Probing the adsorption configuration of methanol at a charged air/aqueous interface using nonlinear spectroscopy

Investigating the effects of electrolyte ions on the adsorption configuration of methanol at a charged interface is important for studying the interface structure of electrolyte solutions and the oxidation mechanism of methanol in fuel cells. This study uses sum frequency generation (SFG) and heterodyne-detected second harmonic generation (HD-SHG) to investigate the adsorption configuration of methanol at the air/aqueous interface of 0.1 M NaClO4 solution, 0.1 M HClO4 solution and pure water. The results elucidate that the ion effect in the electrolyte solution affects the interface's charged state and the methanol's adsorption conformation at the interface. The negatively charged surface of the 0.1 M NaClO4 solution and the positively charged surface of the 0.1 M HClO4 solution arise from the corresponding specific ionic effects of the electrolyte solution. The orientation angle of methyl with respect to the surface normal is 43.4° ± 0.1° at the 0.1 M NaClO4 solution surface and 21.5° ± 0.2° at the 0.1 M HClO4 solution surface. Examining these adsorption configurations in detail, we find that at the negatively charged surface the inclined orientation angle (43.4°) of methanol favors the hydroxymethyl production by breaking the C-H bond, while at the positively charged surface the upright orientation angle (21.5°) of methanol promotes the methoxy formation by breaking the O-H bond. These findings not only illuminate the intricate ion effects on small organic molecules but also contribute to a molecular-level comprehension of the oxidation mechanism of methanol at electrode interfaces.

Epidemiology and demographic patterns of cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms deaths in Western Europe: a 1990-2019 analysis

OBJECTIVES

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and neoplasms have been considered as public health concerns worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the epidemiological patterns of death burden on CVDs and neoplasms and its attributable risk factors in Western Europe from 1990 to 2019 to discuss the potential causes of the disparities.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We collected data on CVDs and neoplasms deaths in 24 Western European countries from the Global Burden of Disease Study. We analyzed patterns by age, sex, country, and associated risk factors. The results include percentages of total deaths, age-standardized death rates per 100,000 population, and uncertainty intervals (UIs). Time trends were assessed using annual percent change.

RESULTS

In 2019, CVDs and neoplasms accounted for 33.54% and 30.15% of Western Europe's total deaths, with age-standardized death rates of 128.05 (95% UI: 135.37, 113.02) and 137.51 (95% UI: 142.54, 128.01) per 100,000. Over 1990-2019, CVDs rates decreased by 54.97%, and neoplasms rates decreased by 19.54%. Top CVDs subtypes were ischemic heart disease and stroke; top cancers for neoplasms were lung and colorectal. Highest CVD death burdens were in Finland, Greece, Austria; neoplasm burdens in Monaco, San Marino, Andorra. The major risk factors were metabolic (CVDs) and behavioral (neoplasms). Gender differences revealed higher CVDs death burden in males, while neoplasms burden varied by risk factors and age groups.

CONCLUSION

In 2019, CVDs and neoplasms posed significant health risks in Western Europe, with variations in death burdens and risk factors across genders, age groups, and countries. Future interventions should target vulnerable groups to lessen the impact of CVDs and neoplasms in the region.

[Staged and segmented two hybrid surgeries for total repair of Debakey type Ⅰ aortic dissection: a series of 10 cases]

Objective: To examine the efficacy and experience of staged and segmented two hybrid surgeries for total repair of Debakey type Ⅰ aortic dissection (TIAD). Methods: This study was a retrospective case series. The clinic data of 10 patients with acute TIAD who were admitted to the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University or the First People's Hospital of Lanzhou, between January 2016 and August 2022, were retrospectively studied. Ten patients underwent hybrid surgeries in two hospitalizations (stages), including 7 males and 3 females with an age of (60±7) years (range: 49 to 71 years). In stage 1, the first type Ⅱ hybrid arch repair was performed to treat the ascending, total arch, and descending thoracic aorta for acute TIAD without circulatory arrest. In stage 2, the second hybrid surgery including infrarenal abdominal aorta replacement, visceral arteries bypass and endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic repair was performed to treat residual thoracoabdominal aortic dissection after the first hybrid operation (segmented). Basic data, preoperative concomitant diseases, high-risk factors, surgical approaches and postoperative complications of all important organs, as well as CT imaging were analyzed. Results: There was no death in the 20 hybrid surgical procedures. In stage 1 type Ⅱ hybrid surgery, 4 cases underwent reconstruction of the aortic sinutubular junction, while Bentall and David surgery was performed for 3 cases, respectively. A patient received coronary artery bypass grafting. Then all patients were sequentially treated with arch debranching and thoracic aortic endovascular repair. Postoperative complications included renal insufficiency (4/10), hemofiltration (1/10), hypoxemia (4/10), neurologic event (1/10) and type Ⅱ endoleak (1/10). Complete false lumen thrombosis occurred in 9/10 of the patients. All complications recovered successfully at discharge and the average hospital stay was (21±4) days (range: 16 to 28 days) in the first hospitalization. At stage 2, the second hybrid surgery was successfully performed in all patients. No paraplegia, hepatic or renal insufficiency, or endoleak occurred. However, branch graft embolism of the left renal artery was found in one patient 3 days after laparotomy, as well as of superior mesenteric artery in another. Superior mesenteric artery occlusion was successfully treated by endovascular recanalization. Complete false lumen thrombosis occurred in all patients. Although all patients had different degrees of intestinal dysfunction, they were gradually relieved at discharge, and the average hospital stay was (19±2)days (range:16 to 21 days) in the second hospitalization. During follow-up, CT angiography showed aortic remodeling in all patients. Conclusion: Staged and segmented two hybrid surgeries are safe and feasible for total repair of Debakey type Ⅰ aortic dissection and are associated with acceptable early and midterm outcomes.

Study of association between corneal shape parameters and axial length elongation during orthokeratology using image-pro plus software

BACKGROUND

The aim was to validate the correlation between corneal shape parameters and axial length growth (ALG) during orthokeratology using Image-Pro Plus (IPP) 6.0 software.

METHODS

This retrospective study used medical records of myopic children aged 8-13 years (n = 104) undergoing orthokeratology. Their corneal topography and axial length were measured at baseline and subsequent follow-ups after lens wear. Corneal shape parameters, including the treatment zone (TZ) area, TZ diameter, TZ fractal dimension, TZ radius ratio, eccentric distance, pupil area, and pupillary peripheral steepened zone(PSZ) area, were measured using IPP software. The impact of corneal shape parameters at 3 months post-orthokeratology visit on 1.5-year ALG was evaluated using multivariate linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

ALG exhibited significant associations with age, TZ area, TZ diameter, TZ fractal dimension, and eccentric distance on univariate linear regression analysis. Multivariate regression analysis identified age, TZ area, and eccentric distance as significantly correlated with ALG (all P < 0.01), with eccentric distance showing the strongest correlation (β = -0.370). The regressive equation was y = 1.870 - 0.235a + 0.276b - 0.370c, where y represents ALG, a represents age, b represents TZ area, and c represents eccentric distance; R2 = 0.27). No significant relationships were observed between the TZ radius ratio, pupillary PSZ area, and ALG.

CONCLUSIONS

IPP software proves effective in capturing precise corneal shape parameters after orthokeratology. Eccentric distance, rather than age or the TZ area, significantly influences ALG retardation.

