266-2.693), unemployment or retirement (OR 1.614, 95%CL 1.189-2.190) and aggressiveness on baseline (OR 1.469, 95%CL 1.032-2.091) were related to an increased antipsychotic polypharmacy odds. Male sex (OR 0.592, 95%CL 0.436-0.803) and schizophrenia in older persons (age ≥ 55 years, OR 0.466, 95%CL 0.240-0.902) were less likely to be associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy., Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that monotherapy and polypharmacy display equally common patterns of antipsychotic usage in managing agitation associated with schizophrenia in China. The extent and behavioral activities of agitation and several other factors were associated with polypharmacy.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common malignant tumor of bone, of which clear understanding of molecular pathologic process is not yet possible. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a hormone that plays vital role in development and function of many tissues. Unfortunately, IGF-1 and its receptor (IGF-1R)'s over-expression have been implicated in carcinogenesis, and indicated to constitute a risk factor for the development of multiple human cancers, including OS. Increased levels of IGF-1 and IGF-1R have been reported in OS, leading to cancer progression through transformation, proliferation, pro-metastasis, and decreased susceptibility to apoptosis. Over-expression of IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling also contributes to tumor cell survival, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. IGF-1 has been included as an OS marker recently, and targeting IGF-1 is an interesting and promising approach in OS therapeutics. However more investigations with clinical trials are necessary to validate the use of drugs against IGF-1 that may provide a basis for new therapeutic approaches to treat this devastating disease. This review article focused on the role of IGF-1/IGF-1R in OS progression and therapeutic aspects of OS targeting IGF-1., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this review, we discuss the pathologic mechanism of the angiogenesis process in osteosarcoma (OS) and the therapeutic use of angiogenesis inhibitors in OS treatment. The activation of endothelial cells by angiogenic factors leads to the production of proteolytic enzymes, which degrade the extracellular matrix. The degradation of the underlying basement membrane enables endothelial cells to proliferate and migrate to the surrounding tissue to form new vessels. These new vessels provide cancer cells with oxygen and nutrition and play an important role in cancer cell survival and metastasis. Thus, antiangiogenic therapies might be an interesting approach in OS therapeutics., (Copyright © 2018 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The optimal strategy for shepherd's crook deformity correction remains technically challenging. In particular, it is difficult to perform an accurate osteotomy based on the pre-operative correction plan. Moreover, the choice of ideal hardware remains unclear. In addition, when combined with the deformity of knee joint, the sequence of deformity correction is another overlooked factor when making a correction strategy., Methods: From February 2012 to March 2014, we retrospectively examined a cases series in our department involving the creation of three-dimensional (3D) printing osteotomy templates and inner fixation for shepherd's crook deformity in fibrous dysplasia., Results: A total of ten patients of shepherd's crook deformity were enrolled in this study. The neck shaft angle was corrected from a mean value of 88.1° (range, 73-105°) pre-operatively to a mean value of 128.5° (range, 120-135°) post-operatively; no marked loss in the value was observed (mean, 123.7°; range, 115-130°) at the final follow-up. In addition, compared with patients using dynamic hip screw (DHS), longer operation time and additional blood loss were recorded in patients using intramedullary nail (IN). Moreover, after correction of shepherd's crook deformity, two patients were observed more predominant on their pre-existing valgus knee deformity., Conclusions: 3D printing osteotomy templates facilitate the correction of shepherd's crook deformity. Dynamic hip screw (DHS), combined with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) augmentation, yields excellent outcomes and ensures easy placement and non-intramedullary manipulation, lower bleeding volume, and reduced operation time. Prior to the correction of shepherd's crook deformity, the mechanical axis of the lower limb should be carefully examined, and any evidence of valgus knee deformity should be addressed in advance.

