Elucidating immune cell dynamics in chronic lung allograft dysfunction: A comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic study

Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction (CLAD) is a critical post-transplant complication that predominantly determines the long-term survival rates and quality of life of patients undergoing lung transplantation. The limited efficacy of current immunosuppressive strategies underscores our incomplete understanding of the immunological aspects of CLAD. Hence, there is an urgent need for more comprehensive and targeted research to unravel the complex interplay of immune cells in the development and progression of CLAD. This study conducts an in-depth analysis of the immune environment in CLAD. By examining the gene expression profiles of T cells, natural killer cells, B cells, macrophages, and monocytes, we have elucidated a unique immunological landscape in CLAD compared to healthy controls. We highlight the heterogeneity within the immune populations and provide a comprehensive understanding of the immune mechanisms driving CLAD. Enrichment analysis identified specific pathways that are either overactive or suppressed in CLAD, revealing potential molecular targets for therapeutic intervention. Our findings emphasize the crucial role of T cells in the pathophysiology of CLAD, coordinating the immune response and revealing an amplified immune cell network, potentially leading to maladaptive tissue responses. By integrating a comprehensive cellular and molecular portrait of the immune environment, our research not only deepens our understanding of the pathogenesis of CLAD but also lays a foundational approach for the development of targeted therapies.

Discovery of a Covalent Inhibitor Selectively Targeting the Autophosphorylation Site of c-Src Kinase

Nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Src plays a crucial role in cell signaling and contributes to tumor progression. However, the development of selective c-Src inhibitors turns out to be challenging. In our previous study, we performed posttranslational modification-inspired drug design (PTMI-DD) to provide a plausible way for designing selective kinase inhibitors. In this study, after identifying a unique pocket comprising a less conserved cysteine and an autophosphorylation site in c-Src as well as a promiscuous covalent inhibitor, chemical optimization was performed to obtain (R)-LW-Srci-8 with nearly 75-fold improved potency (IC50 = 35.83 ± 7.21 nM). Crystallographic studies revealed the critical C-F···C═O interactions that may contribute to tight binding. The kinact and Ki values validated the improved binding affinity and decreased warhead reactivity of (R)-LW-Srci-8 for c-Src. Notably, in vitro tyrosine kinase profiling and cellular activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) cooperatively indicated a specific inhibition of c-Src by (R)-LW-Srci-8. Intriguingly, (R)-LW-Srci-8 preferentially binds to inactive c-Src with unphosphorylated Y419 both in vitro and in cells, subsequently disrupting the autophosphorylation. Collectively, our study demonstrated the feasibility of developing selective kinase inhibitors by cotargeting a nucleophilic residue and a posttranslational modification site and providing a chemical probe for c-Src functional studies.

Anti-lymphangiogenesis for boosting drug accumulation in tumors

The inadequate tumor accumulation of anti-cancer agents is a major shortcoming of current therapeutic drugs and remains an even more significant concern in the clinical prospects for nanomedicines. Various strategies aiming at regulating the intratumoral permeability of therapeutic drugs have been explored in preclinical studies, with a primary focus on vascular regulation and stromal reduction. However, these methods may trigger or facilitate tumor metastasis as a tradeoff. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative strategies that boost intratumoral drug accumulation without compromising treatment outcomes. As another important factor affecting drug tumor accumulation besides vasculature and stroma, the impact of tumor-associated lymphatic vessels (LVs) has not been widely considered. In the current research, we verified that anlotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-lymphangiogenesis activity, and SAR131675, a selective VEGFR-3 inhibitor, effectively decreased the density of tumor lymphatic vessels in mouse cancer models, further enhancing drug accumulation in tumor tissue. By combining anlotinib with therapeutic drugs, including doxorubicin (Dox), liposomal doxorubicin (Lip-Dox), and anti-PD-L1 antibody, we observed improved anti-tumor efficacy in comparison with monotherapy regimens. Meanwhile, this strategy significantly reduced tumor metastasis and elicited stronger anti-tumor immune responses. Our work describes a new, clinically transferrable approach to augmenting intratumoral drug accumulation, which shows great potential to address the current, unsatisfactory efficacies of therapeutic drugs without introducing metastatic risk.

Impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' match technical performance: a longitudinal study

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on 28 indicators of match technical performance (MTP) for football attacking players upon their return to play. Analyzing data from 100 players in the Big Five European football leagues, covering 1500 matches each before and after COVID-19 over 3 years (2020-2023), revealed significant differences in 76% of players' MTP indicators. Notably, 14 indicators, particularly the five indicators linked to scoring, significantly decreased post-COVID-19. On average, players needed 3.09 matches to regain pre-infection MTP levels. The impact varied across player groups, with those in the elite group showing a milder effect; they required an average of 2.64 matches for recovery, compared to the control group's 3.55 matches. We found that, with increasing age, the majority of players' MTP indicators did not exhibit significant changes, both before and after they contracted COVID-19. In conclusion, the study highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' MTP. Players in the elite group experienced fewer adverse effects than those in the control group. This insight assisted coaches and managers in evaluating the impact of COVID-19 and similar virus-induced illnesses on players' MTP, enabling them to formulate training regimens for recovery and specific match tactics upon players' return to play.

Exploration of the shelf-life difference between chilled beef and pork with similar initial levels of bacterial contamination

This study compared the shelf-life of beef and pork longissimus lumborum muscles (loins) that had the same initial bacterial loads and were held under the same chilled storage conditions. To identify the underlying pathways, comparisons were conducted from the perspective of the spoilage indicators; protease/lipase activity, and the volatile organic compounds (VOC) generated over 28 d of chilled storage. The initial total viable microbial count (TVC) on Day 0 for both type of meat was 4.3 log10 CFU/g. It was found that the TVC of beef and pork did not differ throughout the total chilled storage period and both ultimately exceeded 7 log10 CFU/g after 28 d. Based on total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) guidelines, pork was spoilt after 21 d of chilled storage and therefore 7 d earlier than beef. Changes in the concentration of VOC spoilage biomarkers, including 1-octen-3-ol, 1-octanol, nonanal, and others, confirmed that pork had a shorter shelf-life than beef. An important reason for the difference in shelf-life between the two types of meat was that pork had a higher protease activity, although the beef had higher levels of total lipase activity. These findings help us understand the differences in the spoilage process of raw meat from different species and explore specific measures to control the spoilage of beef or pork.

The effect of aspirin and eicosapentaenoic acid on urinary biomarkers of prostaglandin E2 synthesis and platelet activation in participants of the seAFOod polyp prevention trial

Urinary prostaglandin (PG) E metabolite (PGE-M) and 11-dehydro (d)-thromboxane (TX) B2 are biomarkers of cyclooxygenase-dependent prostanoid synthesis. We investigated (1) the effect of aspirin 300 mg daily and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 2000 mg daily, alone and in combination, on urinary biomarker levels and, (2) whether urinary biomarker levels predicted colorectal polyp risk, during participation in the seAFOod polyp prevention trial. Urinary PGE-M and 11-d-TXB2 were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The relationship between urinary biomarker levels and colorectal polyp outcomes was investigated using negative binomial (polyp number) and logistic (% with one or more polyps) regression models. Despite wide temporal variability in PGE-M and 11-d-TXB2 levels within individuals, both aspirin and, to a lesser extent, EPA decreased levels of both biomarkers (74% [P ≤ .001] and 8% [P ≤ .05] reduction in median 11-d-TXB2 values, respectively). In the placebo group, a high (quartile [Q] 2-4) baseline 11-d-TXB2 level predicted increased polyp number (incidence rate ratio [IRR] [95% CI] 2.26 [1.11,4.58]) and risk (odds ratio [95% CI] 3.56 [1.09,11.63]). A low (Q1) on-treatment 11-d-TXB2 level predicted reduced colorectal polyp number compared to placebo (IRR 0.34 [0.12,0.93] for combination aspirin and EPA treatment) compared to high on-treatment 11-d-TXB2 values (0.61 [0.34,1.11]). Aspirin and EPA both inhibit PGE-M and 11-d-TXB2 synthesis in keeping with shared in vivo cyclooxygenase inhibition. Colorectal polyp risk and treatment response prediction by 11-d-TXB2 is consistent with a role for platelet activation during early colorectal carcinogenesis. The use of urinary 11-d-TXB2 measurement for a precision approach to colorectal cancer risk prediction and chemoprevention requires prospective evaluation.

