College students’ screening early warning factors in identification of suicide risk

This study aimed to explore the main influencing factors of suicide risk among Chinese students and establish an early warning model to provide interventions for high-risk students. We conducted surveys of students in their first and third years from a cohort study at Jining Medical College. Logistic regression models were used to screen the early warning factors, and four machine learning models were used to establish early warning models. There were 8 factors related to suicide risk that were eventually obtained through screening, including age, having a rough father, and CES-D, OHQ, ASLEC-4, BFI-Neuroticism, BFI-Openness, and MMC-AF-C scores. A random forest model with SMOTE was adopted, and it verified that these 8 early warning signs, for suicide risk can effectively predict suicide risk within 2 years with an AUC score of 0.947. Among the factors, we constructed a model that indicated that different personality traits affected suicide risk by different paths. Moreover, the factors obtained by screening can be used to identify college students in the same year with a high risk of suicide, with an AUC score that reached 0.953. Based on this study, we suggested some interventions to prevent students going high suicide risk.

The correlation of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio to clinical and imaging parameters in patients with thyroid eye disease

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is the major extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves' disease (GD). Treatment choice is based on clinical activity and severity of TED, as evaluated with clinical activity score (CAS) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. We aimed to determine the relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a readily available indicator of systemic inflammation, and clinical and MR imaging parameters in TED patients. Eighty-seven consecutive TED patients were included. The average signal intensity ratio (SIR), average extraocular muscle (EOM) diameter, and proptosis of the study eye were extracted from MR images. A baseline NLR ≥ 2.0 was recorded in 37 (42.5%) patients and NLR < 2.0 in 50 (57.5%) patients. TED patients with NLR ≥ 2.0 were older, had a higher CAS, average SIR, average EOM diameter and proptosis, and a lower serum thyrotrophin receptor antibody level than patients with NLR < 2.0 (all P < 0.05). All MR parameters showed significant correlation with CAS (P < 0.05). NLR correlated significantly with CAS (P = 0.001), average SIR (P = 0.004), average EOM diameter (P = 0.007), and proptosis (P = 0.007). Multiple regression revealed a significant correlation between NLR and CAS (P = 0.001), average SIR (P = 0.029), and proptosis (P = 0.037). Cox regression analysis showed that a high NLR at baseline was associated with a worse clinical outcome of TED (hazard ratio 3.7, 95% CI 1.22-11.2, P = 0.02), at a median follow-up of 25 months. In conclusion, NLR was correlated with CAS and MR imaging parameters and was associated with a worse clinical outcome of TED at follow-up in patients with TED. Additional prospective studies are needed to validate our findings.

[Association between serum sex hormone-binding globulin and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis]

Objective: To investigate the association between serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 371 middle-aged and young obese patients who were hospitalized and underwent liver puncture in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2016 to April 2021 were included. The population was divided into control group (n=43) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) group (n=328) based on the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score. Subjects in NAFLD group were further divided into non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) (n=60), uncertain-NASH (n=172), and NASH (n=96). Serum SHBG was tested in patients with NAFLD who were divided into three subgroups according to tertiles. The liver pathological characteristics in different SHBG level subgroups were compared. The risk factors of NASH were analyzed by logistic regression. The prediction model of NASH noninvasive diagnosis was established by forward stepwise regression, and the diagnostic value of non-invasive model for NASH was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The median age in patients were (32±10) years old with a body mass index of (39.16±6.58) kg/m², including 236 females (63.6%). Serum SHBG level [M (Q₁, Q₃)] in NAFLD group was significantly lower than that in control group [16.90 (11.43, 23.00) vs. (23.45 (15.40, 31.22) mmol/L, P<0.05], and progressively diminished in NAFL, uncertain-NASH and NASH subgroups [(22.24±10.47), (20.57±19.58), (15.80±8.74) mmol; P for trend<0.05]. Compared with the high-leveled SHBG subgroup, the steatosis score (2.09±0.80 vs. 1.51±0.72, P<0.01) and lobular inflammation score (1.10±0.68 vs. 0.85±0.68, P<0.05) were significantly higher in the low-leveled SHBG group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that lower serum SHBG level was an independent risk factor for NASH (OR=2.527, 95%CI: 1.296 to 4.928, P<0.05). The area under ROC curve of SHBG combined with aspartate aminotransferase in predicting NASH in NAFLD patients was 0.752 (95%CI: 0.696 to 0.809). Conclusion: Low serum SHBG level is associated with NASH.

