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Several epidemiological studies have investigated the association between sugar intake, the levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and the risk of hypertension, but findings have been inconsistent. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to examine the associations between sugar intake, hypertension risk, and BP levels. Articles published up to February 2, 2021 were sourced through PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using a fixed- or random-effects model. Restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate dose-response associations. Overall, 35 studies were included in the present meta-analysis (23 for hypertension and 12 for BP). Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) were positively associated with hypertension risk: 1.26 (95% CI, 1.15–1.37) and 1.10 (1.07–1.13) per 250-g/day increment, respectively. For SBP, only SSBs were significant with a pooled β value of 0.24 mmHg (95% CI, 0.12–0.36) per 250 g increase. Fructose, sucrose, and added sugar, however, were shown to be associated with elevated DBP with 0.83 mmHg (0.07–1.59), 1.10 mmHg (0.12–2.08), and 5.15 mmHg (0.09–10.21), respectively. Current evidence supports the harmful effects of sugar intake for hypertension and BP level, especially SSBs, ASBs, and total sugar intake.

Charities are constantly looking for new and more effective ways to engage potential donors in order to secure the resources needed to deliver services. The current work demonstrates that creative activities are one way for marketers to meet this challenge. Field and lab studies find that engaging potential donors in creative activities positively influences their donation behaviors (i.e., the likelihood of donation and the monetary amount donated). Importantly, the observed effects are shown to be context independent: they hold even when potential donors engage in creative activities unrelated to the focal cause of the charity (or the charitable organization itself). The findings suggest that engaging in a creative activity enhances the felt autonomy of the participant, thus inducing a positive affective state, which in turn leads to higher donation behaviors. Positive affect is demonstrated to enhance donation behaviors due to perceptions of donation impact and a desire for mood maintenance. However, the identified effects emerge only when one engages in a creative activity—not when the activity is noncreative, or when only the concept of creativity itself is made salient.

Background Most susceptible loci of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are located in non-coding regions, and the mechanism of action remains unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that affect competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) regulation mechanism with the risk and prognosis of HCC. Methods Based on a set of bioinformatics strategies, eight lncRNA genes that affect HCC through the mechanism of lncRNA-mediated ceRNA were systematically screened, and 15 SNPs that affect microRNA (miRNA) binding in these lncRNA genes were annotated. Genotyping was performed in 800 HCC cases and 801 healthy controls to examine associations of these SNPs with HCC in a northeastern Chinese Han population. Results The GG, GC and GG + GC genotypes of HOTAIR rs7958904 were associated with a 0.65, 0.59 and 0.63-fold decreased HCC risk, respectively. In addition, HCC patients with PVT1 rs3931282 AA + GA genotypes were less prone to develop late-stage cancers in a stratified analysis of clinical characteristics. When stratified by clinical biochemical indexes, rs1134492 and rs10589312 in PVT1 and rs84557 in EGFR-AS1 showed significant associations with aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or AST/ALT ratio in HCC patients. Furthermore, we constructed potential ceRNA regulatory axes that might be affected by five positive SNPs to explain the causes of these genetic associations. Conclusions HOTAIR rs7958904, PVT1 rs3931282, rs1134492 and rs10589312, and EGFR-AS1 rs84557 might be predictors for HCC risk or prognosis. Our results provide new insights into how SNPs on lncRNA-mediated ceRNAs confer interindividual differences to occurrence and progression of HCC.

To solve the problem of energy crisis in today’s world, energy conservation is more and more get the attention of people, heat exchanger occupies an important place in the field of energy saving, however, because of the heat exchanger is a traditional energy-intensive heavy industry, one of the most widely used equipment in it as preheating, mainly in the process of waste heat recovery, refrigeration equipment, made outstanding contributions to energy saving. In this paper, plate heat exchanger as the research object, select the established model, through the analysis of the existing heat transfer enhancement theory, combined with the classical optimization algorithm genetic algorithm plate heat exchanger programming optimization, through iterative calculation to get the optimal plate heat exchanger structure parameters. Finally, combined with the simulation calculation of the performance of the heat exchanger before and after optimization structure parameters, further analysis of its internal flow. The research in this paper provides a theoretical basis for the design, structure optimization and performance prediction of plate heat exchanger.

The interface adhesive properties and mechanical properties of shape memory alloy composites were experimentally investigated. The two diameters of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire were surface modified by sandpaper, acid corrosion and alkali corrosion. Pull-out tests of single fiber and tensile tests of composite laminates were carried out. The results show that SMA after acid corrosion is the most effective to improve interface adhesive properties. With the increase of SMA diameter, the contact area between the matrix and SMA increases, so the degree of interfacial bonding is more obvious. The mechanical properties of SMA-modified composite laminates polished by sandpaper have been fully improved. SMA plays a full role in tensile resistance as long as the interface adhesive strength is large enough. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the surface roughness of the SMA wire treated in H2SO4 is more obvious than the other two.