UiO-66/AgNPs Coating for Dental Implants in Preventing Bacterial Infections

Titanium (Ti)-based biomaterials lack inherent antimicrobial activities, and the dental plaque formed on the implant surface is one of the main risk factors for implant infections. Construction of an antibacterial surface can effectively prevent implant infections and enhance implant success. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibit broad antibacterial activity and a low tendency to induce drug resistance, but AgNPs easily self-aggregate in the aqueous environment, which significantly impairs their antibacterial activity. In this study, UiO-66/AgNP (U/A) nanocomposite was prepared, where zirconium metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66) were employed as the confinement matrix to control the particle size and prevent aggregation of AgNPs. The bactericidal activity of U/A against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli increased nearly 75.51 and 484.50 times compared with individually synthesized Ag. The antibacterial mechanism can be attributed to the enhanced membrane rupture caused by the ultrafine AgNPs on UiO-66, leading to protein leakage and generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Then, U/A was loaded onto Ti substrates (Ti-U/A) by using self-assembly deposition methods to construct an antibacterial surface coating. Ti-U/A exhibited excellent antibacterial activities and desired biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo. The U/A nanocomposite coating technique is thus expected to be used as a promising surface modification strategy for Ti-based dental implants for preventing dental implant infections.

Inhibition of xanthine oxidase by allopurinol suppresses HMGB1 secretion and ameliorates experimental asthma

BACKGROUND

Extracellular high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a key mediator in driving allergic airway inflammation and contributes to asthma. Yet, mechanism of HMGB1 secretion in asthma is poorly defined. Pulmonary metabolic dysfunction is recently recognized as a driver of respiratory pathology. However, the altered metabolic signatures and the roles of metabolic to allergic airway inflammation remain unclear.

METHODS

Male C57BL/6 J mice were sensitized and challenged with toluene diisocyanate (TDI) to generate a chemically induced asthma model. Pulmonary untargeted metabolomics was employed. According to results, mice were orally administered allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor. Human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) were stimulated by TDI-human serum albumin (HSA).

RESULTS

We identified the purine metabolism was the most enriched pathway in TDI-exposed lungs, corresponding to the increase of xanthine and uric acid, products of purine degradation mediated by XO. Inhibition of XO by allopurinol ameliorates TDI-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage, mixed granulocytic airway inflammation and Th1, Th2 and Th17 immunology as well as HMGB1 acetylation and secretion. Mechanistically, HMGB1 acetylation was caused by decreased activation of the NAD+-sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) axis triggered by hyperactivation of the DNA damage sensor poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase 1 (PARP-1). This was rescued by allopurinol, PARP-1 inhibitor or supplementation with NAD+ precursor in a SIRT1-dependent manner. Meanwhile, allopurinol attenuated Nrf2 defect due to SIRT1 inactivation to help ROS scavenge.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated a novel regulation of HMGB1 acetylation and secretion by purine metabolism that is critical for asthma onset. Allopurinol may have therapeutic potential in patients with asthma.

Study of High-Transverse-Momentum Higgs Boson Production in Association with a Vector Boson in the qqbb Final State with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter presents the first study of Higgs boson production in association with a vector boson (V=W or Z) in the fully hadronic qqbb final state using data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. The vector bosons and Higgs bosons are each reconstructed as large-radius jets and tagged using jet substructure techniques. Dedicated tagging algorithms exploiting b-tagging properties are used to identify jets consistent with Higgs bosons decaying into bb[over ¯]. Dominant backgrounds from multijet production are determined directly from the data, and a likelihood fit to the jet mass distribution of Higgs boson candidates is used to extract the number of signal events. The VH production cross section is measured inclusively and differentially in several ranges of Higgs boson transverse momentum: 250-450, 450-650, and greater than 650 GeV. The inclusive signal yield relative to the standard model expectation is observed to be μ=1.4_{-0.9}^{+1.0} and the corresponding cross section is 3.1±1.3(stat)_{-1.4}^{+1.8}(syst)  pb.

Relative importance of triglyceride glucose index combined with body mass index in predicting recovery from prediabetic state to normal fasting glucose: a cohort analysis based on a Chinese physical examination population

BACKGROUND

Prediabetes is a high-risk state for diabetes, and numerous studies have shown that the body mass index (BMI) and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index play significant roles in risk prediction for blood glucose metabolism. This study aims to evaluate the relative importance of BMI combination with TyG index (TyG-BMI) in predicting the recovery from prediabetic status to normal blood glucose levels.

METHODS

A total of 25,397 prediabetic subjects recruited from 32 regions across China. Normal fasting glucose (NFG), prediabetes, and diabetes were defined referring to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. After normalizing the independent variables, the impact of TyG-BMI on the recovery or progression of prediabetes was analyzed through the Cox regression models. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized to visualize and compare the predictive value of TyG-BMI and its constituent components in prediabetes recovery/progression.

RESULTS

During the average observation period of 2.96 years, 10,305 individuals (40.58%) remained in the prediabetic state, 11,278 individuals (44.41%) recovered to NFG, and 3,814 individuals (15.02%) progressed to diabetes. The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that TyG-BMI was negatively associated with recovery from prediabetes to NFG and positively associated with progression from prediabetes to diabetes. Further ROC analysis revealed that TyG-BMI had higher impact and predictive value in predicting prediabetes recovering to NFG or progressing to diabetes in comparison to the TyG index and BMI. Specifically, the TyG-BMI threshold for predicting prediabetes recovery was 214.68, while the threshold for predicting prediabetes progression was 220.27. Additionally, there were significant differences in the relationship of TyG-BMI with prediabetes recovering to NFG or progressing to diabetes within age subgroups. In summary, TyG-BMI is more suitable for assessing prediabetes recovery or progression in younger populations (< 45 years old).

CONCLUSIONS

This study, for the first time, has revealed the significant impact and predictive value of the TyG index in combination with BMI on the recovery from prediabetic status to normal blood glucose levels. From the perspective of prediabetes intervention, maintaining TyG-BMI within the threshold of 214.68 holds crucial significance.

Measurement of the Centrality Dependence of the Dijet Yield in p+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

ATLAS measured the centrality dependence of the dijet yield using 165  nb^{-1} of p+Pb data collected at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV in 2016. The event centrality, which reflects the p+Pb impact parameter, is characterized by the total transverse energy registered in the Pb-going side of the forward calorimeter. The central-to-peripheral ratio of the scaled dijet yields, R_{CP}, is evaluated, and the results are presented as a function of variables that reflect the kinematics of the initial hard parton scattering process. The R_{CP} shows a scaling with the Bjorken x of the parton originating from the proton, x_{p}, while no such trend is observed as a function of x_{Pb}. This analysis provides unique input to understanding the role of small proton spatial configurations in p+Pb collisions by covering parton momentum fractions from the valence region down to x_{p}∼10^{-3} and x_{Pb}∼4×10^{-4}.

Network pharmacology and experimental verification study on the mechanism of Hedyotis diffusa Willd in treating colorectal cancer

This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacological mechanism of Hedyotis diffusa Willd against CRC (colorectal cancer) using network pharmacological analysis combined with experimental validation. The active components and potential targets of Hedyotis diffusa Willd were screened from the tax compliance management program public database using network pharmacology. The core anti-CRC targets were screened using a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The mRNA and protein expression of core target genes in normal colon and CRC tissues and their relationship with overall CRC survival were evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) databases. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses of the potential targets were performed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The first six core targets with stable binding were molecular-docked with the active components quercetin and β-sitosterol. Finally, the results of network pharmacology were verified using in vitro experiments. In total, 149 potential targets were identified by searching for seven types of active components and the intersection of all potential and CRC targets. PPI network analysis showed that ten target genes, including tumor protein p53 (TP53) and recombinant cyclin D1 (CCND1), were pivotal genes. GO enrichment analysis involved 2043 biological processes, 52 cellular components, and 191 molecular functions. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the anticancer effects of H. alba were mediated by tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-17, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Validation of key targets showed that the validation results for most core genes were consistent with those in this study. Molecular docking revealed that the ten core target proteins could be well combined with quercetin and β-sitosterol and the structure remained stable after binding. The results of the in vitro experiment showed that β-sitosterol inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in SW620 cells. This study identified a potential target plant for CRC through network pharmacology and in vitro validation.

