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Abstract Objective More than 2 billion women are experiencing menopause transition in China and some of them suffered from depression; while the risk factors of depression during menopause transition were still unclearin China. We aimed to investigate the risk factors in mid-life women in Southeast China. Method This study included 1748 Chinese women aged 40–65 years-old who visited gynecology outpatient department of Women’s hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University during 2010–2018. Demographic information was collected, and the modified Kupperman Menopausal Index (mKMI) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression were assessed. Circulating levels of sex hormones were tested. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for depression. Results The prevalence of depression symptoms was 47.43%. The majority of women had mild (38.56%) or moderate depressive symptoms (8.00%); only 0.86% had severe depressive symptoms. Compared with perimenopausal women, postmenopausal women had increased risks of more severe depression. The associations between menopausal syndromes and the intensity of depression were strongly positive (OR 6.69, 95% CI 5.39–8.29). Elder age, higher follicle stimulating hormone levels, lower estradiol levels, and fewer parity were positively related with the intensity of depression. Among postmenopausal women, underweight, mKMI > 14, earlier age at menopause, shorter reproductive period, and longer duration after menopause were risk factors for incresed intensity of depression. Conclusions The results demonstrated a high proportion of depression in women complaining of menopause. Menopausal symptoms were strongly related to the intensity of depression. In postmenopausal women, estrogen related events are associated with the intensity of depression. Gynecological endocrinologists in China should consider screening for depression in high-risk women.

Abstract Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal cancer. Approximately 80% of patients initially diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic disease survive only 4–11 months after diagnosis. Tremendous efforts have been made toward understanding the biology of PDAC. Results In this study, we first utilized next-generation sequencing technique and existing microarray datasets to identify significant differentially expressed genes between PDAC and non-tumor adjacent tissue. By comparing top significant survival genes in PDAC Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database and PDAC transcriptome data from patients, our integrated analysis discovered five potential central genes (i.e., MYEOV, KCNN4, FAM83A, S100A16, and DDX60L). Subsequently, we analyzed the cellular functions of the potential novel oncogenes MYEOV and DDX60L, which are highly expressed in PDAC cells. Notably, the knockdown of MYEOV and DDX60L significantly inhibited the metastasis of cancer cells and induced apoptosis. Further RNA sequencing analyses showed that massive signaling pathways, particularly the TNF signaling pathway and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, were affected in siRNA-treated cancer cells. The siDDX60L and siMYEOV significantly inhibited the expression of chemokine CXCL2, which may potentially affect the tumor microenvironment in PDAC tissues. Conclusions The present findings identified the novel oncogene DDX60L, which was highly expressed in PDAC. Transcriptome profiling through siRNA knockdown of DDX60L uncovered its functional roles in the PDAC in humans.

Viruses cause important yield losses in kiwifruit. Here, we studied the occurrence and population structure of the major kiwifruit viruses in the Sichuan province of China. RT-PCR results showed the presence of Actinidia virus A (AcVA), Actinidia virus B (AcVB), Actinidia chlorotic ringspot-associated virus (AcCRaV), and the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). AcCRaV was widely distributed, followed by CMV. These two viruses were often detected in co-infection with AcVA and AcVB. The virus detection rate was positively correlated with vine age. Four phylogenetic groups of AcVA and AcVB were identified, with AcVA isolates clustering mainly in subgroup I, and AcVB isolates clustering mainly in subgroups II, III, and IV. All CMV isolates clustered in subgroup II, and AcCRaV isolates clustered in subgroup IA. The genome of AcVA and AcCRaV was under negative selection pressure, while the genome of AcVB and CMV was under positive selection pressure. All the viruses, except AcVB, were in a state of expansion. The full-length genome of the most widely distributed AcCRaV isolate in kiwifruits in the Sichuan province was characterized by sequencing. Unique eight-nucleotide (TTTTTGAT) repeats were found in the 5′-terminal non-coding region of the AcCRaV RNA3 in a possible association with reduced disease symptoms. This is the first study of kiwifruit viruses in Sichuan.