Effect of probiotics combined with metformin on improvement of menstrual and metabolic patterns in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

Objectives: The aim of this study was to access the efficacy of probiotics combined with metformin on improvement of menstrual and metabolic patterns in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: In this single-centre, controlled, randomized clinical trial (NCT03336840), 60 non-obese women with PCOS were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive probiotics (4 g daily), metformin (1.5 g daily) or their combination for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the improvement of menstrual patterns. The secondary outcomes included changes in anthropometric, metabolic profiles and hormonal levels. Results: After 12-week treatment, the recovery rate of menstrual cycle was 40% in probiotics group, 55% in metformin group and 80% in combination group (p = 0.035). Meanwhile, the ovulation rate was 30% in probiotics group, 55% in metformin group and 75% in combination group (p = 0.017). Serum anti-Müllerian hormone, testosterone, free androgen index, BMI, fasting blood glucose, HOMA-IR, lipid profiles were decreased after probiotics or metformin treatment in non-obese women with PCOS. Conclusion: In the present trial, probiotics combined with metformin was superior to probiotics or metformin alone to improve menstrual patterns in women with PCOS. Metabolic and hormonal profiles were also improved after probiotics or metformin treatment.

Modeling human pregastulation development by 3D culture of blastoids generated from primed-to-naïve transitioning intermediates

Human pluripotent stem cells provide an inexhaustible model to study human embryogenesis in vitro. Recent studies have provided diverse models to generate human blastoids by self-organization of different pluripotent stem cells or somatic reprogramming intermediates. However, whether blastoids can be generated from other cell types or whether they can recapitulate postimplantation development in vitro is unknown. Here, we develop a strategy to generate human blastoids from heterogeneous intermediates with epiblast, trophectoderm and primitive endoderm signatures of the primed-to-naïve conversion process, which resemble natural blastocysts in morphological architecture, composition of cell lineages, transcriptome, and lineage differentiation potential. In addition, these blastoids reflect many features of human peri-implantation and pregastrulation development when further cultured in an in vitro 3D culture system. In summary, our study provides an alternative strategy to generate human blastoids and offers insights into human early embryogenesis by modeling peri- and postimplantation development in vitro.

Extracellular vesicles mediate the communication of adipose tissue with brain and promote cognitive impairment associated with insulin resistance

Type 2 diabetes with obesity-related insulin resistance as the main manifestation is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Adipose tissue plays an important role in this process. Here, we demonstrated that adipose tissue-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their cargo microRNAs (miRNAs) mediate inter-organ communication between adipose tissue and the brain, which can be transferred into the brain in a membrane protein-dependent manner and enriched in neurons, especially in the hippocampus. Further investigation suggests that adipose tissue-derived EVs from high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice or patients with diabetes induce remarkable synaptic loss and cognitive impairment. Depletion of miRNA cargo in these EVs significantly alleviates their detrimental effects on cognitive function. Collectively, these data suggest that targeting adipose tissue-derived EVs or their cargo miRNAs may provide a promising strategy for pharmaceutical interventions for cognitive impairment in diabetes.

Comparison of therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord and bone marrow in the treatment of type 1 diabetes

Background

The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in type 1 diabetes (T1D) has been demonstrated in both preclinical and clinical studies. MSCs that have been used in research on T1D are derived from various tissue sources, with bone marrow (BM) and umbilical cord (UC) tissues being the most commonly used. However, the influence of tissue origin on the functional properties and therapeutic effects of MSCs in T1D remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy of UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs in a mouse model of T1D as well as in patients with T1D.

Methods

In non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, the development of diabetes was accelerated by streptozotocin injections. Thereafter, diabetic mice were randomized and treated intravenously with UC-MSCs, BM-MSCs or phosphate-buffered saline as a control. Blood glucose and serum insulin were measured longitudinally after transplantation. At 14 days post-transplantation, pancreatic tissues were collected to assess insulitis and the β-cell mass. Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the composition of T lymphocytes in the spleen and pancreatic lymph nodes of the NOD mice. In our retrospective study of patients with T1D, 28 recipients who received insulin therapy alone or a single transplantation of UC-MSCs or BM-MSCs were enrolled. The glycaemic control and β-cell function of the patients during the first year of follow-up were compared.

