Preparation, biological activity and antibacterial properties of tantalum surface-doped Ca2+/Zn2+nanorods

In this research, we utilize porous tantalum, known for its outstanding elastic modulus and biological properties, as a base material in biomedical applications. The human skeletal system is rich in elements like Ca and Zn. The role of Zn is crucial for achieving a spectrum of sterilizing effects, while Ca is known to effectively enhance cell differentiation and boost cellular activity. The focus of this study is the modification of porous tantalum using a hydrothermal method to synthesize Ca2+/Zn2+-doped Ta2O5nanorods. These nanorods are subjected to extensive characterization techniques to confirm their structure and composition. Additionally, their biological performance is evaluated through a range of tests, including antibacterial assessments, MTT assays, and bacteria/cell scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The objective is to determine the most effective method of surface modification for porous tantalum, thereby laying a foundational theoretical framework for its surface enhancement.

Aberrant phenotypes of circulating γδ-T cells may be involved in the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

Human gamma-delta T cells (γδ-T cells) play crucial roles in both innate and adaptive immune responses. However, much less is known about the immune status of γδT cells in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The objective of this study was to explore potential relationships between the frequency of γδ-T-cell subpopulations and disease activity, autoantibody titres and renal involvement in patients with SLE.

METHODS

Circulating γδ-T cells and their subsets (Vδ1+ T cells, Vδ2+ T cells and γδ-T-cell subpopulations defined by expression of surface receptors, including NKG2D, NKp30, NKp46 and PD-1), were identified via flow cytometry. Sixty active SLE patients were selected, including 41 new-onset and 19 relapsing cases. One hundred healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled as the control group. Percentages of these cell subsets in SLE patients and HCs and their relationships with disease activity were analysed. Twenty-two of the 41 new-onset SLE patients were assessed before and after treatment. Changes in the frequencies of these cell subsets and their relationships with renal involvement were also analysed.

RESULTS

Compared with that in HCs, the percentage of total γδ-T cells among CD3+ T cells in SLE patients was significantly lower. An imbalance in the proportions of Vδ1+ and Vδ2+ T cells among γδ-T cells was observed. The proportion of Vδ1+ T cells among γδ-T cells was significantly greater in SLE patients than in HCs, while the proportion of Vδ2+ T cells was significantly lower. Expression levels of PD-1, NKG2D, NKp30 and NKp46 in Vδ1+ T cells and Vδ2+ T cells from SLE patients were generally significantly increased, except for expression of NKG2D in Vδ2+ T cells. Moreover, Vδ2+ T cells, Vδ1+ T cells and Vδ1+PD-1+ T cells were associated with disease activity, and an increase in Vδ2+ T-cell frequency and a decrease in PD-1 expression by γδ-T cells might be associated with effective treatment. Interestingly, our results indicated that Vδ2+ T cells and their Vδ2+NKp30+ T-cell subpopulation might be associated with renal involvement in SLE.

CONCLUSION

A broad range of anomalies in the proportions of γδ-T-cell subsets and γδ-T cells in SLE patients may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE. There is a strong association between Vδ2+ T cells and their Vδ2+NKp30+ T-cell subpopulation and LN occurrence. Our results indicate that γδ-T cells and their subpopulations might be key players in disease immunopathology and renal involvement in SLE.

SlNAC3 suppresses cold tolerance in tomatoes by enhancing ethylene biosynthesis

Low temperature stress poses a significant challenge to the productivity of horticultural crops. The dynamic expression of cold-responsive genes plays a crucial role in plant cold tolerance. While NAC transcription factors have been extensively studied in plant growth and development, their involvement in regulating plant cold tolerance remains poorly understood. In this study, we focused on the identification and characterisation of SlNAC3 as the most rapid and robust responsive gene in tomato under low temperature conditions. Manipulating SlNAC3 through overexpression or silencing resulted in reduced or enhanced cold tolerance, respectively. Surprisingly, we discovered a negative correlation between the expression of CBF and cold tolerance in the SlNAC3 transgenic lines. These findings suggest that SlNAC3 regulates tomato cold tolerance likely through a CBF-independent pathway. Furthermore, we conducted additional investigations to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying SINAC3-mediated cold tolerance in tomatoes. Our results revealed that SlNAC3 controls the transcription of ethylene biosynthetic genes, thereby bursting ethylene release in response to cold stress. Indeed, the silencing of these genes led to an augmentation in cold tolerance. This discovery provides valuable insights into the regulatory pathways involved in ethylene-mediated cold tolerance in tomatoes, offering potential strategies for developing innovative approaches to enhance cold stress resilience in this economically important crop species.

High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography Coupled with Single Quadrupole: Application the Identification and Differentiation of Rehmanniae Radix and Its Different Processing Products from Raw Materials to Commercial Products

The authentication of ingredients in formulas is crucial yet challenging, particularly for constituents with comparable compositions but vastly divergent efficacy. Rehmanniae Radix and its derivatives are extensively utilized in food supplements, which contain analogous compositions but very distinct effects. Rehmanniae Radix, also a difficult-to-detect herbal ingredient, was chosen as a case to explore a novel HPTLC-QDa MS technique for the identification of herbal ingredients in commercial products. Through systematic condition optimization, including thin layer and mass spectrometry, a stable and reproducible HPTLC-QDa MS method was established, which can simultaneously detect oligosaccharides and iridoids. Rehmannia Radix and its processed products were then analyzed to screen five markers that could distinguish between raw and prepared Rehmannia Radix. An HPTLC-QDa-SIM method was further established for formula detection by using the five markers and validated using homemade prescriptions and negative controls. Finally, this method was applied to detect raw and prepared Rehmannia Radix in 12 commercial functional products and supplements.

Inhibition of Alzheimer's disease by 4-octyl itaconate revealed by RNA-seq transcriptome analysis

AIMS

This study aimed to examine the therapeutic effects and response mechanisms of 4-OI in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS

In this study, network pharmacology was employed to analyze potential targets for AD drug therapy. Immunofluorescence and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) techniques were utilized to detect inflammatory phenotypes in a 4-OI-resistant mouse microglia cell line (BV2). We conducted four classical behavioral experiments, namely the open field test, new object recognition test, Y maze test, and Morris water maze, to assess the emotional state and cognitive level of APPswe/PS1dE9 (referred to as APP/PS1) mice after 4-OI treatment. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, along with immunofluorescence staining, were performed to detect amyloid (Aβ) deposition in mouse brain tissue. To explore the potential molecular mechanisms regulating the effects of 4-OI treatment, we performed RNA-SEQ and transcription factor prediction analyses. Additionally, mouse BV2 cells underwent Western blotting analysis to elucidate potential molecular mechanisms underlying the observed effects.

RESULTS

We discovered that 4-OI exerts an inhibitory effect on neuroinflammation by promoting autophagy. This effect is attributed to the activation of the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway, achieved through enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK and ULK1, coupled with a reduction in mTOR phosphorylation. Furthermore, 4-OI significantly enhances neuronal recovery in the hippocampus and diminishes Aβ plaque deposition in APP/PS1 mice, improved anxiety in mice, and ultimately led to improved cognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that 4-OI improved cognitive deficits in AD mice, confirming the therapeutic effect of 4-OI on AD.

CD276 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through the TGF-β/SMAD signaling

OBJECTIVE

Aberrant expression of CD276 has been reported in malignant tumors. However, the exact role and mechanisms of CD276 influence the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) still need to be understood.

METHODS

Bioinformatics analysis of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases, along with immunohistochemistry staining, was used to explore the expression patterns of CD276 in ESCC. Cell counting kit-8 and Transwell assays were employed to evaluate the effects of CD276 expression on tumor cell proliferation and motility. Western blotting and Transwell assays were used to explore the potential pathways through which CD276 mediates the progression of ESCC. Moreover, the in vivo role of CD276 in tumor progression was investigated by establishing a lung metastasis mouse model.

RESULTS

A significant upregulation of CD276 was observed in ESCC tissues compared to adjacent tissues. The inhibition of CD276 had no evident impact on ESCC cell proliferation but notably hindered their migratory and invasive properties and the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. Inversely, overexpressing CD276 led to an upregulation of EMT markers, underscoring the capacity of CD276 to amplify the motility of ESCC cells. Furthermore, CD276 was found to enhance the migratory and invasive abilities of ESCC cells by activating the TGF-β/SMAD signaling but not the PI3K/AKT pathway. In vivo studies demonstrated that CD276 facilitates pulmonary metastasis.

CONCLUSION

CD276 is significant upregulation in ESCC tissues and facilitates the EMT process in ESCC cells via the TGF-β/SMAD signaling, thus promoting the progression of ESCC.

