Development of a fluorescent multiplexed lateral flow immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of crustacean allergen tropomyosin, sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein and egg allergen ovalbumin in different matrices and commercial foods

A quantum dot (QD) based multiplexed lateral flow immunoassay (xLFIA) for the simultaneous detection of egg allergen ovalbumin, crustacean allergen tropomyosin (TM) and sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein (SCP) was developed in this study. QD-labeled rabbit anti-ovalbumin, SCP and TM antibodies were applied as fluorescent detection probes. The chromatography system was optimized to reduce the mutual interference of different test lines. Visual and instrumental detection limits of the xLFIA were 0.1 and 0.05 μg/mL for SCP, both 0.05 μg/mL for ovalbumin and both 0.5 μg/mL for TM. As low as 0.10 % crab powder, 0.01 % egg white powder and 0.05 % shrimp powder could be detected in all three model foods using xLFIA. Besides, the xLFIA detection results of 23 of 28 commercial foods were consistent with ingredient labels. These findings indicate that the developed xLFIA is a practical tool for point-of-care detection of egg and crustacean allergens in processed and commercial foods.

Chitosan oligosaccharide accelerates the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes through promoting conjugative plasmid transfer

The dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), especially via plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfer, poses a pervasive threat to global health. Chitosan-oligosaccharide (COS) is extensively utilized in medicine, plant and animal husbandry. However, their impact on microflora implies the potential to exert selective pressure on plasmid transfer. To explore the role of COS in facilitating the dissemination of ARGs via plasmid conjugation, we established in vitro mating models. The addition of COS to conjugation mixtures significantly enhanced the transfer of RP4 plasmid and mcr-1 positive IncX4 plasmid in both intra- and inter-specific. Phenotypic and transcriptome analysis revealed that COS enhanced intercellular contact by neutralizing cell surface charge and increasing cell surface hydrophobicity. Additionally, COS increased membrane permeability by inhibiting the Tol-Pal system, thereby facilitating plasmid conjugative transfer. Furthermore, COS served as the carbon source and was metabolized by E. coli, providing energy for plasmid conjugation through regulating the expression of ATPase and global repressor factor-related genes in RP4 plasmid. Overall, these findings improve our awareness of the potential risks associated with the presence of COS and the spread of bacterial antibiotic resistance, emphasizing the need to establish guidelines for the prudent use of COS and its discharge into the environment.

Unraveling the genetic associations between PD-1/PD-L1 and 13 circulating biomarkers linked to physiological and pathological processes

BACKGROUND

Evidence of the genetic interconnectedness between PD-1/PD-L1 and circulating biomarkers related to physiological and pathological processes is largely unclear. Understanding these genetic links is crucial for gaining insights into the underlying mechanisms and potential implications in cancer immunotherapy.

METHODS

To shed light on potential roles of 90 circulating biomarkers in PD-1/PD-L1, we conducted a comprehensive Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, leveraging genetic data from large-scale genome-wide association studies.

RESULTS

Our results revealed negative associations between EN-RAGE and TRAIL-R2 with PD-1 levels. Additionally, we observed that PD-1 levels were positively associated with TRAIL, VEGF, and ANPEP, indicating their potential role in PD-1 upregulation. Furthermore, our analysis revealed causal associations between several circulating proteins and PD-L1 levels. Thrombomodulin, PSGL-1, TNFSF14, renin, follistatin, β-NGF, KLK6, and MMP-7 demonstrated significant effects on PD-L1 regulation, suggesting their potential inhibitory role in immune checkpoint regulation. Eventually, we confirmed the potential roles of key genes involved in above circulating proteins in influencing the response to immunotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide valuable evidence of the genetic interconnectedness between PD-1/PD-L1 and circulating proteins related to physiological and pathological processes, shedding light on their potential roles in disease progression and therapeutic interventions.

Mechanisms on salt tolerant of Paenibacillus polymyxa SC2 and its growth-promoting effects on maize seedlings under saline conditions

Soil salinity negatively affects microbial communities, soil fertility, and agricultural productivity and has become a major agricultural problem worldwide. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) with salt tolerance can benefit plant growth under saline conditions and diminish the negative effects of salt stress on plants. In this study, we aimed to understand the salt-tolerance mechanism of Paenibacillus polymyxa at the genetic and metabolic levels and elucidate the mechanism of strain SC2 in promoting maize growth under saline conditions. Under salt stress, we found that strain SC2 promoted maize seedling growth, which was accompanied by a significant upregulation of genes encoding for the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, polysaccharide, and fatty acid, the metabolism of purine and pyrimidine, and the transport of osmoprotectants such as trehalose, glycine betaine, and K+ in strain SC2. To further enhance the salt resistance of strain SC2, three mutants (SC2-11, SC2-13, and SC2-14) with higher capacities for salt resistance and exopolysaccharide synthesis were obtained via atmospheric and room-temperature plasma mutagenesis. In saline-alkaline soil, the mutants showed better promoting effect on maize seedlings than wild-type SC2. The fresh weight of maize seedlings was increased by 68.10% after treatment with SC2-11 compared with that of the control group. The transcriptome analysis of maize roots demonstrated that SC2 and SC2-11 could induce the upregulation of genes related to the plant hormone signal transduction, starch and sucrose metabolism, reactive oxygen species scavenging, and auxin and ethylene signaling under saline-alkaline stress. In addition, various transcription factors, such as zinc finger proteins, ethylene-responsive-element-binding protein, WRKY, myeloblastosis proteins, basic helix-loop-helix proteins, and NAC proteins, were up-regulated in response to abiotic stress. Moreover, the microbial community composition of maize rhizosphere soil after inoculating with strain SC2 was varied from the one after inoculating with mutant SC2-11. Our results provide new insights into the various genes involved in the salt resistance of strain SC2 and a theoretical basis for utilizing P. polymyxa in saline-alkaline environments.

Longitudinal impact of perceived harm and addiction on e-cigarette initiation among tobacco-naïve youth: Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study (Waves 1-5)

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the effect of e-cigarette-related harm and addiction perceptions on e-cigarette initiation among US tobacco-naïve adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a longitudinal study.

METHODS

Using data from five waves (2013-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, we created a longitudinal data set for 2775 youth aged 12-17 years who had no prior use of tobacco products at Wave 1. E-cigarette initiation was defined as transitioning from non-use at Wave 1 to ever use in subsequent waves. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the impact of harm and addiction perceptions on e-cigarette initiation.

RESULTS

Our analytic sample comprised 63.1% of youth who had never used tobacco products at Wave 1 and consequently initiated e-cigarette use in subsequent waves. Over time, fewer individuals perceived e-cigarettes as harmless (14.1%-2.1%), whereas more perceived them as likely to cause addiction (53.7%-76.6%). Compared with perceiving e-cigarettes as a lot of harm, those perceiving some harm (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.52), little harm (aHR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.68), or no harm (aHR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.64-2.65) were more likely to initiate e-cigarette use. Demographic factors for initiation included being Black or Hispanic ethnicity (vs White), younger age (12-14 vs15-17 years), and receiving over $20 per week (vs $0) in pocket money, with P-values <0.05. However, in adjusted results, addiction perceptions did not significantly impact e-cigarette initiation (P-values >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Among youth without prior tobacco/nicotine use, perceiving e-cigarettes as having low harm significantly predicted initiation over time. Effective prevention strategies, including targeted risk communication interventions, are essential for discouraging e-cigarette use among youth.

