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The gastrointestinal microbiota plays an important role in the function of the host intestine. However, little is currently known about the effects of irradiation on the microorganisms colonizing the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of X-ray irradiation on the compositions of the large intestinal Microbiotas of the rat. The gut microbiotas in control mice and mice receiving irradiation with different dose treatment were characterized by high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rDNA gene and their metabolites were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Unexpectedly, the diversity was increased mildly at 2Gy irradiation, and dose dependent decreased at 4Gy, 6Gy, 8Gy irradiation. The phyla with large changes in phylum level are Firmicutes, Bacteroides and Proteobacteria; the abundance ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroides is inverted; and when 8Gy is irradiated, the phylum abundance level was significantly increased. At the genus level, the abundance levels of Phascolarctobacterium, Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae increased at 2Gy irradiation, and significantly decreased at 4Gy, 6Gy, and 8Gy irradiation; the abundance level of Prevotellaceae diminished at 2Gy irradiation, and enhanced at 4Gy, 6Gy, 8Gy irradiation; The abundance level of Violet bacteria (Christenellaceae) and Lactobacillus attenuated in a dose-dependent manner; Lachnoclostridium enhanced in a dose-dependent manner; Bacteroides was in 4Gy, 6Gy, 8Gy The abundance level increased significantly during irradiation; the abundance level of Shigella (Escherichia-Shigella) only increased significantly during 8Gy irradiation. Lefse predicts that the biomarker at 0Gy group is Veillonellaceae, the biomarker at 2Gy group is Firmicutes, the biomarkers at 4Gy group are Dehalobacterium and Dehalobacteriaceae, the biomarkers at 6Gy group are Odoribacter, and the biomarkers at 8Gy group are Anaerotruncus, Holdemania, Proteus, Bilophila, Desufovibrionales and Deltaproteobacteria. Overall, the data presented here reveal that X-ray irradiation can cause imbalance of the intestinal flora in rats; different doses of irradiation can cause different types of bacteria change. Representative bacteria can be selected as biomarkers for radiation damage and repair.This may contribute to the development of radiation resistance in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the environmentally sustainable investment of an agricultural supply chain composed of a farmer and a company, under three subsidy policies which are the non-subsidy policy, the fixed subsidy policy, and the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) subsidy policy. Then, we analyse the impact of different subsidy policy and adverse weather on the costs of the government and profits of the farmer and the company. By comparing with the non-subsidy policy, we find that both the fixed subsidy policy and the ARC policy encourage the farmer to improve the environmentally sustainable investment level and increase the profit of the farmer and the company. We also find that both the fixed subsidy policy and the ARC subsidy policy lead to an increase in government spending. Our results show that the ARC subsidy policy has a significate advantage in encouraging the farmer's environmentally sustainable investment if the adverse weather is relatively serious, comparing with the fixed subsidy policy. In turn, our results also show that the ARC subsidy policy is more beneficial for both the farmer and the company than the fixed subsidy policy if the adverse weather is relatively serious, which then leads to a higher expenditure of the government. Therefore, our conclusion serves as a theoretical basis for governments to formulate agricultural subsidy policies and promote sustainable development of the agricultural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, deep learning has seen remarkable progress in many fields, especially with many excellent pre-training models emerged in Natural Language Processing(NLP). However, these pre-training models can not be used directly in music generation tasks due to the different representations between music symbols and text. Compared with the traditional presentation method of music melody that only includes the pitch relationship between single notes, the text-like representation method proposed in this paper contains more melody information, including pitch, rhythm and pauses, which expresses the melody in a form similar to text and makes it possible to use existing pre-training models in symbolic melody generation. In this paper, based on the generative pre-training-2(GPT-2) text generation model and transfer learning we propose MT-GPT-2(music textual GPT-2) model that is used in music melody generation. Then, a symbolic music evaluation method(MEM) is proposed through the combination of mathematical statistics, music theory knowledge and signal processing methods, which is more objective than the manual evaluation method. Based on this evaluation method and music theories, the music generation model in this paper are compared with other