Effects of heat stress on feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, and feed efficiency in dairy cows: A meta-analysis

Heat stress compromises dairy production by decreasing feed intake and milk yield, and it may also alter milk composition and feed efficiency. However, little information is available for evaluating such effects across different levels of heat stress and cows enrolled in heat stress studies. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of heat stress on dry matter intake (DMI), energy-corrected milk (ECM), milk composition, and feed efficiency (kg ECM/kg DMI) and to investigate the relationship between such effects and heat stress intervention and animal characteristics by using meta-analytical approaches. Data from 31 studies (34 trials) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were used for analysis. Results showed that heat stress decreased DMI, ECM, and milk protein concentration, but did not alter milk fat concentration or feed efficiency. Meta-regression confirmed that such reductions in DMI and ECM were significantly associated with increasing temperature-humidity index (THI). Over the period of heat stress, for each unit increase in THI, DMI and ECM decreased by 4.13% and 3.25%, respectively, in mid-lactation cows. Regression models further revealed the existence of a strong interaction between THI and lactation stage, which partially explained the large heterogeneity in effect sizes of DMI and ECM. The results indicated a need for more research on the relationship between the effect of heat stress and animal characteristics. This study calls for the implementation of mitigation strategies in heat-stressed herds due to the substantial decrease in productivity.

An Innovative SbIII-WVI-Cotemplated Antimonotungstate with Potential in Sensing Paroxetine Electrochemically

Advances in polyoxometalate (POM) self-assembly chemistry are always accompanied by new developments in molecular blocks. The exploration and discovery of uncommon building blocks offer great possibilities for generating unprecedented POM clusters. An intriguing SbIII-WVI-cotemplated antimonotungstate [H2N(CH3)2]11Na[SbW9O33]Er2(H2O)2Sb2[SbWVIW15O57]·22H2O (1) was synthesized, which comprises a classical trivacant Keggin [SbW9O33]9- ({SbW9}) fragment and an unclassical lacunary Dawson-like [SbWVIW15O57]15- ({SbWVIW15}) subunit. Notably, the Dawson-like {SbWVIW15} subunit is the first example of a [SbO3]3- and [WVIO6]6- mixed-heteroatom-directing POM segment. Hexacoordinated [WVIO6]6- can not only serve as the heteroatom function but its additional oxygen sites can also link to lanthanide, main-group metal, and transition-metal centers to form the innovative structure. {SbWVIW15} and {SbW9} subunits are joined by the heterometallic [Er2(H2O)2Sb2O17]22- cluster to give rise to an asymmetric sandwich-type architecture. To further realize its potential application in electrochemical sensing, a conductive 1@rGO composite was obtained by the electrochemical deposition of 1 with graphene oxide (GO). Using a 1@rGO-modified glassy carbon electrode as the working electrode, an electrochemical biosensor for detecting the antidepressant drug paroxetine (PRX) was successfully constructed. This work can provide a viable strategy for synthesizing mixed-heteroatom-directing POMs and demonstrates the application of POM-based materials for the electrochemical detection of drug molecules.

2,5-Thiophenedicarboxylic Acid Bridging Hexameric CeIII-Substituted Selenotungstate and Its Application for Detecting Mucin 1

The development of polyoxometalate chemistry not only is derived from the continuous discovery of novel polyoxometalates (POMs) but also stems from the exploitation of their new functionalities. In this work, we obtained a rigid sulfur-containing heterocyclic ligand-linking aggregate [N(CH3)4]10Na6H6[Ce8(H2O)26W8(HTDA)2(TDA)2O20][SeW4O18]2[SeW9O33]4·112H2O (1) (H2TDA = 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid). Its polyanionic unit consists of one [Ce4(H2O)13W4O10(HTDA)(TDA)O10]18+ cluster and two kinds of Keggin-type [SeW4O18] and [SeW9O33] segments. It is noteworthy that H2TDA ligands not only work as connectors to link two symmetrical {[Ce4(H2O)13W4(HTDA)(TDA)O10][SeW4O18][SeW9O33]2}11- units but also function as ornaments to graft to the polyanionic backbone. Furthermore, 1 and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) were deposited on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by the electropolymerization (EPM) method, resulting in a 1-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (1-PEDOT) composite film, which can provide sufficient binding sites to immobilize Au nanoparticles (Au NPs). Hereafter, the Au NPs-immobilized 1-PEDOT modified electrode (Au/1-PEDOT/GCE) was used to construct an electrochemical aptasensor to detect mucin 1, showing a low detection limit of 29.5 fM in the Tris solution. This work not only demonstrates that rigid heterocyclic ligands are beneficial for the creation of novel rare-earth-substituted selenotungstate hybrids but also provides more enlightenment for POM-based materials used for electrochemical detection of cancer markers.

Cumulative live birth rates following intrauterine insemination using donor and husband sperm in different age groups: A cohort study of 10 415 insemination cycles

OBJECTIVES

To assess the age-specific cumulative live birth rates (CLBRs) in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles using either donor or husband sperm, and to investigate the impact of sperm sources on IUI success among women within the same age group.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study comprised women who underwent IUI with donor sperm (IUI-D) or husband sperm (IUI-H) from 2017 to 2021. The women were stratified based on their age at the initiation of insemination into four categories: <35, 35-37, 38-39 and ≥40 years.

RESULTS

A total of 5253 women undergoing 10 415 insemination cycles (3354 with IUI-D and 7061 with IUI-H) were included. The CLBRs decreased significantly with increasing maternal age within donor and husband insemination groups (P < 0.001). In the IUI-D group, the crude CLBRs were 61.50% in women aged <35, 48.91% in 35-37, 24.14% in 38-39 and 11.76% in the ≥40-year age category, respectively. The corresponding rates in the IUI-H group were 27.62%, 22.96%, 13.73% and 6.90%, respectively. Within the <35 and 35-37-year age categories, the CLBRs were significantly higher following IUI-D cycles compared to IUI-H cycles, with hazard ratios (HR) of 1.85 (1.68-2.04) and 1.69 (1.16-2.47), respectively. However, within the 38-39 and ≥40-year age categories, both IUI-D and IUI-H resulted in comparable low CLBRs, with HRs of 1.91 (0.77-4.76) and 1.80 (0.33-9.86), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Advanced maternal age affects the whole process of fertility. Therefore, it could be reasonable to limit the number of IUI performed in women aged 40 years and older, even in couple using donor sperm for reproduction.

The role of HPV11 E7 in modulating STING-dependent interferon β response in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare benign tumor caused mainly by the infection of the respiratory tract epithelial cells by the human papillomavirus (HPV) type 6/11. However, the specific mechanisms underlying the inhibition of the host's innate immune response by HPV remain unclear. For this purpose, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze the states of various immune cells in RRP samples post-HPV infection and utilized a cellular model of HPV infection to elucidate the mechanisms by which HPV evades the innate immune system in RRP. The results revealed distinct immune cell heterogeneity in RRP and demonstrated that HPV11 E7 can inhibit the phosphorylation of the stimulator of interferon genes protein, thereby circumventing the body's antiviral response. In vitro co-culture experiments demonstrated that stimulation of macrophages to produce interferon-beta induced the death of HPV-infected epithelial cells, also reducing HPV viral levels. In summary, our study preliminarily identifies the potential mechanisms by which HPV evades the host's antiviral immune response, as well as the latent antiviral functions exhibited by activated macrophages. This research serves as an initial exploration of antiviral immune evasion in RRP, laying a solid foundation for investigating immunotherapeutic approaches for the disease.IMPORTANCESurgical tumor reduction is the most common treatment for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). One of the characteristics of RRP is its persistent recurrence, and multiple surgeries are usually required to control the symptoms. Recently, some adjuvant therapies have shown effectiveness, but none of them can completely clear human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and thus, a localized antiviral immune response is significant for disease control; after all, HPV infection is limited to the epithelium. Inhibition of interferon-beta (IFN-β) secretion by HPV11 E7 viral proteins in epithelial cells by affecting stimulator of interferon genes phosphorylation may account for the persistence of low-risk HPV replication in the RRP. Moreover, suppression of the IFN-I pathway in RRP cell types might provide clues regarding the hyporeactive function of local immune cells. However, activation of macrophage groups to produce IFN-β can still destroy HPV-infected cells.

