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Background: Left-sided partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) is a rare congenital abnormal cardiac defect. An intact atrial septum is more uncommon. As we know, a connection of the left pulmonary vein (LPV) to the coronary sinus (CS) with an intact atrial septum has not been previously reported. Case report: We report an 18-year-old woman with this rare anomaly. She showed no obvious clinical symptoms. An echocardiogram revealed the primary diagnosis, and this diagnosis was confirmed during the operation. This patient underwent a successful surgical repair. Artificial atrial septal defect (ASD) and coronary sinus orifice were inserted into the left atrium by patch. The patient recovered smoothly without complications after the operation. Conclusion: Given the high risk of developing congestive heart failure, we advocate for intervention at the preschool age. Surgical techniques depend on the number and location of abnormal veins or veins.

BACKGROUND: To study the effects of L-carnitine (LC) combined with pancreatic kininogenase on thioredoxin 2 (Trx 2), thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR 1), and sperm quality in patients with oligoasthenospermia. METHODS: A total of 300 male infertility patients with oligoasthenospermia who were treated in the andrology clinic of our hospital from December 2019 to December 2020 were randomly divided into an LC group and combined treatment group, and 50 males with normal semen were selected as a control group. The computer-assisted semen analysis system (CASA) was used to detect the total number, vitality, and forward motility of the sperm before and after treatment, and sperm morphology was detected by the Diff-Quik method of the sperm staining kit. Sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) method was used to detect sperm DNA fragments, and Western-blot was used to detect the protein expression of Trx 2 and TrxR 1. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in sperm density, motility rate, forward motile sperm rate, and DNA fragmentation rate in oligoasthenospermia patients before treatment (P>0.05). However, after 1 month of treatment, the sperm density, motility rate, and forward motile sperm rate were all higher than before treatment (P

BackgroundChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) results in increased susceptibility to infections. T cell dysfunction is not associated with CLL in all patients; therefore, it is important to identify CLL patients with T cell defects. The role of B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) in CLL has been explored; however, few studies have examined its role in T cells in CLL patients. Herein, we have investigated the regulatory role of BCL-2 in T cells in the CLL tumor microenvironment.MethodsThe expression of BCL-2 in T cells was evaluated using flow cytometry. The regulatory roles of BCL-2 were investigated using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and verified using multi-parameter flow cytometry on CD4 and CD8 T cells. The clinical features of BCL-2 expression in T cells in CLL were also explored.ResultsWe found a significant increase in BCL-2 expression in the T cells of CLL patients (n = 266). Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) indicated that BCL-2+CD4+T cells had the gene signature of increased regulatory T cells (Treg); BCL-2+CD8+T cells showed the gene signature of exhausted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL); and increased expression of BCL-2 was associated with T cell activation and cellular adhesion. The results from scRNA-seq were verified in peripheral T cells from 70 patients with CLL, wherein BCL-2+CD4+T cells were enriched with Tregs and had higher expression of interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β than BCL-2−CD4+T cells. BCL-2 expression in CD8+T cells was associated with exhausted cells (PD-1+Tim-3+) and weak expression of granzyme B and perforin. T cell–associated cytokine profiling revealed a negative association between BCL-2+T cells and T cell activation. Decreased frequencies and recovery functions of BCL-2+T cells were observed in CLL patients in complete remission after treatment with venetoclax.ConclusionBCL-2 expression in the T cells of CLL patients is associated with immunosuppression via promotion of Treg abundance and CTL exhaustion.

Background: The prosthesis selection in patients with small aortic annulus undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) has always been a challenge, especially in dual valve replacement (DVR, combined aortic and mitral valve replacement). The present study aimed to analyze early-term hemodynamic parameters of 19-mm St. Jude Medical Regent ( SJMR19 ) valve in patients with small aortic annulus undergoing DVR. Methods: Between January 2015 to December 2020, 54 patients with small aortic annulus who underwent DVR were divided into two groups: SJMR19 valve group (n=30) and 21-mm mechanical (M21) valve group (n=24). The perioperative and early-term hemodynamic data were collected and analyzed. Results: A significant difference in terms of maximum transaortic flow velocity (Vav max), maximum transaortic pressure gradient (PGav max), left ventricular mass index (LVMi) and left ventricular mass (LVM) was observed postoperatively in both groups. The postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly higher while the LVM and LVMi was evidently decreased in the SJMR19 group, compared with the M21 group. In order to confirm the influencing factors on postoperative LVEF, a multiple linear regression analysis model was established by including all candidate variables and the implanted valve type was identified in the multivariate analysis as an independent predictor for postoperative LVEF. Conclusions: The postoperative cardiac function and hemodynamic parameters was improved both in the SJMR19 and M21 groups. The postoperative LVEF, LVM and LVMi were better in the SJMR19 group compared with those of the M21 group. And the implanted valve type might possess the predictive value of postoperative LVEF in patients with small aortic annulus undergoing DVR.