Polydactyly is a common congenital malformation characterized by the presence of supernumerary fingers or toes. In this case study, we sought to identify the causative pathogenic factor in a family from a northern region of China affected by non-syndromic postaxial polydactyly (PAP).After recruiting a three-generation family with PAP, whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify the causative variant. In silico analysis and Sanger sequencing were used to validate the variant.We identified a novel heterozygous frameshift variant (NM_000168.6:c.4540delG, p.Asp1514Thrfs*5) in the transcriptional activator (TA1) domain of the GLI3 gene.The novel frameshift variant identified in this study further confirms the relationship between non-syndromic PAP and GLI3 and extends the previously established mutational and phenotypic spectra of GLI3.

Background: Some studies have shown that the base excision repair (BER) pathway has an effect on HIV-1 replication. APEX1 and XRCC1 as key BER genes may affect DNA repair capacity. However, the roles of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in APEX1 and XRCC1 and their impact on HIV-1 infection and AIDS progression remain unclear.Methods: A custom-designed 48-Plex SNPscan Kit was used for detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms. 601 HIV-1-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) and 624 age-matched healthy individuals were recruited in northern China. Four SNPs (rs1130409, rs1760944, rs2307486 and rs3136817) in APEX1 gene and three SNPs (rs1001581, rs25487 and rs25489) in XRCC1 gene were genotyped. The generalized multifactor dimension reduction (GMDR) method was used to identify the SNP-SNP interactions.Results: In this study, rs1130409 G allele, rs1001581 C allele and rs25487 C allele were associated with a higher risk of HIV-1 infection susceptibility (p = 0.020, p = 0.007 and p = 0.032, respectively). The frequencies of APEX1 haplotype TT and XRCC1 haplotype CT showed significant differences between cases and controls (p = 0.0372 and p = 0.0189, respectively). Interestingly, stratified analysis showed that the frequency of rs1001581 C allele was significantly higher in AIDS patients with the CD4+ T-lymphocyte count 200 cells/μl (p = 0.022). Moreover, significant gene-gene interactions among rs1130409, rs1001581 and rs25487 were identified by GMDR (p = 0.0107). Specially, individuals with five to six risk alleles have a higher susceptibility to HIV-1 infection than those with zero to two risk alleles (p < 0.001).Conclusion:APEX1 and XRCC1 gene polymorphisms were associated with the susceptibility to HIV-1 infection and AIDS progression in MSM populations in northern China.

The objective of this study was to construct a BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS)/global positioning system (GPS)-integrated positioning algorithm that meets the accuracy requirement of forest surveys and to analyze its accuracy to provide theoretical and technical support for accurate positioning and navigation in forests. The Quercus variabilis broad-leaved forest in Jiufeng National Forest Park and the Sabina Coniferous forest in Dongsheng Bajia forest farm were selected as the study area. A Sanding T-23 multi-frequency three-constellation receiver and a u-blox NEO-M8T multi-constellation receiving module were used for continuous observation under the forest canopy. Compared with T-23, the u-blox NEO-M8T is much lighter and more flexible in the forest. The BDS/GPS-integrated positioning algorithm for forests was constructed by temporally and spatially unifying the satellite systems and using a reasonable observed value weighting method. Additionally, the algorithm is also written into the RTKLIB software to calculate the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of the forest observation point in the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS-84) coordinate system. Finally, the results were compared with the positioning results obtained using GPS alone. The experimental results indicated that, compared with GPS positioning, there were 13–27 visible satellites available for the BDS/GPS-integrated positioning algorithm for forests, far more than the satellites available for the GPS positioning algorithm alone. The Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) values for the BDS/GPS-integrated positioning ranged from 0.5 to 1.9, lower than those for GPS positioning. The signal noise ratio (SNR) of the BDS/GPS-integrated satellite signals and GPS satellite signals were both in the range of 10–50 dB-Hz. However, because there were more visible satellites for the BDS/GPS-integrated positioning, the signals from the BDS/GPS-integrated satellites were stronger and had a more stable SNR than those from the GPS satellites alone. The results obtained using the BDS/GPS-integrated positioning algorithm for forests had significantly higher theoretical and actual accuracies in the X, Y and Z directions than those obtained using the GPS positioning algorithm. This suggests that the BDS/GPS-integrated positioning algorithm can obtain more accurate positioning results for complex forest environments.

