Synthesis and evaluation of febrifugine derivatives as anticoccidial agents

A series of new febrifugine derivatives with a 4(3H)-quinazolinone scaffold were synthesized and evaluated for their anticoccidial activity both in vitro and in vivo. The targets' in vitro activity against Eimeria tenella was studied using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells. Most of these compounds demonstrated anticoccidial efficacy, with inhibition ratios ranging from 3.3% to 85.7%. Specifically, compounds 33 and 34 showed significant inhibitory effects on the proliferation of E. tenella and exhibited lower cytotoxicity compared to febrifugine. The IC50 values of compounds 33 and 34 were 3.48 and 1.79 μM, respectively, while the CC50 values were >100 μM for both compounds. Furthermore, in a study involving 14-day-old chickens infected with 5 × 104 sporulated oocysts, treatment with five selected compounds (22, 24, 28, 33, and 34), which exhibited in vitro inhibition rate of over 50% at 100 μM, at a dose of 40 mg/kg in daily feed for 8 consecutive days showed that compound 34 possessed moderate in vivo activity against coccidiosis, with an anticoccidial index of 164. Structure-activity relationship studies suggested that spirocyclic piperidine may be a preferable substructure to maintain high effectiveness in inhibiting Eimeria spp., when the side chain 1-(3-hydroxypiperidin-2-yl)propan-2-one was replaced.

Drug resistance in ovarian cancer: from mechanism to clinical trial

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological cancer-related death. Drug resistance is the bottleneck in ovarian cancer treatment. The increasing use of novel drugs in clinical practice poses challenges for the treatment of drug-resistant ovarian cancer. Continuing to classify drug resistance according to drug type without understanding the underlying mechanisms is unsuitable for current clinical practice. We reviewed the literature regarding various drug resistance mechanisms in ovarian cancer and found that the main resistance mechanisms are as follows: abnormalities in transmembrane transport, alterations in DNA damage repair, dysregulation of cancer-associated signaling pathways, and epigenetic modifications. DNA methylation, histone modifications and noncoding RNA activity, three key classes of epigenetic modifications, constitute pivotal mechanisms of drug resistance. One drug can have multiple resistance mechanisms. Moreover, common chemotherapies and targeted drugs may have cross (overlapping) resistance mechanisms. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can interfere with and thus regulate the abovementioned pathways. A subclass of miRNAs, "epi-miRNAs", can modulate epigenetic regulators to impact therapeutic responses. Thus, we also reviewed the regulatory influence of miRNAs on resistance mechanisms. Moreover, we summarized recent phase I/II clinical trials of novel drugs for ovarian cancer based on the abovementioned resistance mechanisms. A multitude of new therapies are under evaluation, and the preliminary results are encouraging. This review provides new insight into the classification of drug resistance mechanisms in ovarian cancer and may facilitate in the successful treatment of resistant ovarian cancer.

The combination of high-frequency QRS and ST-segment alterations during exercise stress tests enhanced the diagnostic efficacy for coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

High-frequency QRS (HF-QRS) manifests as a novel adjunct electrocardiographic marker with potential utility in coronary artery disease (CAD) detection.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesize that HF-QRS analysis may be superior to conventional ST-segment analysis in detecting CAD, and the combination of these two analyses in the exercise stress test may enhance the diagnostic efficacy for CAD.

METHODS

The study incorporated a sample of 157 patients (mean age 62 ± $\pm $  9 years) referred for nonemergent angiography. Before angiography, patients underwent exercise stress testing utilizing an upright bicycle. High-resolution electrocardiogram (ECG) data were collected during the exercise test, facilitating both HF-QRS and conventional ST-segment analyses. The diagnostic efficacy of HF-QRS and ST-segment analysis were compared, utilizing angiographic outcomes as the gold standard. The study design integrated HF-QRS analysis and ST-segment analysis via sequential and concurrent testing protocols.

RESULTS

In terms of CAD detection, HF-QRS analysis displayed superior sensitivity compared to conventional ST-segment analysis (63% vs. 37%, p = .002). The serial test significantly increased specificity from 79% to 97% (p = .002) compared to ST-deviation analysis alone. It showed a markedly low sensitivity of 26%. The parallel test significantly increased sensitivity from 37% to 77% (p < .001), while retaining a moderate level of specificity of 51%. The quantity of ECG leads exhibiting a positive HF-QRS response demonstrated a correlation with the severity of CAD (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

HF-QRS analysis exhibited superior sensitivity in detecting angiographically confirmed CAD relative to conventional ST-segment analysis. Moreover, the combination of HF-QRS and ST-segment alterations during exercise stress test enhanced the diagnostic efficacy for CAD.