Soil samples were collected from paddy ecosystem under five long-term fertilization treatments, including control without fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilization alone (NPK), rice residue combined with NPK (NPKS), 30% manure plus 70% chemical fertilizer (LOM), and 60% manure plus 40% chemical fertilizer (HOM) in Ningxiang City, Hunan Province. The cha-racteristics of amino sugars accumulation in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils at rice tillering stage were analyzed. Results showed that the contents of soil organic carbon, total amino sugars and three amino monosaccharides (muramic acid, glucosamine and galactosamine) with long-term application of organic materials (rice residue or manure) were significantly higher compared with CK and NPK. The inconsistent accumulation trends of the three amino monosaccharides under different fertilization treatments indicated that different responses of microbial groups to various fertilization treatments. The content of total amino sugars was not significantly different between the rhizosphere soil and the non-rhizosphere soil, probably because the agricultural operations such as plowing could homogenize paddy soils. The contribution of amino sugar derived carbon to soil organic carbon ranged from 24.0 to 28.3 mg·g -1 , which was highest in NPKS, and lowest in HOM and CK. The ratio of fungal to bacterial residues (fungal glucosamine/muramic acid) ranged from 24.4 to 36.6, indicating that fungi dominated the degradation and transformation of organic matter in all the soils. Compared with that under NPK and CK, the participation of organic matter transformation from fungi under NPKS treatment was increased, whereas the bacteria involved in organic matter transformation under HOM treatment was enhanced.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. It occurs mainly in children and adolescents. In patients with open growth plate, epiphyseal distraction is used to separate the uninvolved epiphysis from adjacent tumor. This helps preserve the growth potential and restore joint and limb function to a great extent. Interestingly, epiphyseal distraction also appears to inhibit the proliferation of osteosarcoma tumor cells and to increase sensitivity to chemotherapy. Tumor interstitial pressure (TIP) is often elevated in the microenvironment of most solid tumors, including osteosarcoma. Elevated TIP can promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration ability of osteosarcoma cells and also decrease the uptake and distribution of chemotherapeutic agents. Studies have confirmed that the sustained volumetric strain produced in distracted tissue decreases TIP; it stretches extracellular matrix, decreases interstitial density, and increases vessel diameter. We hypothesize that lowering of TIP during the period of epiphyseal distraction inhibits the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cell and, at the same time, increases blood perfusion in the tumor and thus enhances uptake and distribution of chemotherapy agents. If the hypothesis is proved to be true, distraction of tumor segment could be a novel supplementary treatment for osteosarcoma by manipulation of TIP., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Clavien-Dindo (C-D) classification is a simple and feasible grading system of postoperative complications. The aim of the present study was to apply this system to retrospectively classify all types of post-pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) complications (PPCs) and to systematically identify associated risk factors. Between January 2009 and December 2014, the C-D classification was applied to retrospectively classify PPCs for 1,056 patients who had undergone PD at the West China Hospital. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to link perioperative parameters and mortality with the severity of PPCs, which were subdivided into overall PPCs (Grade I-V), severe PPCs (Grade III-V) and mortality (Grade V). The number of patients with Clavien-Dindo grade I, II, IIIa, IIIb, IVa, IVb and V complications was 185 (17.5%), 128 (12.1%), 50 (4.7%), 25 (2.4%), 35 (3.3%), 19 (1.8%) and 33 (3.1%), respectively. A total of 475 (45.0%) patients experienced overall PPCs; 168 (15.9%) patients experienced severe PPCs; and 33 patients succumbed to mortality following PD. The following risk factors were identified following PD: Preoperative hypoproteinemia was correlated with all three subdivisions; obstructive jaundice was associated with severe PPCs and mortality; and older age was revealed to be an independent risk factor of mortality. A large retrospective study was performed in the present study and PD was correlated with a high occurrence of PPCs. The Clavien-Dindo system represents a broad applicable and feasible approach to evaluating PPCs in patients following PD. The independent risk factors of PPCs that were identified in the present study require further validation using the Clavien-Dindo classification in additional prospective studies.