Lead inhibits microglial cell migration via suppression of store-operated calcium entry

Lead (Pb) is a non-biodegradable environmental pollutant that can lead to neurotoxicity by inducing neuroinflammation. Microglial activation plays a key role in neuroinflammation, and microglial migration is one of its main features. However, whether Pb affects microglial migration has not yet been elucidated. Herein, the effect of Pb on microglial migration was investigated using BV-2 microglial cells and primary microglial cells. The results showed that cell activation markers (TNF-α and CD206) in BV-2 cells were increased after Pb treatment. The migration ability of microglia was inhibited by Pb. Both store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) and the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) current were downregulated by microglia treatment with Pb in a dose-dependent manner. However, there was no statistical difference in the protein levels of stromal interaction molecule (STIM) 1, STIM2, or Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel protein (Orai) 1 in microglia. The external Ca2+ influx and cell migration ability were restored to a certain extent after overexpression of either STIM1 or its CRAC activation domain in microglia. These results indicated that Pb inhibits microglial migration by downregulation of SOCE and impairment of the function of STIM1.

Age effect on the shared etiology of glycemic traits and serum lipids: evidence from a Chinese twin study

PURPOSE

Diabetes and dyslipidemia are among the most common chronic diseases with increasing global disease burdens, and they frequently occur together. The study aimed to investigate differences in the heritability of glycemic traits and serum lipid indicators and differences in overlapping genetic and environmental influences between them across age groups.

METHODS

This study included 1189 twin pairs from the Chinese National Twin Registry and divided them into three groups: aged ≤ 40, 41-50, and > 50 years old. Univariate and bivariate structural equation models (SEMs) were conducted on glycemic indicators and serum lipid indicators, including blood glucose (GLU), glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), in the total sample and three age groups.

RESULTS

All phenotypes showed moderate to high heritability (0.37-0.64). The heritability of HbA1c demonstrated a downward trend with age (HbA1c: 0.50-0.79), while others remained relatively stable (GLU: 0.55-0.62, TC: 0.58-0.66, TG: 0.50-0.63, LDL-C: 0.24-0.58, HDL-C: 0.31-0.57). The bivariate SEMs demonstrated that GLU and HbA1c were correlated with each serum lipid indicator (0.10-0.17), except HDL-C. Except for HbA1c and LDL-C, as well as HbA1c and HDL-C, differences in genetic correlations underlying glycemic traits and serum lipids between age groups were observed, with the youngest group showing a significantly higher genetic correlation than the oldest group.

CONCLUSION

Across the whole adulthood, genetic influences were consistently important for GLU, TC, TG, LDL-C and HDL-C, and age may affect the shared genetic influences between glycemic traits and serum lipids. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of age in the interactions of genes related to glycemic traits and serum lipids.

In Situ Heterodyne-Detected Second-Harmonic Generation Study of the Influence of Cholesterol on Dye Molecule Adsorption on Lipid Membrane

Cholesterol plays an essential role in regulating the functionality of biomembranes. This study employed in situ second-harmonic generation (SHG) to investigate the adsorption behavior of the dye molecule 4-(4-(diethylamino)styryl)-N-methyl-pyridinium iodide (D289) on a biomimic membrane composed of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (sodium salt) (DPPG) and cholesterol. The time-dependent polarization SHG intensity exhibited an initial rapid increase, followed by a subsequent decline. The initial increased SHG intensity is responsible for the electrostatic interaction-driven adsorption of D289 onto the membrane, while the decrease in the SHG signal results from the broadening of the orientation distribution within the membrane. Heterodyne-detected SHG (HD-SHG) measurements demonstrated that the adsorption of dye molecules influenced the phase of the induced electric field. The interfacial potential Φ(0) as a function of time was measured, and we found that even after reaching a stable Stern layer state, the diffusion layer continued to exhibit a dynamic change. This study offers a comprehensive understanding of the influence of cholesterol on adsorption, reorientation dynamics, and dynamic changes in the reorientation of water in the diffusion layer.

[Introduction to carcinogenesis of nickel compounds in ILO criteria for Diagnosis and Exposure Standard for Occupational Diseases]

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies nickel compounds as Class Ⅰ carcinogens. International Labour Organization (ILO) also lists nickel compounds as carcinogenic factors of occupational cancer. At present, China is revising the Classification and Catalogue of Occupational Diseases, and cancer caused by nickel compounds may also be included in the statutory occupational diseases. The Diagnostic and Exposure Standards for Occupational Diseases published by ILO in 2022 discussed the pathogenic characteristics, occupational exposure, main health effects, diagnostic criteria and key preventive measures of nickel compounds in detail. This article mainly introduces its contents, in order to provid a basis for the formulation of relevant standards in China.

Association between weight-adjusted waist index and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Obesity is the most important driver of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); nevertheless, the relationship of weight-adjusted waist index (WWI), a new obesity index, with NAFLD is unclear.

METHODS

This retrospective study used data from the NAGALA project from 1994 to 2016. WWI values were calculated using waist circumference (WC) and weight measurements of the participants. Three stepwise adjusted logistic regression models were developed to assess the relationship of WWI with NAFLD in the whole population and in both sexes. Additionally, we also conducted a series of exploratory analysis to test the potential impact of body mass index (BMI), age, smoking status and exercise habits on the association of WWI with NAFLD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to estimate cut-off points for identifying NAFLD in the entire population and in both sexes.

RESULTS

The current study included a population of 11,805 individuals who participated in health screenings, including 6,451 men and 5,354 women. After adjusting for all non-collinear variables in the multivariable logistic regression model, we found a significant positive correlation of WWI with NAFLD. For each unit increase in WWI, the risk of NAFLD increased by 72% in the entire population, by 84% in men, and by 63% in women. Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed no significant discrepancies in the correlation of WWI with NAFLD across individuals with varying ages, exercise habits, and smoking status (all P-interaction > 0.05), except for different BMI groups (P-interaction < 0.05). Specifically, compared to the overweight/obese group, the relationship of WWI with NAFLD was significantly stronger in the non-obese group, especially in non-obese men. Finally, based on the results of ROC analysis, we determined that the WWI cut-off point used to identify NAFLD was 9.7675 in men and 9.9987 in women.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to establish a positive correlation between WWI and NAFLD. Moreover, assessing the influence of WWI on NAFLD in individuals without obesity may yield more valuable insights compared to those who are overweight or obese.

[Tracking evaluation on the implementation of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) in Sichuan and Anhui provinces]

To evaluate the implementation of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) in schistosomiasis-endemic foci, two schistosomiasis-endemic counties were selected from two provinces of Sichuan and Anhui. Professional staff working in province-, city-, county- and township-level disease control and prevention institutions, parasitic disease control institutions or medical institutions were recruited, and the understanding, use and implementation of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) were investigated using questionnaires and interviews. The awareness, use, proportion of propagation and implementation and correct rate of answering questions pertaining to Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) were analyzed. A total of 270 questionnaires were allocated, and 269 were recovered, including 254 valid questionnaires. The overall awareness of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) was 84.64% (215/254), and propagation and implementation of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) was not performed in 23.28% (17/73) of the survey institutions following implementation of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017), with meeting training and allocation of propagation materials as the main type of propagation and implementation. Among 254 respondents, 77.16% (196/254) were familiar with the standard, 66.14% (168/254) understood the conditions for use of the standard during snail surveys, and 96.85% (246/254) had the approach for identifying snails. In addition, there were 41.73% (106/254), 50.78% (129/254) and 7.48% (19/254) of respondents that considered the operability of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) was very good, good and general, respectively. The findings demonstrate that the issue and implementation of Survey of oncomelanid snails (WS/T 563-2017) has filled the gap for the standardization of snail control techniques, and which plays an importang guiding role in the national schistosomiasis control program.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide attenuates airway epithelial barrier dysfunction via inhibiting SIRT3 SUMOylation in asthma