Aortic valve myxoma is a rare benign cardiac neoplasm. The association of aortic valve myxoma with cardiogenic shock and acute myocardial infarction has been reported in few observations. We report the case of a 19-year-old male patient, who underwent chest pain for two weeks, then further examinations indicated a soft spherical mass on the left coronary cusp. The patient had sporadic cardiogenic shock and acute myocardial infarction during the preoperative preparation, and we carried out emergency effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), followed by emergency surgical operation for aortic valve tumor. Postoperative pathology showed it was a myxoma. The patient recovered smoothly and was discharged on postoperative day 7. Cardiogenic shock and acute myocardial infarction are very nonspecific, and we should be aware that patients with cardiogenic shock and acute myocardial infarction possibly suffer from aortic valve myxoma.

Early onset of gastric cancer (GC) is almost asymptomatic, thereby making early diagnosis and early treatment difficult. Blood samples were taken from 90 GC patients who had not undergone surgery, and from another set of 110 GC patients who had undergone surgery. The control consisted of 90 healthy individuals. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and its integrity were assayed using qPCR. The association between cfDNA levels and clinical presentations of GC was analyzed. In addition, cfDNA, carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) and carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199) were subjected to specificity and sensitivity analyses using ROC. The levels of cfDNA of GC patients before surgery were markedly higher than corresponding values in patients with GC after surgery. Post-surgery, the two indices were also significantly higher in GC patients than in the healthy group. The correlation between cfDNA concentration/integrity and gender, age, TNM stage, tumor differentiation, tumor location, neuronspecific enolase (NSE), or alpha fetoprotein (AFP) expression, was not significant in GC patients before or after surgery. However, the correlation between cfDNA and concentrations of CEA/CA125 was significant. The CA199 expression level was significantly correlated with cfDNA integrity. The AUC values of cfDNA concentration and integrity were higher than other tumor markers. Measurement of cfDNA concentration and integrity may be an ideal tumor screening method with higher sensitivity and specificity than traditional tumor biomarkers. The cfDNA concentration and integrity are significantly increased in plasma of GC patients, and may serve as promising indicators for GC.

This case study aims to identify the cubic capacity and geometry of the geological body of silt–organic sediments in the environment of a former gravel pit situated in a drainless depression of the alluvium of the Cierna voda River. It is located in the well-known geotourism locality of Slnecne Jazera in Senec, in the SW of Slovakia. To identify the body, electrical resistivity tomography was combined with the use of sonar. The research shows that this approach is appropriate for a number of activities that are subjects of engineering-geological investigations. The cubic capacity and geometry of specific aqueous engineering-geological environments must be determined in connection with the need for the management, control, quantification and extraction of selected sedimentary bodies. In addition, the management of sustainable development of reservoirs, sedimentation basins, industrial ponds, settling pits and natural pools for recreation (the subject of the case study) is important to control the limit amounts of sediments in such environments. The results of this study may be applied in analogous engineering-geological conditions. The drainless depression Slnecne Jazera contained a body of silt–organic sediments amounting to 23 000 m3 (41 Olympic-size pools of 25 m × 12.5 m × 1.8 m). The maximum thickness of the bottom sediments was about 6.3 m on the alluvium with an articulated morphology owing to the submerged digging of gravel. The proposed approach improved the control of extraction of the sedimentary body and optimized the engineering-geological conditions in this geotourism locality.

Aim: This study was to evaluate whether CO2CP level in venous blood could predict prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Materials & methods: A retrospective cohort of 238 patients with CRC who received surgical resection and 176 CRC Stage IV patients were included. A total of 114 healthy people were recruited as control. CO2CP levels were obtained from medical records. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate CO2CP predictive potential. The patients were divided into CO2CP high or low group based on CO2CP optimal cut-off values. Conclusion: The decreased CO2CP in CRC patients was associated with advanced clinical stage, and suggested that decreased CO2CP may predict the worse outcomes of disease-free survival in II/III stage CRC patients.