Causal modulation of lipid metabolism may shape the inflammatory microenvironment and potentially augment immunotherapy: a comprehensive genetic landscape revealed by Mendelian randomization analysis

Previous observational and experimental studies have suggested a relationship between statin treatments and the augmentation of immunotherapy effects; however, the causal role of statin usage in promoting antitumor immunity remains largely unexplored. Utilizing large-scale genome-wide association studies, we conducted a Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis to examine the association between genetically proxied inhibition of the gene for 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), a specific target of statins, and 524 immunotherapy-related profiles, encompassing immune cells, inflammatory cytokines, immune checkpoints, and gut microbiota. Our findings indicated a suggestive association between statin therapy and proinflammatory as well as antitumor effects; notably, inhibition of HMGCR demonstrated a robust link with increased susceptibility of various immune cell types, including basophil cells, white blood cells, eosinophil cells, neutrophil cells, activated CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells; furthermore, a causal relationship was observed between statin use and a decrease in terminal CD8+ T cells, granulocytes, monocytes, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells; genetically proxied statin usage was also significantly associated with elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines and immunotherapy-related gut microbiota; importantly, the potential inhibition of HMGCR in influencing the response to immunotherapy was confirmed in the real-world cohorts. This study provides novel insights into the regulatory role of HMGCR inhibition in antitumor immunity, suggesting that strategies targeting HMGCR or lipid regulation may hold therapeutic potential for enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Spexin ameliorated obesity-related metabolic disorders through promoting white adipose browning mediated by JAK2-STAT3 pathway

BACKGROUND

Spexin, a 14 amino acid peptide, has been reported to regulate obesity and its associated complications. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanism. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of spexin on obesity and explore the detailed molecular mechanisms in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS

Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to induce obesity, and mice fed a standard fat diet were used as controls. Then, these mice were treated with SPX or Vehicle by intraperitoneal injection for an additional 12 weeks, respectively. The metabolic profile, fat-browning specific markers and mitochondrial contents were detected. In vitro, 3T3-L1 cells were used to investigate the molecular mechanisms.

RESULTS

After 12 weeks of treatment, SPX significantly decreased body weight, serum lipid levels, and improved insulin sensitivity in HFD-induced obese mice. Moreover, SPX was found to promote oxygen consumption in HFD mice, and it increased mitochondrial content as well as the expression of brown-specific markers in white adipose tissue (WAT) of HFD mice. These results were consistent with the increase in mitochondrial content and the expression of brown-specific markers in 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes. Of note, the spexin-mediated beneficial pro-browning actions were abolished by the JAK2/STAT3 pathway antagonists in mature 3T3-L1 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicate that spexin ameliorates obesity-induced metabolic disorders by improving WAT browning via activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Therefore, SPX may serve as a new therapeutic candidate for treating obesity.

Covert Cerebrovascular Changes in People With Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of silent brain infarction (SBI) and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) in adults with atrial fibrillation (AF), coronary artery disease, heart failure or cardiomyopathy, heart valve disease, and patent foramen ovale (PFO), with comparisons between those with and without recent stroke and an exploration of associations between heart disease and SBI/CSVD.

METHODS

Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched for hospital-based or community-based studies reporting SBI/CSVD in people with heart disease. Data were extracted from eligible studies. Outcomes were SBI (primary) and individual CSVD subtypes. Summary prevalence (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were obtained using random-effects meta-analysis. Pooled prevalence ratios (PRs) (95% CI) were calculated to compare those with heart disease with available control participants without heart disease from studies.

RESULTS

A total of 221 observational studies were included. In those with AF, the prevalence was 36% (31%-41%) for SBI (70 studies, N = 13,589), 25% (19%-31%) for lacune (26 studies, N = 7,172), 62% (49%-74%) for white matter hyperintensity/hypoattenuation (WMH) (34 studies, N = 7,229), and 27% (24%-30%) for microbleed (44 studies, N = 13,654). Stratification by studies where participants with recent stroke were recruited identified no differences in the prevalence of SBI across subgroups (phomogeneity = 0.495). Results were comparable across participants with different heart diseases except for those with PFO, in whom there was a lower prevalence of SBI [21% (13%-30%), 11 studies, N = 1,053] and CSVD. Meta-regressions after pooling those with any heart disease identified associations of increased (study level) age and hypertensives with more SBIs and WMH (pregression <0.05). There was no evidence of a difference in the prevalence of microbleed between those with and without heart disease (PR [95% CI] 1.1 [0.7-1.7]), but a difference was seen in the prevalence of SBI and WMH (PR [95% CI] 2.3 [1.6-3.1] and 1.7 [1.1-2.6], respectively).

DISCUSSION

People with heart disease have a high prevalence of SBI (and CSVD), which is similar in those with vs without recent stroke. More research is required to assess causal links and implications for management.

TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION

PROSPERO CRD42022378272 (crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/).

The correlation of obesity status with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in US Asian adults: NHANES 2011-2018

BACKGROUND

There is a correlation between obesity and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) that tends to be negative. However, this relationship varies among different races. In this study, Asian adults with and without obesity were compared in terms of their levels of 25OHD.

METHODS

We carried out a cross-sectional analysis on 2664 non-Hispanic Asian adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2011 and 2018. To examine the connection between obese status, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and weight, and 25OHD, we ran multivariate linear regression models and multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS

After adjusting for all confounding factors, obesity status shows a significant positive correlation with vitamin D deficiency (model 3: OR = 2.318, 95% CI:1.317, 4.082). This positive correlation remains significant in males (males: OR = 2.713, 95% CI: -13.398, 5.217). In all three models, a negative association was observed between obesity status and 25OHD (model 1: β = -4.535, 95% CI: -6.987, -2.083; model 2 β = -4.249, 95% CI: -6.549, -2.039; model 3 β = -1.734, 95% CI: -7.285, 3.816). After controlling for covariates, there was a significant negative correlation between WC and 25OHD when stratified by gender and obesity status in both males with and without obesity (males with obesity: β = -1.461, 95% CI: -2.485, -0.436; males without obesity: β = -0.855. 95% CI: -1.499, -0.210). In males with obesity, there was a very strong positive connection between body weight and 25OHD (β = 0.912, 95% CI: 0.227, 1.597). In addition, neither gender's obese individuals showed a significant link between BMI and 25OHD.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated a positive correlation between obesity and vitamin D deficiency and a negative correlation between obesity and 25OHD in Asian American adults. Additionally, among male obese individuals, there was a significant negative correlation between WC and 25OHD, an observation that needs to be validated in further prospective studies.

Focus on pemphigus treatment publications: A bibliometric and visual analysis (1992-2022)

Pemphigus is a chronic recurrent disease in dermatology. Although it is not very common, its treatment has been an increasing concern in recent years because it is difficult and long-lasting. At present, there are many papers on pemphigus treatment, and to better understand the research trends and research frontiers of pemphigus treatment, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and analysis. We combined bibliometric and visualization methods to analyze 1365 papers published in the Web of Science database from 1992 to 2022, including basic information about countries, institutions and authors, to gain a general understanding of the treatment of pemphigus. Among them, the United States is the country with the most output, Iran's Tehran University of Medical Sciences is the institution with the most published works, and Ahmed, A. Razzaque of Tufts University is the most influential scholar. In addition, we also learned about the research hotspots and frontiers of pemphigus treatment through a series of analyses on the frequency, clustering, keywords bursts and cited literature, and we briefly reviewed the highly cited literature. We found that the current research focuses in the study of pemphigus treatment are the types, pathogenesis, and treatment of pemphigus, including glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and many other major treatment methods. Hailey-Hailey disease, genetic susceptibility, and traditional Chinese medicine are potential research hotspots. Rituximab is a research frontier. In conclusion, we hope to provide new research ideas for promoting the development of pemphigus treatment.

Building adjustment capacity to cope with running water in cultured grass carp through flow stimulation conditions

The adaptability of cultured fish to complex flow conditions is crucial for their survival after being released into the wild. Running water in natural environments poses significant challenges for the proliferation and release of cultured fish. This study aimed to investigate the effects of flow stimulation on the adjustment capacity of cultured fish to cope with running water. The target fish were cultured grass carp. An annular flume was used to conduct tests on training and control groups. The results demonstrated an enhancement in the adjustment capacity of cultured fish following appropriate flow stimulation training. (1) The trained fish exhibited a heightened preference for low-velocity areas. (2) The trained fish displayed the ability to select a route characterized by low energy consumption, predominantly following the periphery of the low-velocity area. This suggested that an appropriate flow velocity could improve the sensitivity of training fish to water flow information, and their adjustment capacity to cope with running water improved to a certain extent. A higher adjustment capacity allowed them to process flow rate information rapidly and identify a migration strategy with lower energy consumption. This study provides a useful reference for enhancing the survival rate of grass carp through stock enhancement initiatives and contributes to the sustainability of freshwater ecosystems.

