Reducing microplastics in tea infusions released from filter bags by pre-washing method: Quantitative evidences based on Raman imaging and Py-GC/MS

Microplastics released from plastic-based filter bags during tea brewing have attracted widespread attention. Laser confocal micro-Raman and direct classical least squares were used to identify and estimate micron-sized microplastics. Characteristic peaks from pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and nylon 6 were selected to construct curves for quantification submicron-sized microplastics. The results showed that microplastics released from tea bags in the tea infusions ranged from 80 to 1288 pieces (micron-sized) and 0 to 63.755 μg (submicron-sized) per filter bag. Nylon 6 woven tea bags released far fewer microplastics than nonwoven filter bags. In particular, a simple strategy of three pre-washes with room temperature water significantly reduced microplastic residues with removal rates of 76 %-94 % (micron-sized) and 80 %-87 % (submicron-sized), respectively. The developed assay can be used for the quantitative evaluation of microplastics in tea infusions, and the pre-washing reduced the risk of human exposure to microplastics during tea consumption.

Aerobic exercise training engages the canonical wnt pathway to improve pulmonary function and inflammation in COPD

BACKGROUND

We studied whether the exercise improves cigarette smoke (CS) induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in mice through inhibition of inflammation mediated by Wnt/β-catenin-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ signaling.

METHODS

Firstly, we observed the effect of exercise on pulmonary inflammation, lung function, and Wnt/β-catenin-PPARγ. A total of 30 male C57BL/6J mice were divided into the control group (CG), smoke group (SG), low-intensity exercise group (LEG), moderate-intensity exercise group (MEG), and high-intensity exercise group (HEG). All the groups, except for CG, underwent whole-body progressive exposure to CS for 25 weeks. Then, we assessed the maximal exercise capacity of mice from the LEG, MEG, and HEG, and performed an 8-week treadmill exercise intervention. Then, we used LiCl (Wnt/β-catenin agonist) and XAV939 (Wnt/β-catenin antagonist) to investigate whether Wnt/β-catenin-PPARγ pathway played a role in the improvement of COPD via exercise. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6 per group): CG, SG, LiCl group, LiCl and exercise group, XAV939 group, and XAV939 and exercise group. Mice except those in the CG were exposed to CS, and those in the exercise groups were subjected to moderate-intensity exercise training. All the mice were subjected to lung function test, lung histological assessment, and analysis of inflammatory markers in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as detection of Wnt1, β-catenin and PPARγ proteins in the lung tissue.

RESULTS

Exercise of various intensities alleviated lung structural changes, pulmonary function and inflammation in COPD, with moderate-intensity exercise exhibiting significant and comprehensive effects on the alleviation of pulmonary inflammation and improvement of lung function. Low-, moderate-, and high-intensity exercise decreased β-catenin levels and increased those of PPARγ significantly, and only moderate-intensity exercise reduced the level of Wnt1 protein. Moderate-intensity exercise relieved the inflammation aggravated by Wnt agonist. Wnt antagonist combined with moderate-intensity exercise increased the levels of PPARγ, which may explain the highest improvement of pulmonary function observed in this group.

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise effectively decreases COPD pulmonary inflammation and improves pulmonary function. The beneficial role of exercise may be exerted through Wnt/β-catenin-PPARγ pathway.

Intraoperative hypotension during liver transplantation and postoperative outcomes: Retrospective cohort study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Evaluation of the association between intraoperative hypotension (IOH) and important postoperative outcomes after liver transplant such as incidence and severity of acute kidney injury (AKI), MACE and early allograft dysfunction (EAD).

DESIGN

Retrospective, single institution study.

SETTINGS

Operating room.

PATIENTS

1576 patients who underwent liver transplant in our institution between January 2005 and February 2022.

MEASUREMENTS

IOH was measured as the time, area under the threshold (AUT), or time-weighted average (TWA) of mean arterial pressure (MAP) less than certain thresholds (55,60 and 65 mmHg). Associations between IOH exposures and AKI severity were assessed via proportional odds models. The odds ratio from the proportional odds model estimated the relative odds of having higher stage of AKI for higher exposure to IOH. Associations between exposures and MACE and EAD were assessed through logistic regression models. Potential confounding variables including patient baseline and surgical characteristics were adjusted for all models.

MAIN RESULTS

The primary analysis included 1576 surgeries that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of those, 1160 patients (74%) experienced AKI after liver transplant surgery, with 780 (49%), 248(16%), and 132 (8.4%) experiencing mild, moderate, and severe injury, respectively. No significant association between hypotension exposure and postoperative AKI (yes or no) nor severity of AKI was observed. The odds ratios (95% CI) of having more severe AKI were 1.02 (0.997, 1.04) for a 50-mmHg·min increase in AUT of MAP <55 mmHg (P = 0.092); 1.03 (0.98, 1.07) for a 15-min increase in time spent under MAP <55 mmHg (P = 0.27); and 1.24 (0.98, 1.57) for a 1 mmHg increase in TWA of MAP <55 mmHg (P = 0.068). The associations between IOH and the incidence of MACE or EAD were not significant.

CONCLUSION

Our results did not show the association between IOH and investigated outcomes.

Snakehead vesiculovirus (SHVV) leader RNA interacts with host antiviral factors RPS8 and L13a and promotes virus replication

To evade host antiviral response, viruses have evolved to take advantage of their noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Snakehead vesiculovirus (SHVV), a newly isolated fish rhabdovirus from diseased hybrid snakehead, has caused high mortality to the cultured snakehead fish during the past years in China. However, little is known about the mechanisms of its pathogenicity. Our study revealed that overexpression of the 30-nt leader RNA promoted SHVV replication. RNA-protein binding investigation revealed that SHVV leader RNA could interact with host 40S ribosomal protein S8 (RPS8) and 60S ribosomal protein L13a (L13a). Furthermore, we found that SHVV infection upregulated RPS8 and L13a, and in turn, overexpression of RPS8 or L13a inhibited, while knockdown of RPS8 or L13a promoted, SHVV replication, suggesting that RPS8 and L13a acted as host antiviral factors in response to SHVV infection. In addition, our study revealed that RPS8- or L13a-mediated inhibition of SHVV replication could be restored by co-transfection with leader RNA, suggesting that the interaction between leader RNA and RPS8 or L13a might affect the anti-SHVV effects of RPS8 and L13a. Taken together, these results suggest that SHVV leader RNA can interact with the host antiviral factors RPS8 and L13a, and promote SHVV replication. This study provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of the pathogenesis of SHVV and a potential antiviral strategy against SHVV infection.

FOXO3 polymorphisms influence the risk and prognosis of rhabdomyosarcoma in children

Background

Rhabdomyosarcoma(RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children and single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in certain genes influence risk of RMS. Although FOXO3 had been reported in multiple cancers including RMS, the role of FOXO3 polymorphisms in RMS remains unclear. In this case-control study, we evaluated the association of FOXO3 SNPs with RMS risk and prognosis in children.

Methods

Four FOXO3 SNPs(rs17069665 A>G, rs4946936 T>C, rs4945816 C>T and rs9400241 C>A) were genotyped in 110 RMS cases and 359 controls. The associations between FOXO3 polymorphisms and RMS risk were determined by odds ratios(ORs) with 95% confidence intervals(CIs). The associations of rs17069665 and rs4946936 with overall survival in RMS children were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Functional analysis in silico was performed to estimate the probability that rs17069665 and rs4946936 might influence the regulation of FOXO3.

Results

We found that rs17069665 (GG vs. AA+AG, adjusted OR=2.96; 95%CI [1.10-3.32]; P=0.010) and rs4946936 (TC+CC vs. TT, adjusted OR=0.48; 95%CI [0.25-0.90]; P=0.023) were related to the increased and decreased RMS risk, respectively. Besides, rs17069665(P<0.001) and rs4946936(P<0.001) were associated with decreased and increased overall survival in RMS patients, respectively. Functional analysis showed that rs17069665 and rs4946936 might influence the transcription and expression of FOXO3 via altering the bindings to MYC, CTCF, and/or RELA.

Conclusions

This study revealed that FOXO3 polymorphisms influence the RMS susceptibility and prognosis in children, and might altered the expression of FOXO3. FOXO3 polymorphism was suggested as a biomarker for RMS susceptibility and prognosis.