ObjectiveWe performed a meta-analysis, including dose–response analysis, to quantitatively determine the association of fried-food consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in the general adult population.MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science for all articles before 11 April 2020. Random-effects models were used to estimate the summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs.ResultsIn comparing the highest with lowest fried-food intake, summary RRs (95% CIs) were 1.28 (1.15 to 1.43; n=17, I2=82.0%) for major cardiovascular events (prospective: 1.24 (1.12 to 1.38), n=13, I2=75.7%; case–control: 1.91 (1.15 to 3.17), n=4, I2=92.1%); 1.22 (1.07 to 1.40; n=11, I2=77.9%) for coronary heart disease (prospective: 1.16 (1.05 to 1.29), n=8, I2=44.6%; case–control: 1.91 (1.05 to 3.47), n=3, I2=93.9%); 1.37 (0.97 to 1.94; n=4, I2=80.7%) for stroke (cohort: 1.21 (0.87 to 1.69), n=3, I2=77.3%; case–control: 2.01 (1.27 to 3.19), n=1); 1.37 (1.07 to 1.75; n=4, I2=80.0%) for heart failure; 1.02 (0.93 to 1.14; n=3, I2=27.3%) for cardiovascular mortality; and 1.03 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.12; n=6, I2=38.0%) for all-cause mortality. The association was linear for major cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease and heart failure.ConclusionsFried-food consumption may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and presents a linear dose–response relation. However, the high heterogeneity and potential recall and misclassification biases for fried-food consumption from the original studies should be considered.

In this paper, experiments and finite element analysis methods were adopted to study the flexural performance of shape memory alloy hybrid composites (SMAHC). The effect of embedding content and position of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire on the flexural properties of composite laminates was analyzed, and the optimal content and position of SMA wire were obtained. The optimal number of SMA wires for SMAHC laminates (B-2) is four. Compared with GFRP laminates, the flexural modulus of B-2-4 laminates increases by 5.19%, while the strength decreases by 5.76% on average. The finite element model of the SMAHC laminate was established by using ABAQUS finite element analysis software, and the validity of the model was verified by the comparison between the simulation results and the experimental results. The microscopic morphology results show that the weak interface between the matrix and SMA has a certain influence on the flexural performance of SMAHC specimens.

Background DAL-1 gene was reported to inhibit proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of gastric cancer (GC) cells in our previous study. The association between the genomic variants in DAL-1 gene with risk of GC is still unclear. Methods In this study, 505 GC cases and 544 healthy controls (HCs) were collected to evaluate the association between six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs7240736, rs73937194, rs3817466, rs8082898, rs73381527, rs9953490) of DAL-1 gene and GC risk in the Han population in Northeast China. Results The TA + AA genotypes of rs9953490 were significantly associated with an increased risk in N3 compared with N0 subgroup (adjusted OR = 4.56, 95% CI = 1.49–13.98, P = 0.008), and also showed evident association with an increased risk in TNM stage III compared with stage I-II (adjusted OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.16–4.67, P = 0.017). Conclusion The rs9953490 of DAL-1 gene may play an important role in the occurrence and development of GC in the Han population in Northeast China.

RNA detection is crucial for biological research and clinical diagnosis. The current methods include both direct and amplification-based RNA detection. These methods require complicated procedures, suffering from low sensitivity, slow turnaround, and amplification bias. The CRISPR/Cas13a system is a direct RNA detection method via target RNA induced collateral cleavage activity. However, to detect low concentration RNA with CRISPR/Cas13a, target amplification is always required. Herein, we optimize the components of the CRISPR/Cas13a assay to enhance the sensitivity of viral RNA detection which improve the detection limit from 1 pM up to 100 fM. In addition, the integration of CRISPR/Cas13a biosensing and single molecule super resolution imaging is a novel strategy for direct and amplification-free RNA detection. After surface modification, fluorescent RNA reporters are immobilized on the glass coverslip surface and fluorescent signals are captured by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), shifting the measurement from spectroscopy to imaging. We quantify the fluorescence signal intensity before and after collateral cleavage of the CRISPR system when viral RNA is present and achieve a detection limit of 10 fM. Therefore, we provide a novel TIRFM-based system to visualize the CRISPR trans-cleavage for direct and robust RNA detection.

Background Most the HCC susceptible loci identified by GWAS are located in non-coding regions, and the mechanism of action remains unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship among SNPs on lncRNA that affects ceRNA mechanism and the risk and prognosis of HCC. Methods In this study, combined with multiple databases, eight lncRNA genes that affect HCC were systematically screened through the mechanism of lncRNA-mediated ceRNA, and 15 SNPs that affect miRNA binding in the eight lncRNA genes were annotated. Genotyping was conducted in 800 HCC cases and 801 healthy controls from a Han population in Northeast China to examine the genetic risk associated with HCC. Results The GG, GC and GG + GC genotypes of HOTAIR rs7958904 were found to be associated with a 0.65, 0.59 and 0.63-fold decreased HCC risk, respectively. Moreover, in the stratified analysis of clinical characteristics, HCC patients with PVT1 rs3931282 AA + GA genotypes were less prone to develop late-stage tumors. When stratified by clinical biochemical indexes, rs1134492 and rs10589312 in PVT1 and rs84557 in EGFR-AS1 showed significant associations with AST, ALT or AST/ALT ratio. In addition, the potential ceRNA regulatory axes might be affected by the five positive SNPs were constructed to explain the causes of these genetic associations. Conclusions This first study demonstrated the association of SNPs on lncRNA -mediated ceRNAs with HCC. The results provide new insights of how non-coding loci confer the interindividual differences to susceptibility and progression of HCC.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV infection. Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway is the main way of double-stranded DNA break (DSB) repair in the higher eukaryotes, and can repair the DSB timely at any time in cell cycle. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of SNPs of the NHEJ pathway genes with susceptibility to HIV-1 infection and AIDS progression among MSM residing in northern China.Results: In the present study, a total of 481 HIV-1 seropositive men and 493 HIV-1 seronegative men were included. And genotyping of 22 SNPs in NHEJ pathway genes was performed using the SNPscanTM Kit. Our results disclosed significant associations of XRCC6 rs132770 and XRCC4 rs1056503 genotypes with susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. The generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) analysis found a significant SNP-SNP interaction between the XRCC6 and XRCC4 variants in the risk of HIV-1 infection. In stratified analysis, the positive effects of XRCC5 rs16855458 and LIG4 rs1805388 on the CD4+ T cell count and clinical phase of disease were validated.Conclusions: Our results confirmed that the NHEJ gene polymorphisms played an important role in HIV-1 infection and AIDS progression in the northern Chinese MSM population.