models (such as long short-term memory (LSTM) model,Leak-GAN model and Music SketchNet). The results show that the melody generated by the proposed model is closer to real music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ilex dabieshanensis K. Yao & M. B. Deng is not only a highly valued tree species for landscaping, it is also a good material for making kuding tea due to its anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering medicinal properties. Utilizing next-generation and long-read sequencing technologies, we assembled the whole chloroplast genome of I. dabieshanensis. The genome was 157,218 bp in length, exhibiting a typical quadripartite structure with a large single copy (LSC: 86,607 bp), a small single copy (SSC: 18,427 bp) and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRA and IRB: each of 26,092 bp). A total of 121 predicted genes were encoded, including 113 distinctive (79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs) and 8 duplicated (8 protein-coding genes) located in the IR regions. Overall, 132 SSRs and 43 long repeats were detected and could be used as potential molecular markers. Comparative analyses of four traditional Ilex tea species (I. dabieshanensis, I. paraguariensis, I. latifolia and I. cornuta) revealed seven divergent regions: matK-rps16, trnS-psbZ, trnT-trnL, atpB-rbcL, petB-petD, rpl14-rpl16, and rpl32-trnL. These variations might be applicable for distinguishing different species within the genus Ilex. Phylogenetic reconstruction strongly suggested that I. dabieshanensis formed a sister clade to I. cornuta and also showed a close relationship to I. latifolia. The generated chloroplast genome information in our study is significant for Ilex tea germplasm identification, phylogeny and genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A previous study has documented that stressful life events is positively related to Internet gaming disorder (IGD) among adolescents. However, the mechanism underlying this relationship remains unclear. The current study examined whether the link between stressful life events and adolescent IGD was moderated by neuroticism and whether the interaction of stressful life events and neuroticism supported the diathesis stress model or differential susceptibility model. To this end, self-report questionnaires were distributed. Participants were 927 Chinese adolescents (meanage = 14.53 years, 51.02% male). After controlling for adolescent gender, age, family economic situation, and family socioeconomic status, the results revealed that stressful life events could be positively associated with adolescent IGD and that this link is moderated by neuroticism. Moreover, the results of interaction effects supported the "diathesis stress" model. The above findings contributed to a better understanding of how and when stressful life events increase the risk of IGD and provided new evidence for the diathesis stress hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to analyze the effects of single posterior implant restorations delivery on the redistribution of bite force and to evaluate the changes in occlusal force distribution of prostheses and potential influencing factors on occlusion variation at different stages. Materials and methods: Thirty-two single posterior restorations in 30 participants (18 women and 12 men aged 27 to 75 years) were placed into either a unilateral single-tooth defect (n = 17) or on either side of a bilateral teeth defects (n = 15). The bite force (%) of the prostheses, teeth and segments at the maximum intercuspation position (MIP) was evaluated using a T-scan at 5 stages (pre-placement, immediately following placement, and 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-placement). Results: The occlusal force of implant-supported prostheses was significantly (P =.000) lower than those of the control natural teeth at the baseline, then no significant difference was found with that of the mesial teeth at 3 months, and finally it was significantly (P =.000) lower than that of the distal teeth at 6 months; meanwhile, it significantly (P =.008) increased by a mean of 2.04 times from 2 weeks (3.39 ± 2.61%) to 3 months (6.90 ± 4.77%), whereas no significant difference (P =.900) was found from 3 months (6.90 ± 4.77%) to 6 months (7.31 ± 4.60%). In addition, the bite force of the posterior segment on the restored side of both unilateral and bilateral gaps was significantly (P =.013,.001) improved by 3.31% and 6.83%, respectively, although the discrepancy in bite force significantly (P =.039) increased from an initial 3.52% to 5.02% for subjects with bilateral defects, accompanying increases in the proportion (15.38%) of the level III bilateral bite force deviation (P >.05). Conclusions: Bite force and masticatory ability can be improved with the immediate delivery of a single posterior implant restoration. The bite force distributed on the implant prosthesis inevitably increases after placement of implant prostheses, a routine follow-up and occlusal evaluation are strongly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chloride Channel (CLC) gene family is reported to be involved in vacuolar nitrate (NO3-) transport. Nitrate