[Characteristics and diagnostic value of serum bile acids profile in pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and asymptomatic hypercholanemia of pregnancy]

Objective: To analyze serum bile acid profiles in pregnant women with normal pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) and asymptomatic hypercholanemia of pregnancy (AHP), and to evaluate the application value of serum bile acid profiles in the diagnosis of ICP and AHP. Methods: The clinical data of 122 pregnant women who underwent prenatal examination in Xuzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from June 2022 to May 2023 were collected, including 54 cases of normal pregnancy group, 28 cases of ICP group and 40 cases of AHP group. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure the levels of 15 serum bile acids in each group, including cholic acid (CA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), lithocholic acid (LCA), ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), glycolcholic acid (GCA), glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA), glycolithocholic acid (GLCA), glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA), taurocholic acid (TCA), taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA). Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to screen differential bile acids. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of differential bile acids and combined indicators between groups. Results: (1) Compared with normal pregnancy group, the serum levels of LCA, GCA, GCDCA, GDCA, GLCA, UDCA, TCA, TCDCA, TDCA, TLCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in ICP group were significantly different (all P<0.05), while the levels of LCA, DCA, GCA, GCDCA, GDCA, GLCA, TCA, TCDCA, TDCA, TLCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in AHP group were significantly different (all P<0.05). Compared with ICP group, the serum levels of CDCA, DCA, UDCA, TDCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in AHP group were significantly different (all P<0.05). (2) In the OPLS-DA model, the differential bile acids between ICP group and AHP group were TUDCA, TCA, UDCA, GUDCA and GCA, and their variable importance in projection (VIP) were 1.489, 1.345, 1.344, 1.184 and 1.111, respectively. TCA, GCDCA, GCA, TDCA, GDCA and TCDCA were the differentially expressed bile acids between AHP group and normal pregnancy group, and their VIP values were 1.236, 1.229, 1.197, 1.145, 1.139 and 1.138, respectively. (3) ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of TUDCA, TCA, UDCA, GUDCA and GCA in the differential diagnosis of ICP and AHP was 0.860, and the sensitivity and specificity were 67.9% and 95.0%, respectively. The AUC of TCA, GCDCA, GCA, TDCA, GDCA and TCDCA in the diagnosis of AHP was 0.964, and the sensitivity and specificity were 95.0% and 93.1%, respectively. Conclusions: There are differences in serum bile acid profiles among normal pregnant women, ICP and AHP. The serum bile acid profiles of pregnant women have potential application value in the differential diagnosis of ICP and AHP and the diagnosis of AHP.

A novel perspective for exploring the relationship between cerebral small vessel disease and deep medullary veins with automatic segmentation

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to establish an intelligent segmentation algorithm to count the number of deep medullary veins (DMVs) and analyze the relationship between DMVs and imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).

METHODS

DMVs on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of patients with CSVD were counted by intelligent segmentation and manual counting. The dice coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to evaluate their consistency and correlation. Structural MR images were used to assess imaging markers and total burden of CSVD. A multivariate linear regression model was used to evaluate the correlation between the number of DMVs counted by intelligent segmentation and imaging markers of CSVD, including white matter hyperintensities of the presumed vascular origin, lacune, perivascular spaces, cerebral microbleeds, and total CSVD burden.

RESULTS

A total of 305 patients with CSVD were enrolled. An intelligent segmentation algorithm was established to calculate the number of DMVs, and it was validated and tested. The number of DMVs counted intelligently significantly correlated with the manual counting method (r = 0.761, P< 0.001). The number of smart-counted DMVs negatively correlated with the imaging markers and total burden of CSVD (P< 0.001), and the correlation remained after adjusting for age and hypertension (P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed intelligent segmentation algorithm, which was established to count DMVs, can provide objective and quantitative imaging information for the follow-up of patients with CSVD. DMVs are involved in CSVD pathogenesis and a likely new imaging marker for CSVD.

[Multicenter retrospect analysis of early clinical features and analysis of risk factors on prognosis of elderly patients with severe burns]

Objective: To investigate the early clinical characteristics of elderly patients with severe burns and the risk factors on prognosis. Methods: This study was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 124 elderly patients with severe burns who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the 12 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, including 4 patients from the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 5 patients from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 22 patients from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 5 patients from Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, 27 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 9 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 10 patients from Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 9 patients from Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, 12 patients from the 924th Hospital of PLA, 6 patients from Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, 4 patients from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, and 11 patients from Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. The patients' overall clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, inhalation injury, causative factors, whether combined with underlying medical diseases, and admission time after injury were recorded. According to the survival outcome within 28 days after injury, the patients were divided into survival group (89 cases) and death group (35 cases). The following data of patients were compared between the two groups, including the basic data and injuries (the same as the overall clinical characteristics ahead); the coagulation indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen; the blood routine indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as white blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit; the organ function indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, urea, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, electrolyte indexes (potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in blood), uric acid, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide; the infection and blood gas indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, pH value, oxygenation index, base excess, and lactate; treatment such as whether conducted with mechanical ventilation, whether conducted with continuous renal replacement therapy, whether conducted with anticoagulation therapy, whether applied with vasoactive drugs, and fluid resuscitation. The analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns. Results: Among 124 patients, there were 82 males and 42 females, aged 60-97 years, with body mass index of 23.44 (21.09, 25.95) kg/m2, total burn area of 54.00% (42.00%, 75.00%) total body surface area (TBSA), and full-thickness burn area of 25.00% (10.00%, 40.00%) TBSA. The patients were mainly combined with moderate to severe inhalation injury and caused by flame burns. There were 43 cases with underlying medical diseases. The majority of patients were admitted to the hospital within 8 hours after injury. There were statistically significant differences between patients in the 2 groups in terms of age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and inhalation injury, and PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, INR, white blood cell count, platelet count, urea, serum creatinine, blood glucose, blood sodium, uric acid, myoglobin, and urine volume within the first 24 hours of injury (with Z values of 2.37, 5.49, 5.26, 5.97, 2.18, 1.95, 2.68, 2.68, 2.51, 2.82, 2.14, 3.40, 5.31, 3.41, 2.35, 3.81, 2.16, and -3.82, respectively, P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in whether conducted with mechanical ventilation and whether applied with vasoactive drugs (with χ2 values of 9.44 and 28.50, respectively, P<0.05). Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, serum creatinine within the first 24 hours of injury, and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury were the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns (with odds ratios of 1.17, 1.10, 1.10, 1.09, and 1.27, 95% confidence intervals of 1.03-1.40, 1.04-1.21, 1.05-1.19, 1.05-1.17, and 1.07-1.69, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: The elderly patients with severe burns had the injuries mainly from flame burns, often accompanied by moderate to severe inhalation injury and enhanced inflammatory response, elevated blood glucose levels, activated fibrinolysis, and impaired organ function in the early stage, which are associated with their prognosis. Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and serum creatinine and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury are the independent risk factors for death within 28 days after injury in this population.

Comparative study of efficiencies of purification of cadmium contaminated irrigation water by different purification systems

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in rice threats food safety and human health. Control of Cd pollution has become an urgent need. Most existing studies on heavy metal pollution control have focused on industrial wastewater and few on irrigation water. Some researchers have found ecological ditches, plant ponds and constructed wetlands have the potential of treating heavy metal contaminated irrigation water, but they examined only one of the methods and the validity needs to be verified by field studies. Our study has filled the gap by combining the methods and using field experiments. We examined efficiencies of removal of Cadmium from irrigation water by 14 different combinations of ecological ditches, plant ponds, and constructed wetlands using field experiments. The effects of the purification on Cd concentration in paddy soil and rice grains were also examined. Results showed that there were significant differences among efficiencies of purification of Cd contaminated irrigation water using different systems and that pH, chemical form of Cd in irrigation water, vegetation coverage and biomass of aquatic plants significantly affect the efficiency. Of the 14 purification systems, seven resulted in the concentration of Cd in the effluent water meeting the National Standard for Irrigation Water Quality (GB5084-2021) for all days of the experiment period. The highest amount and rate of Cd removal were achieved by the combination of two-stage ecological ditch, two-stage plant pond, and one-stage constructed wetland, while the highest removal amount and rate per 100 m2 was achieved by the combination of one-stage plant pond and one-stage constructed wetland. Considering purification efficiency, area of coverage, and cost of construction and maintenance, we suggest that combination of plant pond and constructed wetland be a priority choice for purification of Cd pollution in irrigation water. Compared to the control data collected from rice grain and paddy soil irrigated by unpurified water, Cd concentration in rice grain and paddy soil irrigated by purified water declined by 5.08-19.42 % and 30.93-77.15 % respectively. All results showed that removal of Cd contamination from irrigation water effectively controlled cadmium pollution in rice grain and paddy soil. Our study not only contributes to pollution control practice, but also warrants further investigation of the mechanisms of how the treatment systems work. The most efficient method we identified could be applied locally, regionally and in areas of similar topography, climate, soil, vegetation, agriculture, and heavy metal pollution.

Tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation accelerates hematogenous metastasis of malignant melanoma by triggering macrophage recruitment

BACKGROUND

Tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation (TCIPA) is not only a recognized mechanism for paraneoplastic thrombocytosis but also a potential breakthrough alternative for a low response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in hematogenous metastasis of malignant melanoma (MM). However, there is no TCIPA-specific model for further investigation of the relationship among TCIPA, the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and metastasis.

METHODS

We developed a TCIPA metastatic melanoma model with advanced hematogenous metastasis and enhanced TCIPA characteristics. We also investigated the pathway for TCIPA in the TIME.

RESULTS

We found that TCIPA triggers the recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to lung metastases by secreting B16 cell-educated platelet-derived chemokines such as CCL2, SDF-1, and IL-1β. Larger quantities of TAMs in the TCIPA model were polarized to the M2 type by B16 cell reprocessing, and their surface programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was upregulated, ultimately assisting B16 cells in escaping host immunity and accelerating MM hematogenous metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

TCIPA accelerates MM lung metastasis via tumor-educated platelets (TEPs), triggering TAM recruitment, promoting TAM polarization (M2), and remodeling the suppressive TIME in lung metastases.

Efficacy of concentrated growth factor (CGF) in the surgical treatment of oral diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Concentrated growth factor (CGF), a new autologous platelet concentrate, has been widely investigated to the adjunctive treatment of oral diseases. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of CGF in the surgical treatment of oral diseases.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were searched up to July 2023. Only randomized clinical trials were included. The methodologic quality was evaluated by the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. RevMan 5.4 software was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

In the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects, bone graft combined with CGF was significantly superior to bone graft (P < 0.01), with mean intrabony defect depth reduction of 1.41 mm and mean clinical attachment level gain of 0.55 mm. In the regenerative surgery of furcation defects, the effect of CGF group was significantly better than control group (P < 0.0001), with mean probing depth reduction of 0.99 mm, vertical bone gain of 0.25 mm, and horizontal bone gain of 0.34 mm. CGF combined with coronally advanced flap (CAF) was more effective than CAF alone (mean keratinized tissue width increase of 0.41 mm, mean gingival thickness increase of 0.26 mm, P < 0.00001), but less effective than connective tissue graft (CTG) combined with CAF (mean root coverage difference of -15.1%, mean gingival thickness difference of -0.5 mm, P < 0.0001). In the alveolar ridge preservation, additional use of CGF reduced horizontal bone resorption by 1.41 mm and buccal vertical bone resorption by 1.01 mm compared to control group (P < 0.0001). The VAS score of CGF group was significantly lower than that of the control group at the 1st and 7th day after oral surgery (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

CGF can exert a positive adjunctive effect for the regenerative surgery of periodontal intrabony defects, furcation defects, and alveolar ridge preservation procedure. CGF combined with CAF has a better therapeutic effect on gingival recession compared to CAF alone, although it is not as effective as CTG combined with CAF. CGF could promote postoperative healing and pain relief in oral surgery within a week. There is currently not enough evidence to support the clinical benefits of CGF in other oral surgeries.

An Attempt to Reduce Lung Dose-Volume in the Era of Radiotherapy Combined Immunotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

In immunotherapy era, the safety of thoracic radiotherapy, especially pneumonia is a concern of clinical and patients. The incidence of pneumonia in KEYNOTE 799 is higher than that in PACIFIC and GEMSTONE301, and the incidence of pneumonia is related to V20 Gy. This study aims to explore how to reduce the lung dose of immunotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiation therapy (cCRT).

MATERIALS/METHODS

We prospectively selected 32 patients treat with IMRT for untreated, locally advanced, stage III NSCLC. They all received immunochemotherapy in the first cycle treatment and completed the first CT-based simulation. In the second cycle treatment, all patients received cCRT plus ICIs and each patient received the second radiotherapy location after 10 or 20 fractions of radiotherapy. The initial and second treatment plan based on CT image are Plan1 and Plan2. The volume changes of gross tumor volume (GTV) between primary and secondary CT scans were compared, and the dose-volume parameters such as lung volume (V5 Gy, V20 Gy, V30 Gy) and heart volume (V30 Gy) in Plan2 were compared with those of Plan1.

RESULTS

Compared with the first and second CT scan, the mean volume of GTV is decreased by 34%. The dose-volume parameters of total lung and heart were significantly lower than those in Plan1.Among them the V20 Gy, V30 Gy of total lung have statistical difference (Z = -2.068, P = 0.039; Z = -3.008, P = 0.003; respectively) and decreased by 31%, 33%, respectively. Additionally, the V20 resected after the 10-fraction radiotherapy is less than the 20th (V20 Gy = 25.1%, 26.3%; respectively). Meanwhile, for treatment-related pneumonitis, there is only one case (5%) in grade 3 or higher pneumonitis, and most of pneumonitis can be relieved after symptomatic treatment.

CONCLUSION

In the mode of immunotherapy plus cCRT, timely reduction measures in the process of radiotherapy will effectively reduce lung dose-volume (V20 Gy), so as to decrease pulmonary toxicity. Two-cycle induction therapy were followed by radiotherapy may be a potent treatment candidate.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization and Expression Analysis of the TaDUF724 Gene Family in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Unknown functional domain (DUF) proteins constitute a large number of functionally uncharacterized protein families in eukaryotes. DUF724s play crucial roles in plants. However, the insight understanding of wheat TaDUF724s is currently lacking. To explore the possible function of TaDUF724s in wheat growth and development and stress response, the family members were systematically identified and characterized. In total, 14 TaDUF724s were detected from a wheat reference genome; they are unevenly distributed across the 11 chromosomes, and, according to chromosome location, they were named TaDUF724-1 to TaDUF724-14. Evolution analysis revealed that TaDUF724s were under negative selection, and fragment replication was the main reason for family expansion. All TaDUF724s are unstable proteins; most TaDUF724s are acidic and hydrophilic. They were predicted to be located in the nucleus and chloroplast. The promoter regions of TaDUF724s were enriched with the cis-elements functionally associated with growth and development, as well as being hormone-responsive. Expression profiling showed that TaDUF724-9 was highly expressed in seedings, roots, leaves, stems, spikes and grains, and strongly expressed throughout the whole growth period. The 12 TaDUF724 were post-transcription regulated by 12 wheat MicroRNA (miRNA) through cleavage and translation. RT-qPCR showed that six TaDUF724s were regulated by biological and abiotic stresses. Conclusively, TaDUF724s were systematically analyzed using bioinformatics methods, which laid a theoretical foundation for clarifying the function of TaDUF724s in wheat.

