Porous Tellurium-Doped Ruthenium Dioxide Nanotubes for Enhanced Acidic Water Oxidation

Electrocatalysts with high activity and durability for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) play a crucial role in achieving cost-effective hydrogen production via proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. A novel electrocatalyst, Te-doped RuO2 (Te-RuO2) nanotubes, synthesized using a template-directed process, which significantly enhances the OER performance in acidic media is reported. The Te-RuO2 nanotubes exhibit remarkable OER activity in acidic media, requiring an overpotential of only 171 mV to achieve an anodic current density of 10 mA cm-2. Furthermore, they maintain stable chronopotentiometric performance under 10 mA cm-2 in acidic media for up to 50 h. Based on the experimental results and density functional calculations, this significant improvement in OER performance to the synergistic effect of large specific surface area and modulated electronic structure resulting from the doping of Te cations is attributed.

[Clinical characteristics of 11 patients with Vibrio vulnificus infection and the establishment of a rapid diagnosis procedure for this disease]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with Vibrio vulnificus infection, share diagnosis and treatment experience, and establish a rapid diagnosis procedure for this disease. Methods: This study was a retrospective case series study. From January 2009 to November 2022, 11 patients with Vibrio vulnificus infection who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Burns and Wound Repair of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University. The gender, age, time of onset of illness, time of admission, time of diagnosis, route of infection, underlying diseases, affected limbs, clinical manifestations and signs on admission, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine, procalcitonin, albumin, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and blood sodium levels on admission, culture results and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) results of pathogenic bacteria and the Vibrio vulnificus drug susceptibility test results during hospitalization, treatment methods, length of hospital stay, and outcomes of all patients were recorded. Comparative analysis was conducted on the admission time and diagnosis time of patients with and without a history of exposure to seawater/marine products, as well as the fatality ratio and amputation of limbs/digits ratio of patients with and without early adequate antibiotic treatment. For the survived patients with hand involvement, the hand function was assessed using Brunnstrom staging at the last follow-up. Based on patients' clinical characteristics and treatment conditions, a rapid diagnosis procedure for Vibrio vulnificus infection was established. Results: There were 7 males and 4 females among the patients, aged (56±17) years. Most of the patients developed symptoms in summer and autumn. The admission time was 3.00 (1.00, 4.00) d after the onset of illness, and the diagnosis time was 4.00 (2.00, 8.00) d after the onset of illness. There were 7 and 4 patients with and without a history of contact with seawater/marine products, respectively, and the admission time of these two types of patients was similar (P>0.05). The diagnosis time of patients with a history of contact with seawater/marine products was 2.00 (2.00, 5.00) d after the onset of illness, which was significantly shorter than 9.00 (4.25, 13.00) d after the onset of illness for patients without a history of contact with seawater/marine products (Z=-2.01, P<0.05). Totally 10 patients had underlying diseases. The affected limbs were right-hand in 8 cases, left-hand in 1 case, and lower limb in 2 cases. On admission, a total of 9 patients had fever; 11 patients had pain at the infected site, and redness and swelling of the affected limb, and 9 patients each had ecchymosis/necrosis and blisters/blood blisters; 6 patients suffered from shock, and 2 patients developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. On admission, there were 8 patients with abnormal white blood cell count, hemoglobin, and albumin levels, 10 patients with abnormal CRP, procalcitonin, and NT-proBNP levels, 5 patients with abnormal creatinine and blood sodium levels, and fewer patients with abnormal platelet count, ALT, and AST levels. During hospitalization, 4 of the 11 wound tissue/exudation samples had positive pathogenic bacterial culture results, and the result reporting time was 5.00 (5.00, 5.00) d; 4 of the 9 blood specimens had positive pathogenic bacterial culture results, and the result reporting time was 3.50 (1.25, 5.00) d; the mNGS results of 7 wound tissue/exudation or blood samples were all positive, and the result reporting time was 1.00 (1.00, 2.00) d. The three strains of Vibrio vulnificus detected were sensitive to 10 commonly used clinical antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and amikacin, etc. A total of 10 patients received surgical treatment, 4 of whom had amputation of limbs/digits; all patients received anti-infection treatment. The length of hospital stay of 11 patients was (26±11) d, of whom 9 patients were cured and 2 patients died. Compared with that of the 6 patients who did not receive early adequate antibiotic treatment, the 5 patients who received early adequate antibiotic treatment had no significant changes in the fatality ratio or amputation of limbs/digits ratio (P>0.05). In 3 months to 2 years after surgery, the hand function of 8 patients was assessed, with results showing 4 cases of disabled hands, 2 cases of incompletely disabled hands, and 2 cases of recovered hands. When a patient had clinical symptoms of limb redness and swelling and a history of contact with seawater/marine products or a pre-examination triage RiCH score of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis ≥1, the etiological testing should be initiated immediately to quickly diagnose Vibrio vulnificus infection. Conclusions: Vibrio vulnificus infection occurs most frequently in summer and autumn, with clinical manifestations and laboratory test results showing obvious infection characteristics, and may be accompanied by damage to multiple organ functions. Both the fatality and disability ratios are high and have a great impact on the function of the affected limbs. Early diagnosis is difficult and treatment is easily delayed, but mNGS could facilitate rapid detection. For patients with red and swollen limbs accompanied by a history of contact with seawater/marine products or with a pre-examination triage RiCH score of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis ≥1, the etiological testing should be initiated immediately to quickly diagnose Vibrio vulnificus infection.

Transcriptomic Insights into Metabolism-Dependent Biosynthesis of Bacterial Nanocellulose

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is an attractive green-synthesized biomaterial for biomedical applications and various other applications. However, effective engineering of BNC production has been limited by our poor knowledge of the related metabolic processes. In contrast to the traditional perception that genome critically determines biosynthesis behaviors, here we discover that the glucose metabolism could also drastically affect the BNC synthesis in Gluconacetobacter hansenii. The transcriptomic profiles of two model BNC-producing strains, G. hansenii ATCC 53582 and ATCC 23769, which have highly similar genomes but drastically different BNC yields, were compared. The results show that their BNC synthesis capacities were highly related to metabolic activities such as ATP synthesis, ion transport protein assembly, and carbohydrate metabolic processes, confirming an important role of metabolism-related transcriptomes in governing the BNC yield. Our findings provide insights into the microbial biosynthesis behaviors from a transcriptome perspective, potentially guiding cellular engineering for biomaterial synthesis.

PNMC: Four-dimensional conebeam CT reconstruction combining prior network and motion compensation

Four-dimensional conebeam computed tomography (4D CBCT) is an efficient technique to overcome motion artifacts caused by organ motion during breathing. 4D CBCT reconstruction in a single scan usually divides projections into different groups of sparsely sampled data based on the respiratory phases. The reconstructed images within each group present poor image quality due to the limited number of projections. To improve the image quality of 4D CBCT in a single scan, we propose a novel reconstruction scheme that combines prior knowledge with motion compensation. We apply the reconstructed images of the full projections within a single routine as prior knowledge, providing structural information for the network to enhance the restoration structure. The prior network (PN-Net) is proposed to extract features of prior knowledge and fuse them with the sparsely sampled data using an attention mechanism. The prior knowledge guides the reconstruction process to restore the approximate organ structure and alleviates severe streaking artifacts. The deformation vector field (DVF) extracted using deformable image registration among different phases is then applied in the motion-compensated ordered-subset simultaneous algebraic reconstruction algorithm to generate 4D CBCT images. Proposed method has been evaluated using simulated and clinical datasets and has shown promising results by comparative experiment. Compared with previous methods, our approach exhibits significant improvements across various evaluation metrics.