Inhibition of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 4 Protects Cardiomyocytes from lipopolysaccharide-Induced Mitochondrial Damage by Reducing Lactate Accumulation

Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered one of the major pathogenic mechanisms of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC). Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4), a key regulator of mitochondrial metabolism, is essential for maintaining mitochondrial function. However, its specific role in SIC remains unclear. To investigate this, we established an in vitro model of septic cardiomyopathy using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Our study revealed a significant increase in PDK4 expression in LPS-treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Inhibiting PDK4 with dichloroacetic acid (DCA) improved cell survival, reduced intracellular lipid accumulation and calcium overload, and restored mitochondrial structure and respiratory capacity while decreasing lactate accumulation. Similarly, Oxamate, a lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor, exhibited similar effects to DCA in LPS-treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes. To further validate whether PDK4 causes cardiomyocyte and mitochondrial damage in SIC by promoting lactate production, we upregulated PDK4 expression using PDK4-overexpressing lentivirus in H9C2 cardiomyocytes. This resulted in elevated lactate levels, impaired mitochondrial structure, and reduced mitochondrial respiratory capacity. However, inhibiting lactate production reversed the mitochondrial dysfunction caused by PDK4 upregulation. In conclusion, our study highlights the pathogenic role of PDK4 in LPS-induced cardiomyocyte and mitochondrial damage by promoting lactate production. Therefore, targeting PDK4 and its downstream product lactate may serve as promising therapeutic approaches for treating SIC.

Healthcare-seeking behaviours of patients with acute respiratory infection: a cross-sectional survey in a rural area of southwest China

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the healthcare-seeking behaviour and related factors of people with acute respiratory symptoms in the rural areas of central and western China to estimate the disease burden of influenza more accurately.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTINGS

Fifty-two communities/villages in the Wanzhou District, Chongqing, China, a rural area in southwest China, from May 2022 to July 2022.

PARTICIPANTS

The participants were those who had been living in Wanzhou District continuously for more than 6 months and consented to participate.

OUTCOME MEASURES

A semistructured questionnaire was used to determine the healthcare-seeking behaviour of participants, and the dichotomous response of 'yes' or 'no' was used to assess whether participants had acute respiratory symptoms and their healthcare-seeking behaviour.

RESULTS

Only 50.92% (360 of 707) of the patients with acute respiratory infection visited medical and health institutions for treatment, whereas 49.08% (347 of 707) avoided treatment or opted for self-medication. The primary reason for not seeing a doctor was that patients felt their condition was not serious and visiting a medical facility for treatment was unnecessary. Short distance (87.54%) and reasonable charges (49.48%) were ranked as the most important reasons for choosing treatment at primary medical and health facilities (80.27%). The primary reasons for which patients visited secondary and tertiary hospitals (7.78% and 8.61%, respectively) were that doctors in such facilities were better at diagnosis (57.14%) and at treatment (87.10%).

CONCLUSION

The findings provided in this study indicated that regular healthcare-seeking behaviour investigations should be conducted. The disease burden of influenza can be calculated more accurately when healthcare-seeking behaviour investigations are combined with surveillance in the hospitals.

Targeted exome sequencing strategy (NeoEXOME) for Chinese newborns using a pilot study with 3423 neonates

BACKGROUND

Newborn screening (NBS) aims to detect congenital anomalies, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) has shown promise in this aspect. However, the NBS strategy for monogenic inherited diseases in China remains insufficient.

METHODS

We developed a NeoEXOME panel comprising 601 genes that are relevant to the Chinese population found through extensive research on available databases. An interpretation system to grade the results into positive (high-risk, moderate-risk, and low-risk genotypes), negative, and carrier according to the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines was also developed. We validated the panel to evaluate its efficacy by using data from the "1000 Genomes Project" and conducted a pilot multicenter study involving 3423 neonates.

RESULTS

The NGS positive rate in the 1000 Genomes Project was 7.6% (23/301), whereas the rate was 12.0% in the multicenter study, including 3249 recruited neonates. Notably, in 200 neonates, positive per conventional NBS, 58.5% (69/118) showed results consistent with NGS. In the remaining 3049 neonates showing negative results in conventional NBS, 271 (8.9%) were positive per NGS, and nine of them were clinically diagnosed with diseases in the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

We successfully designed a NeoEXOME panel for targeted sequencing of monogenic inherited diseases in NBS. The panel demonstrated high performance in the Chinese population, particularly for the early detection of diseases with no biochemical markers.

