Nevin Manimala

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2021 May;32(5):1717-1725. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202105.010.

ABSTRACT

The statistical model (log-normal model), niche models (Zipf model, broken stick mo-del, niche preemption model), and neutral model were used to fit the species-abundance distribution patterns based on the measurements of environmental factors and inventory data of trees with DBH≥1 cm in a 1.5 hm² plot in the primary forest (PF) and a 1.5 hm² plot in the secondary forest (SF). The results showed that species-abundance distribution was affected by habitat heterogeneity in Q. aliena var. acutiserrata forest. Topography had a predominant impact on the species-abundance distribution in PF. Species distribution was affected by both neutral and niche processes, with neutral process having a less prominent effect in large convexity habitats. While the neutral model was rejected by the K-S and Chi-square test in low convexity habitats, the species-abundance distribution satisfied the assumption of niche theory. Niche process and neutral process were equally important in the community in areas with steep slopes, while niche differentiation was the dominant in flat areas. In SF, the main factors affecting species distribution were soil nutrients. The niche process was the mainly ecological process affected species-abundance distribution in habitats with high soil available phosphorus, while the niche and neutral processes existed simultaneously in habitats with low soil phosphorus availability. There was a significant scale effect on the species-abundance distribution pattern of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata forests in Taibai Mountain. The niche and neutral processes could protect the species-abundance distribution at the 20 m×20 m scale in PF, while the niche process could explain the species-abundance distribution at the 40 m×40 m and 70 m×70 m scales. The niche and neutral processes combined acted on the species abundance distribution at the 20 m×20 m, 40 m×40 m and 70 m×70 m scales in SF, with niche process being more important than neutral process. Moreover, besides the scale and habitat heterogeneity, the species-abundance distribution patterns of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata forests differed significantly between primary forest and secondary forest under anthropogenic disturbance.

PMID:34042366 | DOI:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202105.010

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2021 May;32(5):1673-1680. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202105.005.

ABSTRACT

Using DC3 high-resolution dendrometer and Granier-type thermal dissipation probes, we measured stem diameter micro-variations and xylem sap flow of two typical forestation species, Quercus liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia, for a growing season in the loess hilly region of China. The main environmental factors (soil water content, solar radiation, air temperature and relative humidity) were monitored. The linkage between diameter micro-variations and transpiration water use were analyzed with respect to their responses to environmental factors. The results showed that the variations in stem diameter and sap flux density of both species had obvious diurnal rhythms. The maximum daily shrinkage was positively correlated with daily sap flux density. The micro-variation of stem diameter at the daily scale was affected by transpiration during the day. The maximum daily shrinkage of stem diameter was positively correlated and well fitted with transpiration driving factors (solar radiation, vapor pressure deficit, and the integrated variable VT). The difference in slopes of regression curves suggested that the daily variation of stem diameter in Q. liaotungensis was greater and more sensitive to meteorological factors than that in R. pseudoacacia. The sap flux densities of both tree species were higher during the period with relatively higher soil water content than that with lower soil water content. The difference of maximum daily diameter shrinkage between different soil water conditions was statistically significant in Q. liaotungensis, but not in R. pseudoacacia. These differences may be related to water use strategies, including transpiration regulation and stem water replenishment.

PMID:34042361 | DOI:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202105.005

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2021 May;32(5):1554-1562. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202105.017.

ABSTRACT

Based on the construction of ecological network in Tianjin in 2000, 2010 and 2020, we evaluated the structural evolution of Tianjin ecological network from the multi-dimensional perspective of source-corridor-node-whole, using complex network evaluation index and landscape pattern index integrated with the stability, uniformity and connectivity indices. The results showed that from 2000 to 2020, the ecological source areas in Tianjin significantly shrank and degraded, be uneven in spatial distribution. Ecological corridors became sparse. Landscape fragmentation and shape complexity first increased and then decreased. The average length of corridors in 2000 and 2010 was shorter, with the bioflow efficiency being relatively high. In 2000, 2010, and 2020, the number of nodes with high significance accounted for 35.7%, 29.4% and 21.4% of the statistical nodes respectively. In 2020, the network connectivity robustness and vulnerability robustness showed substantial fluctuation, and the network was the most unstable. In 2010, the ecological network was of high connectivity and complexity, while in 2000 and 2020, it was more general. In 2000, the network uniformity was the highest, followed by 2010, and lowest in 2020.