Association of the triglyceride-glucose index variability with blood pressure and hypertension: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Several studies have indicated that the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) index is associated with hypertension; however, evidence on the association of change in the TyG index with blood pressure and hypertension is limited.

AIMS

To assess the association of the TyG index with blood pressure and hypertension.

DESIGN

A cohort study.

METHODS

We included 17 977 individuals with a mean age of 60.5 years from the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort. The TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dl)×fasting glucose (mg/dl)/2]. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg, self-reported current use of antihypertensive medication or self-reported physician diagnosis of hypertension.

RESULTS

In the longitudinal analyses, we found a linear dose-response relationship between changes in the TyG index and change in blood pressure. Each one-unit change in the TyG index was associated with a 1.93 (1.23-2.63) mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and a 1.78 (1.42-2.16) mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure (DBP). During a median follow-up of 9.37 years, a total of 3594 individuals were newly diagnosed with hypertension. We also found a linear dose-response relationship between the TyG index and the incidence of hypertension. The hazard ratio (HR) of hypertension for each one-unit increase in the TyG index was 1.21 (1.13-1.29). In addition, the best cut-off point of TyG for predicting hypertension was 8.4797, with sensitivity, and specificity of 57.85% and 55.40%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The TyG index had a positive dose-response relationship with blood pressure and could be used to predict the risk of hypertension.

Elucidating the enhanced role of carbonate radical in propranolol degradation by UV/peroxymonosulfate system

Carbonate radical (CO3•-) has been proved to be an important secondary radical in advanced oxidation processes due to various radical reactions involved HCO3-/CO32-. However, the roles and contributions of CO3•- in organic micropollutant degradation have not been explored systematically. Here, we quantified the impact of CO3•- on the degradation kinetics of propranolol, a representative pollutant in the UV/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system, by constructing a steady-state radical model. Substantially, the measured values were coincident with the predictive values, and the contributions of CO3•- on propranolol degradation were the water matrix-dependent. Propranolol degradation increased by 130% in UV/PMS system containing 10 mM HCO3-, and the contribution of CO3•- was as high as 58%. Relatively high pH values are beneficial for propranolol degradation in pure water containing HCO3-, and the contributions of CO3•- also enhanced, while an inverse phenomenon was shown for the effects of propranolol concentrations. Dissolved organic matter exhibited significant scavenging effects on HO•, SO4•-, and CO3•-, substantially retarding the elimination process. The developed model successfully predicted oxidation degradation kinetics of propranolol in actual sewage, and CO3•- contribution was up to 93%, which in indicative of the important role of CO3•- in organic micropollutant removal via AOPs treatment.

Self-supervised contrastive learning for EEG-based cross-subject motor imagery recognition

Objective. The extensive application of electroencephalography (EEG) in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can be attributed to its non-invasive nature and capability to offer high-resolution data. The acquisition of EEG signals is a straightforward process, but the datasets associated with these signals frequently exhibit data scarcity and require substantial resources for proper labeling. Furthermore, there is a significant limitation in the generalization performance of EEG models due to the substantial inter-individual variability observed in EEG signals.Approach. To address these issues, we propose a novel self-supervised contrastive learning framework for decoding motor imagery (MI) signals in cross-subject scenarios. Specifically, we design an encoder combining convolutional neural network and attention mechanism. In the contrastive learning training stage, the network undergoes training with the pretext task of data augmentation to minimize the distance between pairs of homologous transformations while simultaneously maximizing the distance between pairs of heterologous transformations. It enhances the amount of data utilized for training and improves the network's ability to extract deep features from original signals without relying on the true labels of the data.Main results. To evaluate our framework's efficacy, we conduct extensive experiments on three public MI datasets: BCI IV IIa, BCI IV IIb, and HGD datasets. The proposed method achieves cross-subject classification accuracies of 67.32%, 82.34%, and 81.13%on the three datasets, demonstrating superior performance compared to existing methods.Significance. Therefore, this method has great promise for improving the performance of cross-subject transfer learning in MI-based BCI systems.

Serum albumin levels and risk of atrial fibrillation: a Mendelian randomization study

Objective

Although several observational studies have linked serum albumin to cardiovascular disease and considered it as an important biomarker, little is known about whether increasing or maintaining serum albumin levels can effectively improve the prognosis of patients with atrial fibrillation. Therefore, this study aims to further explore the causal relationship between serum albumin and atrial fibrillation and its potential mechanism.

Method

Using data from large-scale genome-wide association studies, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and a mediation MR analysis, using serum albumin as the exposure variable and atrial fibrillation as the outcome variable. We included 486 serum metabolites as potential mediating factors. To increase the robustness of the analysis, we applied five statistical methods, including inverse variance weighted, weighted median, MR-Egger, simple mode, and weighted mode. Validate the MR results using Bayesian weighted Mendelian randomization method.

Result

The results of the MR analysis indicate a significant inverse association between genetically predicted serum albumin concentration (g/L) and the risk of atrial fibrillation (Beta = -0.172, OR = 0.842, 95% CI: 0.753-0.941, p = 0.002). Further mediation MR analysis revealed that serum albumin may mediate the causal relationship with atrial fibrillation by affecting two serum metabolites, docosatrienoate and oleate/vaccenate, and the mediating effect was significant. In addition, all our instrumental variables showed no heterogeneity and level-multiplicity in the MR analysis. To verify the stability of the results, we also conducted a sensitivity analysis using the leave-one-out method, and the results further confirmed that our findings were robust and reliable. Finally, we conducted a validation using the Bayesian weighted Mendelian randomization method, which demonstrated the reliability of our causal inference results.

Conclusion

This study strongly demonstrates the causal relationship between serum albumin and reduced risk of atrial fibrillation through genetic methods, and reveals the key mediating role of two serum metabolites in this relationship. These findings not only provide a new perspective for our understanding of the role of serum albumin in atrial fibrillation, but also provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment strategies of atrial fibrillation.

Fatigue Behavior and Fracture Surface Analysis of Corroded High-Strength Bridge Cable Wires

Bridge cable wires suffer from alternating stress and environmental erosion, leading to premature failure prior to its design life. This paper investigates the fatigue and mechanical behaviors of corroded bridge cable wires with a zinc-aluminum (Zn-Al) alloy coating. Based on the salt spray corrosion test and microstructure analysis, the anti-corrosion resistance and corrosion appearance characteristics of the Zn-Al alloy coating and galvanized coating were investigated. The Zn-Al alloy coating was superior in resistance to corrosion fatigue for the improvement in toughness and the generation of anti-corrosion Zn-Al and Fe-Zn-Al phases. Equations of the accelerated corrosion depth of the steel wires had been regressed to roughly estimate the corrosion life of the Zn-Al alloy coating, which can reach 29.1 years with a thickness of 70 μm. The fatigue and mechanical properties of the bare wires after the salt spray test were further studied based on tensile tests and fatigue tests. The fatigue properties of the bridge cable wire would decrease with the corrosion degree due to the deterioration and embrittlement of materials, where ductility characterized by the elongation rate was the most affected. Fracture surfaces of the wires were captured and analyzed based on a method for recognizing graphical contours. Insufficient fatigue life may occur in the steel wires after corrosion and increase with the degree of corrosion. The pit depth logarithmically weakened the fatigue life of steel wires for the weakening of fatigue toughness and the bearing area. The flat fracture was more common with a single fatigue source, while multiple fatigue sources led to step-like fractures for the generation of multiple dispersed crack propagation regions. Corrosion fatigue was more sensitive to the existence of fatigue sources than the reduction. Multiple initiation sources significantly reduced the fatigue life due to the cracking facilitation of the joint effect of multiple pits. The electrochemical reactions of corrosion can lead to material embrittlement and a reducing effect on the fracture toughness of the steel wires.