Recent Advances and Techniques for Identifying Novel Antibacterial Targets

BACKGROUND

With the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, the development of new antibiotics is urgently required. Target-based drug discovery is the most frequently employed approach for the drug development process. However, traditional drug target identification techniques are costly and time-consuming. As research continues, innovative approaches for antibacterial target identification have been developed which enabled us to discover drug targets more easily and quickly.

METHODS

In this review, methods for finding drug targets from omics databases have been discussed in detail including principles, procedures, advantages, and potential limitations. The role of phage-driven and bacterial cytological profiling approaches is also discussed. Moreover, current article demonstrates the advancements being made in the establishment of computational tools, machine learning algorithms, and databases for antibacterial target identification.

RESULTS

Bacterial drug targets successfully identified by employing these aforementioned techniques are described as well.

CONCLUSION

The goal of this review is to attract the interest of synthetic chemists, biologists, and computational researchers to discuss and improve these methods for easier and quicker development of new drugs.

Physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties of black soldier fly larvae protein

This study explores the multifaceted attributes of black soldier fly larvae protein (BSFLP), focusing on its physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties. BSFLP is characterized by 16 amino acids, with a predominant random coil secondary structure revealed by circular dichroism spectra. Differential scanning calorimetry indicates a substantial thermal denaturation temperature of 97.63°C. The protein exhibits commendable solubility, emulsification, and foaming properties in alkaline and low-salt environments, albeit with reduced water-holding capacity and foam stability under elevated alkaline and high-temperature conditions. In vitro assessments demonstrate that BSFLP displays robust scavenging proficiency against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and hydroxyl radicals, with calculated EC50 values of 1.90 ± 0.57, 0.55 ± 0.01, and 1.14 ± 0.02 mg/mL, respectively, along with notable reducing capabilities. Results from in vivo antioxidant experiments reveal that BSFLP, administered at doses of 300 and 500 mg/kg, significantly enhances the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) (p < 0.05) while simultaneously reducing malondialdehyde levels in both serum and tissues of d-galactose-induced oxidative stress in mice. Moreover, the protein effectively attenuates oxidative damage in liver and hippocampal tissues. These findings underscore the potential utility of BSFLP as a natural antioxidant source, with applications spanning the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Black soldier fly larvae protein emerges as an environmentally sustainable reservoir of natural antioxidants, holding significant promise for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors. Its advantageous amino acid composition, robust thermal resilience, and impressive functional attributes position it as a compelling subject for continued investigation and advancement in various applications.

Controlled Epitaxial Growth of (hk1)-Sb2 Se3 Film on Cu9 S5 Single Crystal via Post-Annealing Treatment for Photodetection Application

Antimony selenide (Sb2 Se3 ) is a promising semiconductor for photodetector applications due to its unique photovoltaic properties. Achieving optimal carrier transport in (001)-Sb2 Se3 by the material of contacting substrate requires in-depth study. In this paper, the induced growth of Sb2 Se3 films from (hk0) to (hk1) planes is achieved on digenite (Cu9 S5 ) films by post-annealing treatment. The flake-like and flower-like morphologies on the surface of Sb2 Se3 films are caused by different thicknesses of the Cu9 S5 films, which are related to the (hk0) and (hk1) planes of Sb2 Se3 surface. The epitaxial growth of Sb2 Se3 films on (105)-Cu9 S5 surfaces exhibits thickness dependence. The results inform research into the controlled induced growth of low-dimensional materials. The device of Sb2 Se3 /Cu9 S5 /Si has good broadband response (visible to near-infrared), self-powered characteristics, and stability. As the crystalline quality of the Sb2 Se3 film increases along the (hk1) plane, the carrier transport is enhanced correspondingly. Under the 980 nm light irradiation, the device has an excellent switching ratio of 2 × 104 at 0 bias, with responsivity, detectivity, and response time up to 17 µA W-1 , 1.48 × 107 Jones, and 355/490 µs, respectively. This suggests that Sb2 Se3 is suitable for self-powered photodetectors and related optical and optoelectronic devices.