PMID:34042349 | DOI:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202105.017

Transbound Emerg Dis. 2021 May 27. doi: 10.1111/tbed.14171. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A classical swine fever (CSF) epidemic has been ongoing in Japan since September 2018. The outbreak started in Gifu Prefecture and involved 21 prefectures by the end of October 2020, posing a serious threat to pork industries. The present study was conducted to capture the spatiotemporal dynamics of CSF in Japan and assess the geographic range of the CSF vaccination on pig farms. First infection dates were collected for wild boars and on swine farms by prefecture. A simple statistical model was used to describe the spatiotemporal dynamics of CSF, describing the infection risk in wild boars and the subsequent transmission hazards to swine farms for 47 prefectures. Because the spatial transmission mechanisms and wild boar population dynamics involved substantial uncertainties, 16 models were applied to the empirical data. Estimated hazard parameters were used to predict the risk of infection on swine farms by 15 December 2020 to explicitly evaluate the governmental recommendation for vaccinations on pig farms by prefecture in light of the predicted infection risk in domestic pigs. The best-fit model for the wild boars indicated that transmission occurred via neighboring prefectures and involved seasonality. The estimated conditional hazard was 0.008 (95% confidence interval [CI]:0.001-0.014) per day for infections transmitted from wild boars to swine farms, and the median time from wild boar infection to swine farm infection was 129.4 days (95% CI: 69.5-935.0). Our prediction indicated that prefectures connected by land to those with wild boar infections had a higher risk of infection on swine farms. CSF transmission in Japan likely progressed diffusively via wild boar movement, and tracking wild boar infections may help determine the risk of infection on swine farms. Our risk map highlights the importance of deciding vaccination policies according to predicted risk. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:34042305 | DOI:10.1111/tbed.14171

J Biophotonics. 2021 May 27:e202100041. doi: 10.1002/jbio.202100041. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The histopathological diagnosis of cancer is the current gold standard to differentiate normal from cancerous tissues. We propose a portable platform prototype to characterize the tissue’s thermal and optical properties, and their inter-dependencies to potentially aid the pathologist in making an informed decision. The measurements were performed on samples from 10 samples from 5 subjects, where the cancerous and adjacent normal were extracted from the same patient. It was observed that thermal conductivity (k) and reduced-scattering-coefficient (μ’_s ) for both the cancerous and normal tissues reduced with the rise in tissue temperature. Comparing cancerous and adjacent normal tissue, the difference in k and μ’_s (at 940 nm) were statistically significant (p = 7.94e-3), while combining k and μ’_s achieved the highest statistical significance (6.74e-4). These preliminary results promise and support testing on a large number of samples for rapidly differentiating cancerous from adjacent normal tissues. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:34042303 | DOI:10.1002/jbio.202100041

Am J Hum Biol. 2021 May 27:e23620. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23620. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:34042248 | DOI:10.1002/ajhb.23620

Histopathology. 2021 May 27. doi: 10.1111/his.14421. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: There is widespread perception in clinic and pathology, that the histomorphological assessment of minor salivary gland tumours (MinSG) is more difficult and hampared by more misdiagnoses than that of major salivary glands. This is based on a vague, subjective clinical impression, while scientific proof of the difference and of potentional reasons that would explain this are lacking.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified fourteen putative clinical, pathological, and combined clinico-pathological reasons, which altogether could explain the phenomenon of perceived greater diagnostic difficulty of tumours of MinSG. We performed a comprehensive literature search and a statistical comparison of data from a large personal consultation series (biased for difficult cases) with cumulative data from straightforward, unselected (non-consultation) series from the literature. By that comparison we could prove with statistical significance a comprehensive series of reasons, as well as of consequences of greater diagnostic difficulty in MinSG.

CONCLUSIONS: Within the 14 criteria a high frequency of initial incisional biopsies and of low-grade category in malignant tumours emerged as the two most important reasons for enhanced diagnostic difficulty. Very rare entities, unusual locations, shortcomings in clinico-pathological communication, as well as pecularities of the special anatomic location of the hard palate, such as tumour necrosis, mucosal ulceration, pseudoinvasion, and the peculiar phenomenon of “tumoural-mucosal fusion”, contribute to further diagnostic difficulties. The awareness of these shortcomings and pitfalls enables a series of recommendations for clinic and pathology, which might help aid assessment and reduce the rate of misdiagnosis in tumours of MinSG.

PMID:34042205 | DOI:10.1111/his.14421

Clin Cardiol. 2021 May 27. doi: 10.1002/clc.23649. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The RE-DUAL PCI trial demonstrated that in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), dual therapy with dabigatran and a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor, either clopidogrel or ticagrelor, reduced the risk of bleeding without an increased risk of thromboembolic events as compared to triple therapy with warfarin in addition to a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor and aspirin. What remains unclear is whether this effect is consistent between males and females undergoing PCI.