Background: Excisional hemorrhoidectomy (EH) is the major surgical option for high-grade symptomatic hemorrhoids, but it has some shortcomings, especially postoperative pain. This study was performed to assess the effect of lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) in patients undergoing excisional hemorrhoidectomy., Methods: A systematic literature search (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Science Citation Index, Science Direct, Springer Link, Ovid Journals, and EBSCO) was performed to identify all eligible articles. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until July 7, 2017 comparing EH combined with LIS (experimental group) with EH only (control group) were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome of interest was postoperative pain., Results: Ten RCTs involving 1560 patients were identified for inclusion. The pooled analysis revealed that patients undergoing EH and LIS were associated with lower pain score [standardized mean difference (SMD), -0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), -1.14 to -0.36; z = 3.76; P = .0002] and resting anal pressure [odds ratio (OR), -17.19; 95% CI, -25.66 to -8.72; z = 3.98; P < .0001], and lower incidence of anal stricture (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03-0.53; z = 2.85; P = .004). However, the differences of urinary retention, bleeding and length of hospital stay were similar between the 2 methods., Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that LIS effectively relieves postoperative pain and reduces patient's postoperative analgesic requirements. LIS also reduces the incidence of anal stenosis but increases the incidence of fecal incontinence.

Background: To investigate the effects of abdominal obesity (AO) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with or without AO on carotid arteries by determining carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT)., Methods: A total of 2745 Chinese Han adults (aged between 40 and 50 years old) were recruited and divided into 4 groups: (1) NW-no NAFL group: the normal body weight without NAFLD (n = 1888); (2) AO-no NAFL group: AO without NAFLD (n = 259); (3) NW-with NAFL group: NAFLD without AO (n = 93); and (4) AO-with NAFL group: AO with NAFLD (n = 505). The CIMT rate of each group was compared among 4 groups and the regression analysis was further used to correct confounders., Results: We found that the NW-with NAFL group had a significantly higher CIMT rate than the AO-no NAFL group ([.87 ± .31] versus [.72 ± .29] P < .01) and the AO-with NAFL group ([.87 ± .31] versus [.79 ± .26], P < .01)., Conclusions: The ectopic liver fat accumulation may increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Therefore, screening NAFLD in the population with normal weight may be beneficial for the prevention of atherosclerosis at an early stage., (Copyright © 2018 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in bone metabolism and aging. Here we show that miR-96 was markedly up-regulated in serum of elderly patients with osteoporosis by miRNA microarray analysis and qRT-PCR. Moreover miR-96 was also up-regulated in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) of aged humans and mice. Our results show that the over-expression of miR-96 reduced osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, whereas the inhibition of miR-96 increased osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. At the molecular level, miR-96 regulated osteogenesis by targeting osterix. Interestingly, over-expression of miR-96 in young mice by intravenous injection of agomiR-96 developed a low bone mass due to impaired osteogenesis. However, inhibition of miR-96 in aged mice attenuated the age-related bone loss. Thus, our data suggest that miR-96 regulates osteogenesis and may represent a potential diagnostic marker or therapeutic target for age-related bone loss., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: Resection of proximal fibular osteosarcoma involving the posteromedial aspect of the fibula is challenging. Reconstruction using a gastrocnemius flap may result in significant lateral instability and abnormal knee movement. Furthermore, postoperative gait may be disturbed by foot drop resulting from scarification of the common peroneal nerve., Methods: Between January 2011 and December 2013, five patients with proximal fibular osteosarcoma were treated via the double-approach procedure using en bloc resection without a gastrocnemius flap. Simultaneously, all patients received one-stage tenodesis of the anterior tibial and toe extensor tendons. Clinical outcomes, including local tumor recurrence, complications, and functional outcomes, were evaluated., Results: The mean follow-up duration was 47.2 months (range 42-52 months). No patients experienced local recurrence. The patients' Enneking functional scores were excellent (80%) or good (20%) at the final follow-up., Conclusions: In patients with proximal fibular osteosarcoma, the double-approach procedure allows easier and safer en bloc tumor resection with vessel and nerve protection. One-stage tenodesis without a gastrocnemius flap is associated with good functional outcomes.