Application of enhanced recovery after surgery during the perioperative period in children with Meckel's diverticulum-a single-center prospective clinical trial

Background

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has been widely used in adult surgery. However, few studies have reported the efficacy of ERAS in paediatric patients with Meckel's diverticulum (MD), the aim of the study was to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of ERAS in treating MD.

Methods

A prospective randomised controlled study of children with MD admitted to our hospital from Jan 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2023 were conducted, we developed and implemented an ERAS program for this patients. All cases were strictly selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among these patients, they were randomly assigned to the ERAS group or the traditional (TRAD) group with random number table row randomization. The main observational indicators were operation time, intraoperative hemorrhage, FLACC pain scale results on 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h after surgery, length of postoperative stay (LOPS), time to first defecation, time to first eating after surgery, time to discontinuation of intravenous infusion, total treatment cost, incidence of postoperative complications, 30-day readmission rate and parental satisfaction rate.

Results

A total of 50 patients underwent Meckel's diverticulectomy during this period, 7 patients were excluded, 23 patients were assigned to the ERAS group and 20 patients were assigned to the TRAD group. There were no significant differences in demographic data and operation time, intraoperative hemorrhage. The FLACC pain scale results on 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h after surgery were significantly lower in the ERAS group. The LOPS was 6.17 ± 0.89 days in the ERAS group and 8.30 ± 1.26 days in the TRAD group, resulting in a significantly shorter LOPS in ERAS group. ERAS could also reduce the first postoperative defecation time, the time to first eating after surgery and the time to discontinuation of intravenous infusion. The treatment cost was decreased in the ERAS group. The rate of complications and 30-day readmission were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusions

In this single-center study, the ERAS protocol for patients with MD requiring surgery was safe and effective.

Magnetically separable Pd-iron-oxides composites as highly efficient and recyclable catalysts for ultra-rapid degradation and debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers

When precious nano-metals are used as environmental catalysts, it is important to tune the particle sizes and the reusability of the nano-metals for achieving their highly efficient catalytic performance at a low cost. In the present work, magnetic iron oxides (FeOx-Y) nanoparticles were pre-prepared as supports of nano-metals, where Y represented the mole percentage of Fe(III) in the total iron (Y ≥ 50 %). FeOx-Y (support), PdCl42- (Pd source) and NaBH4 (reducing agent) were added into the organic pollutant solution containing 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47). After the NaBH4 was added, the followed reaction realized not only the rapid in-situ preparation of a Pd-loaded FeOx-Y composite catalyst (Pd-FeOx-Y), but also the ultra-fast and complete debromination of BDE47 within 30 s. Comparing the case without adding FeOx-Y, the debromination efficiency of BDE47 was much promoted in the presence of FeOx-Y. The support-induced enhancing effect on the catalytic ability of Pd nanoparticles was improved by increasing the Fe(III) content in the support, being attributed to the much more hydroxyl groups on the support surface. Considering both the catalytic and recovery abilities of Pd-FeOx-Y, Pd-FeOx-75 was the optimal choice because it could be magnetically recovered and re-used for multiple cycles with high catalytic activities. The presently developed "catalyst preparation-pollutant degradation" one-pot system could be applied to conduct complete debromination of all the PBDEs.

Development and validation of prediction model to estimate vertigo risk after endolymphatic sac decompression in Meniere's disease: a retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

To study the efficacy predictors of endolymphatic sac decompression (ESD) in Meniere's disease (MD), and to establish and verify the prediction model of vertigo after ESD in patients with MD.

METHODS

The retrospective cohort data of 56 patients with unilateral MD who underwent ESD surgery were recorded. A stepwise regression method was used to select optimal modeling variables, and we established a logistic regression model with the outcome of vertigo after ESD. The bootstrap method was used for internal validation.

RESULTS

Potential predictors included sex, age, follow-up duration, disease course, attack duration, frequency of attack, pure-tone threshold average (PTA) of the patient's speech frequency, audiogram type, glycerin test results, MD subtype, and 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk classification. Using the stepwise regression method, we found that the optimal modeling variables were the audiogram type and PTA of the patient's speech frequency. The prediction model based on these two variables exhibited good discrimination [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.57-0.86)] and acceptable calibration (Brier score 0.21).

CONCLUSION

The present model based on the audiogram type and PTA of the patient's speech frequency was found to be useful in guidance of ESD efficacy prediction and surgery selection.

Coptisine inhibits aggressive and proliferative actions of fibroblast like synoviocytes and exerts a therapeutic potential for rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE

Coptisine, a natural bioactive small molecular compound extracted from traditional Chinese herb Coptis chinensis, has been shown to exhibit anti-tumor effect. However, its contribution to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unknown. Here, we evaluate the effect of coptisine in controlling fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS)-mediated synovial proliferation and aggression in RA and further explore its underlying mechanism(s).

METHODS

FLS were separated from synovial tissues obtained from patients with RA. Protein expression was measured by Western blot or immunohistochemistry. Gene expression was detected by quantitative RT-PCR. The EdU incorporation was used to measure cell proliferation. Migration and invasion were determined by Boyden chamber assay. RNA sequencing analysis was used to seek for the target of coptisine. The in vivo effect of coptisine was evaluated in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model.

RESULTS

Treatment with coptisine reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion, but not apoptosis of RA FLS. Mechanistically, we identified PSAT1, an enzyme that catalyzes serine/one-carbon/glycine biosynthesis, as a novel targeting gene of coptisine in RA FLS. PSAT1 expression was increased in FLS and synovial tissues from patients with RA compared to healthy control subjects. Coptisine treatment or PSAT1 knockdown reduced the TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2, and JNK MAPK pathway. Interestingly, coptisine administration improved the severity of arthritis and reduced synovial PSAT1 expression in mice with CIA.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate that coptisine treatment suppresses aggressive and proliferative actions of RA FLS by targeting PSAT1 and sequential inhibition of phosphorylated p38, ERK1/2, and JNK MAPK pathway. Our findings suggest that coptisine might control FLS-mediated rheumatoid synovial proliferation and aggression, and be a novel potential agent for RA treatment.

Attenuated memory impairment and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease by aucubin via the inhibition of ERK-FOS axis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative illness accompanied by cognitive and memory loss. In addition to the widely accepted, convincing amyloid cascade hypothesis, the activation of glial cells and neuroinflammation, especially the microglia-mediated neuroinflammation, has an essential role in the development and progression of AD. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory treatment is becoming a promising therapeutic strategy. Aucubin (Au) is a natural product derived from many plants with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Up to now, no research has been conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Au and its neuroprotective quality on AD and the potential molecular mechanisms of its medical roles. In our study, the results of network pharmacology revealed the potential therapeutic effect of Au on AD. The results of studies in vivo showed that Au improved the behaviors, counteracted cognitive and memory deficits, and ameliorated AD-like pathological features of the mouse brain, e.g., the deposition of Aβ plaques, neuronal damage, and inflammatory responses induced by glial cell overactivation, in APP/PS1 mice. The transcriptome sequencing further confirmed that the pathological symptoms of AD could be reversed by inhibiting the ERK/FOS axis to alleviate the inflammatory response. The in vitro experiments revealed that Au suppressed the BV2 cell activation, inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and the expression of c-FOS, and reduced the LPS-induced inflammatory mediator production by BV2 cells and primary astrocytes. Our study suggested that Au exerted its neuroprotective effects by inhibiting the inflammatory responses, which could be a promising treatment of AD.

The safety and feasibility of same-day discharge for the management of patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy

OBJECTIVES

Is same-day discharge mode safe and feasible for thoracoscopic lobectomy? This study assesses the safety and feasibility of same-day discharge for patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study from January to December 2022, all patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy were screened for eligibility, and participating eligible patients were separated into a same-day discharge lobectomy (SDDL) group and an inpatient lobectomy (InpL) group based upon length of stay. All discharged patients underwent 30-day postoperative follow-up performed by a team of medical professionals. In addition, eligible patients that underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy from January to December 2021 were included in the historical lobectomy (HisL) group.

RESULTS

Of the 52 patients that met the eligibility criteria for same-day discharge, 17 were discharged within 24 h after surgery. In the SDDL group, of whom 1 (5.9%) underwent emergency treatment and readmission within 30 days after surgery due to a pulmonary infection, no patients experienced complications such as reoperation, air leakage, atelectasis, chylothorax, or blood transfusion events during the follow-up period. No differences in overall postoperative complication rates were detected between the SDDL and InpL groups (P>0.05), there was a non-significantly higher rate of readmission and emergency visits in the SDDL group relative to the other two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These results emphasize the safety and feasibility of same-day discharge for patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy, it may further revolutionize the general approach to the hospitalization of thoracoscopic lobectomy patients.