HYPOTHESIS: The reduction in risk of bleeding without increased risk of thromboembolic events with dual therapy with dabigatran and a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor in comparison to triple therapy with warfarin, a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor and aspirin is consistent in females and males.

METHODS: The primary safety endpoint was the first International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) major bleeding event (MBE) or clinically relevant non-major bleeding event (CRNMBE). The efficacy endpoint was the composite of death, thromboembolic event (stroke, myocardial infarction, and systemic embolism) or unplanned revascularization. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were applied to calculate corresponding hazard ratios and interaction p values for each endpoint.

RESULTS: A total of 655 women and 2070 men were enrolled. The risk of major or CRNM bleeding was lower with both dabigatran 110 mg dual therapy and dabigatran 150 mg dual therapy compared with warfarin triple therapy in female and male patients (for 110 mg: females: HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.47-1.01, males: HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.37-0.59, interaction p value: 0.084 and for 150 mg: females HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.48-1.16, males HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.56-0.90, interaction p value: 0.83). There was also no detectable difference in the composite efficacy endpoint of death, thromboembolic events or unplanned revascularization between dabigatran dual therapy and warfarin triple therapy, with no statistically significant interaction between sex and treatment (interaction p values: 0.73 and 0.72, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the overall study results, the risk of bleeding was lower with dabigatran 110 mg and 150 mg dual therapy compared with warfarin triple therapy, and risk of thromboembolic events was comparable with warfarin triple therapy independent of the patient’s sex.

PMID:34042199 | DOI:10.1002/clc.23649

Histol Histopathol. 2021 May 27:18346. doi: 10.14670/HH-18-346. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate whether USP18 can be used as a predictive marker for the diagnosis and development of colorectal cancer.

METHODS: The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) Dataset and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were used to select differential proteins for the ubiquitin-specific peptidases (USPs). The extensive target prediction and network analysis methods were used to assess the association with the USP18 interacting proteins, as well as the statistical correlation between USP18 and the clinical pathology parameters. The effects of USP18 on the proliferation of colorectal cancer were examined using CCK8. The effects of USP18 on the migration of colorectal cancer were examined using wound healing assays. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on the tissue microarray.

RESULTS: The results showed that the expression of USP18 was related to age (P=0.014). The positive rates of the USP18 protein in T1, T2, T3, and T4 were 0.00%, 22.92%, 78.38%, and 95.35%, respectively (P<0.00). The positive rates of the USP18 protein in I, II, III, and IV were 47.43%, 83.12%, 66.67%, and 100.00%, respectively (P<0.00). The Western blot assay showed that the expression of USP18 in colorectal cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in matched paracancerous tissues (P<0.05). The CCK8 experiments suggested that USP18 promoted the migration of CRC cells. Wound healing assays suggested that USP18 promoted the proliferation of CRC cells.

CONCLUSION: This study showed that USP18 can promote the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells and might be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of CRC.

PMID:34042164 | DOI:10.14670/HH-18-346

Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2021 May 27:izab117. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izab117. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Improving treatment outcomes with biological therapy is a demanding current need for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Discovery of pretreatment prognostic indicators of response may facilitate patient selection and increase long-term remission rates. We aimed to identify baseline mucosal gene expression profiles with predictive value for subsequent response to or failure of treatment with the monoclonal antibody against integrin α4β7, vedolizumab, in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS: Mucosal expression of 84 immunological and inflammatory genes was quantified in RNA extracted from colonic biopsies before vedolizumab commencement and compared between patients with or without response to treatment. Significantly differentiated genes were further validated in a larger patient cohort and within available public data sets, and their functional profiles were studied accordingly.

RESULTS: In the discovery cohort, we identified 21 genes with a statistically significant differential expression between 54-week responders and nonresponders to vedolizumab. Our validation study allowed us to recognize a “core” mucosal profile that was preserved in both discovery and validation cohorts and in the public database. The applied functional annotation and analysis revealed candidate dysregulated pathways in nonresponders to vedolizumab, including immune cell trafficking, TNF receptor superfamily members mediating noncanonical NF-kB pathway, in addition to interleukin signaling, MyD88 signaling, and toll-like receptors (TLRs) cascade.

CONCLUSIONS: Nonresponse to vedolizumab in UC is associated with specific pretreatment gene-expression mucosal signatures and dysregulation of particular immunological and inflammatory pathways. Baseline mucosal and/or systemic molecular profiling may help in the optimal stratification of patients to receive vedolizumab for active UC.

PMID:34042157 | DOI:10.1093/ibd/izab117