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an essential element in cellular metabolism that regulates fundamental biological processes. Growing evidence suggests that a decline in NAD+ is a common pathological factor in various diseases and aging. However, its role in airway epithelial barrier function in response to asthma remains underexplored. The current study aims to explore the efficacy of restoring cellular NAD+ concentration through supplementation with the NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), in the treatment of allergic asthma and to investigate the role of SIRT3 in mediating the effects of NAD+ precursors. In this research, NMN alleviated airway inflammation and reduced mucus secretion in house dust mite (HDM)-induced asthmatic mice. It also mitigated airway epithelial barrier disruption in HDM-induced asthma in vitro and in vivo. But inhibition of SIRT3 expression abolished the effects of NMN. Mechanistically, HDM induced SIRT3 SUMOylation and proteasomal degradation. Mutation of these two SIRT3 SUMO modification sites enhanced the stability of SIRT3. Additionally, SIRT3 was targeted by SENP1 which acted to de-conjugate SUMO. And down-regulation of SENP1 expression in HDM-induced models was reversed by NMN. Collectively, these findings suggest that NMN attenuates airway epithelial barrier dysfunction via inhibiting SIRT3 SUMOylation in asthma. Blockage of SIRT3 SUMOylation emerges as for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass from the H→γγ and H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ Decay Channels with the ATLAS Detector Using sqrt[s]=7, 8, and 13 TeV pp Collision Data

A measurement of the mass of the Higgs boson combining the H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ and H→γγ decay channels is presented. The result is based on 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector during LHC run 2 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV combined with the run 1 ATLAS mass measurement, performed at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding a Higgs boson mass of 125.11±0.09(stat)±0.06(syst)=125.11±0.11  GeV. This corresponds to a 0.09% precision achieved on this fundamental parameter of the Standard Model of particle physics.

[Progress and application of liver organoids in the study of liver cancer]

The incidence rate of liver cancer has been rising in recent years. Traditional cell line culture and human patient-derived tumor xenograft models, which are commonly used tools to simulate the occurrence of human liver cancer, have deepened the understanding of tumor occurrence, development, and drug resistance mechanisms. However, they cannot reflect the accurate state of cancer cells, the tumor microenvironment, or spatial structural characteristics. Recently, more in vitro-produced physiological liver organoids have been applied in the study of liver cancer. Liver organoid models have made breakthroughs in the occurrence and development mechanisms of liver cancer, personalized drug screening and biomarker identification, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine applications. This paper mainly summarizes the progress and application of liver organoids processed in the study of liver cancer.

Gender perspective on the association between liver enzyme markers and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: insights from the general population

Objective

Every distinct liver enzyme biomarker exhibits a strong correlation with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aims to comprehensively analyze and compare the associations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) with NAFLD from a gender perspective.

Methods

This study was conducted on 6,840 females and 7,411 males from the NAGALA cohort. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to compare the associations between liver enzyme markers and NAFLD in both genders, recording the corresponding adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the accuracy of individual liver enzyme markers and different combinations of them in identifying NAFLD.

Results

Liver enzyme markers ALT, AST, and GGT were all independently associated with NAFLD and exhibited significant gender differences (All P-interaction<0.05). In both genders, ALT exhibited the most significant association with NAFLD, with adjusted standardized ORs of 2.19 (95% CI: 2.01-2.39) in males and 1.60 (95% CI: 1.35-1.89) in females. Additionally, ROC analysis showed that ALT had significantly higher accuracy in identifying NAFLD than AST and GGT in both genders (Delong P-value < 0.05), and the accuracy of ALT in identifying NAFLD in males was higher than that in females [Area under the ROC curve (AUC): male 0.79, female 0.77]. Furthermore, out of the various combinations of liver enzymes, ALT+GGT showed the highest accuracy in identifying NAFLD in both genders, with AUCs of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.75-0.79) in females and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.78-0.81) in males.

Conclusion

Our study revealed significant gender differences in the associations of the three commonly used liver enzyme markers with NAFLD. In both genders, the use of ALT alone may be the simplest and most effective tool for screening NAFLD, especially in males.

Temporal trends in sleep pattern among Chinese adults between 2010 and 2018: findings from five consecutive nationally representative surveys

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the time trends in average sleep duration and prevalence of short sleep, poor sleep quality, and high sleep debt among Chinese adults.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The study used nationally representative data from Chinese Family Panel Survey (CFPS) among adults aged ≥18 years. Linear regression and logistic regression were used to calculate P-values for trends across waves, and absolute difference in prevalences were calculated by linear regression. Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate the prevalence ratios of sleep-related problems.

RESULTS

In 2018, the estimated average sleep duration in adults was 7.6 h/d. A shorter sleep duration, higher proportion of short sleep, and poor sleep quality were observed in people aged ≥65 years, women, people with primary school education or below, and residents in Liaoning province. The average sleep duration slightly decreased from 8.2 h/d in 2010 to 7.6 h/d in 2016, and then remained stable from 2016 to 2018. The prevalence of short sleep duration has markedly increased from 11.8% in 2010 to 24.1% in 2016, and then there was a decline in prevalence from 2016 to 2018, although this decrease was not significant. The prevalence of high sleep debt among employed people increased from 6.2% in 2010 to 8.6% in 2018 (absolute difference, 2.4 p.p; P trend = 0.063). In addition, the prevalence of poor sleep quality increased from 15.6% in 2012 to 21.3% in 2018 (absolute difference of 5.7 p.p; P trend<0.001). For all the sleep-related variables, the degree of changes varied by sociodemographic subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this nationally representative survey of the Chinese population, the average sleep duration slightly decreased from 2010 to 2016, and then remained stable from 2016 to 2018. Poor sleep quality, and high sleep debt increased among most of the sociodemographic subgroups. Future studies are needed to understand the drivers of changes in sleep health among Chinese adults.

Alanine aminotransferase to high- density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is positively correlated with the occurrence of diabetes in the Chinese population: a population-based cohort study

Objective

Both alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are closely related to glucose homeostasis in the body, and the main objective of this study was to investigate the association between ALT to HDL-C ratio (ALT/HDL-C ratio) and the risk of diabetes in a Chinese population.

Methods

The current study included 116,251 participants who underwent a healthy physical examination, and the study endpoint was defined as a diagnosis of new-onset diabetes. Multivariate Cox regression models and receiver operator characteristic curves were used to assess the association of the ALT/HDL-C ratio with diabetes onset.

Results

During the average observation period of 3.10 years, a total of 2,674 (2.3%) participants were diagnosed with new-onset diabetes, including 1,883 (1.62%) males and 791 (0.68%) females. After fully adjusting for confounding factors, we found a significant positive association between the ALT/HDL-C ratio and the risk of diabetes [Hazard ratios 1.06, 95% confidence intervals: 1.05, 1.06], and this association was significantly higher in males, obese individuals [body mass index ≥ 28 kg/m2] and individuals aged < 60 years (All P interaction < 0.05). In addition, the ALT/HDL-C ratio was significantly better than its components ALT and HDL-C in predicting diabetes in the Chinese population.

Conclusion

There was a positive relationship between ALT/HDL-C ratio and diabetes risk in the Chinese population, and this relationship was significantly stronger in males, obese individuals, and individuals younger than 60 years old.

Cbx4 governs HIF-1α to involve in Th9 cell differentiation promoting asthma by its SUMO E3 ligase activity

The potential role of polycomb chromobox 4 (Cbx4), as a small ubiquitin-like ligase (SUMO) E3 ligase, in the development and exacerbation of asthma remains unclear. Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a key transcription factor in the cellular response to hypoxia and contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of a range of diseases, including asthma. Here, we aimed to investigate the interaction of Cbx4 with Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and the potent mechanism of action in asthma progression. In present study, in vitro and ex vivo results demonstrated that Cbx4 interacts with HIF-1α protein through its SUMO E3 ligase activity and enhances the sumoylation, which increases HIF-1 transactivation through Cbx4 and promotes the differentiation of Th9 cells, then in turn promotes the process of asthma. Treatment of inhibitors targeting SUMO E3 ligase activity of Cbx4 or HIF-1α can effectively reduce HIF-1α activation and differentiation of Th9 cells, which further attenuates the asthma in mouse model. Current results collectively demonstrated Cbx4 can govern HIF-1α to involve in Th9 cell differentiation promoting asthma by its SUMO E3 ligase activity, providing a new direction for clinical treatment of asthma.