[Association between sedentary behavior and force expiratory volume in 1 second reduction in middle-aged and elderly adults in communities]

Objective: To analyze the relationship between sedentary behavior and the force expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) reduction in middle-aged and elderly people in communities. Methods: The participants aged ≥40 years were randomly selected from a natural population cohort in Songjiang District, Shanghai, for pulmonary function tests and survey by using international physical activity questionnaire, a generalized additive model was used to analyze the association between sedentary behavior and FEV₁ reduction in the study population and different sex-age subgroups. Results: A total of 3 121 study subjects aged ≥40 years were included. The prevalence of FEV₁ reduction was 14.8%, which was higher in men than in women. There were 24.8% participants were completely sedentary. The prevalence of FEV₁ reduction in women aged <60 years in complete sedentary group was 2.04 (95%CI: 1.11-3.72) times higher than that in non-complete sedentary group. In men aged <60 years, the prevalence of FEV₁ reduction increased with daily sedentary time (OR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.04-1.29), and the prevalence of FEV₁ reduction was also higher in those with sedentary time >5 hours/day than those with sedentary time ≤5 hours/day (OR=3.02, 95%CI: 1.28-7.16). The sensitivity analysis also found such associations. Conclusions: FEV₁ reduction rate in age group <60 years was associated with sedentary behavior. Complete sedentary behavior or absence of moderate to vigorous physical activity played important roles in FEV₁ reduction in women, while men were more likely to be affected by increased sedentary time, which had no association with physical activity. Reducing sedentary time to avoid complete sedentary behavior, along with increased physical activity, should be encouraged in middle-aged and elderly adults in communities to improve their pulmonary function.

A DNA Replication Stress-Based Prognostic Model for Lung Adenocarcinoma

Tumor cells endure continuous DNA replication stress, which opens the way to cancer development. Despite previous research, the prognostic implications of DNA replication stress on lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have yet to be investigated. Here, we aimed to investigate the potential of DNA replication stress-related genes (DNARSs) in predicting the prognosis of individuals with LUAD. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) originated from the TCGA-LUAD dataset, and we constructed a 10-gene LUAD prognostic model based on DNARSs-related DEGs (DRSDs) using Cox regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrated excellent predictive capability for the LUAD prognostic model, while the Kaplan-Meier survival curve indicated a poorer prognosis in a high-risk (HR) group. Combined with clinical data, the Riskscore was found to be an independent predictor of LUAD prognosis. By incorporating Riskscore and clinical data, we developed a nomogram that demonstrated a capacity to predict overall survival and exhibited clinical utility, which was validated through the calibration curve, ROC curve, and decision curve analysis curve tests, confirming its effectiveness in prognostic evaluation. Immune analysis revealed that individuals belonging to the low-risk (LR) group exhibited a greater abundance of immune cell infiltration and higher levels of immune function. We calculated the immunopheno score and TIDE scores and tested them on the IMvigor210 and GSE78220 cohorts and found that individuals categorized in the LR group exhibited a higher likelihood of deriving therapeutic benefits from immunotherapy intervention. Additionally, we predicted that patients classified in the HR group would demonstrate enhanced sensitivity to Docetaxel using anti-tumor drugs. To summarize, we successfully developed and validated a prognostic model for LUAD by incorporating DNA replication stress as a key factor.

[Research progress in the etiology of hepatitis type E virus]

Hepatitis type E virus (HEV) is a significant infectious zoonotic disease that causes hepatitis E. The disease is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route through contaminated water or food and is transmissible between species and genera. The causative agent for the disease is the hepatitis type E virus, which is a member of the Hepadnaviridae family and a single-stranded RNA virus. Its 7.2 kb genome mainly contains three open reading frames (ORFs): ORF1 encodes a non-structural polyprotein that mediates viral replication and transcription; ORF2 encodes a capsid protein and free antigen that induce neutralizing antibodies; ORF3 partially overlaps with ORF2 and encodes a small multifunctional protein involved in virion formation and release. HEV has a unique dual life cycle: it is excreted into feces in the form of naked virions but circulates in the blood in the form of "quasi-enveloped" particles. The two kinds of virus particles adsorb and penetrate the host cell in distinct ways, then internalize and decapsulate to replicate the genome, thereby producing more virion and releasing it outside the cell to mediate the virus's spread. This paper reviews the morphological characteristics, genome structure, encoded proteins, and function of HEV virus-like particles in order to provide a theoretical basis for basic research and comprehensive disease prevention and control.

The role of chloroplast movement in C4 photosynthesis: A theoretical analysis using a 3-D reaction-diffusion model for maize

Chloroplasts movement within mesophyll (M) cells in C4 plants is hypothesized to enhance the CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM), but this is difficult to verify experimentally. A three-dimensional (3-D) leaf model can help analyze how chloroplast movement influences the operation of CCM. The first volumetric reaction-diffusion model of C4 photosynthesis that incorporates: detailed 3-D leaf anatomy, light propagation, ATP and NADPH production and CO2, O2 and bicarbonate concentration driven by diffusional and assimilation/emission processes, was developed and implemented for maize leaves to simulate various chloroplast movement scenarios within M cells : the movement of all M chloroplasts towards bundle-sheath (BS) cells (aggregative movement) and movement of only those of interveinal M cells towards BS cells (avoidance movement). Light absorbed by bundle-sheath (BS) chloroplasts relative to M chloroplasts increased in both cases. Avoidance movement decreased light absorption by M chloroplasts considerably. Consequently, total ATP and NADPH production and net photosynthesis rate increased for aggregative movement and decreased for avoidance movement case compared to the default case of no chloroplast movement at high light intensities. Leakiness increased in both chloroplast movement scenarios due to the imbalance in energy production and demand in M and BS cells. These results suggest the need to design strategies for coordinated increases in electron transport and Rubisco activities for an efficient CCM at very high light intensities.

Hysteroscopic myomectomy with the IBS® Intrauterine Bigatti Shaver: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis of the impact of rotational speed and aspiration flow rate

Background: Myoma removal remains a challenge hysteroscopically including for the “IBS®” Intrauterine Bigatti Shaver technique. Objective: To evaluate whether the Intrauterine IBS® instrument settings and the myoma size and type are prognostic factors for the complete removal of submucous myomas using this technology. Materials and methods: This study was conducted at the San Giuseppe University Teaching Hospital Milan, Italy; Ospedale Centrale di Bolzano - Azienda Ospedaliera del Sud Tirolo Bolzano, Italy (Group A) and the Sino European Life Expert Centre-Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Renji Hospital, Shanghai, China (Group B). In Group A: surgeries were performed between June 2009 and January 2018 on 107 women using an IBS device set to a rotational speed of 2,500 rpm and an aspiration flow rate of 250ml/min. In Group B: surgeries were performed between July 2019 and March 2021 on 84 women with the instrument setting to a rotational speed of 1,500 rpm and aspiration flow rate of 500 ml/min. Further subgroup analysis was performed based on fibroid size:<3 cm and 3-5 cm. Both Groups A and B were similar in terms of patient age, parity, symptoms, myoma type and size. Submucous myomas were classified according to the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy classification. All patients underwent a myomectomy with the IBS® under general anaesthesia. The conventional 22 Fr. Bipolar Resectoscope was used in cases requiring conversion to the resection technique. All surgeries were planned, performed and followed by the same surgeon in both institutions. Main outcome measures: Complete resection rates, total operation time, resection time and used fluid volume. Results: Complete resection with the IBS® Shaver was seen in 93/107 (86.91%) in Group A versus 83/84 (98.8 %) in Group B (P=0.0021). Five patients (5.8%) in Subgroup A1 (<3 cm) and nine patients (42.9%) in Subgroup A2 (3cm~5cm) could not be finished with the IBS (P<0.001, RR=2.439), while in Group B only one case (8.3%) in Subgroup B2 (3cm~5cm) underwent a conversion to bipolar resectoscope (Group A: 14/107=13.08% vs. Group B: 1/84=1.19%, P=0.0024). For <3cm myomas (subgroup A1 versus B1) there was a statistically significant difference in terms of resection time (7.75±6.363 vs. 17.28±12.19, P<0.001), operation time (17.81 ± 8.18 vs. 28.19 ±17.614, P<0.001) and total amount of fluid used (3365.63 ± 2212.319 ml vs. 5800.00 ± 8422.878 ml, P<0.05) in favour of Subgroup B1. For larger myomas, a statistical difference was only observed for the total operative time (51.00±14.298 min vs. 30.50±12.122 min, P=0.003). Conclusion: For hysteroscopic myomectomy using the IBS®, 1,500rpm rotational speed and 500ml/min aspiration flow rate are recommended as these settings result in more complete resections compared to the conventional settings. In addition, these settings are associated with a reduction in total operating time. What is new? Reducing the rotational speed rate from 2500 rpm to 1500 rpm and increasing the aspiration flow rate from 250 ml/min to 500 ml/min improve complete resection rates and reduce operating times.