[Therapeutic efficacy analysis of endoscopic combined with serological diagnosis strategy and endoscopic in G1 and G2 gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms]

Objective: To investigate the endoscopic combined serological diagnosis strategy for G1 and G2 gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (G-NENs), and to evaluate the safety, short-term, and long-term efficacy of two endoscopic treatment procedures: endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 100 consecutive patients with G-NENs who were hospitalized at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2011 to October 2023. These patients underwent endoscopic treatment, and propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare clinicopathological characteristics, as well as short-term and long-term efficacy of lesions in the EMR group and ESD group before and after treatment. Results: Among the 100 patients with G-NENs, the median age was 54 years old. Before surgery, 29 cases underwent endoscopic combined serological examination, and 24 of them (82.2%) had abnormally elevated plasma chromogranin A. The combined diagnostic strategy for autoimmune atrophic gastritis (AIG) achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 100%(22/22). A total of 235 G-NEN lesions were included, with 84 in the ESD group and 151 in the EMR group. The median size of the lesions in the ESD group (5.0 mm) was significantly larger than that in the EMR group (2.0 mm, P＜0.001). Additionally, the ESD group had significantly more lesions with pathological grade G2[23.8%(20/84) vs. 1.3%(2/151), P＜0.001], infiltration depth reaching the submucosal layer [78.6%(66/84) vs. 51.0%(77/151), P＜0.001], and more T2 stage compared to the EMR group[15.5%(13/84) vs. 0.7%(1/151), P＜0.001]. After PSM, 49 pairs of lesions were successfully matched between the two groups. Following PSM, there were no significant differences in the en bloc resection rate [100.0%(49/49) vs. 100.0%(49/49)], complete resection rate [93.9%(46/49) vs. 100.0%(49/49)], and complication rate [0(0/49) vs. 4.1%(2/49)] between the two groups. During the follow-up period, no recurrence or distant metastasis was observed in any of the lesions in both groups. Conclusions: The combination of endoscopy and serology diagnostic strategy has the potential to enhance the accuracy of diagnosing G1 and G2 stage G-NENs and their background mucosa. Endoscopic resection surgery (EMR, ESD) is a proven and safe treatment approach for G1 and G2 stage G-NENs.

Revisiting airway epithelial dysfunction and mechanisms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Role of mitochondrial damage

Chronic exposure to environmental hazards causes airway epithelial dysfunction, primarily impaired physical barriers, immune dysfunction, and repair or regeneration. Impairment of airway epithelial function subsequently leads to exaggerated airway inflammation and remodeling, the main features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mitochondrial damage has been identified as one of the mechanisms of airway abnormalities in COPD, which is closely related to airway inflammation and airflow limitation. In this review, we evaluate updated evidence for airway epithelial mitochondrial damage in COPD and focus on the role of mitochondrial damage in airway epithelial dysfunction. In addition, the possible mechanism of airway epithelial dysfunction mediated by mitochondrial damage is discussed in detail, and recent strategies related to airway epithelial-targeted mitochondrial therapy are summarized. Results have shown that dysregulation of mitochondrial quality and oxidative stress may lead to airway epithelial dysfunction in COPD. This may result from mitochondrial damage as a central organelle mediating abnormalities in cellular metabolism. Mitochondrial damage mediates pro-cellular senescence effects due to mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, which effectively exacerbate different types of programmed cell death, participate in lipid metabolism abnormalities, and ultimately promote airway epithelial dysfunction and trigger COPD airway abnormalities. These can be prevented by targeting mitochondrial damage factors and mitochondrial transfer. Thus, because mitochondrial damage is involved in COPD progression as a central factor of homeostatic imbalance in airway epithelial cells, it may be a novel target for therapeutic intervention to restore airway epithelial integrity and function in COPD.

Transcranial direct current stimulation combined with swimming exercise improves the learning and memory abilities of vascular dementia rats by regulating microglia through miR-223-3p/PRMT8

BACKGROUND

Vascular dementia (VD) is the second most common type of dementia worldwide. Previous studies have proven that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has potential applications in relieving cognitive impairment in VD animal models. The purpose of this study was to probe the mechanism by which tDCS combined with swimming exercise improves the learning and memory abilities of VD model rats.

METHOD

The VD rat model was induced using the permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (2-VO) method; tDCS was applied to the rats and then they took part in swimming exercises. Rat memory, platform crossing time, and platform crossing frequency were analyzed via a water maze experiment. Nerve damage in the cortex and hippocampal CA1 area of the rats was observed using Nissl staining. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT - qPCR) were used to determine the expression of related proteins and genes. The levels of oxidative stress were detected by kits.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that VD model rats treated with tDCS combined with swimming exercise exhibited significant improvement in memory, and VD model rats exhibited significantly reduced neuronal loss in the hippocampus, and reduced microglial activation and M1 polarization. tDCS combined with swimming exercise protects VD model rats from oxidative stress through the miR-223-3p/protein arginine methyltransferase 8 (PRMT8) axis and inhibits the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that tDCS combined with swimming exercise improved the learning and memory ability of VD model rats by regulating the expression of PRMT8 through miR-223-3p to affect microglial activation and M1 polarization.

Identification and verification of inflammatory biomarkers for primary Sjögren's syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory infiltration, and dysfunction of the salivary and lacrimal glands. This research aimed to explore the disease pathogenesis and improve the diagnosis and treatment of pSS by mining inflammation-associated biomarkers.

METHODS

Five pSS-related datasets were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Inflammation-associated biomarkers were determined by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machines recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE). Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was implemented to profile the infiltration levels of immune cells. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) verified the expression of biomarkers in clinical samples.

RESULTS

Four genes (LY6E, EIF2AK2, IL15, and CXCL10) were screened as inflammation-associated biomarkers in pSS, the predictive performance of which were determined among three pSS-related datasets (AUC > 0.7). Functional enrichment results suggested that the biomarkers were involved in immune and inflammation-related pathways. Immune infiltration analysis revealed that biomarkers were notably connected with type 2 T helper cells, regulatory T cells which were significantly expressed between pSS and control. TESTOSTERONE and CYCLOSPORINE were predicted to take effect by targeting CXCL10 and IL15 in pSS, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Four inflammation-associated biomarkers (LY6E, EIF2AK2, IL15, and CXCL10) were explored, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms and targeted drugs associated with these biomarkers were preliminarily investigated according to a series of bioinformatics methods based on the online datasets of pSS, which provided a reference for understanding the pathogenesis of pSS. Key Points • Inflammation-associated biomarkers (LY6E, EIF2AK2, IL15, and CXCL10) were firstly identified in Sjögren's syndrome based on LASSO and SVM-RFE analyses. • CXCL10, EIF2AK2 and LY6E were prominently positively correlated with immature B cells, while IL15 were significantly negatively correlated with memory B cells in Sjögren's syndrome. • LY6E, EIF2AK2, IL15, and CXCL10 were significantly more highly expressed in clinical Sjögren's syndrome samples compared to healthy control samples, which was consistent with the analysis results of the GEO database. •LY6E, EIF2AK2, IL15, and CXCL10 might be used as the biomarkers for the treatment and diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome.

Targeted next-generation sequencing of 491 lung cancers in clinical practice: Implications for future detection strategy and targeted therapy

Although lung cancer remains the most common cause of global cancer-related mortality, the identification of oncogenic driver alterations and the development of targeted drugs has dramatically altered the therapeutic landscape. In this retrospective study, we found that 97.7% samples carried at least one mutation in the 25 genes tested in our cohort. 53.6% samples were positive for EGFR mutations, followed by TP53 (41.1%), KRAS (11.8%), ERBB2 (4.3%). EGFR mutations were mainly found in female adenocarcinomas, while TP53 was mainly found in male non-adenocarcinomas. Significant differences can be found in the mutation rate of EGFR (60.9% vs 11.9%), KRAS (12.2% vs 25.0%), STK11 (1.5% vs 11.9%), FGFR3 (2.4% vs 0.0%) and ERBB4 (1.2% vs 6.1%) between adenocarcinoma in our cohort and TCGA-LUAD data (all p < 0.001). What's more, we found that the mutation of EGFR increased significantly from adenocarcinomas in situ (AIS, 21.4%) to microinvasive adenocarcinomas (MIA, 52.4%) and invasive adenocarcinomas (IA, 61.1%), while the mutation of ERBB2 dropped markedly from AIS (21.4%) to MIA (9.5%) and IA (4.1%). At last, comparations between targeted NGS and ARMS-based single gene test in the detection of EGFR showed a 94.6% consistence. In conclusion, targeted NGS can provide a comprehensive mutational profile of lung cancer. Considering the high mutation rate of EGFR in NSCLC of Asian populations, a specialized detection strategy should be conducted.

Lung transcriptomics reveals the underlying mechanism by which aerobic training enhances pulmonary function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Aerobic training is the primary method of rehabilitation for improving respiratory function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in remission. However, the mechanism underlying this improvement is not yet fully understood. The use of transcriptomics in rehabilitation medicine offers a promising strategy for uncovering the ways in which exercise training improves respiratory dysfunction in COPD patients. In this study, lung tissue was analyzed using transcriptomics to investigate the relationship between exercise and lung changes.

METHODS

Mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for 24 weeks, followed by nine weeks of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise, with a control group for comparison. Pulmonary function and structure were assessed at the end of the intervention and RNA sequencing was performed on the lung tissue.

RESULTS

Exercise training was found to improve airway resistance and lung ventilation indices in individuals exposed to cigarette smoke. However, the effect of this treatment on damaged alveoli was weak. The pair-to-pair comparison revealed numerous differentially expressed genes, that were closely linked to inflammation and metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is necessary to confirm the cause-and-effect relationship between the identified biomarkers and the improvement in pulmonary function, as this was not examined in the present study.

