Gradual effects of gradient concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate on the antioxidant ability and gut microbiota of red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a typical persistent organic pollutant that is characterized by environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. In this study, we investigated the gut microbial response of the red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus after 28 days of exposure to 0 ng/L, 1 ng/L, 10 μg/L, or 10 mg/L of PFOS as a stressor. We measured oxidative stress-related enzyme activities and expression of molecules related to detoxification mechanisms to evaluate the toxic effects of PFOS. We found that PFOS disturbed microbial homeostasis in the gut of C. quadricarinatus, resulting in increased abundance of the pathogen Shewanella and decreased abundance of the beneficial bacterium Lactobacillus. The latter especially disturbed amino acid transport and carbohydrate transport. We also found that the activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase were positively correlated with the expression levels of cytochrome P450 genes (GST1-1, GSTP, GSTK1, HPGDS, UGT5), which are products of PFOS-induced oxidative stress and play an antioxidant role in the body. The results of this study provided valuable ecotoxicological data to better understand the biological fate and effects of PFOS in C. quadricarinatus.

Sleep deprivation boosts O2·- levels in the brains of mice as visualized by a Golgi apparatus-targeted ratiometric fluorescence nanosensor

Sleep deprivation (SD) is highly prevalent in the modern technological world. Emerging evidence shows that sleep deprivation is associated with oxidative stress. At the organelle level, the Golgi apparatus actively participates in the stress response. In this study, to determine whether SD and Golgi apparatus stress are correlated, we rationally designed and fabricated a novel Golgi apparatus-targeted ratiometric nanoprobe called Golgi dots for O2·- detection. This probe exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity in cells and brain slices of sleep-deprived mice. Golgi dots can be readily synthesized by coprecipitation of Golgi-F127, an amphiphilic polymer F127 modified with a Golgi apparatus targeting moiety, caffeic acid (CA), the responsive unit for O2·-, and red emissive carbon nanodots (CDs), which act as the reference signal. The fluorescence emission spectrum of the developed nanoprobe showed an intense peak at 674 nm, accompanied by a shoulder peak at 485 nm. As O2·- was gradually added, the fluorescence at 485 nm continuously increased; in contrast, the emission intensity at 674 nm assigned to the CDs remained constant, resulting in the ratiometric sensing of O2·-. The present ratiometric nanoprobe showed high selectivity for O2·- monitoring due to the specific recognition of O2·- by CA. Moreover, the Golgi dots exhibited good linearity with respect to the O2·- concentration within 5 to 40 μM, and the limit of detection (LOD) was ~ 0.13 μM. Additionally, the Golgi dots showed low cytotoxicity and an ability to target the Golgi apparatus. Inspired by these excellent properties, we then applied the Golgi dots to successfully monitor exogenous and endogenous O2·- levels within the Golgi apparatus. Importantly, with the help of Golgi dots, we determined that SD substantially elevated O2·- levels in the brain.

Healthier Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Better Sleep Quality among Shanghai Suburban Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

More is to be explored between dietary patterns and sleep quality in the Chinese adult population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study including 7987 Shanghai suburban adults aged 20-74 years was conducted. Dietary information was obtained using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to a priori dietary patterns, such as the Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and Mediterranean diet (MD), was assessed. Sleep quality was assessed from self-reported responses to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Logistic regression models adjusting for confounders were employed to examine the associations.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of poor sleep (PSQI score ≥ 5) was 28.46%. Factor analysis demonstrated four a posteriori dietary patterns. Participants with a higher CHEI (ORQ4 vs. Q1: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70-0.95), DASH (ORQ4 vs. Q1: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.60-0.82) or MD (ORQ4 vs. Q1: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.64-0.87) had a lower poor sleep prevalence, while participants with a higher "Beverages" score had a higher poor sleep prevalence (ORQ4 vs. Q1: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.27).

CONCLUSIONS

In Shanghai suburban adults, healthier dietary patterns and lower consumption of beverages were associated with better sleep quality.

Occurrence and Risk Assessment of Pesticides, Phthalates, and Heavy Metal Residues in Vegetables from Hydroponic and Conventional Cultivation

Hydroponic cultivation of fresh produce is gaining popularity worldwide, but few studies have provided a comparative assessment of hydroponic and conventional soil-based vegetables. In this study, we analyzed a series of hazardous chemicals, including 120 pesticides, 18 phthalates (PAEs), and 2 heavy metals (lead and cadmium) in four vegetable commodities (lettuces, celeries, tomatoes, and cucumbers) from hydroponic and conventional soil-based cultivation. Our study showed that at least one pesticide was present in 84% of the conventionally grown samples, whereas only 30% of the hydroponic samples contained detectable pesticide residues. Regarding the total PAE concentrations, there was no significant difference between conventional and hydroponic vegetables. The lead and cadmium residues in conventionally cultivated vegetables were significantly higher than in those produced from hydroponic cultivation. Lead is the primary heavy metal pollutant across all vegetable samples. The hazard index (HI) values of the hydroponic and conventional vegetables were 0.22 and 0.64, respectively. Since both values are below one, the exposure to these hazardous chemicals through consumption of the studied vegetables may not pose a significant health risk. The HI values also suggested that the health risks of eating hydroponic vegetables are lower than for conventional soil-based vegetables.