[Effects of cognition-related lifestyles on early cognitive decline in community older adults in China]

Objective: To investigate the distribution characteristics of cognition-related lifestyles of elderly in communities and explore the integrated effects on early cognitive decline. Methods: The participants were from the Project of Prevention and Intervention of Neurodegenerative Disease for Elderly in China. A total of 2 537 older adults aged ≥60 years without dementia in the 2015 baseline survey and the 2017 follow-up survey were included. The information about their cognition-related lifestyles, including physical exercise, social interaction, leisure activity, sleep quality, smoking status, and alcohol consumption, were collected through questionnaire survey and the integrated scores were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between integrated cognition-related lifestyle score and early cognitive decline. Results: In the 2 537 older adults surveyed, 28.7% had score of 5-6, while only 4.8% had high scores for all 6 healthy lifestyles. Significant differences in healthy lifestyle factor distributions were observed between men and women. Multivariate logistic regression model showed that the risks for early cognitive decline in the older adults who had lifestyle score of 4 and 5-6 were lower than that in those with lifestyle score of 0-3 (OR=0.683, 95%CI: 0.457-1.019; OR=0.623, 95%CI: 0.398-0.976; trend P=0.030). In the women, the risks for early cognitive decline was lower in groups with score of 4 and 5-6 than in group with score of 0-3 (OR=0.491, 95%CI: 0.297-0.812; OR=0.556, 95%CI: 0.332-0.929; trend P=0.024). Conclusion: Cognition-related healthy lifestyles are associated with significantly lower risk for early cognitive decline in the elderly, especially in women.

An Endogenous Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligand Induces Preeclampsia-like Phenotypes: Transcriptome, Phosphoproteome, and Cell Functions

Background

Preeclampsia (PE) is one hypertensive disorder and a leading cause of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity during human pregnancy. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor, which regulates vascular functions. Exogenous and endogenous AhR ligands can induce hypertension in animals. However, if dysregulation of endogenous AhR ligands contributes to the pathophysiology of PE remains elusive.

Methods

We measured AhR activities in human maternal and umbilical vein sera. We also applied physiological, cellular, and molecular approaches to dissect the role of endogenous AhR ligands in vascular functions during pregnancy using pregnant rats and primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as models.

Results

PE elevated AhR activities in human umbilical vein sera. Exposure of pregnant rats to an endogenous AhR ligand, 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE) increased blood pressure and proteinuria, while decreased uteroplacental blood flow and reduced fetal and placental weights, all of which are hallmarks of PE. ITE dampened vascular growth and fetal sex-specifically altered immune cell infiltration in rat placentas. ITE also decreased cell proliferation and cell monolayer integrity in HUVECs in vitro . RNA sequencing analysis revealed that ITE dysregulated transcriptome in rat placentas and HUVECs in a fetal sex-specific manner. Bottom-up phosphoproteomics showed that ITE disrupted phosphoproteome in HUVECs. These ITE-dysregulated genes and phosphoproteins were enriched in biological functions and pathways which are highly relevant to diseases of heart, liver, and kidney, vascular functions, inflammation responses, cell death, and kinase inhibition.

Conclusions

Dysregulation of endogenous AhR ligands during pregnancy may lead to the development of PE with underlying impaired vascular functions, fetal sex-specific immune cell infiltration and transcriptome, and phosphoproteome. Thus, this study has provided a novel mechanism for the development of PE and potentially other forms of hypertensive pregnancies. These AhR ligand-activated genes and phosphoproteins might represent promising therapeutic and fetal sex-specific targets for PE-impaired vascular functions.

Nonsterilized Fermentation of Crude Glycerol for Polyhydroxybutyrate Production by Metabolically Engineered Vibrio natriegens

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is an attractive biodegradable polymer that can be produced through the microbial fermentation of organic wastes or wastewater. However, its mass production has been restricted by the poor utilization of organic wastes due to the presence of inhibitory substances, slow microbial growth, and high energy input required for feedstock sterilization. Here, Vibrio natriegens, a fast-growing bacterium with a broad substrate spectrum and high tolerance to salt and toxic substances, was genetically engineered to enable efficient PHB production from nonsterilized fermentation of organic wastes. The key genes encoding the PHB biosynthesis pathway of V. natriegens were identified through base editing and overexpressed. The metabolically engineered strain showed 166-fold higher PHB content (34.95 wt %) than the wide type when using glycerol as a substrate. Enhanced PHB production was also achieved when other sugars were used as feedstock. Importantly, it outperformed the engineered Escherichia coli MG1655 in PHB productivity (0.053 g/L/h) and tolerance to toxic substances in crude glycerol, without obvious activity decline under nonsterilized fermentation conditions. Our work demonstrates the great potential of engineered V. natriegens for low-cost PHB bioproduction and lays a foundation for exploiting this strain as a next-generation model chassis microorganism in synthetic biology.

Should mild obstructive sleep apnoea be treated? A systematic review from the standpoint of disease progression

OBJECTIVE

This study was a systematic review to investigate the progression of untreated obstructive sleep apnoea in order to evaluate whether mild obstructive sleep apnoea should be treated from the standpoint of disease progression.

METHOD

The database search study outcomes that were collected included Apnea Hypopnea Index and Respiratory Disturbance Index. A meta-analysis of obstructive sleep apnoea severity over time intervals was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 17 longitudinal studies and 1 randomised, controlled trial were included for review. For patients with mild obstructive sleep apnoea, mean pre-study and post-study Apnea Hypopnea Index was 5.21 and 8.03, respectively, over a median interval of 53.1 months. In patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea, mean pre-study and post-study Apnea Hypopnea Index was 28.9 and 30.3, respectively, over a median interval of 57.8 months. Predictors for disease progression in mild obstructive sleep apnoea are patients aged less than 60 years and those with a baseline body mass index less than 25.

CONCLUSION

Mild obstructive sleep apnoea progression is observed, but it does not appear to reach any clinically significant progression to moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea.

Phthalates Promote Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance Genes: An Overlooked Environmental Risk

Plastics-microorganism interactions have aroused growing environmental and ecological concerns. However, previous studies concentrated mainly on the direct interactions and paid little attention to the ecotoxicology effects of phthalates (PAEs), a common plastic additive that is continuously released and accumulates in the environment. Here, we provide insights into the impacts of PAEs on the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among environmental microorganisms. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP, a model PAE) at environmentally relevant concentrations (2-50 μg/L) significantly boosted the plasmid-mediated conjugation transfer of ARGs among intrageneric, intergeneric, and wastewater microbiota by up to 3.82, 4.96, and 4.77 times, respectively. The experimental and molecular dynamics simulation results unveil a strong interaction between the DMP molecules and phosphatidylcholine bilayer of the cell membrane, which lowers the membrane lipid fluidity and increases the membrane permeability to favor transfer of ARGs. In addition, the increased reactive oxygen species generation and conjugation-associated gene overexpression under DMP stress also contribute to the increased gene transfer. This study provides fundamental knowledge of the PAE-bacteria interactions to broaden our understanding of the environmental and ecological risks of plastics, especially in niches with colonized microbes, and to guide the control of ARG environmental spreading.

Coordination Polymer Electrocatalysts Enable Efficient CO-to-Acetate Conversion

Upgrading carbon dioxide/monoxide to multi-carbon C₂₊ products using renewable electricity offers one route to more sustainable fuel and chemical production. One of the most appealing products is acetate, the profitable electrosynthesis of which demands a catalyst with higher efficiency. Here, a coordination polymer (CP) catalyst is reported that consists of Cu(I) and benzimidazole units linked via Cu(I)-imidazole coordination bonds, which enables selective reduction of CO to acetate with a 61% Faradaic efficiency at -0.59 volts versus the reversible hydrogen electrode at a current density of 400 mA cm^-2 in flow cells. The catalyst is integrated in a cation exchange membrane-based membrane electrode assembly that enables stable acetate electrosynthesis for 190 h, while achieving direct collection of concentrated acetate (3.3 molar) from the cathodic liquid stream, an average single-pass utilization of 50% toward CO-to-acetate conversion, and an average acetate full-cell energy efficiency of 15% at a current density of 250 mA cm^-2 .

Development and Validation of a Risk Nomogram Model for Predicting Constipation in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose

Constipation is a common complication of diabetic patients, which has a negative impact on their own health. This study aims to establish and internally validate the risk nomogram of constipation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to test its predictive ability.

Patients and Methods

This retrospective study included 746 patients with T2DM at two medical centers. Among the 746 patients with T2DM, 382 and 163 patients in the Beilun branch of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University were enrolled in the training cohort and the validation cohort, respectively. A total of 201 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were enrolled in external validation cohorts. The nomogram was established by optimizing the predictive factors through univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis. The prediction performance of the nomogram was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), the calibration curve, and the decision curve analysis (DCA). Furthermore, its applicability was internally and independently validated.