Study on tissue distribution, metabolite profiling, and excretion of [14C]-labeled flonoltinib maleate in rats

Flonoltinib Maleate (FM) is a dual-target inhibitor that selectively suppresses Janus kinase 2/FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (JAK2/FLT3), which is currently in phase I/IIa clinical trial in China for the treatment of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). In this research, we used [14C]-labeled FM (14C-FM) to investigate the distribution, metabolism, and excretion of FM in rats using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry/Radioactivity Monitoring (HPLC-HRMS/RAM) and liquid scintillation counter. The results revealed that FM displayed widespread distribution in rats. Furthermore, FM demonstrated rapid clearance without any observed risk of organ toxicity attributed to accumulation. Profiling of FM metabolites in rat plasma, feces, urine, and bile identified a total of 17 distinct metabolites, comprising 7 phase I metabolites and 10 phase II metabolites. The major metabolic reactions involved oxygenation, dealkylation, methylation, sulfation, glucuronidation and glutathione conjugation. Based on these findings, a putative metabolic pathway of FM in rats was proposed. The overall recovery rate in the excretion experiment ranged from 93.04 % to 94.74 %. The results indicated that FM undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism in SD rats, with the majority being excreted through bile as metabolites and ultimately eliminated via feces. A minor fraction of FM (<10 %) was excreted through renal excretion in the form of urine. Integration of the current results with previous pharmacokinetic investigations of FM in rats and dogs enables a comprehensive elucidation of the in vivo ADME processes and characteristics of FM, thereby establishing a solid foundation for subsequent clinical investigations of FM.

All-in-one strategy for the nano-engineering of paper-based bifunctional fluorescent platform for robustly-integrated real-time monitoring of food and drinking-water safety

Cu2+ contamination and food spoilage raise food and drinking water safety issues, posing a serious threat to human health. Besides, Cu2+ and H2S levels indicate excess Cu2+-caused diseases and protein-containing food spoilage. Herein, a coumarin-containing bifunctional paper-based fluorescent platform integrated with a straightforward smartphone color recognition app is developed by an all-in-one strategy. The proposed fluorescent materials can simultaneously detect Cu2+ and H2S for on-demand food and drinking water safety monitoring at home. Specifically, a coumarin-derived fluorescence sensor (referred to as CMIA) with a low detection limit (0.430 μM) and high-selectivity/-sensitivity for Cu2+ is synthesized through a simple one-step route and then loaded onto commercially used cellulose fiber filter paper to engineer a biomass-based fluorescent material (CMIA-FP). The CMIA-FP offers user-friendly, high-precision, fast-responsive, and real-time visual monitoring of Cu2+. Moreover, CMIA forms a chemically stable complex with Cu2+, loaded onto filter paper to prepare another biomass-based fluorescent platform (CMIA-CU-FP) for visual real-time monitoring of H2S. Based on the exquisite composition design, the proposed dual-function paper-based fluorescent materials equipped with a smartphone color recognition program concurrently realize fast, accurate, and easy real-time monitoring of Cu2+ in drinking water and H2S in chicken breast-/shrimp-spoilage, demonstrating an effective detection strategy for the Cu2+ and H2S monitoring and presenting the new type of biomass-based platforms for concentrated reflection of drinking water and food safety.

[The application of artificial intelligence in prehospital treatment of spinal cord trauma]

The spinal cord trauma induced by production and accidents in the current society has the characteristics of complicated injuries and difficult treatment, which is an important cause of death and disability of the wounded. With the development of computer technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely used in the field of trauma treatment. The application of AI to assist pre-hospital rescue personnel in rapid and accurate identification and emergency treatment of fatal concomitant injuries, the examination of spinal cord function, spinal stabilization, the transport and evacuation of wounded, and supportive treatment can improve the efficiency of spinal cord trauma treatment and reduce the rate of death and disability.

Association between educational attainment and thyroid cancer: evidence from a univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

Thyroid cancer and educational attainment have been related in observational studies. It is unclear if these correlations indicate causative relationships.

METHODS

Using large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets, we conducted an univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess a potential connection between educational attainment and thyroid cancer. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) analysis method is used as our primary outcome. Additionally, we carry out several sensitivity analyses to evaluate the pleiotropy and robustness of the causal estimates.

RESULTS

Univariate MR study shows 4.2 years of additional education is associated with a 41.4% reduction in thyroid cancer risk (OR = 0.586; 95% CI: 0.378-0.909; P = 0.017). Further multivariable MR analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) acted as a partial mediating factor in the protective impact of higher educational attainment against thyroid cancer.

CONCLUSION

This MR study provided genetic evidence that longer education attainment is related to a lower risk of thyroid cancer. Strategies of expanding education may reduce the burden of thyroid cancer in the world.

Nesfatin-1 alleviates hyperoxia-induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) via the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 signaling pathway

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic respiratory disease in newborns, which severely influences the health of infants and lacks effective clinical treatment strategies. The pathogenesis of BPD is correlated to enhanced inflammation and activated oxidative stress (OS). The application of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory treatment could be hot spots for BPD treatment. Nesfatin-1, a peptide with a suppressive property against inflammation, was tested herein for its potential therapeutic value in BPD. Neonatal SD rats were stimulated with hyperoxia, followed by being intraperitoneally administered with 20 μg/kg/day Nesfatin-1 for 2 weeks. Decreased RAC value in lung tissues, increased wet weight/dry weight (W/D) pulmonary ratio and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) proteins, elevated cytokine release in BALF, increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and declined superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were observed in BPD rats, all of which were sharply mitigated by Nesfatin-1. Rat epithelial type II cells (AECIIs) were handled with hyperoxia, and then cultured with 1 and 10 nM Nesfatin-1. Reduced cell viability, elevated lactate dehydrogenase production, elevated cytokine secretion, elevated MDA content, and decreased SOD activity were observed in hyperoxia-handled AECIIs, all of which were markedly alleviated by Nesfatin-1. Furthermore, activated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling observed in both BPD rats and hyperoxia-handled AECIIs were notably repressed by Nesfatin-1. Collectively, Nesfatin-1 alleviated hyperoxia-triggered BPD by repressing inflammation and OS via the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Rev-erbα attenuates refractory periapical periodontitis via M1 polarization: An in vitro and in vivo study

AIM

Rev-erbα has been reported to regulate the healing of inflammatory lesions through its effect on the immune system in a variety of inflammatory disease. Moreover, the balance of macrophages polarization plays a crucial role in immune response and inflammatory progression. However, in refractory periapical periodontitis (RAP), the role of Rev-erbα in inflammatory response and bone resorption by regulating macrophage polarization remains unclarified. The aims of the present study were to investigate the expression of Rev-erbα in experimental RAP and to explore the relationship between Rev-erbα and macrophage polarization through the application of its pharmacological agonist SR9009 into the in vivo and in vitro experiments.

METHODOLOGY

Enterococcus faecalis-induced RAP models were established in SD rats. Histological staining and micro-computed tomography scanning were used to evaluate osteoclastogenesis and alveolar bone resorption. The expression of Rev-erbα and macrophage polarization were detected in the periapical tissues from rats by immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and western blots. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to explore the relationship between Rev-erbα and inflammatory cytokines related to macrophage polarization.

RESULT

Compared to healthy periapical tissue, the expression of Rev-erbα was significantly down-regulated in macrophages from inflammatory periapical area, especially in Enterococcus faecalis-induced periapical lesions, with obvious type-1 macrophage (M1)-like dominance and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, Rev-erbα activation by SR9009 could induce type-2 macrophage (M2)-like polarization in periapical tissue and THP1 cell line, followed by increased secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β. Furthermore, intracanal application of SR9009 reduced the lesion size and promoted the repair of RAP by decreasing the number of osteoclasts and enhancing the formation of mineralized tissue in periapical inflammatory lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

Rev-erbα played an essential role in the pathogenesis of RAP through its effect on macrophage polarization. Targeting Rev-erbα might be a promising and prospective therapy method for the prevention and management of RAP.