Systematical targeted multicomponent characterization and comparison of Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species by offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography/LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry

Arnebiae Radix, commonly known as "Zicao," can be easily confused with other compounding species, posing challenges for its clinical use. Here, we developed a comprehensive strategy to systematically characterize the diverse components across Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species. First, an offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) system integrating hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and reverse phase (RP) separations was established, enabling effective separation and detection of more trace constituents. Second, a polygonal mass defect filtering (MDF) workflow was implemented to screen target ions and generate a precursor ion list (PIL) to guide multistage mass (MSn) data acquisition. Third, a three-step characterization strategy utilizing diagnostic ions and neutral losses was developed for rapid determination of molecular formulas, structure classes, and compound identification. This approach enabled systematic characterization of Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species, with 437 components characterized including 112 shikonins, 22 shikonfurans, 144 phenolic acids, 131 glycosides, 18 flavonoids, and 10 other compounds. Additionally, 361, 230, 340, and 328 components were identified from RZC, YZC, DZC, and ZZC, respectively, with 142 common components and 30 characteristic components that may serve as potential markers for distinguishing the four species. In summary, this is the first comprehensive characterization and comparison of the phytochemical profiles of Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species, advancing our understanding of this herbal medicine for quality control.

Binary Logistic Regression Analysis on the Association of Occlusion with the Temporomandibular Joint Arthralgia in the Partial Denture Wearers-A Retrospective Study

PURPOSE

To analyze the potential association between the occlusion features and the incidence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthralgia in patients with partial dentures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 101 partial denture wearers were collected, 45 with unilateral TMJ arthralgia diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD). Binary logistic regression analysis was adopted. The TMJ asymptomatic group (n = 45) was quantified as 0, while the TMJ arthralgia group (n = 56) was quantified as 1. In total, 13 occlusion variables were analyzed: gender, age, number of prosthetic teeth, number of dentition quadrants with a prosthetic tooth, anterior or posterior prosthesis location in maxillary or mandibular dentition, occluded prosthesis pair, anterior overjet, and overbite relation. Simple and multiple binary logistic models were adopted, accordingly, for the risk impact of them on TMJ arthralgia.

RESULTS

Overbite (OR = 2.238) and maxillary anterior prosthesis (OR = 0.305) were entered into the simple binary logistic model; while overbite (OR = 2.774) plus maxillary anterior prosthesis (OR = 0.347), overbite (OR = 3.425) plus unilateral maxillary posterior prosthesis (OR = 4.672), and overbite (OR = 3.476) plus overjet (OR = 0.436) and mandibular anterior prosthesis (OR = 0.177) were entered into the multivariate logistic regression model (all, P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Partial denture wearers with a deep overbite, especially those with a unilateral maxillary posterior prosthesis, had a higher prevalence of unilateral TMJ arthralgia.

Omaveloxolone ameliorates cognitive dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice by stabilizing the STAT3 pathway

AIMS

To determine the availability and the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of omaveloxolone (RTA408) on Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study employed network pharmacology to assess the feasibility of drug treatment of AD. To determine the cognitive status and emotional state of APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice after the RTA408 treatment, three classical behavioral experiments (water maze, Y-maze, and open field test) were conducted. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining were utilized to evaluate hippocampal neuronal status and amyloid (Aβ) deposition in mice. RNA-seq and transcription factor prediction analyses were performed to explore the potential molecular mechanisms regulating the therapeutic effects of RTA408. Molecular docking was employed to predict the direct drug targets. To validate these molecular mechanisms, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunofluorescence analyses were performed in two instrumental cell lines, i.e., mouse hippocampal neuronal cells (HT22) and microglia (BV2).

RESULTS

RTA408 was revealed with the capability to reduce Aβ plaque deposition and to restore damaged neurons in the hippocampal region of APP/PS1 mice, ultimately leading to an improvement in cognitive function. This beneficial effect was achieved by balancing the STAT3 pathway. Specifically, RTA408 facilitated the activations of both STAT3/OXR1 and NRF2/ARE axes, thereby enhancing the compromised resistance in neurons to oxidative stress. RTA408 inhibited the NFκB/IL6/STAT3 pathway, effectively countering the neuroinflammation triggered by microglial activation.

CONCLUSION

RTA408 is revealed with promising potential in the treatment of AD based on preclinical data.

DNA methylation-mediated Rbpjk suppression protects against fracture nonunion caused by systemic inflammation

Challenging skeletal repairs are frequently seen in patients experiencing systemic inflammation. To tackle the complexity and heterogeneity of the skeletal repair process, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing and revealed that progenitor cells were one of the major lineages responsive to elevated inflammation and this response adversely affected progenitor differentiation by upregulation of Rbpjk in fracture nonunion. We then validated the interplay between inflammation (via constitutive activation of Ikk2, Ikk2ca) and Rbpjk specifically in progenitors by using genetic animal models. Focusing on epigenetic regulation, we identified Rbpjk as a direct target of Dnmt3b. Mechanistically, inflammation decreased Dnmt3b expression in progenitor cells, consequently leading to Rbpjk upregulation via hypomethylation within its promoter region. We also showed that Dnmt3b loss-of-function mice phenotypically recapitulated the fracture repair defects observed in Ikk2ca-transgenic mice, whereas Dnmt3b-transgenic mice alleviated fracture repair defects induced by Ikk2ca. Moreover, Rbpjk ablation restored fracture repair in both Ikk2ca mice and Dnmt3b loss-of-function mice. Altogether, this work elucidates a common mechanism involving a NF-κB/Dnmt3b/Rbpjk axis within the context of inflamed bone regeneration. Building on this mechanistic insight, we applied local treatment with epigenetically modified progenitor cells in a previously established mouse model of inflammation-mediated fracture nonunion and showed a functional restoration of bone regeneration under inflammatory conditions through an increase in progenitor differentiation potential.

Effects of dimpropyridaz on feeding behavior, locomotivity and biological parameters of Aphis gossypii

Aphis gossypii is a worldwide agricultural pest insect that has developed resistance to multiple pesticides. Dimpropyridaz is a new chordotonal organ regulator and has been registered for control of sap-sucking insects including A. gossypii. For the aim to effectively apply dimpropyridaz for A. gossypii control, it is necessary to clarify the toxic effects of dimpropyridaz on cotton aphids. In the present study, the effects of dimpropyridaz on feeding behavior, locomotivity and biological parameters of A. gossypii were investigated. The bioassay results showed that dimpropyridaz had good insecticidal activity against A. gossypii, with LC50 as 1.91 mg/L at 72 h post exposure. Moreover, the dimpropyridaz treated A. gossypii showed obvious poisoning symptoms of dehydration and shrivel. Through the gentle-touch experiment and feeding experiment, it was found that dimpropyridaz treatment had significant adverse impacts on the locomotivity and feeding behavior of A. gossypii. Compared with the control group, the coordinated movement ability of the treated A. gossypii attenuated, moreover the feeding behavior of A. gossypii was inhibited. The feeding rate decreased by 62.00%, 64.00% and 71.67% after treatment with 50.33 mg/L dimpropyridaz for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, respectively. Especially, EPG recordings showed that the number of intracellular stylet puncture and the total duration of phloem sap ingestion and concurrent salivation decreased substantially, while the total duration of non-probing increased after exposure to dimpropyridaz. Furthermore, the treatments with LC10 and LC30 of dimpropyridaz significantly reduced the longevity and fecundity of F0, and led to a decrease of the relative fitness of F0 to 0.48 and 0.32, respectively. The net reproductive rate (R0) and mean generation time (T) of F1 generation were also significantly reduced, moreover the duration of reproduction was significantly shortened. In addition, at 72 h post treatment with LC30 dimpropyridaz, the gene expression levels of JHEH and USP of cotton aphids significantly increased, while the expression of FOXO, INR, EcR and INRS decreased. These results provide basis for clarifying the toxicology of dimpropyridaz to cotton aphids, and also are beneficial for effective control of cotton aphid using dimpropyridaz.

Association of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet with self-reported sleep-disordered breathing (SDB): a cross-sectional study from China

Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been associated with sleep quality. However, its relationship with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the association between the DASH diet and SDB using data from a community-based survey among adults in Suzhou, Eastern China. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Suzhou Food Consumption and Health Survey in 2018-2020. Dietary intake was measured by a validated FFQ. The association between the DASH diet and SDB was estimated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. In addition, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to reinforce our findings. A total of 3939 participants were included in the final analysis. Participants in the upper quintile of the DASH score consumed more fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, whole grains, and dairy products, and less Na, red/processed meats, and sweetened beverages. The OR for the highest compared with the lowest quintile of the DASH score was 0·68 (95 % CI 0·52, 0·88; Pfor trend = 0·004) for SDB after multivariable adjustment. Of the eight DASH components, vegetables, nuts and legumes, and dairy products were inversely associated with SDB. The associations were similar in subgroups by age, sex, BMI, smoking, alcohol drinking, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidaemia. Adherence to the DASH diet was independently associated with decreased odds of self-reported SDB. Our novel results expand previous findings on diet and sleep and suggest the possibility of improving SDB by enhancing diet quality.