Evaluating imaging repeatability of fully self-service fundus photography within a community-based eye disease screening setting

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the imaging repeatability of self-service fundus photography compared to traditional fundus photography performed by experienced operators.

DESIGN

Prospective cross-sectional study.

METHODS

In a community-based eye diseases screening site, we recruited 65 eyes (65 participants) from the resident population of Shanghai, China. All participants were devoid of cataract or any other conditions that could potentially compromise the quality of fundus imaging. Participants were categorized into fully self-service fundus photography or traditional fundus photography group. Image quantitative analysis software was used to extract clinically relevant indicators from the fundus images. Finally, a statistical analysis was performed to depict the imaging repeatability of fully self-service fundus photography.

RESULTS

There was no statistical difference in the absolute differences, or the extents of variation of the indicators between the two groups. The extents of variation of all the measurement indicators, with the exception of the optic cup area, were below 10% in both groups. The Bland-Altman plots and multivariate analysis results were consistent with results mentioned above.

CONCLUSIONS

The image repeatability of fully self-service fundus photography is comparable to that of traditional fundus photography performed by professionals, demonstrating promise in large-scale eye disease screening programs.

Potential nervous threat of nanoplastics to Monopterus albus: Implications from a metabolomics study

Nanoplastics, as a new class of environmental pollutants, have been frequently detected in environmental media and organisms. Monopterus albus (M. albus) is an important economic aquatic product with a high dietary consumption. However, the potential biological effects of nanoplastics on M. albus remain unknown. In this study, the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) at different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mg/L) on M. albus were investigated using an untargeted metabolomics approach. The results showed that 59, 44, 24, and 31 individual differential metabolites and 16, 9, 6, and 2 significant differential metabolic pathways were significantly changed in 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 mg/L respectively, indicating the greater effect of PS-NPs at the relatively low concentrations. After further analysis, there are four same significant differential metabolic pathways for the 0.5 and 1 mg/L groups, i.e., ABC transporters, cAMP signaling pathway, Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, and Synaptic vesicle cycle. In addition, there was one mutual differential metabolic pathway (Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction) among the four groups, indicative of the probably universal nervous influence of nanoplastics on M. albus. In a word, the current work suggests that PS-NPs might affect the nervous systems of M. albus through disturbing their liver metabolism, and nanoplastics at relatively low concentrations may possess a greater effect, which provides significant information for assessing the toxic effect and exposure risk of nanoplastics to organisms in aquatic environment.

Alveolar bone loss and tooth loss contribute to increase in cancer mortality among older patients

BACKGROUND

Both cancer and periodontitis are more prevalent with age. Information on their relationship in older patients is limited. This study aims to examine whether periodontitis is associated with increased risk of cancer mortality with a ≥ 75-year age group cohort.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1146 patients who had digital radiographic examinations. Alveolar bone loss and loss of teeth were measured as indicators of periodontitis. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were taken as the effect size to summarize the associations between periodontitis and risks of cancer mortality using the multivariate adjusted cox proportional hazards model and competing risk hazard model.

RESULTS

Totally, 104 total cancer, 28 lip, oral cavity and pharynx (LOP) cancer, 39 digestive cancer and 13 respiratory cancer cases were documented over 10 years of follow-up. Total cancer (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.53) displayed statistically significant associations with alveolar bone loss and tooth loss after adjusting for relevant confounding variables. We also observed borderline significant association between alveolar bone loss and LOP cancer (HR 1.45, 95% CI 0.99-2.12). The above associations were consistent with the results observed from the competing risk hazard models.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that older patients suffering from tooth loss or alveolar bone loss are at increased risks of cancer mortality, especially for total cancer and LOP cancer.

The natural course of otitis media with effusion in infants who failed universal newborn hearing screening: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the natural course of infants with otitis media with effusion who failed universal newborn hearing screening and to explore the appropriate observation period.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort analysis included infants with otitis media with effusion who failed universal newborn hearing screening every 3 months for 12 months.

RESULTS

The average recovery time of the 155 infants was 7.08 ± 0.32 months after diagnosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that frequent reflux, maxillofacial deformities and initial hearing status were independent factors affecting recovery. Moreover, the cumulative recovery of most infants with mild hearing loss and infants with moderate hearing loss accompanied by frequent reflux was significantly higher at six months after diagnosis than at three months.

CONCLUSION

For most infants with mild hearing loss, as well as those with moderate hearing loss accompanied by frequent reflux, the observation period can be extended to six months after diagnosis.