New radiofrequency ablation procedure for selective reduction in complicated monochorionic twin or triplet pregnancy using multistep, incremental expansion technique

OBJECTIVE

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the preferred approach for selective reduction in complex monochorionic (MC) multiple pregnancies owing to the ease of operation and minimal invasiveness. To optimize the RFA technique and reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome resulting from the heat-sink effect of RFA therapy, we used an innovative RFA method, in which an electrode needle was expanded incrementally and stepwise. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety profile of this novel multistep incremental expansion RFA method for selective fetal reduction in MC twin and triplet pregnancies.

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of all MC multiple pregnancies undergoing RFA between March 2016 and October 2022 at our center. The multistep RFA technique involved the use of an expandable needle, which was gradually expanded during the RFA procedure until cessation of umbilical cord blood flow was achieved. The needle used for the single-step RFA method was fully extended from the start of treatment.

RESULTS

In total, 132 MC multiple pregnancies underwent selective reduction using RFA, including 50 cases undergoing multistep RFA and 82 cases undergoing single-step RFA. The overall survival rates were not significantly different between the multistep and single-step RFA groups (81.1% vs 72.3%; P = 0.234). Similarly, the rates of preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes within 2 weeks after RFA, procedure-related complications, spontaneous preterm delivery and pathological findings on cranial ultrasound, as well as gestational age at delivery and birth weight, did not differ between the two groups. However, there was a trend towards a prolonged procedure-to-delivery interval following multistep RFA compared with single-step RFA (median, 109 vs 99 days; P = 0.377). Moreover, the fetal loss rate within 2 weeks after RFA in the multistep RFA group was significantly lower than that in the single-step RFA group (10.0% vs 24.4%; P = 0.041). The median ablation time was shorter (5.3 vs 7.8 min; P < 0.001) and the median ablation energy was lower (10.2 vs 18.0 kJ; P < 0.001) in multistep compared with single-step RFA. There were no significant differences in neonatal outcomes following multistep vs single-step RFA.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall survival rates were similar between the two RFA methods. However, the multistep RFA technique was associated with a lower risk of fetal loss within 2 weeks after RFA. The multistep RFA technique required significantly less ablation energy and a shorter ablation time compared with single-step RFA in selective fetal reduction of MC twin and triplet pregnancies. Additionally, there was a trend towards a prolonged procedure-to-delivery interval with the multistep RFA technique. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Global cross-cultural validation of a brief measure for identifying potential suicide risk in 42 countries

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the P4 suicide screener in a multinational sample. The primary goal was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale and investigate its convergent validity by analyzing its correlation with depression, anxiety, and substance use.

STUDY DESIGN

The study design is a cross-sectional self-report study conducted across 42 countries.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, self-report study was conducted in 42 countries, with a total of 82,243 participants included in the final data set.

RESULTS

The study provides an overview of suicide ideation rates across 42 countries and confirms the structural validity of the P4 screener. The findings indicated that sexual and gender minority individuals exhibited higher rates of suicidal ideation. The P4 screener showed adequate reliability, convergence, and discriminant validity, and a cutoff score of 1 is recommended to identify individuals at risk of suicidal behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The study supports the reliability and validity of the P4 suicide screener across 42 diverse countries, highlighting the importance of using a cross-cultural suicide risk assessment to standardize the identification of high-risk individuals and tailoring culturally sensitive suicide prevention strategies.

The effect of combined use of resin infiltration with different bioactive calcium phosphate-based approaches on enamel white spot lesions: An in vitro study

OBJECTIVES

This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the effect of resin infiltration combined with casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate with fluoride (CPP-ACPF) or bioactive glass (BAG) on the stability of enamel white spot lesions (WSLs) treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty-four enamel blocks were prepared from the buccal surfaces of sound human premolars. All enamel blocks were placed in a demineralisation solution for 3 days to establish the artificial enamel WSLs. Enamel blocks with WSLs were randomly divided into three groups (n = 28 each group): RI/B: one-off resin infiltration followed by twice daily BAG treatment; RI/C: one-off resin infiltration followed by twice daily CPP-ACPF treatment; RI: one-off resin infiltration treatment only (as control) and subjected to pH cycling for 7 days. Surface morphology, elemental analysis, crystal characteristics, surface roughness and microhardness of enamel surfaces were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry observation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope and Vickers' hardness testing, respectively.

RESULTS

Mean values of the surface roughness (mean±standard deviation (nm)) were 24.52±5.07, 27.39±5.87 and 34.36±4.55 for groups RI/B, RI/C and RI respectively (p = 0.003). The calcium to phosphate ratios were 1.32±0.16, 1.22±0.26 and 0.69±0.24 for groups RI/B, RI/C and RI respectively (p < 0.001). XRD revealed apatite formation in all three groups. The mean enamel surface microhardness (kg/mm2) of the groups were 353.93±28.49, 339.00±27.32 and 330.38±22.55 for groups RI/B, RI/C and RI respectively (p = 0.216).

CONCLUSIONS

Resin infiltration combined with CPP-ACPF or BAG remineralisation appears to improve the surface properties of WSLs.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The combination of resin infiltration and CPP-ACPF/BAG remineralisation may be a potential treatment for the management of the WSLs.

Optimizing the indication of initial radioiodine oncolytic treatment for metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer by diagnostic 131I scan

AIM

As a classic theranostic radiopharmaceutical, radioiodine (131I) has been utilized in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) for more than 8 decades, and the refinement of its clinical practice has been raised recently. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of a diagnostic (Dx) 131I scan in optimizing the indication of initial radioiodine oncolytic treatment (ROT) for metastatic DTC by predicting therapeutic outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 100 patients (Dx positive, n=29; Dx negative, n=71) were eligible for patient-based analysis. The matching rate was 83.0% between the Dx and the post-therapeutic scans (kappa = 0.648, P<0.001). The biochemical remission rate and structural shrinkage rate induced by the initial ROT in the Dx-positive group were, respectively, greater than those in the Dx-negative group (83.3% vs. 17.4%, P<0.001; 37.9% vs. 4.2%, P<0.001). Notably, the predictive values of positive Dx scans for ROT responsiveness and negative Dx scans for ROT nonresponsiveness reached up to 89.7% and 84.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This Dx scan approach seems viable in characterizing the 131I-avidity of metastatic DTC and plays a pivotal role in optimizing the indication of initial ROT for metastatic DTC.

Sulforaphane inhibits the migration and invasion of BPDE-induced lung adenocarcinoma cells by regulating NLRP12

This study aims to explore the impact and underlying mechanism of sulforaphane (SFN) intervention on the migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma induced by 7, 8-dihydroxy-9, 10-epoxy-benzo (a) pyrene (BPDE). Human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were exposed to varying concentrations of BPDE (0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 μM) and subsequently treated with 5 μM SFN. Cell viability was determined using CCK8 assay, while migration and invasion were assessed using Transwell assays. Lentivirus transfection was employed to establish NLRP12 overexpressing A549 cells. ELISA was utilized to quantify IL-33, CXCL12, and CXCL13 levels in the supernatant, while quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western Blot were used to analyze the expression of NLRP12 and key factors associated with canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways. Results indicated an increase in migratory and invasive capabilities, concurrent with heightened expression of IL-33, CXCL12, CXCL13, and factors associated with both canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways. Moreover, mRNA and protein levels of NLRP12 were decreased in BPDE-stimulated A549 cells. Subsequent SFN intervention attenuated BPDE-induced migration and invasion of A549 cells. Lentivirus-mediated NLRP12 overexpression not only reversed the observed phenotype in BPDE-induced cells but also led to a reduction in the expression of critical factors associated with both canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways. Collectively, we found that SFN could inhibit BPDE-induced migration and invasion of A549 cells by upregulating NLRP12, thereby influencing both canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways.