Objective:The impact of baseline hypertension status on the BMI–mortality association is still unclear. We aimed to examine the moderation effect of hypertension on the BMI–mortality association using a rural Chinese cohort.Design:In this cohort study, we investigated the incident of mortality according to different BMI categories by hypertension status.Setting:Longitudinal population-based cohort.Participants:17 262 adults ≥18 years were recruited from July to August of 2013 and July to August of 2014 from a rural area in China.Results:During a median 6-year follow-up, we recorded 1109 deaths (610 with and 499 without hypertension). In adjusted models, as compared with BMI 22–24 kg/m2, with BMI ≤ 18, 18–20, 20–22, 24–26, 26–28, 28–30 and >30 kg/m2, the hazard ratios for mortality in normotensive participants were 1·92 (95% CI 1·23, 3·00), 1·44 (95% CI 1·01, 2·05), 1·14 (95% CI 0·82, 1·58), 0·96 (95% CI 0·70, 1·31), 0·96 (95% CI 0·65, 1·43), 1·32 (95% CI 0·81, 2·14) and 1·32 (95% CI 0·74, 2·35), respectively, and in hypertensive participants were 1·85 (95% CI 1·08, 3·17), 1·67 (95% CI 1·17, 2·39), 1·29 (95% CI 0·95, 1·75), 1·20 (95% CI 0·91, 1·58), 1·10 (95% CI 0·83, 1·46), 1·10 (95% CI 0·80, 1·52) and 0·61 (95% CI 0·40, 0·94), respectively. The risk of mortality was lower in individuals with hypertension with overweight or obesity v. normal weight, especially in older hypertensives (≥60 years old). Sensitivity analyses gave consistent results for both normotensive and hypertensive participants.Conclusions:Low BMI was significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality regardless of hypertension status in rural Chinese adults, but high BMI decreased the mortality risk among individuals with hypertension, especially in older hypertensives.

Aim: Although hMLH1 and hMSH2 are closely associated with the development and drug resistance of multiple types of tumors, their role in renal tumors remains unclear. This study was designed to exa...

While the adoption of innovative products offers an opportunity for consumers to stand out and signal their uniqueness, such adoption also may also be associated with social risk. The curre...

BACKGROUND Previous studies reported that DNA damage repair (DDR) genes may play an important role in HIV-1 infection. The MRE11 gene, a member of the MRN complex, plays an essential part in the homologous recombination pathway, which is one of the classical DDR pathways. Previous reports have demonstrated that MRE11 has an effect on HIV-1 replication. However, the role of SNPs in the MRE11 gene and their impact on HIV-1 infection and AIDS progression remain unknown. METHODS In this study, 434 MSM HIV-1-infected patients in northern China and 431 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Five SNPs (rs2155209, rs10831234, rs13447720, rs601341 and rs11020803) at the MRE11 gene were genotyped. Another series of cases (409 MSM HIV-1-infected patients) and controls (403 age-matched healthy males) were recruited as the validation set. RESULTS In our study, rs10831234 showed differences in allele frequencies between cases and controls (P = 0.005). Additionally, there was an association between rs10831234 and HIV-1 infection susceptibility in dominant and additive models (P = 0.005 and P = 0.006, respectively). All significant associations were replicated in the validation set, and the associations were still significant after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing when the two data sets were combined. Furthermore, in haplotype association analyses between the case and control groups, the frequencies of the haplotypes Crs11020803Crs10831234 and Trs11020803Trs10831234 showed significant differences (P = 0.0181 and P = 0.0068, respectively). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that the MRE11 rs10831234-T allele may confer increased risk of HIV-1 infection.