An evolutionary epigenetic clock in plants

Molecular clocks are the basis for dating the divergence between lineages over macroevolutionary timescales (~105 to 108 years). However, classical DNA-based clocks tick too slowly to inform us about the recent past. Here, we demonstrate that stochastic DNA methylation changes at a subset of cytosines in plant genomes display a clocklike behavior. This "epimutation clock" is orders of magnitude faster than DNA-based clocks and enables phylogenetic explorations on a scale of years to centuries. We show experimentally that epimutation clocks recapitulate known topologies and branching times of intraspecies phylogenetic trees in the self-fertilizing plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the clonal seagrass Zostera marina, which represent two major modes of plant reproduction. This discovery will open new possibilities for high-resolution temporal studies of plant biodiversity.

[Progress of researches on Blastocystis hominis infection among patients with inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome]

Blastocystis is a common unicellular intestinal protozoa in humans and animals, and the most common clinical manifestations of infections include abdominal pain and diarrhea. Based on the sequence of the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, 28 subtypes of B. hominis (ST1 to ST17, ST21 and ST23 to ST32) have been characterized. Previous studies have demonstrated that B. hominis infection is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other intestinal diseases, which threatens the health and quality of life among patients with B. hominis infection and is considered as an important public health problem. This review summarizes the progress of researches on B. hominis infection among IBD and IBS patients during the past 20 years, so as to provide insights into management of blastocystosis in China.

The newly proposed alanine aminotransferase to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio has shown effectiveness in identifying non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Objective

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are important predictive factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to analyze the association between the ALT/HDL-C ratio and NAFLD.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of data from 14,251 individuals participating in the NAGALA project's health screening program. The presence of NAFLD was diagnosed based on the participants' alcohol consumption status and liver ultrasonography images. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between the ALT/HDL-C ratio and NAFLD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine and compare the effectiveness of ALT, HDL-C, the aspartate aminotransferase to HDL-C (AST/HDL-C) ratio, the gamma-glutamyl transferase to HDL-C (GGT/HDL-C) ratio and the ALT/HDL-C ratio in identifying NAFLD.

Results

We observed a significant positive association between the ALT/HDL-C ratio and the prevalence of NAFLD. For each standard deviation (SD) increase in the ALT/HDL-C ratio, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for NAFLD among the participants was 3.05 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.63, 3.53], with the highest quartile of ALT/HDL-C ratio having a 9.96-fold increased risk compared to the lowest quartile. In further subgroup analyses stratified by gender, age, and waist circumference (WC), we observed a significantly higher risk of NAFLD associated with the ALT/HDL-C ratio among individuals aged ≥45 years, males, and those who were abdominal obesity. Furthermore, based on the results of ROC analysis, we found that the ALT/HDL-C ratio [area under the curves (AUC): 0.8553] was significantly superior to ALT, HDL-C, AST/HDL-C ratio and GGT/HDL-C ratio in identifying NAFLD (All Delong P<0.05); the threshold of suggested ALT/HDL-C ratio for identifying NAFLD was 15.97.

Conclusion

This population-based study demonstrates a positive association between the ALT/HDL-C ratio and NAFLD. The ALT/HDL-C ratio can effectively identify individuals with NAFLD.

Assessing the usefulness of a newly proposed metabolic score for visceral fat in predicting future diabetes: results from the NAGALA cohort study

Objective

Visceral adipose tissue assessment holds significant importance in diabetes prevention. This study aimed to explore the association between the newly proposed Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat (METS-VF) and diabetes risk and to further assess the predictive power of the baseline METS-VF for the occurrence of diabetes in different future periods.

Methods

This longitudinal cohort study included 15,464 subjects who underwent health screenings. The METS-VF, calculated using the formula developed by Bello-Chavolla et al., served as a surrogate marker for visceral fat obesity. The primary outcome of interest was the occurrence of diabetes during the follow-up period. Established multivariate Cox regression models and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression models to assess the association between METS-VF and diabetes risk and its shape. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the predictive power of METS-VF with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and visceral adiposity index (VAI) for diabetes, and time-dependent ROC analysis was conducted to assess the predictive capability of METS-VF for the occurrence of diabetes in various future periods.

Results

During a maximum follow-up period of 13 years, with a mean of 6.13 years, we observed that the cumulative risk of developing diabetes increased with increasing METS-VF quintiles. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analysis showed that each unit increase in METS-VF would increase the risk of diabetes by 68% (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.13, 2.50), and further RCS regression analysis revealed a possible non-linear association between METS-VF and diabetes risk (P for non-linearity=0.002). In addition, after comparison by ROC analysis, we found that METS-VF had significantly higher predictive power for diabetes than other general/visceral adiposity indicators, and in time-dependent ROC analysis, we further considered the time-dependence of diabetes status and METS-VF and found that METS-VF had the highest predictive value for predicting medium- and long-term (6-10 years) diabetes risk.

Conclusion

METS-VF, a novel indicator for assessing visceral adiposity, showed a significantly positive correlation with diabetes risk. It proved to be a superior risk marker in predicting the future onset of diabetes compared to other general/visceral adiposity indicators, particularly in forecasting medium- and long-term diabetes risk.

Modeling study of divertor particle flow pattern and in-out plasma density asymmetry due to drifts with SOLPS and BOUT+

A study of the effects of drifts on the particle flow pattern and in-out divertor plasma density asymmetry for L-mode and H-mode plasmas is carried out for EAST discharges by the edge plasma transport codes SOLPS and BOUT++ . The simulation of L-mode plasmas is done by SOLPS while the simulation of H-mode plasmas is done by BOUT++ . The toroidal magnetic field direction for the simulated discharge is artificially reversed in the codes to study the effects of different drift directions on the divertor particle flow pattern and the in-out asymmetry of divertor plasma density. The divertor particle flows induced by diamagnetic and E × B drifts are found to have similar directions in the divertor region for the same discharge. The directions of the flows induced by drifts would be reversed with the reverse of toroidal magnetic field direction. The diamagnetic drift seems to have no effect on the in-out asymmetry of divertor plasma density due to its divergence-free nature. However, the E × B drift could result in a pronounced asymmetry of plasma density between the inner and outer divertor targets. The density in-out asymmetry caused by E × B drift is reversed with the reverse of E × B drift flow direction. Detailed analysis shows that the radial component of the E × B drift flow is the main cause of density asymmetry. The results from the simulation of H-mode plasmas with BOUT++ are similar to those of the L-mode plasmas with SOLPS except that the drift effects seem to be slightly larger in the H-mode plasmas compared to the L-mode plasmas.

Store-operated calcium entry enhances the polarization and chemotaxis of neutrophils in the peripheral venous blood of patients with bronchial asthma by upregulating ERM protein

Background

Neutrophils can be rapidly recruited and are largely abundant in the airways of patients with asthma. However, whether the polarization and chemotaxis of neutrophils in patients with asthma are abnormal, and the underlying mechanisms, have not been clarified. Pseudopods formation is the initial step of neutrophils' polarization, ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM) play an important role in the polarization of neutrophils. As an important signaling molecule in cell physiological processes, Ca2+ has been shown to be involved in the polarity changes of neutrophils. This study thus aimed to explore polarization and chemotaxis of neutrophils in patients with asthma and the underlying mechanism.