Results

In NOD mice, UC-MSC and BM-MSC transplantation showed similar effects on decreasing blood glucose levels and preserving β cells. The regulation of islet autoimmunity was examined, and no significant difference between UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs was observed in the attenuation of insulitis, the decrease in T helper 17 cells or the increase in regulatory T cells. In patients with T1D, MSC transplantation markedly lowered haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and reduced insulin doses compared to conventional insulin therapy. However, the therapeutic effects were comparable between UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs, and they also exerted similar effects on the endogenous β-cell function in the patients.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs exhibited comparable therapeutic effects on improving glycaemic control and preserving β-cell function in T1D. Considering their abundance and higher cell yields, UC-MSCs appear to be more promising than BM-MSCs in clinical applications.

Trial registration NCT02763423. Registered on May 5, 2016—Retrospectively registered, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.

Antifungal Effects and Active Components of Ligusticum chuanxiong

The separation of chemical components from wild plants to develop new pesticides is a hot topic in current research. To evaluate the antimicrobial effects of metabolites of Ligusticum chuanxiong (CX), we systematically studied the antimicrobial activity of extracts of CX, and the active compounds were isolated, purified and structurally identified. The results of toxicity measurement showed that the extracts of CX had good biological activities against Botrytis cinerea, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Alternaria alternata and Pythium aphanidermatum, and the value of EC50 were 130.95, 242.36, 332.73 and 307.29 mg/L, respectively. The results of in vivo determination showed that under the concentration of 1000 mg/L, the control effect of CX extract on Blumeria graminis was more than 40%, and the control effect on Botrytis cinerea was 100%. The antifungal active components of CX were identified as Senkyunolide A and Ligustilide by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. The MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) value of Senkyunolide A and Ligustilide against Fusarium graminearum were 7.81 and 62.25 mg/L, respectively. As a new botanical fungicide with a brightly exploitative prospect, CX extract has potential research value in the prevention and control of plant diseases.

[Effects of parity on nutrition and health status of Chinese women of childbearing age]

Objective: To analyze effects of parity on women's nutrition and health status. Methods: This study was based on the data bank of "Chinese Nutrition and Health Surveillance of Children and Adolescents Aged 0-17 years old and Lactating Mothers from 2016 to 2017". Using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method, 17 771 women at 0 to 24 months postpartum from 31 provinces in Mainland China were included in this study. Questionnaires were used to collect data on women's general demographic characteristics, parity, mode of delivery, pre-pregnancy weight, pre-delivery weight, diseases before and during pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage. Current body height, body weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Blood hemoglobin, blood glucose and blood lipids were detected. Pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, postpartum weight retention, postpartum BMI, the rates of anemia, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia were calculated. Survey sample weights were calculated according to the sampling design and number of children under 2 years old from the sixth population census data of China. Effects of parity on the observational indicators after adjusting for confounding factors were analyzed by multivariate linear regression and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The age of 17 771 women was (29.5±5.0) years old, 12.2% (2 172) were over 35 but less than 40 years old, and 3.2% (563) were over 40 years old; the women with one parity, two parities, and three parities accounted for 47.3% (8 413), 48.5% (8 620) and 4.2% (738), respectively; urban women accounted for 49.9% (8 875), and rural women accounted for 50.1% (8 896). The results from multivariate linear regression showed that the pre-pregnancy BMI of women with two and three parities was 0.55 kg/m² and 0.76 kg/m² higher than women with one parity, respectively; the results of multivariate logistic regression showed that the OR(95%CI) of pre-pregnancy anemia was 1.45(1.04-2.02) for women with three parities compared with women with one parity, and the OR(95%CI) of anemia during pregnancy for women with two parities was 1.20(1.06-1.35) compared with women with one parity. Conclusion: Parity is associated with pre-pregnancy BMI and risk of anemia before and during pregnancy in women of reproductive age.

Novel Valence Transition in Elemental Metal Europium around 80 GPa

Valence transition could induce structural, insulator-metal, nonmagnetic-magnetic and superconducting transitions in rare-earth metals and compounds, while the underlying physics remains unclear due to the complex interaction of localized 4f electrons as well as their coupling with itinerant electrons. The valence transition in the elemental metal europium (Eu) still has remained as a matter of debate. Using resonant x-ray emission scattering and x-ray diffraction, we pressurize the states of 4f electrons in Eu and study its valence and structure transitions up to 160 GPa. We provide compelling evidence for a valence transition around 80 GPa, which coincides with a structural transition from a monoclinic (C2/c) to an orthorhombic phase (Pnma). We show that the valence transition occurs when the pressure-dependent energy gap between 4f and 5d electrons approaches the Coulomb interaction. Our discovery is critical for understanding the electrodynamics of Eu, including magnetism and high-pressure superconductivity.