Coal-mining subsidence changed distribution of the microbiomes and their functional genes in a farmland

Land subsidence is a serious geological event, and can trigger severe environmental and ecological issues. In this study, the influences of coal-mining subsidence on distribution of farmland microbiomes and their functional genes were investigated by 16 S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and metagenome sequencing. The results showed the existence of a core microbiome, which determined the community compositions across the subsidence farmland. Subsidence decreased the relative abundances of dominant Streptomyces, Nocardioides, and Rhizophagus, but increased the relative abundances of dominant Bradyrhizobium, Rhizobium, and Trichoderma. Subsidence also decreased the relative abundances of genes related to carbon metabolism, Quorum sensing, aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) biosynthesis, and oxidative phosphorylation, and increased the relative abundances of genes related to two-component system and bacterial chemotaxis. Furthermore, subsidence weakened the biosynthesis of organic carbons by decreasing the relative abundances of genes encoding glycosyl transferases, and strengthened decomposition of degradable organic carbons of the microbiomes and auxiliary activities by increasing the relative abundances of genes encoding glycoside hydrolases and polysaccharide lyases. The concentrations of total phosphorus, Mg²⁺ , and Ca²⁺ at the lower areas were significantly higher than those at the upper areas, indicating an associated loss of soil nutrients. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that soil moisture, pH, and the concentrations of NH₄ ⁺ and Ca²⁺ were the main factors affecting the distribution of the microbiomes and their functional genes. Collectively, this study shows that coal-mining subsidence alters soil physicochemical properties and distribution of farmland microbiomes and their functional genes.

What is the optimal GnRH antagonist protocol for ovarian stimulation during ART treatment? A systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Several GnRH antagonist protocols are currently used during COS in the context of ART treatments; however, questions remain regarding whether these protocols are comparable in terms of efficacy and safety.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE

A systematic review followed by a pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed. The systematic review and pairwise meta-analysis of direct comparative data according to the PRISMA guidelines evaluated the effectiveness of different GnRH antagonist protocols (fixed Day 5/6 versus flexible, ganirelix versus cetrorelix, with or without hormonal pretreatment) on the probability of live birth and ongoing pregnancy after COS during ART treatment. A frequentist network meta-analysis combining direct and indirect comparisons (using the long GnRH agonist protocol as the comparator) was also performed to enhance the precision of the estimates.

SEARCH METHODS

The systematic literature search was performed using Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), Cochrane Central Register of Trials (CENTRAL), SCOPUS and Web of Science (WOS), from inception until 23 November 2021. The search terms comprised three different MeSH terms that should be present in the identified studies: GnRH antagonist; assisted reproduction treatment; randomized controlled trial (RCT). Only studies published in English were included.

OUTCOMES

The search strategy resulted in 6738 individual publications, of which 102 were included in the systematic review (corresponding to 75 unique studies) and 73 were included in the meta-analysis. Most studies were of low quality. One study compared a flexible protocol with a fixed Day 5 protocol and the remaining RCTs with a fixed Day 6 protocol. There was a lack of data regarding live birth when comparing the flexible and fixed GnRH antagonist protocols or cetrorelix and ganirelix. No significant difference in live birth rate was observed between the different pretreatment regimens versus no pretreatment or between the different pretreatment protocols. A flexible GnRH antagonist protocol resulted in a significantly lower OPR compared with a fixed Day 5/6 protocol (relative risk (RR) 0.76, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.94, I2 = 0%; 6 RCTs; n = 907 participants; low certainty evidence). There were insufficient data for a comparison of cetrorelix and ganirelix for OPR. OCP pretreatment was associated with a lower OPR compared with no pretreatment intervention (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.92; I2 = 0%; 5 RCTs, n = 1318 participants; low certainty evidence). Furthermore, in the network meta-analysis, a fixed protocol with OCP resulted in a significantly lower OPR than a fixed protocol with no pretreatment (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.99; moderate quality evidence). The surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) scores suggested that the fixed protocol with no pretreatment is the antagonist protocol most likely (84%) to result in the highest OPR. There was insufficient evidence of a difference between fixed/flexible or OCP pretreatment/no pretreatment interventions regarding other outcomes, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and miscarriage rates.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

Available evidence, mostly of low quality and certainty, suggests that different antagonist protocols should not be considered as equivalent for clinical decision-making. More trials are required to assess the comparative effectiveness of ganirelix versus cetrorelix, the effect of different pretreatment interventions (e.g. progestins or oestradiol) or the effect of different criteria for initiation of the antagonist in the flexible protocol. Furthermore, more studies are required examining the optimal GnRH antagonist protocol in women with high or low response to ovarian stimulation.

Clinical characteristics, AR gene variants, and functional domains in 64 patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome

BACKGROUND

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is caused by abnormal androgen receptor (AR) genes that show variable genotypes and phenotypes. However, the correlation between genotype and phenotype is unclear.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 64 patients with AIS at Shanghai Children's Hospital from 2015 to 2022. We analysed the clinical data of the patients, including hormone levels, AR gene variants, and functional domains.

RESULTS

Variants occurred in the 3 major functional domains in 56 patients, including 23 patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) and 33 with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS). The incidence of nonscrotal fusion (P = 0.019) and proximal urethral opening (P = 0.0002) in the ligand-binding domain (LBD) group was higher than that in the non-LBD group. The phallus length in the LBD group was significantly shorter than that in the non-LBD group (P = 0.009). The external masculinization score (EMS) in the LBD group was significantly lower than that in the non-LBD group (P = 0.013). The levels of inhibin-B (INHB; P = 0.0007), basal luteinizing hormone (LH; P = 0.033), LH peak (P = 0.002), and testosterone (T) after human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) stimulation (P = 0.001) in the LBD group were higher than those in the non-LBD group. There were 53 variants in 64 patients, including 42 reported and 11 novel AR variants, including p.Met247Arg, p.Asp266Glyfs*39, p.Arg362Serfs*140, p.Ala385Val, p.Glu541Asp, p.Pro613Leu, p.Pro695Leu, p.Asn757Asp, c.1616 + 1dup, c.1886-1G > A and exon 5-7 deletion.

CONCLUSIONS

The EMS of patients with AIS in the LBD group was significantly lower than that in the non-LBD group. The phallus length was shorter, and the incidences of proximal urethral opening and nonscrotal fusion were higher, suggesting that the phenotypes in the LBD group were more severe. The levels of INHB, basal LH, peak LH, and T after HCG stimulation in the LBD group were higher than those in the non-LBD group, suggesting that androgen resistance in the LBD group was more severe. We identified 53 variants in 64 patients: 42 reported and 11 novel AR variants. These findings provide new and deeper insight into AIS diagnosis and genetic assessment of AIS.

[Current status of influencing factors for postoperative anastomotic leakage in low rectal cancer]

The incidence of anastomotic leakage, a common and serious postoperative complication of low rectal cancer, remains high. Clarifying the risk factors for anastomotic leakage in patients with low rectal cancer after surgery can help guide clinical treatment and help patients improve their prognosis. The current literature suggests that the risk factors affecting the occurrence of anastomotic leakage after low rectal cancer include three aspects: (1) individual factors: male gender, high body mass index, malnutrition, smoking, alcoholism, and metabolic diseases; (2) tumor factors: the lower margin of tumor <5 cm from the anal verge, tumor diameter >2.5 cm, late tumor stage, high level of tumor markers and preoperative intestinal obstruction; (3) surgical factors: long operative time (>180 min), intraoperative bleeding (≥70 ml), more than 2 cartridges of stapling for anastomosis, contamination of the operative field, epidural analgesia and intraoperative hypothermia. Notably, the surgical approach (laparoscopic, open and hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery) was not a factor influencing the occurrence of postoperative anastomotic leakage in low rectal cancer. The findings on the effects of receiving neoadjuvant therapy, gut microbiota,intestinal bowel preparation, insufficient time for preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis, left colonic artery dissection, intraoperative blood transfusion, pelvic drainage, transanal drainage and combined organ resection, and postoperative diarrhea on postoperative anastomotic leakage in low rectal cancer are controversial. However, clinical workers can still take measures to reduce the risk of anastomotic leakage according to the above risk factors by making a good assessment before surgery, actively avoiding them during and after surgery, and taking measures for each step, so as to bring maximum benefits to patients.