Methods

Fresh neutrophils were isolated using standard separation protocols. The polarization and chemotactic activity of neutrophils were observed using Zigmond chamber and Transwell migration assay under linear concentration gradients of N-formyl-methionine-leucine-phenylalanine (fMLP) or interleukin (IL)-8. The distribution of calcium, ERMs and F-actin in neutrophils were observed by confocal laser scanning microscope. The expression of the main components of ERMs (moesin and ezrin) was detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results

Compared with those in the healthy control group, the polarization and chemotaxis of neutrophils in the venous blood of patients with asthma were significantly increased, and the expression and distribution of cytoskeletal proteins F-actin and ezrin were abnormal. The expression and function of key components of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), STIM2, and Orai1 of neutrophils in patients with asthma were significantly increased.

Conclusions

The polarization and chemotaxis of neutrophils in the venous blood of patients with asthma are increased. This may be due to the abnormal expression and distribution of ERM and F-actin as a result of abnormal SOCE function.

[Lysosomal membrane protein Sidt2 knockout induces apoptosis of human hepatocytes in vitro independent of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the regulatory mechanism of human hepatocyte apoptosis induced by lysosomal membrane protein Sidt2 knockout.

METHODS

The Sidt2 knockout (Sidt2^-/-) cell model was constructed in human hepatocyte HL7702 cells using Crispr-Cas9 technology.The protein levels of Sidt2 and key autophagy proteins LC3-II/I and P62 in the cell model were detected using Western blotting, and the formation of autophagosomes was observed with MDC staining.EdU incorporation assay and flow cytometry were performed to observe the effect of Sidt2 knockout on cell proliferation and apoptosis.The effect of chloroquine at the saturating concentration on autophagic flux, proliferation and apoptosis of Sidt2 knockout cells were observed.

RESULTS

Sidt2^-/- HL7702 cells were successfully constructed.Sidt2 knockout significantly inhibited the proliferation and increased apoptosis of the cells, causing also increased protein expressions of LC3-II/I and P62(P < 0.05) and increased number of autophagosomes.Autophagy of the cells reached a saturated state following treatment with 50 μmol/L chloroquine, and at this concentration, chloroquine significantly increased the expressions of LC3B and P62 in Sidt2^-/- HL7702 cells.

CONCLUSION

Sidt2 gene knockout causes dysregulation of the autophagy pathway and induces apoptosis of HL7702 cells, and the latter effect is not mediated by inhibiting the autophagy-lysosomal pathway.

Mitoquinone ameliorated airway inflammation by stabilizing β-catenin destruction complex in a steroid-insensitive asthma model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Mitochondrial dysfunction is an essential part of the pathophysiology of asthma, and potential treatments that target the malfunctioning mitochondria have attracted widespread attention. We have previously demonstrated that aberrant epithelial β-catenin signaling played a crucial role in a toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-induced steroid-insensitive asthma model. The objective of this study was to determine if the mitochondrially targeted antioxidant mitoquinone(MitoQ) regulated the activation of β-catenin in TDI-induced asthma.

METHOD

Mice were sensitized and challenged with TDI to generate a steroid-insensitive asthma model. Human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) were exposed to TDI-human serum albumin (HSA) and ethidium bromide(EB) to simulate the TDI-induced asthma model and mitochondrial dysfunction.

RESULTS

MitoQ dramatically attenuated TDI-induced AHR, airway inflammation, airway goblet cell metaplasia, and collagen deposition and markedly protected epithelial mitochondrial functions by preserving mass and diminishing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). MitoQ administration stabilized β-catenin destruction complex from disintegration and inhibited the activation of β-catenin. Similarly, YAP1, an important constituent of β-catenin destruction complex, was inhibited by Dasatinib, which alleviated airway inflammation and the activation of β-catenin, and restored mitochondrial mass. In vitro, treating 16HBE cells with EB led to the activation of YAP1 and β-catenin signaling, decreased the expression of glucocorticoid receptors and up-regulated interleukin (IL)-1β, IL6 and IL-8 expression.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that mitochondria mediates airway inflammation by regulating the stability of the β-catenin destruction complex and MitoQ might be a promising therapeutic approach to improve airway inflammation and severe asthma.

AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Some data may not be made available because of privacy or ethical restrictions.

An evolutionary epigenetic clock in plants

Molecular clocks are the basis for dating the divergence between lineages over macro-evolutionary timescales (~10 5 -10 8 years). However, classical DNA-based clocks tick too slowly to inform us about the recent past. Here, we demonstrate that stochastic DNA methylation changes at a subset of cytosines in plant genomes possess a clock-like behavior. This 'epimutation-clock' is orders of magnitude faster than DNA-based clocks and enables phylogenetic explorations on a scale of years to centuries. We show experimentally that epimutation-clocks recapitulate known topologies and branching times of intra-species phylogenetic trees in the selfing plant A. thaliana and the clonal seagrass Z. marina , which represent two major modes of plant reproduction. This discovery will open new possibilities for high-resolution temporal studies of plant biodiversity.

Chronological and Replicative Aging of CD51+/PDGFR-α+ Pulp Stromal Cells

As a crucial source of mesenchymal stromal cells, CD51⁺/PDGFR-α⁺ human dental pulp stromal cells (hDPSCs) are promising seeding cells for regenerative medicine. Cellular senescence hinders the translational application of hDPSCs. However, it remains unclear whether chronological and replicative senescence results in distinct outcomes for hDPSCs. To investigate the influence of senescence on DPSCs, we used transgenic lineage tracking, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and various molecular experiments to depict the dynamic pattern of hDPSCs in mice and humans during chronological and replicative senescence. The data demonstrated that CD51⁺/PDGFR-α⁺ cells were decreased in chronological senescence. Impaired self-renewal and higher ossificatory differentiation were observed in chronologically senescent hDPSCs. Regarding replicative senescence, a decreased CD51⁺ but upregulated PDGFR-α⁺ population was observed in culture. Furthermore, weakened self-renewal and osteogenic differentiation were observed in replicatively senescent hDPSCs. In summary, CD51⁺/PDGFR-α⁺ hDPSCs decrease in chronologically aged pulp, with self-renewal that is impaired without impaired osteogenic differentiation. However, replicative senescence has a different impact: self-renewal and ossific differentiation are impaired and CD51 expression is reduced, but PDGFR-α expression remains. These findings demonstrate the different outcomes of chronological and replicative senescence in CD51⁺/PDGFR-α⁺ hDPSCs. Furthermore, we revealed that impaired self-renewal is the core dysfunction for both types of cellular aging and that osteogenic differentiation capability differs between them. This study provides insights into the influence of chronological and replicative senescence on the characteristics and capabilities of hDPSCs. These advances provide fundamental knowledge to alleviate cellular aging of CD51⁺/PDGFR-α⁺ hDPSCs and promote their translational applications.

Analysis of the reports of low-concentration atropine in controlling myopia in children

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy of 0.01% atropine to slow the progression of myopia in children.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, CNKI, Cqvip and Wan fang databases from inception to January 2022, including RCTs (randomized controlled trials) and non-RCTs (non-randomized controlled trials). The search strategy was 'myopia' OR 'refractive error' and 'atropine.' Two researchers independently reviewed the articles, and stata12.0 was used for meta-analysis. The Jadad score was used to assess the quality of RCT, and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for non-RCTs.

RESULTS

Five RCTs and two non-RCTs (1 prospective non-randomized controlled study, 1 retrospective cohort study) were identified (including 1000 eyes). Results of the meta-analysis showed statistical heterogeneity among the 7 included studies (P=0. 026, I2 =47.1%). According to different durations of atropine use - 4 months, 6 months and greater than 8 months, subgroup analysis results showed that the axial elongation of all experimental groups relative to control groups were respectively -0.03mm (95% [CI], (confidence interval), -0.07 to 0.01), -0.07mm (95% [CI], -0.10 to -0.05), -0.09mm (95% [CI], -0.12 to -0.06). Each P was greater than 0.05, which indicated that there is little heterogeneity among the subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this meta-analysis of the short-term efficacy of atropine in myopia patients, it was found that there was little heterogeneity when grouped by usage time. It is suggested that the use of atropine in the treatment of myopia is not only related to its concentration but also related to the duration of use.

