Co-expression Network Analysis Identifies Four Hub Genes Associated With Prognosis in Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are heterogeneous tumors derived from mesenchymal cells that differentiate into soft tissues. The prognosis of patients who present with an STS is influenced by the regulation of a complex gene network.Methods: Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify gene modules associated with STS (Samples = 156).Results: Among the 11 modules identified, the black and blue modules were highly correlated with STS. However, using preservation analysis, the black module demonstrated low preservation, therefore the blue module was chosen as the module of interest. Furthermore, a total of 20 network hub genes were identified in the blue module, 12 of which were also hub nodes in the protein-protein interaction network of the module genes. Following additional verification, 4 of 12 genes (RRM2, BUB1B, CENPF, and KIF20A) demonstrated poorer overall survival and disease-free survival rate in the test datasets. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) demonstrated that samples with a high level of blue module eigengene (ME) were enriched in cell cycle and metabolism associated signaling pathways.Conclusion: In summary, co-expression network analysis identified four hub genes associated with prognosis for STS, which may diminish the prognosis by influencing cell cycle and metabolism associated signaling pathways

Current Opinions on Optimal Management of Basilar Artery Occlusion: After the BEST of BASICS Survey

Background The best management of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) remains uncertain. The BASICS (Basilar Artery International Cooperation Study) and the BEST (Basilar Artery Occlusion Endovascular Intervention Versus Standard Medical Treatment) trials reported neutral results. We sought to understand physicians’ approaches to BAOs and whether further BAO randomized controlled trials were warranted. Methods We conducted an online international survey from January to March 2022 to stroke neurologists and neurointerventionalists. Survey questions were designed to examine clinical and imaging parameters under which clinicians would offer (or rescind) a patient with BAO to endovascular therapy (EVT) or best medical management versus enrollment into a randomized clinical trial. Results Of >3002 invited participants, 1245 responded (41.4% response rate) from 73 countries, including 54.7% stroke neurologists and 43.6% neurointerventionalists. More than 95% of respondents would offer EVT to patients with BAO, albeit in various clinical circumstances. There were 70.0% of respondents who indicated that the BASICS and BEST trials did not change their practice. Only 22.1% of respondents would perform EVT according to anterior circulation occlusion criteria. The selection of patients for BAO EVT by clinical severity, timing, and imaging modality differed according to geography, specialty, and country income level. Over 80% of respondents agreed that further randomized clinical trials for BAO were warranted. Moreover, 45.6% of respondents indicated they would find it acceptable to enroll all trial‐eligible patients into the medical arm of a BAO trial, whereas 26.3% would not enroll. Conclusion Most stroke physicians continue to believe in the efficacy of EVT in selected patients with BAO in spite of BEST and BASICS. There is no consensus on which selection criteria to use, and few clinicians would use anterior circulation occlusion criteria for BAOs. Further randomized clinical trials for BAO are warranted

Endovascular versus Medical Management of Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Randomized Controlled Trials

Background and Purpose The optimal management of patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) compared to medical management (MM) for acute BAO through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs of patients with acute BAO. We analyzed the pooled effect of EVT compared to MM on the primary outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] of 0–3 at 3 months), secondary outcome (mRS 0–2 at 3 months), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and 3-month mortality rates. For each study, effect sizes were computed as odds ratios (ORs) with random effects and Mantel-Haenszel weighting. Results Four RCTs met inclusion criteria including 988 patients. There were higher odds of mRS of 0-3 at 90 days in the EVT versus MM group (45.1% vs. 29.1%, OR 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–3.80; P=0.04). Patients receiving EVT had a higher sICH compared to MM (5.4% vs. 0.8%, OR 7.89, 95% CI 4.10–15.19; P<0.01). Mortality was lower in the EVT group (35.5% vs. 45.1%, OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42–0.99; P=0.05). In an analysis of two trials with BAO patients and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) <10, there was no difference in 90-day outcomes between EVT versus MM. Conclusion In this systematic review and meta-analysis, EVT was associated with favorable outcome and decreased mortality in patients with BAO up to 24 hours from stroke symptoms compared to MM. The treatment effect in BAO patients with NIHSS <10 was less certain. Further studies are of interest to evaluate the efficacy of EVT in basilar occlusion patients with milder symptoms

