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Purpose: To determine whether mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) is associated with allergic rhinitis (AR), and further establish a nomogram model for the early diagnosis of AR. Methods: We carried out a case-control study involving a total of 134 subjects, including 66 healthy controls and 68 AR patients. The mtDNA-CN in peripheral blood of all subjects was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and general information of patients was recorded. And, least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to screen clinically significant variables, which were substituted into a logistic regression analysis to determine independent risk factors. Next, a nomogram model was developed for the risk prediction of AR. Then, internal validation was performed with the bootstrap resampling. Ultimately, the clinical benefit and validity of the nomogram were assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, bias-corrected curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: MtDNA-CN and total IgE were determined as independent risk factors of AR. The final model achieved an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.869, and the DCA curve demonstrated that the nomogram was clinically beneficial for practical application. Conclusion: An increase of the mtDNA-CN was linked to the occurrence risk of AR. The nomogram prediction model based on mtDNA-CN showed the potential clinical utility in improving risk prediction and providing new insights for exploring the pathogenesis of AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-dimensional Green's function suitable for a coated isotropic thermoelastic semi-infinite plane with a line heat source above the surface has been obtained using the method of images. Firstly, based on the control equations of the isotropic thermoelastic materials and the two-dimensional heat conduction equations, the general solutions to three harmonic functions have been obtained. Secondly, six potential function equations have been acquired using the method of images. Finally, three equations that are expressed by three harmonic functions have been obtained by substituting six series of harmonic functions into the boundary conditions of the coated surface. In this way, nine recursive equations have been determined. By taking Green's function of the isotropic semi-infinite thermoelastic plane with a line heat source above the surface as the first term, the thermoelastic coupling field for the coated semi-infinite plane has been calculated using the recursive formula. The interface temperature increment component and the interface stress components of the coating structures have been calculated numerically. By analyzing the thermal stress of different coated materials, valuable conclusions such as the interface effect, tensile failure, and shear delamination have been obtained, which can provide a reliable basis for the design and analysis of thermal barrier coating structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the high-temperature effect on the soil particle composition (SPC) and its mechanism in Nanning, China, a laboratory experiment was designed based on the high-temperature environment caused by forest fires and considering thermal desorption. The effect mechanism was examined based on the soil organic matter and soil minerals (kaolinite). The experimental results indicated that the SPC was not changed before 200°C. With increasing heating temperature, the content of silt and clay decreased, while the content of sand greatly increased after 200°C. The analysis believes that the reduction of the content of organic matter has promoted the reduction of the content of silt and clay to a certain extent. The decrease in the silt and clay content inevitably increased the sand content, but this was also related to the soil minerals (kaolinite), and a reaction occurred producing a cementing substance that absorbed both silt and clay to form new sand. The temperature effect on the SPC was divided into three parts. The first part was observed from 100 to 200°C, while the soil composition was unchanged. The second part was from 200 ~ 400°C. This part is related to the reduction of organic matter content. The third part was determined to be between 400 and 800°C, which was mainly related to clay minerals. The fusion of silt and clay during the formation of new sand resulted in a decrease in its content beyond 400°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for Kashin–Beck disease (KBD). Method: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Web of Science, SinoMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, reference lists and published systematic reviews and registries of ongoing trials through May 2015 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of treatments for KBD. Outcomes of interest were pain, function, stiffness, overall clinical improvement, radiographic improvement (X-ray) and adverse events. Frequentist network meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects consistency model to assess the efficacy of treatments for KBD. Results: Forty-four RCTs with 9815 participants were included in the review. In children or adolescents, selenium (risk ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51–2.33), vitamin C (2.03, 1.40–2.95) and aspirin (2.14, 1.12–4.08) were effective for radiographic structure improvement. In adults, chondroitin plus glucosamine was the best for pain (standardised mean difference 1.46, 95% CI 1.07–1.85), followed by intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (IAH) (1.09, 0.70–1.48), chondroitin (0.84, 0.47–1.21), diclofenac (0.63, 1.18–1.08), naproxen (0.55, 0.12–0.98), meloxicam (0.52, 0.03–1.01) and glucosamine (0.40, 0.13–0.67) compared to placebo, with similar results for other clinical outcomes in adults. However, the strength of most evidence was limited by the small number of trials with low to moderate quality. Conclusions: Selenium supplement has demonstrated some benefits for structural improvement of the disease in children. Chondroitin, glucosamine, IAH and nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs are effective for symptom improvements of KBD in adults. Evidence of surgical and complementary treatments