Objectives: The relationship between Noggin ( NOG) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP) has been reported participate in craniofacial development but need further evidence. To indicate the susceptibility between the 2 genes and NSCLP, rs227731 and rs1801131 polymorphisms were included in the present research. This research may provide some genetic clues for disease detection and surveillance. Design: Seventeen studies including 4023 cases and 5691 controls were provided for meta-analysis, and odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI were obtained to estimate NSCLP risk. Results: Our analysis suggested potential association of rs227731C on increasing the risk of NSCLP in the Caucasian group and total group but not Asian group under all models: allele (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.21-1.75, P < .0001), homozygote (OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.42-2.90, P < .0001), heterozygote (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.19-1.73, P = .0001), dominant (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.27-2.04, P < .0001), and recessive models (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.25-2.12, P = .0003). Besides, increased risk is related to rs1801131 in Asian group under 3 models: allele (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.06-1.44, P = .006), heterozygote (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.02-1.52, P = .03), and dominant models (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.06-1.56, P = .009). Conclusions: Our analysis indicates polymorphisms rs227731 and rs1801131 are associated with NSCLP, with predominance of different ethnic group and deepen understanding of NSCLP.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between air pollution and DNA methylation in adults from published observational studies. PubMed, Web of Science and Embase databases were systematically searched for available studies on the association between air pollution and DNA methylation published up to March 9, 2021. Three DNA methylation approaches were considered: global methylation, candidate-gene, and epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS). Meta-analysis was used to summarize the combined estimates for the association between air pollutants and global DNA methylation levels. Heterogeneity was assessed with the Cochran Q test and quantified with the I2 statistic. In total, 38 articles were included in this study: 16 using global methylation, 18 using candidate genes, and 11 using EWAS, with 7 studies using more than one approach. Meta-analysis revealed an imprecise but inverse association between exposure to PM2.5 and global DNA methylation (for each 10-μg/m3 PM2.5, combined estimate: 0.39; 95% confidence interval: 0.97 - 0.19). The candidate-gene results were consistent for the ERCC3 and SOX2 genes, suggesting hypermethylation in ERCC3 associated with benzene and that in SOX2 associated with PM2.5 exposure. EWAS identified 201 CpG sites and 148 differentially methylated regions that showed differential methylation associated with air pollution. Among the 307 genes investigated in 11 EWAS, a locus in nucleoredoxin gene was found to be positively associated with PM2.5 in two studies. Current meta-analysis indicates that PM2.5 is imprecisely and inversely associated with DNA methylation. The candidate-gene results consistently suggest hypermethylation in ERCC3 associated with benzene exposure and that in SOX2 associated with PM2.5 exposure. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) network analyses revealed that these genes were associated with African trypanosomiasis, Malaria, Antifolate resistance, Graft-versus-host disease, and so on. More evidence is needed to clarify the association between air pollution and DNA methylation.

Background MSM has a high risk of HIV infection. Previous studies showed that the cell cycle regulation played an important role in HIV-1 infection, especially in G2/M checkpoint. The ATR, Chk1, Cdc25C and CDK1 are key genes in G2/M checkpoint. However, the association between the SNPs of these genes and susceptibility to HIV-1 infection and AIDS progression remains unknown. Results 42 tSNPs of G2/M checkpoint genes were genotyped to analyze the association between these tSNPs and susceptibility to HIV-1 infection and AIDS progression among MSM (529 HIV − 1 seropositive men and 529 HIV-1 seronegative men) in northern China. The results showed that rs34660854-A and rs75368165-A in ATR gene and rs3756766-A in Cdc25C gene could increase the risk of HIV-1 infection (P = 0.049, P = 0.020 and P = 0.010, respectively), and ATR rs75069062 and Chk1 rs10893405 were significantly associated with AIDS progression (P = 0.026 and P = 0.029, respectively). Besides, rs34660854 and rs75368165 in ATR gene, rs12576279 and rs540436 in Chk1 gene, rs3756766 in Cdc25C gene and rs139245206 in CDK1 gene were significantly associated with HIV-1 infection under different models (P

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most developing cancer worldwide and Lynch syndrome (LS) accounts for 3–4% of CRC. Genetic alteration in any of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene is the major cause of LS that disrupt the normal upstream and downstream MMR events. Germline mutation of MLH1 in heterozygous state have an increased risk for CRC. Defective MMR pathway mostly results in microsatellite instability (MSI) that occurs in high percentage of CRC associated tumors. Here, we reported a patient with LS like metastatic CRC (mCRC) associated with other related cancers. Whole exome sequencing (WES) of the proband was performed to identify potential causative gene. Genetic screening validated by Sanger sequencing identified a heterozygous missense mutation in exon 12 of MLH1 (c.1151T>A, p.V384D). The clinical significance of identified variant was elucidated on the basis of clinicopathological data, computational predictions and various in vitro functional analysis. In silico predictions classified the variant to be deleterious and evolutionary conserved. In vitro functional studies revealed a significant decrease in protein expression because of stability defect leading to loss of MMR activity. Mutant residue found in MutL transducer domain of MLH1 that localized in the nucleus but translocation was not found to be significantly disturbed. In conclusion, our study give insight into reliability of combinatorial prediction approach of in silico and in vitro expression analysis. Hence, we highlighted the pathogenic correlation of MLH1 variant with LS associated CRC as well as help in earlier diagnosis and surveillance for improved management and genetic counselling.