[Application of combined detection of multiple pathogens in diagnosis and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019]

Due to the wide variety of pathogens causing respiratory tract infection and the close symptoms, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) needs to be differentiated from other common infections. Early comprehensive detection and accurate identification of respiratory infection pathogens is of great value for early diagnosis, curative effect, as well as monitor of the diseases. Combined detection of multiple pathogens can quickly and accurately detect and distinguish the pathogens, then provide rapid and reliable laboratory diagnostic basis for further treatment. This article elaborates the application and development of multiplex detection assay in the diagnosis of COVID-19 according to the recent research.

[Disease burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in China from 1990 to 2019]

Objective: To examine the trend of the burden on chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and epidemiologic transition on related risk factors among the Chinese population from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Based on the data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study, we used the indicator numbers such as disability-adjusted life year (DALY), years of life lost (YLD), years lived with disability (YLL), and prevalence rate to describe the changes of COPD burden stratified by different sex and age groups from 1990 to 2019. We applied population attribution faction (PAF) to analyze the burden attributed to risk factors and epidemiological transition. Results: In 2019, the age-standard rate for DALY, YLD, and YLL and prevalence rate for COPD were 1 102.77/100 000 population,862.37/100 000 population, 240.40/100 000 population, and 2 404.41/100 000. Both age-standardized DALY and YLL rates for COPD in males were higher than in females, except for the YLD rate in females. COPD's top five risk factors were particulate matter pollution, smoking, occupational particulate matter, gases, and fumes, low temperature, and secondhand smoke. Smoking surpassed environmental particulate pollution in 1994 and became the first factor causing the disease burden of COPD. Since then, the order of risk factors has not changed. The PAF of environmental particulate pollutants increased by 1.78% annually, from 15.22% in 1990 to 25.37%, and the PAF of household air pollution from solid fuels decreased by 5.59% annually, from 40.30% in 1990 to 7.59%. Conclusions: From 1990 to 2019, the per person health loss caused by COPD in China showed an overall downward trend. The PAF of relevant risk factors has also changed, the importance of environmental factors is relatively declined, and the status of smoking and other related risk behaviors has become increasingly prominent. The prevention and control of COPD can focus on screening high-risk groups (≥40 years old, smoking, heavy air pollution, having occupational exposure), smoking cessation, and environmental treatment.

Multiplexed apolipoprotein profiling advances the assessment of residual lipid-related cardiovascular risk

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation

Background and Purpose

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is among the conventional lipid parameters used to predict risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Statins lower blood levels of pro-atherogenic LDL-C, but a residual cardiovascular risk remains in some individuals with therapeutically optimised LDL-C levels. Although the metabolism of LDL-C and other lipoprotein particles is governed by a range of different apolipoproteins, only apolipoproteins A-I and B are measured in clinical assays. Using a more comprehensive apolipoprotein panel in a large epidemiological cohort, this study aimed to determine the association of individual apolipoprotein levels with risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods

Bottom-up multiple reaction monitoring–mass spectrometry (MRM–MS) was used in conjunction with stable isotope-labelled peptide standards to quantify plasma levels of 13 apolipoproteins in participants of the Precocious Coronary Artery Disease (PROCARDIS) study (N = 1916; 941 cases of CHD, 975 controls). The relationship between apolipoprotein levels and CHD was assessed after adjusting for established risk factors for CVD and correcting for statin use.

Results

The strongest positive associations with CHD in the PROCARDIS study were seen for triglyceride-related apolipoproteins C-I (odds ratio [OR] 2.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63–3.46), C-III (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.85–4.71) and E (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.54–3.58), as well as for apolipoprotein (a) (kringle IV type 2 repeat, OR 2.84, 95% CI 2.04–3.95). Comparing these with associations of apolipoproteins with CVD in the Bruneck study (N = 688) revealed consistency across the two cohorts. Robust inverse associations with CHD were observed for apolipoproteins A-IV (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31–0.65) and M (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.19–0.44).

Conclusion

Analysing two large epidemiological cohorts, Bruneck and PROCARDIS, demonstrated that multiplexed apolipoprotein profiling improves the understanding of cardiovascular risk independent of conventional lipid parameters. Most prominently, triglyceride-related apolipoproteins were shown to positively associate with residual cardiovascular risk. The findings of this study support the need for development and implementation of standardised, MRM–MS-based apolipoprotein profiling assays to guide novel lipid-modifying therapies beyond statins.

A proteomic atlas of atherosclerosis: regional proteomic signatures for plaque inflammation and calcification

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): This study was mainly supported from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) supporting Prof. Manuel Mayr as a Chair Holder (CH/16/3/32406) with BHF programme grant support (RG/16/14/32397) and Dr. Theofilatos with BHF programm grant support (G/20/10387).

Background

Using proteomics, we strove to reveal novel molecular subtypes of human atherosclerotic lesions, study their associations with histology and imaging and relate them to long-term cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods

219 samples were obtained from 120 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. Sequential protein extraction was combined with multiplexed, discovery proteomics. Parallel reaction monitoring for 135 proteins was deployed for targeted validation. A combination of statistical, bioinformatics and machine learning methods was used to perform differential expression, network, pathway enrichment analysis and train and evaluate prognostic models.

Results

Our extensive proteomics analysis from the core and periphery of plaques doubled the coverage of the plaque proteome compared to the largest proteomics study on atherosclerosis thus far. Plaque inflammation and calcification signatures were inversely correlated and validated with targeted proteomics. The inflammation signature was enriched with neutrophil-derived proteins, including calprotectin (S100A8/9) and myeloperoxidase. The calcification signature contained fetuin-A, osteopontin, and gamma-carboxylated proteins. Sex differences in the proteome of atherosclerosis were explained by a higher proportion of calcified plaques in women. Single-cell RNA sequencing data attributed the inflammation signature predominantly to neutrophils and macrophages and the calcification signature to smooth muscle cells, except for certain plasma proteins that were not expressed but retained in the plaque, i.e., fetuin-A. Echogenic lesions reflect the collagen content and calcification of plaque but carotid Duplex ultrasound fails to capture the extent of inflammatory protein changes in symptomatic plaques. Applying dimensionality reduction and machine learning on the proteomics data defined 4 distinct plaque phenotypes and revealed key protein signatures linked to smooth muscle cell content, plaque calcification and structural extracellular matrix, which improved the 9-year prognostic AUC by 25% compared to ultrasound and histology. A biosignature of four proteins (CNN1, PROC, SERPH, and CSPG2) independently predicted the progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality with an AUC of 75%

Conclusion

We combined discovery and targeted proteomics with network reconstruction and clustering techniques to provide molecular insights into protein changes in atherosclerotic plaques. The application of proteomics and machine learning techniques revealed distinct clusters of plaques that inform on disease progression and future adverse cardiovascular events.