Enhancing Narrative Commonsense Reasoning With Multilevel Causal Knowledge

Narratives is an account of the unfolding of events, along with explanations of how and why these processes and events came to be. To understand narratives, causality has been proven to be especially useful. Causality manifests itself primarily at both the event and sentence levels, offering essential insights into understanding narratives. However, previous works utilize either sentence-level or event-level causalities. In this article, we devise a two-stage approach to fully exploit both levels of causal relationships. In the first stage, by devising posttraining tasks, we inject sentence-level causalities into pretrained language models (PLMs). The causal-enhanced PLMs, which carry sentence-level causalities, can be transferred to downstream tasks. In the second stage, we utilize event causalities to further refine narrative commonsense reasoning. But, the event sparsity problem brings about the difficulty to learn event representations and capture useful causal semantics. To alleviate this problem, we break down events into multiple word components, enabling the retrieval of word-word relations between these components. And it is possible to alleviate the event sparsity problem since word-word relations capture the interplays between event components. Based on the event-level causalities and the word-level relations, we construct the hierarchical knowledge graph (KG) as knowledge ground. A KG-based reasoning process is then employed for narrative commonsense reasoning. Experimental results affirm the effectiveness of our framework.

The change of intimate relationship between people with Alzheimer's disease and their adult child caregivers: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

This study aims to explore the change of intimate relationship between people with Alzheimer's disease and their adult child caregivers as the disease progresses. Twelve adult child caregivers were recruited through purposive sampling. Explanatory phenomenological analysis was conducted to analyse data collected by semi-structured in-depth interviews. This study found a dynamically changing relationship between adult child caregivers and their parents with Alzheimer's disease during care giving that evolved with the progress of the disease. The relationship was the most intimate in the middle stage of the disease for most caregivers and a new reciprocal relationship developed due to caregiving. Caregivers experienced different degrees of self-growth when providing care, though caregiver burdens were common. The positive experience and perception of caregivers were important for improving the quality of life for adult child caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Marker Density and Models to Improve the Accuracy of Genomic Selection for Growth and Slaughter Traits in Meat Rabbits

The selection and breeding of good meat rabbit breeds are fundamental to their industrial development, and genomic selection (GS) can employ genomic information to make up for the shortcomings of traditional phenotype-based breeding methods. For the practical implementation of GS in meat rabbit breeding, it is necessary to assess different marker densities and GS models. Here, we obtained low-coverage whole-genome sequencing (lcWGS) data from 1515 meat rabbits (including parent herd and half-sibling offspring). The specific objectives were (1) to derive a baseline for heritability estimates and genomic predictions based on randomly selected marker densities and (2) to assess the accuracy of genomic predictions for single- and multiple-trait linear mixed models. We found that a marker density of 50 K can be used as a baseline for heritability estimation and genomic prediction. For GS, the multi-trait genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) model results in more accurate predictions for virtually all traits compared to the single-trait model, with improvements greater than 15% for all of them, which may be attributed to the use of information on genetically related traits. In addition, we discovered a positive correlation between the performance of the multi-trait GBLUP and the genetic correlation between the traits. We anticipate that this approach will provide solutions for GS, as well as optimize breeding programs, in meat rabbits.

The Impact of Imaging-Diagnosed Sarcopenia on Long-term Prognosis After Curative Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recent research suggests that sarcopenia potentially influences the long-term postoperative prognosis of malignant tumors. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of imaging-diagnosed sarcopenia on the long-term prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after curative resection.

METHODS

In our approach, all studies incorporated in this study employed Cox proportional hazards models with multivariable adjusted hazard ratios. The meta-analysis was performed using R statistical software. The primary outcomes were quantified using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

This study analyzed 30 studies, involving 7352 HCC patients after curative resection (2695 in the sarcopenia group and 4657 in the non-sarcopenia group). The meta-analysis of 28 studies indicated that patients in the sarcopenia group demonstrated notably inferior overall survival (OS) compared with the non-sarcopenia group (HR=2.20; 95% CI, 1.88-2.58; p < 0.01). Similarly, sarcopenia exhibits a significant association with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) based on 16 and 6 studies (HR=1.50; 95% CI, 1.39-1.63; p < 0.01 and HR=1.96; 95% CI, 1.83-2.10; p < 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, imaging-diagnosed sarcopenia adversely affects the long-term prognosis, including OS, RFS, and DFS, in HCC patients after curative resection. The findings hold considerable importance in guiding comprehensive healthcare procedures for HCC patients after surgery.

Body mass index, frailty, and outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

AIMS

Relationship between body mass index (BMI), frailty, and clinical adverse events remains unclear in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in different patient populations. We aimed to compare the association of BMI, frailty, and clinical adverse events between a US cohort from the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) study and a Chinese cohort from the Heart Failure Registry of Patient Outcomes (HERO) study.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used data of 1715 participants enrolled from America in the TOPCAT study and 1487 patients with HFpEF in the Chinese registry study, the HERO. We evaluated the relationship between BMI and frailty using multivariate restricted cubic spline logistic regression. Association between frailty and BMI categories and primary outcomes including HF hospitalization, aborted sudden death, and cardiovascular death, all-cause mortality, and HF hospitalization were analysed by Cox proportional hazards models. The patients' mean age was 72 ± 11 years for both study populations, with 50% and 46% female for the TOPCAT study and the HERO study, respectively. Patients in the TOPCAT study had a higher mean BMI (33.9 vs. 24 kg/m2), with 72.3% vs. 52.9% defined as moderately to severely frail (frailty index > 0.3). In the TOPCAT study, risk of frailty rose as BMI increased, but not in the HERO study. Patients with frailty were at significant higher risk for the primary composite outcomes [hazard ratio (HR) 1.84 (95% confidence interval: 1.46-2.32)], all-cause mortality [HR 1.73 (1.34-2.25)], and HF hospitalization [HR 1.83 (1.40-2.40)] in the TOPCAT study. The corresponding numbers in the HERO study were 1.26 (1.01-1.57), 2.21 (1.45-3.35), and 1.15 (0.81-1.37), respectively. The association of frailty with clinical outcomes did not vary with BMI categories in the two studies.

CONCLUSIONS

BMI distribution and association between BMI and frailty risk were different between the two study populations. Frailty was associated with clinical adverse events and this association was consistent across different BMI categories in both studies.

Vitamin D inhibits ferroptosis and mitigates the kidney injury of prediabetic mice by activating the Klotho/p53 signaling pathway

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious public health problem worldwide, and ferroptosis is deeply involved in the pathogenesis of DN. Prediabetes is a critical period in the prevention and control of diabetes and its complications, in which kidney injury occurs. This study aimed to explore whether ferroptosis would induce kidney injury in prediabetic mice, and whether vitamin D (VD) supplementation is capable of preventing kidney injury by inhibiting ferroptosis, while discussing the potential mechanisms. High-fat diet (HFD) fed KKAy mice and high glucose (HG) treated HK-2 cells were used as experimental subjects in the current study. Our results revealed that serious injury and ferroptosis take place in the kidney tissue of prediabetic mice; furthermore, VD intervention significantly improved the kidney structure and function in prediabetic mice and inhibited ferroptosis, showing ameliorated iron deposition, enhanced antioxidant capability, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation accumulation. Meanwhile, VD up-regulated Klotho, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression, and down-regulated p53, transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1) and Acyl-Coenzyme A synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) expression. Moreover, we demonstrated that HG-induced ferroptosis is antagonized by treatment of VD and knockdown of Klotho attenuates the protective effect of VD on ferroptosis in vitro. In conclusion, ferroptosis occurs in the kidney of prediabetic mice and VD owns a protective effect on prediabetic kidney injury, possibly by via the Klotho/p53 pathway, thus inhibiting hyperglycemia-induced ferroptosis.

Contribution of High Body Mass Index to the Global Burden of Esophageal Cancer: A Population-Based Study from 1990 to 2019

BACKGROUND

The changing patterns of obesity have had a significant impact on the epidemiology of esophageal cancer (EC).

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the specific burden of EC associated with high body mass index (BMI) across different geographical and Sociodemographic Index (SDI) regions, using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

METHODS

Mortality, age-standardized death rates (ASDR), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2019 were analyzed for 204 countries and territories. Decomposition analysis, frontier and health inequality analyses, and age-period-cohort models were employed to examine the factors driving disease burden and to predict future trends.