[Efficacy analysis of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in morbidly obese patients aged 10-21 years]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in morbidly obese patients aged 10 to 21 years. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data from 89 out of 200 patients who underwent LSG at the Gastrointestinal Surgery/Weight Loss Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University between January 2015 and December 2020. The primary outcome measures were the completion rate of LSG, the incidence of perioperative complications, and weight-related indicators 3, 6, 12, and ≥24 months postoperatively. Additionally, we compared glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, vitamin levels, liver function, and other relevant biochemical variables before and after surgery. Normally distributed continuous data are presented as x±s. Because the numbers of patients at each follow-up time point were not identical with the number of patients in the study cohort preoperatively, independent sample t-tests were used for intergroup comparisons. Non-normally distributed continuous data are presented as M(Q1, Q3), and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for intergroup comparisons. Results: Among the 89 patients, 35 were male (39.3%), the mean age was (18±2) years, and mean body mass index (BMI) 38.5±4.8 kg/m²; 37 of the patients having a BMI greater than 40 kg/m². Additionally, 63 patients (70.8%) had fatty livers, 34 (38.2%) hyperuricemia, 31(34.8%) sleep apnea syndrome, 20 (22.4%) gastroesophageal reflux, eight (8.9%) type 2 diabetes, and two (2.2%) hypertension. All 89 patients underwent LSG surgery successfully, with no conversions to open surgery. During the perioperative period, there were no cases of major bleeding, gastric leakage, or infections. Notable postoperative symptoms included nausea, vomiting, and pain, most of which improved by the second postoperative day. BMI values 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively had decreased to 31.5±5.8 kg/m², 28.6±4.3 kg/m², and 26.3±4.4 kg/m², respectively. All of these BMI values differed significantly from preoperative values (all P<0.05). At 12 and ≥24 months postoperatively, the percentages of total weight loss were (31.3±9.3)% and (33.1±10.5)%, respectively, both differing significantly from 3 months postoperatively (20.5±5.1)% (all P<0.05). The percentages of excess weight loss at 12 and ≥24 months postoperatively were 91% (70%, 113%) and 95% (74%, 118%) , respectively, both differing significantly from the percentage of total weight loss 3 months postoperatively (56% [45%, 72%]) (both P<0.05). Alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase serum concentrations decreased from preoperative values of 44.4 (25.5, 100.5) U/L and 29.0 (9.5, 48.0) U/L to 14.0 (10.8, 18.3) U/L and 13.0 (10.5, 17.3) U/L, respectively, ≥24 months postoperatively. Hemoglobin A1c decreased from 5.6 (5.3, 5.8)% preoperatively to ≥24 months postoperatively 5.3 (5.0, 5.4)%. High-density lipoprotein increased from 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) mmol/L preoperatively to 1.4 (1.1, 1.6) mmol/L ≥24 months postoperatively. Vitamin B12 decreased from 350.0 (256.8, 441.3) μg/L preoperative to 230.3(195.4, 263.9) μg/L ≥24 months postoperatively. All differed significantly from preoperative values (all P<0.05). Conclusion: LSG has favorable efficacy in morbidly obese patients aged 10 to 21 years. However, further confirmation is required through long-term, multicenter, randomized, controlled trials.

[Dilemma and breakthrough in the advancement of bariatric and metabolic surgery in China]

China currently has the largest population of overweight and obese individuals globally. Bariatric surgery is by far the most effective approach to address obesity and associated metabolic conditions. To manage the significant growth of obesity, China's bariatric and metabolic surgery has assumed a pivotal role. Despite a delayed start compared to other nations, China has made significant progress in bariatric metabolic surgery over the past two decades. Presently, the annual number of surgeries ranks ahead worldwide. However, the proportion of eligible obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery in China remains lower than global averages. Looking ahead, China's bariatric metabolic surgery field offers ample room for growth and improvement. This paper aims to highlight the achievements in bariatric and metabolic surgery within China while also addressing challenges, such as the high proportion of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, adherence to operation standards and guidelines, postoperative management and loss of follow-up, and quality control of database. By analyzing the current landscape and challenges, it is anticipated that China's bariatric metabolic surgery will continue to make remarkable progress in the future, bolstered by the collective dedication of the medical community.

The Therapeutic Effect of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Post-stroke Aphasia and the Optimal Treatment Parameters: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aimed to examine the overall effectiveness of TMS on post-stroke aphasia using a meta-analysis approach, as well as examine the effect of moderating variables (eg, study design, TMS protocol) on the effectiveness of TMS.

DATA SOURCES

A keyword search was conducted in 5 databases: ERIC, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and ProQuest (01/1985-12/2022). The search algorithm included all possible combinations of relevant keywords. Full-text articles were thoroughly examined using forward/backward search methods.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies were thoroughly screened using the following inclusion criteria: patients were diagnosed with post-stroke aphasia; studies focused on the effect of TMS on post-stroke aphasia; language assessments were conducted at pretest and posttest for TMS treatment and data were reported; studies included both an experimental group (ie, a group with TMS treatment) and a control group (ie, a group without TMS treatment).

DATA EXTRACTION

Information was extracted from each study including authors, publication year, first language of participants, study design, stroke duration, demographics of participants, TMS protocol, stimulation site, targeting, and statistical data of language performance pre- and post-TMS treatment.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 17 studies were included in the final review, involving 682 patients with post-stroke aphasia (348 in the experimental group, 334 in the control group). The results showed that TMS treatment has significant immediate (Hedges' g=0.37) and maintenance (Hedges' g=0.34) effects on post-stroke aphasia. Additionally, the moderating variables showed a moderation effect on the effectiveness of TMS.

CONCLUSION

TMS treatment can significantly improve language ability for post-stroke aphasia. Additionally, this study provides an important reference for selecting the optimal TMS treatment parameters in treating post-stroke aphasia. Specifically, administering 15 sessions of rTMS lasting 10 min over the mirror area within Broca's area may produce the best TMS treatment outcomes.

Distribution characteristics, risk assessment, and relevance with surrounding soil of heavy metals in coking solid wastes from coking plants in Shanxi, China

Heavy metal concentrations represent important pollution evaluation indices, and it is necessary to assess the potential environmental and health risks from heavy metals associated with coking wastes from coking plants. In this study, coking sludge (CS), tar residue (TR), coke powder (CP), and sulfur paste (SP) from three coking plants (Plant A, Plant B, and Plant C) in central, western, and southern Shanxi Province and from soils surrounding Plant A were selected as the research objects, and the distributions of Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Mn, Cd, and Cr were determined. The results showed that Cd in the four solid wastes far exceeded the soil background value by a factor of 16~195, and the contents of Pb in TR (three plants) and CS (Plant C) exceeded the soil background values 19.70-, 23.57-, 14.46-, and 12.56-fold, respectively. Similarly, the concentrations of Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cd in soils were higher than the background values by factors of 31.18, 8.35, 34.79, 29.48, and 3.43, respectively. In addition, the Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cr in the four solid wastes and soils mainly existed in the residual state. As depth increased, the overall Ni, Pb, Mn, and Cd concentrations in soils increased. The high ecological risks associated with the four solid wastes were mainly due to the enrichment of Cd. Workers in coking plants face certain Cr health risks. This study provides theoretical support for the coking industry with respect to the treatment, disposal, and management of solid wastes.

Effects of an autonomy-supportive intervention programme (ASIP) on self-care, quality of life, and mental health in heart failure patients: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Patients with heart failure (HF) possess low self-care activation and motivation, leading to a deprived quality of life and adverse mental health conditions. To this end, self-determination theory emphasizes that autonomy-supportive interventions (ASI) can stimulate intrinsic motivation and improve behaviors and quality of life. Nevertheless, studies that focused on ASI for HF are inadequate. This study aims to evaluate the effects of an HF-ASIP on self-care, quality of life and mental health in HF patients.

METHODS

In a two-arm randomized controlled trial, the participants are randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 41) or control (n = 41) groups. The intervention group received routine care and participated in an 8-week HF-ASIP, including individual education and consultation sessions. In contrast, the control group received only routine care. The primary outcome includes self-care management, while the secondary outcomes include self-care maintenance, quality of life, mental health, and motivation. After measuring the outcomes at baseline (T0), 4-week (T1), 8-week (T2), and 12-week (T3) follow-up, the intervention effects are assessed using the generalized equation models.

RESULTS

The outcomes indicated that self-care management (T2: P = 0.001; T3: P = 0.016), self-care maintenance (T2: P = 0.003; T3: P = 0.001), depression (T2: P = 0.007; T3: P = 0.012), anxiety (T2: P = 0.001; T3: P = 0.012), MLHFQ total score (T1: P = 0.004; T2: P < 0.001; T3: P = 0.001), autonomous motivation (T2: P = .0.006; T3: P = 0.002) showed statistically difference between the groups.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the 8-week HF-ASIP significantly improved the attributes of self-care, quality of life, mental health, and motivation in HF patients, suggesting the potential for practical intervention effect.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR2100053970.