Degradation of Ciprofloxacin in Water by Magnetic-Graphene-Oxide-Activated Peroxymonosulfate

Antibiotics are extensively applied in the pharmaceutical industry, while posing a tremendous hazard to the ecosystem and human health. In this study, the degradation performance of ciprofloxacin (CIP), one of the typical contaminants of antibiotics, in an oxidation system of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activated by magnetic graphene oxide (MGO) was investigated. The effects of the MGO dosage, PMS concentration and pH on the degradation of CIP were evaluated, and under the optimal treatment conditions, the CIP degradation rate was up to 96.5% with a TOC removal rate of 63.4%. A kinetic model of pseudo-secondary adsorption indicated that it involves an adsorption process with progressively intensified chemical reactions. Furthermore, the MGO exhibited excellent recyclability and stability, maintaining strong catalytic activity after three regenerative cycles, with a CIP removal rate of 87.0%. EPR and LC-MS experiments suggested that •OH and SO4-• generated in the MGO/PMS system served as the main reactants contributing to the decomposition of the CIP, whereby the CIP molecule was effectively destroyed to produce other organic intermediates. Results of this study indicate that organic pollutants in the aqueous environment can be effectively removed in the MGO/PMS system, in which MGO has excellent catalytic activity and stabilization for being recycled to avoid secondary pollution, with definite research value and application prospects in the field of water treatment.

Non-linear association between daily mean temperature and children's hand foot and mouth disease in Chongqing, China

Chongqing was seriously affected by hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), but the relationships between daily mean temperature and the incidence of HFMD remain unclear. This study used distributed lag nonlinear model to evaluate the effect of daily mean temperature on the incidence of HFMD in children aged < 5 years in Chongqing. Daily HFMD data from 2012 to 2019 in Chongqing were retrieved from the notifiable infectious disease surveillance system. A total of 413,476 HFMD cases aged < 5 years were reported in Chongqing from 2012 to 2019. The exposure-response curve of daily mean temperature and daily HFMD cases was wavy-shaped. The relative risks (RRs) increased as daily mean temperature below 5.66 °C or above 9.43 °C, with two peaks at 16.10 °C and 26.68 °C. The RRs reached the highest when the daily mean temperature at 26.68 °C on the current day (RR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.09-1.32), followed by the daily mean temperature at 16.10 °C at lag 5 days (RR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.05-1.08). The RRs for girls and daycare children were much higher than those for boys and scattered children, respectively. Taken together, daily mean temperature has strong effect on HFMD in children aged < 5 years old in Chongqing, particularly for girls and daycare children.

Resurgence of influenza during COVID-19 in Chongqing, China: A retrospective analysis

To better understand the trends of influenza and the impact of public health and social measures (PHSMs) implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) period in Chongqing, China. Data from the China Influenza Surveillance Information System from January 2017 to June 2022 were extracted. Epidemiological characteristics (influenza-like illness [ILI] and ILI%) and virological characteristics (influenza positive rate and circulating (sub)types) of influenza were described and compared between the pre-COVID-19 period and the COVID-19 period. Our survey showed that the implementation of PHSMs during the COVID-19 period had a positive impact on reducing influenza transmission. However, influenza activity resurged in 2021-2022 as the PHSMs were eased. Children under 5 years old constituted the highest proportion of ILI cases. The overall influenza positive rate was 23.70%, with a higher rate observed during the pre-COVID-19 period (31.55%) compared to the COVID-19 period (13.68%). Influenza virus subtypes co-circulated and the predominant subtype varied each year, with influenza A subtypes predominated in 2018/2019, while influenza B/Victoria lineage dominated in 2020/2021. PHSMs are effective measures to mitigate the spread of influenza. The findings underscore the need for bolstering monitoring systems, advocating influenza vaccination, and implementing practical PHSMs to strengthen prevention and control measures against influenza.

Quality evaluation of Hawk tea from different months and regions based on quantitative analysis of multiple components with a single marker (QAMS) combined with HPLC fingerprint

BACKGROUND

Hawk tea, a medicinal and edible plant, has been consumed for thousands of years in Southwest China. To date, no unified food safety standard for Hawk tea has been established, and systematic research on the quality of Hawk tea is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive evaluation method for the quality of Hawk tea based on inclusions content, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprinting combined with the quantitative analysis of multiple components with a single marker (QAMS) method.

METHODS

The contents of total flavonoids, total phenols, total polysaccharides, and total protein were determined using the colorimetric method. An effective comprehensive evaluation method was established to classify the 16 batches of samples based on HPLC fingerprint analysis combined with similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), partial least-squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA), and the QAMS method.

RESULTS

Flavonoids were the main chemical components of Hawk tea. The accuracy of the QAMS method was verified by comparing the calculated results with those of the external standard method (ESM). No significant differences were found between the two methods. Additionally, the fingerprint of Hawk tea was also established.

CONCLUSION

The method established in this study can be used for the comprehensive quality evaluation of Hawk tea and can also provide a reference for the quality evaluation of other herbal medicines.

