For genome-wide association data analysis, two genes in any pathway, two SNPs in the two linked gene regions respectively or in the two linked exons respectively within one gene are often correlated ...with each other. We therefore proposed the concept of gene-gene co-association, which refers to the effects not only due to the traditional interaction under nearly independent condition but the correlation between two genes. Furthermore, we constructed a novel statistic for detecting gene-gene co-association based on Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLSPM). Through simulation, the relationship between traditional interaction and co-association was highlighted under three different types of co-association. Both simulation and real data analysis demonstrated that the proposed PLSPM-based statistic has better performance than single SNP-based logistic model, PCA-based logistic model, and other gene-based methods.
To improve the sintering performance of silicon nitride bioceramics, we explored the effect of β-SiAlON’s Z-value on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of β-SiAlON–Si3N4 composites. ...Results showed that the phase product was β-Si3N4. As the Z-value increased, the X-ray diffraction peaks gradually shifted to a smaller angle, the material grains were more tightly packed, and the bulk density and compressive strength increased, reaching the highest values (2.71 g/cm3 and 1157 MPa, respectively) at Z = 4. Soaking and ion-release experiments show that in an aqueous environment, a small amount of Al and Si ions were released, and no obvious decomposition occurred on the surface of the material. The biological performance showed that the growth of cultured cells in each group was in good condition, there was no obvious difference in morphology and adhesion, and the materials had good biological performance. An increase in the Z-value promotes the formation of mineralized nodules and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, which may be because the release of Si can promote osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, the addition of β-SiAlON could improve the sintering performance of β-Si3N4 without degrading its biological properties. The prepared β-SiAlON–Si3N4 composite ceramic is a latent bioceramic material.
The first aim of this study was to explore the risk factors that were associated with central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in patients with clinically node-negative papillary thyroid microcarcinoma ...(cN
PTMC) after prophylactic central neck dissection (PCND). The second aim was to evaluate the influence of PCND on migration of TNM staging and risk stratification (RS) in patients with cN
PTMC.
A total of 295 cN
PTMC patients who underwent thyroidectomy with PCND in the Department of General Surgery at Guangdong General Hospital between March 2014 to December 2015 were assessed retrospectively. The relations of CLNM with clinicopathologic characteristics of cN
PTMC were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The effect of PCND on migration of TNM staging and RS was also observed.
The incidence of CLNM was 42.4% (125 of 295 cases) in patients with cN
PTMC. Univariate analysis showed that age (P=0.000), ultrasonographic tumor size (P=0.009), pathologic tumor size (P=0.005), and multifocality (P=0.031) were significantly associated with the incidence of CLNM. No significant correlations were found between the presence of CLNM and other variables such as gender (P=0.399), bilaterality (P=0.118), capsular invasion (P=0.111), lymphovascular invasion (P=0.184), extent of thyroidectomy (P=0.319) and lymphadenectomy (P=0.458). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age <45 years (P=0.000) and multifocality (P=0.033) were independent predictors of CLNM in patients with cN
PTMC. Because of the identification of CLNM in the implementation of PCND, 42 (14.2%) patients were upstaged, and 118 (40.0%) patients upgraded in RS.
CLNM is highly prevalent in cN
PTMC. Age <45 years and multifocality are independent risk factors of CLNM in cN
PTMC patients. PCND can identify CLNM, which allows more accurate TNM staging/RS and may have an important impact on postoperative treatment in cN
PTMC patients.
Alkaline extraction followed by acid precipitation were employed to extract rapeseed protein and, Alcalase 2.4 L was used to obtain rapeseed protein hydrolysates. Three groups of rapeseed protein ...hydrolysates were obtained by purifying with membrane ultrafiltration and a Sephacryl S-100HR gel column. The antioxidant activities were then determined. Group 3 had the best antioxidant activities according to the oxygen radical absorbance capacity, peroxyl radical-scavenging capacity, and cellular antioxidant activity assays, with the following antioxidant values: an oxygen radical absorbance capacity value of 1610 ± 113 µmol TE/(g sample), a peroxyl radical-scavenging capacity value of 622 ± 30 mg VC/(100 g sample), and a cellular antioxidant activity value of 25 ± 2 µmol QE/(g sample) and corresponding EC
50
value of 58 ± 3 µg/mL. Six peaks of group 3 were collected and well separated by reversed phase-high-performance liquid chromatography. Peak 5 were identified to exhibit a higher antioxidant activity, the amino acid sequence of which was found to be Trp-Ile (Leu)-Tyr, as determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
The objective of this work was to examine the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and inflammatory markers and quality of life in patients with acute coronary syndrome, especially ...undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
One hundred eighteen subjects were admitted with acute coronary syndrome over 1 y who had symptoms of OSA and positive polysomnography on admission. Of these subjects, 53 underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention during their admission, and 65 had medical management. We then compared inflammatory markers by OSA status. We also assessed cardiac symptoms using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire and sleep symptoms using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
Subjects in the percutaneous coronary intervention group had a higher oxygen desaturation index (ODI) (P = .02) and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (P = .048) compared with those in the medical management group. In percutaneous coronary intervention subjects, the moderate-severe OSA group (AHI ≥ 15/h) had a higher hematocrit (P = .047), homocysteine (P = .01), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P = .045) compared with those with no or mild OSA (AHI < 15/h). There was a significant correlation between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and both AHI (r = 0.46, P = .001) and ODI (r = 0.47, P < .001). Those with moderate-severe OSA had higher Epworth Sleepiness Scale (P = .002), greater physical limitation (P = .01), and lower treatment satisfaction and disease perception (P = .007), as judged by subscales of the Seattle Angina Questionnaire, compared with those with no or mild OSA. Finally, subjects undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with lower AHI (r = 0.48, P < .001) and ODI (r = 0.49, P < .001) reported higher treatment satisfaction.