distribution to the cytoplasm is beneficial for enhancing NO3- assimilation and plays an important role in the regulation of nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE). In this study, genomic information, high-throughput transcriptional profiles, and gene co-expression analysis were integrated to identify the CLCs (BnaCLCs) in Brassica napus. The decreased NO3- concentration in the clca-2 mutant up-regulated the activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase, contributing to increase N assimilation and higher NUE in Arabidopsis thaliana. The genome-wide identification of 22BnaCLC genes experienced strong purifying selection. Segmental duplication was the major driving force in the expansion of the BnaCLC gene family. The most abundant cis-acting regulatory elements in the gene promoters, including DNA-binding One Zinc Finger, W-box, MYB, and GATA-box, might be involved in the transcriptional regulation of BnaCLCs expression. High-throughput transcriptional profiles and quantitative real-time PCR results showed that BnaCLCs responded differentially to distinct NO3- regimes. Transcriptomics-assisted gene co-expression network analysis identified BnaA7.CLCa-3 as the core member of the BnaCLC family, and this gene might play a central role in vacuolar NO3- transport in crops. The BnaCLC members also showed distinct expression patterns under phosphate depletion and cadmium toxicity. Taken together, our results provide comprehensive insights into the vacuolar BnaCLCs and establish baseline information for future studies on BnaCLCs-mediated vacuolar NO3- storage and its effect on NUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recessive genic male sterility (RGMS) has great potential for F1 hybrid seeds production in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). However, it is not yet widely used in practice due to poor understanding of the underlying mechanism in RGMS. Previously, we have developed a novel sesame RGMS line (D248A) controlled by a single recessive gene. To elucidate its cytological mechanism, histological observations were carried out in sterile and fertile buds. The results indicated that abnormality in D248A began at microspore mother cell stage and persisted until microspore stage. The microsporocytes had less cytoplasm and no obvious nucleus. Normal meiosis failed in microspore mother cells. Cytoplasm condensation and vacuolation frequently occurred in tetrads, leading to the production of crumpled and abortive microspores. To develop molecular markers for breeding of hybrid lines, InDel and SSR markers were analyzed in a fertility segregating NIL population constructed by sib-mating D248A with D248B. Five markers were identified for the male sterile gene (Ms), with a respective genetic distance of 1.47 and 5.17 cM for the two closest markers (SB2993 and LG1-170) on both sides. The Ms gene was further anchored into a 108-kb interval in the downstream of chromosome 1, within which 15 genes were predicted and four were likely to be responsible for male sterility. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the mechanism underlying RGMS in sesame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent use of RNA-Seq to study the transcriptomes of different species has helped identify a large number of new genes from different non-model organisms. In this study, five distinctive transcripts encoding for neuropeptide members of the CHH/MIH/GIH family have been identified from the spermatophore transcriptome of the shrimp Fenneropenaeus merguiensis. The size of these transcripts ranged from 531 bp to 1771 bp. Four transcripts encoded different CHH-family subtype I members, and one transcript encoded a subtype II member. RT-PCR and RACE approaches have confirmed the expression of these genes in males. The low degree of amino acid sequence identity among these neuropeptides suggests that they may have different specific function(s). Results from a phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that these neuropeptides were likely derived from a common ancestor gene resulting from mutation and gene duplication. These CHH-family members could be grouped into distinct clusters, indicating a strong structural/functional relationship among these neuropeptides. Eyestalk removal caused a significant increase in the expression of transcript 32710 but decreases in expression for transcript 28020. These findings suggest the possible regulation of these genes by eyestalk factor(s). In summary, the results of this study would justify a re-evaluation of the more generalized and pleiotropic functions of these neuropeptides. This study also represents the first report on the cloning/identification of five CHH family neuropeptides in a non-neuronal tissue from a single crustacean species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful infection of the host requires secretion of effector proteins to evade or suppress plant immunity. Secretion of effectors in root-infecting fungal pathogens, however, remains unexplored. We previously reported that Verticillium dahliae, a root-infecting phytopathogenic fungus, develops a penetration peg from a hyphopodium to infect cotton