Different doses of gabapentin formulations for postherpetic neuralgia: A systematical review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

<p><b>What is known and objective</b>: Gabapentin, extended-release gabapentin (gabapentin ER), and gabapentin enacarbil (GEn), play an important role in relieving pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Although previous systematic reviews have assessed the efficacy and safety of gabapentin formulations for PHN, they have failed to take formulation differences and dose differences into account. Aiming at assessing the efficacy and safety of different doses of gabapentin formulations for PHN, this study performed a systematical review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). <b>Methods</b>: Electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCO, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science) were systematically searched by terms of “gabapentin [Title/Abstract] AND postherpetic neuralgia [Title/Abstract]” from the year 1966 to present. Efficacy measurements were changes in average daily pain (ADP) scores, sleep interference scores, at least 50% reduction in pain intensity, and changes in Patient/Clinician Global Impression of Change (PGIC/CGIC) from baseline to the end of treatment. Safety measures were the proportion of patients suffering from any adverse event, dizziness, somnolence, and peripheral edema. Outcomes for continuous data and dichotomous data were estimated with standard mean difference (SMD) and risk ratio (RR), respectively. <b>Results and discussion</b>: Seven RCTs encompassing 2041 randomized participants for efficacy assessment and 2050 randomized participants for safety assessment were identified. Gabapentin formulations in reducing ADP scores (the primary outcomes) were as follows: gabapentin 3600 mg/day, SMD: −0.86; 95% CI: −1.13, −0.58; <i>p</i> < 0.00001; gabapentin ER 1800 mg/day once daily, SMD: −0.21; 95% CI: −0.42, −0.01; <i>p</i> = 0.04; gabapentin ER 1800 mg/day twice daily, SMD: −0.25; 95% CI: −0.57, 0.06; <i>p</i> = 0.12; GEn 1200 mg/day, SMD: −0.43; 95% CI: −0.66, −0.20; <i>p</i> = 0.0002; GEn 2400 mg/day, SMD: −0.33; 95% CI: −0.62, −0.03; <i>p</i> = 0.03; GEn 3600 mg/day, SMD: −0.50; 95% CI: −0.79, −0.20; <i>p</i> = 0.0009. In addition, gabapentin from 1800 to 3600 mg/day doses could significantly improve sleep interference, at least 50% reduction in pain intensity and PGIC/CGIC, but highly increased the incidence of any adverse event, dizziness, somnolence and peripheral edema with an increasing dose. Gabapentin ER 1800 mg/day once daily treatment could not only effectively relieve PHN pain but also significantly increase the risk of adverse events, while twice daily treatment almost showed no significant pharmacological effect and adverse events. GEn at doses of 1200 mg/day and 2400 mg/day were safe in decreasing any adverse event (1200 mg/day, RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.29, <i>p</i> = 0.38; 2400 mg/day, RR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.41, <i>p</i> = 0.08), dizziness (1200 mg/day, RR = 1.86, 95% CI: 0.58, 6.01, <i>p</i> = 0.30; 2400 mg/day, RR = 1.74, 95% CI: 0.95, 3.19, <i>p</i> = 0.07), and somnolence (1200 mg/day, RR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.51, 2.91, <i>p</i> = 0.65; 2400 mg/day, RR = 1.30, 95% CI: 0.53, 3.22, <i>p</i> = 0.57). GEn 3600 mg/day could only increase the risk of any adverse event (RR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.47, <i>p</i> = 0.02) and dizziness (RR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.13, 3.63, <i>p</i> = 0.02). <b>What is new and conclusion</b>: An increasing gabapentin dose may not provide a good pharmacological therapy, whereas it can increase the risk of adverse events. Gabapentin ER, 1800 mg/day once daily treatment is significantly effective in pain relief, following high incidence of adverse events, but twice daily treatment shows no significant differences in both efficacy and safety compared with placebo. GEn 1200 mg/day and 2400 mg/day doses are more effective and safe in treating PHN. The long-term efficacy and safety of different doses of gabapentin formulations remain to be determined.</p