Effect of Chitosan and Its Water-Soluble Derivatives on Antioxidant Activity

The antioxidant activity of chitosan (CS) and three water-soluble derivatives was analyzed comparatively by in vitro and in vivo experiments, including hydroxypropyl chitosan (HPCS), quaternary ammonium salt of chitosan (HACC), and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS). The results show that chitosan and its water-soluble derivatives have a scavenging ability on DPPH radicals, superoxide radicals, and hydroxyl radicals, and a reducing ability. A remarkable difference (p < 0.05) was found for HACC and HPCS compared with CS on DPPH radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and reducing ability. The antioxidant ability of the four chitosan samples was in the order of HPCS > HACC > CMCS > CS. Furthermore, antioxidant activity of all samples increased gradually in a concentration-dependent manner. The in vivo result indicates that oral CS and its derivatives samples result in a decrease in lipid peroxides (LPO) and free fatty acids (FFA) levels in serum with an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Especially for the HPCS and HACC groups, the LPO, FFA, and SOD activity in serum was different significantly in comparison with the high-fat controlgroup (HF) (p < 0.05). These results indicate that chitosan and its derivatives can be used as good antioxidants, and the antioxidant activity might be related to the molecular structure of chitosan derivatives.

Fe-MOF/AuNP-based ratiometric electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of deoxynivalenol in grain products

A ratiometric assay was designed to improve the sensitivity and reliability of electrochemical immunosensors for deoxynivalenol (DON) detection. The indicator signal caused by the Fe-based metal-organic framework nanocomposites loaded with gold nanoparticles and the internal reference signal from the [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- in the electrolyte came together at the immunosensor. When immunoreactivity occurred, the indicator signals decreased as the concentration of DON increased, while the internal reference signals increased slightly. The ratio of the indicator signal to the internal reference signal was available for reproducible and sensitive monitoring of DON. The prepared immunosensor showed excellent performance in the range from 0.5 to 5000 pg mL-1, and the detection limit was 0.0166 pg mL-1. The immunosensor achieved satisfactory detection toward DON in spiked and actual samples and has a promising application in the control of DON in grain products.

IKZF3 polymorphisms contribute to the increased risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children

BACKGROUND

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children. IKZF3 (IKAROS family zinc finger 3) is a hematopoietic-specific transcription factor, and it has been validated that it is involved in leukemia. However, the role of IKZF3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) remains unclear. In this case-control study, the authors investigated the association of IKZF3 SNPs with ALL in children.

METHODS

Six IKZF3 reference SNPs (rs9635726, rs2060941, rs907092, rs12946510, rs1453559, and rs62066988) were genotyped in 692 patients who had ALL (cases) and in 926 controls. The associations between IKZF3 polymorphisms and ALL risk were determined using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The associations of rs9635726 and rs2060941 with the risk of ALL were further estimated by using false-positive report probability (FPRP) analysis. Functional analysis in silico was performed to evaluate the probability that rs9635726 and rs2060941 might influence the regulation of IKZF3.

RESULTS

The authors observed that rs9635726C>T (adjusted OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.06-2.11; p = .023) and rs2060941G>T (adjusted OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.24-1.84; p = .001) were related to and increased risk of ALL in the recessive and dominant models, respectively. Furthermore, the associations of both rs9635726 (FPRP = .177) and rs2060941 (FPRP < .001) with ALL were noteworthy in the FPRP analysis. Functional analysis indicated that rs9635726 and rs2060941 might repress the transcription of IKZF3 by disrupting its binding to MLLT1, TAF1, POLR2A, and/or RAD21.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that IKZF3 polymorphisms were associated with increased ALL susceptibility in children and might influence the expression of IKZF3 by disrupting its binding to MLLT1, TAF1, POLR2A, and/or RAD21. IKZF3 polymorphisms were suggested as a biomarker for childhood ALL.

Toxicity comparison of benzophenone-3 and its metabolite benzophenone-8 in different tissues of zebrafish

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) is a commonly used ultraviolet absorber that has the potential to accumulate in organisms, leading to toxicity. Benzophenone-8 (BP-8) is one of the major metabolites of BP-3. In this study, zebrafish were exposed to different concentrations of BP-3 and BP-8 (1 μg/L, 30 μg/L, and 300 μg/L) to investigate their accumulation and toxic effects in various tissues, including zebrafish brain, gut, and liver. The analysis focused on neurotoxicity, oxidative damage, inflammation, and gene expressions. The results showed that both BP-3 and BP-8 accumulated in the tissues, with the highest concentration observed in the gut, followed by the liver and brain. BP-8 exhibited a stronger ability to accumulate. In the brain, exposure to 1 μg/L of BP-3 and BP-8 promoted cortisol production, while higher exposures (30 μg/L and 300 μg/L) inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity and suppressed cortisol production. In the gut, both BP-3 and BP-8 exposures disrupted oxidative stress, inflammatory immunity, and apoptosis functions. In the liver, BP-3 and BP-8 affected hepatic metabolism, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammatory immunity. Comparing gene expression in the brain, gut, and liver, it was found that BP-3 and BP-8 had a lower effect on gene expression in the brain, while the effect on the gut and liver was significantly higher. BP-8 generally had a higher effect than BP-3, which aligns with the observed accumulation pattern. These findings provide valuable insights for the risk assessment of BP-3 and BP-8 in the aquatic environment.

METTL3-Mediated LINC00475 Alternative Splicing Promotes Glioma Progression by Inducing Mitochondrial Fission

Mitochondrial fission promotes glioma progression. The function and regulation mechanisms of lncRNAs in glioma mitochondrial fission are unclear. The expression of LINC00475 and its correlation with clinical parameters in glioma were analyzed using bioinformatics. Then, in vitro and in vivo assays were performed to explore the function of spliced variant LINC00475 (LINC00475-S) in gliomas. To explore the mechanisms, RNA-seq, MeRIP, RIP, pulldown-IP, dCas9-ALKBH5 editing system, LC/MS, and Western blotting were utilized. LINC00475 was confirmed to be overexpressed and with higher frequencies of AS events in gliomas compared to normal brain tissue and was associated with worse prognosis. In vitro and animal tumor formation experiments demonstrated that the effect of LINC00475-S on proliferation, metastasis, autophagy, and mitochondrial fission of glioma cells was significantly stronger than that of LINC00475. Mechanistically, METTL3 induced the generation of LINC00475-S by splicing LINC00475 through m6A modification and subsequently promotes mitochondrial fission in glioma cells by inhibiting the expression of MIF. Pull-down combined LC/MS and RIP assays identified that the m6A recognition protein HNRNPH1 bound to LINC00475 within GYR and GY domains and promoted LINC00475 splicing. METTL3 facilitated HNRNPH1 binding to LINC00475 in an m6A-dependent manner, thereby inducing generation of LINC00475-S. METTL3 facilitated HNRNPH1-mediated AS of LINC00475, which promoted glioma progression by inducing mitochondrial fission. Targeting AS of LINC00475 and m6A editing could serve as a therapeutic strategy against gliomas.

Exosomes of endothelial progenitor cells repair injured vascular endothelial cells through the Bcl2/Bax/Caspase-3 pathway

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of exosomes derived from endothelial progenitor cells (EPC-Exo) on neointimal formation induced by balloon injury in rats. Furthermore, the study aims to investigate the potential of EPC-Exo to promote proliferation, migration, and anti-apoptotic effects of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in vitro. The underlying mechanisms responsible for these observed effects will also be thoroughly explored and analyzed. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was isolated aseptically from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and cultured in complete medium. The cells were then identified using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The EPC-Exo were isolated and confirmed the identities by western-blot, transmission electron microscope, and nanoparticle analysis. The effects of EPC-Exo on the rat carotid artery balloon injury (BI) were detected by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western-blot and qPCR. LPS was used to establish an oxidative damage model of VECs. The mechanism of EPC-Exo repairing injured vascular endothelial cells was detected by measuring the proliferation, migration, and tube function of VECs, actin cytoskeleton staining, TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence, western-blot and qPCR. In vivo, EPC-Exo exhibit inhibitory effects on neointima formation following carotid artery injury and reduce the levels of inflammatory factors, including TNF-α and IL-6. Additionally, EPC-Exo downregulate the expression of adhesion molecules on the injured vascular wall. Notably, EPC-Exo can adhere to the injured vascular area, promoting enhanced endothelial function and inhibiting vascular endothelial hyperplasia Moreover, they regulate the expression of proteins and genes associated with apoptosis, including B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2), Bcl2-associated x (Bax), and Caspase-3. In vitro, experiments further confirmed that EPC-Exo treatment significantly enhances the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of VECs. Furthermore, EPC-Exo effectively attenuate lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced apoptosis of VECs and regulate the Bcl2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway. This study demonstrates that exosomes derived from EPCs have the ability to inhibit excessive carotid intimal hyperplasia after BI, promote the repair of endothelial cells in the area of intimal injury, and enhance endothelial function. The underlying mechanism involves the suppression of inflammation and anti-apoptotic effects. The fundamental mechanism for this anti-apoptotic effect involves the regulation of the Bcl2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway.