Simple and novel icariin-loaded pro-glycymicelles as a functional food: physicochemical characteristics, in vitro biological activities, and in vivo experimental hyperlipidemia prevention evaluations

A novel functional food for hyperlipidemia named icariin (ICA) pro-glycymicelles (ICA-PGs) using glycyrrhizin as a phytonanomaterial was easily prepared with improved storage, pH, and salt stabilities. ICA-PGs can easily dissolve in water to self-assemble into a clear glycymicelle solution with high ICA encapsulation efficiency. The ICA in ICA-PGs exhibits significantly increased aqueous solubility, faster in vitro release, and higher bioaccessibility than bare ICA. The ICA-PGs exhibited improved in vitro activities including antioxidant, anti-α-glucosidase, anti-lipase, and anti-cholesterol esterase activities. The ICA-PG also demonstrated improved antioxidant activity in cells. In vivo evaluation confirmed that the ICA-PG demonstrated a significant protective effect against experimental hyperlipidemia in mice, exhibiting decreasing levels of triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) in the serum, and restoring the hepatic morphology to the normal state. These results indicated that the ICA-PG could improve in vitro/in vivo profiles of ICA, providing a new concept and a promising functional food for hyperlipidemia.

Unsupervised cluster analysis of clinical and metabolite characteristics in patients with chronic complications of T2DM: an observational study of real data

Introduction

The aim of this study was to cluster patients with chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by cluster analysis in Dalian, China, and examine the variance in risk of different chronic complications and metabolic levels among the various subclusters.

Methods

2267 hospitalized patients were included in the K-means cluster analysis based on 11 variables [Body Mass Index (BMI), Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), Glucose, Triglycerides (TG), Total Cholesterol (TC), Uric Acid (UA), microalbuminuria (mAlb), Insulin, Insulin Sensitivity Index (ISI) and Homa Insulin-Resistance (Homa-IR)]. The risk of various chronic complications of T2DM in different subclusters was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test and the Nemenyi test examined the differences in metabolites among different subclusters.

Results

Four subclusters were identified by clustering analysis, and each subcluster had significant features and was labeled with a different level of risk. Cluster 1 contained 1112 inpatients (49.05%), labeled as "Low-Risk"; cluster 2 included 859 (37.89%) inpatients, the label characteristics as "Medium-Low-Risk"; cluster 3 included 134 (5.91%) inpatients, labeled "Medium-Risk"; cluster 4 included 162 (7.15%) inpatients, and the label feature was "High-Risk". Additionally, in different subclusters, the proportion of patients with multiple chronic complications was different, and the risk of the same chronic complication also had significant differences. Compared to the "Low-Risk" cluster, the other three clusters exhibit a higher risk of microangiopathy. After additional adjustment for 20 covariates, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of the "Medium-Low-Risk" cluster, the "Medium-Risk" cluster, and the"High-Risk" cluster are 1.369 (1.042, 1.799), 2.188 (1.496, 3.201), and 9.644 (5.851, 15.896) (all p<0.05). Representatively, the "High-Risk" cluster had the highest risk of DN [OR (95%CI): 11.510(7.139,18.557), (p<0.05)] and DR [OR (95%CI): 3.917(2.526,6.075), (p<0.05)] after 20 variables adjusted. Four metabolites with statistically significant distribution differences when compared with other subclusters [Threonine (Thr), Tyrosine (Tyr), Glutaryl carnitine (C5DC), and Butyryl carnitine (C4)].

Conclusion

Patients with chronic complications of T2DM had significant clustering characteristics, and the risk of target organ damage in different subclusters was significantly different, as were the levels of metabolites. Which may become a new idea for the prevention and treatment of chronic complications of T2DM.

ROP-GAN: an image synthesis method for retinopathy of prematurity based on generative adversarial network

Objective. Training data with annotations are scarce in the intelligent diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and existing typical data augmentation methods cannot generate data with a high degree of diversity. In order to increase the sample size and the generalization ability of the classification model, we propose a method called ROP-GAN for image synthesis of ROP based on a generative adversarial network.Approach. To generate a binary vascular network from color fundus images, we first design an image segmentation model based on U2-Net that can extract multi-scale features without reducing the resolution of the feature map. The vascular network is then fed into an adversarial autoencoder for reconstruction, which increases the diversity of the vascular network diagram. Then, we design an ROP image synthesis algorithm based on a generative adversarial network, in which paired color fundus images and binarized vascular networks are input into the image generation model to train the generator and discriminator, and attention mechanism modules are added to the generator to improve its detail synthesis ability.Main results. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation indicators are applied to evaluate the proposed method, and experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to the existing ROP image synthesis methods, as it can synthesize realistic ROP fundus images.Significance. Our method effectively alleviates the problem of data imbalance in ROP intelligent diagnosis, contributes to the implementation of ROP staging tasks, and lays the foundation for further research. In addition to classification tasks, our synthesized images can facilitate tasks that require large amounts of medical data, such as detecting lesions and segmenting medical images.

Bioactivity and antibacterial properties of zinc-doped Ta2O5nanorods on porous tantalum surface

This paper focuses on the preparation of Zn2+-doped Ta2O5nanorods on porous tantalum using the hydrothermal method. Porous tantalum is widely used in biomedical materials due to its excellent elastic modulus and biological activity. Porous tantalum has an elastic modulus close to that of human bone, and its large specific surface area is conducive to promoting cell adhesion. Zinc is an important component of human bone, which not only has spectral bactericidal properties, but also has no cytotoxicity. The purpose of this study is to provide a theoretical basis for the surface modification of porous tantalum and to determine the best surface modification method. The surface structure of the sample was characterized by x-ray diffractometer, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and the Zn-doped Ta2O5nanorods are characterized by antibacterial test, MTT test, ICP and other methods. The sample has good antibacterial properties and no cytotoxicity. The results of this study have potential implications for the development of new and improved biomedical materials.

Predictive accuracy of machine learning for radiation-induced temporal lobe injury in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Radiotherapy is a common treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) but can cause radiation-induced temporal lobe injury (RTLI), resulting in irreversible damage. Predicting RTLI at the early stage may help with that issue by personalized adjustment of radiation dose based on the predicted risk. Machine learning (ML) models have recently been used to predict RTLI but their predictive accuracy remains unclear because the reported concordance index (C-index) varied widely from around 0.31 to 0.97. Therefore, a meta-analysis was needed.

Methods

The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to November 2022. Studies that fully develop one or more ML risk models of RTLI after radiotherapy for NPC were included. The Prediction model Risk Of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) was used to assess the risk of bias in the included research. The primary outcome of this review was the C-index, specificity (Spe), and sensitivity (Sen).

Results

The meta-analysis included 14 studies with 15,573 NPC patients reporting a total of 72 prediction models. Overall, 94.44% of models were found to have a high risk of bias. Radiomics was included in 57 models, dosimetric predictors in 28, and clinical data in 27. The pooled C-index for ML models predicting RTLI was 0.77 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.75-0.79] in the training set and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.75-0.81) in the validation set. The pooled Sen was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.69-0.80) in the training set and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.66-0.73) in the validation set and the pooled Spe was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.73-0.82) in the training set and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75-0.82) in the validation set. Models with radiomics and clinical data achieved the most excellent discriminative performance, with a pooled C-index of 0.895.

Conclusions

ML models can accurately predict RTLI at an early stage, allowing for timely interventions to prevent further damage. The kind of ML methods and the selection of predictors may influence the predictive accuracy.

Schisandrin treatment suppresses the proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammatory responses of fibroblast-like synoviocytes from rheumatoid arthritis patients and attenuates synovial inflammation and joint destruction in CIA mice

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease causing joint dysfunction. As disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have poor efficacy in 20% to 25% of RA patients, additional novel RA medications are urgently needed. Schisandrin (SCH) has multiple therapeutic effects. However, whether SCH is effective against RA remains unknown.

PURPOSE

To investigate how SCH affects the abnormal behaviours of RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) and further elucidate the underlying mechanism of SCH in RA FLSs and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice.

METHODS

Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assays were used to characterize cell viability. EdU assays were performed to assess cell proliferation. Annexin V-APC/PI assays were used to determine apoptosis. Transwell chamber assays were used to measure cell migration and invasion in vitro. RT-qPCR was used to assess proinflammatory cytokine and MMP mRNA expression. Western blotting was used to detect protein expression. RNA sequencing was performed to explore the potential downstream targets of SCH. CIA model mice were used to assess the treatment efficacy of SCH in vivo.