The development and application of a two-step surveillance process for Healthy China Initiative based on wide coverage interagency data

BACKGROUND

Healthy China is a nationwide health strategy aiming at improving health from diverse dimensions, and strengthening high-quality assessment is essential for its stimulation. However, there is limited evidence in the surveillance of the actual performance of the initiative at regional levels. This study innovatively proposes a two-step surveillance process which comprehensively monitors Healthy China Initiative based on regional realities, thus provides guidance for policymaking.

METHODS

A flexible indicator system was firstly developed basing on Delphi survey and focus group discussions. And then the Analysis Hierarchical Process and the TOPSIS method were used to determine the weights of indicators and calculate comprehensive indexes as the surveillance outcomes. A pilot study was conducted in a typical area in China to verify the applicability of the process.

RESULTS

Following the surveillance process and basing on the implementation of Healthy China Initiative in the target region, an indicator system comprised of 5 domains and 23 indicators with weights was first developed specifically for the pilot area. Then 1848 interagency data of the study area were collected from 8 provincial institutions/departments to calculate the indexes and ranks of the five domains which were health level, healthy living, disease prevention and control, health service, and healthy environment. The outcomes showed that Healthy China Initiative in the pilot area had been constantly improved since the strategy proposed, while there were still issues to be tackled such as the deficient monitoring mechanisms and unevenly development progress.

CONCLUSIONS

This study proposed a pragmatic surveillance process with indicators which could be tailored for specific context of target regions and produce meaningful surveillance outcomes to inform decision-making for policymakers, and also provided a theoretical foundation as well as empirical evidence for further health strategies and plannings assessment studies.

Comparison of different adjuvant therapy regimen efficacies in patients with high risk of recurrence after radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high recurrence rate even after radical surgery. Postoperative adjuvant transhepatic arterial chemoembolization (PA-TACE), postoperative adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (PA-HAIC), postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (PA-RT), and postoperative adjuvant molecular targeted therapy have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing the postoperative recurrence rate. The present network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effects of PA-TACE, PA-HAIC, PA-RT and postoperative adjuvant molecular targeted therapy on the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC patients after radical resection and to determine the optimal treatment strategy.

METHODS

Network meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were used to collect eligible studies up to December 25, 2022. Studies related to PA-TACE, PA-HAIC, and postoperative adjuvant molecular targeted therapy after radical HCC resection was included. The endpoints were OS and DFS, and the effect size was determined using hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval. R software and "gemtc" package were employed to analyze the results.

RESULTS

A total of 38 studies involving 7079 patients with HCC after radical resection were ultimately enrolled to be analyzed. Four postoperative adjuvant therapy measures and two oncology indicators were evaluated. In this study, OS-related investigations validated that PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT markedly enhanced the OS rates in patients after radical resection when compared to PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. However, statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT, as well as PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. In the DFS-related investigations, PA-RT demonstrated superior efficacy over PA-Sorafenib, PA-TACE, and PA-HAIC. Additionally, PA-Sorafenib displayed better efficacy than PA-TACE. Nevertheless, there was no statistical significance between PA-Sorafenib and PA-HAIC, as well as PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. We also performed a subgroup analysis of studies focusing on HCC complicated by microvascular invasion after radical resection. In terms of OS, both PA-RT and PA-Sorafenib demonstrated a noteworthy improvement over PA-TACE, whereas no statistical significance was detected between PA-RT and PA-Sorafenib. Likewise, for DFS, both PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT exhibited superior efficacy compared to PA-TACE.

CONCLUSION

In patients with HCC after radical resection and a high risk of recurrence, both PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT significantly improved OS and DFS when compared to PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. Notably, PA-RT exhibited superior efficacy over PA-Sorafenib, PA-TACE, and PA-HAIC in terms of DFS. Similarly, PA-Sorafenib appeared to be more effective than PA-TACE for DFS.

A Large-Scale Study into Protist-Animal Interactions Based on Public Genomic Data Using DNA Barcodes

With the birth of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, genomic data in public databases have increased exponentially. Unfortunately, exogenous contamination or intracellular parasite sequences in assemblies could confuse genomic analysis. Meanwhile, they can provide a valuable resource for studies of host-microbe interactions. Here, we used a strategy based on DNA barcodes to scan protistan contamination in the GenBank WGS/TSA database. The results showed a total of 13,952 metazoan/animal assemblies in GenBank, where 17,036 contigs were found to be protistan contaminants in 1507 assemblies (10.8%), with even higher contamination rates in taxa of Cnidaria (150/281), Crustacea (237/480), and Mollusca (107/410). Taxonomic analysis of the protists derived from these contigs showed variations in abundance and evenness of protistan contamination across different metazoan taxa, reflecting host preferences of Apicomplexa, Ciliophora, Oomycota and Symbiodiniaceae for mammals and birds, Crustacea, insects, and Cnidaria, respectively. Finally, mitochondrial proteins COX1 and CYTB were predicted from these contigs, and the phylogenetic analysis corroborated the protistan origination and heterogeneous distribution of the contaminated contigs. Overall, in this study, we conducted a large-scale scan of protistan contaminant in genomic resources, and the protistan sequences detected will help uncover the protist diversity and relationships of these picoeukaryotes with Metazoa.