SEL1L-HRD1 interaction is required to form a functional HRD1 ERAD complex

The SEL1L-HRD1 protein complex represents the most conserved branch of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD). Despite recent advances in both mouse models and humans, in vivo evidence for the importance of SEL1L in the ERAD complex formation and its (patho-)physiological relevance in mammals remains limited. Here we report that SEL1L variant p.Ser658Pro (SEL1LS658P) is a pathogenic hypomorphic mutation, causing partial embryonic lethality, developmental delay, and early-onset cerebellar ataxia in homozygous mice carrying the bi-allelic variant. Biochemical analyses reveal that SEL1LS658P variant not only reduces the protein stability of SEL1L, but attenuates the SEL1L-HRD1 interaction, likely via electrostatic repulsion between SEL1L F668 and HRD1 Y30 residues. Proteomic screens of SEL1L and HRD1 interactomes reveal that SEL1L-HRD1 interaction is a prerequisite for the formation of a functional HRD1 ERAD complex, as SEL1L is required for the recruitment of E2 enzyme UBE2J1 as well as DERLIN to HRD1. These data not only establish the disease relevance of SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD, but also provide additional insight into the formation of a functional HRD1 ERAD complex.

[Research advances in immunosenescence and inflammation in lung diseases]

The world's population is ageing at a rate unprecedented in human history. As the number of older people increases, so does the prevalence of lung disease in the elderly, making it essential to understand the pathophysiology of elderly patients with lung disease. Age-related changes in immune system function and lung parenchyma occur throughout a person's life. Immunosenescence refers to the tendency for innate and adaptive immunity to decline in the elderly. As we age, changes in the innate and adaptive immune systems can lead to dysregulation and reduced immune function. A low-level chronic inflammatory state is known as inflamm-aging and is driven by immunosenescence. This review discusses the role of immunosenescence and inflamm-aging in pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and lung infections. Understanding the different manifestations of lung diseases between the elderly and the young, finding new therapeutic sites, or improving clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients will provide clinicians with new ideas.

[Application of modified urethral separation method in artificial urethral sphincter implantation and its influence on intraoperative urethral pressure profilometry]

Objective: To explore the application of modified urethral separation method in artificial urethral sphincter (AUS) implantation in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and its influence on the results of urethral pressure profilometry. Methods: A prospective collection of clinical data was conducted on 25 patients with stress urinary incontinence who underwent modified urethral separation method in AUS implantation and underwent urethral pressure profilometry in Beijing Hospital, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and the Second Hospital Affiliated to Tianjin Medical University from March 2019 to June 2023. The improved urethral separation method was to borrow part of the white membrane tissue of the cavernous body while freeing the dorsal side of the cavernous body of the urethra. The circumference of the urethra, sleeve size, and urethral pressure were recorded, the patient's autonomous urinary control before and after surgery and the changes of the international consultation on incontinence questionnaire-short form (ICI-Q-SF) score, incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QoL) score, urinary frequency score, nocturia score were compared. Follow-up was conducted in the clinic or by telephone at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after activation of the device, and once a year thereafter. Local skin status and urine control were assessed, residual urine volume was measured by ultrasound and subjective score scale was completed. Results: All patients were male, aged 27-85 (65.8±15.7) years old. The circumference of the cuff used in this study was 4.0 cm in 4 patients (16.0%), 4.5 cm in 16 patients (64.0%), 5.0 cm in 4 patients (16.0%), and 5.5 cm in 1 patient (4.0%). Among them, the urethral circumference matched the cuff size in 14 cases (56.0%), the urethral circumference was smaller than the cuff size in 4 cases (16.0%), and the urethral circumference was larger than the cuff size in 7 cases (28.0%). Preoperative urodynamic examination showed that the maximum urethral pressure (MUP) was (78.0±25.9) cmH2O, (1 cmH2O=0.098 kPa) and the maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) was (53.4±26.6) cmH2O. The MUP of AUS device in the inactivated state was (88.0±26.5) cmH2O, which was not significantly higher than that before operation (P>0.05). The MUCP was (68.2±24.5) cmH2O, which was significantly higher than that before operation (P<0.05). The MUP and MUCP of the AUS device in the activated state were (146.6±25.2) cmH2O and (123.0±28.3) cmH2O, which were significantly higher than those before surgery and in the inactivated state (both P<0.001). All patients in the group reached the social urinary control standards at the first month of device activation. During a follow-up period of 2-50 months, 22 patients (88.0%) used the initial AUS device and all met social urinary control standards. The AUS device was replaced in 1 case. One patient died of cerebrovascular accident. One patient removed the device due to complications. The number of pads [M (Q1, Q3)] used in 25 patients before and after operation was 4.5 (3.0, 6.5) and 1 (0, 1) respectively, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). ICI-Q-SF score, I-QoL score, urinary frequency score and nocturia score of 25 patients were significantly improved after surgery (all P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was 20.0% (5/25), including 2 cases of painless hematuria, 1 case of infection, 1 case of urethral erosion, and 1 case of dysuria. Except for one patient who experienced urethral erosion and had his sleeve removed, the remaining four patients regained social urination control with active support treatment, and no symptoms recurred until the last follow-up. Conclusion: The modified urethral separation method has no significant effect on urethral pressure in patients with SUI, and can increase the volume of peri-urethral tissue in the cuff, thereby reducing the risk of intraoperative urethral injury and the incidence of postoperative urethral erosion.

In situ Raman characterization of the stability of blueberry anthocyanins in aqueous solutions under perturbations in temperature, UV, pH

Blueberry anthocyanin (BA) is a functional ingredient to enhance the biological activity of food, and the stability of BA is of great interest. BA stability in aqueous solutions stored in polypropylene and glass bottles was analyzed in-situ using confocal Raman spectroscopy, and the acceptable depth of focus was optimized. The Raman characteristics of BA degradation were explained by multivariate analysis. The degradation rate of BA was significantly accelerated by heating above 65 °C for 2 h or ultraviolet irradiation (10 W) for 96 h. The first order kinetic reaction rate was accelerated with the increase of pH value and temperature and the prolongation of ultraviolet irradiation time. The synergistic effect of multiple factors promoted BA degradation. This study provides an in-situ, nondestructive method for the analysis of anthocyanin stability, which has great utility in the food industry to optimize processing, storage, and transportation measures to reduce the degradation of BA.

Application and development of a TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay for rapid detection of snakehead vesiculovirus

Snakehead vesiculovirus (SHVV) is one of the primary pathogens responsible for viral diseases in the snakehead fish. A TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay was established for the rapid detection and quantification of SHVV in this study. Specific primers and fluorescent probes were designed for phosphoprotein (P) gene, and after optimizing the reaction conditions, the results indicated that the detection limit of this method could reach 37.1 copies, representing a 100-fold increase in detection sensitivity compared to RT-PCR. The specificity testing results revealed that this method exhibited no cross-reactivity with ISKNV, LMBV, RSIV, RGNNV, GCRV, and CyHV-2. Repetition experiments demonstrated that both intra-batch and inter-batch coefficients of variation were not higher than 1.66%. Through in vitro infection experiments monitoring the quantitative changes of SHVV in different tissues, the results indicated that the liver and spleen exhibited the highest viral load at 3 poi. The TaqMan-based real-time PCR method established in this study exhibits high sensitivity, excellent specificity, and strong reproducibility. It can be employed for rapid detection and viral load monitoring of SHVV, thus providing a robust tool for the clinical diagnosis and pathogen research of SHVV.

[Epidemiological characteristics and clinical features of pertussis in Shandong Province from 2007 to 2022]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and clinical features of pertussis cases reported in Shandong Province of China. Methods: Data on pertussis cases in Shandong Province from 2007 to 2022 were collected from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, some case information was collected from the database of notifiable pertussis in Shandong Province from 2007 to 2022. The distribution characteristics and clinical features of pertussis were analyzed. A spatial distribution map of pertussis cases in Shandong Province was drawn. Results: A total of 26 122 pertussis cases were reported in Shandong Province during 2007-2022, with an annual incidence rate ranging from 0.11 to 5.77 cases per 100 000 people. Cases occurred throughout the whole year, with a seasonal peak occurring in spring and summer, especially in July and August. In recent years, reported cases were mainly distributed in the central and western regions of Shandong Province, with fewer cases in the eastern region. The hot spots of the disease shifted from Heze and Dezhou City in 2007-2013 to Jinan and Tai'an city in 2014-2022. The age range of onset was from 1 day to 93 years old. The proportion of cases with age≤1 year was the largest (41.81%, 10 922/26 122), and the proportion of cases aged 0-6 months decreased from 32.21% (67/208)-55.67% (157/282) within the period of 2007 to 2013 to 16.78% (883/5 263)-41.97% (444/1 058) within the period of 2014 to 2022, with a statistically significant trend (χ² trend=670.01, P<0.001). There were 13 682 male cases and 12 440 female cases, with a male-female ratio of 1.10∶1. The male-female ratio was 1.45∶1 (806∶556) from 2007 to 2013 and 1.08∶1 (12 876∶11 884) from 2014 to 2022. The proportion of women increased from 42.31% (88/208) in 2007 to 47.84% (2 518/5 263) in 2022, and with a significant trend (χ² trend=22.25, P<0.001). In pertussis cases, the proportions of scattered children, kindergarten children and students were 71.38% (18 645/26 122), 15.13% (3 951/26 122), and 11.60% (3 031/26 122), respectively. The top five clinical symptoms of pertussis cases were paroxysmal spasmodic cough (86.33%, 21 411 cases), flushing (39.61%, 9 824 cases), restless sleep (34.51%, 8 558 cases), fever (30.80%, 7 638 cases), and crowing (27.53%, 6 829 cases). Among 24 802 cases, there were 15 542 cases (62.66%) with a history of immunization against pertussis vaccine. Conclusion: From 2007 to 2022, the incidence rate of pertussis cases in Shandong Province shows an upward trend, with the majority being young children, and the clinical symptoms are relatively typical.