roots. In this study, we report that a septin ring, requiring VdSep5, partitions the hyphopodium and the invasive hypha and form the specialized fungus-host interface. The mutant strain, VdΔnoxb, in which NADPH oxidase B (VdNoxB) is deleted, impaired formation of the septin ring at the hyphal neck, indicating that NADPH oxidases regulate septin ring organization. Using GFP tagging and live cell imaging, we observed that several signal peptide containing secreted proteins showed ring signal accumulation/secretion at the penetration interface surrounding the hyphal neck. Targeted mutation for VdSep5 reduced the delivery rate of secretory proteins to the penetration interface. Blocking the secretory pathway by disrupting the vesicular trafficking factors, VdSec22 and VdSyn8, or the exocyst subunit, VdExo70, also arrested delivery of the secreted proteins inside the hyphopodium. Reduced virulence was observed when cotton roots were infected with VdΔsep5, VdΔsec22, VdΔsyn8 and VdΔexo70 mutants compared to infection with the isogenic wild-type V592. Taken together, our data demonstrate that the hyphal neck is an important site for protein secretion during plant root infection, and that the multiple secretory routes are involved in the secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malus hupehensis is an excellent Malus rootstock species, known for its strong adverse-resistance and apomixes. In the present study, stem cuttings of M. hupehensis were treated with three types of exogenous hormones, including indole acetic acid (IAA), naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), or green growth regulator (GGR). The effects and mechanisms of exogenous hormone treatment and antioxidant enzyme activity on adventitious root formation were investigated. The results showed that the apparent morphology of the adventitious root had four stages, including root pre-emergence stage (S0), early stage of root formation (S1), massive root formation stage (S2), and later stage of root formation (S3). The suitable concentrations of the three exogenous hormones, IAA, NAA and GGR, were 100 mg·L-1, 300 mg·L-1, and 300 mg·L-1, respectively. They shortened the rooting time by 25–47.4% and increased the rooting percentages of cuttings by 0.9–1.3 times, compared with that in the control. The dispersion in S0 stage was 3.6 times of that in the S1 stage after exogenous hormone application. The earlier the third critical point (P3) appeared, the shorter the rooting time and the greater the rooting percentage of the cuttings. During rhizogenesis, the activities of three antioxidant enzymes (POD, SOD, and PPO) showed an A-shaped trend. However, peak values of enzyme activity appeared at different points, which were 9 d before the P3, P3, and the fourth critical point (P4), respectively. Exogenous hormone treatment reduced the time to reach the peak value by 18 days, although the peak values of the enzymatic activities did not significantly changed. Our results suggested that exogenous hormone treatment mainly acted during the root pre-emergence stage, accelerated the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes, reduced the rooting time, and consequently promoted root formation. The three kinds of antioxidant enzymes acted on different stages of rooting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the impact of 5-Aza-2ʹ-deoxycytidine (5-AzadC) on methylation status of miR-124a genes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and its effect on RA-FLS proliferation and TNF-α expression. Materials and Methods: FLS were isolated from seven RA-derived synovial tissues and cultured in vitro. The expression of miR-124a was measured by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in FLS with or without 5-AzadC treatment. MiR-124a gene methylation was detected by methylation-specific PCR. FLS were divided into three groups as control, IL-1β and IL-1β/5-AzadC, respectively. The cells in the IL-1β group were treated with 5 μg/L of IL-1β for 24 hours, whereas the cells in the IL-1β/5-AzadC group were first treated with IL-1β exactly as those in the IL-1β group for 24 h but further treated with 1μM 5-AzadC for additional 3 days. The cell growth was estimated based on absorbance at UV450nm. Secreted TNF-α from the cells was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After that, RA-FLS treated with IL-1β plus 5-AzadC were further transfected with miR-124a inhibitor or scrambled control. After culturing for 3 days, cell growth and TNF-α concentrations were measured. Results: After 5-AzadC treatment, the expression of miR-124a was significantly increased compared with the control group (1.545 ± 0.189 vs 0.836 ± 0.166, p = 0.001). On the other hand, 5-AzadC significantly reduced IL-1β-mediated cell proliferation by nearly 2.5 fold (p = 0.006). Also, the level of TNF-α secreted from the cells treated with IL-1β plus 5-AzadC was considerably less than that from the cells treated with IL-1β alone (324.99 ± 22.73 ng/L vs 387.91 ± 58.51 ng/L, p = 0.022). After transfection with miR-124a inhibitor in RA-FLS treated with IL-1β plus 5-AzadC, the cell proliferation was increased by 18.2% and the TNF-α expression was increased by 19.0% (p = 0.001 and 0.011, respectively). Conclusion: Methylation of miR-124a genes contributed to IL-1β-mediated RA-FLS proliferation and TNF-α expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium dahliae is a phytopathogenic fungus obligate in root infection. A few hyphopodia differentiate from large numbers of hyphae after conidia germination on the root surface for further infection. However, the molecular features and role of hyphopodia in the pathogenicity of V. dahliae remain elusive. In this study, we found that the VdPls1, a tetraspanin, and the VdNoxB, a catalytic subunit of membrane-bound NADPH oxidases for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, were specifically expressed in hyphopodia. VdPls1 and VdNoxB highly co-localize with the plasma membrane at the base of hyphopodia, where ROS and penetration pegs are generated. Mutant strains, VdΔnoxb and VdΔpls1, in which VdPls1 and VdNoxB were deleted, respectively, developed defective hyphpodia incapable of producing ROS and penetration pegs. Defective plasma membrane localization of VdNoxB in VdΔpls1 demonstrates that VdPls1 functions as an adaptor protein for the recruitment and activation of the VdNoxB. Furthermore, in VdΔnoxb and VdΔpls1, tip-high Ca2+ accumulation was impaired in hyphopodia, but not in vegetative hyphal tips. Moreover, nuclear targeting of VdCrz1 and activation of calcineurin-Crz1 signaling upon hyphopodium induction in wild-type V. dahliae was impaired in both knockout mutants, indicating that VdPls1/VdNoxB-dependent ROS was specifically required for tip-high Ca2+ elevation in hyphopodia to activate the transcription factor VdCrz1 in the regulation of penetration peg formation. Together with the loss of virulence of VdΔnoxb and VdΔpls1, which are unable to initiate colonization in cotton plants, our data demonstrate that VdNoxB/VdPls1-mediated ROS production activates VdCrz1 signaling through Ca2+ elevation in hyphopodia, infectious structures of V. dahliae, to regulate penetration peg formation during the initial colonization of cotton roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perturbations in CREB binding protein (CREBBP) are associated with hematopoietic malignancies, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Mice hemizygous for Crebbp develop myelodysplasia with proliferative features, reminiscent of human MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm-unclassifiable (MDS/MPN-U), and a proportion goes on to develop acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We have also shown that the Crebbp+/- non-hematopoietic bone marrow microenvironment induces excessive myeloproliferation of wild-type cells. We now report that transplantation of unfractionated Crebbp+/- bone marrow into wild-type recipients resulted in either early-onset AML or late-onset MDS and MDS/MPN-U. In contrast, purified Lin-Sca-1+c-Kit++ cells primarily gave rise to MDS with occasional transformation to AML. Furthermore, Crebbp+/- common myeloid progenitors and granulocyte/macrophage progenitors could trigger skewed myelopoiesis, myelodysplasia and late-onset AML. Surprisingly, the phenotypically abnormal cells were all of wild-type origin. MDS, MPN and AML can thus all be transferred from Crebbp+/- BM to wild-type hosts but fractionated bone marrow does not recapitulate the full disease spectrum of whole bone marrow, indicating that not only mutational status but also cellular context contribute to disease outcome. This has important consequences for structuring and interpreting future investigations into the underlying mechanisms of myeloid malignancies as well as for their treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was designed to demonstrate the prognostic value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI), a reflection systemic immunonutritional status, on the long-term survival of patients taking epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Methods: In this retrospective study, eligible advanced NSCLC patients with sensitive EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion or L858R in exon 21) were included to investigate the correlation between the PNI and overall survival (OS). The PNI was calculated as 10 x serum albumin value (g/dl) + 0.005 x peripheral lymphocyte count (per mm3). The prognostic significance of PNI and other clinicopathologic factors was identified by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Finally, 144 patients met the inclusion criteria. The optimal cut-off value of PNI for survival stratification was 48.78. Compared with high PNI group (n = 81), low PNI (n = 63) was significantly associated with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level and non-response to TKIs. Overall survival was superior in the high PNI group (HR, 0.44, p = 0.004), especially for patient with L858R (HR, 0.37, p = 0.009) rather than 19 deletion (HR, 0.69, p = 0.401). The independent prognostic value of PNI was validated by multivariate analysis. Conclusion: This pilot investigation demonstrated that low prognostic nutritional index correlates with worse survival for patients with advanced NSCLC and taking EGFR-TKIs. The assessment of a convenient index, known as