The PRECEDE consortium: A longitudinal international cohort study of individuals with genetic risk or familial pancreatic cancer

e16239

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease with lack of effective early detection strategies. There is an incomplete understanding of who is at risk for PDAC development and the contribution of heritability to that risk. Further, efforts at biomarker development for detection of early stage disease have been hampered by small sample sizes, lack of coordination, and inadequate access to high quality clinical data and biospecimens in relevant clinical populations. The PRECEDE Consortium was established to serve as a collaborative international network of PDAC clinical and research centers to accelerate early detection advances by standardizing collection of clinical data and biospecimens from patients at increased risk for PDAC. The consortium goal is to increase the overall survival rate for PDAC to 50% in 10 years by enabling transformative biomarker-driven discoveries in early detection of high-risk premalignant lesions and early stage cancers. Methods: The PRECEDE Consortium (NCT04970056; precedestudy.org) launched in 2019 and began enrollment in May, 2020. Data and biospecimen sharing are required for centers to join the consortium, which is facilitated through use of standardized data and biospecimen collection, and a centralized database (PRECEDELink) managed by a data coordinating center (Arbor Research). Imaging and clinical sequencing data will be stored and analyzed via a PRECEDE solution in the Amazon Web Services cloud. Participants age 18-90 are enrolled into one of seven cohorts based on personal and/or family history of PDAC and carrier status of pathogenic germline variants (PGV) in cancer predisposition genes (CPG). Three-generation pedigrees are collected at enrolment from participants, and standardized clinical germline testing is offered. Blood sample collection for DNA, plasma, and serum is completed at enrollment, and repeated annually for individuals meeting guidelines for annual surveillance. Results: To date, 24 clinical sites have enrolled 2187 participants, with a target of 10,000 participants enrolled from100 sites over the next 5 years. Among enrolled patients, 55% meet criteria for annual surveillance by MRI or endoscopic ultrasound. Demographics of the cohort to date: 56% female; 73% white; 35% CPG PGV carriers; 32% meet criteria for familial pancreatic cancer. Conclusions: The PRECEDE Consortium study is a large international, longitudinal, prospective cohort study designed to accelerate the pace and scale of early diagnosis. Planned projects will address modifiers of risk, penetrance of disease, creating comprehensive risk models for clinical decision-making, and development and validation of biomarker assays. The PRECEDE Consortium provides a unique, innovative platform to bring together key stakeholders (academia, patients, public and private sector) to effect progress.

Aurora kinase a inhibitor MLN8237 suppresses pancreatic cancer growth

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is notorious for high mortality due to limited options of appropriate chemotherapy drugs. Here we report that Aurora kinase-A expression is elevated in both human and mouse PDAC samples. MLN8237, an inhibitor of Aurora kinase-A, efficiently reduced the proliferation and motility of PDAC cells in vitro as well as tumor growth in orthotropic xenograft model and genetic pancreatic cancer animal models (p53/LSL/Pdx-Cre mice) in vivo. MLN8237 exhibited tumor inhibitory effect through inhibiting proliferation and migration, and inducing apoptosis and senescence. These results provide the molecular basis for a novel chemotherapy strategy for PDAC patients.

Colchicine as an Alternative First-Line Treatment of Sclerosing Mesenteritis: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare condition characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrotic changes of the mesentery.

AIMS

To determine the long-term management and outcomes of patients with sclerosing mesenteritis.

METHODS

Patients with biopsy-proven sclerosing mesenteritis at the Mayo Clinic between January 2006 and December 2016 were identified. Clinical data were collected retrospectively.