Elevated atmospheric CO 2 affects plant photosynthesis process and biomass accumulation, furthermore alters the distribution of photosynthetic carbon (C) above- and below-ground. The formation and turnover of soil organic carbon (SOC) depends on the input of photosynthetic C, so the change of plant physiology and metabolism caused by increasing CO 2 concentration will further affect the balance of SOC pool. Therefore, stable isotope 13 C technique is powerful for clarifying the influence of elevated atmospheric CO 2 on C cycling in plant-soil system, including the distribution of photosynthetic C among plant organs, and the transformation and accumulation of photosynthetic C in soil. This review summarized research focused on the effects of elevated atmospheric CO 2 on C cycling in terrestrial ecosystems based on 13 C natural abundance or 13 C tracing technique, including: 1) isotopic fractionation effect in plant photosynthesis; 2) the distribution of photosynthetic C in plant organs; 3) the transformation and stabilization of photosynthetic C in SOC driven by microbial process. Clarifying the above processes and controlling mechanisms is essential to predict long-term influence of elevated CO 2 on C cycling and evaluate the source-sink function of SOC in terrestrial ecosystems.

A specific bone vessel subtype, strongly positive for CD31 and endomucin (CD31 hi Emcn hi ), is identified as coupling angiogenesis and osteogenesis. The abundance of type CD31 hi Emcn hi vessels decrease during ageing. Here we show that expression of the miR-497∼195 cluster is high in CD31 hi Emcn hi endothelium but gradually decreases during ageing. Mice with depletion of miR-497∼195 in endothelial cells show fewer CD31 hi Emcn hi vessels and lower bone mass. Conversely, transgenic overexpression of miR-497∼195 in murine endothelium alleviates age-related reduction of type CD31 hi Emcn hi vessels and bone loss. miR-497∼195 cluster maintains the endothelial Notch activity and HIF-1α stability via targeting F-box and WD-40 domain protein (Fbxw7) and Prolyl 4-hydroxylase possessing a transmembrane domain (P4HTM) respectively. Notably, endothelialium-specific activation of miR-195 by intravenous injection of aptamer-agomiR-195 stimulates CD31 hi Emcn hi vessel and bone formation in aged mice. Together, our study indicates that miR-497∼195 regulates angiogenesis coupled with osteogenesis and may represent a potential therapeutic target for age-related osteoporosis.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive malignant mesenchymal neoplasm amongst adolescents. The aim of the present study was to explore the various modes of action that miR-379 has on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human OS cells. miR-379 achieves this by targetting eukaryotic initiation factor 4GII (EIF4G2). Human OS cell lines U2OS and MG-63 were selected and assigned into blank, miR-379 mimics, miR-379 mimic negative control (NC), miR-379 inhibitors, miR-379 inhibitor NC, EIF4G2 shRNA, control shRNA, and miR-379 inhibitor + EIF4G2 shRNA group. The miR-379 expression and EIF4G2 mRNA expression were detected utilising quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and the EIF4G2 protein expression using Western blotting. MTT assay, scratch test, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry were performed to determine the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle, respectively. In comparison with the miR-379 mimic NC group, the miR-379 mimics group had decreased EIF4G2 expression; the miR-379 inhibitors group indicated an increased EIF4G2 expression. Compared with the control shRNA group, the EIF4G2 expression was lower in the EIF4G2 shRNA group and the miR-379 expression was dropped in the miR-379 inhibitor + EIF4G2 shRNA group. The proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of OS cells were reduced in the miR-379 mimics and EIF4G2 shRNA groups. The percentage of OS cells at the G 0 /G 1 stage was increased, and the percentage at the S-stage was decreased in the miR-379 mimics and EIF4G2 shRNA groups. miR-379 may inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells through the down-regulation of EIF4G2., (© 2017 The Author(s).)