Engineering structures in the geological environment of loess sediments face a number of problems. An emphasis is placed on the surface runoff hazard and the case study of surface runoff on loess sediment, it being an impermeable environment. Most frequently, engineering geology and geotechnics focus on the bearing capacity and settlement in connection with loess, which are the basic factors considered in foundation engineering. However, the natural conditions bring other hazards in the form of various geodynamic processes. Surface runoff, which is the main subject matter of the article, is often neglected in engineering-geological or geotechnical studies. The case study describes measures that have been implemented to control surface runoff as a hazardous process in Bravantice (Czech Republic). Surface runoff on the impermeable bedrock and extensive surface areas on slopes is a frequent hidden hazard of engineering geology and geotechnics, which means that relevant research and investigations must be carried out to take the phenomenon into better consideration. The fields studied in this case study are not the largest fields in the Czech Republic or abroad. A locality with larger fields means a hazard that is even bigger. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Background To improve cure rates for neuroblastoma (NB), it is important and necessary to evaluate therapy response. Our investigation focuses on using plasma cell free DNA (cfDNA) as a biomarker to determine tumor burden and minimal residual disease (MRD) of NB patients during chemotherapy. Methods Total 58 NB patients were recruited from July 2016 to December 2017. Therapy regime and risk classification were based on COG standard and BCH‐NB‐2007 protocol. RECIST study was used to judge response to therapy at the end of fourth cycle of chemotherapy (CC4) and maintenance stage (MS) respectively. Serial quantifications of cfDNA, NSE, and LDH were examined at four stages, including newly diagnosed, second and CC4, and maintenance. Results During early chemotherapy, 65.5% of NB kids responded well. Consistently, cfDNA, NSE, and LDH levels were down‐regulated in NB patients with partial remission (PR) compared to those with stable disease (SD). In both training and predicting sets, the levels of cfDNA were significantly comparable between PR and SD only at CC4 stage. To predict the insufficient response to early chemotherapy, the optimal AUC value of cfDNA was 0.732 and 0.747 in training and predicting sets respectively, with a sensitivity of 63.2% and 80% specificity at 11.59 ng/ml and a sensitivity of 68.4% and 90% specificity at 10.35 ng/ml. At MS, responded NB patients were slightly increased up to 70%. This evaluation was confirmed by further decrease in cfDNA and NSE levels during intermediate chemotherapy in comparison with early stage. Conclusion The dynamic change of cfDNA was considered as a surrogate biomarker to evaluate tumor burden and MRD of NB during early and intermediate therapy periods.

Background Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common malignant tumor of the digestive system, and its mortality rate ranks first among malignant tumors. However, the pathogenesis of GC has not yet been fully elucidated. This study found that microRNA (miRNA)-339 is abnormally expressed in GC tissues. However, the role and molecular mechanism of miRNA-339 in the occurrence and development of GC are still unclear. Methods Fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the expression level of miRNA-339 in GC tissues and adjacent tissues and analyze the correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics of GC patients. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell experiments detected the effect of overexpression of miRNA-339 on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of GC cells. The luciferase reporter gene detected the downstream target molecules regulated by miRNA-339, and western blot was employed to detect the effect of overexpression of miRNA-339 on the expression of ZNF689. Results The results of fluorescence qPCR showed that miRNA-339 was less expressed in GC tissues compared with adjacent tissues, and it was correlated with the patient's clinical tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) grade and lymph node metastasis. Cell function experiments showed that overexpression of miRNA-339 can significantly inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration of GC cells. The luciferase reporter gene showed that miRNA-339 can bind to the 3'-UTR region of ZNF689, and overexpression of miRNA-339 can significantly inhibit the expression of ZNF689 in GC cells. Overexpression of ZNF689 can significantly block the ability of overexpression of miRNA-339 to inhibit the proliferation and migration of GC cells. Conclusions miRNA-339 inhibits the proliferation and invasion of GC cells through targeted regulation of the expression of ZNF689. In addition, the expression level of miRNA-339 can be used as a biomarker for the prognosis of GC.

Life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias can lead to sudden cardiac death in patients. This study aimed to investigate the changes in gene profiles involved when verapamil (VRP) affects increased wall stress (pressure overload)-induced ventricular arrhythmias, thus revealing the potential causative molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets through gene-expression identification and functional analysis.Animal models with wall stress-induced ventricular arrhythmias were established. Low (0.5 mg/kg) and high (1 mg/kg) doses of VRP were administered intravenously 10 minutes before transverse aortic constriction, and average ventricular arrhythmia scores were calculated. Next, we evaluated the molecular role of VRP by characterising differential gene-expression profiles between VRP-pretreated (1 mg/kg) and control groups using RNA-sequencing technology. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were used to reveal molecular function. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was then developed.VRP exerted its anti-arrhythmic effects in response to increases in left ventricular (LV) afterload. We detected differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 36 were upregulated and 1 397 downregulated, between the VRP-pretreated and model groups during acute increases in LV wall stress. GO analysis demonstrated that the DEGs were associated with cytoskeletal protein binding. KEGG analysis showed that enriched pathways were mainly distributed in adherens junctions, actin cytoskeleton regulation and the MAPK signalling pathway. Centralities analysis of the PPI identifiedVRP prevented acute pressure overload-induced ventricular arrhythmias, possibly through the hub genes