Subjects with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention who had moderate-severe OSA showed higher levels of inflammatory mediators and lower treatment satisfaction and disease perception. These factors may increase the risk of adverse sequelae by increasing the systemic inflammatory response.
To improve the sintering performance of silicon nitride bioceramics, we explored the effect of β-SiAlON's Z-value on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of β-SiAlON-Si
N
composites. ...Results showed that the phase product was β-Si
N
. As the Z-value increased, the X-ray diffraction peaks gradually shifted to a smaller angle, the material grains were more tightly packed, and the bulk density and compressive strength increased, reaching the highest values (2.71 g/cm
and 1157 MPa, respectively) at Z = 4. Soaking and ion-release experiments show that in an aqueous environment, a small amount of Al and Si ions were released, and no obvious decomposition occurred on the surface of the material. The biological performance showed that the growth of cultured cells in each group was in good condition, there was no obvious difference in morphology and adhesion, and the materials had good biological performance. An increase in the Z-value promotes the formation of mineralized nodules and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, which may be because the release of Si can promote osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, the addition of β-SiAlON could improve the sintering performance of β-Si
N
without degrading its biological properties. The prepared β-SiAlON-Si
N
composite ceramic is a latent bioceramic material.
Benzoapyrene(BaP), and its ultimate metabolite Benzoapyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide (BPDE), are classic DNA damaging carcinogens. DNA damage caused by BPDE is normally repaired by Nucleotide Excision ...Repair (NER), of which ERCC1 and ERCC2/XPD exert an indispensable role. Genetic variations in ERCC1 and ERCC2 have been related to DNA repair efficiency. In this study we used lymphocytes from healthy individuals to show that polymorphisms in ERCC1 and ERCC2 are directly associated with decreased DNA repair efficiency.
ERCC1 (rs3212986 and rs11615) and ERCC2 (rs13181, rs1799793 and rs238406) were genotyped in 818 healthy Han individuals from the northeast of China. BPDE induced DNA adducts in lymphocytes were assessed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 282 randomly selected participants. The effect of ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs238406 on DNA damage caused by BaP was assessed with a modified comet assay.
We found that the variant genotypes of ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs238406 were associated with the high levels of BPDE-DNA adducts. Especially ERCC1 rs3212986 A-allele variant was significantly associated with the high BPDE-DNA adducts. Haplotype analysis showed that the ERCC1 haplotype AC (OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.84-2.97), ERCC2 haplotype AGA (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.06-2.15) and haplotype block AGAAC (OR = 5.28, 95% CI = 2.95-9.43), AGCAC (OR = 1.35 95% CI = 1.13-1.60) were linked with high BPDE-DNA adducts. In addition, we found that the combined minor alleles of ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs238406 were associated with a reduced DNA repair capacity.
Our results suggest that the variant genotypes of ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs238406 are associated with decreased repair efficiency of BPDE induced DNA damage, and may be predictive for an individual's DNA repair capacity in response to environmental carcinogens.
Inert cycloolefin polymers (COPs), which possess excellent optical properties, are a series of ideal materials for fabricating cheap disposable biosensor platforms. However, their antibioadhesion ...properties are expected to be improved prior to their application as biosensor supports. In this study, for the first time the COP supports were modified with well-controlled neutral, anionic and cationic polymer brushes via surface-initiated photoiniferter-mediated polymerization. This graft polymerization was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The antibioadhesion properties of the modified supports were evaluated through a series of biological experiments. It was found that among these modified samples, the anionic poly(2-carboxyethyl acrylate)-modified COP supports presented the best antibioadhesion performances, i.e. , suppressing protein adsorption, platelet adhesion and red blood cell attachment.
Laser ablation of bio‐tissues is the key technology of future surgeries, owing to the merits of submicron accuracy, non‐contact operation, and precision control assisted by automation and computer ...intelligence. Excellent efficiency, minimal collateral damage, biological safety, and tissue selectivity are the ideal parameters for delicate surgical applications. Here, by exploring the mid‐infrared (MIR) resonant ablation and the femtosecond cold processing, tissue ablation with multi‐millimeter depth and cellular collateral damage, enabled by a tabletop femtosecond MIR optical parametric amplifier operating at the amide‐I resonant wavelength of 6.1 µm, is demonstrated. Remarkably, the collateral damage is observed to be 15, <4, and <1 µm in the porcine cornea, sclera, and articular cartilage, respectively, with multi‐millimeter incision depth. In addition, preliminary proof‐of‐concept experiments of tissue‐selective ablation, microchannels on cartilage for drug delivery, laser glaucoma, keratotomy, neurologic tissue incision, dentin deep crater formation, and hypertrophic scarring ablation are demonstrated, which pave the way for high‐precision surgical applications with a tabletop solution.
Tissue ablations with multi‐millimeter depth, cellular collateral damage, and remarkable tissue selectivity are demonstrated in diversified tissues based on a tabletop femtosecond MIR optical parametric amplifier by combining MIR resonance and femtosecond cold processing. As proof‐of‐concepts, micro‐ablations of representative clinical applications including microchannels on cartilage, keratotomy, neurologic tissue incision, dentin deep crater formation, and hypertrophic scarring ablation are also demonstrated.