[Effects of non-muscle myosin Ⅱ silenced bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation on lung extracellular matrix in rats after endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury]

Objective: To investigate the effects of non-muscle myosin Ⅱ (NMⅡ) gene silenced bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) on pulmonary extracellular matrix (ECM) and fibrosis in rats with acute lung injury (ALI) induced by endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: The experimental research methods were adopted. Cells from femur and tibial bone marrow cavity of four one-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were identified as BMMSCs by flow cytometry, and the third passage of BMMSCs were used in the following experiments. The cells were divided into NMⅡ silenced group transfected with pHBLV-U6-ZsGreen-Puro plasmid containing small interference RNA sequence of NMⅡ gene, vector group transfected with empty plasmid, and blank control group without any treatment, and the protein expression of NMⅡ at 72 h after intervention was detected by Western blotting (n=3). The morphology of cells was observed by an inverted phase contrast microscope and cells labeled with chloromethylbenzoine (CM-DiⅠ) in vitro were observed by an inverted fluorescence microscope. Twenty 4-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into blank control group, ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group according to the random number table, with 5 rats in each group. Rats in blank control group were not treated, and rats in the other 3 groups were given LPS to induce ALI. Immediately after modeling, rats in ALI alone group were injected with 1 mL normal saline via tail vein, rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were injected with 1×107/mL BMMSCs and NMⅡ gene silenced BMMSCs of 1 mL labelled with CM-DiⅠ via tail vein, and rats in blank control group were injected with 1 mL normal saline via tail vein at the same time point, respectively. At 24 h after intervention, the lung tissue was collected to observe intrapulmonary homing of the BMMSCs by an inverted fluorescence microscope. Lung tissue was collected at 24 h, in 1 week, and in 2 weeks after intervention to observe pulmonary inflammation by hematoxylin eosin staining and to observe pulmonary fibrosis by Masson staining, and the pulmonary fibrosis in 2 weeks after intervention was scored by modified Ashcroft score (n=5). The content of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), and MMP-9 was detected by immunohistochemistry in 2 weeks after intervention (n=3), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase (MPO) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at 24 h after intervention (n=3), and the protein expressions of CD11b and epidermal growth factor like module containing mucin like hormone receptor 1 (EMR1) in 1 week after intervention were detected by immunofluorescence staining (n=3). Data were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, Bonferroni method, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results: At 72 h after intervention, the NMⅡprotein expression of cells in NMⅡ silenced group was significantly lower than those in blank control group and vector group (with P values <0.01). BMMSCs were in long spindle shape and grew in cluster shaped like vortexes, which were labelled with CM-DiⅠ successfully in vitro. At 24 h after intervention, cell homing in lung of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was more pronounced than that in ALI+BMMSC group, while no CM-DiⅠ-labelled BMMSCs were observed in lung of rats in blank control group and ALI alone group. There was no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue of rats in blank control group at all time points, while inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly less than that in ALI alone group at 24 h after intervention, and alveolar wall turned to be thinner and a small amount of congestion in local lung tissue appeared in rats of the two groups in 1 week and 2 weeks after intervention. In 1 week and 2 weeks after intervention, collagen fiber deposition in lung tissue of rats in ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly aggravated compared with that in blank control group, while collagen fiber deposition in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly improved compared with that in ALI alone group. In 2 weeks after intervention, modified Ashcroft scores for pulmonary fibrosis of rats in ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were 2.36±0.22, 1.62±0.16, 1.06±0.26, respectively, significantly higher than 0.30±0.21 in blank control group (P<0.01). Modified Ashcroft scores for pulmonary fibrosis of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly lower than that in ALI alone group (P<0.01), and modified Ashcroft score for pulmonary fibrosis of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly lower than that in ALI+BMMSC group (P<0.01). In 2 weeks after intervention, the content of α-SMA in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly decreased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The content of MMP-2 in lung tissue of rats in the 4 groups was similar (P>0.05). The content of MMP-9 in lung tissue of rats in ALI alone group was significantly increased compared with that in blank control group (P<0.01), and the content of MMP-9 in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.01). At 24 h after intervention, the activity of malondialdehyde, SOD, and MPO in lung tissue of rats in ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly increased compared with that in blank control group (P<0.01), the activity of malondialdehyde in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group and the activity of SOD in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly increased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the activity of SOD in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI+BMMSC group (P<0.01). The activity of MPO in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.01), and the activity of MPO in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI+BMMSC group (P<0.01). In 1 week after intervention, the protein expression of CD11b in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly increased compared with those in the other three groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the protein expressions of EMR1 in lung tissue of rats in the four groups were similar (P>0.05). Conclusions: Transplantation of NMⅡ gene silenced BMMSCs can significantly improve the activity of ECM components in the lung tissue in LPS-induced ALI rats, remodel its integrity, and enhance its antioxidant capacity, and alleviate lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis.

MFN2 knockdown promotes osteogenic differentiation of iPSC-MSCs through aerobic glycolysis mediated by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Background

Mitofusin-2 (MFN2) is a kind of GTPase that participates in the regulation of mitochondrial fusion, which is related to a variety of physiological and pathological processes, including energy metabolism, cell differentiation, and embryonic development. However, it remains unclear whether MFN2 is involved in the metabolism and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Methods

MFN2 knockdown (MFN2-KD) and MFN2-overexpressing (MFN2-OE) induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iPSC-MSCs) were constructed by lentivirus. The commercial kits were utilized to detect the glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) rate. Flow cytometry, Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), RNA-seq, immunofluorescence, and immunoprecipitation were employed for phenotype and molecular mechanism assessment.

Results

We demonstrated that MFN2 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway regulated glycolysis of iPSC-MSCs. The lack of MFN2 promoted the osteogenic differentiation of iPSC-MSCs, and aerobic glycolysis in the presence of sufficient oxygen, which increased glucose consumption and lactic acid production, as well as the glycolytic enzyme activity and gene expression. Inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway normalized the enhanced glycolytic rate and osteogenic differentiation of MFN2-KD iPSC-MSCs. MFN2-OE iPSC-MSCs displayed the opposite phenotype.

Conclusions

Downregulating MFN2 promotes osteogenic differentiation of iPSC-MSCs through aerobic glycolysis mediated by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our research reveals the new function of MFN2 in regulating the osteogenic differentiation and energy metabolism of MSCs, which will provide a new therapeutic target and theoretical basis for alveolar bone repair and periodontal regenerative treatment.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-02836-w.

Precision Medicine Approach for Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Therapeutic Apheresis

Lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is currently the most powerful intervention possible to reach a maximal reduction of lipids in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and lipoprotein(a) hyperlipidemia. Although LA is an invasive method, it has few side effects and the best results in preventing further major cardiovascular events. It has been suggested that the highly significant reduction of cardiovascular complications in patients with severe lipid disorders achieved by LA is mediated not only by the potent reduction of lipid levels but also by the removal of other proinflammatory and proatherogenic factors. Here we performed a comprehensive proteomic analysis of patients on LA treatment using intra-individually a set of differently sized apheresis filters with the INUSpheresis system. This study revealed that proteomic analysis correlates well with routine clinical chemistry in these patients. The method is eminently suited to discover new biomarkers and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in these patients. Different filters achieve reduction and removal of proatherogenic proteins in different quantities. This includes not only apolipoproteins, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and plasminogen but also proteins like complement factor B (CFAB), protein AMBP, afamin, and the low affinity immunoglobulin gamma Fc region receptor III-A (FcγRIIIa) among others that have been described as atherosclerosis and metabolic vascular diseases promoting factors. We therefore conclude that future trials should be designed to develop an individualized therapy approach for patients on LA based on their metabolic and vascular risk profile. Furthermore, the power of such cascade filter treatment protocols may improve the prevention of cardiometabolic disease and its complications.