RESULTS

High BMI contributed to 89,903.9 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 27,878.9-171,254.6] EC-related deaths, an ASDR of 1.1 (95% UI 0.3-2.1) per 100,000 population, and 2,202,314.1 (681,901.4-4,173,080.3) DALYs in 2019. There was an increasing trend in these figures over the 29-year period. The middle SDI region (31,023.8, 95% UI 9,180.4-62,631.5) and East Asia (36,939.9, 95% UI 9,620.5-81,495) carried the highest burden of EC-related deaths. Disease burden increased across all age groups and genders globally. Population growth was a major factor driving EC deaths across all SDI quintiles. Disparities in disease burden were observed across countries at all development levels. Predictive models indicated a continued increase in EC-related deaths in the next decade.

CONCLUSIONS

The study provided a comprehensive understanding of the global burden of EC associated with high BMI over the past decades. Opportunities exist to reduce this burden at all SDI levels through targeted interventions and policies.

The receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants targets Siglec-9 to decrease its immunogenicity by preventing macrophage phagocytosis

The development of a vaccine specific to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron has been hampered due to its low immunogenicity. Here, using reverse mutagenesis, we found that a phenylalanine-to-serine mutation at position 375 (F375S) in the spike protein of Omicron to revert it to the sequence found in Delta and other ancestral strains significantly enhanced the immunogenicity of Omicron vaccines. Sequence FAPFFAF at position 371-377 in Omicron spike had a potent inhibitory effect on macrophage uptake of receptor-binding domain (RBD) nanoparticles or spike-pseudovirus particles containing this sequence. Omicron RBD enhanced binding to Siglec-9 on macrophages to impair phagocytosis and antigen presentation and promote immune evasion, which could be abrogated by the F375S mutation. A bivalent F375S Omicron RBD and Delta-RBD nanoparticle vaccine elicited potent and broad nAbs in mice, rabbits and rhesus macaques. Our research suggested that manipulation of the Siglec-9 pathway could be a promising approach to enhance vaccine response.

Underwater Thermoacoustic Generation by a Hierarchical Tetrapodal Carbon Nanotube Network

Solid-state fabricated carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets have shown promise as thermoacoustic (TA) sound generators, emitting tunable sound waves across a broad frequency spectrum (1-105 Hz) due to their ultralow specific heat capacity. However, their applications as underwater TA sound generators are limited by the reduced mechanical strength of CNT sheets in aqueous environments. In this study, we present a mechanically robust underwater TA device constructed from a three-dimensional (3D) tetrapodal assembly of carbon nanotubes (t-CNTs). These structures feature a high porosity (>99.9%) and a double-hollowed network of well-interconnected CNTs. We systematically explore the impact of different dimensions of t-CNTs and various annealing procedures on sound generation performance. Furnace-annealed t-CNTs, in contrast to directly resistive Joule heating annealing, provide superior, continuous, and homogeneous hydrophobicity across the surface of bulk t-CNTs. As a result, the t-CNTs-based underwater TA device demonstrates stable, smooth, and broad-spectrum sound generation within the frequency range of 1 × 102 to 1 × 104 Hz, along with a weak resonance response. Furthermore, these devices exhibit enhanced and more stable sound generation performance at nonresonance frequencies compared to regular CNT-based devices. This study contributes to advancing the development of underwater TA devices with characteristics such as being nonresonant, high-performing, flexible, elastically compressible, and reliable, enabling operation across a broad frequency range.

Observation of WWγ Production and Search for Hγ Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The observation of WWγ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} is presented. The observed (expected) significance is 5.6 (5.1) standard deviations. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (one electron and one muon) of opposite charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and a photon. The measured fiducial cross section for WWγ is 5.9±0.8(stat)±0.8(syst)±0.7(modeling)  fb, in agreement with the next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics prediction. The analysis is extended with a search for the associated production of the Higgs boson and a photon, which is generated by a coupling of the Higgs boson to light quarks. The result is used to constrain the Higgs boson couplings to light quarks.

Association Between Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index (PCI) Assessed by CT and Pathological Parameters and Short-Term Prognosis of Rectal Cancer

Objective

The study aimed at explore the correlation between the CT-based Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index (PCI) and pathological parameters of rectal cancer, as well as the correlation with short-term postoperative prognosis.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on 198 rectal cancer patients treated in our institution from January 2017 to December 2022. Based on preoperative CT-PCI, patients were classified into a normal and low CT-PCI groups. Baseline characteristics and short-term postoperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. Univariate and Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to ascertain the independent risk factors for postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ Grade II) following neoadjuvant treatment and radical rectal cancer surgery.

Results

There were significant statistical differences between the two groups regarding age, ASA score, and surgical method (P < .05). Variations in overall postoperative complications and complications of Grade II or higher among patients with differing preoperative CT-PCI were statistically significant (P < .05). No significant statistical difference was found in the time to first liquid intake post-surgery between the preoperative low CT-PCI group and the normal CT-PCI group (P > .05); however, differences in the time to first flatus, duration of postoperative hospital stay, and total hospital expenditure were statistically meaningful (P < .05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that CT-PCI (OR=2.254) was an influential factor for postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ Grade II) (P < .05). The ROC curve demonstrated an AUC of 0.854 for CT-PCI in predicting postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ Grade II).

Conclusion

Preoperative CT-PCI may be utilized to evaluate the short-term prognosis of patients who undergo radical surgery for rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. This evaluation assists in guiding clinical diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making, allowing for prompt interventions and enhancing short-term patient outcomes.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Causal association of obesity with epigenetic aging and telomere length: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

In observational studies, there exists an association between obesity and epigenetic age as well as telomere length. However, varying and partially conflicting outcomes have notably arisen from distinct studies on this topic. In the present study, two-way Mendelian randomization was used to identify potential causal associations between obesity and epigenetic age and telomeres.

METHODS

A genome-wide association study was conducted using data from individuals of European ancestry to investigate bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) regarding the causal relationships between obesity, as indicated by three obesity indicators (body mass index or BMI, waist circumference adjusted for BMI or WCadjBMI, and waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI or WHRadjBMI), and four epigenetic age measures (HannumAge, HorvathAge, GrimAge, PhenoAge), as well as telomere length. To assess these causal associations, various statistical methods were employed, including Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW), Weighted Median, MR Egger, Weighted Mode, and Simple Mode. To address the issue of multiple testing, we applied the Bonferroni correction. These methods were used to determine whether there is a causal link between obesity and epigenetic age, as well as telomere length, and to explore potential bidirectional relationships. Forest plots and scatter plots were generated to show causal associations between exposures and outcomes. For a comprehensive visualization of the results, leave-one-out sensitivity analysis plots, individual SNP-based forest plots for MR analysis, and funnel plots were included in the presentation of the results.

RESULTS

A strong causal association was identified between obesity and accelerated HannumAge, GrimAge, PhenoAge and telomere length shrinkage. The causal relationship between WCadjBMI and PhenoAge acceleration (OR: 2.099, 95%CI: 1.248-3.531, p = 0.005) was the strongest among them. However, only the p-values for the causal associations of obesity with GrimAge, PhenoAge, and telomere length met the criteria after correction using the Bonferroni multiple test. In the reverse MR analysis, there were statistically significant causal associations between HorvathAge, PhenoAge and GrimAge and BMI, but these associations exhibited lower effect sizes, as indicated by their Odds Ratios (ORs). Notably, sensitivity analysis revealed the robustness of the study results.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings reveal a causal relationship between obesity and the acceleration of epigenetic aging as well as the reduction of telomere length, offering valuable insights for further scientific investigations aimed at developing strategies to mitigate the aging process in humans.