for symptoms and aspirin and vitamin C for structure has yet to be established. Key Points • There were 23 nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and surgical and complementary treatments assessed for Kashin–Beck disease (KBD) in randomised trials. • Among the 23 treatments, chondroitin, glucosamine, IAH and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are more effective than placebo to relieve symptoms for adults with KBD. • Selenium supplement is more effective than placebo for radiographic improvement in children or adolescents. • The efficacy of surgeries, aspirin, vitamin C and complementary treatments for KBD has not been established yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the risk of reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and evaluate the effectiveness of antiviral prophylaxis (AVP) in patients with different status of HBV infection undergoing antirheumatic therapies. We searched Cochrane Library, Medline, and EMBASE for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, non-RCTs, cohort studies, or case series studies examining reactivation of HBV in patients undergoing antirheumatic therapy with or without AVP. We estimated the HBV reactivation rate (HRR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) among different patient groups (indirect comparison). We also calculated rate ratio (RR), rate difference (RD) with their 95% CIs, and the number needed to treat (NNT) of AVP (direct comparison). Fifty-three case series studies with 2162 patients were included. The RD of AVP was − 0.13 (95% CI − 0.21 to − 0.05) for all patients, − 0.16 (95% CI − 0.26 to − 0.06) for rheumatic patients with chronic HBV infection, but not statistically significant for patients with other status of HBV infection. Lamivudine (RD − 0.10, 95% CI − 0.25 to 0.05) was less effective than other prophylactic antiviral drugs (RD − 0.31, 95% CI − 0.52 to − 0.11). The HHR varied from 55 to 5% by HBV status and treatment. There is limited evidence that AVP was effective for preventing reactivation of HBV in patients undergoing antirheumatic therapy. The effectiveness varies by patient HBV status and antiviral regimens. Rheumatic HBV carriers may be more beneficial from AVP, and lamivudine may be inferior to other AVP regimens. Findings in this study warrant further investigation in rigorous RCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A deposition process based on pulsed laser processing and wire feeding was employed in this study to fabricate high-performance components. The microstructural morphology and evolution of SUS304 austenite stainless steel were examined in detail. The thin wall and ladder block samples, considered as two representative structures of metal additive manufacturing, were deposited. It was found that the microstructure is homogeneous in all the deposited samples. For the thin wall, columnar grains, which are normal to the substrate with a growth tendency to the surface and scanning direction, dominate the deposition. Columnar grains along the cooling gradient and equiaxed grains are both observed in the surface. These different grain morphologies result in different microhardness values, and the microhardness in pulsed laser deposition is universally higher than that in a 304 cold rolling metal substrate. For the ladder block, columnar grains are observed along various directions. Further, it is found that the variation in the shape of the molten pools is an essential reason for the evolution of the microstructures with the addition of the deposited layers. It not only change the nucleation condition and cooling directions near the boundaries in the molten pools, but also leads to a recrystallization along the new cooling directions in the heat-affected zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence has shown that miRNA-451a (miR-451a) is associated with the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, the mechanism of this association is not fully known. The present study found an increased expression of miR-451a in the spleen and thymus of an SLE mice model. A decrease in miR-451a expression partly relieved the enlargement of the spleen and decreased the proteinuria content and immune complex deposits. The deficiency in miR-451a also decreased numbers of CD4+CD69+ and CD4+/CD8+ T cells and the levels of the serum cytokines IL-17a and IL-4. The IFN regulatory factor (IRF) 8 was highly expressed in the immune organs of wild-type mice but was suppressed in SLE-like mice. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was carried out in combination with gene silencing and overexpression to verify that IRF8 was a target of miR-451a in vitro and in vivo. The data indicate the function and a target of miR-451a in SLE, providing a new target for SLE therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid additive manufacturing which involves direct metal deposition and high-speed milling has been considered as an effective process to make high performance products with well surface finish. Research that have been reported indicate that continuous energy sources can lead to intolerable residual stress and distortion even after the parts are processed by machine tools. Therefore, a hybrid additive manufacturing machine tool based on pulse laser wire depositing is established taking advantage of its intensive exposure. The designed work area of the hybrid AM machine tool is 50 mm × 50 mm × 100 mm. On this basis, a set of preliminary experiments are carried out to study the performance of the proposed hybrid AM process. Both the substrate and the wire are stainless steel (SUS304), and the wire diameter is 0.6 mm. Depositing trails were kept by oxide film since shield gas is not used during the deposition. Results show that stabilization of the process has a strong impact on both the surface finish and the microstructure. Moreover, experiment results indicate that wire feeding performance is the critical factor influencing the product performance due to the small weld pool size and the rapid melting and solidifying. Typical macrodefects of the fused welding and the exclusive flaw of additive manufacturing are detected. Microstructures show that column grains less than 1 μm dominate the deposition zone, where the column grains grew in the direction of