Renal clear cancer cells regulate the differentiation of urine-derived stem cells to carcinoma-associated fibroblasts via RUNX3/TGF-β1 signaling axis

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common pathological subtype of renal cancer, is one of the significant health concerns due to limited clinically effective treatments. Nevertheless, targeting carcinoma-associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment has emerged as a promising innovative strategy for renal cancer therapy. Thus, this study is aimed to explore the role and molecular mechanism of urine-derived stem cells (USCs) in the progression and metastasis of ccRCC. Initially, wound-healing and transwell experiments were used to assess the migration and invasion abilities of the cells. Then, western blot analysis (WB) and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses were used to demonstrate the relevant protein and messenger RNA expression levels. Finally, hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical stainings were performed to evaluate metastasis and protein expression in lung tumors. The coculture of USCs with the ccRCC cell lines significantly enhanced their migratory and invasive abilities. WB and qRT-PCR analyses exhibited that ccRCC cell lines significantly increased cell mobility markers transcriptional and protein levels in USCs. Finally, the in vivo investigations in nude mice showed that USCs promoted the proliferation and migration of ccRCC-based xenograft tumors. In summary, these findings demonstrated that USCs promoted ccRCC tumorigenesis and development in vivo and in vitro by regulating the Runt-related transcription factor 3/transforming growth factor-β1 signaling axis.

A novel prognostic model based on pretreatment serum albumin and ECOG PS for primary CNS lymphoma: an international, multi-center study

BACKGROUND

Serum albumin has been demonstrated as prognostic parameter in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare extranodal NHL with highly aggressive behavior. In this study, we aimed at creating a novel prognostic model for PCNSL based on serum albumin levels.

METHODS

We compared several commonly used laboratory nutritional parameters for predicting the survival of PCNSL patients using overall survival (OS) for outcome analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to determine the optimal cut-off values. Parameters associated with OS were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Independent prognostic parameters for OS were selected for risk stratification, including albumin ≤ 4.1 g/dL, ECOG PS > 1, and LLR > 166.8, which were associated with shorter OS; albumin > 4.1 g/dL, ECOG PS 0-1 and LLR ≤ 166.8, which were associated with longer OS, and five-fold cross-validation was used for evaluating predictive accuracy of identified prognostic model.

RESULTS

By univariate analysis, age, ECOG PS, MSKCC score, Lactate dehydrogenase-to-lymphocyte ratio (LLR), total protein, albumin, hemoglobin, and albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) resulted statistically associated with the OS of PCNSL. By multivariate analysis, albumin ≤ 4.1 g/dL, ECOG PS > 1, and LLR > 166.8 were confirmed to be significant predictors of inferior OS. We explored several PCNSL prognostic models based on albumin, ECOG PS and LLR with 1 point assigned to each parameter. Eventually, a novel and effective PCNSL prognostic model based on albumin and ECOG PS successfully classified patients into three risk groups with 5-year survival rates of 47.5%, 36.9%, and 11.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel two-factor prognostic model based on albumin and ECOG PS we propose represents a simple but significant prognostic tool for assessing newly diagnosed patients with PCNSL.

Construction and validation of prognostic scoring models to risk stratify patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related diffuse large B cell lymphoma (AR-DLBCL) is a rare disease with a high risk of mortality. There is no specific prognostic model for patients with AR-DLBCL. A total of 100 patients diagnosed with AR-DLBCL were enrolled in our study. Clinical features and prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement, opportunistic infection (OI) at lymphoma diagnosis, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were selected to construct the OS model; CNS involvement, OI at lymphoma diagnosis, elevated LDH, and over four chemotherapy cycles were selected to construct the PFS model. The area under the curve and C-index of GZMU OS and PFS models were 0.786/0.712; 0.829/0.733, respectively. The models we constructed showed better risk stratification than International Prognostic Index (IPI), age-adjusted IPI, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network-IPI. Furthermore, in combined cohort, the Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the models were good fits (OS: p = 0.8244; PFS: p = 0.9968) and the decision curve analysis demonstrated a significantly better net benefit. The prognostic efficacy of the proposed models was validated independently and outperformed the currently available prognostic tools. These novel prognostic models will help to tackle a clinically relevant unmet need.