Background: Prenatal intake of folic acid is important for prevention of NSCL/P (nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate). Associated genes in folate pathway are major enzymes of folic acid metabolism that is crucial for preventing birth defects. The present meta-analysis aims to investigate the association between four SNPs in folate pathway genes and the risk of NSCL/P. Methods: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the functional pathogenicity of genetic variation. The PubMed, Embase database and Google Scholar were searched by two researchers. Stata 11.0 software was used to analyze the results. Subgroup analysis was carried out to assess the influence of genetic background. Sensitivity analysis, regression analysis and publication analysis were also conducted to enhance the strength of our results. Results: It is estimated that the probability of two missense mutation rs1801133 in MTHFR and rs1801394 in MTRR are more likely to be damaging by bioinformatics analysis. A significant association between rs1801133 and risk of NSCL/P in two genetic models: TT genotype vs CC genotype (OR = 1.333 95%CI = 1.062–1.674, P = 0.013), and recessive model (OR = 1.325 95%CI = 1.075–1.634, P = 0.008). A significant protective association between rs1801394 GG genotype and NSCL/P in Asian (GG vs AA, OR = 0.520 95%CI = 0.321–0.841, P = 0.008) was observed. Meta-regression, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias analysis confirmed that the results of the present study were statistically significant. Conclusions: The present study identified that rs1801133 in MTHFR is associated with the risk of NSCL/P, and rs1801394 GG genotype in MTRR play a protective role in Asian. Further, larger studies should be performed to confirm these findings.

This study strategically fabricates a nucleic acid functionalized gold nanoparticle and graphene oxide composite probe (AuNP/GO probe) to achieve both the recognition and in situ monitoring of cytoplasmic target precursor microRNAs (pre-miRNAs) and mature microRNAs (miRNAs) in living cells. The pre-miRNA-21 detection with AuNP probes has a good linear range of 0–300 nM and a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.5 nM, whereas the GO probe has a linear relationship with mature miRNA-21 from 0.1 to 10 nM with a LOD of 1.74 nM. This assay was utilized to directly visualize the relative expression levels of pre- and mature forms of miRNA-21 and let-7a. The results suggested that the expression levels of precursor miRNAs remain constant in cancer cells and normal cells. However, the expression levels of mature miRNAs vary widely, demonstrating the “up-regulation” of miRNA-21 and “down-regulation” of let-7a in cancer cells in contrast to that in normal cells. The practicality of this strategy was verified by in situ monitoring changes in cytoplasmic pre-miRNA-21 and mature miRNA-21 in response to small-molecule inhibitors of miRNA-21.

Background Prenatal intake of folic acid is important for prevention of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P). Associated genes in folate pathway are major enzymes of folic acid metabolism that is crucial for preventing birth defects. The present study aims to investigate the association between four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in folate pathway genes and the risk of NSCL/P. Methods Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the functional pathogenicity of genetic variation. The PubMed, Embase database and Google Scholar were intensively searched by two researchers to ascertain all relevant studies. Stata 11.0 software was used to analyze the results. Subgroup analysis was carried out to assess the influence of genetic background. Sensitivity analysis, regression analysis and publication analysis were also conducted to enhance the strength of our results. Results It is estimated that the probability of two missense mutation rs1801133 in MTHFR and rs1801394 in MTRR are more likely to be damaging by bioinformatics analysis. A total of 34 publications were included in the present study analysis. Our results showed a significant association between rs1801133 and risk of NSCL/P in two genetic models: TT allele vs CC allele (OR=1.333 95%CI=1.062-1.674, P =0.013), and recessive model (OR=1.325 95%CI=1.075-1.634, P =0.008). A significant association between rs1801394 and the risk of NSCL/P in Asian (GG allele vs AA allele, OR=0.520 95%CI=0.321-0.841, P =0.008) was also observed. Meta-regression, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias analysis confirmed that the results of the present study were statistically significant. Conclusions The present study highlights two SNPs rs1801133 in MTHFR and rs1801394 in MTRR, associated with the increasing risk of NSCL/P. Further, larger studies should be performed to confirm these findings.

A hypersonic flow field over a blunt wedge with or without roughness is simulated by a direct numerical simulation method. The effect of isolated and distributed roughnesses on the steady and unsteady hypersonic flow field and boundary layer is analyzed. The shape of roughness is controlled by cubic polynomial. The evolution of disturbance waves caused by slow acoustic wave in the boundary layer is investigated by fast Fourier spectrum analysis. The results show that there is a great influence of roughness on the evolution of disturbance waves in the hypersonic boundary layer. The disturbance waves are promoted in the upstream-half region of roughness while suppressed in the downstream-half region of roughness. There is always a mode competition among different modes both in the temporal domain and in the frequency domain in the boundary layer, and mode competition is affected by roughness. The location of the dominant mode which is changed to a second-order harmonic mode from the fundamental mode moves upstream. The vortices caused by roughness also impact the evolution of disturbance waves in the boundary layer. The fundamental mode is suppressed in the vortex region while other harmonic modes are promoted.