[Review and perspective of clinical research involving chest tightness variant asthma in China]

Chest tightness variant asthma (CTVA) was first reported and named by Chinese scholars in 2013. It is a new clinical type of asthma characterized by chest tightness as the only or primary symptom, without typical asthma manifestations such as recurrent wheezing and shortness of breath, and without wheezing sounds heard during lung auscultation. The overall epidemiological data on CTVA is currently unavailable. Its pathogenesis is similar to that of typical asthma, involving eosinophilic airway inflammation. Due to the lack of typical clinical manifestations, insufficient knowledge of this disease in some clinicians and some other reasons, CTVA is susceptible to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. Currently, the diagnostic criteria for CTVA are: chest tightness as the only or primary symptom, without typical asthma symptoms and signs such as wheezing and shortness of breath, and with any one of the objective indicators of variable airflow limitation. Effective anti-asthma treatment is required, and other diseases that cause chest tightness, such as cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, muscular, and mental diseases should be excluded. CTVA treatment follows that of typical asthma, but the specific treatment duration is uncertain and may require long-term management. Traditional Chinese medicine has shown some therapeutic effects on CTVA. Most CTVA patients have a good prognosis after active anti-asthma treatment. This paper analyzes and summarizes the research of CTVA in China from 2013 and provides new perspectives for further exploration of CTVA.

Polystyrene nanospheres-induced hepatotoxicity in swamp eel (Monopterus albus): From biochemical, pathological and transcriptomic perspectives

As ubiquitous emerging pollutants, microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments have aroused critical global concerns. Despite the occurrence and characteristics of MPs in freshwater agroecosystems well-described by our previous study, their ecotoxicological implications in Monopterus albus remains unfathomed. Herein, we dissected toxic effects and mechanisms of PS-NPs exposure against M. albus hepatic tissues at concentrations of 0.5 (L), 5 (M), 10 (H) mg/L for 28 days using physiochemical measurements, histopathological analysis and transcriptomic sequencing. Results showed that upon PS-NPs treatments, levels of ROS, MDA, 8-OHdG and MFO activity were significantly enhanced relative to the control (C) group, while SP content and T-AOC activity were dramatically suppressed, suggesting ROS burst, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage may occur in liver tissues. This oxidative damage further triggered impaired hepatic function and histopathology, disordered lipid metabolism and hepatocyte apoptosis, as reflected by significantly diminished activities of GPT, GOT, ACP, AKP and LDH, paralleled with augmented levels of TG, TC and HSI as well as Cytc and Caspase-3,8,9 activities. Noticeably, concentration-dependent rises of apoptotic rate, vacuolar degeneration and lipid deposition were manifest in TUNEL, H&E and ORO staining. In addition, a total of 375/475/981 up-regulated as well as 260/611/1422 down-regulated DEGs in C vs L, C vs M and C vs H categories were identified based on RNA-seq, respectively. These DEGs were significantly annotated and enriched into GO terms (membrane, cytoplasm, response to stimuli, oxidation-reduction process) as well as KEGG pathways (ether lipid metabolism, apoptosis, chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). Moreover, signaling cascades Keap1-Nrf2, p53 and PPAR were either substantially initiated or dysregulated to orchestrate PS-NPs hepatotoxicity featuring oxidative damage, hepatocyte apoptosis and lipid steatosis. Collectively, this study not only expounded on toxicological mechanisms whereby PS-MPs exerted deleterious effects on M. albus, but also pointed to ecological risks of PS-MPs-induced hepatoxicity and lipid steatosis in this commercially-important species.

Bonding performance of experimental HEMA-free two-step universal adhesives to low C-factor flat dentin

OBJECTIVES

Experimental two-step universal adhesives (2-UAs) providing a particle-filled hydrophobic adhesive resin with a significant film thickness to hydrophobically seal the adhesive interface were designed and synthesized. This study aimed to characterize their interfacial interaction with dentin, to determine whether the 2-UA formulations achieve durable bonding to low C-factor flat dentin and to measure their water sorption.

METHODS

Bonding effectiveness of 2-UAs that combine a 10-MDP-based primer with hydrophobic adhesive resins differing only for filler (BZF-21, BZF-29, and BZF-29_hv) were comparatively investigated with the commercial adhesive Clearfil SE Bond 2 (C-SE2, Kuraray Noritake). Adhesive-dentin interfaces were characterized with TEM. Adhesive-resin disks were immersed in distilled water at 37 °C for 1 week, 6 months and 1 year to measure water sorption and solubility. 'Immediate' and 'aged' micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) of the adhesives applied in etch-and-rinse (E&R) and self-etch (SE) bonding mode to low C-factor flat dentin were measured. Statistical analyses involved linear mixed-effects (LME) modelling and Kruskal-Wallis testing (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

TEM revealed that E&R hybrid layers were more sensitive to aging than SE hybrid layers. Lower water sorption was recorded for all UAs compared with C-SE2. The immediate μTBS of BZF-21 and BZF-29 was not significantly different from that of C-SE2. The 1-year aged μTBS of all 2-UAs was significantly lower than that of C-SE2, except for BZF-29 applied in E&R mode. A significant reduction in μTBS upon 1-year aging was recorded for BZF-21 and BZF-29 applied in E&R mode. A significant difference in μTBS between E&R and SE bonding modes was recorded for all adhesives except BZF-21.

SIGNIFICANCE

Experimental 2-UAs with a hydrophobic adhesive-resin design produced± 20-μm thick adhesive-resin layers, absorbed less water and resulted in bonding performance that was more aging-resistant when applied in SE than in E&R bonding mode. The silica-filled BZF-29 2-UA revealed the most comparable bonding performance with C-SE2 in a low C-factor condition (flat dentin).