RESULTS

Treatments with SCH (50, 100, and 200 μΜ) inhibited RA FLSs proliferation, migration, invasion, and TNF-α-induced IL-6, IL-8, and CCL2 expression in a dose-dependent manner but did not affect RA FLSs viability or apoptosis. RNA sequencing and Reactome enrichment analysis indicated that SREBF1 might be the downstream target in SCH treatment. Furthermore, knockdown of SREBF1 exerted effects similar to those of SCH in inhibiting RA FLSs proliferation, migration, invasion, and TNF-α-induced expression of IL-6, IL-8, and CCL2. Both SCH treatment and SREBF1 knockdown decreased activation of the PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signalling pathways. Moreover, SCH ameliorated joint inflammation and cartilage and bone destruction in CIA model mice.

CONCLUSION

SCH controls the pathogenic behaviours of RA FLSs by targeting SREBF1-mediated activation of the PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signalling pathways. Our data suggest that SCH inhibits FLS-mediated synovial inflammation and joint damage and that SCH might have therapeutic potential for RA.

[Advances in endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disease]

Obesity poses a serious threat to human health, and although bariatric surgery has been proven effective treatment for morbidly obese patients, its surgical risks and high medical costs limit its clinical application and popularity. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), as a relatively new endoscopic surgery technique for weight loss, has satisfactory weight loss effects compared to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and lifestyle interventions, while preserving the normal structure of the stomach. Its weight loss effects and safety have been validated in multicenter studies abroad. Although, ESG has not yet been widely performed in China, with the gradual maturity of this technique, its prospects are worth attention in the field of weight loss. In the future, large-scale, long-term, multi-center studies are urgently needed in China to clarify the long-term effects, remission of comorbidities, and occurrence of complications of ESG surgery in obese and metabolic disease patients.

Long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate components and leukocyte epigenome-wide DNA Methylation in older men: the Normative Aging Study

BACKGROUND

Epigenome-wide association studies of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have been reported. However, few have examined PM2.5 components (PMCs) and sources or included repeated measures. The lack of high-resolution exposure measurements is the key limitation. We hypothesized that significant changes in DNA methylation might vary by PMCs and the sources.

METHODS

We predicted the annual average of 14 PMCs using novel high-resolution exposure models across the contiguous U.S., between 2000-2018. The resolution was 50 m × 50 m in the Greater Boston Area. We also identified PM2.5 sources using positive matrix factorization. We repeatedly collected blood samples and measured leukocyte DNAm with the Illumina HumanMethylation450K BeadChip in the Normative Aging Study. We then used median regression with subject-specific intercepts to estimate the associations between long-term (one-year) exposure to PMCs / PM2.5 sources and DNA methylation at individual cytosine-phosphate-guanine CpG sites. Significant probes were identified by the number of independent degrees of freedom approach, using the number of principal components explaining > 95% of the variation of the DNA methylation data. We also performed regional and pathway analyses to identify significant regions and pathways.

RESULTS

We included 669 men with 1,178 visits between 2000-2013. The subjects had a mean age of 75 years. The identified probes, regions, and pathways varied by PMCs and their sources. For example, iron was associated with 6 probes and 6 regions, whereas nitrate was associated with 15 probes and 3 regions. The identified pathways from biomass burning, coal burning, and heavy fuel oil combustion sources were associated with cancer, inflammation, and cardiovascular diseases, whereas there were no pathways associated with all traffic.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that the effects of PM2.5 on DNAm varied by its PMCs and sources.

Additive effects of 10-year exposures to PM2.5 and NO2 and primary cancer incidence in American older adults

Epidemiologic evidence on the relationships between air pollution and the risks of primary cancers other than lung cancer remained largely lacking. We aimed to examine associations of 10-year exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with risks of breast, prostate, colorectal, and endometrial cancers.

Methods

For each cancer, we constructed a separate cohort among the national Medicare beneficiaries during 2000 to 2016. We simultaneously examined the additive associations of six exposures, namely, moving average exposures to PM2.5 and NO2 over the year of diagnosis and previous 2 years, previous 3 to 5 years, and previous 6 to 10 years, with the risk of first cancer diagnosis after 10 years of follow-up, during which there was no cancer diagnosis.

Results

The cohorts included 2.2 to 6.5 million subjects for different cancers. Exposures to PM2.5 and NO2 were associated with increased risks of colorectal and prostate cancers but were not associated with endometrial cancer risk. NO2 was associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer, while the association for PM2.5 remained inconclusive. At exposure levels below the newly updated World Health Organization Air Quality Guideline, we observed substantially larger associations between most exposures and the risks of all cancers, which were translated to hundreds to thousands new cancer cases per year within the cohort per unit increase in each exposure.

Conclusions

These findings suggested substantial cancer burden was associated with exposures to PM2.5 and NO2, emphasizing the urgent need for strategies to mitigate air pollution levels.

LncRNA Functional Screening in Organismal Development

Controversy continues over the functional prevalence of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) despite their being widely investigated in all kinds of cells and organisms. In animals, lncRNAs have aroused general interest from exponentially increasing transcriptomic repertoires reporting their highly tissue-specific and developmentally dynamic expression, and more importantly, from growing experimental evidence supporting their functionality in facilitating organogenesis and individual fitness. In mammalian testes, while a great multitude of lncRNA species are identified, only a minority of them have been shown to be useful, and even fewer have been demonstrated as true requirements for male fertility using knockout models to date. This noticeable gap is attributed to the virtual existence of a large number of junk lncRNAs, the lack of an ideal germline culture system, difficulty in loss-of-function interrogation, and limited screening strategies. Facing these challenges, in this review, we discuss lncRNA functionality in organismal development and especially in mouse testis, with a focus on lncRNAs with functional screening.

Psychological Stress and Epigenetic Aging in Older Men: The VA Normative Aging Study

Psychological stress remains an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality throughout the life course. However, there have been counterintuitive findings reported in previous studies of older persons that examine the relationships of perceived psychological stress with DNA methylation-based markers of aging, which also serve as predictors of morbidity and mortality (epigenetic age/clocks). We aimed to replicate and expand findings from existing work by examining relationships of self-reported stress with nine epigenetic clocks: Hannum, Horvath, Intrinsic, Extrinsic, SkinBloodClock, PhenoAge, GrimAge, DNAm Telomere Length, and Pace of Aging. We analyzed data from 607 male participants (mean age 73.2 years) of the VA Normative Aging Study with one to two study visits from 1999 to 2007 (observations = 956). Stress was assessed via the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Epigenetic age was calculated from DNA methylation measured in leukocytes with the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. In linear mixed effects models adjusted for demographic/lifestyle/health factors, a standard deviation (sd) increase in PSS was associated with Horvath (β = -0.35-years, 95%CI: -0.61, -0.09, P=0.008) and Intrinsic (β = -0.40-years, 95%CI: -0.67, -0.13, P=0.004) epigenetic age deceleration. However, in models limited to participants with the highest levels of stress (≥ 75th-percentile), Horvath (β = 2.29-years, 95%CI: 0.16, 4.41, P=0.04) and Intrinsic (β = 2.06-years, 95%CI: -0.17, 4.28, P=0.07) age acceleration associations were observed. Our results reinforce the complexity of psychological stress and epigenetic aging relationships and lay a foundation for future studies that explore longitudinal relationships with other adult stress metrics and factors that can influence stress such as resilience measures.

[Correlation between bioelectrical impedance and nutritional status in neurocritical care patients]

Objective: To explore the correlation between electrical impedance indicators and commonly used nutritional indicators in neurocritical care patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect 58 neurocritical care patients in neurosurgery Department of Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June to September 2022. Bioelectrical impedance tests were performed after surgery or one week after injury, and nutrition-related biochemical indicators of the patients were collected on the same day, including nutritional status related indicators, inflammation related indicators, anemia related indicators and blood lipid related indicators. The patients were assessed with acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Based on the results obtained, the patients were assessed with nutritional score and spearman correlation analysis. The correlations of electrical impedance with nutrition related indicators and nutrition risk related indicators were analyzed. The prediction model of nutritional status was constructed by multi-factor binary logistic regression. Stepwise regression was used to screen electrical impedance indicators related to nutritional status. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the predictive ability of the nutritional status prediction model. Results: A total of 58 patients were collected, including 33 males and 25 females, and aged 72.0 (59.0, 81.8) years. Extracellular water (ECW) was positively correlated with interleukin 6 (r=0.529, P<0.001). The edema index [ECW/total body water (TBW)] was negatively correlated with albumin (r=-0.700, P<0.001), hematocrit (r=-0.641, P<0.001) and hemoglobin (r=-0.667, P<0.001). The phase angle was positively correlated with albumin (r_RA=0.667, r_LA=0.649, r_RL=0.669, r_LL=0.685, all P<0.001), hematocrit (r_RA=0.600, r_LA=0.604, r_TR=0.565, r_RL=0.529, r_LL=0.602, all P<0.001) and hemoglobin (r_RA=0.626, r_LA=0.635, r_TR=0.594, r_RL=0.624, r_LL=0.631, all P<0.001). By stepwise regression screening of predictive factors for nutritional status and incorporating age, gender and white blood cells as confounding factors into the model, the final model was obtained as follows: nutritional status=-0.01×age+1.22×gender-0.12×white blood cells+202.20×ECW/TBW+0.5 torso phase angle -82.16 [The OR value of ECW/TBW: 20.8 (95%CI: 3.7-117.1), P<0.001], with the AUC of 0.921. Conclusion: Bioelectrical impedance indicators have good correlations with commonly used clinical nutritional indicators, and can provide a new method for nutritional evaluation of neurocritical care patients.