Gestational weight trajectory and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes among women with gestational diabetes mellitus: A retrospective cohort study

The aim of this study was to explore gestational weight gain (GWG) trajectories and their associations with adverse pregnancy outcomes. A retrospective cohort study including 11,064 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was conducted between 2015 and 2019 in China. The latent class trajectory model was used to identify GWG trajectories, and logistic regression was performed to examine odds ratio (OR) of pregnancy outcomes. Three trajectories of GWG were identified in these 11,604 women with GDM. Trajectory 1: 64.02% of women had sustained moderate GWG throughout pregnancy; Trajectory 2: 17.75% of women showed a high initial GWG but followed by a low GWG from the third trimester until delivery; Trajectory 3: 18.23% had low initial GWG but followed by drastic GWG from the second trimester until delivery. Compared with pregnant women with Trajectory 1, women with Trajectory 2 had a higher risk of large for gestational age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.48) but at a lower risk of having hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (AOR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.57-0.96). Women in Trajectory 3 were more likely to develop small for gestational age (AOR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.62-2.78), low birthweight (AOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.07-2.08), preterm birth (AOR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.05-1.63), caesarean section (AOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.112-1.42) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (AOR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.82-2.76). The association of GWG trajectory with adverse pregnancy outcomes differs across prepregnancy body mass index and GWG categories. Women with a slow initial GWG but followed by drastic GWG had higher risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Early clinical recognition of poor GWG trajectory will contribute to early intervention in high-risk groups to minimise adverse outcomes.

SYN1 variant causes X-linked neurodevelopmental disorders: a case report of variable clinical phenotypes in siblings

The SYN1 gene encodes synapsin I, variants within the SYN1 gene are linked to X-linked neurodevelopmental disorders with high clinical heterogeneity, with reflex epilepsies (REs) being a representative clinical manifestation. This report analyzes a Chinese pedigree affected by seizures associated with SYN1 variants and explores the genotype-phenotype correlation. The proband, a 9-year-old boy, experienced seizures triggered by bathing at the age of 3, followed by recurrent absence seizures, behavioral issues, and learning difficulties. His elder brother exhibited a distinct clinical phenotype, experiencing sudden seizures during sleep at the age of 16, accompanied by hippocampal sclerosis. Whole exome sequencing (WES) confirmed a pathogenic SYN1 variant, c.1647_1650dup (p. Ser551Argfs*134), inherited in an X-linked manner from their mother. Notably, this variant displayed diverse clinical phenotypes in the two brothers and one previously reported case in the literature. Retrospective examination of SYN1 variants revealed an association between truncating variants and the pathogenicity of REs, and non-truncating variants are more related to developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID). In summary, this study contributes to understanding complex neurodevelopmental disorders associated with SYN1, highlighting the clinical heterogeneity of gene variants and emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive genetic analysis in elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of such diseases.

[Risk prediction and function evaluation by T-cell epitope model and expression model of HLA-DPB1 mismatching in unrelated-donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantations]

Objective: To evaluate the risk prediction and assessment function of HLA-DPB1 T-cell epitope (TCE) model and expression model in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (MUD-HSCT) with HLA-DPB1 mismatching. Methods: A total of 364 (182 pairs) potential MUD-HSCT donors and recipients confirmed by HLA high-resolution typing in Shaanxi Blood Center from 2016 to 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Of the 182 recipients, there were 121 males and 61 females with an average age of (26.3±14.2) years. Of the 182 donors, there were 148 males and 34 females with an average age of (33.7±7.5) years. Polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT), next-generation sequencing (NGS) and polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSO) based on LABScan®3D platform were used for high-resolution typing of HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, DQB1, DPB1 gene, and PCR-SBT was used for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing. TCE model and expression model were used to predict and evaluate the HLA-DPB1 mismatch pattern and acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD) risk. Results: A total of 26 HLA-DPB1 alleles and their 3'-UTR rs9277534 SNP genotypes were detected in this study population, and two new alleles HLA-DPB1*1052∶01 and HLA-DPB1*1119∶01 were found and officially named. The overall mismatch rate of HLA-DPB1 in MUD-HSCT donors and recipients was 90.66% (165/182). In TCE model, the HLA-DPB1 mismatch rates of permissible mismatch (PM) and non-permissible mismatch (non-PM) were 47.80% (87/182) and 42.86% (78/182), respectively. The non-PM in GvH direction was 13.73% (25/182), and which in HvG direction was 29.12% (53/182). A total of 73 pairs of donors and recipients in TCE model met the evaluation criteria of expression model. Among of TCE PM group, recipient DP5 mismatches accounted for 34.25% (25/73) were predicted as aGVHD high risk according to expression model. For the TCE non-PM group, both the recipient DP2 mismatches of 6.85% (5/73) and recipient DP5 mismatches of 10.86% (8/73) were predicted to be at high risk for aGVHD. Risk prediction by TCE model and expression model was 27.27% concordant and 16.97% unconcordant. Conclusions: TCE model and expression model are effective tools to predict aGVHD risk of MUD-HSCT. Comprehensive application of the two models is helpful to the hierarchical assessment of HSCT risk.

Fragment growth-based discovery of novel TNIK inhibitors for the treatment of colorectal cancer

Traf2-and Nck-interacting protein kinase (TNIK) plays an important role in regulating signal transduction of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and is considered an important target for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Inhibiting TNIK has potential to block abnormal Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction caused by colorectal cancer mutations. We discovered a series of 6-(1-methyl-1H-imidazole-5-yl) quinoline derivatives as TNIK inhibitors through Deep Fragment Growth and virtual screening. Among them, 35b exhibited excellent TNIK kinase and HCT116 cell inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 6 nM and 2.11 μM, respectively. 35b also shown excellent kinase selectivity, PK profiles, and oral bioavailability (84.64%). At a p. o. dosage of 50 mg/kg twice daily 35b suppressed tumor growth on the HCT116 xenograft model. Taken together, 35b is a promising lead compound of TNIK inhibitors, which merits further investigation.

[Interpretation on genetic tumour syndromes in the 5th WHO classification of paediatric tumours: part Ⅱ]

WHO firstly published the classification of paediatric tumours, in which genetic tumour syndromes were introduced as a separate chapter, covering the clinicopathological features, molecular genetic alterations, and diagnostic criteria of various tumor susceptibility syndromes common in children. This article briefly introduces and interprets 5 hotspot genetic tumour syndromes (neurofibromatosis type 1, naevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis and xeroderma pigmentosum) based on relevant literature, in order to bring new perspectives and insights to pathologists and clinicians.

Influence of intracranial hemorrhage on clinical outcome in acute vertebrobasilar artery occlusion undergoing endovascular treatment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The effect of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) on the outcome of patients with large-vessel occlusion undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT) has mainly focused on the anterior circulation. Knowledge of the relationship between ICH and outcomes in patients with acute vertebrobasilar artery occlusion (VBAO) receiving EVT is limited. We aimed to assess whether ICH is a prognostic marker for acute VBAO following EVT.

METHODS

Patients who underwent EVT for acute VBAO in the acute posterior circulation ischemic stroke (PERSIST) registry were included. All patients were classified as having no or any-ICH. Any-ICH was subdivided into asymptomatic and symptomatic ICH. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between ICH and functional outcomes in patients with acute VBAO after receiving EVT.

RESULTS

Five hundred and forty-seven patients, including 107 patients with ICH (19.6%): 38 (7.0%) and 69 (12.6%) with symptomatic and asymptomatic ICH, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, any-ICH was independently associated with reduced chance of favorable outcome (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.21-0.72, P=0.003), functional independence (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.16-0.52, P<0.001), and excellent outcome (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.75, P=0.008), and increased mortality risk (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.30-3.51, P=0.003). Symptomatic ICH had a similar association. Moreover, asymptomatic ICH was a negative predictor of functional independence (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.17-0.88, P=0.024).

CONCLUSION

Any- and symptomatic ICH were strongly associated with worse clinical outcomes and increased mortality in patients with acute VBAO who underwent EVT. Asymptomatic ICH was an inverse predictor of functional independence.