Results

Among the 16 clinicopathological features, five variables were selected to develop the prediction nomogram, including age, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), calcium, anxiety, and regular exercise. The nomogram revealed good discrimination with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.908 (95% CI = 0.865-0.950) in the training cohort, and 0.867 (95% CI = 0.790-0.944) and 0.816 (95% CI = 0.751-0.881) in the internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration curve presented a good agreement between the prediction by the nomogram and the actual observation. The DCA revealed that the nomogram had a high clinical application value.

Conclusion

In this study, the nomogram for pretreatment risk management of constipation in patients with T2DM was developed which could help in making timely personalized clinical decisions for different risk populations.

Observation of a Strongly Isospin-Mixed Doublet in ^{26}Si via β-Delayed Two-Proton Decay of ^{26}P

β decay of proton-rich nuclei plays an important role in exploring isospin mixing. The β decay of ^{26}P at the proton drip line is studied using double-sided silicon strip detectors operating in conjunction with high-purity germanium detectors. The T=2 isobaric analog state (IAS) at 13 055 keV and two new high-lying states at 13 380 and 11 912 keV in ^{26}Si are unambiguously identified through β-delayed two-proton emission (β2p). Angular correlations of two protons emitted from ^{26}Si excited states populated by ^{26}P β decay are measured, which suggests that the two protons are emitted mainly sequentially. We report the first observation of a strongly isospin-mixed doublet that deexcites mainly via two-proton decay. The isospin mixing matrix element between the ^{26}Si IAS and the nearby 13 380-keV state is determined to be 130(21) keV, and this result represents the strongest mixing, highest excitation energy, and largest level spacing of a doublet ever observed in β-decay experiments.

[Research advances on the application of natural and recombinant collagen in wound repair]

Collagen is a macromolecular protein constituting the extracellular matrix of animal connective tissue, which has been widely used and developed in fields of biomedicine, tissue engineering, food, and cosmetics. Due to its advantages such as abundant sources and good biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and degradability, collagen can be used as a dressing or tissue engineering scaffold for wound repair. According to the source of materials, collagen can be divided into natural collagen and recombinant collagen. Natural collagen is mainly extracted directly from mammals and fish; recombinant collagen is obtained based on genetic engineering technology, and its sources include recombinant expression systems of microorganisms, animals, and plants. This paper summarizes the sources of collagen, and the roles, advantages, and disadvantages of different sources of collagen in wound repair, the particularity and superiority of collagen combined with three-dimensional printing technology in wound repair, the impact of market norms of China's collagen industry on the field of wound repair, and explains the precautions for the development of collagen-related products, aiming to provide new ideas for selecting a suitable source of collagen for wound repair.

[Research progress of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and predictive analysis on its quality markers]

Angelicae Sinensis Radix, as a medicinal and edible Chinese medicinal herb, is widely used in clinical practice. It is mainly cultivated in Minxian, Tanchang, Zhangxian and Weiyuan counties of Gansu province. In recent years, with the comprehensive and in-depth study of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in China and abroad, its chemical composition, pharmacological effects and application and development have attracted much attention. In this study, the chemical composition, traditional efficacy, and modern pharmacological effects of Angelicae Sinensis Radix were summarized. On this basis, combined with the core concept of quality markers(Q-markers), the Q-markers of Angelicae Sinensis Radix were discussed from the aspects of mass transfer and traceability and chemical composition specificity, availability, and measurability, which provided scientific basis for the quality evaluation of Angelicae Sinensis Radix.

A library of polytypic copper-based quaternary sulfide nanocrystals enables efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion

Designing polytypic homojunction is an efficient way to regulate photogenerated electrons and holes, thereafter bringing desired physical and chemical properties and being attractive photocatalysts for solar-to-hydrogen conversion. However, the high-yield and controllable synthesis of well-defined polytypes especially for multinary chalcogenide - the fundamental factor favoring highly efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion - has yet to be achieved. Here, we report a general colloidal method to construct a library of polytypic copper-based quaternary sulfide nanocrystals, including Cu₂ZnSnS₄, Cu₂CdSnS₄, Cu₂CoSnS₄, Cu₂MnSnS₄, Cu₂FeSnS₄, Cu₃InSnS₅ and Cu₃GaSnS₅, which can be synthesized by selective epitaxial growth of kesterite phase on wurtzite structure. Besides, this colloidal method allows the precise controlling of the homojunction number corresponding to the photocatalytic performance. The single-homojunction and double-homojunction polytypic Cu₂ZnSnS₄ nanocrystal photocatalysts show 2.8-fold and 3.9-fold improvement in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rates relative to the kesterite nanocrystals, respectively. This homojunction existed in the polytypic structure opens another way to engineer photocatalysts.

While polytypic semiconductors are promising for solar-to-fuel applications, preparing homojunction nanomaterials has proven challenging. Here, authors obtain a library of polytypic copper-based quaternary sulfide nanocrystals by selective epitaxial growth of kesterite phase on wurtzite structure.

Biomolecular Insights into Extracellular Pollutant Reduction Pathways of Geobacter sulfurreducens Using a Base Editor System

Geobacter species are critically involved in elemental biogeochemical cycling and environmental bioremediation processes via extracellular electron transfer (EET), but the underlying biomolecular mechanisms remain elusive due to lack of effective analytical tools to explore into complicated EET networks. Here, a simple and highly efficient cytosine base editor was developed for engineering of the slow-growing Geobacter sulfurreducens (a doubling time of 5 h with acetate as the electron donor and fumarate as the electron acceptor). A single-plasmid cytosine base editor (pYYDT-BE) was constructed in G. sulfurreducens by fusing cytosine deaminase, Cas9 nickase, and a uracil glycosylase inhibitor. This system enabled single-locus editing at 100% efficiency and showed obvious preference at the cytosines in a TC, AC, or CC context than in a GC context. Gene inactivation tests confirmed that it could effectively edit 87.7-93.4% genes of the entire genome in nine model Geobacter species. With the aid of this base editor to construct a series of G. sulfurreducens mutants, we unveiled important roles of both pili and outer membrane c-type cytochromes in long-range EET, thereby providing important evidence to clarify the long-term controversy surrounding their specific roles. Furthermore, we find that pili were also involved in the extracellular reduction of uranium and clarified the key roles of the ExtHIJKL conduit complex and outer membrane c-type cytochromes in the selenite reduction process. This work developed an effective base editor tool for the genetic modification of Geobacter species and provided new insights into the EET network, which lay a basis for a better understanding and engineering of these microbes to favor environmental applications.

[A comparative study of the upper airway changes of idiopathic condylar resorption and anterior open bite patients after bilateral temporomandibular joint prostheses surgery and bimaxillary orthognathic surgery]

Objective: To evaluate the 2-dimension and 3-dimension changes of upper airway of patients who were diagnosed with idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR) and anterior open bite as well as received bilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prostheses replacement or bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. Methods: This study is a retrospective study. Seventeen patients diagnosed as ICR and anterior open bite in Department of Orthognathic and TMJ surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University were selected (January 2018 to December 2021) and divided into bilateral TMJ protheses replacement group (group R, n=8) and orthognathic group (group O, n=9), according to which surgery they have performed. In order to compare variation of upper airway before and after surgery in different dimensions and sections within the same group or between groups, Spiral computed tomography data were obtained before (1 month) and after operation (10 to 12 months) to measure the total volume of airway (VT), the maximum sagittal area (MSA), the maximum cross-sectional area (MACA), the minimum cross-sectional area (MICA), the area of the most posterior plane(PPA), the area of soft-palate plane (SPA), the area of the most posterior point of tongue base plane (PTA), the area of the root of epiglottis plane (EA), the oropharyngeal airway volume (VO), the glossopharyngeal airway volume (VG) and the laryngeal airway volume (VL). Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to complete statistical analyses for VO (T2),SPA (T2),ΔMSA,ΔMACA in group R as well as PTA (T1),EA (T2) in group O. Statistical analyses of other items were performed with student's t test. Results: VT, VO, VG, VL, MSA, MACA, MIC, PPA, PTA and EA of group R (T2) were significantly increased after TMJ prosthesis with Lefort I osteotomy (P<0.05). Meanwhile the VT, VO, VG, MSA, MACA, MICA, PPA and SPA of group O (T2) were significantly increased (P<0.05). There were significant difference in ΔVT and ΔVL between group R [(6 854.80±3 197.82) mm3, (2 252.85±1 527.96) mm3] and group O [(3 367.91±3 124.62) mm3, (413.21±1 244.44) mm3](t=2.27, P=0.038; t=2.74, P=0.015). Conclusions: Bilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prostheses replacement and bimaxillary orthognathic surgery can both enlarge the areas and volumes of upper airway in patients who suffer from ICR and anterior open bite. Compared with bimaxillary orthognathic surgery, bilateral temporomandibular joint prostheses replacement plays a more pronounced role in enlargement and reconstruction of middle-inferior section of upper airway.