RESULTS

One hundred and three patients were identified, median age 68.0 years (range 35.0-85.3). Most patients were symptomatic (87.4%) at presentation. Patients received no treatment (52.4%), medical therapy (42.7%) or surgery (4.9%) on initial diagnosis. The most common initial regimens were prednisone plus tamoxifen (41.9%), prednisone alone (23.3%), and prednisone plus colchicine (11.6%) with 55.6%, 57.2%, and 60% of patients improving, respectively, p = 0.85 for a difference in response rates. At least half of the patients responded to prednisone plus tamoxifen, prednisone plus colchicine, or prednisone alone at 6.0, 7.2, and 8.4 months, respectively. At a median follow-up of 45.6 months (95% CI 24.1-69.7), 65.4% of patients were receiving medical therapy. Of those receiving tamoxifen-based, steroid-based, or steroid-sparing regimens, 100%, 87.5%, and 77.8% had improved by their last follow-up appointment respectively, p = 0.15.

CONCLUSION

Prednisone plus colchicine has a similar efficacy to prednisone plus tamoxifen for the initial and long-term treatment of sclerosing mesenteritis. The majority of patients were initiated on medical therapy over the long term with most reporting symptomatic improvement within a year. Death from SM was rare.

Expression and clinical significance of VISTA and PD-L1 in adrenocortical carcinoma

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis and challenging management. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and V-domain Ig-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) in ACC and their associations with clinicopathological features and survival outcomes. Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens from 54 ACC patients. Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests or independent samples t/Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to assess correlations between immunoscores and clinicopathological parameters. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were conducted for survival analysis and to identify independent predictors of overall (OS) and disease-free (DFS) survival. Results showed that VISTA was expressed in tumor cells (TCs) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) in 81.5% (44/54) and 40.7% (22/54) of the patients, respectively. PD-L1 positivity was found in either TCs or TICs in 11.1% (6/54) of the patients. Patients with positive VISTA expression in TCs had a higher tumor stage (56.9% vs 20%, P = 0.036) and Ki-67 index (30.50 ± 23.51% vs 14.76 ± 11.75%, P = 0.006). However, PD-L1 positivity in either TCs or TICs had no association with patient clinicopathological features. A higher VISTA expression intensity, a larger area and a higher immunoscore were associated with increased risks of disease progression and overall mortality, but PD-L1 expression in TCs or TICs was not associated with OS or DFS. In conclusion, positive TC VISTA expression was correlated with pathological parameters related to malignancy in ACC patients. This finding provides novel evidence of the value of VISTA, in addition to PD-L1, as an immunotherapeutic target in ACC.

Tumor microenvironment and its clinicopathological and prognostic associations in surgically resected cutaneous angiosarcoma

PURPOSE

Cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS) is a rare but typically aggressive malignant vascular neoplasm of the skin. Tumor microenvironment (TME) of CAS and its associations with baseline clinicopathological features and patient outcomes are very important, especially when considering the recent advances in understanding of the tumor biology.

METHODS/PATIENTS

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients who underwent surgical resection for CAS at a tertiary Hospital. The pretreated specimens were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), densities of tumor infiltrative lymphocytes (TILs) (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD45RO+, FoxP3+), as well as c-MYC and Ki-67 expressions. Overall survival (OS) was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared with Log-rank test.

RESULTS

A total of 21 CAS patients were identified. Median age was 67 (ranges: 20-81) years, 14 (66.7%) were male, and over 50% had lesions of scalp. Histopathological examination showed a predominantly spindle cell type (57.1%). All patients underwent surgery, 16 (76.2%) were treated further. PD-L1 was positively stained (> 1%) in tumor cells (42.9%) and TILs (23.8%). PD-1 expression (> 1%) was identified in TILs of 11 (52.4%) cases. PD-1/PD-L1 expressions were significantly associated with the higher densities of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD45RO+, and Foxp3+ TILs, but not with patient characteristics or c-MYC or Ki-67 expression. Median OS was 18.5 months (95% CI 6.0-35.9), although no prognostic significance was observed with respect to any clinicopathological features.

CONCLUSION

We characterized TME and its clinical and prognostic association in CAS. PD-1/PD-L1 expressions were significantly associated with TILs subtypes but not with OS.

Enhancement of Impaired Olfactory Neural Activation and Cognitive Capacity by Liraglutide, but Not Dapagliflozin or Acarbose, in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A 16-Week Randomized Parallel Comparative Study

OBJECTIVE

The comparative neuroprotective effects of different antidiabetes drugs have not been characterized in randomized controlled trials. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of liraglutide, dapagliflozin, or acarbose treatment on brain functional alterations and cognitive changes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Thirty-six patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy were randomized to receive liraglutide, dapagliflozin, or acarbose treatment for 16 weeks. Brain functional MRI (fMRI) scan and a battery of cognitive assessments were evaluated pre- and postintervention in all subjects.