A Wearable Electrochemical Biosensor Utilizing Functionalized Ti3C2Tx MXene for the Real-Time Monitoring of Uric Acid Metabolite

Wearable, noninvasive sensors enable the continuous monitoring of metabolites in sweat and provide clinical information related to an individual's health and disease states. Uric acid (UA) is a key indicator highly associated with gout, hyperuricaemia, hypertension, kidney disease, and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. However, the detection of UA levels typically relies on invasive blood tests. Therefore, developing a wearable device for noninvasive monitoring of UA concentrations in sweat could facilitate real-time personalized disease prevention. Here, we introduce 1,3,6,8-pyrene tetrasulfonic acid sodium salt (PyTS) as a bifunctional molecule functionalized with Ti3C2Tx via π-π conjugation to design nonenzymatic wearable sensors for sensitive and selective detection of UA concentration in human sweat. PyTS@Ti3C2Tx provides many oxidation-reduction active groups to enhance the electrocatalytic ability of the UA oxidation reaction. The PyTS@Ti3C2Tx-based electrochemical sensor demonstrates highly sensitive detection of UA in the concentration range of 5 μM-100 μM, exhibiting a lower detection limit of 0.48 μM compared to the uricase-based sensor (0.84 μM). In volunteers, the PyTS@Ti3C2Tx-based wearable sensor is integrated with flexible microfluidic sweat sampling and wireless electronics to enable real-time monitoring of UA levels during aerobic exercise. Simultaneously, it allows for comparison of blood UA levels via a commercial UA analyzer. Herein, this study provides a promising electrocatalyst strategy for nonenzymatic electrochemical UA sensor, enabling noninvasive real-time monitoring of UA levels in human sweat and personalized disease prevention.

Low serum total cholesterol levels predict inferior prognosis of patients with POEMS syndrome

Low serum cholesterol levels are associated with increased tumor morbidity and mortality. However, the relationship between serum lipid profile and POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes) is still unclear. The aim of our study was to clarify the importance of the serum lipid profile in predicting the severity and prognosis of patients with POEMS syndrome. Forty-three patients with newly diagnosed POEMS syndrome admitted to the Department of Hematology of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital between August 2013 and February 2023 were selected. They had explicit serum lipid profiles. There were 27 males and 16 females with a median age of 54 years (range, 28-77 years). Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and comparisons between the two groups were performed using the log-rank test. The Cox proportional-hazards model examined risk factors associated with the prognosis of POEMS syndrome. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves assessed the predictive accuracy. 23 (53.5%) patients had low total cholesterol (TC) levels. Low levels of TC were concerned with unfavorable progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.007) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.004), and at the same time, the low circulating TC concentration was an independent risk factor for PFS (p = 0.020) and OS (p = 0.011). Low TC values could improve the risk stratification, especially in high-risk patients. In conclusion, low serum TC levels may predict inferior prognosis in patients with POEMS syndrome; in future clinical application, low TC may be a reliable indicator of prognosis.

[A survey on the current situation of serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels among children aged 2-<7 years of 20 cities in China]

Objective: To investigate serum vitamin A and vitamin D status in children aged 2-<7 years in 20 cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 2 924 healthy children aged 2-<7 years were recruited from September 2018 to September 2019 from 20 cities in China, categorized by age groups of 2-<3 years, 3-<5 years, and 5-<7 years. The demographic and economic characteristics and health-related information of the enrolled children were investigated. Body weight and height were measured by professional staff members. The serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Chi-square test and Logistic regression were applied to analyze the association between vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as well as their underlying impact factors. Results: The age of the 2 924 enrolled children was 4.33 (3.42, 5.17) years. There were 1 726 males (59.03%) and 1 198 females (40.97%). The prevalences of vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency in enrolled children were 2.19% (64/2 924) and 3.52% (103/2 924), respectively, and the insufficiency rates were 29.27% (856/2 924) and 22.20% (649/2 924), respectively. Children with both vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies or insufficiencies were found in 10.50% (307/2 924) of cases. Both vitamin A (χ2=7.91 and 8.06, both P=0.005) and vitamin D (χ2=71.35 and 115.10, both P<0.001) insufficiency rates were higher in children aged 3-<5 and 5-<7 years than those in children aged 2-<3 years. Vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation in the last 3 months was a protective factor for vitamin A and D deficiency and insufficiency, respectively (OR=0.68 and 0.22, 95%CI 0.49-0.95 and 0.13-0.40, both P<0.05). The rates of vitamin A and D insufficiency was higher in children with annual household incomes <60 000 RMB than in those with annual household incomes ≥60 000 RMB (χ2=34.11 and 10.43, both P<0.01). Northwest and Southwest had the highest rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency in children aged 2-<7 yeas, respectively (χ2=93.22 and 202.54, both P<0.001). Conclusions: Among 20 cities in China, children aged 2-<7 years experience high rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency, which are affected by age, family economic level, vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation, and regional economic level. The current results suggest that high level of attention should be paid to vitamin A and vitamin D nutritional status of preschool children.

The effect of micronutrient on thyroid cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study

Background

The effect of micronutrients on thyroid cancer has been studied in observational studies, however, the cause of relationships has not yet been determined. Thyroid cancer was the subject of a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis of micronutrients. Aimed to determine whether micronutrient intake has a causal impact on the chance of developing thyroid cancer.

Methods

We used a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis with two samples. Our circulation levels of Cu, Ir, Zn, Ca, VD, and VC were reflected by genetic variations reported from GWAS in individuals of European ancestry. For the GWAS outcome of thyroid cancer. Sensitivity studies that included MR-Egger, weighted median/mode tests, and a more open selection of variations at a genome-wide sub-significant threshold were added to our inverse-variance weighted (IVW) MR study.

Results

Using the IVW approach, we did not find evidence that any of the micronutrients to thyroid cancer (Cu: odds ratio [OR = 0.88, p = 0.41]; Zn: odds ratio [OR = 0.87, p = 0.40]; Ir: odds ratio [OR = 1.18, p = 0.39]; Ca: odds ratio [OR = 1.12, p = 0.43]; VC: odds ratio [OR = 0.95, p = 0.22]; VD: odds ratio [OR = 0.89, p = 0.04]). The heterogeneity (p > 0.05) and pleiotropy (p > 0.05) testing provided confirmatory evidence for the validity of our MR estimates.

Conclusion

This study does not provide evidence that supplementation with micronutrients including Cu, Ir, Zn, Ca, VD, and VC can prevent thyroid cancer.

Effect of a second-generation motion correction algorithm on image quality and measurement reproducibility of coronary CT angiography in patients with a myocardial bridge and mural coronary artery

AIM

To determine the effect of second-generation motion correction (MC2) on image quality and measurement reproducibility of cardiac CT images in patients with a myocardial bridge and mural coronary artery (MB-MCA) compared to standard (STD) images without motion correction and with first-generation motion correction (MC1).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 66 patients with MB-MCA in the left anterior descending branch who underwent 256-detector CT with single-heartbeat acquisition were included. Images were reconstructed at 45% and 75% R-R intervals using STD, MC1, and MC2 algorithms. Image quality for MB-MCA was assessed by two observers on a four-point scale (1 = poor and 4 = excellent) and compared among STD, MC1, and MC2. Depth and length of MB, lumen area, and minimal diameter of MCA were measured and compared.

RESULTS

At 45% R-R interval, image quality scores were 1.59 ± 0.78, 2.21 ± 0.97, and 3.21 ± 0.62 for MCA, and 2.48 ± 0.79, 2.76 ± 0.75, and 3.58 ± 0.58 for MB with STD, MC1 and MC2, respectively. At 75% R-R interval, these values were 2.26 ± 0.60, 3.03 ± 0.89, and 3.59 ± 0.55 for MCA and 3.00 ± 0.93, 3.17 ± 0.83, and 3.80 ± 0.44 for MB. Although MC1 was superior to STD in displaying MCA, there was no statistical difference between the two algorithms for MB (p>0.05). Compared with STD and MC1, MC2 statistically improved image quality and interpretability for both MCA and MB and had narrower limits in interobserver agreement for measurements at both 45% and 75% R-R intervals.

CONCLUSION

MC2 improves CT image quality and measurement reproducibility in patients with MB-MCA compared to STD and MC1.

Clinical characteristics, outcomes and risk factors for mortality in hospitalized diabetes and chronic kidney disease patients after COVID-19 infection following widespread vaccination

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 poses a significant threat to patients with comorbidities, such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). China experienced a nationwide COVID-19 endemic from December 2022 to January 2023, which is the first occurrence of such an outbreak following China's widespread administration of COVID-19 vaccinations.