Deep-learning-based ring artifact correction for tomographic reconstruction

X-ray tomography has been widely used in various research fields thanks to its capability of observing 3D structures with high resolution non-destructively. However, due to the nonlinearity and inconsistency of detector pixels, ring artifacts usually appear in tomographic reconstruction, which may compromise image quality and cause nonuniform bias. This study proposes a new ring artifact correction method based on the residual neural network (ResNet) for X-ray tomography. The artifact correction network uses complementary information of each wavelet coefficient and a residual mechanism of the residual block to obtain high-precision artifacts through low operation costs. In addition, a regularization term is used to accurately extract stripe artifacts in sinograms, so that the network can better preserve image details while accurately separating artifacts. When applied to simulation and experimental data, the proposed method shows a good suppression of ring artifacts. To solve the problem of insufficient training data, ResNet is trained through the transfer learning strategy, which brings advantages of robustness, versatility and low computing cost.

Acrylamide monomers in universal adhesives

OBJECTIVES

The mono-functional monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) is often added to universal adhesives (UAs) to improve surface wetting and prevent phase separation. Nevertheless, HEMA promotes water sorption and hydrolysis at adhesive interfaces, hereby affecting long-term bonding to dentin. This study investigated if two acrylamide monomers could replace HEMA in an UA formulation applied in etch-and-rinse (2E&R) and self-etch (1SE) bonding mode.

METHODS

Four experimental UAs were bonded to bur-cut dentin. In addition to 12 wt% 10-MDP, 25 wt% Bis-GMA and 10 wt% TEGDMA as common monomer composition, 20 %wt ethanol and 15 %wt water as solvent, and 3 wt% polymerization-related additives, the four formulations solely differed for either the acrylamide cross-linker monomer 'FAM-201' as TEGDMA alternative and HEMA replacement, the hydroxyethyl acrylamide monomer 'HEAA' as HEMA alternative, HEMA ('HEMA+'), or extra TEGDMA in a HEMA-free control ('HEMA-'), all added in a 15 wt% concentration. The split-tooth study design involved application in 2E&R mode on one tooth half versus 1SE mode on the corresponding half. Micro-tensile bond strength of half of the micro-specimens was measured upon 1-week distilled water storage ('immediate' 1w μTBS), with the other half measured after additional 6-month storage ('aged' 6 m μTBS). Statistics involved linear mixed-effects (LME) modelling (p < .05). Additionally, interfacial TEM characterization, thin-film (TF) XRD surface analysis, LogP determination, and a cytotoxicity assay were carried out.

RESULTS

FAM-201 revealed significantly higher μTBS than HEMA+ at 1w and 6 m when applied both in E&R and SE bonding modes. HEAA's μTBS was significantly lower than that of HEMA+ at 1w when applied in SE mode. TF-XRD and TEM revealed similar chemical and ultrastructural interfacial characterization, including stable 10-MDP_Ca salt nano-layering. FAM-201 was least cytotoxic and presented with an intermediary LogP, while HEAA presented with the highest LogP, indicating high hydrophilicity and water-sorption sensitivity.

SIGNIFICANCE

The acrylamide co-monomer FAM-201 could replace HEMA in an UA formulation, while HEAA not.

[Real-world evidence and randomized controlled trials: the initiation, implementation, progress interpretation and revelation of RCT DUPLICATE (part 1)]

In recent years, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and political makers gradually using more real-world data (RWD) to produce real-world evidence (RWE) for policy-making. A research team of Harvard University launched the RCT DUPLICATE project in 2018, aiming to replicate 30 randomized controlled trials using the medical claims database in order to explore methods for quantifying the efficacy-effectiveness gap and explain its potential sources, to enhance the credibility of the RWE. This paper reviews the background of RCT DUPLICATE Initiative, highlights the research purposes, research design and implementation process of the RCT DUPLICATE Initiative, to help domestic scholars better understand the scope and application value of RWE.

[Real-world evidence and randomized controlled trials: the initiation, implementation, progress interpretation and revelation of RCT DUPLICATE (part 2)]

With the promotion and application of big medical data, non-interventional real-world evidence (RWE) has been used by regulators to assess the effectiveness of medical products. This paper briefly introduces the latest progress and research results of the RCT DUPLICATE Initiative launched by the research team of Harvard University in 2018 and summarizes relevant research experience based on the characteristics of China's medical service to provide inspiration and reference for domestic scholars to conduct related RWE research in the future.

New insights into the transfer and accumulation of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in the food web of farmed Chinese mitten crabs: A typical case from the Yangtze River area

Dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) transfer and accumulation behavior remains poorly understood in the farmed Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). In this study, dioxins and DL-PCBs concentration in 48 farming crabs in lower reaches of the Yangtze River was monitored and controlled field design was conducted in a typical farm to dissect the dioxins and DL-PCBs contamination in crab food web (crab, feeds, and environment). Results showed that dioxins and DL-PCBs were ubiquitous in farmed crabs with concentrations ranging from 0.390 to 37.2 pg toxic equivalents (TEQ) g^-1 ww and do not present a health risk to general consumers. Of the total dioxins TEQ found in crab in treated farms, 45.6% was attributed to direct transfer from the aquaculture environment and 46.5% to the consumption of snails. Consumption of feed material accounted for nearly all of the total DL-PCBs TEQ, divided as 58.2% from feed and 41.8% from snails. These results demonstrated that dominant routes of dioxins accumulation in crabs were transferred for the sediment-snail-crab and sediment-crab chains, whereas DL-PCBs is mainly transferred through consumption of feeds and snails. To our knowledge, this work is the first report of snails serving as a biomagnification medium that promotes accumulation of dioxins in mitten crabs. This observation provided crucial insight to prevent and reduce contamination of crab by dioxins and DL-PCBs.