RESULTS

The 16-week treatment with liraglutide significantly enhanced the impaired odor-induced left hippocampal activation with Gaussian random field correction and improved cognitive subdomains of delayed memory, attention, and executive function (all P < 0.05), whereas dapagliflozin or acarbose did not. Structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated that such improvements of brain health and cognitive function could be partly ascribed to a direct effect of liraglutide on left hippocampal activation (β = 0.330, P = 0.022) and delayed memory (β = 0.410, P = 0.004) as well as to the metabolic ameliorations of reduced waist circumference, decreased body fat ratio, and elevated fasting insulin (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our head-to-head study demonstrated that liraglutide enhanced impaired brain activation and restored impaired cognitive domains in patients with type 2 diabetes, whereas dapagliflozin and acarbose did not. The results expand the clinical application of liraglutide and provide a novel treatment strategy for individuals with diabetes and a high risk of cognitive decline.

Antimicrobial Effects and Active Compounds of the Root of Aucklandia Lappa Decne (Radix Aucklandiae)

The development of new biological fungicides using plant metabolites has become an important direction for pesticide development, and previous studies found that Radix Aucklandiae had a certain inhibitory effect on plant pathogens. In this study, we systematically studied the antimicrobial activity of extracts of Radix Aucklandiae, and the active compounds were isolated, purified and structurally identified. Ethanol extracts of Radix Aucklandiae had different inhibitory effects on seven common plant-pathogenic fungi, with EC₅₀ (concentration for 50% of maximal effect) values ranging from 114.18 mg/L to 414.08 mg/L. The extract at concentration of 1,000 mg/L had a significant control effect on strawberry grey mould and wheat powdery mildew of more than 90%. Three active compounds were isolated and purified from the extract, which were identified as alantolactone, dehydrocostus lactone and costunolide. All three compounds showed significant inhibitory effects on Botrytis cinerea, and the MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) values were 15.63 mg/L, 3.91 mg/L and 15.63 mg/L. Dehydrocostus lactone also showed obvious inhibitory effect on Fusarium graminearum with an MIC value of 62.25 mg/L. The extract of Radix Aucklandiae has high antimicrobial activity against some common plant-pathogenic fungi, and the work lays a foundation for the development of extracts of Radix Aucklandiae as botanical fungicides.

Effects of Early Intensive Insulin Therapy on Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the alteration of circulating CD34⁺KDR⁺CD133⁺ endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and the mechanism of the effect of early intensive insulin therapy.

METHODS

In this study, 36 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 22 control subjects matched by age and gender were enrolled. All of the patients with diabetes received intensive insulin therapy. The number of EPCs was assessed by flow cytometry based on the expression of CD34, CD133, and kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR).

RESULTS

Levels of circulating CD34⁺KDR⁺CD133⁺ EPCs were higher in patients with diabetes compared to control subjects and significantly decreased after intensive insulin therapy. Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major contributor to EPC mobilization, were significantly higher in patients with diabetes compared to control subjects, and dramatically decreased after insulin therapy. Importantly, VEGF levels correlated with number of EPCs. Moreover, compared with control subjects, pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress were significantly higher in patients with diabetes and markedly decreased after intensive insulin therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed that type 2 diabetes is associated with an increase of circulating CD34⁺KDR⁺CD133⁺ EPCs at the onset of diabetes, indicating increased compensatory mobilization. Additionally, early intensive insulin therapy exerts a preserving effect on EPC level partly through improving inflammation status and oxidative stress, thereby implying a putative long-term beneficial effect on vascular integrity via suspending excessive EPC exhaustion.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

NCT03710811.

APP and DYRK1A regulate axonal and synaptic vesicle protein networks and mediate Alzheimer's pathology in trisomy 21 neurons