Transcriptomic analysis identifies diagnostic genes in polycystic ovary syndrome and periodontitis

PURPOSE

To investigate underlying co-mechanisms of PCOS and periodontitis through transcriptomic approach.

METHODS

PCOS and periodontitis gene expression data were downloaded from the GEO database to identify differentially expressed genes. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis and random forest algorithm were used to screen hub genes. GSEA analyzed the functions of hub genes. Correlations between hub genes and immune infiltration in two diseases were examined, constructing a TF-ceRNA regulatory network. Clinical samples were gathered from PCOS and periodontitis patients and RT-qPCR was performed to verify the connection.

RESULTS

There were 1661 DEGs in PCOS and 701 DEGs in periodontitis. 66 intersected genes were involved and were enriched in immune and inflammation-related biological pathways. 40 common genes were selected from the PPI network. RF algorithm demonstrated that ACSL5, NLRP12, CCRL2, and CEACAM3 were hub genes, and GSEA results revealed their close relationship with antigen processing and presentation, and chemokine signaling pathway. RT-qPCR results confirmed the upregulated gene expression in both PCOS and periodontitis.

CONCLUSION

The 4 hub genes ACSL5, NLRP12, CCRL2, and CEACAM3 may be diagnostic genes for PCOS and periodontitis. The created ceRNA network could provide a molecular basis for future studies on the association between PCOS and periodontitis.

Tumor-associated astrocytes promote tumor progression of Sonic Hedgehog medulloblastoma by secreting lipocalin-2

Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) subgroup of medulloblastoma (MB) accounts for about 25% of all subgroups of MB. Tumor microenvironment (TME) may play a key role in the tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. Tumor-associated astrocytes (TAAs) are reshaped to drive tumor progression through multiple paracrine signals. However, the mechanism by which TAAs modulate MB cells remains elusive. Here, we illuminated that TAAs showed a specific and dynamic pattern during SHH-MB development. Most TAAs gathered to the tumor margin during the tumor progression, rather than evenly distributed in the early-stage tumors. We further demonstrated that lipocalin-2 (LCN2) secreted by TAAs could promote the tumor growth and was correlated with the poor prognosis of MB patients. Knocking down LCN2 in TAAs in vitro impeded the proliferation and migration abilities of MB cells. In addition, we identified that TAAs accelerated the tumor growth by secreting LCN2 via STAT3 signaling pathway. Accordingly, blockade of STAT3 signaling by its inhibitor WP1066 and AAV-Lcn2 shRNA, respectively, in TAAs abrogated the effects of LCN2 on tumor progression in vitro and in vivo. In summary, we for the first time clarified that LCN2, secreted by TAAs, could promote MB tumor progression via STAT3 pathway and has potential prognostic value. Our findings unveiled a new sight in reprogramming the TME of SHH-MB and provided a potential therapeutic strategy targeting TAAs.

Revisiting Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction and Exercise in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Emerging Significance of Myokines

Skeletal muscle dysfunction (SMD) is the most significant extrapulmonary complication and an independent prognostic indicator in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Myokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15, myostatin, irisin, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, play important roles in skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, protein synthesis and breakdown balance, and regeneration of skeletal muscles in COPD. As the main component of pulmonary rehabilitation, exercise can improve muscle strength, muscle endurance, and exercise capacity in patients with COPD, as well as improve the prognosis of SMD and COPD by regulating the expression levels of myokines. The mechanisms by which exercise regulates myokine levels are related to microRNAs. IGF-1 expression is upregulated by decreasing the expression of miR-1 or miR-29b. Myostatin downregulation and irisin upregulation are associated with increased miR-27a expression and decreased miR-696 expression, respectively. These findings suggest that myokines are potential targets for the prevention and treatment of SMD in COPD. A comprehensive analysis of the role and regulatory mechanisms of myokines can facilitate the development of new exercise-based therapeutic approaches for patients with COPD.

New insights into the unfolded protein response (UPR)-anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) pathway in the regulation of intestinal barrier function in weaned piglets

Sustained dysfunction of the intestinal barrier caused by early weaning is a major factor that induces postweaning diarrhea in weaned piglets. In both healthy and diseased states, the intestinal barrier is regulated by goblet cells. Alterations in the characteristics of goblet cells are linked to intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammatory conditions during pathogenic infections. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the mechanisms of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) in maintaining intestinal barrier function and how modifications to these systems affect mucus barrier characteristics and goblet cell dysregulation. We highlight a novel mechanism underlying the UPR-AGR2 pathway, which affects goblet cell differentiation and maturation and the synthesis and secretion of mucin by regulating epidermal growth factor receptor and mucin 2. This study provides a theoretical basis and new insights into the regulation of intestinal health in weaned piglets.

[Patient-reported outcomes of locally advanced gastric cancer undergoing robotic versus laparoscopic gastrectomy: a randomized controlled study]

Objective: To compare the patient-reported outcomes and short-term clinical outcomes between robotic-assisted and laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer. Methods: This single-center prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery,Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from October 2020 to August 2022. Patients with locally advanced gastric cancer who were to undergo radical gastrectomy were selected and randomly divided into two groups according to 1∶1, and received robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery, respectively. Patient-reported outcomes and short-term clinical outcomes (including postoperative complications, surgical quality and postoperative short-term recovery) were compared between the two groups by t test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated ANOVA, generalized estimating equation, χ2 test and Fisher's exact test. Results: A total of 237 patients were enrolled for modified intention-to-treat analysis (120 patients in the robotic group, 117 patients in the laparoscopic group). There were 180 males and 59 females, aged (63.0±10.2) years (range: 30 to 85 years). The incidence of postoperative complications was similar between the robotic group and laparoscopic group (16.7% (20/120) vs. 15.4% (18/117), χ2=0.072, P=0.788). The robotic group had higher patient-reported outcomes scores in general health status, emotional, and social domains compared to the laparoscopic group, differences in time effect, intervention effect, and interaction effect were statistically significant (general health status: χ2 value were 275.68, 3.91, 6.38, P value were <0.01, 0.048, 0.041; emotional: χ2 value were 77.79, 6.04, 6.15, P value were <0.01, 0.014, 0.046; social: χ2 value were 148.00, 7.57, 5.98, P value were <0.01, 0.006, 0.048). However, the financial burden of the robotic group was higher, the differences in time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect were statistically significant (χ2 value were 156.24, 4.08, 36.56, P value were<0.01, 0.043,<0.01). Conclusion: Compared to the laparoscopic group, the robotic group could more effectively relieve postoperative negative emotions and improve recovery of social function in patients.

Identification and characterization of a highly virulent Citrobacter freundii isolate and its activation on immune responses in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Citrobacter freundii, a common pathogen of freshwater fish, causes significant commercial losses to the global fish farming industry. In the present study, a highly pathogenic C. freundii strain was isolated and identified from largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The pathogenicity and antibiotic sensitivity of the C. freundii strain were evaluated, and the histopathology and host immune response of largemouth bass infected with C. freundii were investigated. The results showed that C. freundii was the pathogen causing disease outbreaks in largemouth bass, and the infected fish showed typical signs of acute hemorrhages and visceral enlargement. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that the C. freundii strain was resistant to Kanamycin, Medimycin, Clindamycin, Penicillin, Oxacillin, Ampicillin, Cephalexin, Cefazolin, Cefradine and Vancomycin. Histopathological analysis showed different pathological changes in major tissues of diseased fish. In addition, humoral immune factors such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and lysozyme (LZM) were used as serum indicators to evaluate the immune response of largemouth bass after infection. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to investigate the expression pattern of immune-related genes (CXCR1, IL-8, IRF7, IgM, CD40, IFN-γ, IL-1β, Hep1, and Hep2) in liver, spleen, and head kidney tissues, which demonstrated a strong immune response induced by C. freundii infection in largemouth bass. The present study provides insights into the pathogenic mechanism of C. freundii and immune response in largemouth bass, promoting the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by C. freundii infection.

Effect of 12-week shen-based qigong exercise on the residual symptoms of schizophrenia: Study protocol for a single-centre randomised controlled trial

Introduction

Negative symptoms and cognitive impairment are common residual symptoms of schizophrenia that seriously affect the quality of life and social function of patients. The intervention of residual symptoms is an important part of schizophrenia rehabilitation. Traditional Chinese exercise has been applied as a supplementary rehabilitation method for schizophrenia. However, research on its use and pertinence in the rehabilitation of residual symptoms remains lacking. In this study, we will verify the intervention effect of a new method, namely, shen-based qigong exercise, on the residual symptoms of schizophrenia, in the hopes of finding a safe and effective rehabilitation method for the residual symptoms of schizophrenia.