Abstract In order to clarify the effect of mechanical tensioning and SMA wire heating recovery on introducing prestress into CFRP sheet strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams, an experimental research on the bending performance of prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened RC beams was conducted. Based on the test results, a bending carrying capacity model for RC beams externally strengthened with prestressed CFRP sheets was proposed. The model provides calculation methods for the decompression moment, cracking moment, yielding moment, and ultimate moment, corresponding to different failure modes of the RC beams strengthened with externally bonded prestressed CFRP sheets. Four experimental beams were designed to verify the accuracy of the model with the prestresses of 100 MPa and 200 MPa. The results show that during the yield stage and strengthening stage, the loading-unloading stress-strain relationship curves of SMA wire under different prestrains are basically consistent. When the prestrain of SMA wire is 10%, the maximum recovery stress reaches 448.5 MPa. Under the same prestrain conditions, the maximum recovery stress of CFRP sheets was reduced by 37.8–39.5% when the prestress was introduced through heating recovery of SMA wires. The failure mode of mechanically tensioned prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beams is the CFRP sheet debonding caused by mid-span bending cracks, while the failure mode of strengthened beams with prestressed CFRP sheet by SMA wire heating recovery is the CFRP sheet end debonding. The cracking moment and yield moment of the strengthened beams are significantly increased by two methods of introducing prestressing. The stiffness improvement of mechanically tensioned prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beam is relatively large. While, the prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beam by SMA wire heating recovery gradually experience end peeling failure of the CFRP sheet, and the prestressing effect does not effectively limit the development of cracks, resulting in limited stiffness improvement. The calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental results, proving that the proposed method for analyzing the entire bending process can be used to predict the bending mechanical properties of the prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beams.

Background To investigate the effect of serum total bilirubin levels on blood pressure and its variability in patients with hypertension. Methods This study was a retrospective observational study. A total of 189 subjects were recruited from September 2019 to March 2020. All hypertensive patients were scheduled for ambulatory blood pressure and a 24-hour dynamic electrocardiography. Standard deviations of 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure were used as blood pressure variability indicators. A multiple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between total bilirubin serum levels and blood pressure variability in hypertensive patients. Results All patients were divided into 3 groups according to tertile values of total bilirubin: low (≤12.2 µmol/l, n = 64), moderate (12.3–16.7 µmol/l, n = 64), and high (>16.8 µmol/l, n = 62) total bilirubin groups. Compared with low total bilirubin group, 24-hour mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 24-hour systolic blood pressure standard deviation, systolic blood pressure coefficient of variability, and 24-hour systolic blood pressure load were reduced in the moderate and high total bilirubin groups (all P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that female (B = −1.408, P = 0.013), age (B = 0.043, P = 0.035), diabetes (B = 2.624, P < 0.001), and moderate and high bilirubin grouping (B = −1.582, −3.079; both P < 0.05) were influencing factors of 24-hour systolic pressure standard deviation. Serum total bilirubin levels had no effect on the standard deviation of 24-hour diastolic blood pressure(P > 0.05). Conclusions In hypertensive patients, the total bilirubin serum level is an influencing factor for 24-hour systolic blood pressure variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work studies the image segmentation algorithm in passive THz imaging. Considering the feature that the passive THz image has different smoothness in horizontal and vertical direction, an improved Laplacian of Gaussian (LOG) operator is proposed to rectify the different smoothness in directions. Different from the traditional LoG operator with its isotropy, the improved operator has different edge test scales in horizontal and vertical direction. Experiments show that, with the use of improved operator, human's body and the concealed object in THz images could be automatically segmented. The concealed objects could be identified directly and efficiently that satisfies the application requirements of passive THz image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• IFNAR1 expression in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is higher in CRC. • Peripheral blood CD4+ T IFNAR1 levels positively associate with TME CD8+ T cell infiltration. • CD8+ T IFNAR1 expressions were negative associated with plasma IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNFα. • IFNAR1 levels in peripheral blood CD8+ T negatively associate with chemosensitivity. IFN-α receptor (IFNAR) is critical for maintaining the crosstalk between cancer cells and lymphocytes. We investigated IFNAR1 expression in peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and explored their relationships with plasma cytokines, chemosensitivity and infiltrated T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of colorectal cancer (CRC). The levels of IFNAR1, IFN-γ, and PD1 in peripheral T cells were tested using flow cytometry. Immunohistochemical staining of IFNAR1 in CRC tissues was performed. A cytometric bead array was used to determine the plasma concentrations of cytokines. In CRC patients, IFNAR1 levels were significantly increased in peripheral blood T cells, and plasma IL-6 levels were also significantly increased. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that IFNAR1 expression in CD8+ T cells was negatively associated with plasma IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNFα. IFNAR1 expression in CD4+ T cells was positively associated with TME infiltrated levels of CD8+ T cells. The levels of CD8+ T cells with IFNAR1 and plasma IFN-γ were associated with chemosensitivity. Collectively, IFNAR1 levels in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly upregulated in CRC patients and positively associated with T-cell infiltration. IFNAR1 may be a chemotherapy biomarker for predicting response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]