This article presents a research study of complex limestone karst engineering-geological conditions in the municipality Valaská near Banská Bystrica in Slovakia. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the impossibility of spatial identification of cave spaces using surface geophysical methods due to the specific engineering-geological conditions of a thick surface layer of anthropogenic fill containing highly heterogeneous anthropogenic material. Its maximum thickness is 3 m. Another specificific condition of the study area is its location in the built-up area, due to which the applicability of geophysical methods was limited. The article contains methodological recommendations to be used in analogous geological conditions with karst structures topped with anthropogenic fill, which complicates the identification of cave spaces. The recommended solution herein is the identification of the cave system using underground mapping of the karst and its projection onto the surface for which surface geophysical methods have been combined.

Background: Left sided Partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) is a rare congenital abnormal cardiac defect. An intact atrial septum is more uncommon. To our knowledge, connection of the left pulmonary vein (LPV) to the coronary sinus (CS) with intact atrial septum was no previous reported.Case report: We report an 18-years-old woman who had this rare anomaly. She exhibited no obvious clinical symptoms. An echocardiogram revealed the primary diagnosis and this diagnosis confirmed during operation. This patient underwent a successful surgical repair. Artificial atrial septal defect (ASD) and coronary sinus orifice were inserted into left atrium by patch. postoperative recovery was recuperated.Conclusion: Given the high risk of developing Congestive heart failure, like many other centers, we advocate for intervention during the preschool age. Surgical techniques depend on the number and location of abnormal veins or veins.

Background Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) has been shown to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases the apoptosis of BM-MSCs, leading to poor survival and engraft efficiency. Thus, improving the ability of BM-MSCs to scavenge ROS may considerably enhance the effectiveness of transplantation therapy. Mammalian Ste20-like kinase 1 (Mst1) is a pro-apoptotic molecule which increases ROS production. The aim of this study is to uncover the underlying mechanisms the effect of Mst1 inhibition on the tolerance of BM-MSCs under H2O2 condition. Methods Mst1 expression in BM-MSCs was inhibited via transfection with adenoviruses expressing a short hairpin (sh) RNA directed against Mst1 (Ad-sh-Mst1) and exposure to H2O2. Cell viability was detected by Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay, and cell apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V-FITC/PI, Caspase 3 Activity Assay kits, and pro caspase 3 expression. ROS level was evaluated by the ROS probe DCFH-DA, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) assay, SOD1/2, CAT, and GPx expression. Autophagy was assessed using transmission electron microscopy, stubRFP-sensGFP-LC3 lentivirus, and autophagy-related protein expression. The autophagy/Keap1/Nrf2 signal in H2O2-treated BM-MSC/sh-Mst1 was also measured. Results Mst1 inhibition reduced ROS production; increased antioxidant enzyme SOD1/2, CAT, and GPx expression; maintained ΔΨm; and alleviated cell apoptosis in H2O2-treated BM-MSCs. In addition, this phenomenon was closely correlated with the autophagy/Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway. Moreover, the antioxidant pathway Keap1/Nrf2 was also blocked when autophagy was inhibited by the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. However, Keap1 or Nrf2 knockout via siRNA had no effect on autophagy activation or suppression. Conclusion Mst1 inhibition mediated the cytoprotective action of mBM-MSCs against H2O2-induced oxidative stress injury. The underlying mechanisms involve autophagy activation and the Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway. Graphical abstract

Detection of amplification of the MYCN gene is essential for estimating treatment and prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma. We developed a method to detect MYCN amplification using the plasma DNA by quantitative PCR. An increase in MYCN copies in the plasma was consistent with MYCN amplification as assessed by DNA‐FISH to measure MYCN amplification in patients with neuroblastoma., Detection of amplification of the MYCN gene is essential for determining optimal treatment and estimating prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma (NB). DNA FISH with neuroblastoma tissues or patient‐derived bone marrow cells is the standard clinical practice for the detection of MYCN amplification. As tumor cells may often be unavailable, we developed a method to detect MYCN amplification in the plasma of patients with neuroblastoma. Taking single‐copy NAGK DNA as reference, we used real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) to determine the MYCN/NAGK ratio in the plasma of 115 patients diagnosed with NB. An increased MYCN/NAGK ratio in the plasma was consistent with MYCN amplification as assessed by DNA FISH. The AUC for a MYCN/NAGK ratio equal to 6.965 was 0.943, with 86% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Beyond the threshold of 6.965, the MYCN/NAGK ratio correlated with a heavier tumor burden. Event‐free and overall survival of two years were significantly shortened in stage 4 patients with a MYCN/NAGK ratio higher than 6.965. Plasma MYCN/NAGK ratios increased in patients with progressive disease and relapse. Thus, we conclude that the determination of the plasma MYCN/NAGK ratio by qPCR is a noninvasive and reproducible method to measure MYCN amplification in patients with NB.