Methods

This is a single-centre randomised controlled trial. A total of 60 schizophrenics who meet the criteria will be randomly divided into the control and intervention groups in accordance with the ratio of 1:1. Conventional drug treatment will remain unchanged in both groups. In this case, the control group will be given daily rehabilitation, whereas the intervention group will be given daily rehabilitation and shen-based qigong exercise intervention. The intervention period will be 12 weeks. The primary outcome will be negative symptoms assessed by the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. The secondary outcome will be the global cognitive function assessed by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and event-related potential P300. Other outcomes will include specific cognitive domain (i.e. working memory), quality of life and social function. The results will be measured within 1 week before and after the intervention.

Discussion

The results of this study will likely help find an economical and convenient rehabilitation method for the residual symptoms of schizophrenia and, at the same time, may promote the popularisation and application of traditional Chinese exercises and traditional Chinese medicine theories in the treatment of mental diseases.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov registry number: NCT05310955.

Enantio- and Diastereoselective Copper-Catalyzed Synthesis of Chiral Aziridines with Vicinal Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters

A Cu-catalyzed coupling of cyclic imino esters with 2H-azirines has been developed to synthesize novel optically active aziridines in high yields with excellent levels of diastereo- and enantioselectivities under mild conditions. This novel protocol features a broad substrate scope and good functional group compatibility, and it enriches the existing reaction type of rapid synthesis of optically active aziridines bearing vicinal tetrasubstituted stereogenic carbon centers.

Effects of pulmonary-based Qigong exercise in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Physical exercise training is the central component of pulmonary rehabilitation. This study aimed to further investigate the rehabilitative effects of pulmonary-based Qigong exercise (PQE) in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS

In this randomized, assessor-blinded clinical trial, 44 participants with stable COPD were randomly assigned to 2 groups in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the control group received usual care for 3 months. Participants in the intervention group received usual care combined with PQE (60 min each time, 2 times per day, 7 days per week, for 3 months). The outcome included exercise capacity, lung function test, skeletal muscle strength, dyspnea, and quality of life were measured before and after intervention.

RESULTS

A total of 37 participants completed the trial. Compared to the control group, after 3 months of PQE, the mean change in exercise capacity, skeletal muscle strength, and quality of life were statistically significant (P < 0.05, for each), but no significant differences were observed in lung function (except for the forced expiratory volume in one second) and dyspnea (P > 0.05, for each).

CONCLUSION

The findings of study suggest that the proposed program of 3 months of PQE intervention has significant improvement in exercise capacity, skeletal muscle strength, and quality of life of COPD-stable patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID: ChiCTR-1800017405 on 28 July 2018; available at https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=28343 ).

[Determination of acetone in urine by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry]

Objective: To establish a method for determination of acetone in urine by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Methods: From March to June 2021, the 3.0 ml urine sample was placed in a headspace bottle with 4.0 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate and sealed. Equilibration time was 30 min at 85 ℃. The separation was carried out on a DB-5MS column. The urine sample was detected by mass spectrometry and quantified by external standard method. Results: The method for the determination of acetone in urine by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry had good linearity in the range of 51.2-1024.0 μg/L, and the correlation coefficient was 0.9995. The detection limit and the lower limit of quantification of acetone were 16.4 μg/L and 54.6 μg/L. The average recoveries of samples ranged from 94.9% to 96.8%. The intra-assay precision and inter-assay precision were both less than 10%. Samples can be stored at least 7 d at 4 ℃ or -20 ℃. Conclusion: This method has simple sample preparation and high sensitivity. It can be used for monitoring and evaluation of urinary acetone in the general population and occupationally exposed populations.

PIWIL1 gene polymorphism and pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapse susceptibility among Chinese children: a five-center case-control study

Objective

PIWIL1 polymorphisms' role in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) relapse susceptibility remains undiscovered.

Methods

A case-control designed and multiple logistic regression model was performed to evaluate the overall risk of pediatric ALL and five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PIWIL1 gene (rs35997018 C>T, rs1106042 A>G, rs7957349 C>G, rs10773771 C>T, and rs10848087 A>G) in 785 cases and 1,323 controls, which were genotyped by TaqMan assay. The odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to estimate the relationship. Stratified analysis was used to investigate the correlation of rs1106042 and rs10773771 genotypes and pediatric ALL relapse susceptibility in terms of age, sex, number of white blood cells (WBC), immunophenotyping, gene fusion type, karyotype, primitive/naïve lymphocytes, and minimal residual disease (MRD) in bone marrow. Finally, the haplotype analysis was performed to appraise the relationship between inferred haplotypes of PIWIL1 and pediatric ALL risk.

Results

Among the five analyzed SNPs, rs1106042 A>G was related to increased ALL risk, and rs10773771 C>T was related to decreased ALL risk. Compared to the GG genotype, the rs1106042 GA/AA had a deleterious effect on children of age <120 months, who were female and male, had high or average number of WBC, pro-B ALL, pre-B ALL, T-ALL, low- and middle-risk ALL, E2A-PBX fusion gene, non-gene fusion, abnormal diploid, high hyperdiploid, hypodiploid, and normal diploid. Moreover, rs1106042 A>G harmfully affected primitive/naïve lymphocytes and MRD on days 15-19, day 33, and week 12. On the contrary, rs10773771 TC/CC exhibited a protective effect on ALL children with the TEL-AML fusion gene. Haplotype analysis demonstrated that haplotypes CAGT, TACC, TACT, and TAGT were significantly associated with increased pediatric ALL relapse susceptibility.

Conclusion

PIWIL1 rs1106042 A>G was related to increased ALL risk, and rs10773771 C>T was linked to decreased ALL risk in eastern Chinese children. Rs1106042 GA/AA may predict poor prognosis.

Linear Breit-Wheeler process driven by compact lasers

We report a proposal to observe the two-photon Breit-Wheeler process in plasma driven by compact lasers. A high-charge electron bunch can be generated from laser plasma wakefield acceleration when a tightly focused laser pulse propagates in a subcritical density plasma. The electron bunch scatters with the laser pulse coming from the opposite direction and resulting in the emission of high brilliance x-ray pulses. In a three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation with a laser pulse of ∼10 J, one could produce an x-ray pulse with a photon number higher than 3×10^{11} and brilliance above 1.6×10^{23} photons/s/mm^{2}/mrad^{2}/0.1%BW at 1 MeV. The x-ray pulses collide in the plasma and create more than 1.1×10^{5} electron-positron pairs per shot. It is also found that the positrons can be accelerated transversely by a transverse electric field generated in the plasma, which enables the safe detection in the direction away from the laser pulses. This proposal enables the observation of the linear Breit-Wheeler process in a compact device with a single shot.

Three sesquiterpene lactones suppress lung adenocarcinoma by blocking TMEM16A-mediated Ca2+-activated Cl- channels

Transmembrane protein TMEM16A, which encodes calcium-activated chloride channel has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Overexpression of TMEM16A is associated with poor prognosis and low overall survival in multiple cancers including lung adenocarcinoma, making it a promising biomarker and therapeutic target. In this study, three structure-related sesquiterpene lactones (mecheliolide, costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone) were extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Aucklandiae Radix and identified as novel TMEM16A inhibitors with comparable inhibitory effects. Their effects on the proliferation and migration of lung adenocarcinoma cells were examined. Whole-cell patch clamp experiments showed that these sesquiterpene lactones potently inhibited recombinant TMEM16A currents in a concentration-dependent manner. The half-maximal concentration (IC50) values for three tested sesquiterpene lactones were 29.9 ± 1.1 μM, 19.7 ± 0.4 μM, and 24.5 ± 2.1 μM, while the maximal effect (Emax) values were 100.0% ± 2.8%, 85.8% ± 0.9%, and 88.3% ± 4.6%, respectively. These sesquiterpene lactones also significantly inhibited the endogenous TMEM16A currents and proliferation, and migration of LA795 lung cancer cells. These results demonstrate that mecheliolide, costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone are novel TMEM16A inhibitors and potential candidates for lung adenocarcinoma therapy.

Development of chemically defined media for Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis YF11 to eliminate the influence of hyperosmotic stress

Chemically defined media (CDM) can eliminate or lessen the interference that occurs in complex culture media (CCM) caused by the undefined substrate pools, and various CDM have been designed and employed for investigating microbial physiology and multiomics. Herein, using the measured amount of total amino acids in CCM and combined with the in vivo and in vitro amino acid content of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis YF11, new enriched CDM were designed and then optimized using a statistical design-of-experiment method coupling with fed-batch fermentation to eliminate or lessen the influence of hyperosmotic pressure. Cell volume was introduced as a target index to assess the performance of CDM, and average osmotic pressure (AOP) was employed to describe the osmotic pressure of CDM. The AOP was significantly decreased from 610 mOsm/kg·H2O in the initial CDM (I-CDM) to 360 mOsm/kg·H2O in fed-batch CDM (F-CDM), and the cell volume was increased from 0.142 ± 0.004 μm3 in I-CDM to 0.198 ± 0.008 μm3 in F-CDM, which was close to 0.206 ± 0.005 μm3 found in CCM, indicating that the strategy of designing and improving CDM followed by a statistical design-of-experiment coupling with fed-batch cultivation presented a promising pathway for extensive utilization of CDM.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03788-5.