Growth Differentiation Factor 8 (GDF8), also called myostatin, is a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β super-family. As a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth, GDF8 is also associated with bone metabolism. However, the function of GDF8 in bone metabolism is not fully understood. Our study aimed to investigate the role of GDF8 in bone metabolism, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that GDF8 had a negative regulatory effect on primary mouse osteoblasts, and promoted receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Intraperitoneal injection of recombinant GDF8 repressed bone formation and accelerated bone resorption in mice. Furthermore, treatment of aged mice with a GDF8 neutralizing antibody stimulated new bone formation and prevented bone resorption. Thus, our study showed that GDF8 plays a significant regulatory role in bone formation and bone resorption, thus providing a potential therapeutic pathway for osteoporosis., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Lignocellulosic biomass offers the most abundant renewable resource in replacing traditional fossil resources. However, it is still a major challenge to directly convert the lignin component into value-added materials. The availability of plentiful hydroxyl groups in lignin macromolecules and its unique three-dimensional structure make it an ideal precursor for mesoporous biosorbents. In this work, we reported an environmentally friendly and economically feasible method for the fabrication of mesoporous lignin-based biosorbent (MLBB) from lignocellulosic biomass through a SO 3 micro-thermal-explosion process, as a byproduct of microcrystalline cellulose. BET analysis reveal the average pore-size distribution of 5.50nm, the average pore value of 0.35cm 3 /g, and the specific surface area of 186m 2 /g. The physicochemical properties of MLBB were studied by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), attenuated-total-reflection fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and element analysis. These results showed that there are large amounts of sulfonic functional groups existing on the surface of this biosorbent. Pb(II) was used as a model heavy-metal-ion to demonstrate the technical feasibility for heavy-metal-ion removal. Considering that lignocellulosic biomass is a naturally abundant and renewable resource and SO 3 micro-thermal-explosion is a proven technique, this biosorbent can be easily produced at large scale and become a sustainable and reliable resource for wastewater treatment., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Purpose: Little is known about the clinical characteristics of patients with dementia receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the treatment of behavioral symptoms. This study examined the demographic and clinical profile of patients with dementia receiving ECT in China., Methods: This was a retrospective, case-control study. The sample was composed of 23 patients with dementia treated with ECT and 71 sex- and age-matched controls treated for a period of 8 years (2007-2014) at the National Clinical Research Centre of Mental Disorders, China. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from the electronic chart management system., Results: Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that ECT was independently associated with high risk for suicide at admission. The recorded indications for ECT included both high risk for suicide and aggressive behavior. Most patients responded to ECT satisfactorily (56.5%) or partially (34.8%) with only mild-moderate transient memory impairment (30.4%)., Conclusions: Although this is a preliminary study limited by the retrospective design and small sample size, findings suggest that ECT is an effective and safe therapeutic intervention to reduce the risk for suicide and aggressive behavior in dementia.

Background: Metabolic syndrome has received great attention because it poses a potential cardiovascular hazard, which increases the risk of lower extremity atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between the components of metabolic syndrome and the onset of chronic venous disorder of the lower extremities remains unexplained., Methods: This study investigated the characteristics of cardiometabolic risk factors of early chronic venous disorder of the lower extremities in subjects with cardiometabolic risk. The characteristics of risk factors and diabetes-related complications in diabetic patients with early chronic venous disorder of the lower extremities were also investigated. In addition, the association between early chronic venous disorder and atherosclerosis of the lower extremities was analysed. The study examined 782 subjects with cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia. Lower extremity venous function was measured by digital photoplethysmography., Results: Women had a higher prevalence of early chronic venous disorder than did men (p < 0.01). Male subjects with early chronic venous disorder had a higher systolic blood pressure than those with normal venous function (p < 0.01), and female subjects with early chronic venous disorder had a higher fasting plasma glucose level than did controls (p < 0.05). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is also significantly higher in female patients with early chronic venous disorder (p = 0.000). Diabetic patients with early chronic venous disorder not only had higher fasting plasma glucose and total cholesterol levels but also had more serious macrovascular complications than the control group. The independent risk factors of early chronic venous disorder in female subjects with cardiometabolic risks were age and fasting plasma glucose in men it was only age Women face a two times greater risk than men. The independent risk factors of early chronic venous disorder in diabetic patients were age, gender, HbA1c and triglyceride levels Women had an almost 12 times greater risk of early chronic venous disorder than men. Among the diabetic patients, the prevalence of early chronic venous disorder did not differ by ankle-brachial index., Conclusion: Female subjects with cardiometabolic risk factors or female diabetic patients face a greater risk of early chronic venous disorder than do male subjects. Diabetic patients with early chronic venous disorder had more serious macrovascular complications than did the controls, and the early venous function was found to be correlated with the blood glucose level and triglyceride status., (Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Mazabraud syndrome is a rare condition characterized by a combination of fibrous dysplasia and intramuscular myxomas. In Mazabraud syndrome, the distribution of fibrous dysplasia is mostly polyomelic and frequently located in the femur, with myxomas adjacent to the fibrous dysplasia lesion of bone (mostly in the quadriceps muscle). However, when presented as atypical clinical features, patients of Mazabraud syndrome is either misdiagnosed or difficult to diagnose. We report an atypical monomelic case of Mazabraud syndrome in the right upper arm and discuss the difficulties in making an accurate diagnosis.