PNI, worth attention in routine clinical practice for patients following EGFR-TKIs treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most cases, fabrics such as curtains, skirts, suit pants and so on are draped under their own gravity parallel to fabric plane while the gravity is perpendicular to fabric plane in traditional drape testing method. As a result, it does not conform to actual situation and the test data is not convincing enough. To overcome this problem, this paper presents a novel method which simulates the real mechanical conditions and ensures the gravity is parallel to the fabric plane. This method applied a low-cost Kinect Sensor device to capture the 3-dimensional (3D) drape profile, thus we obtained the drape degree parameters and aesthetic parameters by 3D reconstruction and image processing and analysis techniques. The experiment was conducted on our self-devised drape-testing instrument by choosing different kinds of weave structure fabrics as our testing samples and the results were compared with those of traditional method and subjective evaluation. Through regression and correlation analysis we found that this novel testing method was significantly correlated with the traditional and subjective evaluation method. We achieved a new, non-contact 3D measurement method for drape testing, namely unidirectional fabric drape testing method. This method is more suitable for evaluating drape behavior because it is more in line with actual mechanical conditions of draped fabrics and has a well consistency with the requirements of visual and aesthetic style of fabrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical outcomes of patients with NSCLC who progressed after first-line treatments remain poor. The purpose of this study was to assess the advantage of antiangiogenic therapy plus standard treatment versus standard treatment alone for this population of patients. Methods: We conducted a rigorous search using electronic databases for eligible studies reporting antiangiogenic therapy combined with standard second-line chemotherapy versus standard second-line treatment for patient who progressed after front-line treatment. Pooled risk ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using proper statistical method. Predefined subgroup analyses were conducted to identify the potential proper patients. Results: Thirteen phase II/III RCTs which involved a total of 8358 participants were included. Overall, there was significant improvement in OS (HR 0.94, 95%CI: 0.89-0.99, p=0.03), PFS (HR 0.80, 95%CI: 0.76-0.84, p<0.00001), ORR (RR 1.75, 95%CI: 1.55-1.98, p<0.00001) and DCR (RR 1.23, 95%CI: 1.18-1.28, p<0.00001) in the group with antiangiogenic therapy plus standard treatment versus the group with standard treatment alone. Subgroup analysis showed that OS benefit was presented only in patients treated with docetaxel plus antiangiogenic agents (HR 0.92, 95%CI: 0.86-0.99, p=0.02) and patients with non-squamous NSCLC (HR for OS 0.92, 95%CI: 0.86-0.99, p=0.02). Conclusions: This study revealed that the addition of antiangiogenic agents to the standard treatments could provide clinical benefit to NSCLC patients who failed their first-line therapy. Furthermore, proper selection of the combined standard cytotoxic agent, as well as the patient population by tumor histology, is warranted for future studies and clinical application of antiangiogenic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Occupational hearing loss is an increasingly prevalent occupational condition worldwide, and has been reported to occur in a wide range of workplaces; however, its prevalence among workers from municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLs) remains less clear. This study aimed to investigate the occupational hearing loss among Chinese MSWL workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 247 workers from 4 Chinese MSWLs was conducted. Noise and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) levels at worksites were determined. We conducted hearing examinations to determine hearing thresholds. A worker was identified as having hearing loss if the mean threshold at 2000, 3000 and 4000 Hz in either ear was equal to or greater than 25 dB. Prevalence of occupational hearing loss was then evaluated. Using unconditional Logistic regression models, we estimated the odds ratios (ORs) of MSWL work associated with hearing loss. Results: According to the job title for each worker, the study subjects were divided into 3 groups, including group 1 of 63 workers without MSWL occupational hazards exposure (control group), group 2 of 84 workers with a few or short-period MSWL occupational hazards exposure, and group 3 of 100 workers with continuous MSWL occupational hazards exposure. Both noise and TVOCs levels were significantly higher at worksites for group 3. Significantly poorer hearing thresholds at frequencies of 2000, 3000 and 4000 Hz were found in group 3, compared with that in group 1 and group 2. The overall prevalence rate of hearing loss was 23. 5%, with the highest in group 3 (36.0%). The OR of MSWL work associated with hearing loss was 3.39 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-8.96). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest significantly higher prevalence of hearing loss among MSWL workers. Further studies are needed to explore possible exposure-response relationship between MSWL occupational hazards exposure and hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change on forest community composition are still not well known. Although directional trends in climate change and community composition change were reported in recent years, further quantitative analyses are urgently needed. Previous studies focused on measuring population growth rates in a single time period, neglecting the development of the populations. Here we aimed to compose a method for calculating the community composition change, and to testify the impacts of climate change on community composition change within a relatively short period (several decades) based on long-term monitoring data from two plots—Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, China (DBR) and Barro Colorado Island, Panama (BCI)—that are located in tropical and subtropical regions. We proposed a relatively more concise index, Slnλ, which refers to an overall population growth rate based on the dominant species in a community. The results indicated that the population growth rate of a majority of populations has decreased over the past few decades. This decrease was mainly caused by population development. The increasing temperature had a positive effect on population growth rates and community change rates. Our results promote understanding and explaining variations in population growth rates and community composition rates, and are helpful to predict population dynamics and population responses to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity is mainly determined by climate and environment. In addition, topography is a complex factor, and the relationship between topography and biodiversity is still poorly understood. To understand the role of topography, i.e., altitude and slope, in biodiversity, we selected Jinggangshan Mountain (JGM), an area with unique topography, as the study area. We surveyed plant and animal species richness of JGM and compared the biodiversity and the main geographic characteristics of JGM with the adjacent 4 mountains. Gleason’s richness index was calculated to assess the diversity of species. In total, 2958 spermatophyte species, 418 bryophyte species, 355 pteridophyte species and 493 species of vertebrate animals were recorded in this survey. In general, the JGM biodiversity was higher than that of the adjacent mountains. Regarding topographic characteristics, 77% of JGM’s area was in the mid-altitude region and approximately 40% of JGM’s area was in the 10°–20° slope range, which may support more vegetation types in JGM area and make it a biodiversity hotspot. It should be noted that although the impact of topography on biodiversity was substantial, climate is still a more general factor driving the formation and maintenance of higher biodiversity. Topographic conditions can create microclimates, and both climatic and topographic conditions contribute to the formation of high biodiversity in JGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While numerous studies have explored relevant factors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, there have been few joint investigations of trauma severity and trait neuroticism on the development of PTSD symptoms. This study aims to assess the involvement and interrelationship of trauma severity and neuroticism in the expression of PTSD symptoms among adolescents exposed to an accidental explosion. Methods: Six hundred and sixty-two adolescents were recruited from a junior middle school closest to the 2013 pipeline explosion site in China and were assessed using the Explosion Exposure Questionnaire, the NEO Five Factor Inventory-Neuroticism Subscale (FFI-N), and the PTSD Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C). A battery of hierarchical multiple regression analyses and two-way ANOVAs were performed to examine the effect of trauma severity and trait neuroticism on adolescent PTSD symptoms. Results: Eighty-seven adolescents (13.1%) showed PTSD symptoms after the pipeline explosion. Correlation analysis showed that all the factors of explosion exposure and trait neuroticism were positively associated with adolescent PTSD symptoms. Being male and younger was linked to lower risk for PTSD symptoms. The regression models identified explosion exposure and neuroticism as independent risk factors for PTSD symptoms, and the interactions between trait neuroticism and trauma exposure (personal casualty, degree of influence, total traumatic severity) were related to PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: The results highlight the role of trauma exposure and trait neuroticism as risk factors for PTSD symptoms. Therefore, the combination of these two factors should be investigated in clinical settings due to an augmented risk for more severe PTSD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play important roles in angiogenesis and tumor growth. Tanshinone IIA (T2A) is a novel antiangiogenic agent with promising antitumor