The prognostic role of COX-2 expression in ovarian cancer patients has been studied for years, while results remain controversial. Thus we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic impact of COX-2 expression on survival of ovarian cancer patients. The databases PubMed, Embase and CNKI were searched. Summary hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to analyze the correlations between COX-2 expression and overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS). A total of 1,867 patients from 18 studies were enrolled in the final analysis. The results showed that patients with higher COX-2 expression had a poor OS (HR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.19-1.85) and DFS (HR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.28-2.55). Subgroup analysis showed that there had significant associations between COX-2 expression and survival rate in most of the subgroups. Furthermore, there were significant associations between COX-2 expression and several clinical parameters such as FIGO stage, histological type and age. These results showed the patients with higher COX-2 expression had a significantly poorer survival rate, COX-2 expression had the potential to be a prognostic marker of ovarian cancer.

The tensile fatigue behavior of glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy (GF/epoxy) composites embedded with shape memory alloy (SMA) wires prepared by vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) processing was investigated. The experiments were performed under cyclic tensile load. The damage mechanism of SMA composites under different stress levels of cyclic loadings was revealed. The fracture surface and fatigue failure modes of the specimens were examined and analyzed according to the damage mechanism under different stress levels. The stress-number (S-N) curves, the residual strength and residual stiffness of specimens were calculated after the experiment. The results show that the fatigue life of SMA composites is more than twice higher than GF/epoxy composites. Microstructural analysis using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique was conducted on fractured surfaces to fully understand the failure mechanism. The fatigue failure modes in SMA composite laminates were revealed.

The effects of the content and position of SMA wires on the static properties of glass fiber reinforced epoxy (GF/epoxy) composite laminates prepared by vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) process were investigated. According to the influence of different embedding content and position of SMA wire on mechanical performances of composite laminates, the optimal content and optimal position of SMA were found out. The static mechanical finite element models of GF/epoxy composite and shape memory alloy hybrid composites (SMAHCs) are established. The validity of the models is verified by comparing the simulation results with the experimental results. According to the finite element results, the influence of SMA embedding content and position on the mechanical performances of composites is described quantitatively.

The impact response of shape memory alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) prepared by vacuum-assisted resin infusion was investigated experimentally and numerically. The impact properties of shape memory alloy composites under three impact stages were characterized. A numerical simulation method is used to simulate the impact damage evolution process of SMAHCs. The experimental results are consistent with the numerical results, which further verified the effectiveness of the laminate against impact load after embedding SMA. The impact threshold energy value of impact damage of SMAHCs was found by numerical simulation. The results show that the impact failure of SMAHC laminates requires more energy than GF/epoxy composites due to the excellent energy absorption capacity of SMA.

Across the five sensory modalities we examine an unexplored difference in imagery: psychological distance. In particular, we propose that imagined senses can be psychologically more proximal or distal based on the maximum physical distance typically required for a stimulus to be sensed. Specifically, we propose that imagined senses that require close proximity to the body in order to be sensed (i.e., taste, touch) will feel more psychologically proximal than senses that do not require such close proximity (i.e., hearing, sight). We obtain support for our theoretical framework across a pilot study, four lab studies, and one field study by examining how images evoked using different sensory modalities differentially influence variables shown in past research to vary along psychological distance: (1) the imagined distance between the consumer and the stimulus, (2) product perceptions on other dimensions of psychological distance, and (3) persuasion when matched with other dimensions of psychological distance.

The BRCA2 gene plays an important role in cancer carcinogenesis, and polymorphisms in this gene have been associated with cancer risk. The BRCA2 rs144848 polymorphism has been associated with several cancers, but results have been inconsistent. In the present study, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the association between the rs144848 polymorphism and cancer risk. Literature was searched from the databases of PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar before April 2016. The fixed or random effects model was used to calculate pooled odd ratios on the basis of heterogeneity. Meta-regression, sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis and publication bias assessment were also performed using STATA 11.0 software according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2009. A total of 40 relevant studies from 30 publications including 34,911 cases and 48,329 controls were included in the final meta-analysis. Among them, 22 studies focused on breast cancer, seven on ovarian cancer, five on non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and the remaining six studies examined various other cancers. The meta-analysis results showed that there were significant associations between the rs144848 polymorphism and cancer risk in all genetic models. Stratified by cancer type, the rs144848 polymorphism was associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Stratified by study design, the allele model was associated with breast cancer risk in population-based studies. The meta-analysis suggests that the BRCA2 rs144848 polymorphism may play a role in cancer risk. Further well-designed studies are warranted to confirm these results.