[Effect of preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen on postoperative pain after mandibular third molar extraction: a randomized controlled trial]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen on postoperative pain following the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars in a Chinese population, aiming to provide a clinical reference for its application. Methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial was conducted from April 2022 to October 2023 at the Capital Medical University School of Stomatology (40 cases), Beijing TianTan Hospital, Capital Medical University (22 cases), and Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University (20 cases). It included 82 patients with impacted mandibular third molars, with 41 in the ibuprofen group and 41 in the control group. Participants in the ibuprofen group received 300 mg of sustained-release ibuprofen capsules orally 15 min before surgery, while the control group received a placebo. Both groups were instructed to take sustained-release ibuprofen capsules as planned for 3 days post-surgery. Pain intensity was measured using the numerical rating scale at 30 min, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after surgery, and the use of additional analgesic medication was recorded during days 4 to 6 postoperatively. Results: All 82 patients completed the study according to the protocol. No adverse events such as nausea, vomiting, or allergies were reported in either group during the trial. The ibuprofen group exhibited significantly lower pain scores at 4 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 4.0 (3.0, 5.0)] (Z=-3.73, P<0.001), 6 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 5.0(2.5, 6.0)] (Z=-3.38, P<0.001), and 8 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 5.0 (2.0, 6.0)] (Z=-2.11, P=0.035) postoperatively compared to the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in pain scores between the groups at 30 min, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h postoperatively (P>0.05). Additionally, 11 out of 41 patients (26.8%) in the ibuprofen group and 23 out of 41 patients (56.1%) in the control group required extra analgesic medication between days 4 and 6 post-surgery, with the ibuprofen group taking significantly fewer additional pills [0.0 (0.0, 1.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0, 3.0)] (Z=-2.81, P=0.005). Conclusions: A pain management regimen involving 300 mg of oral sustained-release ibuprofen capsules administered 15 minutes before surgery and continued for 3 d postoperatively effectively reduces pain levels and the total amount of analgesic medication used after the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Considering its efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness, ibuprofen is recommended as a first-line drug for perioperative pain management, enhancing patient comfort during diagnosis and treatment in a feasible manner.

Identification of autism spectrum disorder using multiple functional connectivity-based graph convolutional network

Presently, the combination of graph convolutional networks (GCN) with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data is a promising approach for early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the prevalent approach involves exclusively full-brain functional connectivity data for disease classification using GCN, while overlooking the prior information related to the functional connectivity of brain subnetworks associated with ASD. Therefore, in this study, the multiple functional connectivity-based graph convolutional network (MFC-GCN) framework is proposed, using not only full brain functional connectivity data but also the established functional connectivity data from networks of key brain subnetworks associated with ASD, and the GCN is adopted to acquire complementary feature information for the final classification task. Given the heterogeneity within the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) dataset, a novel External Attention Network Readout (EANReadout) is introduced. This design enables the exploration of potential subject associations, effectively addressing the dataset's heterogeneity. Experiments were conducted on the ABIDE dataset using the proposed framework, involving 714 subjects, and the average accuracy of the framework was 70.31%. The experimental results show that the proposed EANReadout outperforms the best traditional readout layer and improves the average accuracy of the framework by 4.32%.

Difference in mortality risk predicted by leukocyte and lymphocyte levels in COVID-19 patients infected with the Wild-type, Delta, and Omicron strains

This study aimed to investigate the changing trends, level differences, and prognostic performance of the leukocyte and lymphocyte levels of patients infected with the Wild strains, Delta strains and Omicron strains to provide a reference for prognostic assessment. In the current study, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to evaluate the changing trends, level differences, and prognostic performance of leukocyte and lymphocyte of different strains at admission and discharge may already exist in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infected with the Wild type, Delta, and Omicron strains. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. We recruited and screened the 243 cases infected with the Wild-type strains in Wuhan, the 629 cases infected with the Delta and 116 cases infected strains with the Omicron strains in Xi'an. The leukocyte and lymphocyte levels were compared the cohort of Wild-type infection with the cohort of Delta and the Omicron. The changes in the levels of leukocytes and lymphocytes exhibit a completely opposite trend in patients with COVID-19 infected with the different strains. The lymphocyte level at admission and discharge in patients with COVID-19 infected with Omicron strains (area under curve [AUC] receiver operating characteristic curve [ROC] 72.8-90.2%, 82.8-97.2%) presented better performance compared patients with COVID-19 infected with Wild type strains (AUC ROC 60.9-80.7%, 82.3-97.2%) and Delta strains (AUC ROC 56.1-84.7%, 40.3-93.3%). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the leukocyte levels above newly established cutoff values and the lymphocyte levels below newly established cutoff values had a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients with Wild-type and Omicron strains (P < .01). The levels of leukocyte and lymphocyte at admission and discharge in patients with COVID-19 infected with the Wild type, Delta, and Omicron strains may be differences among strains, which indicates different death risks. Our research may help clinicians identify patients with a poor prognosis for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.

A real-world pharmacovigilance study investigating the toxicities of histone deacetylase inhibitors

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are emerging as promising treatments for hematological malignancies, with potential applications extending to solid tumors in the future. Given their wide-ranging biological effects, there is a pressing need for a thorough understanding of the toxicities linked to HDAC inhibition. In this study, a pharmacovigilance analysis was conducted using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database. Suspected adverse events linked to HDAC inhibitors were detected through various statistical methodologies, including reporting odds ratio, proportional reporting ratio, information component, and Empirical Bayes Geometric Mean. Our study findings have illuminated that, among the total reported cases examined, gastrointestinal disorders accounted for 13% patients of the cohort, while lymphatic system disorders comprised 8% cases of the cohort, all of which manifested as adverse events induced by HDAC inhibitors. Importantly, the usage of HDAC inhibitors was found to be associated with incidents of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, respiratory failure, hepatic dysfunction, and acute kidney injury. Romidepsin and belinostat demonstrated more pronounced signals of adverse events compared to panobinostat and vorinostat, emphasizing the need for vigilant monitoring of adverse events in this particular population. Furthermore, atrial fibrillation (clinical priority score of 7 points) emerged as the paramount medical event warranting utmost clinical attention. Eventually, multiple adverse events were observe to emerge within the initial and second months following the initiation of treatment. Vigilant monitoring and supportive care strategies are critical in addressing the toxicities associated with HDAC inhibitors, particularly those concerning cardiotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, renal toxicity, and hepatotoxicity.

Cohen syndrome combined with psychiatric symptoms: a case report

BACKGROUND

Cohen syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive inherited condition characterized by pathological changes affecting multiple systems. The extensive clinical variability associated with CS poses a significant diagnostic challenge. Additionally, there is limited documentation on the co-occurrence of CS with psychiatric symptoms.

CASE REPORT

We report a case of a 30-year-old patient exhibiting characteristic physical features and psychiatric symptoms. Whole exome sequencing identified two heterozygous variants, a nonsense variation c.4336 C > T and a missense mutation c.4729G > A. Integrating clinical manifestations with genetic test results, we established the diagnosis of CS combined with psychiatric symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This case introduces a novel missense variant as a candidate in the expanding array of VPS13B pathogenic variants. Its clinical significance remains unknown, and further investigation may broaden the spectrum of pathogenic variants associated with the VPS13B gene. Early diagnosis of CS is crucial for the prognosis of young children and holds significant importance for their families.

Low alkalinity, free ammonia, and free nitrous acid cooperatively stabilize partial nitrification under excessive aeration condition

In this study, a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was established to assess the feasibility of maintaining partial nitrification in treating high-ammonium wastewater under the condition of excessive aeration (1 L/min, 1289 min). Results showed that the average ammonia (NH4+-N) removal efficiency (ARE) was 93.4 ± 2.7% and the average nitrite accumulation ratio (NAR) was 90.7 ± 2.8% during 15-50 d. In a typical cycle, free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA) alternately inhibited the activity of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), while low alkalinity limited further nitrification at even excessive aeration. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the relative abundance of Nitrosomonas, as the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), was up to 1.61%, while NOB were not detected. Taken together, this study indicated partial nitrification was almost not affected by excessive aeration, demonstrating its robustness depending on the cooperative strategy of the low alkalinity limitation and the inhibition of FA and FNA.

Relationship between hemoglobin and lung cancer: evidence from Mendelian randomization and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Hemoglobin (Hb) represents the most widely utilized test parameter in clinical settings. However, few articles have examined the causal relationship between Hb concentration and lung cancer incidence.