Seawater sea sand concrete (SWSSC) is a promising alternative to ordinary concrete in terms of saving valuable natural resources of freshwater and river sand. Basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) rebars can be a good solution to corrosion of steel rebars in SWSSC. This paper presents an experimental study on the bond behavior between SWSSC and BFRP rebars through pullout testing. Concrete mixed with freshwater and river sand was also prepared for comparison with SWSSC. BFRP rebars with two different surface configurations were selected, that is, ribbed surface and sand-coated surface. Fly ash as a replacement of cement was also investigated in terms of its effect on bond behavior. Failure modes, bond-slip relationships, and bond strengths were reported and discussed in terms of the previously mentioned parameters. It was found that ribbed surface of BFRP rebar could achieve better mechanical interlocking with surrounding concrete. SWSSC could have comparative bond strength with BFRP rebar compared with ordinary concrete. However, using fly ash to replace cement is not recommended because it would significantly reduce concrete strength leading to much lower bond at the interface between SWSSC and BFRP rebar.

Additional file 1.

To evaluate plasma cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) as a promising biomarker for neuroblastoma (NB) tumor burden. Seventy‐nine eligible patients with newly diagnosed NB were recruited from Beijing Children's Hospital between April 2016 and April 2017. Additionally, from September 2011 to June 2017, 79 patients with stable NB were evaluated with a median follow‐up time of 21 months. Approximately 2 mL of peripheral blood was drawn upon enrollment, and plasma cfDNA levels were measured via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Total cfDNA analysis was performed using the long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE‐1) 79 bp fragment, and DNA integrity was calculated by the ratio of the LINE‐1 300 bp fragment to the LINE‐1 79 bp fragment. A total of 79 NB patients with a median age of 36 months comprised the group of newly diagnosed NB patients. The main primary tumor site was the retroperitoneal and adrenal region (81%). Three or more metastatic sites were found in 17.7% of patients. Stable NB patients older than 18 months comprised 98.7% of the stable NB patients. Neuron‐specific enolase (NSE), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and cfDNA levels were dramatically increased in the newly diagnosed NB patients and significantly different from those in the stable NB patients. Moreover, the concentration of cfDNA was much higher in patients with larger tumors. By analyzing the area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), the areas of total cfDNA, NSE, and LDH levels were 0.953, 0.929, and 0.906, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity data clarified that the level of circulating cfDNA in plasma can be considered as a reliable biomarker for describing tumor load in NB. The plasma cfDNA concentration was as good as the levels of LDH and NSE to discriminate the tumor burden in children with NB.

Geodiversity is considered as abiotic diversity, and it is the foundation of geopark, geotourism and geoconservation. Yunnan Province is the typical area abundant in geodiversity in China. Geodiversity of Yuanmou Basin, which is located in North Yunnan, possesses scientific, cultural, aesthetical, ecological values. Howerver, there are some problems, such as underexploitation, inadequate protection, even destruction in the area. Research of geodiversity will provide a new idea for sustainable development in Yuanmou Basin.

The Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi “Golden Triangle” is one of the famous Carlin-type gold deposits in China and even in the world. Manlonggou gold deposit is a newly discovered gold deposit in this area. The host rocks are mainly lithic quartz sandstone, siltstone and silty mudstone above Caledonian unconformity. The main minerals in ores are natural gold, limonite, hematite, pyrite and so on. The occurrence state of gold is fine exposed and semi-exposed natural gold, as well as gold encased by limonite, carbonate, quartz and silicate minerals. The deposit can be a fine grain hydrothermal altered gold deposit with the origin of tectonic-medium-low temperature hydrothermal percolation.

Debris flow is the mainly the geological disasters in Nujiang Prefecture, while precipitation is the trigger of it, how to implement debris flow forecast based on precipitation monitoring data or forecast data is a hot issue in current debris flow disaster research field. Because of the special geomorphology in Nujiang Prefecture, due to the influence of human activities, geological disasters occur frequently, severely affect the local economic development. As a demonstration area of geological disaster monitoring and early warning in Yunnan Province, to build a well-developed geological disaster warning system, it is very important to spread it to other parts of Yunnan province. Based on the analysis of the current situation of geological disasters in Nujiang Prefecture, adopt appropriate monitoring method and calculation method to select the primary sites for debris flow monitoring and early warning in the Nu River basin for research.