Trisomy 21 (T21) causes Down syndrome and an early-onset form of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we used human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) along with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to investigate the contribution of chromosome 21 candidate genes to AD-relevant neuronal phenotypes. We utilized a direct neuronal differentiation protocol to bypass neurodevelopmental cell fate phenotypes caused by T21 followed by unbiased proteomics and western blotting to define the proteins dysregulated in T21 postmitotic neurons. We show that normalization of copy number of APP and DYRK1A each rescue elevated tau phosphorylation in T21 neurons, while reductions of RCAN1 and SYNJ1 do not. To determine the T21 alterations relevant to early-onset AD, we identified common pathways altered in familial Alzheimer's disease neurons and determined which of these were rescued by normalization of APP and DYRK1A copy number in T21 neurons. These studies identified disruptions in T21 neurons in both the axonal cytoskeletal network and presynaptic proteins that play critical roles in axonal transport and synaptic vesicle cycling. These alterations in the proteomic profiles have functional consequences: fAD and T21 neurons exhibit dysregulated axonal trafficking and T21 neurons display enhanced synaptic vesicle release. Taken together, our findings provide insights into the initial molecular alterations within neurons that ultimately lead to synaptic loss and axonal degeneration in Down syndrome and early-onset AD.

SLAMF8 Participates in Acute Renal Transplant Rejection via TLR4 Pathway on Pro-Inflammatory Macrophages

Background

Acute rejection (AR) in kidney transplantation is an established risk factor that reduces the survival rate of allografts. Despite standard immunosuppression, molecules with regulatory control in the immune pathway of AR can be used as important targets for therapeutic operations to prevent rejection.

Methods

We downloaded the microarray data of 15 AR patients and 37 non-acute rejection (NAR) patients from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Gene network was constructed, and genes were classified into different modules using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Cytoscape were applied for the hub genes in the most related module to AR. Different cell types were explored by xCell online database and single-cell RNA sequencing. We also validated the SLAMF8 and TLR4 levels in Raw264.7 and human kidney tissues of TCMR.

Results

A total of 1,561 differentially expressed genes were filtered. WGCNA was constructed, and genes were classified into 12 modules. Among them, the green module was most closely associated with AR. These genes were significantly enriched in 20 pathway terms, such as cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine signaling pathway, and other important regulatory processes. Intersection with GS > 0.4, MM > 0.9, the top 10 MCC values and DEGs in the green module, and six hub genes (DOCK2, NCKAP1L, IL2RG, SLAMF8, CD180, and PTPRE) were identified. Their expression levels were all confirmed to be significantly elevated in AR patients in GEO, Nephroseq, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that AR patient had a higher percentage of native T, CD1C+_B DC, NKT, NK, and monocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Xcell enrichment scores of 20 cell types were significantly different (p<0.01), mostly immune cells, such as B cells, CD4+ Tem, CD8+ T cells, CD8+ Tcm, macrophages, M1, and monocytes. GSEA suggests that highly expressed six hub genes are correlated with allograft rejection, interferon γ response, interferon α response, and inflammatory response. In addition, SLAMF8 is highly expressed in human kidney tissues of TCMR and in M1 phenotype macrophages of Raw264.7 cell line WGCNA accompanied by high expression of TLR4.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates six hub genes and functionally enriched pathways related to AR. SLAMF8 is involved in the M1 macrophages via TLR4, which contributed to AR process.

Gender differences in the association of body composition and biopsy-proved nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Body composition was associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), but results were controversial probably due to gender differences. Hence, we aim to explore the association of body composition and NASH in males and females.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of obese subjects undergone liver biopsy. According to NASH Clinical Research Network system, subjects were categorized as Normal Control (NC), non-NASH or NASH. Body composition was accessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

This study enrolled 336 subjects (mean age 32.0 years, mean BMI 39.15 kg/m², female, 64.0%). Males have lower relative muscle mass (RMM 55.21 ± 4.07%) and females have higher android to gynoid ratio (AGR, 0.82 ± 0.21) in NASH when compared with non-NASH (RMM 57.49 ± 4.75%; AGR 0.7 ± 0.15) and NC (RMM 58.69 ± 4.09%; AGR 0.66 ± 0.19, p < 0.05 for each). After adjusting for confounding factors, low RMM was the independent risk factor for NASH in males (odds ratio [OR] 0.550; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.312-0.970), high AGR was the independent risk factor for NASH in females (OR 1.694; 95% CI 1.073-2.674). Further, RMM in males and AGR in females, respectively, was associated with liver steatosis and activity, but not with fibrosis. ROC curve revealed that the optimal cutoff value of RMM was 58.09% in males and AGR was 0.92 in females for predicting NASH.

CONCLUSIONS

We firstly revealed that low RMM and high AGR were the independent risk factors for NASH in males and females, respectively, indicating that sex-specific interventions for improving body composition may reduce the risk of NASH in obese subjects.