Carbon footprint and net carbon gain of major long-term cropping systems under no-tillage

Due to increased contribution from agriculture sector to total greenhouse gas emissions, there is need to study the ability of no-tilled diverse cropping systems including crop sequences and bio-covers to mitigate C equivalent emissions. Thus, C-footprint was calculated for a long-term experiment at the University of Tennessee's Research and Education Center in Milan with six-crop sequences: continuous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), cotton-corn (Zea mays L.), continuous corn, corn-soybean (Glycine max L.), continuous soybean, and soybean-cotton interacted with four bio-covers: poultry litter, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), and fallow control with three replicates in a strip-plot design. During the experiment duration (2002-2017), field inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, and machinery used for planting, chemical applications, and harvesting) and outputs (crop yield, aboveground, and belowground residue) were assessed for each crop sequence/bio-cover combination to calculate total C equivalence of inputs and outputs, net C gain, C footprint per kg yield, sustainability index, and nitrous oxide emissions. For continuous corn, C-based input emissions were significantly higher by 0.28-0.62 Mg CO₂ eq. ha^-1 yr^-1 than all other sequences, however, a greater net C gain (5.4 Mg C eq. ha^-1 yr^-1) was also observed due to increased crop yield, aboveground and belowground residues. Poultry litter application resulted in lower C-footprint (1.59-2.09 kg CO₂ eq. kg^-1 yield) than hairy vetch, wheat, and fallow under all crop sequences. Hairy vetch also lowered C-footprint per kg yield (∼2-14%) when compared with wheat under continuous systems of corn, soybean, and cotton, and cotton-corn rotation. Poultry litter application increased sustainability index (23-45) of all cropping sequences compared with other bio-covers. Hairy vetch improved sustainability index of corn including cropping sequences as compared with wheat and fallow. Inclusion of soybean and cotton with corn significantly decreased nitrous oxide emissions by 20-25%. The major factor contributing towards C-based input emissions was N fertilizer with 68% contribution to total emissions on average. It is concluded that application of poultry litter can reduce per yield C-footprint and enhance production system sustainability compared with hairy vetch, wheat, and fallow for monocultures or rotations of corn, soybean, cotton. Additionally, hairy vetch can outperform wheat in reducing the per yield C-footprint for continuous corn/soybean/cotton, and cotton-corn rotation. Especially for corn production systems, hairy vetch can enhance sustainability index compared with wheat and fallow. In order to increase per hectare net C gain, reduce per yield C-footprint and enhance sustainability index simultaneously, integration of continuous corn or corn-soybean/cotton rotation with bio-cover poultry litter or hairy vetch may perform better than the monocultures of soybean or cotton integrated with bio-cover wheat or fallow control in the Mid-south USA.

Intrauterine Bigatti Shaver (IBS ® ) successful placental remnants removal, after caesarean section for a cervical pregnancy with placenta accreta

Placenta accreta located in a caesarean section scar is difficult to remove. The Intrauterine Bigatti Shaver (IBS®) has already been proven to be effective in placental remnant removal. Our case report highlights that the IBS® is also a safe method to remove placental remnants attached to a previous caesarean section scar performed for a cervical pregnancy and associated with placenta accreta.

Downregulating MFN2 promotes the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into mesenchymal stem cells via the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β/Wnt signaling pathway

Understanding the mechanism of the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and promoting the production efficiency of iPSC-derived MSCs (iPSC-MSCs) are critical to periodontal tissue engineering. However, the gene networks that control this differentiation process from iPSCs into MSCs are poorly understood. We demonstrated that MFN2 knockdown showed a positive effect on the triploblastic and MSC differentiation from iPSCs. Activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by MFN2 knockdown activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by inhibiting GSK-3β and reducing β-catenin degradation. Inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway normalized the enhanced efficiency of differentiation into MSCs of MFN2-KD iPSCs and Wnt activator treated control iPSCs. MFN2-OE iPSCs displayed an opposite phenotype. In conclusion, downregulating MFN2 promotes the differentiation of iPSCs into MSCs by activating the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β/Wnt signaling pathway. Our results reveal a crucial function and mechanism for MFN2 in regulating MSC differentiation from iPSCs, which will provide new ideas for periodontal tissue engineering and periodontal regenerative treatment by using iPSC-MSCs.

Pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma enrolled in the randomized KEYNOTE-181 trial in Asia

BACKGROUND

In the randomized phase III KEYNOTE-181 study, pembrolizumab prolonged overall survival (OS) compared with chemotherapy as second-line therapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) ≥10. We report a post hoc subgroup analysis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) enrolled in KEYNOTE-181 in Asia, including patients from the KEYNOTE-181 China extension study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three hundred and forty Asian patients with advanced/metastatic ESCC were enrolled in KEYNOTE-181, including the China cohort. Patients were randomly assigned 1 : 1 to receive pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks for ≤2 years or investigator's choice of paclitaxel, docetaxel, or irinotecan. OS, progression-free survival, response, and safety were analyzed without formal comparisons. OS was evaluated based on PD-L1 CPS expression level.

RESULTS

In Asian patients with ESCC, median OS was 10.0 months with pembrolizumab and 6.5 months with chemotherapy [hazard ratio (HR), 0.63; 95% CI 0.50-0.80; nominal P < 0.0001]. Median progression-free survival was 2.3 months with pembrolizumab and 3.1 months with chemotherapy (HR, 0.79; 95% CI 0.63-0.99; nominal P = 0.020). Objective response rate was 17.1% with pembrolizumab and 7.1% with chemotherapy; median duration of response was 10.5 months and 7.7 months, respectively. In patients with PD-L1 CPS <1 tumors (pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy), the HR was 0.99 (95% CI 0.56-1.72); the HR (95% CI) for death was better for patients with PD-L1 CPS cut-offs >1 [CPS ≥1, 0.57 (0.44-0.75); CPS ≥5, 0.56 (0.41-0.76); CPS ≥10, 0.53 (0.37-0.75)]. Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 71.8% of patients in the pembrolizumab group and 89.8% in the chemotherapy group; grade 3-5 events were reported in 20.0% and 44.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Pembrolizumab monotherapy demonstrated promising efficacy in Asian patients with ESCC, with fewer treatment-related adverse events than chemotherapy. PD-L1 CPS ≥1 is an appropriate cut-off and a predictive marker of pembrolizumab efficacy in Asian patients with ESCC.

Altered Brain Structure and Spontaneous Functional Activity in Children With Concomitant Strabismus

Strabismus occurs in about 2% of children and may result in amblyopia or lazy eyes and loss of depth perception. However, whether/how long-term strabismus shapes the brain structure and functions in children with concomitant strabismus (CS) is still unclear. In this study, a total of 26 patients with CS and 28 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging examination. The cortical thickness and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) were calculated to assess the structural and functional plasticity in children with CS. Compared with HCs group, patients with CS showed increased cortical thickness in the precentral gyrus and angular gyrus while decreased cortical thickness in the left intraparietal sulcus, parieto-occipital sulcus, superior and middle temporal gyrus, right ventral premotor cortex, anterior insula, orbitofrontal cortex, and paracentral lobule. Meanwhile, CS patients exhibited increased ALFF in the prefrontal cortex and superior temporal gyrus, and decreased ALFF in the caudate and hippocampus. These results show that children with CS have abnormal structure and function in brain regions subserving eye movement, controls, and high-order cognitive functions. Our findings revealed the structural and functional abnormalities induced by CS and may provide new insight into the underlying neural mechanisms for CS.

Regulation of TRAF6 by MicroRNA-146a in Zebrafish Embryos after Exposure to Di(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate at Different Concentrations

As an endocrine disruptor, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is ubiquitous in multiple environmental media, causing long-term toxic effects on organisms. MicroRNAs are a class of noncoding RNAs with only 20-24 nucleotides in length, which regulate the expression of many protein-coding genes when organisms are exposed to environmental chemicals. MiR-146a, a differentially expressed miRNA after DEHP exposure, was screened by miRNA sequencing. As its target, TRAF6 was predicted and identified by double fluorescent protein assay and double fluorescent gene reporting assay. It shows the contrary expression pattern with miR-146a when mimics and inhibitors were transfected into ZF4 cells. MiR-146a and TRAF6 were downregulated and upregulated, respectively, in zebrafish embryos exposed to a low-dose concentration gradient of DEHP. These results deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of DEHP toxicity and suggest that miR-146a can serve as a potential biomarker for DEHP exposure.

Slow light nanocoatings for ultrashort pulse compression

Transparent materials do not absorb light but have profound influence on the phase evolution of transmitted radiation. One consequence is chromatic dispersion, i.e., light of different frequencies travels at different velocities, causing ultrashort laser pulses to elongate in time while propagating. Here we experimentally demonstrate ultrathin nanostructured coatings that resolve this challenge: we tailor the dispersion of silicon nanopillar arrays such that they temporally reshape pulses upon transmission using slow light effects and act as ultrashort laser pulse compressors. The coatings induce anomalous group delay dispersion in the visible to near-infrared spectral region around 800 nm wavelength over an 80 nm bandwidth. We characterize the arrays' performance in the spectral domain via white light interferometry and directly demonstrate the temporal compression of femtosecond laser pulses. Applying these coatings to conventional optics renders them ultrashort pulse compatible and suitable for a wide range of applications.