Characterizing the Internal Structure of Chinese Steamed Bread during Storage for Quality Evaluation Using X-ray Computer Tomography

Chinese steamed bread (CSB) is a traditional food of the Chinese nation, and the preservation of its quality and freshness during storage is very important for its industrial production. Therefore, it is necessary to study the storage characteristics of CSB. Non-destructive CT technology was utilized to characterize and visualize the microstructure of CSB during storage, and also to further study of quality changes. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of CSBs were obtained through X-ray scanning and 3D reconstruction. Morphological parameters of the microstructure of CSBs were acquired based on CT image using image processing methods. Additionally, commonly used physicochemical indexes (hardness, flexibility, moisture content) for the quality evaluation of CSBs were analyzed. Moreover, a correlation analysis was conducted based on the three-dimensional morphological parameters and physicochemical indexes of CSBs. The results showed that three-dimensional morphological parameters of CSBs were negatively correlated with moisture content (Pearson correlation coefficient range-0.86~-0.97) and positively correlated with hardness (Pearson correlation coefficient range-0.87~0.99). The results indicate the inspiring capability of CT in the storage quality evaluation of CSB, providing a potential analytical method for the detection of quality and freshness in the industrial production of CSB.

[Comprehensive assessment of mismatch repair and microsatellite instability status in molecular classification of endometrial carcinoma]

Objective: To explore the concordance and causes of different mismatch repair (MMR) and microsatellite instability (MSI) detection results in endometrial carcinoma (EC) molecular typing. Methods: A total of 214 EC patients diagnosed from January 2021 to April 2023 were selected at the Department of Pathology, Peking University Third Hospital. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) results of MMR protein were reviewed. Tumor specific somatic mutations, MMR germline mutations, microsatellite scores and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS) with multi-gene panel. Methylation-specific PCR was used to detect the methylation status of MLH1 gene promoter in cases with deficient MLH1 protein expression. In cases with discrepant results between MMR-IHC and MSI-NGS, the MSI status was detected again by PCR (MSI-PCR), and the molecular typing was determined by combining the results of TMB and MLH1 gene promoter methylation. Results: (1) In this study, there were 22 cases of POLE gene mutation subtype, 55 cases of mismatch repair deficient (MMR-d) subtype, 29 cases of p53 abnormal subtype, and 108 cases of no specific molecular profile (NSMP). The median age at diagnosis of MMR-d subtype (54 years old) and the proportion of aggressive histological types (40.0%, 22/55) were higher than those of NSMP subtype [50 years old and 12.0% (13/108) respectively; all P<0.05]. (2) Among 214 patients, MMR-IHC test showed that 153 patients were mismatch repair proficient (MMR-p), 49 patients were MMR-d, and 12 patients were difficult to evaluate directly. MSI-NGS showed that 164 patients were microsatellite stable (MSS; equal to MMR-p), 48 patients were high microsatellite instability (MSI-H; equal to MMR-d), and 2 patients had no MSI-NGS results because the effective sequencing depth did not meet the quality control. The overall concordance between MMR-IHC and MSI-NGS was 94.3% (200/212). All the 12 discrepant cases were MMR-d or subclonal loss of MMR protein by IHC, but MSS by NGS. Among them, 10 cases were loss or subclonal loss of MLH1 and (or) PMS2 protein. Three discrepant cases were classified as POLE gene mutation subtype. In the remaining 9 cases, 5 cases and 3 cases were confirmed as MSI-H and low microsatellite instability (MSI-L) respectively by MSI-PCR, 6 cases were detected as MLH1 gene promoter methylation and 7 cases demonstrated high TMB (>10 mutations/Mb). These 9 cases were classified as MMR-d EC. (3) Lynch syndrome was diagnosed in 27.3% (15/55) of all 55 MMR-d EC cases, and the TMB of EC with MSH2 and (or) MSH6 protein loss or associated with Lynch syndrome [(71.0±26.2) and (71.5±20.1) mutations/Mb respectively] were significantly higher than those of EC with MLH1 and (or) PMS2 loss or sporadic MMR-d EC [(38.2±19.1) and (41.9±24.3) mutations/Mb respectively, all P<0.01]. The top 10 most frequently mutated genes in MMR-d EC were PTEN (85.5%, 47/55), ARID1A (80.0%, 44/55), PIK3CA (69.1%, 38/55), KMT2B (60.0%, 33/55), CTCF (45.5%, 25/55), RNF43 (40.0%, 22/55), KRAS (36.4%, 20/55), CREBBP (34.5%, 19/55), LRP1B (32.7%, 18/55) and BRCA2 (32.7%, 18/55). Concurrent PTEN, ARID1A and PIK3CA gene mutations were found in 50.9% (28/55) of MMR-d EC patients. Conclusions: The concordance of MMR-IHC and MSI-NGS in EC is relatively high.The discordance in a few MMR-d EC are mostly found in cases with MLH1 and (or) PMS2 protein loss or MMR protein subclonal staining caused by MLH1 gene promoter hypermethylation. In order to provide accurate molecular typing for EC patients, MLH1 gene methylation, MSI-PCR, MMR gene germline mutation and TMB should be combined to comprehensively evaluate MMR and MSI status.

Competing-risks model for predicting the prognostic value of lymph nodes in medullary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is an infrequent form malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Because of the influence of competitive risk, there may suffer from bias in the analysis of prognostic factors of MTC.

METHODS

By extracting the data of patients diagnosed with MTC registered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 1998 to 2016, we established the Cox proportional-hazards and competing-risks model to retrospectively analyze the impact of related factors on lymph nodes statistically.

RESULTS

A total of 2,435 patients were included in the analysis, of which 198 died of MTC. The results of the multifactor competing-risk model showed that the number of total lymph nodes (19-89), positive lymph nodes (1-10,11-75) and positive lymph node ratio (25%-53%,>54%), age (46-60,>61), chemotherapy, mode of radiotherapy (others), tumor size(2-4cm,>4cm), number of lesions greater than 1 were poor prognostic factors for MTC. For the number of total lymph nodes, unlike the multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model results, we found that it became an independent risk factor after excluding competitive risk factors. Competitive risk factors have little effect on the number of positive lymph nodes. For the proportion of positive lymph nodes, we found that after excluding competitive risk factors, the Cox proportional-hazards model overestimates its impact on prognosis. The competitive risk model is often more accurate in analyzing the effects of prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

After excluding the competitive risk, the number of lymph nodes, the number of positive and the positive proportion are the poor prognostic factors of medullary thyroid cancer, which can help clinicians more accurately evaluate the prognosis of patients with medullary thyroid cancer and provide a reference for treatment decision-making.

Busulfan Plus Fludarabine Compared With Busulfan Plus Cyclophosphamide for AML Undergoing HLA-Haploidentical Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Multicenter Randomized Phase III Trial

PURPOSE

The busulfan plus fludarabine (BuFlu) conditioning regimen has lower transplant-related mortality (TRM) than busulfan plus cyclophosphamide (BuCy) in HLA-matched transplantation. We aimed to compare outcomes of the BuFlu regimen with those of the BuCy regimen in HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT).

METHODS

We performed an open-label, randomized phase III trial at 12 hospitals in China. Eligible patients with AML (18-65 years) were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive BuFlu (busulfan 0.8 mg/kg four times per day on days -6 to -3; fludarabine 30 mg/m2 once daily on days -7 to -3) or BuCy (same dose of busulfan; cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg once daily on days -3 and -2). The primary end point was 1-year TRM in the intention-to-treat population and safety in the per-protocol population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT02487069) and is complete.

RESULTS

From November 20, 2015, to September 30, 2019, 386 patients were randomly assigned to receive the BuFlu (n = 194) or BuCy (n = 192) regimen. The median follow-up was 55.0 (IQR, 46.5-69.0) months after random assignment. The 1-year TRM was 7.2% (95% CI, 4.1 to 11.4) and 14.1% (95% CI, 9.6 to 19.4; hazard ratio [HR], 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.97; P = .041), the 5-year relapse was 17.9% (95% CI, 9.6 to 28.3) and 14.2% (95% CI, 9.1 to 20.5; HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.65 to 1.95; P = .670), and the 5-year overall survival was 72.5% (95% CI, 62.2 to 80.4) and 68.2% (95% CI, 58.9 to 75.9; HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.26; P = .465) in two groups, respectively. Grade 3 regimen-related toxicity (RRT) was reported for 0 of 191 patients following the BuFlu regimen and 9 (4.7%) of 190 patients following the BuCy regimen (P = .002). At least one type of grade 3-5 adverse event was reported for 130 (68.1%) of the 191 patients and 147 (77.4%) of the 190 patients in two groups, respectively (P = .041).

CONCLUSION

The BuFlu regimen has a lower TRM and RRT and similar relapse for patients with AML undergoing haplo-HCT compared with the BuCy regimen.