[Overexpression of NAT10 induced platinum drugs resistance in breast cancer cell]

Objective: To observe the platinum drugs resistance effect of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) overexpression in breast cancer cell line and elucidate the underlining mechanisms. Methods: The experiment was divided into wild-type (MCF-7 wild-type cells without any treatment) group, NAT10 overexpression group (H-NAT10 plasmid transfected into MCF-7 cells) and NAT10 knockdown group (SH-NAT10 plasmid transfected into MCF-7 cells). The invasion was detected by Transwell array, the interaction between NAT10 and PARP1 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation. The impact of NAT10 overexpression or knockdown on the acetylation level of PARP1 and its half-life was also determined. Immunostaining and IP array were used to detect the recruitment of DNA damage repair protein by acetylated PARP1. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell apoptosis. Results: Transwell invasion assay showed that the number of cell invasion was 483.00±46.90 in the NAT10 overexpression group, 469.00±40.50 in the NAT10 knockdown group, and 445.00±35.50 in the MCF-7 wild-type cells, and the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). In the presence of 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin, the number of cell invasion was 502.00±45.60 in the NAT10 overexpression group and 105.00±20.50 in the NAT10 knockdown group, both statistically significant (P<0.05) compared with 219.00±31.50 in wild-type cells. In the presence of 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin, NAT10 overexpression enhanced the binding of PARP1 to NAT10 compared with wild-type cells, whereas the use of the NAT10 inhibitor Remodelin inhibited the mutual binding of the two. Overexpression of NAT10 induced PARP1 acetylation followed by increased PARP1 binding to XRCC1, and knockdown of NAT10 expression reduced PARP1 binding to XRCC1. Overexpression of NAT10 enhanced PARP1 binding to LIG3, while knockdown of NAT10 expression decreased PARP1 binding to LIG3. In 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin-treated cells, the γH2AX expression level was 0.38±0.02 in NAT10 overexpressing cells and 1.36±0.15 in NAT10 knockdown cells, both statistically significant (P<0.05) compared with 1.00±0.00 in wild-type cells. In 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin treated cells, the apoptosis rate was (6.54±0.68)% in the NAT10 overexpression group and (12.98±2.54)% in the NAT10 knockdown group, both of which were statistically significant (P<0.05) compared with (9.67±0.37)% in wild-type cells. Conclusion: NAT10 overexpression enhances the binding of NAT10 to PARP1 and promotes the acetylation of PARP1, which in turn prolongs the half-life of PARP1, thus enhancing PARP1 recruitment of DNA damage repair related proteins to the damage sites, promoting DNA damage repair and ultimately the survival of breast cancer cells.

Systemic lupus erythematosus dysregulates the expression of long noncoding RNAs in placentas

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can cause placental dysfunctions, which may result in pregnancy complications. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are actively involved in the regulation of immune responses during pregnancy. The present study aimed to determine the lncRNA expression profiles in placentas from women with SLE to gain new insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms in SLE pregnancies.

Methods

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was performed to identify SLE-dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs in placentas from women with SLE and normal full-term (NT) pregnancies. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict the biological functions of these SLE-dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs.

Results

RNA-seq analysis identified 52 dysregulated lncRNAs in SLE placentas, including 37 that were upregulated and 15 downregulated. Additional 130 SLE-dysregulated mRNAs were discovered, including 122 upregulated and 8 downregulated. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that SLE-dysregulated genes were associated with biological functions and gene networks, such as regulation of type I interferon-mediated signaling pathway, response to hypoxia, regulation of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascade, response to steroid hormone, complement and coagulation cascades, and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation.

Conclusions

This is the first report of the lncRNA profiles in placentas from SLE pregnancies. These results suggest that the aberrant expression and the potential regulatory function of lncRNAs in placentas may play comprehensive roles in the pathogenesis of SLE pregnancies. SLE-dysregulated lncRNAs may potentially serve as biomarkers for SLE.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-022-02825-7.

Sexual Dimorphisms of Protein-Coding Gene Profiles in Placentas From Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may cause pathogenic changes in the placentas during human pregnancy, such as decreased placental weight, intraplacental hematoma, ischemic hypoxic change, placental infarction, and decidual vasculopathy, which contribute to high maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Sex-specific adaptations of the fetus are associated with SLE pregnancies. The present study aimed to determine the transcriptomic profiles of female and male placentas from women with SLE.

Methods

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to identify differentially expressed protein-coding genes (DEGs) in placentas from women with SLE vs. normal term (NT) pregnancies with female and male fetuses (n = 3-5/sex/group). Real-time-quantitative PCR was performed (n = 4 /sex/group) to validate the RNA-seq results. Bioinformatics functional analysis was performed to predict the biological functions and pathways of SLE-dysregulated protein-coding genes.

Results

Compared with NT-female (NT-F) placentas, 119 DEGs were identified in SLE-female (SLE-F) placentas. Among these 119 DEGs, five and zero are located on X- and Y-chromosomes, respectively, and four are located on the mitochondrial genome. Compared with NT-male (NT-M) placentas, 458 DEGs were identified in SLE-male (SLE-M) placentas, among which 16 are located on the X-chromosome and zero on the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial genome. Twenty-four DEGs were commonly dysregulated in SLE-F and -M placentas. Functional analysis showed that SLE-dysregulated protein-coding genes were associated with diverse biological functions and pathways, including angiogenesis, cellular response to growth factor stimulus, heparin-binding, HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor)-1 signaling pathway, and Interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway in both SLE-F and -M placentas. Biological regulations were differentially enriched between SLE-F and -M placentas. Regulation of blood circulation, response to glucocorticoid, and rhythmic process were all enriched in SLE-F, but not SLE-M placentas. In contrast, tumor necrosis factor production, Th17 cell differentiation, and MDA (melanoma differentiation-associated gene)-5 signaling pathway were enriched in SLE-M but not SLE-F placentas.

Conclusion

This report investigated the protein-coding gene profiles of placenta tissues from SLE patients using RNA-seq. The results suggest that the SLE-dysregulated protein-coding genes in placentas may contribute to the pathophysiological progress of SLE pregnancies in a fetal sex-specific manner, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes.

On demand defining high-quality, blue-light-active ZnSe colloidal quantum wires

Beyond the state-of-the-art Cd-containing quantum wires (QWs), heavy-metal-free semiconductor QWs, such as ZnSe, are of great interest for next-generation environmental-benign applications. Unfortunately, simultaneous, on-demand manipulation of their radial and axial sizes—that allows strong quantum confinement in the blue-light region—has so far been challenging. Here we present a two-step catalyzed growth strategy that enables independent, high-precision and wide-range controls over the diameter and length of ZnSe QWs. We find that a new epitaxial orientation between the cubic-phase Ag₂Se solid catalyst and wurtzite ZnSe QWs kinetically favors the formation of defect-free ultrathin QWs. Thanks to their high uniformity, the resulting blue-light-active, phase-pure ZnSe QWs exhibit well-defined excitonic absorption with the 1S_e–1S_h transition linewidth as narrow as sub-13 nm. Combining the transient absorption spectroscopy, we further show that surface electron traps in these ZnSe QWs can be eliminated by thiol passivation, which results in long-lived charge carriers and high-efficiency solar-to-hydrogen conversion.