Feature detection network-based correction method for accurate nano-tomography reconstruction

Driven by the development of advanced x-ray optics such as Fresnel zone plates, nano-resolution full-field transmission x-ray microscopy (Nano-CT) has become a powerful technique for the non-destructive volumetric inspection of objects and has long been developed at different synchrotron radiation facilities. However, Nano-CT data are often associated with random sample jitter because of the drift or radial/axial error motion of the rotation stage during measurement. Without a proper sample jitter correction process prior to reconstruction, the use of Nano-CT in providing accurate 3D structure information for samples is almost impossible. In this paper, to realize accurate 3D reconstruction for Nano-CT, a correction method based on a feature detection neural network, which can automatically extract target features from a projective image and precisely correct sample jitter errors, is proposed, thereby resulting in high-quality nanoscale 3D reconstruction. Compared with other feature detection methods, even if the target feature is overlapped by other high-density materials or impurities, the proposed Nano-CT correction method still acquires sub-pixel accuracy in geometrical correction and is more suitable for Nano-CT reconstruction because of its universal and faster correction speed. The simulated and experimental datasets demonstrated the reliability and validity of the proposed Nano-CT correction method.

[Progress of regulatory T cells in the regulation of anti-tuberculosis immunity]

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), as an intracellular parasitic bacterium, invades the human body mainly through droplets, which can lead to multiple organ infection, causing the body to produce T cell-dominated immunity to tuberculosis (TB). Regulatory T cells (Tregs), as a class of T lymphocyte subsets that negatively regulate the immune response of the body, play an important role in regulating immune balance in host anti-tuberculosis immunity. A large number of studies have shown that MTB-specific Tregs affects the occurrence and development of tuberculosis and the efficacy of the vaccine. Therefore, elucidating the role and regulatory mechanism underlying anti-MTB immune response of MTB-specific Tregs will help to further understanding of the decrease of host anti-MTB immune cell function, and provide a basis for the study of immunotherapy of TB. This paper briefly introduces the subtypes and functions of Tregs, and systematically reviews the research progress of Tregs in many fields of TB.

How to Conduct School Myopia Screening: Comparison Among Myopia Screening Tests and Determination of Associated Cutoffs

PURPOSE

To compare the accuracy for various screening tests and their combined uses for myopia screening among children and adolescents and explore age-specific cutoffs.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A total of 6017 children and adolescents aged 4 to 15 years participated in the study. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA, recorded in decimal notation), cycloplegic and noncycloplegic refraction (NCR), axial length (AL), and corneal curvature radius (CR) examinations were performed. Cycloplegic spherical equivalent ≤-0.50 D was considered as the gold standard for myopia. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine optimal cutoffs for all age groups, and sensitivity, specificity, as well as screening prevalence of myopia were calculated.

RESULTS

The overall estimate of myopia prevalence was 31.8% using the gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of the UCVA alone for the commonly used cutoff (1.0) were 97.7% and 33.1%, respectively. The areas under the ROC curve were optimally estimated to be 0.985 (95% CI, 0.982-0.988) for the combined use of UCVA and NCR tests, and 0.987 (95% CI, 0.983-0.989) for the combined use of AL/CR and NCR tests, with no significant difference (P = 0.208). The best cutoffs for UCVA-NCR combinations were UCVA <1.0 and NCR <-0.25 D in 4 to 6 years; UCVA <1.0 and NCR <-0.50 D in 7 to 12 years; UCVA <0.8 and NCR <-0.75 D in 13 to 15 years. If those screening positive were all referred to clinics and corrected with cycloplegic autorefraction data, the relative difference between screening prevalence and the actual prevalence by the gold standard would reduce from 13.2% to 4.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

UCVA test alone for detecting myopia demonstrated a poorer accuracy among these tests. The combined use of UCVA and NCR tests and the combined use of AL/CR and NCR tests achieved optimal accuracy for myopia screening. Setting age-specific cutoffs would increase the accuracy, and the prevalence obtained from primary screening should be corrected according to the data of cycloplegic refraction after referral, especially in younger ages.