effects; however, the molecular mechanism underlying the antiangiogenic effects of T2A remains unclear. In the present study, we provided evidence showing that T2A inhibited angiogenesis and breast cancer growth by down-regulating VEGF expression. Specifically, T2A repressed HIF-1α expression at the translational level and inhibited the transcriptional activity of HIF-1α, which led to the down-regulation of VEGF expression. Suppression of HIF-1α synthesis by T2A correlated with strong dephosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its effectors ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein-1 (4E-BP1), a pathway regulating HIF-1α expression at the translational level. In addition, we also found that T2A inhibited the angiogenesis and growth of human breast cancer xenografts in nude mice through suppression of HIF-1α and VEGF. Our study provides novel perspectives and potential targets for the treatment of human breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) including erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib and icotinib are currently available as treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who harbor EGFR mutations. However, no head to head trials between these TKIs in mutated populations have been reported, which provides room for indirect and integrated comparisons. Methods: We searched electronic databases for eligible literatures. Pooled data on objective response rate (ORR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) were calculated. Appropriate networks for different outcomes were established to incorporate all evidences. Multiple-treatments comparisons (MTCs) based on Bayesian network integrated the efficacy and specific toxicities of all included treatments. Results: Twelve phase III RCTs that investigated EGFR-TKIs involving 1821 participants with EGFR mutation were included. For mutant patients, the weighted pooled ORR and 1-year PFS of EGFR-TKIs were significant superior to that of standard chemotherapy (ORR: 66.6% vs. 30.9%, OR 5.46, 95%CI 3.59 to 8.30, P<0.00001; 1-year PFS: 42.9% vs. 9.7%, OR 7.83, 95%CI 4.50 to 13.61; P<0.00001) through direct meta-analysis. In the network meta-analyses, no statistically significant differences in efficacy were found between these four TKIs with respect to all outcome measures. Trend analyses of rank probabilities revealed that the cumulative probabilities of being the most efficacious treatments were (ORR, 1-year PFS, 1-year OS, 2-year OS): erlotinib (51%, 38%, 14%, 19%), gefitinib (1%, 6%, 5%, 16%), afatinib (29%, 27%, 30%, 27%) and icotinib (19%, 29%, NA, NA), respectively. However, afatinib and erlotinib showed significant severer rash and diarrhea compared with gefitinib and icotinib. Conclusions: The current study indicated that erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib and icotinib shared equivalent efficacy but presented different efficacy-toxicity pattern for EGFR-mutated patients. Erlotinib and afatinib revealed potentially better efficacy but significant higher toxicities compared with gefitinib and icotinib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin that reduces feed intake and animal performance, especially in swine. Arginine and glutamine play important roles in swine nutrition. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with arginine and glutamine on both the impairment induced by DON stress and immune relevant cytokines in growing pigs. A total of forty 60-d-old healthy growing pigs with a mean body weight of 16.28±1.54 kg were randomly divided into 5 groups, and assigned to 3 amino acid treatments fed 1.0% arginine (Arg), 1.0% glutamine (Gln) and 0.5% Arg+0.5% Gln, respectively, plus a toxin control and a non-toxin control. Pigs in the 3 amino acid treatments were fed the corresponding amino acids, and those in non-toxin control and toxin control were fed commercial diet with 1.64% Alanine as isonitrogenous control for 7 days. The toxin control and amino acid treatments were then challenged by feeding DON-contaminated diet with a final DON concentration of 6 mg/kg of diet for 21 days. No significant differences were observed between toxin control and the amino acid groups with regard to the average daily gain (ADG), although the values for average daily feed intake (ADFI) in the amino acid groups were significantly higher than that in toxin control (P<0.01). The relative liver weight in toxin control was significantly greater than those in non-toxin control, arginine and Arg+Glu groups (P<0.01), but there were no significant differences in other organs. With regard to serum biochemistry, the values of BUN, ALP, ALT and AST in the amino acid groups were lower than those in toxin control. IGF1, GH and SOD in the amino acid groups were significantly higher than those in toxin control (P<0.01). The IL-2 and TNFα values in the amino acid groups were similar to those in non-toxin control, and significantly lower than those in toxin control (P<0.01). These results showed the effects of dietary supplementation with arginine and glutamine on alleviating the impairment induced by DON stress and immune relevant cytokines in growing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]