Reusing Sulfur-Poisoned Palladium Waste as a Highly Active, Nonradical Fenton-like Catalyst for Selective Degradation of Phenolic Pollutants

Recycling of deactivated palladium (Pd)-based catalysts can not only lower the economic cost of their industrial use but also save the cost for waste disposal. Considering that the sulfur-poisoned Pd (Pd_xS_y) with a strong Pd-S bond is difficult to regenerate, here, we propose a direct reuse of such waste materials as an efficient catalyst for decontamination via Fenton-like processes. Among the Pd_xS_y materials with different poisoning degrees, Pd₄S stood out as the most active catalyst for peroxymonosulfate activation, exhibiting pollutant-degradation performance rivaling the Pd and Co²⁺ benchmarks. Moreover, the incorporated S atom was found to tune the surface electrostatic potentials and charge densities of the Pd active site, triggering a shift in catalytic pathway from surface-bound radicals to predominantly direct electron transfer pathway that favors a highly selective oxidation of phenols. The catalyst stability was also improved due to the formation of strong Pd-S bond that reduces corrosion. Our work paves a new way for upcycling of Pd-based industrial wastes and for guiding the development of advanced oxidation technologies toward higher sustainability.

[Analysis of influence factors for short-term recurrence of retroperitoneal liposarcoma after complete resection]

Objective: To examine the influence factors of short-term recurrence after complete surgical resection of retroperitoneal liposarcoma. Methods: The clinicopathological data of retroperitoneal liposarcoma at Department of General Surgery, the First Medical Center, People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 1, 2000 to January 31, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 60 males and 31 females, aged (52.1±9.9) years (range: 30 to 84 years). Tumor recurrence within 12 months after complete resection was defined as short-term recurrence, and tumor recurrence more than 12 months was defined as non-short-term recurrence. The t test, rank-sum test, χ² test and Fisher exact test were conducted for inter-group comparison. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent influence factors for the short-term recurrence of retroperitoneal liposarcoma after complete resection. The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to calculate the recurrence-free survival, and the Log-rank test was adopted for the comparison between the groups. Results: The univariate analysis results showed that irregular tumor morphology, multiple pathological subtypes, pathological scores>3, and multiple primary tumors are influence factors for short-term recurrence after complete resection of retroperitoneal liposarcoma (χ²: 4.422 to 7.773, all P<0.05). Regression analysis of the above risk factors showed that multiple primary tumors was the independent risk factor (OR=2.918, 95%CI: 1.127 to 7.556, P=0.027). In the short-term recurrence group, Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that patients with multiple primary tumors had a shorter median recurrence time than patients with unifocal tumor (6 months vs. 9 months, P=0.028). Conclusions: Multiple primary tumor is an independent risk factor for short-term recurrence after complete resection of retroperitoneal liposarcoma. It suggests that the frequency of follow-up after surgery should be increased for such patients.

Controlling pathogenic risks of water treatment biotechnologies at the source by genetic editing means

Antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in the environment and wastewater treatment systems, many of which are also important pollutant degraders and are difficult to control by traditional disinfection approaches, have become an unprecedented treat to ecological security and human health. Here, we propose the adoption of genetic editing techniques as a highly targeted, efficient and simple tool to control the risks of environmental pathogens at the source. An 'all-in-one' plasmid system was constructed in Aeromonas hydrophila to accurately identify and selectively inactivate multiple key virulence factor genes and antibiotic resistance genes via base editing, enabling significantly suppressed bacterial virulence and resistance without impairing their normal phenotype and pollutant-degradation functions. Its safe application for bioaugmented treatment of synthetic textile wastewater was also demonstrated. This genetic-editing technique may offer a promising solution to control the health risks of environmental microorganisms via targeted gene inactivation, thereby facilitating safer application of water treatment biotechnologies.

Diagnostic accuracy of Doppler ultrasound for detecting hepatic artery stenosis after liver transplantation

AIM

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Doppler ultrasound (DUS) in detecting hepatic artery stenosis (HAS) after liver transplantation using computed tomography angiography (CTA) as the reference standard.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included data from January 2005 to November 2017, where DUS of the hepatic artery of living and deceased donor liver grafts were compared with the reference standard, CTA. DUS parameters, such as intrahepatic artery (IHA) peak systolic velocity (PSV), resistive index (RI), systolic acceleration time (SAT); and extrahepatic artery (EHA) PSV were taken. The optimum cut-off was estimated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was developed to predict HAS.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine liver transplant cases were retrieved, 50 met the inclusion criteria where nine patients had significant HAS. HAS patients had a significantly low IHAPSV with a cut-off of 35.1 cm/s (sensitivity 53.8%, specificity 78.4%, AUC 0.701). IHARI had a significantly low RI with a cut-off 0.585 (sensitivity 86.7%, specificity 85.4%, AUC 0.913). The IHASAT cut-off was 0.045 seconds (sensitivity 80%, specificity 91.4%, AUC 0.857). The EHAPSV cut-off was 197.4 cm/s (sensitivity 50%, specificity 99.1%, AUC 0.648). The prediction model using DUS parameters IHARI and IHASAT demonstrated good discrimination with an AUC of 0.930 (95% CI: 0.843, 1.000; sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 88%).

CONCLUSION

A prediction model using the DUS parameters IHARI and IHASAT showed good diagnostic accuracy of 88.6% for monitoring liver transplant patients. If validated externally, this DUS model could be utilised to diagnose HAS in liver transplant recipients.

Impact of lanadelumab on health-related quality of life in patients with hereditary angioedema in the HELP study

Background

An objective of the phase 3 HELP Study was to investigate the effect of lanadelumab on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE).

Methods

Patients with HAE‐1/2 received either lanadelumab 150 mg every 4 weeks (q4wks; n = 28), 300 mg q4wks (n = 29), 300 mg every 2 weeks (q2wks; n = 27), or placebo (n = 41) for 26 weeks (days 0–182). The Angioedema Quality of Life Questionnaire (AE‐QoL) was administered monthly, consisting of four domain (functioning, fatigue/mood, fears/shame, nutrition) and total scores. The generic EQ‐5D‐5L questionnaire was administered on days 0, 98, and 182. Comparisons were made between placebo and (a) all lanadelumab‐treated patients and (b) individual lanadelumab groups for changes in scores (day 0–182) and proportions achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID, −6) in AE‐QoL total score.

Results

Compared with the placebo group, the lanadelumab total group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in AE‐QoL total and domain scores (mean change, −13.0 to −29.3; p < 0.05 for all); the largest improvement was in functioning. A significantly greater proportion of the lanadelumab total group achieved the MCID (70% vs 37%; p = 0.001). The lanadelumab 300 mg q2wks group had the highest proportion (81%; p = 0.001) and was 7.2 times more likely to achieve the MCID than the placebo group. Mean EQ‐5D‐5L scores at day 0 were high in all groups, indicating low impairment, with no significant changes at day 182.

Conclusion

Patients with HAE‐1/2 experienced significant and clinically meaningful improvements in HRQoL measured by AE‐QoL following lanadelumab treatment in the HELP Study.

Association of homocysteine with ankylosing spondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with autoimmune diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Current findings regarding plasma/serum homocysteine (HCY) levels in AS patients are inconsistent. This study aims to systematically evaluate the association between circulating HCY levels and AS.

Methods

Online electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, ScienceDirect, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang data) were used to retrieve all relevant articles published up to May 7, 2020. The pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using the random-effect model, Stata16 software.

Results

Nine articles containing 778 AS patients and 522 controls were included in this meta-analysis. No significant differences in HCY levels were found between AS and control groups (pooled SMD = 0.46, 95% CI = − 0.30 to 1.23, P = 0.23). However, subgroup analysis suggested that HCY levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the AS group treated with methotrexate (MTX) compared with the control group. In contrast, HCY levels were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the AS group receiving anti-TNF-α treatment compared with the control group. No significant differences were detected between HCY levels and disease activity scores (Bath AS disease activity index, BASDAI), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T genotype.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis indicates that HCY levels are similar between AS and controls, and do not correlate with disease activity. However, different medical treatments cause fluctuations of circulating HCY levels in AS patients. Further and larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Trial registration

This study was registered at international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO), registration number: CRD42020184426.