Effects of Application of Pig Manure on the Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Rice

Pig manure (PM) is often highly enriched in heavy metals, such as Cu and Zn, due to the wide use of feed additives. To study the potential risks of heavy metal accumulation in the soil and rice grains by the application of PM and other organic manure, a four-year field experiment was conducted in the suburb of Shanghai, southeast China. The contents of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd in the soils and rice plants by the treatments of PM and fungal culturing residues (FCR) show a trend of annual increase. Those in the soils and rice by the PM treatment are raised even more significantly. Cu and Zn contents in the soil and rice roots by the PM are significantly higher than those by the non-fertilizer control (CK) during the four years, and Pb and Cd also significantly higher than CK in the latter two years. Heavy metals taken up by the rice plants are mostly retained in the roots. Cu and Zn contents in the rice plants are in the decreasing order of roots > grains > stems > leaves, and Pb and Cd in the order of roots > stems > leaves > grains. Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd contents in the soils by the PM treatment increase by 73%, 32%, 106%, and 127% on annual average, and those in the brown rice by 104%, 98%, 275%, and 199%, respectively. The contents of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd in the brown rice of the treatments are significantly correlated with those in the soils and rice roots (p < 0.05), suggesting the heavy metals accumulated in the rice grains come from the application of PM and FCR. Though the contents of heavy metals in the brown rice during the four experimental years are still within the safe levels, the risks of their accumulative increments, especially by long-term application of PM, can never be neglected.

The Application of 'Timed up and Go' Test in Fall Screening of Elderly People in Shanghai: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the 'Timed Up and Go' test (TUGT) for identifying fall risk in community-dwelling elderly.

METHODS

From Aug 2016 to Feb 2017, cluster sampling was conducted among residents aged over 60 from 15 communities in Songjiang district, Shanghai. Face-to-face questionnaire interviews and TUGT measures were conducted to collect data.

RESULTS

6,014 participants were enrolled, with an average age 72.7±7.0 years. 637 (10.6%) elderly people had a fall experience in the past year. TUGT for the non-fall group, one-fall group and recurrent-fall group was 9.02±4.39, 10.00±5.26 and 10.78±4.51 seconds respectively (P<0.001). ROC analysis showed that the TUGT cut-off point for the elderly was 12.5 seconds and AUC was 0.573 for any-fall group and 0.613 for recurrent-fall group respectively. After adjusting for age and gender, the predictive value was not high for any-fall group (AUC=0.614) and recurrent-fall group (AUC=0.648). The TUGT cut-off point for the elderly aged below 65, 65-74, 75-84 and 85 and above was 13.52s, 12.51s, 12.51s, 12.00s, respectively. After adjustment of the confounding factors, the OR values for the risk of fall for the elderly men and women who completed TUGT longer than the cut-off point was 2.404 and 2.075 times higher than those who completed TUGT shorter than the cut-off point, respectively.

CONCLUSION

TUGT with the cut-off score of 12.5s has limited capability in predicting fall risk in community-dwelling elderly.

Deep-learning-based image registration for nano-resolution tomographic reconstruction

Nano-resolution full-field transmission X-ray microscopy has been successfully applied to a wide range of research fields thanks to its capability of non-destructively reconstructing the 3D structure with high resolution. Due to constraints in the practical implementations, the nano-tomography data is often associated with a random image jitter, resulting from imperfections in the hardware setup. Without a proper image registration process prior to the reconstruction, the quality of the result will be compromised. Here a deep-learning-based image jitter correction method is presented, which registers the projective images with high efficiency and accuracy, facilitating a high-quality tomographic reconstruction. This development is demonstrated and validated using synthetic and experimental datasets. The method is effective and readily applicable to a broad range of applications. Together with this paper, the source code is published and adoptions and improvements from our colleagues in this field are welcomed.

107 The Role of Tissue Engineering in Auricular Reconstruction: A Critical Review

Aim

Despite several decades of research in tissue engineering, reconstructing a 3D human-sized ear that can stand the test of time has remained a challenge. Autologous cartilage reconstruction remains the main treatment choice despite the associated morbidity. Progress in the field has been made and several studies have used tissue-engineered implants in immunocompetent animals with promising results.

Method

This study critically reviews and assesses the characteristics that make auricular reconstruction so challenging and how far research has come in addressing the following: mechanical properties; vascularisation; immune response; cell sourcing; surgical attachments; allografts; and cost.

Results

The question is whether tissue engineering will realistically replace autologous cartilage reconstruction in the short-term, or will advances in other areas, outlined in this article, manage to provide suitable and aesthetically accurate scaffolds.

Conclusions

Advances in tissue engineering are slowly progressing and utilise advances in both biomaterial design and 3D bioprinting to try and address the challenges of auricular reconstruction. Tissue engineering is still a promising solution to auricular reconstruction but still requires further research before becoming a reality.

Occurrence of Microplastics in Fish and Shrimp Feeds

Plastics with particle sizes of 100 nm to 5 mm are known as microplastics. The contamination of seafood-based feeds by larger microplastics (20 μm to 5 mm) is a growing concern. Here, we analyzed fish and shrimp meals. Microplastics were extracted using density separation methods and characterized using scanning micro Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FT-IR). The average microplastic abundance in shrimp meal was 10.7 microplastics·100 g^-1. In fish meal, 1.02% of the microplastics were smaller than 1 mm, while most of the microplastics in shrimp meal were 1-5 mm. Eight colors of microplastics were observed; black, red, and orange microplastics have been rarely reported in previous studies. The microplastics found included films, fibers, and fragments, with film-type microplastics being the most common. The main chemical components of fiber-type microplastics were olefins and polyester, while film- and fragment-type microplastics were mainly paraffin and polyethylene. Additional in-depth studies of microplastics in feeds are necessary to provide data support for feed safety assessments.