Background Neuroblastoma is the third-most common cancer in children. The high rate of tumor recurrence accounts for a low survival rate in high risk neuroblastoma. Therefore it is clinically of extreme importance to find an effective biomarker for alerting disease recurrence.Methods Total 116 high risk neuroblastoma patients were recruited in Beijing Children’s Hospital from February, 2015 to December, 2017. All patients had received multiple-disciplinary treatment, then went into maintenance treatment phase after evaluation. Blood samples were collected to quantify plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) at time points of the beginning of maintenance treatment, every three months afterwards, and diagnosis of recurrence.Results Results showed that 36 high risk neuroblastoma patients developed recurrence during maintenance treatment. The plasma cfDNA concentration was significantly higher in recurrence than in event-free patients (29.34 ng/ml VS 10.32 ng/ml). The time span of cfDNA level higher than 29 ng/ml was consistently detected ahead of recurrence at mean of 0.55 months. The ROC analysis showed that AUC was 0.825, optimal sensitivity and specificity of 80.6% and 71.3% respectively, at cfDNA level of 12.93 ng/ml.Conclusions We concluded that high level of plasma cfDNA could serve as a promising molecular marker to alert recurrence disease in high risk neuroblastoma children.

WOS: 000455022900025, The aim of the article is to describe the connections among the engineering-geological zones and landscape elements on the level of a small-scale map analysis of a whole country. Next, it also brings quantified spatial information on the distribution of the different engineering-geological zones in the Czech Republic (CR) in relation to landscape elements as such information is strategic for engineering, agricultural, and forestry activities of different countries. The information is crucial for scientists and land-use planners, including the limiting conditions of the distribution of certain geological environments within a country, which helps to calibrate the activities and adjust to the environments. This study reports the results of an overlay analysis of engineering-geological zones of the Czech Republic and of landscape elements (Corine). However, the major aim was not the overlay analysis itself, but an analysis of the obtained information from the whole-country perspective. Existing GIS database of engineering-geological zoning maps and CORINE Land Cover for Czech Republic in Arc/INFO GIS format was used to be data source. All data were available as polygons. For data combination, we have used GIS tool Intersection, by which we have combined data from two data layers. Resulting layer and its database were then processed; areal extent and percentage for every class were calculated. The quantification is strategic for researchers, land-use planners, developers, and designers as they may pay better attention to the most widespread engineering-geological environments in a country, and thus possibly eliminate damage arising from identical attention being paid to all geological environments. Each country should pay attention to their geological environments based on spatial distribution, and in relation to the landscape element percentages., VSB-Technical University of Ostrava [SP2017/22], The authors would like to thank VSB-Technical University of Ostrava for the support within the project SP2017/22. Authors also thank the anonymous reviewers for very constructive suggestions and critics which led to the improvement of the article.

3rd World Multidisciplinary Civil Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning Symposium (WMCAUS) -- JUN 18-22, 2018 -- Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC, WOS: 000465811801034, The article deals with the quantification of the Quaternary geological structure of a selected part of the Moravian-Silesian region for geotechnical purposes (Ostrava glacigenous basin). The geological structure was quantified using the existing Quaternary cross-sections from various sources. The Quaternary cross-sections were vectorised and quantified in terms of the surface of section, horizontal length and using average thickness (average vertical length). All the data were processed for the first Quaternary layer from the ground surface. Next, data were processed for the whole Quaternary geological structure. Both the types of data are important for engineering geology, particularly for civil engineering purposes. In total, 60 cross-sections of 444 599 km in length were processed. The disadvantage of quantification is the fact that the real spatial structure is not reflected. On the contrary, the advantage is the reference quantified information on the basic types of geological environment for engineering-geological purposes for designers, engineering geologists and geotechnicians. At the same time, this resulted in the review of the existing Quaternary cross-sections. It is important to have reference quantified data on the basic geological environments in selected regions, in this case a selected part of the Moravian-Silesian Region and its Ostrava glacigenous basin., VSB - Technical University of Ostrava [SP2018/33], The authors would like to thank VSB - Technical University of Ostrava for the support within the project SP2018/33.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common hematologic malignancy, however, specific tumor-associated genes and signaling pathways are yet to be deciphered. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were computed based on gene expression profiles from GSE32018, GSE56315, and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) DLBC. Overlapping DEGs were then evaluated for gene ontology (GO), pathways enrichment, DNA methylation, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis as well as survival analysis. Seventy-four up-regulated and 79 down-regulated DEGs were identified. From PPI network analysis, majority of the DEGs were involved in cell cycle, oocyte meiosis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways. Six hub genes including CDC20, MELK, PBK, prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS), PCNA, and CDK1 were selected using the Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE). CDC20 and PTGDS were able to predict overall survival (OS) in TCGA DLBC and in an additional independent cohort GSE31312. Furthermore, CDC20 DNA methylation negatively regulated CDC20 expression and was able to predict OS in DLBCL. A two-gene panel consisting of CDC20 and PTGDS had a better prognostic value compared with CDC20 or PTGDS alone in the TCGA cohort (P=0.026 and 0.039). Overall, the present study identified a set of novel genes and pathways that may play a significant role in the initiation and progression of DLBCL. In addition, CDC20 and PTGDS will provide useful guidance for therapeutic applications.