LncRNA SNHG5 upregulation induced by YY1 contributes to angiogenesis via miR-26b/CTGF/VEGFA axis in acute myelogenous leukemia

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults. Despite great progress has been made in this field, the pathogenesis of AML is still not fully understood. We report here the biological role of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 5 (SNHG5) in the pathogenesis of AML and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that lncRNA SNHG5 was highly expressed in AML cancer cell lines. In vitro studies displayed that inhibition of SNHG5 with shRNA resulted in suppression of survival, cell cycle progression, migration/invasion of AML and capacity of adhesion and angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Mechanistic studies revealed a SNHG5/miR-26b/connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) axis in the regulation of AML angiogenesis. Finally, Yin Yang 1 (YY1) was found to transactivate and interact with SNHG5 promoter, leading to the upregulation of SNHG5 in AML. Collectively, upregulation of lncRNA SNHG5 mediated by YY1, activates CTGF/VEGFA via targeting miR-26b to regulate angiogenesis of AML. Our work provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of AML.

[Application of the Virtual Reality-Pattern Visual Evoked Potential in Forensic Visual Acuity Evaluation]

Abstract

Objective To explore a kind of visual evoked potential test equipment and method that is more suitable for the application of forensic clinical visual acuity evaluation. Methods Thirty-four volunteers （68 eyes） were selected, including 15 males and 19 females, aged between 20 and 40 years. Test lenses were placed before the tested eyes of volunteers to induce refractive myopia with insert method, and the diopter lenses were adjusted so that the visual acuity level of one eye of volunteers was above 0.8, and the visual acuity of the other eye was at moderate damage level （<0.3 and ≥0.1）. The tests were carried out under the binocular simultaneous asynchronous stimulation mode （hereinafter referred to as "binocular mode"） and monocular separate stimulation mode （hereinafter referred to as "monocular mode"） of virtual reality-pattern visual evoked potential （VR-PVEP）, and the amplitude of PVEP of volunteers under the two modes was compared at four spatial frequencies of 8×8, 16×16, 24×24 and 32×32. Results The differences in the amplitude of P100 wave between monocular and binocular modes at 8×8 spatial frequency had no statistical significance and the differences in amplitude of P100 wave between monocular and binocular modes at 16×16, 24×24, and 32×32 spatial frequencies had statistical significance （P<0.05）. The amplitude of the same eye in monocular mode was higher than that in binocular mode. Through correlation analysis, it was found that the amplitude of P100 wave in monocular mode was moderately correlated with amplitude of P100 wave in binocular mode. Conclusion In forensic identification practice, VR-PVEP is helpful for overcoming the disturbance of poor fixation, and to increase the reliability of PVEP evaluation results. It can greatly shorten the detection time of PVEP and improve work efficiency.

Blue luminescent N,S-doped carbon dots encapsulated in red emissive Eu-MOF to form dually emissive composite for reversible anti-counterfeit ink

Lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) have demonstrated great potential in luminescence sensing and optical anti-counterfeiting. High-security anti-counterfeiting technology is of great importance and requires the development of universal luminescent materials with multiple modes of emission and adjustable photoluminescence. Herein, a 3D red light emission microporous europium(iii) metal-organic framework [Eu₃(OH)(1,3-db)₂(H₂O)₄]·3H₂O (1) (1,3-db = 1,3-di(3',5'-dicarboxylpheny) benzene) was constructed from a zigzag [Eu₃(COO)₈] chain and π-electron-rich terphenyl-tetracarboxylate. Notably, the quenched fluorescence of 1 under hydrogen chloride vapor could be recovered upon fuming by a vapor of Et₃N. Most strikingly, the strong blue light emission by nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (N,S-CDs) could be encapsulated in 1 to generate a dual-emission composite, namely, N,S-CDs@Eu-MOF, which shows solvent-dependent photoluminescence: N,S-CD-related blue luminescence in water and Eu-MOF-related red emission in organic solvents. Taking advantage of the above unique reversible fluorescent behavior, Eu-MOF and N,S-CDs@Eu-MOF are prepared as fluorescent high-security inks to achieve data encryption and decryption on specific flower patterns.

[Research advances on application of miniature free skin grafting technique]

For the wounds caused by burns and other various reasons, the key of therapy is to close the open wounds in time by surgical operation. One of the most important methods is autologous skin grafting. However, for large area and long-term chronic trauma, the lack of autologous skin makes the treatment a huge challenge. For this reason, clinical medical workers have gradually developed miniature free skin grafting through continuous research. This paper reviews the relevant skin grafting techniques, including pinch free skin grafting, stamp free skin grafting, meek grafting, microne free skin grafting, etc.

Lanadelumab demonstrates rapid and sustained prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks

Background

Lanadelumab demonstrated efficacy in preventing hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in the phase 3 HELP Study.

Objective

To assess time to onset of effect and long‐term efficacy of lanadelumab, based on exploratory findings from the HELP Study.

Methods

Eligible patients with HAE type I/II received lanadelumab 150 mg every 4 weeks (q4wks), 300 mg q4wks, 300 mg q2wks, or placebo. Ad hoc analyses evaluated day 0‐69 findings using a Poisson regression model accounting for overdispersion. Least‐squares mean monthly HAE attack rate for lanadelumab was compared with placebo. Intrapatient comparisons for days 0‐69 versus steady state (days 70‐182) used a paired t test for continuous endpoints or Kappa statistics for categorical endpoints.

Results

One hundred twenty‐five patients were randomized and treated. During days 0‐69, mean monthly attack rate was significantly lower with lanadelumab (0.41‐0.76) vs placebo (2.04), including attacks requiring acute treatment (0.33‐0.61 vs 1.66) and moderate/severe attacks (0.31‐0.48 vs 1.33, all P ≤ .001). More patients receiving lanadelumab vs placebo were attack free (37.9%‐48.1% vs 7.3%) and responders (85.7%‐100% vs 26.8%). During steady state, the efficacy of lanadelumab vs placebo was similar or improved vs days 0‐69. Intrapatient differences were significant with lanadelumab 300 mg q4wks for select outcomes. Lanadelumab efficacy was durable—HAE attack rate was consistently lower vs placebo, from the first 2 weeks of treatment through study end. Treatment emergent adverse events were comparable during days 0‐69 and 70‐182.

Conclusion

Protection with lanadelumab started from the first dose and continued throughout the entire study period.

[Gastric adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation and elevated serum alpha fetoprotein]

Objective: To study the proportion and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation (GAED) in gastric cancers showing an elevated serum alpha fetoprotein(AFP). Methods: A total of 724 resected gastric adenocarcinomas were collected from 2008 to 2018 at the 904 Hospital of Joint Service Support Force, and cases with pre-operative serum AFP>10 μg/L were screened. From the cases with elevated serum AFP, GAED cases were further evaluated based on morphology. Then the clincopathological features and immunohistochemical phenotypes of GAED were reviewed. In addition, the amplification of HER2 gene was detected with fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH). When overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of GAED were analyzed, 289 cases ordinary gastric adenocarcinoma with normal serum AFP were employed as a control. Results: The percentage of GAED was 44% (11/25) in gastric cancers with elevated serum AFP. GAED was histologically tubular or papillary with clear cytoplasm, and some GAED cases showed cystadenoid structure similar to embryo sac (5 cases), homogeneous eosinophilic granules (4 cases) and intragland ulareosinophilic material (6 cases). All 11 GAED cases had lymph node metastasis. Liver metastasis and vascular thrombus were observed in 2 cases and 5 cases respectively. GAED was immunohistochemically positive for CDX2 (11/11), CD10 (8/11) and MUC2(3/11), which were intestinal epithelium differentiation markers. Meanwhile, primitive markers SALL4 (8/11), GPC3 (7/11) and AFP (5/11) were also expressed in GAED, and HER2 gene amplification was found in 3 cases (3/11) of GAED. Lastly, the PFS of GAED were significantly shorter than that of the control group (P=0.02), while OS was not statistically different between these two groups (P=0.99). Conclusions: Patients with GAED usually have a higher rate of elevated serum AFP in gastric adenocarcinoma, and the cancer exhibites features of both intestinal and primitive differentiation. As GAED is highly invasive, the prognosis of GAED may be poor. For GAED, the diagnosis of well-differentiated or moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma should be avoided, because this diagnosis leads to underestimated malignant potential.