The effect of vascular risk factors on the efficacy of endolymphatic sac decompression surgery for Meniere's disease: a retrospective cohort study

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the effect of vascular risk factors on the outcomes of endolymphatic sac decompression (ESD) surgery in patients with Meniere's disease.

Methods

The study included 56 patients with Meniere's disease, who had undergone unilateral ESD surgery. The patients' vascular risk factors were assessed based on the preoperative 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk classification. Those with no or low risk were defined as the low-risk group, while those with medium, high, or very high risk were defined as the high-risk group. The correlation between the vascular risk factors and ESD efficacy was evaluated by the comparison of vertigo control grade between the two groups. The functional disability score was also assessed to investigate whether ESD improved the quality of life in Meniere's disease patients with vascular risk factors.

Results

After ESD, 78.95 and 81.08% of patients from the low-risk and high-risk groups, respectively, demonstrated at least grade B vertigo control; no statistically significant difference was observed (p = 0.96). The postoperative functional disability scores in both groups were significantly lower compared with those before surgery (p < 0.01), with a median decrease of two (1, 2) points in both groups. No statistically significant difference between the two groups was observed (p = 0.65).

Conclusion

Vascular risk factors have little effect on the efficacy of ESD in patients with Meniere's disease. Patients with one or more vascular risk factors can still experience a not poor vertigo control and improved quality of life after ESD.

Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Rosebud Extracts of Newly Crossbred Roses

Oxidative stress and inflammation are basic pathogenic factors involved in tissue injury and pain, as well as acute and chronic diseases. Since long-term uses of synthetic steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause severe adverse effects, novel effective materials with minimal side effects are required. In this study, polyphenol content and antioxidative activity of rosebud extracts from 24 newly crossbred Korean roses were analyzed. Among them, Pretty Velvet rosebud extract (PVRE) was found to contain high polyphenols and to show in vitro antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. In RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), PVRE down-regulated mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and thereby decreased nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production. In a subcutaneous air-pouch inflammation model, treatment with PVRE decreased λ-carrageenan-induced tissue exudation, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β concentrations, as achieved with dexamethasone (a representative steroid). Notably, PVRE also inhibited PGE₂, similar to dexamethasone and indomethacin (a representative NSAID). The anti-inflammatory effects of PVRE were confirmed by microscopic findings, attenuating tissue erythema, edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration. These results indicate that PVRE exhibits dual (steroid- and NSAID-like) anti-inflammatory activities by blocking both the iNOS-NO and COX-2-PG pathways, and that PVRE could be a potential candidate as an anti-inflammatory material for diverse tissue injuries.

Development and internal validation of nomograms based on plasma metabolites to predict non-small cell lung cancer risk in smoking and nonsmoking populations

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer has significantly higher incidence and mortality rates worldwide. In this study, we analyzed the metabolic profiles of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and constructed prediction models for smokers and nonsmokers with internal validation.

METHODS

Plasma was collected from all patients enrolled for metabolic profiling by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The total population was divided into two groups according to smoking or not. Statistical analysis of metabolites was performed separately for each group and prediction models were constructed.

RESULTS

A total of 1723 patients (1109 NSCLC patients and 614 healthy controls) were enrolled from the affiliated hospital during 2018 to 2021. After grouping by smoking history, each group was statistically analyzed and prediction models were constructed, which resulted in eight indicators (propionylcarnitine, arginine, citrulline, etc.) significantly associated with lung cancer risk for smokers and eight indicators (dodecanoylcarnitine, hydroxybutyrylcarnitine, asparagine, etc.) for nonsmokers (p < 0.05). The smoker model indicated an AUC of 0.860 in the training set and 0.850 in the validation set. The nonsmoker model showed an AUC of 0.783 in the training set and 0.762 in the validation set. Further calibration tests for both models indicated excellent goodness-of-fit results.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we found a series of metabolites significantly associated with lung cancer incidence and constructed respectively prediction models for NSCLC risk in smokers and nonsmokers, with internal validation to confirm the efficiency to discriminate lung cancer risk in both smoking and nonsmoking states.

Intermediate and long-term exposure to air pollution and temperature and the extracellular microRNA profile of participants in the normative aging study (NAS)

BACKGROUND

The molecular effects of intermediate and long-term exposure to air pollution and temperature, such as those on extracellular microRNA (ex-miRNA) are not well understood but may have clinical consequences.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between exposure to ambient air pollution and temperature and ex-miRNA profiles.

METHODS

Our study population consisted of 734 participants in the Normative Aging Study (NAS) between 1999 and 2015. We used high-resolution models to estimate four-week, eight-week, twelve-week, six-month, and one-year moving averages of PM_2.5, O₃, NO₂, and ambient temperature based on geo-coded residential addresses. The outcome of interest was the extracellular microRNA (ex-miRNA) profile of each participant over time. We used a longitudinal quantile regression approach to estimate the association between the exposures and each ex-miRNA. Results were corrected for multiple comparisons and ex-miRNAs that were still significantly associated with the exposures were further analyzed using KEGG pathway analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.

RESULTS

We found 151 significant associations between levels of PM_2.5, O₃, NO₂, and ambient temperature and 82 unique ex-miRNAs across multiple quantiles. Most of the significant results were associations with intermediate-term exposure to O₃, long-term exposure to PM_2.5, and both intermediate and long-term exposure to ambient temperature. The exposures were most often associated with the 75th and 90th percentile of the outcomes. Pathway analyses of significant ex-miRNAs revealed their involvement in biological pathways involving cell function and communication as well as clinical diseases such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and neurological disease.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that intermediate and long-term exposure to all our exposures of interest were associated with changes in the ex-miRNA profile of study participants. Further studies on environmental risk factors and ex-miRNAs are warranted.

"Guess You Like It" - How Personalized Recommendation Timing and Product Type Influence Consumers' Acceptance: An ERP Study

Personalized recommendation has been increasingly used in online shopping environment, and improving the effectiveness of personalized recommendation is an important issue. On the basis of two-stage decision theory and preference inconsistency theory, our study adopted the neuroscientific methodology of event-related potential to investigate the decision-making process and psychological mechanism of consumers for personalized recommendation under different recommendation timings (browsing and decision stages) and recommended product types (similar and related). Behavioral results showed that consumers' acceptance of similar product recommendations was higher than that of related product recommendations during the browsing stage, whereas no difference was observed in consumers' acceptance of the two product types during the decision stage. More importantly, neurophysiology results provided underlying psychological mechanism for exploring consumers' decision-making process for personalized recommendations. Consumers' psychological mechanism of the personalized recommendations might be divided into two processes, the early automatic cognitive process indicated by the N2 component, and the late advanced cognitive process indicated by the P3 component. We suggested that N2 reflects the perceptual mismatch between the recommended products and the target products, and P3 reflects the attention capture during categorization evaluation of the recommended product and the target product. These findings have important theoretical and practical significance for the deeper understanding of consumers' decision-making process and psychological mechanism in personalized recommendation, as well as improving the effectiveness of personalized recommendation.

Efficient elimination of nonylphenol and 4-tert-octylphenol by weak electrical stimulated anaerobic microbial processes

The investigation into the degradation of alkylphenol pollutants (APs) has become a hotspot due to their harmful effects on the environment and human health. In this study, microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) were used to degrade nonylphenol (NP) and 4-tert-octylphenol (4-tert-OP). The study found that the degradation rates of NP and 4-tert-OP for a 6-day period were 83.6% and 96.3%, respectively, which were 30.53% and 26.7% higher than those of the group without applied voltage. The double layer area in the degradation of 4-tert-OP was larger than that of NP, and the resistance exhibited by 4-tert-OP (87.47 Ω) in MEC was lower than that of NP (99.42 Ω). Meanwhile, NP had a greater effect on the bioenzyme activity than 4-tert-OP. GC-MS analysis showed that the degradation pathways of both pollutants mainly included oxidation and hydroxylation reactions. Furthermore, the microbial community analysis indicated that the main functional bacteria in NP degradation were Citrobacter, Desulfovibrio and Advenella, and those in 4-tert-OP degradation were Stenotrophomonas, Chryseobacterium, Dokdonella, and the key microbiomes underlying the cooperative relationship. The biotoxicity test indicated that the toxicity of residual substances was significantly reduced. Therefore, the MEC system is efficient and environmentally friendly and has broad application prospects in phenol refractory organics.