The lead and cadmium content in rice and risk to human health in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Numerous studies have investigated concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in rice in China, but have come to divergent conclusions. Therefore we systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed the available evidence on levels of Pb and Cd in rice in different regions of China in order to assess the potential risk to human health. The meta-analysis included 24 studies of Pb levels and 29 studies of Cd levels, published in 2011-2021. The pooled Pb concentration in rice was 0.10 mg per kg dry weight (95% CI 0.08-0.11), while the pooled Cd concentration was 0.16 mg per kg dry weight (95% CI 0.14-0.18). These levels are within the limits specified by national food safety standards. However, the total target hazard quotient for both metals exceeded 1.0 for adults and children, suggesting that rice consumption poses a health risk.

Effects of different water conditions on the biomass, root morphology and aerenchyma formation in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers)

BACKGROUND

The bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers) roots responded differently in terms of morphological and anatomical characteristics under diverse submergence conditions, and they developed aerenchyma under non-flooding condition. In order to understand these mechanisms, bermudagrass cuttings were used as experimental material to examine their biomass, root morphology, and aerenchyma formation under three different water treatments, including control (CK), shallow submergence (SS), and deep submergence (DS).

RESULTS

The total root length, root volume, root surface area, and biomass of bermudagrass were largest in CK, followed by SS and DS. However, the average root diameter was greater in each of DS and SS than that in CK. Root aerenchyma formation was observed in CK, and submergence boosted the aerenchyma formation and the root cavity rate. Furthermore, our study found that the process of aerenchyma formation began with the increase of cell volume and cell separation to form a narrow space, and these cells gradually died to form matured aerenchyma cavity, which belongs to schizo-lysigenous aerenchyma. Meanwhile, typical biomarkers of programmed cell death were also observed.

CONCLUSION

Overall, these results suggested that submergence inhibited the accumulation of biomass and root growth, but facilitated aerenchyma formation by increasing root diameter.

Viscosity Simulation of Glass Microfiber and an Unusual Air Filter with High-Efficiency Antibacterial Functionality Enabled by ZnO/Graphene-Modified Glass Microfiber

The current global pandemic of new coronary pneumonia clearly reveals the importance of developing highly efficient filtration and fast germicidal performance of multifunctional air filters. In this study, a novel air filter with a controllable morphology based on the rod-like to flower-like zinc oxide/graphene-based photocatalytic composite particles loaded on glass microfiber was prepared by one-step microwave rapid synthesis. The multifunctional air filter shows the following special functions: the 10 mg·L^-1 organic pollutant solution RhB was completely degraded within 2 h under a 500 W xenon lamp, and also 99% of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were inactivated under a 60 W light-emitting diode lamp. Furthermore, after introducing the controllable morphology zinc oxide/graphene-based photocatalytic composite particles, the filtration efficiency of the multifunctional air filter was also kept at the same level (99.8%) as the one without any addition, indicating no loss of high-efficiency filtration while obtaining the rapid bactericidal function. The rapid antibacterial principle of the multifunctional air filter has also been proposed through the UV-vis spectroscopies, photoluminescence, and electron-spin resonance spectrum. The zinc oxide/graphene-based photocatalytic composite particles tightly coated on the glass microfiber surface could increase the active sites by changing the morphology of zinc oxide and, in the meantime, promote the separation of zinc oxide photo-generated electron-hole pairs to improve the rapid sterilization ability of the multifunctional air filters. In addition, an empirical formula to evaluate the relationship between the composition, viscosity, and viscosity modulus of glass microfiber was proposed by testing the viscosity of glass microfiber composed of 14 different compositions at 1300 and 1400 °C, which can be used as a criterion to evaluate the production technology of glass microfiber filters.

Association between maternal pregestational glucose level and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a population-based retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between maternal pregestational blood glucose level and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

This study was conducted in the Chongqing Municipality of China between April 2010 and December 2016.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 60 222 women (60 360 pregnancies) from all 39 counties of Chongqing who participated in the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project and had pregnancy outcomes were included.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Adverse pregnancy outcomes included spontaneous abortion, induced abortion or labour due to medical reasons, stillbirth, preterm birth (PTB), macrosomia, large for gestational age, low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age.