METHODS

Mendelian randomization (MR) was first conducted to investigate the potential causality between Hb and lung cancer. Sensitivity analyses were applied to validate the reliability of MR results. Then, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database was used to verify the effect of Hb on the prognosis of lung cancer.

RESULTS

The MR analysis demonstrated that Hb was casually associated with the decreased risk of lung cancer in the European population (ORIVW 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.95, p = 0.006; ORWeighted-median 0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.94, p = 0.008; ORMR-Egger 0.82, 95% CI 0.64-1.04, p = 0.11). The results from the NHANES database showed that a high value of Hb was associated with better outcomes for patients with lung cancer (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.26-0.79, p = 1.6E-03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides further evidence for the relationship between Hb levels and lung cancer, highlighting the potential significance of Hb as a biomarker for predicting the risk and prognosis of lung cancer.

Effect of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND

To evaluate whether cancer modifies the effect of intensive blood pressure control on major cardiovascular outcomes.

METHODS

Using data of the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial), we compared the risk of the composite outcomes of myocardial infarction, other acute coronary syndromes, stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular death in patients with and without a history of cancer. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we tested interactions between history of cancer and intensive blood pressure control on major cardiovascular outcomes.

RESULTS

The study included a total of 9336 patients, with a mean age of 67.9±9.4 years, among whom 2066 (22.2%) were cancer survivors. Over a median follow-up of 3.2 years, 561 primary cardiovascular outcomes were observed. Cancer survivors had a similar risk of experiencing the primary outcome compared with patients without cancer after multivariable adjustment (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.77-1.15]). Intensive blood pressure control reduced risk of the primary cardiovascular outcome similarly for cancer survivors (hazard ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.51-0.97]) and patients without cancer (HR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.63-0.93]; P for interaction 0.74).

CONCLUSIONS

In SPRINT study, intensive blood pressure treatment reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events in cancer survivors to a similar extent to that of patients without cancer. Cancer history not requiring active treatment in last 2 years should not be an obstacle to intensive treatment of hypertension. This post hoc analysis should be considered as hypothesis-generating and merit further clinical trial.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01206062.

High-speed multihull anti-pitching control based on heave velocity and pitch angular velocity estimation

This paper proposes a novel anti-pitching control algorithm based on algebraic model predictive control (AMPC) for high-speed multihull, in which the heave velocity and pitch angular velocity cannot be measured directly. Specifically, a multihull vertical control model is established with the employed anti-pitching appendages, and the uncertainty of the model as well as the coupling between heave and pitch motion are investigated. To address unmeasurable of the heave velocity and pitch angular velocity, a novel kinematics-based Kalman filter is designed to estimate these states online, which is substantially different from the existing works. Then, the AMPC strategy for varying receding-horizon optimization is proposed, which significantly reduces the amount of online calculation. To estimate the lumped uncertainty, the second-order filter data of input and output is used to design a disturbance observer with less parameters, which can perform feed-forward compensation to enhance the robustness. The convergence of the disturbance observer and the closed-loop system is analyzed mathematically. Finally, the advantages of the proposed anti-pitching control approach are demonstrated in both theory and simulation.

Effectiveness of indirect revascularization for adult hemorrhagic moyamoya disease: a 10-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE

The optimal surgical approach for hemorrhagic moyamoya disease (hMMD) continues to be a topic of debate. The authors' prior research demonstrated that both combined and indirect revascularization were efficacious. However, questions remain regarding the long-term prognosis consistency between these two treatments. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the enduring effects of these surgical modalities on adult hMMD, extending the findings of the authors' previous studies.

METHODS

The authors recruited patients diagnosed with hMMD between 2010 and 2015. The patients were categorized into two groups: those who underwent combined revascularization (superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery bypass alongside dural reverse application) and those who underwent indirect revascularization (encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis [EDAS]). The primary and secondary endpoints of this study were instances of rebleeding, confirmed with CT scan, and death resulting from rebleeding, respectively. The authors estimated rebleeding-free and death-free survival rates by utilizing the Kaplan-Meier survival method. They used Cox regression to adjust for confounders and to evaluate the effects of the varying surgical modalities on the endpoints.

RESULTS

After an average follow-up period of 114 months, 35 patients (28.6%) experienced 40 rebleeding events, yielding an average annual incidence of 3.5%. Of the 79 patients who received combined revascularization, 17 (21.5%) experienced rebleeding events. Similarly, of 43 patients who underwent EDAS, 18 (41.9%) experienced rebleeding events (p = 0.018). Most rebleeding instances occurred 61-120 months after surgery (21 patients [60%]), followed by 12-60 months (11 patients [31.4%]). Multivariate survival analysis highlighted significant differences in surgical outcomes (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15-0.74, p = 0.007). The authors observed that 8 patients (10.1%) died of rebleeding events in the combined group, as well as 10 patients (23.3%) in the EDAS group. Despite the lack of a statistically significant difference in mortality (p = 0.051), multivariable survival analysis found a significant difference (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.10-0.97, p = 0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

High rebleeding rates persist in adult hMMD patients, even after revascularization. Combined revascularization proved superior to EDAS in preventing long-term rebleeding. In contrast, EDAS alone did not display a clear effect on reducing long-term rebleeding rates.

Effect of UV irradiation on the densification behavior, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties of low temperature sintering Al2O3 ceramics

In this paper, Al2O3 ceramics co-doped with 0.3 wt%CuO-0.6 wt%TiO2-0.1 wt%MnCO3 (CTM, the same below) were prepared. The effect of CTM and UV irradiation on the sintering behavior, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties have been investigated systematically. The results indicate that the sintering temperature of Al2O3 ceramics could be effectively decreased to about 1200 °C by adding 1 wt% CTM. UV irradiation can further increase the density of the Al2O3 ceramics, improve its microstructure and microwave dielectric properties. By using the Al2O3 powders UV irradiated for 15 min as raw materials, CTM co-doped Al2O3 ceramics can sintered at 1200 °C with a high density of 3.93 g/cm3 and a very high Q × f value of 175,086 GHz.

A group VIIIa ethylene-responsive factor, CmERF4, negatively regulates waterlogging tolerance in chrysanthemum

Ethylene-responsive factors (ERF) play an important role in plant responses to waterlogging stress. However, the function and mechanism of action of ERFVIII in response to waterlogging stress remain poorly understood. In this study, we found that expression of the ERF VIIIa gene CmERF4 in chrysanthemum was induced by waterlogging stress. CmERF4 localized to the nucleus when expressed in tobacco leaves. Yeast two-hybrid and luciferase assays showed that CmERF4 is a transcriptional inhibitor. CmERF4 overexpression in chrysanthemum reduced plant waterlogging tolerance, whereas overexpression of the chimeric activator CmERF4-VP64 reversed its transcriptional activity, promoting higher waterlogging tolerance than that observed in wild-type plants, indicating that CmERF4 negatively regulates waterlogging tolerance. Transcriptome profiling showed that energy metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway-associated genes were differentially expressed between CmERF4-VP64 and wild-type plants. RT-qPCR analysis of selected energy metabolism and reactive oxygen species-related genes showed that the gene expression patterns were consistent with the expression levels obtained from RNA-seq analysis. Overall, we identified new functions of CmERF4 in negatively regulating chrysanthemum waterlogging tolerance by modulating energy metabolism and ROS pathway genes.

Facilitating the Electrochemical Oxidation of ZnS through Iodide Catalysis for Aqueous Zinc-Sulfur Batteries

Aqueous zinc-sulfur (Zn-S) batteries show great potential for unlocking high energy and safety aqueous batteries. Yet, the sluggish kinetic and poor redox reversibility of the sulfur conversion reaction in aqueous solution challenge the development of Zn-S batteries. Here, we fabricate a high-performance Zn-S battery using highly water-soluble ZnI2 as an effective catalyst. In situ experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that the strong interaction between I- and the ZnS nanoparticles (discharge product) leads to the atomic rearrangement of ZnS, weakening the Zn-S bonding, and thus facilitating the electrochemical oxidation reaction of ZnS to S. The aqueous Zn-S battery exhibited a high energy density of 742 Wh kg(sulfur) -1 at the power density of 210.8 W kg(sulfur) -1 and good cycling stability over 550 cycles. Our findings provide new insights about the iodide catalytic effect for cathode conversion reaction in Zn-S batteries, which is conducive to promoting the future development of high-performance aqueous batteries.