depositing on the middle layers and along the curvature direction on the top surface. A thin wall about 0.5 mm wide is milled, and the result shows that the surface of the bead is greatly improved and no defects are detected after the thin wall is cut. However, the trapezoid cross section indicates that a further study on cutting is still demanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal post-remission therapy (PRT) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains uncertain. We reported 32 AML patients in first complete remission (CR1) undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) with a characteristic conditioning regimen, termed I-Bu, based on high-dose idarubicin plus busulfan, which considerably strengthened antileukemic activity. Most patients were in better or intermediate-risk group except that cytogenetic or molecular risk information was missing for 18.7 % of the patients. Unpurged peripheral blood stem cells were used in all the cases. The adverse effects were mild and reversible. Only one case of transplant-related mortality was observed. All the patients in this study acquired hematopoietic reconstitution after ASCT. After a median follow-up of 30 (6-119) months, 24 patients (75.0 %) were alive in which 20 (62.5 %) patients were in continuous CR. There were 11 (34.4 %) patients who relapsed after HSCT. Cumulative relapse probability was about 40 % after 24 months. Median OS and DFS have not been reached. Patients in the better and intermediate-risk group had different clinical outcomes, but the differences were not statistically significant. ASCT with I-Bu regimen is possibly promising PRT for better and intermediate-risk AML patients in CR1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are of great importance in pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis of acute leukemia (AL). We studied five AL-related miRNAs to confirm the significance of these miRNAs in AL. Samples tested included acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 107 cases; acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 40 cases. Five AL-related miRNAs: miR-128, let-7b, miR-223, miR-181a and miR-155 expression were detected by qRT-PCR. Analysis showed that miRNA-128 expression was significantly higher in ALL ( P < 0.001). However, the let-7b and miR-223 expressions in ALL were significantly lower than in AML ( P < 0.001). Compared with normal controls, miR-128 expression was significantly higher in ALL ( P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in AML ( P = 0.900). The expressions of Let-7b and miR-223 in AL group were higher than in normal controls ( P < 0.001). MiR-181a was quantitatively detected in 107 AML patients, and we found that the expression of miR181a in M1 or M2 patients was significantly higher compared with it in M4 or M5 ( P = 0.013). According to karyotype, 84 cases of AML were classified into three groups named favorable, moderate and poor. It was found that the expression of miR-181a in favorable prognosis group was significantly lower than in poor prognosis group ( P = 0.015). In FLT3-ITD mutation positive patients, the miR-155 expression was significantly higher than in the negative group ( P = 0.002). These results support that miR-128, let-7b, miR-223 and miR181a have a diagnosis value in AL, while miR-181a and miR-155 are of great prognostic significance in AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of mutations activating JAK-STAT signaling in the majority of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) led to identification of tyrosine kinase activation as the common predominant mechanism driving MPN pathogenesis. Nevertheless, the existence of additional genetic events that modify the MPN phenotype, predate JAK2 mutations, or contribute to leukemic transformation of MPNs was suspected. Recent advances in genomic technologies have led to the discovery of mutations in a number of epigenetic modifiers in patients with MPNs, including mutations in TET2, ASXL1, IDH1, IDH2, and EZH2. In addition to mutation, alterations in the expression or activity of chromatin-modifying/reading proteins PRMT5 and L3MBTL1 have been found to be important in MPN development. Moreover, the JAK2 mutation itself recently has been shown to directly affect histone post-translational modifications. This article reviews the clinical and functional implications of epigenetic alterations in the pathogenesis of MPNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human multidrug resistance gene ( MDR1, ABCB1) codes for P-glycoprotein (P-gp) that affects the pharmacokinetics of many drugs. MDR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with drug clearance. Imatinib is a substrate of P-gp-mediated efflux. We investigated the MDR1 T1236C, G 2677T/A, and C3435T polymorphism in 52 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with imatinib. The distribution of MDR1 1236, 2677, or 3435 genotypes was significantly different between the resistance patients and sensitivity patients. The resistance incidence correlated with the number of T alleles at locus 1236 and 3435. Resistance was higher for patients homozygous for the 1236T allele when compared to patients with CT/CC genotype groups (75% vs. 31.3%, P = 0.004). For the G2677T/A polymorphism, a better complete cytogenetic remission was observed for patients with genotype AG/AT/AA, when compared to other genotype groups (TT/GT/GG, P = 0.02). Patients with 3435 TT/CT genotypes showed a higher resistance when compared with patients with CC genotype (59.4% vs. 25%, P = 0.023). In conclusion, determination of 1236T, C3435T, and G2677T MDR1 polymorphisms might be useful in response prediction to therapy with imatinib in patients with CML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented commenting on the article "oVEMP to air-conducted tones reflects functions of different vestibular populations from cVEMP?," published in a previous issue of the journal is presented.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials eliciting: an overview," by A. Eleftheriadou and E. Koudounarakis in the 2011 issue.

A letter to the editor commenting on the article "Dissociation between cVEMP and oVEMP responses: different vestibular origins of each VEMP?, published in a previous issue of the journal, is presented.