METHODS

A total of 338 patients with diabetes and CKD combined with COVID-19 infection between December 7, 2022 and January 31, 2023 were included in this study. The end follow-up date was February 10, 2023. Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox analysis were used to analyze risk factors for death.

RESULTS

During the 50-day median follow-up period, 90 patients in the study cohort died, for a mortality rate of 26.63%. The median age of the study cohort was 74 years, with a male predominance of 74%. During hospitalization, 21% of patients had incident AKI, 17% of patients experienced stroke, and 40% of patients experienced respiratory failure. Cox proportional hazard regression showed that older age, a diagnosis of severe or critically severe COVID-19 infection, incident AKI and respiratory failure, higher level of average values of fasting glucose during hospitalization, UA, and total bilirubin were independent risk factors for death in our multivariate model.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the critical importance of identifying and managing comorbid risk factors for COVID-19, especially among the elderly, in order to optimize clinical outcomes, even after COVID-19 vaccination.

The Raf-like MAPKKKs STY8, STY17, and STY46 negatively regulate Botrytis cinerea resistance by limiting MKK7 protein accumulation in Arabidopsis

Plant diseases, which seriously damage crop production, are in most cases caused by fungal pathogens. In this study, we found that the Raf-like MAPKKKs STY8 (SERINE/THREONINE/TYROSINE KINASE 8), STY17, and STY46 negatively regulate resistance to the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea through jasmonate response in Arabidopsis. Moreover, STY8/STY17/STY46 homologs negatively contribute to chitin signaling. We further identified MKK7 as the MAPKK component interacting with STY8/STY17/STY46 homologs. MKK7 positively contributes to resistance to B. cinerea and chitin signaling. Furthermore, we found that STY8/STY17/STY46 homologs negatively affect the accumulation of MKK7, in accordance with the opposite roles of MKK7 and STY8/STY17/STY46 homologs in defense against B. cinerea. These results provide new insights into the mechanisms precisely regulating plant immunity via Raf-like MAPKKKs.

Hepatitis E virus infection increases the risk of obstetric complications and perinatal adverse outcomes in pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

OBJECTIVE

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection may occur in pregnant women who had chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study aimed to evaluate whether HEV-HBV co-infection increases the risk of obstetric complications and perinatal adverse outcomes in pregnant women.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We investigated the clinical data of 3,251 pregnant women with chronic HBV infection. The obstetric complications and perinatal adverse outcomes were compared between patients with HEV-HBV co-infection and patients who had pure chronic HBV infection.

RESULTS

Of the 3,251 pregnant women with chronic HBV infection, 98 patients (3%) had HEV-HBV co-infection. Compared with healthy controls, there is an increased risk of obstetric complications in pregnant women with pure HEV infection [odds ratio (OR)= 3.99, p < 0.001], pure chronic HBV infection (OR = 2.76, p < 0.001), and HEV-HBV co-infection (OR = 5.41,p < 0.001). The rate of obstetric complications and perinatal adverse outcomes is significantly higher in pregnant women with HEV-HBV co-infection compared with those with pure chronic HBV infection or those with pure HEV infection (all p< 0.05). The HEV-HBV co-infection is the most significant risk factor for perinatal adverse outcomes (OR = 15.47, p < 0.001), followed by pure HEV infection (OR = 10.22, p < 0.001), and pure HBV infection (OR = 5.82, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

HEV infection increases the risk of obstetric complications and perinatal adverse outcomes in pregnant women with chronic HBV infection.

Unveiling the Growth Mechanism of Ordered-Phase within Multimetallic Nanoplates

Tuning the crystal phase of alloy nanocrystals (NCs) offers an alternative way to improve their electrocatalytic performance, but, how heterometals diffuse and form ordered-phase remains unclear. Herein, for the first time, the mechanism for forming tetrametallic ordered-phase nanoplates (NPLs) is unraveled. The observations reveal that the intermetallic ordered-phase nucleates through crystallinity alteration of the seeds and then propagates by reentrant grooves. Notably, the reentrant grooves act as intermediate NCs for ordered-phase, eventually forming intermetallic PdCuIrCo NPLs. These NPLs substantially outperform for oxygen evolution reaction (221 mV at 10 mA cm-2 ) and hydrogen evolution reaction (19 mV at 10 mA cm-2 ) compared to commercial Ir/C and Pd/C catalysts in acidic media. For OER at 1.53 V versus RHE, the PdCuIrCo/C exhibits an enhanced mass activity of 9.8 A mg-1 Pd+Ir (about ten times higher) than Ir/C. For HER at -0. 2 V versus RHE, PdCuIrCo/C shows a remarkable mass activity of 1.06 A mg-1 Pd+Ir , which is three-fold relative to Pd/C. These improvements can be ascribed to the intermetallic ordered-structure with high-valence Ir sites and tensile-strain. This approach enabled the realization of a previously unobserved mechanism for ordered-phase NCs. Therefore, this strategy of making ordered-phase NPLs can be used in diverse heterogeneous catalysis.

Real-world prognostic significance of attaining minimal residual disease negativity in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of minimal residual disease (MRD) in the real-world setting and the interaction between MRD and molecular risk, clinical response and autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT). A retrospective analysis of 275 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients who achieved very good partial remission (VGPR) or better before maintenance were involved. We examined MRD status by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC). At a median follow-up of 37 months (4-88 months), In patients who achieved ≥ VGPR, those with MRD negativity had significantly longer PFS (51 vs. 26 months; P < 0.001) and OS (Not reached: NR vs. 62 months, P < 0.001) than those with MRD positivity. MRD positivity was the independent prognostic factor for PFS with hazard ratios of 2.650 (95% CI 1.755-4.033, P < 0.001) and OS with hazard ratios of 2.122 (95% CI 1.155-3.899, P = 0.015). Achieving MRD negativity was able to ameliorate a poor prognosis associated with genetic high risk. MRD negativity was associated with better PFS regardless of ASCT treatment. MRD status was more predictable for clinical outcome than conventional clinical responses. Moreover, Sustained MRD negativity ≥ 12 or ≥ 24 months improved both PFS and OS. Patients with NDMM who achieved MRD-negative status or sustained MRD negativity had deep remission and improved clinical outcomes regardless of high-risk cytogenetics, ASCT and clinical responses in a real-world setting.

Bacillus velezensis promotes the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria and influences the fermentation quality of whole-plant corn silage

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the promoting effect of a Bacillus velezensis (BV) strain on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and determine its influence on the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of silage.

Methods

Flat colony counting method was used to evaluate the effect of BV on the growth of LAB. Freshly harvested whole-plant corn was inoculated separately with BV and L. plantarum (LP), along with an uninoculated control group (CK), and assessed at 1, 3, 5, 7, 15, and 30 days of ensiling.

Results

The results indicated that BV exhibited a proliferative effect on Weissella confusa, Lactobacillus plantarum L-2, and Pediococcus pentosaceus. And exhibited a more rapid pH reduction in BV-inoculated silage compared with that in CK and LP-inoculated silage during the initial stage of ensiling. Throughout ensiling, the BV and LP experimental groups showed enhanced silage fermentation quality over CK. Additionally, relative to LP-inoculated silage, BV-inoculated silage displayed reduced pH and propionic acid. BV also prolonged aerobic stability under aerobic conditions. The microbial community in BV-inoculated silage showed greater stability than that in LP-inoculated silage. Additionally, Firmicutes and Lactobacillus exhibited more rapid elevation initially in BV versus LP-inoculated silage, but reached comparable levels between the two inoculation groups in the later stage.

Conclusion

In summary, BV enhanced the efficacy and aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage fermentation by stimulating LAB proliferation.