EvoAI enables extreme compression and reconstruction of the protein sequence space

Designing proteins with improved functions requires a deep understanding of how sequence and function are related, a vast space that is hard to explore. The ability to efficiently compress this space by identifying functionally important features is extremely valuable. Here, we first establish a method called EvoScan to comprehensively segment and scan the high-fitness sequence space to obtain anchor points that capture its essential features, especially in high dimensions. Our approach is compatible with any biomolecular function that can be coupled to a transcriptional output. We then develop deep learning and large language models to accurately reconstruct the space from these anchors, allowing computational prediction of novel, highly fit sequences without prior homology-derived or structural information. We apply this hybrid experimental-computational method, which we call EvoAI, to a repressor protein and find that only 82 anchors are sufficient to compress the high-fitness sequence space with a compression ratio of 1048. The extreme compressibility of the space informs both applied biomolecular design and understanding of natural evolution.

Causal effects of exposure to ambient air pollution on cancer risk: Insights from genetic evidence

Air pollution has been increasingly linked to cancer risk. However, the genetic causality between air pollution and cancer risk remains poorly understood. To elucidate the potential roles of air pollution (NOx, NO2, PM2.5, PM course, and PM10) in the risk of 18 specific-site cancers, large-scale genome-wide association studies with a novel Mendelian randomization (MR) method were employed. Our MR analyses revealed significant associations between certain air pollutants and specific types of cancer. Specifically, a positive association was observed between NOx exposure and squamous cell lung cancer (OR: 1.96, 95%CI: 1.07-3.59, p = 0.03) as well as esophageal cancer (OR: 1.002, 95%CI: 1.001-1.003, p = 0.005). Genetically predicted NO2 exposure was found to be a risk factor for endometrial cancer (OR 1.41, 95%CI: 1.03-1.94, p = 0.03) and ovarian cancer (OR: 1.49, 95%CI: 1.14-1.95, p = 0.0037). Additionally, genetically predicted PM2.5 exposure was associated with an increased risk of ER+ breast cancer (OR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.03-1.5, p = 0.02) and ER- breast cancer (OR: 2.57, 95%CI: 1.05-6.3, p = 0.04). PM course exposure was identified as a risk factor for glioma (OR: 487.28, 95%CI: 13.08-18,153, p = 0.0008), while PM10 exposure exerted a detrimental effect on mesothelioma (OR: 114.75, 95%CI: 1.14-11,500.11, p = 0.04) and esophageal cancer (OR: 1.01, 95%CI: 1.007-1.02, p = 0.03). These findings underscored the importance of mitigating air pollution to reduce the burden of cancer and highlight the need for further investigations to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in these associations.

Therapeutic effect of Sanhua decoction on rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and the associated changes in gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids

Sanhua decoction (SHD), a traditional prescription, has long been used in treating ischemic stroke (IS). However, the therapeutic effect of SHD and the associated changes in gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are uncertain. In this study, a rat model of IS was established by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). By evaluating the cerebral infarct area and brain tissue pathology, it was found that SHD ameliorated IS-related symptoms in MCAO rats. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we found that SHD reduced abnormally elevated Lactobacillus and opportunistic pathogens such as Desulfovibrio, but increased some beneficial bacteria that produce SCFAs, including Clostridia, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Coprococcus. KEGG analysis revealed that SHD regulates several pathways, including D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, polyketide sugar unit biosynthesis, and cyanoamino acid metabolism, which are significantly altered in MCAO rats. By gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection of SCFAs, we found that fecal acetic acid, valeric acid, and caproic acid were significantly increased in MCAO rats, whereas propionic acid and isobutyric acid were decreased. SHD reversed the changes in acetic acid and propionic acid in the model rats and significantly increased fecal butyric acid. In addition, MCAO rats had significantly higher serum levels of acetic acid, butyric acid, isovaleric acid, and valeric acid, and lower levels of caproic acid. Altered serum levels of butyric acid, isovaleric acid, valeric acid, and caproic acid were restored, and the level of isobutyric acid was reduced after SHD administration. Spearman analysis revealed that cerebral infarct area had a strong correlation with Bifidobacterium, Desulfovibrio, Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillus, acetic acid, valeric acid, and caproic acid. Overall, this study demonstrates for the first time that the effect of SHD on IS may be related to gut microbiota and SCFAs, providing a potential scientific explanation for the ameliorative effect of SHD on IS.

Effects of vitamin D and/or calcium intervention on sleep quality in individuals with prediabetes: a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin D and/or calcium supplementation on sleep quality in individuals with prediabetes.

METHODS

A 24-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in a 212 Chinese population with prediabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups: vitamin D + calcium group (1600 IU/day + 500 mg/day, n = 53), vitamin D group (1600 IU/day, n = 54), calcium group (500 mg/day, n = 51), and control group (placebo, n = 54). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used as the primary outcome to assess sleep quality. Questionnaires and fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and post-intervention for demographic assessment and correlation index analysis.

RESULTS

After a 24-week intervention, a significant difference was observed in serum 25(OH)D concentration among the four groups (P < 0.05), and the total PSQI score in vitamin D + calcium group was lower compared to the preintervention levels. Subgroup analyses revealed improved sleep quality with calcium supplementation (P < 0.05) for specific groups, including women, individuals with a low baseline 25(OH)D level (< 30 ng/mL), and individuals in menopause. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between the extent of change in sleep efficiency scores before and after the calcium intervention and the degree of change in insulin efficiency scores (r = - 0.264, P = 0.007), as well as the magnitude of change in islet beta cell function (r = - 0.304, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The combined intervention of vitamin D and calcium, as well as calcium interventions alone, exhibits substantial potential for improving sleep quality in individuals with prediabetes.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial was registered in August 2019 as ChiCTR190002487.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

[System analysis of the ecological distribution of bacteriophages in hospital wastewater]

Phage therapy is one of the most important tools for the treatment of infections with multi-drug resistant bacteria. Such phages are usually isolated from hospital effluents, however, no systematic study on the distribution of phages in hospital effluents has been conducted so far. The aim of this study was to isolate the corresponding phages of common pathogenic bacteria isolated in the clinic as hosts, so as to assess the ecological distribution of phages in hospital wastewater and to provide a reference for the isolation and application of phages of drug-resistant bacteria in the clinic. A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The 125 pathogenic bacteria (belonging to 16 different strains) isolated from the clinical microbiology laboratory of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from May to June 2023 were selected as the target strains, and the phages corresponding to these strains were isolated and purified from the hospital wastewater by using the double-layer plate sandwich method. At the same time, the distribution of pathogenic bacteria in the same batch of wastewater was analyzed with the help of mNGS sequencing technology, so as to preliminarily investigate the abundance correspondence between pathogenic bacteria and phages in wastewater. The results showed that a total of 56 phage strains were isolated from 125 clinical pathogens as hosts, corresponding to six pathogens, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. All six pathogenic bacteria contained strains with different degrees of drug resistance, with a higher percentage of multi-drug resistant strains in A. baumannii, Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa. The phage acquisition rates of these six pathogens were, in descending order, Escherichia coli (80%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (75%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (70%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (66.67%), Acinetobacter baumannii (36.36%) and Staphylococcus aureus (12.5%). Preliminary mNGS sequencing results showed that the pathogenic bacteria with higher abundance in the batch of effluent were Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella aerogenes, Klebsiella michiganensis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In conclusion, phages of most common clinical Gram-negative pathogens were isolated from hospital wastewater with high isolation rates; however, phages of Gram-positive pathogens were isolated at lower rates, and only phages corresponding to Staphylococcus aureus were isolated in this study. The corresponding mNGS sequencing results showed that the distribution of Gram-negative pathogens in sewage may had a positive correlation with the ecological distribution of phages.