Transcriptomic profiling and characterization of microRNAs in Macrobrachium rosenbergii potentially involved in immune response to Enterobacter cloacae infection

Enterobacter cloacae is a member of the Enterobacter family, which could prevent Macrobrachium rosenbergii from growing and cause mass mortality. However, no research has focused on microRNA immunity in M. rosenbergii infected with E. cloacae. To clarify the immune response mechanisms, transcriptomic analysis was performed on the miRNAs of M. rosenbergii infected with E. cloacae YZ3 strain. Following quality screening, 10,616,712 clean reads were obtained from the control group and 12,726,421 from the infected group. Among 899 known miRNAs, 446 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified. Meanwhile, 59 novel miRNAs were predicted, along with 39 DEMs. Target genes of DEMs have been predicted in order to gain a deeper understanding of the immune-related functions. GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed the biological functions and signaling pathways of target genes. The results indicated that E. cloacae significantly affected the NOD-like receptor, RIG-I-like receptor and Toll-like receptor pathways. Ten DEMs were randomly selected, and their expression level was verified by Quantitative Real-time PCR technology. Overall, this study highlights the influential role of miRNAs in the innate immune system of M. rosenbergii, which has important implications for developing new strategies to prevent and treat related diseases in the future.

[Determination of phenylglyoxylic acid and mandelic acid in urine by ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry]

Objective: To develop a method for the analysis of phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA) and mandelic acid (MA) in urine by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Methods: The study was conducted in April 2022. Urine samples were directly diluted with the initial mobile phase, separated by Waters HSS T3 column after passing through the membrane, and analyzed under negative ionization mode (ESI(-)) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) conditions, the contents of PGA and MA in human urine were quantitatively determined by external standard method. Results: The determination of PGA and MA showed a good linear relationship within the range of 10-1000 ng/ml, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999. The linear regression equation of PGA was y=1141.4x+2157.3, the detection limit and lower limit of quantification of the method were 0.081 ng/ml and 0.269 ng/ml, and the recovery rate was 90.47%-99.83%. The linear regression equation of MA was y=62.8x+140.3, the detection limit and lower limit of quantification of the method were 0.551 ng/ml and 1.836 ng/ml, and the recovery rate was 92.75%-101.09%. The intra and inter batch precision of PGA and MA were both<5%. Conclusion: An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the analysis of PGA and MA in urine was established.The sample pretreatment operation is simple, and the accuracy and precision of the method meet the standard requirements. It can be used for monitoring and evaluating PGA and MA in urine of the general population and occupational contact population.

Chromosome Rearrangement in Elymus dahuricus Revealed by ND-FISH and Oligo-FISH Painting

As a perennial herb in Triticeae, Elymus dahuricus is widely distributed in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia. It has been used as high-quality fodders for improving degraded grassland. The genomic constitution of E. dahuricus (2n = 6x = 42) has been revealed as StStHHYY by cytological approaches. However, the universal karyotyping nomenclature system of E. dahuricus is not fully established by traditional fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). In this study, the non-denaturing fluorescent in situ hybridization (ND-FISH) using 14 tandem-repeat oligos could effectively distinguish the entire E. dahuricus chromosomes pairs, while Oligo-FISH painting by bulked oligo pools based on wheat-barley collinear regions combined with GISH analysis, is able to precisely determine the linkage group and sub-genomes of the individual E. dahuricus chromosomes. We subsequently established the 42-chromosome karyotype of E. dahuricus with distinctive chromosomal FISH signals, and characterized a new type of intergenomic rearrangement between 2H and 5Y. Furthermore, the comparative chromosomal localization of the centromeric tandem repeats and immunostaining by anti-CENH3 between cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and E. dahuricus suggests that centromere-associated sequences in H subgenomes were continuously changing during the process of polyploidization. The precise karyotyping system based on ND-FISH and Oligo-FISH painting methods will be efficient for describing chromosomal rearrangements and evolutionary networks for polyploid Elymus and their related species.

Calcium influx: An essential process by which α-Synuclein regulates morphology of erythrocytes

INTRODUCTION

Morphological abnormalities of erythrocytes/red blood cells (RBCs), e.g., increased acanthocytes, in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been reported previously, although the underlying mechanisms remain to be characterized. In this study, the potential roles of α-synuclein (α-syn), a protein critically involved in PD and highly abundant in RBCs, were studied in PD patients as well as in a PD mouse model.

METHODS

Transgenic [PAC-Tg (SNCAA53T), A53T] mice overexpressing A53T mutant α-syn and SNCA knockout mice were employed to characterize the effect of α-syn on RBC morphology. In addition to A53T and SNCA knockout mice, the morphology of RBCs of PD patients was also examined using scanning electron microscopy. The potential roles of α-syn were further investigated in cultured RBCs and mice.

RESULTS

Morphological abnormalities of RBCs and increased accumulation of aggregated α-syn on the RBC membrane were observed in PD patients. A similar phenomenon was also observed in A53T mice. Furthermore, while mice lacking α-syn expression showed a lower proportion of acanthocytes, treating RBCs derived from SNCA knockout mice with aggregated α-syn resulted in a higher percentage of acanthocytes. In a follow-up proteomic investigation, several major classes of proteins were identified as α-syn-associated proteins on the RBC membrane, seven of which were calcium-binding proteins. Applying aggregated α-syn to the RBC membrane directly induced extracellular calcium influx along with morphological changes; both observations were adequately reversed by blocking calcium influx.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that α-syn plays a critical role in PD-associated morphological abnormalities of RBCs, at least partially via a process mediated by extracellular calcium influx.

ADAR1 polymorphisms contribute to increased susceptibility in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA1 (ADAR1), catalyzing post-transcriptional adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing, promotes cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. However, very little is known about the association of ADAR1 variants with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here we first explored the potential association of three polymorphisms (rs9616, rs2229857, and rs1127313) of ADAR1 with susceptibility in Chinese children ALL, then functionally characterized ADAR1 in ALL. Our results demonstrated that rs9616 T and rs2229857 T were associated with increased expression of ADAR1 mRNA and higher risk to ALL. Of note, a stronger risk effect of rs2229857 T genotypes was found among relapse children. Furthermore, ADAR1 knockdown specifically inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis in ALL cells. These findings give insights into a mechanism by which the risk variant at rs9616 and rs2229857 modulate ADAR1 expression and confers a predisposition and relapse risk to ALL, and representing a potential novel biomarker for pediatric ALL.

Local autocrine plasticity signaling in single dendritic spines by insulin-like growth factors

The insulin superfamily of peptides is essential for homeostasis as well as neuronal plasticity, learning, and memory. Here, we show that insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF1 and IGF2) are differentially expressed in hippocampal neurons and released in an activity-dependent manner. Using a new fluorescence resonance energy transfer sensor for IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) with two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging, we find that the release of IGF1 triggers rapid local autocrine IGF1R activation on the same spine and more than several micrometers along the stimulated dendrite, regulating the plasticity of the activated spine in CA1 pyramidal neurons. In CA3 neurons, IGF2, instead of IGF1, is responsible for IGF1R autocrine activation and synaptic plasticity. Thus, our study demonstrates the cell type-specific roles of IGF1 and IGF2 in hippocampal plasticity and a plasticity mechanism mediated by the synthesis and autocrine signaling of IGF peptides in pyramidal neurons.

[Risk factors analysis and prediction model construction of submucosal deep infiltration of early colorectal tumor]

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for the development of deep infiltration in early colorectal tumors (ECT) and to construct a prediction model to predict the development of deep infiltration in patients with ECT. Methods: The clinicopathological data of ECT patients who underwent endoscopic treatment or surgical treatment at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from August 2010 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The independent risk factors were analyzed by multifactorial regression analysis, and the prediction models were constructed and validated by nomogram. Results: Among the 717 ECT patients, 590 patients were divided in the within superficial infiltration 1 (SM1) group (infiltration depth within SM1) and 127 patients in the exceeding SM1 group (infiltration depth more than SM1). There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, and lesion location between the two groups (P>0.05). The statistically significant differences were observed in tumor morphological staging, preoperative endoscopic assessment performance, vascular tumor emboli and nerve infiltration, and degree of tumor differentiation (P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that only erosion or rupture (OR=4.028, 95% CI: 1.468, 11.050, P=0.007), localized depression (OR=3.105, 95% CI: 1.584, 6.088, P=0.001), infiltrative JNET staging (OR=5.622, 95% CI: 3.029, 10.434, P<0.001), and infiltrative Pit pattern (OR=2.722, 95% CI: 1.347, 5.702, P=0.006) were independent risk factors for the development of deep submucosal infiltration in ECT. Nomogram was constructed with the included independent risk factors, and the nomogram was well distinguished and calibrated in predicting the occurrence of deep submucosal infiltration in ECT, with a C-index and area under the curve of 0.920 (95% CI: 0.811, 0.929). Conclusion: The nomogram prediction model constructed based on only erosion or rupture, local depression, infiltrative JNET typing, and infiltrative Pit pattern has a good predictive efficacy in the occurrence of deep submucosal infiltration in ECT.