A new phytophagous eulophid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) that feeds within leaf buds and cones of Pinus massoniana

Li, Xiangxiang, Xu, Zhihong, Zhu, Chaodong, Zhao, Jinnian, He, Yuyou (2014): A new phytophagous eulophid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) that feeds within leaf buds and cones of Pinus massoniana. Zootaxa 3753 (4): 391-397, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3753.4.

Aprostocetus Westwood 1833

Aprostocetus Westwood 1833 Aprostocetus Westwood, 1833: 444. Type species: Aprostocetus caudatus Westwood Asyntomosphyrum Girault, 1913: 71. Type species: Asyntomosphyrum pax Girault. Synonymized by Bou&ccaron;ek, 1988: 676. Blattotetrastichus Girault, 1917: 257. Type species: Entedon hagenowii Ratzeburg. Synonymized by Graham, 1961: 36. Duotrastichus Girault, 1913: 257. Type species: Duotrastichus monticola Girault. Synonymized by Bou&ccaron;ek, 1988: 677. Epentastichus Girault, 1913: 205, 229. Type species: Epitetrastichus speciosissimus Girault. Synonymized by Bou&ccaron;ek, 1988: 676. Gyrolachnus Erdös, 1954: 365. Type species: Gyrolachnus longulus Erdös. Synonymized by Graham, 1961: 44. Hadrothrix Cameron, 1913: 175. Type species: Hadrothrix purpurea Cameron. Synonymized by Graham, 1987: 129. For more complete lists of synonymies see Graham (1961, 1987), Bou&ccaron;ek (1988), LaSalle (1994) and Noyes (2012). Description. Body metallic or non-metallic, with or without pale markings. Head with malar sulcus present, usually straight or only slightly curved, occasionally foveate below eye. Eyes and ocelli fully developed. Mandible tridentate with outer tooth acute, middle and inner teeth progressively more obtuse. Female antenna with scape and pedicel having weakly engraved or obsolescent reticulation; anelli discoid to laminar, usually 4, rarely 3 or 2; funicle usually with 3, rarely 4, segments; clava most often with 3 segments but sometimes 2 owing to obsolescence of the second suture, very rarely solid. Male antenna with sculpture of scape and pedicel as in female; funicle with 4 segments, segments often with a whorl of elongate setae, clava with 3 segments. Mesosoma with pronotum usually short or very short (rarely moderately long), without a transverse carina. Mid lobe of mesoscutum nearly always with 1 row of adnotaular setae on each side (rarely with 2 or 3 rows), the anterior setae usually shorter than posterior setae. Setae of pronotum and mesoscutum not all equal in length. Scutellum nearly always at least slightly broader than long; normally with 2 pairs of setae which are almost always nearer to submedian than to sublateral lines; submedian lines usually distinct (occasionally weak, rarely absent); sublateral lines neither broad nor deep. Propodeum with reticulation varying from obsolescent to slightly raised, never very strong; median carina present; plicae and paraspiracular carinae absent; spiracles in most species moderate-sized and suboval, very close to metanotum (occasionally very small and subcircular or very rarely large), the outer part of their rim nearly always partly covered by a raised flap of the callus. Legs with hind coxa lacking dorsolateral longitudinal carina; first segment of mid and hind tarsi at least as long as second (sometimes very slightly shorter) in most species. Wings nearly always macropterous (rarely shortened or almost rudimentary); costal cell with a row of setae on lower surface; submarginal vein usually with 2 or more dorsal setae (rarely only 1 seta); parastigma hardly ever marked off from marginal vein by a decolourized area; postmarginal vein absent to at most half as long as stigmal vein. Gaster not strongly sclerotized, collapsing to a greater or lesser degree on air-drying; ovipositor sheaths usually projecting at least slightly (in rare cases even longer than the body), but occasionally not projecting; cercus most often with one seta slightly to very distinctly longer than the other and usually more or less sinuate or kinked near middle. Anterior margin of female hypopygium trilobed. Remarks. Species of Aprostocetus can be separated from other genera of Tetrastichinae by the characters given in keys by Graham (1987, 1991) and LaSalle (1994). The description given above illustrates the great deal of morphological variation that is found within Aprostocetus, but as a general rule species can be recognized by having the following combination of characters: submarginal vein with 3 or more dorsal setae, one of the cercal setae distinctly longer than the remaining setae and sinuate, propodeal spiracle partially covered by a raised lobe or flap on the callus, malar sulcus straight or only slightly curved, and mesosternum usually flat just anterior to trochantinal lobes. For notes on the Chinese species see Graham (1987), Sheng & Zhao (1995), Yang (1996), Wu et al. (2001), Zhu & Huang (2001, 2002), Yang et al. (2003), Xu & Huang (2004), Weng et al. (2007). At present there is no key to Chinese species of Aprostocetus. Biological notes. With a very wide host range, but most often inhabiting plant galls made by insects, such as Diptera (Cecidomyiidae) or sometimes Hymenoptera (Cynipoidea),occasionally Coleoptera or Coccoidea, and rarely gall-inhabiting Acari (Graham 1987). Only a single species of Aprostocetus has been definitely shown to be a gall inducer: A. colliguayae (Philippi) which induces galls on Colliguaja odorifera Molina (Euphorbiaceae) in Chile (Martinez et al. 1992; La Salle 2005). Distribution. Worldwide.Published as part of Li, Xiangxiang, Xu, Zhihong, Zhu, Chaodong, Zhao, Jinnian & He, Yuyou, 2014, A new phytophagous eulophid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) that feeds within leaf buds and cones of Pinus massoniana, pp. 391-397 in Zootaxa 3753 (4) on pages 392-393, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3753.4.8, http://zenodo.org/record/23020