Aim: To investigate the accuracy of Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in staging and sub-staging T1a and T1b esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)., Methods: A retrospective analysis involving 72 patients with pathologically confirmed T1a or T1b ESCC, was undertaken between January 2005 and December 2011 in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. The accuracy and efficiency of EUS for detecting stages T1a and T1b ESCC were examined., Results: The overall accuracy of EUS for detecting stage T1a or T1b ESCC was 70.8% (51/72), and the sensitivity was 74.3%. 77.8% (7/9) of lesions originated in the upper thoracic region, 73.1% (38/52) in the mid-thoracic region and 72.7% (8/11) in the lower thoracic region. Multivariate analysis revealed that the diagnostic accuracy of EUS was closely related to lesion length (F = 4.984, P = 0.029)., Conclusion: EUS demonstrated median degree of accuracy for distinguishing between stages T1a and T1b ESCC. Therefore, it is necessary to improve EUS for staging early ESCC.

Aim: To determine if there is consistency between endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) findings and pathological results for detecting lesions of different depth in the esophageal mucosa., Methods: A canine (Beagle) model was established in which lesions of different depths were created in the esophageal mucosa by thermal burning. Seventy-two hours later, these lesions and adjacent tissue in the esophagus were examined by EUS. EUS findings including infiltrating depth, strength of echogenicity and homogeneity were recorded. Dogs were sacrificed and tissue specimens were obtained. We then compared the EUS findings with the pathology reports., Results: Thermal burns created at different power settings caused lesions of different depth in the esophageal mucosa. When the echo strength was shifted from high, medium, to low echogenicity, an increase in the infiltrating depth of the lesion was noted, which coincided with results of the pathology examination. Obvious submucosal edema visualized by EUS was also detected by pathology. Furthermore, because of the enhancement caused by the submucosal edema, the lesions invading into the submucosa were easily visualized by EUS., Conclusion: There is consistency between EUS findings and pathological results of esophageal lesions with different depths. Submucosal edema can serve as an ultrasonic contrast agent.

Background: Cytokines including transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are closely related to bone metabolism. However, the relationships between TGF-β1, OPG and risk of osteoporosis in native Chinese women are unknown. Our research indicated that there is a positive correlation between TGF-β1 and bone mineral density (BMD) T-score, and a negative correlation between OPG and T-score. The risk of osteoporosis is reduced as TGF-β1 increases and increases as OPG was raised. We investigated correlations of BMD T-scores with circulating TGF-β1 and BMD T-scores with circulating OPG in healthy native Chinese women, and to study the effects of changes in TGF-β1 and OPG on osteoporosis., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 691 healthy native Chinese women aged 20-80 years. Concentrations of serum TGF-β1 and OPG were determined. BMD T-scores at the posteroanterior spine, left hip, and forearm were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry., Results: There were positive correlations between serum TGF-β1 and T-scores at the various skeletal sites (r=0.167-0.285, all P=0.000) and negative correlations between serum OPG and T-scores (r=-0.179 to -0.270, all P=0.007-0.000). After adjusting for age and BMI, correlations between TGF-β1 and T-score at the lumbar vertebrae and ultradistal forearm, and between OPG and T-score at the ultradistal forearm in premenopausal subjects, remained statistically significant. Multivariate linear stepwise analysis showed that TGF-β1 could explain 1.9-8.3% of T-score variation at each skeletal site. OPG could explain 2.4-4.4% of T-score variation. When TGF-β1 and OPG concentrations were grouped according to quartile intervals, T-score and the prevalence and risk of osteoporosis varied with changes in the cytokines., Conclusions: The risk of osteoporosis in native Chinese women increased as circulating TGF-β1 was reduced and OPG was raised., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In July 2010, soil samples were collected from five typical forests (Pinus koraiensis and broadleaved mixed forest, Picea and Abies forest, Larix and Abies forest, Betula ermanii forest, and alpine tundra) along