Different Levels of Autophagy Activity in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Are Involved in the Progression of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an age-related lung interstitial disease that occurs predominantly in people over 65 years of age and for which there is a lack of effective therapeutic agents. It has demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) including alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) can perform repair functions. However, MSCs lose their repair functions due to their distinctive aging characteristics, eventually leading to the progression of IPF. Recent breakthroughs have revealed that the degree of autophagic activity influences the renewal and aging of MSCs and determines the prognosis of IPF. Autophagy is a lysosome-dependent pathway that mediates the degradation and recycling of intracellular material and is an efficient way to renew the nonnuclear (cytoplasmic) part of eukaryotic cells, which is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis and is a potential target for regulating MSCs function. Therefore, this review focuses on the changes in autophagic activity of MSCs, clarifies the relationship between autophagy and health status of MSCs and the effect of autophagic activity on MSCs senescence and IPF, providing a theoretical basis for promoting the clinical application of MSCs.

Local Scaffold Diversity-Contributed Generator for Discovering Potential NLRP3 Inhibitors

Deep generative models have become crucial tools in de novo drug design. In current models for multiobjective optimization in molecular generation, the scaffold diversity is limited when multiple constraints are introduced. To enhance scaffold diversity, we herein propose a local scaffold diversity-contributed generator (LSDC), which can be utilized to generate diverse lead compounds capable of satisfying multiple constraints. Compared to the state-of-the-art methods, molecules generated by LSDC exhibit greater diversity when applied to the generation of inhibitors targeting the NOD-like receptor (NLR) family, pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3). We present 12 molecules, some of which feature previously unreported scaffolds, and demonstrate their reasonable docking binding modes. Consequently, the modification of selected scaffolds and subsequent bioactivity evaluation lead to the discovery of two potent NLRP3 inhibitors, A22 and A14, with IC50 values of 38.1 nM and 44.43 nM, respectively. And the oral bioavailability of compound A14 is very high (F is 83.09% in mice). This work contributes to the discovery of novel NLRP3 inhibitors and provides a reference for integrating AI-based generation with wet experiments.

Anoikis and SPP1 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: integrating bioinformatics, cell, and animal studies to explore prognostic biomarkers and PI3K/AKT signaling regulation

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the relevance of anoikis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and identify associated biomarkers and signaling pathways.

METHOD

Unsupervised consensus cluster analysis was employed to categorize IPF patients into subtypes. We utilized Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and Protein-Protein Interaction network construction to identify anoikis-related modules and key genes. A prognostic signature was developed using Lasso and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Single-cell sequencing assessed hub gene expression in various cell types, and both cell and animal experiments confirmed IPF-related pathways.

RESULTS

We identified two distinct anoikis-associated subtypes with differing prognoses. WGCNA revealed essential hub genes, with SPP1 being prominent in the anoikis-related signature. The anoikis-related signature is effective in determining the prognosis of patients with IPF. Single-cell sequencing highlighted significant differences in SPP1 expression, notably elevated in fibroblasts derived from IPF patients. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that SPP1 enhances fibrosis in mouse lung fibroblasts by regulating p27 through the PI3K/Akt pathway.

CONCLUSION

Our research demonstrates a robust prognostic signature associated with anoikis and highlights SPP1 as a pivotal regulator of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in pulmonary fibrosis.

Discovery of 4-amino-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazin-7-one derivatives as potential receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) inhibitors

Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) is an important regulatory factor in the necroptosis signaling pathway, and is considered an attractive therapeutic target for treating multiple inflammatory diseases. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of 4-amino-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrrolo [2,3-d]pyridazin-7-one derivatives as RIPK1 inhibitors. Among them, 13c showed favorable RIPK1 kinase inhibition activity with an IC50 value of 59.8 nM, and high RIPK1 binding affinity compared with other regulatory kinases of necroptosis (RIPK1 Kd = 3.5 nM, RIPK3 Kd = 1700 nM, and MLKL Kd > 30,000 nM). 13c efficiently blocked TNFα-induced necroptosis in both human and murine cells (EC50 = 1.06-4.58 nM), and inhibited TSZ-induced phosphorylation of the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL pathway. In liver microsomal assay studies, the clearance rate and half-life of 13c were 18.40 mL/min/g and 75.33 min, respectively. 13c displayed acceptable pharmacokinetic characteristics, with oral bioavailability of 59.55%. In TNFα-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome, pretreatment with 13c could effectively protect mice from loss of body temperature and death. Overall, these compounds are promising candidates for future optimization studies.

[Epidemiological and clinical features of newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province from 2011 to 2022]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province, so as to provide the evidence for analyzing the causes and formulating targeted control measures of newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases.

METHODS

Individual case investigation forms for advanced schistosomiasis cases were collected from the Sichuan Provincial Epidemic Annual Report System from 2011 to 2022, and patients' demographics, previous medical history and liver parenchymal grading were retrieved. All advanced schistosomiasis cases' medical records were reviewed, and the subtypes of schistosomiasis-endemic villages where the cases' household registration were, floating population, survival and death and time of death were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 321 newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases were found in Sichuan Province from 2011 to 2022, with a male to female ratio of 0.99 to 1. There were 274 cases at ages of over 50 years (85.4%), with the highest proportion seen at ages of 60 to 69 years (87 cases, 27.1%), and splenomegaly was the most common type (180 cases, 56.1%), with no dwarfism type detected. The highest number of cases was reported in 2011 (78 cases), followed by in 2022 (74 cases), and the highest number of cases were reported in Meishan City (199 cases, 62.0%), Dongpo District (131 cases, 40.8%), and hilly subtype areas (136 cases, 42.4%). As of the end of 2022, there were 111 deaths due to advanced schistosomiasis, with the highest number of deaths seen in 2018 (25 deaths), and the highest mortality was seen among patients with the ascites type (41.2%). There were 47 (37.3%), 40 (59.5%) and 4 (23.5%) cases with grade III liver parenchyma among patients with splenomegaly, ascites, and colonic proliferation types, respectively, and there was a significant difference in the grading of III liver parenchyma among three types of patients (H = 12.092, P < 0.05), with more severe liver parenchyma injuries seen among patients with the ascites type than among those with splenomegaly and colonic proliferation type (Z = 24.262 and 44.738, both Padjusted values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There have been newly reported advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province during recent years, and patients with the ascites type should be given a high priority among advanced schistosomiasis cases in Sichuan Province. Intensified clue surveys are needed for early identification and treatment of advanced schistosomiasis cases, so as to increase the survival rate and improve the quality of life.

Identification of high-risk population of pneumoconiosis using deep learning segmentation of lung 3D images and radiomics texture analysis

OBJECTION

The aim of this study is to develop an early-warning model for identifying high-risk populations of pneumoconiosis by combining lung 3D images and radiomics lung texture features.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted, including 600 dust-exposed workers and 300 confirmed pneumoconiosis patients. Chest computed tomography (CT) images were divided into a training set and a test set in a 2:1 ratio. Whole-lung segmentation was performed using deep learning models for feature extraction of radiomics. Two feature selection algorithms and five classification models were used. The optimal model was selected using a 10-fold cross-validation strategy, and the calibration curve and decision curve were evaluated. To verify the applicability of the model, the diagnostic efficiency and accuracy between the model and human interpretation were compared. Additionally, the risk probabilities for different risk groups defined by the model were compared at different time intervals.

RESULTS

Four radiomics features were ultimately used to construct the predictive model. The logistic regression model was the most stable in both the training set and testing set, with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.964 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.950-0.976) and 0.947 (95 %CI, 0.925-0.964). In the training and testing sets, the Brier scores were 0.092 and 0.14, respectively, with threshold probability ranges of 2 %-99 % and 2 %-85 %. These results indicate that the model exhibits good calibration and clinical benefit. The comparison between the model and human interpretation showed that the model was not inferior in terms of diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, the high-risk population identified by the model was diagnosed as pneumoconiosis two years later.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a meticulous and quantifiable method for detecting and assessing the risk of pneumoconiosis, building upon accurate diagnosis. Employing risk scoring and probability estimation, not only enhances the efficiency of diagnostic physicians but also provides a valuable reference for controlling the occurrence of pneumoconiosis.