MYSM1 acts as a novel co-activator of ERα to confer antiestrogen resistance in breast cancer

Endocrine resistance is a crucial challenge in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-positive breast cancer (BCa). Aberrant alteration in modulation of E2/ERα signaling pathway has emerged as the putative contributor for endocrine resistance in BCa. Herein, we demonstrate that MYSM1 as a deubiquitinase participates in modulating ERα action via histone and non-histone deubiquitination. MYSM1 is involved in maintenance of ERα stability via ERα deubiquitination. MYSM1 regulates relevant histone modifications on cis regulatory elements of ERα-regulated genes, facilitating chromatin decondensation. MYSM1 is highly expressed in clinical BCa samples. MYSM1 depletion attenuates BCa-derived cell growth in xenograft models and increases the sensitivity of antiestrogen agents in BCa cells. A virtual screen shows that the small molecule Imatinib could potentially interact with catalytic MPN domain of MYSM1 to inhibit BCa cell growth via MYSM1-ERα axis. These findings clarify the molecular mechanism of MYSM1 as an epigenetic modifier in regulation of ERα action and provide a potential therapeutic target for endocrine resistance in BCa.

Soil legacy nutrients contribute to the decreasing stoichiometric ratio of N and P loading from the Mississippi River Basin

Human-induced nitrogen-phosphorus (N, P) imbalance in terrestrial ecosystems can lead to disproportionate N and P loading to aquatic ecosystems, subsequently shifting the elemental ratio in estuaries and coastal oceans and impacting both the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The N:P ratio of nutrient loading to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River Basin increased before the late 1980s driven by the enhanced usage of N fertilizer over P fertilizer, whereafter the N:P loading ratio started to decrease although the N:P ratio of fertilizer application did not exhibit a similar trend. Here, we hypothesize that different release rates of soil legacy nutrients might contribute to the decreasing N:P loading ratio. Our study used a data-model integration framework to evaluate N and P dynamics and the potential for long-term accumulation or release of internal soil nutrient legacy stores to alter the ratio of N and P transported down the rivers. We show that the longer residence time of P in terrestrial ecosystems results in a much slower release of P to coastal oceans than N. If contemporary nutrient sources were reduced or suspended, P loading sustained by soil legacy P would decrease much slower than that of N, causing a decrease in the N and P loading ratio. The longer residence time of P in terrestrial ecosystems and the increasingly important role of soil legacy nutrients as a loading source may explain the decreasing N:P loading ratio in the Mississippi River Basin. Our study underscores a promising prospect for N loading control and the urgency to integrate soil P legacy into sustainable nutrient management strategies for aquatic ecosystem health and water security.

Comparison of anal function and quality of life after conformal sphincter preservation operation and intersphincteric resection of very low rectal cancer: a multicenter, retrospective, case-control analysis

PURPOSE

Conformal sphincter preservation operation (CSPO) is a sphincter preservation operation for very low rectal cancers. Compared to intersphincteric resection (ISR), CSPO retains more dentate line and distal rectal wall, and also avoids damaging the nerves in the intersphincteric space. This study aimed to compare the postoperative anal function and quality of life between the CSPO and ISR.