Differential expression of pyroptosis-related genes in the hippocampus of patients with Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder with insidious onset. Some scholars believe that there is a close relationship between pyroptosis and AD. However, studies with evidence supporting this relationship are lacking.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The microarray data of AD were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database with the datasets merged using the R package inSilicoMerging. R software package Limma was used to perform the differential expression analysis to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We further performed the enrichment analyses of the DEGs based on Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases to identify the metabolic pathways with a significant difference. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was applied to identify the significant pathways. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on the STRING database with the hub genes identified. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses based on HT22 cells were performed to validate the findings based on the microarray analysis. Gene expression correlation heatmaps were generated to evaluate the relationships among the genes.

RESULTS

A new dataset was derived by merging 4 microarray datasets in the hippocampus of AD patients in the GEO database. Differential gene expression analysis yielded a volcano plot of a total of 20 DEGs (14 up-regulated and 6 down-regulated). GO analysis revealed a group of GO terms with a significant difference, e.g., cytoplasmic vesicle membrane, vesicle membrane, and monocyte chemotaxis. KEGG analysis detected the metabolic pathways with a significant difference, e.g., Rheumatoid arthritis and Fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis. The results of the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis of the microarray data showed that gene set ALZHEIMER_DISEASE and the gene set PYROPTOSIS were both up-regulated. PPI network showed that pyroptosis-related genes were divided into two groups. In the Aβ-induced HT22 cell model, three genes (i.e., BAX, IL18, and CYCS) were revealed with significant differences. Gene expression correlation heatmaps revealed strong correlations between pyroptotic genes and AD-related genes.

CONCLUSION

The pyroptosis-related genes BAX, IL18, and CYCS were significantly different between AD patients and normal controls.

Ultrasonic optic disc height combined with the optic nerve sheath diameter as a promising non-invasive marker of elevated intracranial pressure

Background/aim: Patients with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) tend to have optic disc edema and a thicker optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD). However, the cut-off value of the optic disc height (ODH) for evaluating elevated ICP is not clear. This study was conducted to evaluate ultrasonic ODH and to investigate the reliability of ODH and ONSD for elevated ICP.

Methods: Patients suspected of having increased ICP and who underwent a lumbar puncture were recruited. ODH and ONSD were measured before lumbar puncture. Patients were divided according to elevated and normal ICP. We analyzed the correlations between ODH, ONSD, and ICP. ODH and ONSD cut-off points for the identification of elevated ICP were determined and compared.

Results: There were a total of 107 patients recruited for this study, 55 patients with elevated ICP and 52 with normal ICP. Both ODH and ONSD in the elevated ICP group were higher than in the normal group [ODH: median 0.81 (range 0.60–1.06) mm vs. 0.40 [0–0.60] mm, p &lt; 0.001; ONSD: 5.01 ± 0.37 mm vs. 4.20 ± 0.38 mm, p &lt; 0.001]. ICP was positively correlated with ODH (r = 0.613; p &lt; 0.001) and ONSD (r = 0.792; p &lt; 0.001). The cut-off values of ODH and ONSD for evaluating elevated ICP were 0.63 mm and 4.68 mm, respectively, with 73% and 84% sensitivity and 83% and 94% specificity, respectively. ODH combined with ONSD showed the highest value under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.965 with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 92%.

Conclusion: Ultrasonic ODH combined with ONSD may help monitor elevated ICP non-invasively.

PVT1/miR-136/Sox2/UPF1 axis regulates the malignant phenotypes of endometrial cancer stem cells

Tumor stem cells (TSCs) are thought to contribute to the progression and maintenance of cancer. Previous studies have suggested that plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) has a tumor-promoting effect on endometrial cancer; however, its mechanism of action in endometrial cancer stem cells (ECSCs) is unknown. Here, we found that PVT1 was highly expressed in endometrial cancers and ECSCs, correlated with poor patient prognosis, promoted the malignant behavior and the stemness of endometrial cancer cells (ECCs) and ECSCs. In contrast, miR-136, which was lowly expressed in endometrial cancer and ECSCs, had the opposite effect, and knockdown miR-136 inhibited the anticancer effects of down-regulated PVT1. PVT1 affected miR-136 specifically binding the 3' UTR region of Sox2 by competitively "sponging" miR-136, thus positively saving Sox2. Sox2 promoted the malignant behavior and the stemness of ECCs and ECSCs, and overexpression Sox2 inhibited the anticancer effects of up-regulated miR-136. Sox2 can act as a transcription factor to positively regulate Up-frameshift protein 1 (UPF1) expression, thereby exerting a tumor-promoting effect on endometrial cancer. In nude mice, simultaneously downregulating PVT1 and upregulating miR-136 exerted the strongest antitumor effect. We demonstrate that the PVT1/miR-136/Sox2/UPF1 axis plays an important role in the progression and maintenance of endometrial cancer. The results suggest a novel target for endometrial cancer therapies.

The role of shoot-derived RNAs transported to plant root in response to abiotic stresses

A large number of RNA molecules are transported over long-distance between shoots and roots via phloem in higher plants. Mobile RNA signals are important for plants to tackle abiotic stresses. Shoot-derived mobile RNAs can be involved in the response to different developmental or environmental signals in the root. Some environmental conditions such as climate change, water deficit, nutrient deficiency challenge modern agriculture with more expeditious abiotic stress conditions. Root architecture determines the ability of water and nutrient uptake and further abiotic stress tolerance, and shoot tissue also determines the balance between shoot-root relationship in plant growth and adaptations. Thus, it is necessary to understand the roles of shoot-derived RNA signals and their potential function in roots upon abiotic stresses in the model plants (Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana) and agricultural crops. In this review, we summarize the so-far discovered shoot-derived mobile RNA transportation to the root under abiotic stress conditions, e.g. drought, cold stress and nutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, we will focus on the biological relevance and the potential roles of these RNAs in root development and stress responses which will be an asset for the future breeding strategies.

Protein phosphatase 2A activators reverse age-related behavioral changes by targeting neural cell senescence

The contribution of cellular senescence to the behavioral changes observed in the elderly remains elusive. Here, we observed that aging is associated with a decline in protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity in the brains of zebrafish and mice. Moreover, drugs activating PP2A reversed age-related behavioral changes. We developed a transgenic zebrafish model to decrease PP2A activity in the brain through knockout of the ppp2r2c gene encoding a regulatory subunit of PP2A. Mutant fish exhibited the behavioral phenotype observed in old animals and premature accumulation of neural cells positive for markers of cellular senescence, including senescence-associated β-galactosidase, elevated levels cdkn2a/b, cdkn1a, senescence-associated secretory phenotype gene expression, and an increased level of DNA damage signaling. The behavioral and cell senescence phenotypes were reversed in mutant fish through treatment with the senolytic ABT263 or diverse PP2A activators as well as through cdkn1a or tp53 gene ablation. Senomorphic function of PP2A activators was demonstrated in mouse primary neural cells with downregulated Ppp2r2c. We conclude that PP2A reduction leads to neural cell senescence thereby contributing to age-related behavioral changes and that PP2A activators have senotherapeutic properties against deleterious behavioral effects of brain aging.

A nomogram based on metabolic profiling to discriminate lung cancer among patients with lung nodules

OBJECTIVE

To develop a nomogram that discriminates lung cancer from benign lung nodules through metabolic profiling.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study that recruited 848 participants who were randomized into training and validation sets at a 7:3 ratio. Clinical characteristics and metabolic profiles were retrieved. Variables in the training set with statistically significant differences were selected for further least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. The nomogram was built from 13 variables identified by stepwise regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic, calibration curve, and decision curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the nomogram by internal validation.

RESULTS

Thirteen variables were selected through LASSO regression to build the nomogram: age, sex, ornithine, tyrosine, glutamine, valine, serine, asparagine, arginine, methylmalonylcarnitine, tetradecenoylcarnitine, 3-hydroxyisovaleryl carnitine/2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyrylcarnitine, and hydroxybutyrylcarnitine. The nomogram had good discrimination for the training set, with an area under the curve of 0.836 (95% confidence interval: 0.830-0.890). Moreover, the calibration curve with 1000 bootstrap resamples showed that the predicted value coincided well with the actual value. Decision curve analysis described a net benefit superior to baseline within the threshold probability range of 15% to 93%.

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram constructed from metabolic profiling accurately predicted risk of lung cancer.