RESULTS

Of the 60 360 pregnancies, rates of hypoglycaemic, normoglycaemia, impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) and diabetic hyperglycaemic before conception were 5.06%, 89.30%, 4.59% and 1.05%, respectively. Compared with women with normoglycaemia, women with pregestational glucose at the diabetic level (≥7.0 mmol/L) might have a higher rate of macrosomia (6.18% vs 4.16%), whereas pregestational IFG seemed to be associated with reduced risks of many adverse outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, induced abortion due to medical reasons, PTB and LBW. After adjusting for potential confounders, pregestational diabetic hyperglycaemic was remained to be significantly associated with an increased risk of macrosomia (adjusted risk ratio 1.49, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.09). Abnormal maternal glucose levels before pregnancy (either hypoglycaemic or hyperglycaemic) seemed to have no significant negative effect on spontaneous abortion or induced abortion due to medical reasons.

CONCLUSION

Although without overt diabetes mellitus, women with once diabetic fasting glucose level during their preconception examinations could be associated with an increased risk for macrosomia. Uniform guidelines are needed for maternal blood glucose management during pre-pregnancy care to improve pregnancy outcomes.

A superfine glass fibre air filter with rapid response to photocatalytic antibacterial properties under visible light by loading rGO/ZnO

The development of high-performance air filter has become more and more important to public health. However, it has always been very challenging for developing a multifunctional air filter to simultaneously achieve excellent filtration and antibacterial properties. Herein, a versatile air filter was prepared with loading the reduced graphene (rGO) and zinc oxide on the superfine glass fibre (s-GF) with the three-dimensional network structure by in situ sol-gel process followed by calcination, which aims to achieve synergistic high-efficiency air filtration and rapid response to photocatalytic antibacterial properties under visible light. The air filter showed a three-dimensional network structure based on a rGO/ZnO/s-GF multilayer and exhibited the highest catalytic performance by achieving a 95% degradation effect on rhodamine B within 2 h and achieving 100% antibacterial inactivation of the Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus within 4 h under visible light when the weight ratio of rGO in rGO/ZnO is 1.6%. The air filtration efficiency can also be maintained at 99% after loading ZnO and rGO photocatalytic particles. The spectrum of the photoluminescence (PL), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) indicate that the combination of rGO and ZnO on the s-GF can increase the separation of photogenerated carriers and the specific surface area of the air filter, thereby increasing the photocatalytic response and antibacterial properties of the s-GF air filter under visible light in a short time.

HOXD13 promotes the malignant progression of colon cancer by upregulating PTPRN2

PURPOSE

The homeobox (HOX) family plays an important role in multi-biological processes, such as morphogenesis and tumors. However, the function of HOXD13 in colon cancer remains unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Cancer Genome Atlas database was used to analyze the expression of HOXD13 and its effect on the survival rate of colon cancer patients. Wound healing, Transwell, and clone formation were used to evaluate the effects of changes in HOXD13 expression on the function of colon cancer cells. A nude mouse xenograft tumor model was used to test the effects of HOXD13 on tumor growth in vivo.

RESULTS

Our results showed that HOXD13 was highly expressed in colon cancer and predicted a poor prognosis for patients. In in vitro experiments, the knockdown of HOXD13 can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells. In vivo experiments showed the inhibited tumor growth after the knockdown of HODX13. In addition, HOXD13 bound to the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type N2 (PTPRN2) promoter and promoted the transcription of PTPRN2.

CONCLUSION

We revealed the function and mechanism of HOXD13 in colon cancer and suggest that HOXD13 may be a candidate marker for the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer.

Therapeutic effects of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata combined with Zingiberis Rhizoma on doxorubicin-induced chronic heart failure in rats based on an integrated approach

OBJECTIVES

This study was aimed to explore the mechanism of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (ALRP) and Zingiberis Rhizoma (ZR) on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced chronic heart failure (CHF) in rats by integrated approaches.

METHODS

Effects of ALRP and ZR on cardiac function, serum biochemical indicators and histopathology in rats were analysed. Moreover, UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS was performed to identify the potential metabolites affecting the pathological process of CHF. Metabolomics and network pharmacology analyses were conducted to illustrate the possible pathways and network in CHF treatment. The predicted gene expression levels in heart tissue were verified and assessed by RT-PCR.

KEY FINDINGS

ALRP-ZR demonstrated remarkable promotion of hemodynamic indices and alleviated histological damage of heart tissue. Metabolomics analyses showed that the therapeutic effect of ALRP and ZR is mainly associated with the regulation of eight metabolites and ten pathways, which may be responsible for the therapeutic efficacy of ALRP-ZR. Moreover, the results of RT-PCR showed that ALRP-ZR could substantially increase the expression level of energy metabolism-related genes, including PPARδ, PPARγ, Lpl, Scd, Fasn and Pla2g2e.

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlighted the role of ALRP-ZR in the treatment of CHF by influencing the metabolites related to energy metabolism pathway via metabolomics and network pharmacology analyses.