[Microvascular perfusion and cardiac function after revascularization assessed by myocardial contrast echocardiography in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction]

Objectives: To evaluate microvascular perfusion and left ventricular function in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after revascularization using myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE), and to explore clinical influencing factors of abnormal microvascular perfusion in these patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The analysis was performed among patients admitted to Peking University People's Hospital for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) from June 2018 to July 2021. All patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and completed MCE within 48 hours after PCI. Patients were divided into normal myocardial perfusion group and abnormal perfusion group according to the myocardial perfusion score. The echocardiographic indexes within 48 hours after PCI, including peak mitral valve flow velocity (E), mean value of early diastolic velocity of left ventricular septum and lateral mitral annulus (Em), left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and so on, were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors of myocardial perfusion abnormalities. Results: A total of 123 STEMI patients, aged 59±13 years with 93 (75.6%) males, were enrolled. There were 50 cases in the normal myocardial perfusion group, and 73 cases in the abnormal myocardial perfusion group. The incidence of abnormal myocardial perfusion was 59.3% (73/123). The left ventricular volume index ((62.3±18.4)ml/m² vs. (55.1±15.2)ml/m², P=0.018), wall motion score index (WMSI) (1.59 (1.44, 2.00) vs. 1.24(1.00, 1.47), P<0.001) and mitral E/Em (17.8(12.0, 24.3) vs. 12.2(9.2, 15.7), P<0.001) were significantly higher whereas left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) ((-10.8±3.4)% vs. (-13.8±3.5)%, P<0.001) was significantly lower in the abnormal myocardial perfusion group than those in the normal myocardial perfusion group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that left anterior descending (LAD) as culprit vessel (OR=3.733, 95%CI 1.282-10.873, P=0.016), intraoperative no/low-reflow (OR=6.125, 95%CI 1.299-28.872, P=0.022), and peak troponin I (TnI) (OR=1.018, 95%CI 1.008-1.029, P=0.001) were independent risk factors of abnormal myocardial perfusion. As for ultrasonic indexes, deceleration time of mitral E wave (OR=0.979, 95%CI 0.965-0.993, P=0.003), mitral E/Em (OR=1.100, 95%CI 1.014-1.194, P=0.022) and WMSI (OR=7.470, 95%CI 2.630-21.222, P<0.001) were independently related to abnormal myocardial perfusion. Conclusions: The incidence of abnormal myocardial perfusion after PCI is high in patients with acute STEMI. Abnormal myocardial perfusion is related to worse left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. LAD as culprit vessel, intraoperative no/low-reflow and peak TnI are independent risk factors of abnormal myocardial perfusion.

Blockade of neutrophil extracellular traps ameliorates toluene diisocyanate-induced steroid-resistant asthma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-induced asthma is characterized by mixed inflammation dominated by neutrophils, and is refractory to steroid treatment. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play an important role in severe asthma, but their role in TDI-induced asthma models is unclear. This study focused on the role and mechanism of NETs in steroid-resistant TDI-induced asthma.

METHODS

Induced sputum was collected from 85 asthmatic patients and 25 healthy controls to detect eDNA. A murine TDI-induced asthma model was prepared, and asthmatic mice were given dexamethasone or DNase I. In vitro, the human bronchial epithelial cell line HBE was stimulated with NETs or TDI-human serum albumin (TDI-HSA).

RESULTS

Asthma patients had higher sputum eDNA compared to healthy subjects. In asthma patients, eDNA was positively correlated with sputum neutrophils, and negatively correlated with FEV1%predicted. Airway inflammation, airway reactivity, Th2 cytokine levels in lymph supernatant, and levels of NETs were significantly increased in the TDI-induced asthmatic mice. These increases were suppressed by DNase I, but not by dexamethasone. Inhibition of NETs improved interleukin (IL)-8 and MKP1 mRNA expression, and reduced phosphorylation of GR-S226 induced by TDI. Inhibition of NETs improved airway epithelial barrier disruption, as well as p38 and ERK signaling pathways in TDI-induced asthmatic mice. In vitro, NETs promoted the expression of IL-8 mRNA in HBE cells, and reduced the expression of MKP1. IL-8 elevation induced by NETs was suppressed by a p38 inhibitor or ERK inhibitor, but not by dexamethasone. Pretreatment with RAGE inhibitor reduced NETs induced p38/ERK phosphorylation and IL-8 levels in HBE cells.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that targeting NETs might effectively improved TDI-induced airway inflammation and airway epithelial barrier function. This may potentially be a treatment for patients with steroid-resistance asthma.

TGF-β1 promotes SCD1 expression via the PI3K-Akt-mTOR-SREBP1 signaling pathway in lung fibroblasts

BACKGROUND

Lung fibroblast activation is associated with airway remodeling during asthma progression. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) plays an important role in the response of fibroblasts to growth factors. This study aimed to explore the effects of SCD1 on fibroblast activation induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the role of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-AKT serine-threonine protein kinase-mechanistic target of rapamycin (PI3K-Akt-mTOR) pathway on the regulation of SCD1 expression in airway remodeling.

METHODS

Female C57BL/6 mice were sensitized and challenged with house dust mites to generate a chronic asthma model. The inhibitor of SCD1 was injected i.g. before each challenge. The airway hyper-responsiveness to methacholine was evaluated, and airway remodeling and airway inflammation were assessed by histology. The effects of SCD1 on fibroblast activation were evaluated in vitro using an SCD1 inhibitor and oleic acid and via the knockdown of SCD1. The involvement of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR-sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) pathway in lung fibroblasts was investigated using relevant inhibitors.

RESULTS

The expression of SCD1 was increased in fibroblasts exposed to TGF-β1. The inhibition of SCD1 markedly ameliorated airway remodeling and lung fibroblast activation in peripheral airways. The knockdown or inhibition of SCD1 resulted in significantly reduced extracellular matrix production in TGF-β1-treated fibroblasts, but this effect was reversed by the addition of exogenous oleic acid. The PI3K-Akt-mTOR-SREBP1 pathway was found to be involved in the regulation of SCD1 expression and lung fibroblast activation.

CONCLUSIONS

The data obtained in this study indicate that SCD1 expression contributes to fibroblast activation and airway remodeling and that the inhibition of SCD1 may be a therapeutic strategy for airway remodeling in asthma.

Assessing the longitudinal association between the GGT/HDL-C ratio and NAFLD: a cohort study in a non-obese Chinese population

BACKGROUND

A cross-sectional association between the combination indicator of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and fatty liver has been described in several recent studies, and this study aims to further evaluate the longitudinal relationship between the ratio of GGT to HDL-C (GGT/HDL-C ratio) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS

This cohort study included 12,126 individuals without NAFLD at baseline, followed prospectively for 5 years, and the endpoint of interest was new-onset NAFLD. The relationship of the GGT/HDL-C ratio with new-onset NAFLD and the shape of the association was assessed by Cox regression models and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression, respectively. Time-dependent receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the predictive value of GGT, HDL-C, GGT/HDL-C ratio and BMI for the occurrence of NAFLD at different time points in the future.