an altitude gradient on the northern slope of Changbai Mountains to investigate the distribution and quantity of neutral sugar in the soils and related affecting factors. The origins of the neutral sugar were differentiated to probe into the biochemical accumulation mechanisms of soil organic matter. There was a significant difference in the neutral sugar content among the forest soils. The relative content of soil neutral sugar' s carbon to soil organic carbon ranged in 80.55-170.63 mg C x g(-1), and tended to be increased with elevated altitude. The multiple regression analysis showed that the mean temperature in growth season was the main factor affecting the relative content of soil neutral sugar, and low temperature was conducive to the accumulation of neutral sugar. The ratio of (galactose + mannose) / (arabinose + xylose) in the five soils was around 1.62-2.28, and had an increasing trend with elevated altitude, illustrating that the contribution of soil microbial neutral sugar to soil organic matter increased with elevated altitude. Soil microbial metabolic quotient declined significantly along elevated altitude, suggesting that in low temperature environment, soil microbial activity decreased but the carbon utilization efficiency enhanced. As a result, a significant portion of decomposed plant residues was transformed into microbial neutral sugar and accumulated stably in soil, and thus, increased the proportion of soil microbial neutral sugar.

Objective: To verify the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion on defecating and pain symptoms in postoperative patient of anal fissure., Methods: Two hundred cases of postoperation of anal fissure were randomly divided into an acupuncture-moxibustion group and a medication group, 100 cases in each one. The basic treatment after the surgery was the same in two groups, besides, acupuncture was applied at Zhongliao (BL 33) and Xialiao (BL 34) in the morning of first 5 days of postoperative 24 h in the acupuncture-moxibustion group, and suspended moxibusiton was applied at Changqiang (GV 1) within 5 to 10 min after defecation; while two bags of forlax was orally administrated in the morning of first 5 days of postoperative 24 h in the medication group. The pain intensity, defecation willingness, defecation difficulty and stool texture during postoperative defecation were observed., Results: The defecation pain on the first two days after the treatment was not statistically significant between two groups (both P > 0.05). From the third day of treatment, the improvements of defecation pain in acupuncture-moxibustion group were more obvious than those in the medication group (all P < 0.05). The patients in the acupuncture-moxibustion group had more positive defecation willingness than those in the medication group (all P < 0.05). The differences of defecation difficulty and stool properties in two groups had no statistical significance (both P > 0.05)., Conclusion: The intervention treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion has clinical significance on relieving pain symptoms and improving defecation willingness in postoperative patient of anal fissure.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in bone metabolism. In the present study, we found that miR-148a is dramatically upregulated during osteoclastic differentiation of circulating CD14+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) induced by macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). Overexpression of miR-148a in CD14+ PBMCs promoted osteoclastogenesis, whereas inhibition of miR-148a attenuated osteoclastogenesis. V-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog B (MAFB) is a transcription factor negatively regulating RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. miR-148a directly targeted MAFB mRNA by binding to the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) and repressed MAFB protein expression. In vivo, our study showed that silencing of miR-148a using a specific antagomir-inhibited bone resorption and increased bone mass in mice receiving ovariectomy (OVX) and in sham-operated control mice. Furthermore, our results showed that miR-148a levels significantly increased in CD14+ PBMCs from lupus patients and resulted in enhanced osteoclastogenesis, which contributed to the lower bone mineral density (BMD) in lupus patients compared with normal controls. Thus, our study provides a new insight into the roles of miRNAs in osteoclastogenesis, and contributes to a new therapeutic pathway for osteoporosis., (Copyright © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.)