Geological remote sensing information extraction of the lithology has always been the hotspot and difficulty in remote sensing applications. Carbonate rocks covered more than 3.4 million km2 in China. The study area is located around Stone Forest, which is World Natural Heritage. Sedimentary rocks distributes mainly in the area, and their spectral characteristics are complex and difficult to be recognized by remote sensing. Landsat OLI data was selected as the information source. The false color synthesis, principal component change, band ratio and other processing technologies of OLI data were applied to the lithological enhancement identification of carbonate rocks. Selected information will be used to improve the quality of the land-use planning.

The application status of space information technology in geoheritage resources survey and evaluation, digital construction and environmental monitoring in China is reviewed. For improvement of the Land-use planning purposes will be used selected information. The application of spatial information technology in the acquisition of spatial and temporal data, dynamic management, image data processing, analysis and simulation prediction, and visualization of various kinds of information of geoheritage resources is increasing. With the development, planning and protection of geoheritage resources, this technological advantage will become more prominent.

The flexural behaviour of I-section steel-reinforced concrete-filled steel tubes (SRCFSTs) was investigated via finite-element (FE) analysis. Different behaviours of the SRCFST beams were compared in terms of moment vs. midspan deflection curves, stress distribution in concrete, contact pressure, and flexural strength. The results indicated that the I-section steel delayed the movement of the neutral axis and the propagation of concrete cracks in bending. The simulation results of the FE model were validated by experimental results with regard to the moment vs. midspan deflection curves, moment vs. curvature curves, moment vs. ultimate tensile strain curves, and flexural strength of the tested specimens. Additionally, a parametric analysis of the verified FE model was performed for various parameters, such as the area of the I-section steel, yield strength and thickness of the outer steel tubes, yield strength of the I-section steel, and concrete strength. The parametric analysis revealed that the yield strength and thickness of the outer steel tubes and the areas of I-section steel were the key parameters influencing the flexural strength of the SRCFST beams. Furthermore, design equations for the flexural strength of SRCFST beams were derived according to Han’s method and the AISC specification, and both methods provided a safe and conservative prediction for the flexural strength of the SRCFST beams.

Concrete runway pavement faces a long term issue of cracking resulting in reduced durability and increased maintenance cost. This paper proposes a new type of runway pavement using engineered cementitious composites (ECC) with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) mesh reinforcements. This paper investigates the impact fatigue behaviour of the GFRP mesh reinforced ECC pavement through a series of cyclic impact tests. Five impact pressures were adopted considering the impacts induced by various types of airplanes. The number of impacts when the first crack appeared (N0) and at the failure (NC) were reported. The experimental results show that N0 of GFRP mesh reinforced ECC is increased by a maximum of 800 times comparing to that of concrete pavement. The GFRP mesh reinforced ECC could sustain 30,000 impacts without failure. Finally, a non-destructive health monitoring algorithm was proposed based on the ultrasonic testing method and validated using the experimental results. This method is able to assess the damage status, and predict the remaining impact fatigue life of the GFRP mesh reinforced ECC pavement.

Objective To evaluate cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in plasma as a promising biomarker for lymphoma, altered levels of cfDNA and its association with clinical parameters are investigated in patients suffered from lymphomas. Methods Peripheral blood specimens were collected from 60 patients with lymphoma during initial diagnosis and those of another 107 patients with lymphoma during treated stage were also collected, 93 healthy volunteers were selected as control group. Quantitative PCR was used to detect cfDNA level in each group, cfDNA level in different groups was analyzed to understand its relationship with lymphoma patients' clinical features. After correlation analysis between cfDNA and clinical characteristics, Receiver operator characteristic curve was performed to analyze sensitivity and specificity of cfDNA and LDH . Results cfDNA concentration and integrity in initial stage of lymphoma patients were significantly higher than those in treated stage, and cfDNA concentration in treated phase was significantly higher than cfDNA concentration in control group. There was no significant difference in cfDNA integrity at treated stage compared with control group. There was no significant correlation between patient's age, gender, extranodal invasion and lymphoma pathological type and cfDNA concentration and integrity; In contrast, there was a significant correlation between ECOG score, LDH content, Ann Arbor stage, IPI, B-symptoms , Ki-67 expression and radiotherapy and cfDNA concentration and integrity, both at the time of initial diagnosis and treated stage. cfDNA concentration detection is an optimal diagnostic indicator, followed by cfDNA integrity detection, the sensitivity and specificity of both are superior to the traditional LDH detection. Conclusion cfDNA level is significantly increased in lymphomas patient plasma and may help lymphoma screening. cfDNA level may serve as a potential indicator of lymphomas treatment efficacy.