A novel enzyme-free signal amplification-based assay for highly sensitive in situ fluorescence imaging and detection of intracellular telomerase activity was developed by using a gold nanoflare probe-triggered mimic-hybridization chain reaction (mimic-HCR) coupled with a graphene oxide (GO) surface-anchored fluorescence signal readout pathway. The nanoflare probe consists of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with a dense shell of nucleic acid sequences by Au-S bond formation. The nucleic acid sequence is composed of three segments: a long thiol-labeled sequence (HS-DNA) and two short sequences (a telomerase primer sequence, "Primer-DNA", and an FAM-terminated reporter sequence, "Flare-DNA"), both of which are complementary to HS-DNA. The mimic-HCR system is formed by two FAM-modified hairpin sequences that are adsorbed on GO. Upon endocytosis of the AuNP/GO combinatorial probe, the Primer-DNA can be extended by intracellular telomerase at its 3' end to produce the telomeric repeated sequence, which leads to inner chain substitution and not only releases the Flare-DNA to turn on the fluorescence of FAM but also initiates the subsequent signal amplification and enrichment for the mimic-HCR system anchored on GO. The proposed approach can sensitively detect telomerase activity in living cells, distinguish normal cells from cancer cells, and monitor the change in telomerase activity in response to a telomerase inhibitor.

Background Prenatal intake of folic acid is important for prevention of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P), genes participant in folate pathway are crucial for preventing birth defects. The present study aims to investigate the associations between four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in folate pathway genes and the risk of NSCL/P. Methods Prediction by bioinformatics was conducted to assess the function of genetic variation. The PubMed, Embase database and Google Scholar were searched by two researchers to identify all relevant studies. Stata 11.0 software was used to calculate the results. Subgroup analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the genetic background. Sensitivity analysis, regression analysis and publication analysis were conducted to improve the strength of the results. Results Two genetic variations rs1801394 in MTRR gene and rs1801133 in MTHFR were predicted damaging. A total of 34 publications were included in the present analysis. The results showed that there were a significant association between rs1801133 and NSCL/P risk in two genetic models TT allele vs CC allele (OR=1.333 95%CI=1.062-1.674, P=0.013) and recessive model (OR=1.325 95%CI=1.075-1.634, P=0.008) and there were a significant association between rs1801394 and NSCL/P risk in Asian (GG allele vs AA allele, OR=0.520 95%CI=0.321-0.841, P=0.008). Meta-regression, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias analysis confirmed that the results of the present study were statistically robust. Conclusions This present study suggests that rs1801133 of the MTHFR gene and rs1801394 of the MTRR gene are risk factors for NSCL/P. Additional, larger studies should be performed to confirm these findings.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is involved in insulin resistance and has long been a candidate gene implicated in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however the association between TNF-α polymorphisms -308G/A and -238G/A and T2DM remains controversial. The present study sought to verify associations between these polymorphisms and T2DM susceptibility using a meta-analysis approach. A total of 49 case–control studies were selected up to October 2018. Statistical analyses were performed by STATA 15.0 software. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to estimate associations. Meta-analyses revealed significant associations between TNF-α −308G/A and T2DM in the allele model (P=0.000); the dominant model (P=0.000); the recessive model (P=0.001); the overdominant model (P=0.008) and the codominant model (P=0.000). Subgroup analyses also showed associations in the allele model (P=0.006); the dominant model (P=0.004) and the overdominant model (P=0.005) in the Caucasian and in the allele model (P=0.007); the dominant model (P=0.014); the recessive model (P=0.000) and the codominant model (P=0.000) in the Asian. There were no associations between TNF-α −238G/A and T2DM in the overall and subgroup populations. Meta-regression, sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis confirmed that results and data were statistically robust. Our meta-analysis suggests that TNF-α −308G/A is a risk factor for T2DM in Caucasian and Asian populations. It also indicates that TNF-α −238G/A may not be a risk factor for T2DM. More comprehensive studies will be required to confirm these associations.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a life‑threatening inherited disease with a morbidity of 1:500‑1,000 worldwide. Numerous progressively enlarging cysts are observed in the bilateral kidneys of patients with PKD, inducing structural damage and loss of kidney function. The present study analyzed one family with PKD. Whole exome sequencing of the proband was performed to detect the pathogenic gene present in the family. Candidate gene segments for lineal consanguinity in the family were amplified by nest polymerase chain reaction, followed by Sanger sequencing. One novel duplication variant (NM_001009944.2:c.9359dupA:p.Y3120_E3121delinsX) and one missense mutation (c.G9022A:p.V3008M) were detected in PKD1. Additionally, the pathogenic substitutions in PKD1 published from the dataset were analyzed. Following analysis and confirmation, the duplication variant NM_001009944.2:c.9359dupA:p.Y3120_E3121delinsX in PKD1, within the polycystin‑1, lipoxygenase, α‑toxin domain, was considered to be the pathogenic factor in the examined family with autosomal dominant PKD. Additionally, based on the analysis of 4,805 pathogenic substitutions in PKD1 within various regions, the presence of the missense mutation in the N‑terminal domain of polycystin‑1 may present high pathogenicity in ADPKD.