On-site in situ high-pressure ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy instrument

We conceive and construct an on-site in situ high-pressure time-resolved ultrafast optical spectroscopy instrument that facilitates ultrafast pump-probe dynamics measurements under high pressure conditions. We integrate an ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy system with a diamond anvil cell (DAC) system. Significantly, both the DAC and the sample are fixed within the light path without motion and rotation throughout the whole ultrafast spectroscopy experiment, including tuning and calibrating the pressure. This instrument thus avoids introducing artifacts due to sample motion or rotation, enabling precision high-pressure ultrafast pump-probe dynamics investigations. As a demonstrating example, we compare the effect of on-site in situ conditions with off-site in situ conditions on the ultrafast dynamics of Sr₂IrO₄ under 0-44.5 GPa high pressure. Our data and analysis show that conventional possible artifacts are greatly reduced by using the on-site in situ layout. Our work helps the high-pressure ultrafast science investigation develop into a promising new area, which enables the exploration of nonequilibrium excited quantum states in the high-pressure regime.

Pseudopodium enriched atypical kinase 1(PEAK1) promotes invasion and of melanoma cells by activating JAK/STAT3 signals

Pseudopodium enriched atypical kinase 1(PEAK1) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, which is enriched in the pseudopodia of migrating cells and plays an important role in regulating cell migration and proliferation. In the study, we investigate the therapeutic effect of PEAK1 on melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo. We used a lentiviral vector to express short hairpin RNAs (Lv-PEAK1 shRNA) for inhibiting PEAK1 expression in the melanoma SKMEL28 cells. A full-length PEAK1 gene was cloned into the pcDNA 3.1 (+) plasmid and used to infect the melanoma SKMEL19 cells. P6 (also known as Pyridines 6, EMD Chemicals), the Pan-JAK inhibitor, was used to inhibit the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) pathway. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation assay and transwell assay were used to detect cell proliferation, growth and invasion in vitro. The effect of PEAK1 on melanoma progression in vivo was also evaluated. Protein expression of PEAK1, E-cadherin, vimentin and JAK/STAT3 was measured using western blot assay or immunohistochemistry. The results showed that enforced PEAK1 expression facilitated melanoma cell growth, invasion and metastasis via activating JAK/STAT3 signals, and PEAK1 knockdown inhibited melanoma cell growth, invasion and metastasis via inactivating JAK/STAT3 signals. Further work demonstrated that P6 (500 nM) treatment reversed PEAK1-induced effect in melanoma cells. PEAK1 promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis via activating JAK/STAT3 signals, and PEAK1 knockdown reduced tumorigenesis and metastasis in melanoma via inactivating JAK/STAT3 signals, providing a novel therapeutic strategy for melanoma treatment.

[The characteristics and change of aeroallergens in children from 2015 to 2020 in a hospital of pediatric in Beijing]

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of clinical distribution and change of aeroallergens in children with allergic diseases from 2015 to 2020. Methods: Children who visited Capital Institute of Pediatrics affiliated Children's Hospital, suspected of allergic diseases and received serum aeroallergens specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) test were retrospectively enrolled (1 to 14 years old). sIgE was detected by Phadia1000 system with radioallergosorbent test fluorescent enzyme-linked immunoassay. The characteristics and change of the aeroallergens among the 6 years was analyzed. Enumeration data were expressed by percentage and categorical variables were compared by the independent samples t-test and Pearson χ² test. Results: In total 4 608 tests (4 575 patients) of children were enrolled, the average age was (5.4±2.9) years old, with the median age of 5.0 years old. 3 176 were boys (68.9%), and 1 432 were girls (31.1%). 4 294 children were from the north of China (93.2%), 295 children were from the south of China (6.4%), and 19 children were from unknown regions (0.4%). In total the most common aeroallergen was mold mixture (1 956/4 457 tests, 43.9%) and Alternaria alternata (276/630 tests, 43.8%), followed by Artemisia (300/889 tests, 33.7%), Humulus scandens (12/38 tests, 31.6%) and grass mixture (909/2 874 tests, 31.6%). Among the 6 years, mold, grass pollen and tree pollen sensitization increased, and mold [38/130 (29.2%) vs 1 574/3 233 (48.7%)], grass pollen [11/77 (14.3%) vs 1 069/3 072 (34.8%)] increased significantly (χ² was 18.953 and 49.559, respectively, P=0.000). Positive rate of tree pollen increased [1/10 (10.0%) vs 516/2 122 (24.3%)], but did not have statistical significance (χ²=1.111, P=0.292). Dust mite [36/146 (24.7%) vs 321/1 408 (22.8%)] and hair of pets [7/33 (21.2%) vs 321/1 408 (17.1%)] sensitization didn't change greatly (χ² =0.258, P =0.611; χ² =0.379, P =0.538). In 2015, the most common aeroallergens was mold (38/130, 29.2%), followed by dust mite (36/146, 24.7%), while in 2020, the most common aeroallergens was still mold (1 574/3 233, 48.7%), with grass pollen (1 069/3 072, 34.8%) and tree pollen (516/2 122, 24.3%) ranked after. Conclusion: Mold might be the most common aeroallergens in allergic children in Beijing area. With time went on, dust mite was gradually exceeded by grass pollen and tree pollen.

A new multi-tracer pellet injection for a simultaneous study of low- and mid/high-Z impurities in high-temperature plasmas

A new multi-tracer technique in the Tracer-Encapsulated Solid Pellet (TESPEL) method has been developed in order to acquire simultaneously the information about the behaviors of various impurities, i.e., to study concurrently the behaviors of low- and mid/high-Z impurities in magnetically confined high-temperature plasmas. In this new technique, an inorganic compound (for example, lithium titanate, Li₂TiO₃) is proposed to be used as a tracer embedded in the core of the TESPEL, instead of pure elements. The results of the proof-of-principle experiment clearly demonstrate the applicability of the new multi-tracer technique in the TESPEL method for the simultaneous study of behaviors of low- and mid/high-Z impurities in high-temperature plasmas.

Three-dimensional vectorcardiographic characteristics of breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

 Patients receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC) may develop cardiac electrophysiological abnormalities. The aim of this study is to examined possible alterations in cardiac electrophysiological parameters detected by three-dimensional vectorcardiograms (3D-VCGs) in BC patients who received chemotherapy.

Methods

This was a prospective single-center cohort study conducted. Patients with BC referred for chemotherapy from May 1, 2019, to October 1, 2019 were invited to participate in the study. 3D-VCG and echocardiography were recorded at rest four times (baseline, after the first cycle, after third cycles and at the end of the regimen, respectively). 

Results

 A total of 63 patients were included. Compared with baseline, decreases in 3-dimensional maximum T vector magnitude (TVM) (0.29 ± 0.10 vs. 0.25 ± 0.10mV; p &lt; 0.05) and 3-dimensional T/QRS ratio (0.26 ± 0.11 vs. 0.21 ± 0.11; p &lt; 0.05) were observed by the end of chemotherapy regimen, while echocardiographic parameters showed no significant variation before and after chemotherapy (all P &gt; 0.05). Maximum TVM showed a significant positive correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (all p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the cut-off value with 0.23 of 3-dimensional T/QRS ratio (the area under the curve [AUC] 0.725) for differentiating LVEF reduction ≥10% following initiation of chemotherapy. The AUC of the front plane T/QRS ratio and horizontal plane T/QRS ratio for the detection of an LVEF reduction ≥10% was 0.725 and 0.763, respectively.

Conclusions

 3D-VCGs can be used to detect electrophysiological abnormalities in BC patients receiving chemotherapy. Subclinical cardiac dysfunction can be revealed by 3D-VCGs before alterations in traditional echocardiographic parameters.