RESULTS

The prevalence of NAFLD was 72.46/1000 person-years during the 5-year follow-up period. Results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed a positive association of the GGT/HDL-C ratio with new-onset NAFLD after adequate adjustment of the related confounding factors, and the degree of correlation was slightly higher than that of GGT, and further subgroup analysis found that this association was more significant in the population with elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP). In addition, we also found a nonlinear relationship of the GGT/HDL-C ratio with the risk of new-onset NAFLD using the RCS regression, where the saturation threshold was about 31.79 U/mmol. Time-dependent ROC analysis results showed that the GGT/HDL-C ratio was increasingly valuable in predicting NAFLD over time, and was better than HDL-C in predicting NAFLD in the early stage (1-3 years), but was not superior to BMI and GGT.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large longitudinal cohort study based on a Chinese population, our results supported that the GGT/HDL-C ratio was positively and nonlinearly associated with the risk of new-onset NAFLD in a non-obese population. In the assessment of future NAFLD risk, the GGT/HDL-C ratio was slightly better than GGT alone; However, the GGT/HDL-C ratio did not appear to have a significant advantage over GGT and BMI alone in predicting NAFLD.

Efficient dose-volume histogram-based pretreatment patient-specific quality assurance methodology with combined deep learning and machine learning models for volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Weak correlation between gamma passing rates and dose differences in target volumes and organs at risk (OARs) has been reported in several studies. Evaluation on the differences between planned dose-volume histogram (DVH) and reconstructed DVH from measurement was adopted and incorporated into patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA). However, it is difficult to develop a methodology allowing the evaluation of errors on DVHs accurately and quickly.

PURPOSE

To develop a DVH-based pretreatment PSQA for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with combined deep learning (DL) and machine learning models to overcome the limitation of conventional gamma index (GI) and improve the efficiency of DVH-based PSQA.

METHODS

A DL model with a three-dimensional squeeze-and-excitation residual blocks incorporated into a modified U-net was developed to predict the measured PSQA DVHs of 208 head-and-neck (H&N) cancer patients underwent VMAT between 2018 and 2021 from two hospitals, in which 162 cases was randomly selected for training, 18 for validation, and 28 for testing. After evaluating the differences between treatment planning system (TPS) and PSQA DVHs predicted by DL model with multiple metrics, a pass or fail (PoF) classification model was developed using XGBoost algorithm. Evaluation of domain experts on dose errors between TPS and reconstructed PSQA DVHs was taken as ground truth for PoF classification model training.

RESULTS

The prediction model was able to achieve a good agreement between predicted, measured, and TPS doses. Quantitative evaluation demonstrated no significant difference between predicted PSQA dose and measured dose for target and OARs, except for D_mean of PTV6900 (p = 0.001), D₅₀ of PTV6000 (p = 0.014), D₂ of PTV5400 (p = 0.009), D₅₀ of left parotid (p = 0.015), and D_max of left inner ear (p = 0.007). The XGBoost model achieved an area under curves, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.89 versus 0.88, 0.89 versus 0.86, 0. 71 versus 0.71, and 0.95 versus 0.91 with measured and predicted PSQA doses, respectively. The agreement between domain experts and the classification model was 86% for 28 test cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The successful prediction of PSQA doses and classification of PoF for H&N VMAT PSQA indicating that this DVH-based PSQA method is promising to overcome the limitations of GI and to improve the efficiency and accuracy of VMAT delivery.

An approach combining bioinformatics and machine learning to identify eight autophagy-related biomarkers and construct molecular mechanisms underlying COVID-19 and major depressive disorders

OBJECTIVE

A lack of objective biomarkers is preventing the screening and diagnosis of COVID-19 combined with major depression disorder (COVID-19-MDD). The purpose of this study was to identify diagnostic biomarkers and gene regulatory mechanisms associated with autophagy; a crucial process significantly involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19-MDD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using GSE98793 from the GEO2R analysis (GEO) database, and intersected with the COVID-19-related gene (CRGs) and autophagy-related genes (ARGs) to obtain common genes involved in. Then, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of these common genes were performed. Subsequently, the transcription factor (TF)-gene regulatory network and comorbidity network were constructed. In addition, 10 drug candidates were screened using the DSigDB database. To identify diagnostic markers, we used LASSO regression.

RESULTS

In total, 13 common genes were screened, which were primarily enriched in lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum membranes, and other endomembrane systems also associated with autophagy. Additionally, these genes were involved in neurological cell signaling and have a functional role in pathways related to vascular endothelial growth factor, tyrosine kinase, autophagy, inflammation, immunity, and carcinogenesis. Tumors and psychiatric disorders were the most highly linked diseases to COVID-19. Finally, ten drug candidates and eight diagnostic markers (STX17, NRG1, RRAGD, XPO1, HERC1, HSP90AB1, EPHB2, and S1PR3) were screened.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to screen eight diagnostic markers and construct a gene regulatory network for COVID-19-MDD from the perspective of autophagy. The findings of our study provide novel insights into the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19-MDD.

Left atrial appendage mechanical dispersion assessed by speckle-tracking echocardiography as a determinant of left atrial appendage stasis in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation

Background

We sought to investigate the relationship of left atrial appendage (LAA) mechanical dispersion (MD) with LAA dense spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) or thrombus, and to compare its usefulness in the identification of thrombogenesis with left atrial (LA) MD or LA/LAA strain parameters in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 493 consecutive patients with AF (median age 65, male 66.9%) who underwent echocardiography prior to catheter ablation. We measured the LAA and LA global longitudinal strain (GLS) using speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE). LAA MD and LA MD was defined as the standard deviation (SD) of time to peak positive strain corrected by the R-R interval.

Results

Patients with LAA dense SEC/thrombus (n=70) had significantly higher LAA MD than controls (n=423) (median 14.20% vs 9.35%). Areas under the receiver-operating curve for CHA2DS2-VASc score plus LAA MD, LAA GLS or LA GLS were comparable (0.830, 0.843 and 0.809) and superior to that combined with LA MD (0.762, all p&lt;0.01). Multivariable analysis showed that LAA MD was an independent determinant of LAA dense SEC/thrombus in four different models (Odds ratio, 1.23–1.24; P&lt;0.001), and provided additional diagnostic value over clinical and standard echocardiographic parameters. Whereas LA MD was not independently associated with LAA dense SEC/thrombus and had no incremental predictive value.

Conclusion

LAA mechanical dispersion provided incremental information over conventional risk factors in the identification of LAA dense SEC or thrombus in AF patients and is superior to LA mechanical dispersion.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Cardiac magnetic resonance relaxometry compared to left ventricular ejection fraction in the identification of anthracycline related cardiac changes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Anthracyclines are associated with cancer therapeutics related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). The identification of CTRCD currently uses a change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Myocardial damage associated with anthracyclines include myocardial inflammation and oedema. This can be assessed using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) relaxometry techniques; T1 and T2 mapping and extracellular volume (ECV) fraction.

Purpose

In this meta-analysis, we compared the magnitude of the changes in LVEF and CMR relaxometry techniques wihtin a month of anthracycline therapy completion.

Methods

We performed a structured literature review as per the PRISMA guidelines across three databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, and SCOPUS) for studies evaluating CMR relaxometry parameter at baseline and soon after completion of anthracycline therapy (3–5 months post baseline). CMR parameters pre and post anthracycline-based chemotherapy were abstracted. A random effects model was used to pool mean difference (MD) in LVEF and ECV given standardisation in imaging acquisition techniques. A random effects model was used to pool standardized mean difference (SMD) in LVEF, T1, T2 and ECV after anthracycline to adjust for variations in imaging techniques and comparison between techniques.

Results

A total of 174 patients were included from seven studies. 91% were female with a mean age of 55.6 years. The pooled MD in LVEF and ECV was −3.15% [95% CI −4.99, −1.31] and 1.61% [0.90, 2.32], respectively. The pooled SMD in LVEF, T1, T2 and ECV was −0.61 [−0.96, −0.25] 0.34 [0.04, 0.63], 0.67 [0.12,1.21], 0.6 [0.31, 0.89], respectively (Table 1).

Conclusions

T2 mapping, ECV and LVEF can identify early myocardial changes better than T1 mapping. These changes suggest there is marked oedema in the myocardial injury from anthracycline therapy. Whilst these findings support the role of CMR relaxometry in identifying CTRCD, further studies are required.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.