METHOD

Patients with low rectal cancer undergoing CSPO (n = 117) and ISR (n = 66) were included from Changhai and Huashan Hospital, respectively, between 2011 and 2020. A visual analog scale (range 0-10) was utilized to evaluate satisfaction with anal function and quality of life. The anal function was evaluated with Wexner scores and low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score. Quality of life was evaluated with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38.

RESULTS

The CSPO group had more male patients (65.8% vs. 50%, p = 0.042), more preoperative chemoradiotherapy (33.3% vs. 10.6%, p < 0.001), lower tumor position (3.45 ± 1.13 vs. 4.24 ± 0.86 cm, p < 0.001), and more postoperative chemotherapy (65% vs. 13.6%, p < 0.001) compared to the ISR group. In addition, CSPO patients had shorter postoperative stay (6.63 ± 2.53 vs. 7.85 ± 4.73 days, p = 0.003) and comparable stoma reversal rates within 1 year after surgery (92.16% vs. 96.97%, p = 0.318). Multivariable analysis showed that CSPO significantly contributed to higher satisfaction with anal function (beta = 1.752, 95% CI 0.776-2.728) and with quality of life (beta = 1.219, 95% CI 0.374-2.064), but not to Wexner, LARS score, or EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38.

CONCLUSION

CSPO improved the satisfaction with anal function and quality of life but utilized more preoperative chemoradiotherapy. CSPO may be an alternative choice for patients with very low rectal cancers in better physical health and with higher requirements for anal function and quality of life.

Electrochemically induced crystalline-to-amorphization transformation in sodium samarium silicate solid electrolyte for long-lasting sodium metal batteries

Exploiting solid electrolyte (SE) materials with high ionic conductivity, good interfacial compatibility, and conformal contact with electrodes is essential for solid-state sodium metal batteries (SSBs). Here we report a crystalline Na5SmSi4O12 SE which features high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 2.9 × 10-3 S cm-1 and a low activation energy of 0.15 eV. All-solid-state symmetric cell with Na5SmSi4O12 delivers excellent cycling life over 800 h at 0.15 mA h cm-2 and a high critical current density of 1.4 mA cm-2. Such excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to an electrochemically induced in-situ crystalline-to-amorphous (CTA) transformation propagating from the interface to the bulk during repeated deposition and stripping of sodium, which leads to faster ionic transport and superior interfacial properties. Impressively, the Na|Na5SmSi4O12|Na3V2(PO4)3 sodium metal batteries achieve a remarkable cycling performance over 4000 cycles (6 months) with no capacity loss. These results not only identify Na5SmSi4O12 as a promising SE but also emphasize the potential of the CTA transition as a promising mechanism towards long-lasting SSBs.

Predissociation dynamics of the A2Σ+ state of SH radical: Fine-structure state distributions of the S(3PJ) products

Photo-predissociation of rovibrational levels of SH (A2Σ+, v' = 0-6) is studied using the high-n Rydberg atom time-of-flight technique. Spin-orbit branching fractions of the S(3PJ=2,1,0) products are measured in the product translational energy distributions. The SH A2Σ+v' = 0 state predissociates predominantly via coupling to the 4Σ- repulsive state. As the vibrational level v' increases, predissociation dynamics change drastically, with all three repulsive states (4Σ-, 2Σ-, and 4Π) involved in the dissociation. Nonadiabatic interactions and quantum interferences among these dissociation pathways affect the fine-structure state distributions of the S(3PJ=2,1,0) products.

Methodological and Reporting Quality of Non-Inferiority or Equivalence Designs: A Systematic Review of Trial Characteristics, Design Consideration and Interpretation in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy Trials

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To investigate the methodological and reporting quality of non-inferiority (NI)/equivalence trials of breast cancer radiotherapy and to provide suggestions for future NI/equivalence trials.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Prospective phase III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different radiation modalities in patients with breast cancer and designed or interpreted as NI/equivalence were identified in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane library. Two reviewers independently extracted data on trial characteristics, statistical design assumptions and analysis considerations, primary end point results and conclusions. The relationship between the number of published trials and the year of publication was assessed by simple linear regression. Trials with pre-specified NI margins as absolute risk differences were reevaluated using margins as relative risk differences.