Agricultural soils from Dongchuan copper mining area were sampled and analyzed to determine the concentrations of selected trace elements, namely As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn. The main objectives of this study were: (1) To determine the levels of trace elements and their spatial distribution in soils, (2) to evaluate the potential ecological risk, and (3) to identify the main sources of risk element pollution. The environmental risks were assessed using five different contamination and pollution indexes. Descriptive and exploratory statistical analyses were performed to identify the relations among the trace elements in soils and possible sources of pollution. Although the values of As, Cu and Zn in the soils were significantly higher than Yunnan background values and exceeded the limits of the Chinese national standards in several sampling points, the most serious threat for the ecosystem and human health was represented by Cd. The main sources of Cu and As were identified mining activities, airborne particulates from smelters and the weathering of tailings, and partly also agricultural fertilizers. The major source of Cd was agricultural fertilizers and partly sources associated with mining and smelting activities.

The environmental assessment and identification of sources of heavy metals in Zn-Pb ore deposits are important steps for the effective prevention of subsequent contamination and for the development of corrective measures. The concentrations of eight heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in soils from 40 sampling points around the Jinding Zn-Pb mine in Yunnan, China, were analyzed. An environmental quality assessment of the obtained data was performed using five different contamination and pollution indexes. Statistical analyses were performed to identify the relations among the heavy metals and the pH in soils and possible sources of pollution. The concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn were extremely high, and 23, 95, 25, and 35% of the samples, respectively, exceeded the heavy metal limits set in the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils (GB15618-1995, grade III). According to the contamination and pollution indexes, environmental risks in the area are high or extremely high. The highest risk is represented by Cd contamination, the median concentration of which exceeds the GB15618-1995 limit. Based on the combination of statistical analyses and geostatistical mapping, we identified three groups of heavy metals that originate from different sources. The main sources of As, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu are mining activities, airborne particulates from smelters, and the weathering of tailings. The main sources of Hg are dust fallout and gaseous emissions from smelters and tailing dams. Cr and Ni originate from lithogenic sources.

This paper summarized the human hair sampling, treatment and determination methods for heavy metal testing, also organized the researches and analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of 11 heavy metals (Hg, As, Pb, Mn, Se, Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd, Sb, ΣREEs) contents from human hair pollution caused by the mining activities in China.

In order to study the spatial and temporal pattern variations of grassland resources and to promote the sustainable utilization of grassland resources, this paper, taking Huize County as an example, discusses the temporal and spatial pattern variations of grassland resources from the perspective of grassland resources comprehensive dynamic degree, different topographic conditions, geoscience information map and landscape pattern index. Remote sensing images in 2009 and 2016, the second national land survey database and the 2016 land use variation survey database were selected as the basic data source. The results show that: 1) from 2009 to 2016, Xinjie town and Tianba town have great variations in the comprehensive dynamic degree of grassland resources, while Wuxing town and Jinzhong town are the smallest variations. The number of grassland resources in the study area presents a spatial feature of “high in the north and south parts and low in the middle”; 2) topographic conditions have a certain impact on grassland resources. The grassland resources in the study area mostly exist in the areas with the elevation of 1800-2500m, the slope of over 25° and the aspect of sunny and semi-sunny. From 2009 to 2016, grassland resources net increase was 21134.51hm2. 3) From the perspective of geomatics information map and landscape pattern index, grassland resources have both increased and decreased from 2009 to 2016. The land conversion categories that have increased and decreased mainly include cultivated land, garden land, forest land, construction land, water area and other land types, among which the proportion of forest land variations greatly. Although the area of grassland resources increased, the number of grassland resources patches decreased. The average patch area increased, the proximity and aggregation between patches increased, and landscape fragmentation decreased, and the overall landscape pattern developed towards the aggregation direction.

Jamda-Weixi continent marginal arc belt is an important component to understand the evolution of Paleotethyan. For the first time, the occurrence of peperite is being reported at the bottom of Pantiange Formation in western Yunnan, China. Two types of peperites have been identified, namely fluidal peperite and blocky peperite. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating results (253.6±0.7Ma) of dacitic lava showed that the peperite was formed during the late Permian. The peperite was formed during the alternation of active period and quiet period of the volcano in an apparent shallow ocean margin.

This paper reviews the various aspects of the Xiaolongtan Lignite deposit mine and summarizes the geological disasters of Buzaoba pit, Xiaolongtan pit and Xindenger dump, including landslides, floods, bench erosion, the physical-mechanical changes caused by spring water and lignite spontaneous combustion.