High-Quality Acousto-Optic Modulators with High Diffraction Efficiency, Polarization Extinction Ratio, and Small Insertion Loss Based on a Novel BaO-TeO2 -WO3 Glass

The Q-switched material and device have attracted extensive attention due to their irreplaceable role in pulsed lasers. In this paper, BaO-TeO2 -WO3 glass (BTW glass) with sound velocity and sound attenuation coefficient of 3422 m-1 s and 0.653 dB cm-1 is successfully selected and fabricated as acousto-optic material. Both free-spaced and fiber-coupled acousto-optic modulation devices based on BTW glass are designed and fabricated. The primary parameters such as diffraction efficiency, polarization extinction ratio, and insertion loss are comparable to or even surpassed that of commercial devices. A 1064 nm pulsed laser is successfully realized with a BTW glass free-spaced acousto-optic modulator. The maximum optical conversion efficiency, the narrowest pulse width, and the maximum single pulse energy of the 1064 nm pulsed laser are 32%, 54 ns, and 242.6 µJ, respectively. Both the device and laser performance indicate that the BTW glass is a remarkable acousto-optic material.

Vegetation-fire feedbacks increase subtropical wildfire risk in scrubland and reduce it in forests

Climate dictates wildfire activity around the world. But East and Southeast Asia are an apparent exception as fire-activity variation there is unrelated to climatic variables. In subtropical China, fire activity decreased by 80% between 2003 and 2020 amid increased fire risks globally. Here, we assessed the fire regime, vegetation structure, fuel flammability and their interactions across subtropical Hubei, China. We show that tree basal area (TBA) and fuel flammability explained 60% of fire-frequency variance. Fire frequency and fuel flammability, in turn, explained 90% of TBA variance. These results reveal a novel system of scrubland-forest stabilized by vegetation-fire feedbacks. Frequent fires promote the persistence of derelict scrubland through positive vegetation-fire feedbacks; in forest, vegetation-fire feedbacks are negative and suppress fire. Thus, we attribute the decrease in wildfire activity to reforestation programs that concurrently increase forest coverage and foster negative vegetation-fire feedbacks that suppress wildfire.

An inflammatory response-related gene signature can predict the prognosis and impact the immune infiltration of multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a highly heterogeneous and incurable disease. Inflammation plays a vital role in cancer genesis and progression. However, the relationship between inflammatory response-related genes (IRRGs) and the prognosis of MM patients remains unknown. We constructed a IRRGs prognosis model by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis. Moreover, clinical multivariate regression was performed to identify clinical implications. Gene set enrichment analysis was implemented to conduct its biological properties. CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm was utilized to calculate the immune cell infiltration in different risk groups. The flow cytometry was utilized to perform protein expression of prognostic gene. A Six-IRRGs (VCAM1, RGS1, KIT, CD81, BLNK, and BIRC3) prognostic risk model was successfully constructed and validated. The risk model was an independent predictor for overall survival. Enrichment analysis revealed autophagy and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways were enriched in the high-risk group. Furthermore, we found CD81 widely impacted on the infiltration of immune cells, especially on monocytes and macrophages2. At last, the role of CD81 in MM was confirmed to be an adverse prognostic factor in clinical. Our study explores the potential application value of IRRGs in MM. These findings may provide new insights into the treatment for MM patients.

Single-nucleus transcriptomic analysis reveals the relationship between gene expression in oligodendrocyte lineage and major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide and imposes a heavy burden on individuals, families and society. Previous studies on MDD predominantly focused on neurons and employed bulk homogenates of brain tissues. This paper aims to decipher the relationship between oligodendrocyte lineage (OL) development and MDD at the single-cell resolution level.

METHODS

Here, we present the use of a guided regularized random forest (GRRF) algorithm to explore single-nucleus RNA sequencing profiles (GSE144136) of the OL at four developmental stages, which contains dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of 17 healthy controls (HC) and 17 MDD cases, generated by Nagy C et al. We prioritized and ordered differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on Nagy et al., which could predominantly discriminate cells in the four developmental stages and two adjacent developmental stages of the OL. We further screened top-ranked genes that distinguished between HC and MDD in four developmental stages. Moreover, we estimated the performance of the GRRF model via the area under the curve value. Additionally, we validated the pivotal candidate gene Malat1 in animal models.

RESULTS

We found that, among the four developmental stages, the onset development of OL (OPC2) possesses the best predictive power for distinguishing HC and MDD, and long noncoding RNA MALAT1 has top-ranked importance value in candidate genes of four developmental stages. In addition, results of fluorescence in situ hybridization assay showed that Malat1 plays a critical role in the occurrence of depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work elucidates the mechanism of MDD from the perspective of OL development at the single-cell resolution level and provides novel insight into the occurrence of depression.

Regulated Cell Death in Endometriosis

Regulated cell death (RCD) represents a distinct mode of cell demise, differing from accidental cell death (ACD), characterized by specific signaling cascades orchestrated by diverse biomolecules. The regular process of cell death plays a crucial role in upholding internal homeostasis, acting as a safeguard against biological or chemical damage. Nonetheless, specific programmed cell deaths have the potential to activate an immune-inflammatory response, potentially contributing to diseases by enlisting immune cells and releasing pro-inflammatory factors. Endometriosis, a prevalent gynecological ailment, remains incompletely understood despite substantial progress in unraveling associated signaling pathways. Its complexity is intricately tied to the dysregulation of inflammatory immune responses, with various RCD processes such as apoptosis, autophagic cell death, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis implicated in its development. Notably, limited research explores the association between endometriosis and specific RCD pathways like pyroptosis and cuproptosis. The exploration of regulated cell death in the context of endometriosis holds tremendous potential for further advancements. This article thoroughly reviews the molecular mechanisms governed by regulated cell death and their implications for endometriosis. A comprehensive understanding of the regulated cell death mechanism in endometriosis has the potential to catalyze the development of promising therapeutic strategies and chart the course for future research directions in the field.

Paper-based fluorescent materials containing on-demand nanostructured brain-cells-inspired AIE self-assembles for real-time visual monitoring of seafood spoilage

Biogenic amines containing NH3 are important indicators for conducting full-scale appraisal of food spoilage and disease diagnosis. However, the currently-used detection methods of NH3 have several limitations such as time-consuming high cost, and inability to provide visual real-time monitoring. Therefore, researchers have attempted to explore strategies for quantitative real-time monitoring of NH3 for food spoilage has attracted widespread attentions. Herein, we developed sustainable, fast response, hypersensitized, user-friendly and molecular-level light-emitting biomass-based materials (AFP-FP) containing on-demand nanostructured brain-cells-inspired aggregation-induced-emission (AIE) self-assembles for real-time visual monitoring of seafood spoilage. The 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-isophthalaldehyde-based AIE probe (AFP) was synthesized using a simple "one-step" route. AFP-FP exhibited high selectivity, sensitivity, repeatable and quantitative recognition (y = 7.292×103x + 7.621×104, R = 0.990) of NH3 with a low detection limit (246 ppb) and fast response (<1 s). Furthermore, we integrated AFP-FP into a user-friendly smartphone color recognition app, enabling its practical application in visual, real-time daylight monitoring of food spoilage.

Cationic fluorescent carbon dots with solution ultra-stability and its rapid/on-site sensing application for HClO

Carbon dots (CDs) as a remarkable fluorescent nanomaterial have the advantages of easy preparation, good photostability and high sensitivity. However, the poor aqueous solution stability of carbon dots largely limited their practical application due to the characteristic of easily forming precipitation for long time storage. Here, a kind of cationic fluorescent carbon dots CDs-P(Ph)3 was designed by introducing a cationic compound, (4-carboxybutyl) triphenyl phosphonium bromide, to construct an electrostatic shell outside the dots. Such electrostatic shell could highly improve carbon dots stability in an aqueous solution to make CDs-P(Ph)3 stable for long-term storage with negligible aggregation. Meanwhile, the sensitivity of CDs-P(Ph)3 for hypochlorous acid (HClO) was also enhanced on the basis of the electron-withdrawing effect of cationic substituents on the surface of carbon dots. The limit of detection of CDs-P(Ph)3 for HClO was as low as ∼0.32 μM. Additionally, the fluorescence of CDs-P(Ph)3 could be rapid quenched by HClO with a quenching efficiency of more than 80% within 30 s. The excellent stability of CDs-P(Ph)3 in an aqueous solution made it suitable for on-site detecting HClO in real samples, such as tap, well and lake water. Such designed fluorescent nanomaterial would provide a practical application pathway for optical sensing detection in environmental samples.