Fast Li Plating Behavior Probed by X-ray Computed Tomography

Uneven lithium plating/stripping is an essential issue that inhibits stable cycling of a lithium metal anode and thus hinders its practical applications. The investigation of this process is challenging because it is difficult to observe lithium in an operating device. Here, we demonstrate that the microscopic lithium plating behavior can be observed in situ in a close-to-practical cell setup using X-ray computed tomography. The results reveal the formation of porous structure and its progressive evolution in space over the charging process with a large current. The elaborated analysis indicates that the microstructure of deposited lithium makes a significant impact on the subsequent lithium plating, and the impact of structural inhomogeneity, further exaggerated by the large-current charging, can lead to severely uneven lithium plating and eventually cell failure. Therefore, a codesign strategy involving delicate controls of microstructure and electrochemical conditions could be a necessity for the next-generation battery with lithium metal anode.

[Preoperative treatment of uterine fibroids with low-dose mifepristone: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of oral mifepristone (10 mg/day) versus placebo in the preoperative treatment of uterine fibroids. Methods: This study was a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo, parallel controlled trial. A total of 132 patients with uterine fibroids were randomly divided into study group and control group, with 66 cases in each group. The patients in the study group orally took 1 tablet/day of mifepristone (dose of 10 mg/tablet), the patients in the control group orally took 1 tablet/day of placebo, and both groups were treated for 3 months. The primary efficacy evaluation indicators were the change rate of maximum fibroid volume; the secondary efficacy evaluation indicators included amenorrhea rate, improvement of subjective symptoms and anemia; the safety evaluation indicators included the analysis of adverse events and changes in laboratory biochemical indicators. Results: At the end of treatment, the maximum leiomyoma volume was reduced by 25.97% (95%CI: -34.79%--15.95%) in the study group and reduced by 1.51% (95%CI: -13.03%-11.54%) in the control group. The change rate of the maximum leiomyoma volume before and after treatment in the study group was significantly greater than that in the control group, and the difference in the change rate of the maximum leiomyoma volume between the two groups was -24.84% (95%CI: -36.56%--10.94%), which was much higher than the 10% superiority threshold goal set by this study within the 95%CI interval. At the end of treatment, the complete amenorrhea rate [84% (52/62)], dysmenorrhea elimination rate [98% (61/62)], and menstrual blood loss disappearance rate [87% (54/62)] in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). At the end of treatment, the mean hemoglobin [(131±13) g/L], red blood cell count [(4.5±0.4)×10¹²/L] and hematocrit (0.39±0.03) in the study group were significantly increased compared with the baseline, and the differences had statistical significance (all P<0.05); after treatment, the differences in the above three indicators between the two groups had statistical significance (all P<0.01). The serum estradiol level in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group at the end of treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in follicle-stimulating hormone and cortisol levels before and after treatment between the two groups (P>0.05). The overall incidences of any adverse event were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). Abdominal pain was the most common adverse event in the study group [9% (6/65)], but the incidence was not significantly increased compared with the control group [3% (2/64); P>0.05]. Conclusion: Compared with placebo, oral mifepristone 10 mg/day is significantly superior to placebo in reducing the size of uterine fibroids and improving anemia, without significant adverse reactions, and could be used as a drug treatment for patients with of uterine fibroids before surgery.

Enhancing the Thermal Stability of NASICON Solid Electrolyte Pellets against Metallic Lithium by Defect Modification

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are expected to address the battery safety issues fundamentally by replacing the flammable electrolyte with solid electrolytes (SEs). However, recent studies report that the thermal runaway happened for NASICON-type SEs when they contact with Li metal at high temperature and indicate that the ASSBs may not be totally safe. Here, the thermal stability of a NASICON-type Li_1.4Al_0.4Ti_1.6(PO₄)₃ (LATP) SE pellet against metallic lithium is quantified in a quasi-practical situation. Accelerated thermal runaway of the LATP pellet compared to LATP powder is observed when they contact with lithium. Combining electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and X-ray computed tomography analysis, lithium penetration into the pellet at high temperature has been observed. The penetrated lithium without surface impurities and the high reactivity of LATP at defect sites (atomic structural defects, cracks, voids, etc.) lead to higher interfacial reactivity and earlier thermal runaway. By adding LiPO₂F₂ to modify those defect sites of the LATP pellet and impede the lithium/SE interfacial reactions, the thermal runaway can be remarkably delayed. This work elucidates the thermal runaway behaviors of Li/LATP pellets in a quasi-practical environment, provides new information about safety issues of ASSBs, and inspires future investigations into this urgent-needed area.

[Methodological considerations in the design of clinical trial for innovative hepatitis B drugs]

The research and development of innovative drugs targeting the clinical cure of chronic hepatitis B has become active in recent years. In the clinical trials of new drugs for hepatitis B, the use of new design concepts, new methods, and new technologies to evaluate the efficacy of innovative drugs is expected to shorten the clinical research process of candidate new drugs and reduce the cost of new drug development. However, the new designs such as seamless adaptive design and master plan design have few practical applications in clinical trials of innovative hepatitis B drugs. This article will focus on the methodological factors in the design of phase II/III clinical trials of innovative hepatitis B drugs, and introduce the key points of the new clinical trial design in order to provide methodological references for the development of innovative hepatitis B drugs.