Acetochlor is a widely used herbicide in maize fields; however, the ecological risk of its residue in the soil-plant system remains unknown. We investigated the dissipation dynamics of field dose acetochlor and clarified its impact on microbial biomass and community structure both in the rhizosphere and bulk soil over 1 month after its application. Soil microbial parameters such as quantities of culturable bacteria and fungi represented by colony-forming units, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMB(C)), and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were determined across different sampling times. The results showed that the dissipation half-lives of acetochlor were, respectively, 2.8 and 3.4 days in the rhizosphere and bulk soil, and 0.02-0.07 μg/g residual acetochlor could be detected in the soil 40 days after its application. Compared to the bulk soil, microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil were inclined to be affected by the application of acetochlor: SMB(C) content and bacterial growth were most likely to be increased; however, fungal growth was prone to be inhibited. The principal component analysis of PLFAs, as well as the comparisons of fungi/bacteria and cy17:0/C16:1ω9c ratios between different treatments over sampling time, revealed that the soil microbial community composition was significantly affected by acetochlor at its early application stage (at day 15); thereafter, the effects of acetochlor were attenuated or even could not be detected. Our results suggested that residual acetochlor did not confer a long-term impairment on viable bacterial groups in the rhizosphere and bulk soil.

Immunohistochemical studies have revealed that cystatin C (CysC) co-localizes with amyloid-β (Αβ) in amyloid-laden vascular walls and in the senile plaque cores of amyloid. In vitro and in vivo animal studies suggest that CysC protects against neurodegeneration by inhibition of cysteine proteases, inhibition of Αβ aggregation, induction of autophagy and induction of cell division. CysC levels may be altered and may have a potential link with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ levels in various types of dementia with characteristic amyloid deposits, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and the atrophic form of general paresis (AF-GP). We assessed the serum and CSF levels of CysC and the CSF levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42 in patients with AD (n = 51), DLB (n = 26) and AF-GP (n = 43) and normal controls (n = 30). Using these samples, we explored the correlation between CSF CysC and CSF Aβ levels. We found that in comparison to the normal control group, both CSF CysC and CSF Aβ42 levels were significantly lower in all three dementia groups (all p<0.001); serum CysC levels were the same in the AD and DLB groups, and were lower in the AF-GP group (p = 0.008). The CSF CysC levels were positively correlated with both the CSF Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels in the AD, AF-GP and normal control groups (r = 0.306∼0.657, all p<0.05). Lower CSF CysC levels might be a common feature in dementia with characteristic amyloid deposits. Our results provide evidence for the potential role of CysC involvement in Aβ metabolism and suggest that modulation of the CysC level in the brain might produce a disease-modifying effect in dementia with characteristic amyloid deposits.

microRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in osteoblast differentiation. However, the mechanisms of miRNAs regulating osteoblast mineralization still need further investigation. Here, we performed miRNA profiling and identified that miR-93 was the most significantly downregulated miRNA during osteoblast mineralization. Overexpression of miR-93 in cultured primary mouse osteoblasts attenuated osteoblast mineralization. Expression of the Sp7 transcription factor 7 (Sp7, Osterix), a zinc finger transcription factor and critical regulator of osteoblast mineralization, was found to be inversely correlated with miR-93. Then Sp7 was confirmed to be a target of miR-93. Overexpression of miR-93 in cultured osteoblasts reduced Sp7 protein expression without affecting its mRNA level. Luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-93 directly targeted Sp7 by specifically binding to the target coding sequence region (CDS) of Sp7. Experiments such as electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and promoter luciferase reporter assay confirmed that Sp7 bound to the promoter of miR-93. Furthermore, overexpression of Sp7 reduced miR-93 transcription, whereas blocking the expression of Sp7 promoted miR-93 transcription. Our study showed that miR-93 was an important regulator in osteoblast mineralization and miR-93 carried out its function through a novel miR-93/Sp7 regulatory feedback loop. Our findings provide new insights into the roles of miRNAs in osteoblast mineralization., (Copyright © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.)