FIGURES 1 – 8 in A new phytophagous eulophid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) that feeds within leaf buds and cones of Pinus massoniana

FIGURES 1 – 8. Aprostocetus pinus sp. nov.: 1, ♀ head, front view; 2, ♀ head, dorsal view; 3, ♀ mesosoma; 4, ♂ mesosoma; 5, ♀ propodeum; 6, ♂ propodeum; 7, ♀ metasoma; 8, ♂ metasoma

The Cytokine Profiles and Immune Response Are Increased in COVID-19 Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The induction of inflammation and cytokine storm was proposed to play a critical role in COVID-19. This study is aimed at investigating the relationship between glucose metabolism and the inflammatory state of inpatients with COVID-19. 71 inpatients with COVID-19 were classified into nondiabetes mellitus (NDM) group, impaired fasting glucose (IFG) group, and diabetes mellitus (DM) group. The average hospitalization days were significantly shorter in DM patients when compared with patients in the IFG group and NDM group. CD4+ T cell percentage was higher while CD8+ T cells percentage was lower in the DM group than those in the NDM group. The serum levels of IL-6, IL-2, IL-10, and INF-γ in the DM group were upregulated when compared with those in the NDM group. The serum levels of TNF-α, IL-4, IL-2, IL-10, and INF-γ were significantly higher in the DM group than those in the IFG group. A significant difference was observed in CD4+ T cell, CD4+/CD8+ ratio percentage, IL-6, and IL-10 between the NDM group and DM group with adjusted BMI. In conclusion, COVID-19 patients with elevated glucose levels have promoted cytokine profiles and immune response