Multiparameter evaluation of acrylamide HEMA alternative monomers in 2-step adhesives

OBJECTIVE

As frequently added to adhesives, the mono-functional monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) acts as co-solvent and improves surface wetting. Nevertheless, HEMA promotes watersorption and hydrolysis at adhesive interfaces, affecting bond durability to dentin. This study investigated if two acrylamide co-monomer alternatives could replace HEMA in experimental adhesive-resin formulations as part of 3/2-step universal adhesives applied, respectively, in etch-and-rinse (E&R) and self-etch (SE) bonding modes.

METHODS

Upon priming dentin with the 10-MDP-based Clearfil SE Bond 2' primer ('C-SE2p'; Kuraray Noritake), three experimental adhesive resins, consisting of 50 wt.% Bis-GMA, 15 wt.% TEGDMA, and either 35 wt.% diethyl acrylamide ('DEAA'), hydroxyethyl acrylamide ('HEAA') or HEMA ('HEMA+'), were applied. The control HEMA-free adhesive resin contained 60 wt.% Bis-GMA and 40 wt.% TEGDMA ('HEMA-'). All adhesives were evaluated for 'immediate' and 'aged' micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) to dentin upon, respectively, 1-week (1w) and 6-month (6m) water storage, TEM adhesive-dentin interfacial interaction, 24-h and 6m three-point bending, contact-angle wetting, viscosity and watersorption.

RESULTS

Linear mixed-effects model statistics revealed significantly better bonding performance of the adhesives applied in E&R than SE mode, except for DEAA_1w, with the highest μTBSs recorded for DEAA and HEMA- applied in SE mode. In E&R mode, aging did not significantly reduce DEAA's μTBS. Best wetting on primed dentin was recorded for HEMA+, significantly better than DEAA, further HEAA and HEMA-, these directly related to their viscosity. HEAA absorbed significantly more water than all other adhesive-resin formulations. HEMA->DEAA>HEAA>HEMA+ was the significant order for 6m bending strength.

CONCLUSIONS

The acrylamide co-monomer DEAA could replace HEMA, while HEAA not.

SARS-CoV-2 infection of primary human lung epithelium for COVID-19 modeling and drug discovery

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the latest respiratory pandemic resulting from zoonotic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Severe symptoms include viral pneumonia secondary to infection and inflammation of the lower respiratory tract, in some cases causing death. We developed primary human lung epithelial infection models to understand responses of proximal and distal lung epithelium to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Differentiated air-liquid interface cultures of proximal airway epithelium and 3D organoid cultures of alveolar epithelium were readily infected by SARS-CoV-2 leading to an epithelial cell-autonomous proinflammatory response. We validated the efficacy of selected candidate COVID-19 drugs confirming that Remdesivir strongly suppressed viral infection/replication. We provide a relevant platform for studying COVID-19 pathobiology and for rapid drug screening against SARS-CoV-2 and future emergent respiratory pathogens.

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY

A novel infection model of the adult human lung epithelium serves as a platform for COVID-19 studies and drug discovery.

SARS-CoV-2 infection of primary human lung epithelium for COVID-19 modeling and drug discovery

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the latest respiratory pandemic resulting from zoonotic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Severe symptoms include viral pneumonia secondary to infection and inflammation of the lower respiratory tract, in some cases causing death. We developed primary human lung epithelial infection models to understand responses of proximal and distal lung epithelium to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Differentiated air-liquid interface cultures of proximal airway epithelium and 3D organoid cultures of alveolar epithelium were readily infected by SARS-CoV-2 leading to an epithelial cell-autonomous proinflammatory response. We validated the efficacy of selected candidate COVID-19 drugs confirming that Remdesivir strongly suppressed viral infection/replication. We provide a relevant platform for studying COVID-19 pathobiology and for rapid drug screening against SARS-CoV-2 and future emergent respiratory pathogens.

One Sentence Summary

A novel infection model of the adult human lung epithelium serves as a platform for COVID-19 studies and drug discovery.

MicroRNA-125b exerts antitumor functions in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by targeting the STAT3 pathway

Background

MicroRNA-125b (miR-125b) is downregulated in human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). However, its function in CSCC has yet to be extensively explored. Here, we analyze the relationship between signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and miR-125b in CSCC.

Methods

Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR were used to determine the expression of the miR-125b–STAT3 axis in human CSCC tissues and cell lines. The direct regulatory effect of miR-125b on STAT3 expression was assessed using a luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. The MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to determine the role of the miR-125b–STAT3 axis in CSCC cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Results

MiR-125b expression levels were significantly lower in CSCC cell lines and tissues than in normal cell lines and tissues. STAT3 was identified as the direct target of miR-125b. Upregulation of miR-125b and downregulation of STAT3 suppressed cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Cyclin D1 and Bcl2 were identified as the downstream targets of the miR-125–STAT3 axis.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that miR-125b acts as a tumor suppressor in CSCC by targeting the STAT3 pathway. This observation increases our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of CSCC. Therapies aimed at activating miR-125b or inhibiting STAT3 signaling should be explored as potential treatments for CSCC.