Diversity analysis of 80,000 wheat accessions reveals consequences and opportunities of selection footprints

Undomesticated wild species, crop wild relatives, and landraces represent sources of variation for wheat improvement to address challenges from climate change and the growing human population. Here, we study 56,342 domesticated hexaploid, 18,946 domesticated tetraploid and 3,903 crop wild relatives in a massive-scale genotyping and diversity analysis. Using DArTseq^TM technology, we identify more than 300,000 high-quality SNPs and SilicoDArT markers and align them to three reference maps: the IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 genome assembly, the durum wheat genome assembly (cv. Svevo), and the DArT genetic map. On average, 72% of the markers are uniquely placed on these maps and 50% are linked to genes. The analysis reveals landraces with unexplored diversity and genetic footprints defined by regions under selection. This provides fertile ground to develop wheat varieties of the future by exploring specific gene or chromosome regions and identifying germplasm conserving allelic diversity missing in current breeding programs.

Genebanks hold comprehensive collections of wild species, wild relatives, and landraces that are useful for genetic improvement. Here, the authors report the genotype of nearly 80,000 wheat accessions using DArTseq technology to show the less explored genetic diversity.

[Protective effect of recombinant adult serine protease inhibitor from Trichinella spiralis on sepsis-associated acute kidney injury in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective effect of recombinant adult serine protease inhibitor from Trichinella spiralis (TsadSPI) on sepsis-associated acute kidney injury in mice.

METHODS

A total of 18 male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the sham-operation group, the model group, and the TsadSPI treatment group, of 6 mice in each group. Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury was modeled in the model group and TsadSPI treatment group by cecal ligation puncture (CLP), while mice in the sham-operation group were only given exploratory laparotomy without ligation or perforation of the cecum. After 30 min of CLP, mice in the sham-operation group and the model group were intraperitoneally injected with PBS (100 μL), and mice in the TsadSPI treatment group were intraperitoneally injected with PBS (100 μL) containing TsadSPI (2 μg). At 12 h following modeling, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine (Cr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured to assess the liver and kidney functions, and the changes of the mouse kidney structure were observed using HE staining. In addition, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 expression was determined in kidney tissues using immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

At 12 h following CLP, there were significant differences in the serum levels of ALT (F = 41.031, P < 0.001), AST (F = 54.757, P < 0.001), Cr (F = 24.142, P < 0.001) and BUN (F = 214.849, P < 0.001) among the three groups, and higher levels of ALT, AST, Cr and BUN were measured in model group than in the sham-operation group (P < 0.001), while lower ALT, AST, Cr and BUN levels were found in the TsadSPI treatment group than in the model group (P < 0.001). HE staining showed severe mouse kidney injuries following CLP, and TsadSPI treatment resulted in remarkable alleviation of the injury. ELISA measured significant differences in the TNF-α (F = 47.502, P < 0.001) and IL-6 levels (F = 222.061, P < 0.001) among the three groups, and showed a remarkable reduction in the TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the TsadSPI treatment group as compared to those in the model group (P < 0.001). In addition, there were significant differences in serum IL-10 (F = 16.227, P < 0.001) and TGF-β levels (F = 52.092, P < 0.001) among the three groups, and higher IL-10 and TGF-β levels were seen in the TsadSPI treatment group than in the model group (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining showed greater MyD88 expression and a higher nuclear positive rate of NF-κB p65 in kidney tissues in the model group than in the TsadSPI treatment group.

CONCLUSIONS

TsadSPI may reduce the MyD88 expression and nuclear positive rate of NF-κB p65 in mouse kidney tissues to up-regulate the expression of immunomodulatory factors and down-regulate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby protecting sepsis-associated acute kidney injury.

[Advances in the research of artificial intelligence technology assisting the diagnosis of burn depth]

The early accurate diagnosis of burn depth is of great significance in determining the corresponding clinical intervention methods and judging the prognosis quality of burn patients. However, the current diagnostic method of burn depth still relies mainly on the empirical subjective judgment of clinicians, with low diagnostic accuracy. Especially for deep partial-thickness burn wounds, the error of early diagnosis is pretty big. In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, deep learning algorithm combined with image analysis technology can better identify and analyze the information of medical images. This article reviews the research progress of artificial intelligence technology in the diagnosis of burn depth.

Exposure of pregnant rats to staphylococcal enterotoxin B attenuates the response of increased Tregs to re-exposure to SEB in the thymus of adult offspring

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an essential role during homeostasis and tolerance of the immune system. Based on our previous study that exposure of pregnant rats to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) can alter the percentage of CD4/CD8 subsets in the thymus of the offspring, in this study, we focus on the influence of exposure of pregnant rats to SEB on number, function and response of Tregs in the thymus of the offspring. Pregnant rats at gestational day of 16 were intravenously injected with 15 μg SEB and the thymuses of the neonatal and adult offspring were harvested for this study. We found that exposure of pregnant rats to SEB could significantly increase the absolute number of Tregs and the FoxP3 expression level in the thymus of not only neonatal but also adult offspring. Re-exposure of adult offspring to SEB remarkably reduced the suppressive capacity of Tregs to CD4⁺ T cells and the expression levels of TGF-β and IL-10 in the thymus, but had no effect on production of IL-4 and IFN-γ. Furthermore, it also notedly decreased the absolute number of Tregs and the FoxP3 expression level. These data suggest that prenatal exposure of pregnant rats to SEB attenuates the response of increased Tregs to re-exposure to SEB in the thymus of adult offspring.

Halogen substitution regulates the phase transition temperature and band gap of semiconductor compounds

(CH₃CH₂NH₃)₃BiX₆ and (CH₂ClCH₂NH₃)₃BiX₆ (X = Cl, Br) obtained by halogen substitution not only realize the adjustment of the phase transition in a relatively wide temperature range, but also optimize the semiconductor performance. This will promote the exploration and construction of semiconductor materials with tunable temperatures and lower band gaps.

Three new compounds from the flower branch of Gastrodia elata Blume and anti-microbial activity

Three new compounds (1–3): gastrodinol (1), 2-(4′-hydroxybenzoyl)-3-hydroxyethyl indole (2) and 2-(4′-hydroxybenzoyl)-3-(4′′-hydroxybenzyl)indole (3) were isolated from the flower branch of G. elata, and anti-microbial activity.

[Protective effect of excretory-secretory protein from adult Trichinella spiralis on ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective effect of excretory-secretory protein (AES) from adult Trichinella spiralis on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis in mice.

METHODS

Eighteen female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups, including the blank control group (Group A), OVA-induced rhinitis group (Group B) and AES treatment group (Group C). Mice in Group A were given PBS. Mice in Group B were intraperitoneally injected with antigen adjuvant suspension for systemic sensitization, once every other day for seven times; then, local excitation was intranasally induced with 5% OVA solution once a day for seven times to establish a mouse model of allergic rhinitis. In addition to induction of allergic rhinitis, mice in Group C were given 25 μg AES at baseline sensitization and local excitation. Following the final challenge, mice were observed for 30 min in each group, and the behavioral score was evaluated. The serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and TGF-β were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in mice, and the pathological changes of mouse nasal mucosa were observed under a microscope.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the mouse behavioral scores among the three groups (F = 110.12, P < 0.01). The mouse behavioral score was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A (7.17 ± 0.75 vs. 1.33 ± 0.52, P < 0.01), and more remarkable pathological damages of mouse nasal mucosa were seen in Group B than in Group A, while the mouse behavioral score was significantly decreased in Group C than in Group B (P < 0.01), and the pathological damages of mouse nasal mucosa remarkably alleviated in Group C relative to Group B. There was a significant difference in serum IFN-γ level among the three groups (F = 7.50, P < 0.01) and the serum IFN-γ level in Group B was significantly lower than in group A and C (both P < 0.05). There were significant differences in serum IL-4 (F = 470.81, P < 0.01) and IL-5 levels (F =68.20, P < 0.01) among the three groups, and significantly greater serum IL-4 and IL-5 levels were detected in Group B than in Group A (P < 0.01), while significantly lower serum IL-4 and IL-5 levels were detected in Group C than in Group B (P < 0.01). There were significant differences in serum IL-10 (F = 174.91, P < 0.01) and TGF-β levels (F = 9.39, P < 0.01) among the three groups, and significantly greater serum IL-10 and TGF-β levels were seen in Group C than in Group B (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

T. spiralis AES has a remarkable protective activity against OVA-induced allergic rhinitis in mice.

Dopant-tuned stabilization of intermediates promotes electrosynthesis of valuable C3 products

The upgrading of CO2/CO feedstocks to higher-value chemicals via energy-efficient electrochemical processes enables carbon utilization and renewable energy storage. Substantial progress has been made to improve performance at the cathodic side; whereas less progress has been made on improving anodic electro-oxidation reactions to generate value. Here we report the efficient electroproduction of value-added multi-carbon dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from CO and methanol via oxidative carbonylation. We find that, compared to pure palladium controls, boron-doped palladium (Pd-B) tunes the binding strength of intermediates along this reaction pathway and favors DMC formation. We implement this doping strategy and report the selective electrosynthesis of DMC experimentally. We achieve a DMC Faradaic efficiency of 83 ± 5%, fully a 3x increase in performance compared to the corresponding pure Pd electrocatalyst.

Recent Advances on Controlled Synthesis and Engineering of Hollow Alloyed Nanotubes for Electrocatalysis

The past decade has witnessed great progress in the synthesis and electrocatalytic applications of 1D hollow alloy nanotubes with controllable compositions and fine structures. Hollow nanotubes have been explored as promising electrocatalysts in the fuel cell reactions due to their well-controlled surface structure, size, porosity, and compositions. In addition, owing to the self-supporting ability of 1D structure, hollow nanotubes are capable of avoiding catalyst aggregation and carbon corrosion during the catalytic process, which are two other issues for the widely investigated carbon-supported nanoparticle catalysts. It is currently a great challenge to achieve high activity and stability at a relatively low cost to realize commercialization of these catalysts. An overview of the structural and compositional properties of 1D hollow alloy nanotubes, which provide a large number of accessible active sites, void spaces for electrolytes/reactants impregnation, and structural stability for suppressing aggregation, is presented. The latest advances on several strategies such as hard template and self-templating methods for controllable synthesis of hollow alloyed nanotubes with controllable structures and compositions are then summarized. Benefiting from the advantages of the unique properties and facile synthesis approaches, the capability of 1D hollow nanotubes is then highlighted by discussing examples of their applications in fuel-cell-related electrocatalysis. Finally, the remaining challenges and potential solutions in the field are summarized to provide some useful clues for the future development of 1D hollow alloy nanotube materials.

[Evaluation on follow-up intervention program in men who have sex with men in Tianjin]

Objective: To evaluate the behavior intervention program on men who have sex with men (MSM) in Tianjin. Methods: From April 2013 to September 2017, MSM were enrolled from MSM gathering places and through mobile internet to establish an open prospective cohort. Interventions were conducted in every follow-up meeting, while the changes of behaviors and HIV infection and syphilis incidences in the MSM before and after intervention were compared. Results: A total of 1 822 MSM were interviewed at baseline survey, with 1 007 eligible MSM were enrolled in the cohort. A total of 39 new cases of HIV infection were reported, and the cumulative observation time on cohort follow-up was 2 216.96 person-year, with the HIV incidence rate as 1.76 per 100 person-years. Among them, 934 MSM were sero-negative for syphilis in baseline survey. A total of 100 new cases of syphilis were reported, and the cumulative observation time of cohort follow-up was 1 959.94 person-year, the syphilis incidence rate was 5.10 per 100 person-years. With health education and intervention conducted, the awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge for MSM increased. Though the rate of anal sex increased after intervention, the rate of condom use in anal sex increased, too. The rate of condom use decreased after receiving more than 3 interventions. Data from the multivariate GEE analysis indicated that protective factors might be as follows: education level of college and above (aOR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.68-0.98), awareness of AIDS related knowledge (aOR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.36-0.75), ever receiving condom promotion and distribution in the past six months (aOR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.49-0.74), being recruited from mobile internet (aOR=0.85, 95%CI: 0.73-1.00) and times of cumulative intervention: one time (aOR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.45-0.66), two times (aOR=0.38, 95%CI: 0.30-0.49), three times (aOR=0.26, 95%CI: 0.20-0.35), four times and above (aOR=0.24, 95%CI: 0.17-0.33). Diagnoses of STDs in the past six months (aOR=1.43, 95%CI: 1.06-1.96), using rush-poppers (aOR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.02-1.47) might be risk factors. Conclusions: After continuous behavior intervention, the incidence of HIV infection and syphilis were at a low level in the MSM cohort in Tianjin. Their awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge and the rate of condom use increased. But there are still many risk factors influencing the unprotected anal sex in MSM. We should continuously carry out behavioral intervention programs to prevent unprotected anal sex among MSM.

In Situ Seed-Mediated High-Yield Synthesis of Copper Nanowires on Large Scale

Copper nanowires (Cu NWs) are among ideal candidates for fabricating various advanced nanodevices, especially flexible electronics and transparent conductive electrodes. However, although many efforts have been made, the commercialization of Cu NWs is still difficult. Herein, we report an in situ seed-mediated two-step strategy to synthesize well-defined Cu NWs in high yield. In the first step, that is, seed formation process, most Cu ions (85%) in situ transform to nondecahedral Cu nanodots (NDs). These Cu NDs can promote the formation of decahedral multiply twinned particles (DMTPs) and the subsequent growth of Cu NWs by selectively inhibiting the spontaneous ripening of nanoparticle (NP) byproducts in the second step. The amount and quality of Cu NDs play an important role in high-yield production of Cu NWs, and the yield was successfully increased to 2.4 times higher than that of the conventional methods. Furthermore, an effective shaking-rotating purification technique was developed to fully separate Cu NWs from the final product solution. After scaling up the reaction, 50 g of high-quality Cu NWs can be produced with a uniform size and high aspect ratio at a very low material cost of $ 0.99/g. These promising results not only provide a high-yield and low-cost synthetic route but also can promote the widespread commercialization of Cu NWs in advanced nanodevices.

[Clinical outcomes of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for aggressive peripheral T-cell lymphoma]

目的

研究外周血造血干细胞移植治疗外周T细胞淋巴瘤（PTCL）的疗效。

方法

回顾性分析解放军总医院血液科2007年6月至2017年6月接受外周血造血干细胞移植PTCL患者的临床资料。

结果

共有41例PTCL患者纳入研究，男30例，女11例，中位年龄38（13~57）岁。17例行自体外周血造血干细胞移植（auto-PBSCT），24例行异基因外周血造血干细胞移植（allo-PBSCT）。auto-PBSCT组ALK阳性间变大细胞淋巴瘤占47.1%（8/17），allo-PBSCT组NK/T细胞淋巴瘤和外周T细胞淋巴瘤-非特指型占66.7%（16/24）。auto-PBSCT组患者移植前疾病处于完全缓解（CR）状态者占58.8%（10/17），疾病进展（PD）状态者占11.8%（2/17）；allo-PBSCT组移植前疾病状态为CR者8.3%（2/24），PD者45.8%（11/24）。auto-PBSCT组和allo-PBSCT组移植后2年总生存率、无病生存率差异均无统计学意义[（64.0±10.8）%对（53.5±9.7）%，P=0.543；（57.1±12.4）%对（53.5±10.6）%，P=0.701]。auto-PBSCT组6例死亡，5例死于复发；allo-PBSCT组12例死亡，其中5例死于复发，7例为移植相关死亡。

结论

auto-PBSCT和allo-PBSCT均是PTCL的有效治疗方法。