RESULTS

A total of 1490 records were screened and 41 articles published between January 1, 2001 and May 9, 2022 were selected for full text review. A total of 21 trials were included (18 designed as NI and 3 as equivalence). Publication of these trials increased over time (p = 0.023). Trial interventions included dose fractionation (n = 10), partial/whole breast irradiation (n = 8) and tumor bed boost (n = 3). Eleven (52.4%) trials clearly described the non-efficacy benefits. The primary endpoints included 5-year local recurrence (LR) (n = 11), 5-year locoregional recurrence (n = 3), acute/late toxicities (n = 5), 2-year LR and cosmetic outcome (n = 1), and 10-year LR (n = 1). Only seven (33.3%) trials provided justification of the margins. The absolute and relative risk margins were both mentioned in nine (42.9%) trials' methods and reported in six (28.6%) trials' results. The analyzed populations were intention-to-treat (ITT) in 10, both ITT and per-protocol in 9 trials. Seventeen (81%) trials reported confidence interval (CI), with twelve reporting CI that agreed with the type I error used in sample size calculation, but only eight (38.1%) reported p value for NI/equivalence test. Fifteen (71.4%) trials concluded NI/equivalence. Five (23.8%) trials had misleading conclusions (four for not mentioning small sample size insufficient to confirm NI/equivalence and one for inconsistent with the published results). Thirteen (61.9%) trials reported that the protocol's initial accrual target was not met, with ten (47.6%) owing to overestimation of event rates. For trials that met NI only based on absolute margin, three of eight (37.5%) trials were classified as inconclusive with the assumed relative margins.

CONCLUSION

The use of NI/equivalence trials of breast cancer radiotherapy has dramatically increased recently, but there is substantial room for improvement in the methodological and reporting quality of NI/equivalence trials.

Using Proteome Microarray and Gene Expression Omnibus Database to Screen Tumour-Associated Antigens to Construct the Optimal Diagnostic Model of Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

AIMS

Autoantibodies against tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) are promising biomarkers for early immunodiagnosis of cancers. This study was designed to screen and verify autoantibodies against TAAs in sera as diagnostic biomarkers for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The customised proteome microarray based on cancer driver genes and the Gene Expression Omnibus database were used to identify potential TAAs. The expression levels of the corresponding autoantibodies in serum samples obtained from 243 ESCC patients and 243 healthy controls were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In total, 486 serum samples were randomly divided into the training set and the validation set in the ratio of 2:1. Logistic regression analysis, recursive partition analysis and support vector machine were performed to establish different diagnostic models.

RESULTS

Five and nine candidate TAAs were screened out by proteome microarray and bioinformatics analysis, respectively. Among these 14 anti-TAAs autoantibodies, the expression level of nine (p53, PTEN, GNA11, SRSF2, CXCL8, MMP1, MSH6, LAMC2 and SLC2A1) anti-TAAs autoantibodies in the cancer patient group was higher than that in the healthy control group based on the results from ELISA. In the three constructed models, a logistic regression model including four anti-TAA autoantibodies (p53, SLC2A1, GNA11 and MMP1) was considered to be the optimal diagnosis model. The sensitivity and specificity of the model in the training set and the validation set were 70.4%, 72.8% and 67.9%, 67.9%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for detecting early patients in the training set and the validation set were 0.84 and 0.85, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This approach to screen novel TAAs is feasible, and the model including four autoantibodies could pave the way for the diagnosis of ESCC.

Photodissociation dynamics of the ethyl radical via the Ã2A'(3s) state: H-atom product channels and ethylene product vibrational state distribution

The photodissociation dynamics of jet-cooled ethyl radical (C2H5) via the Ã2A'(3s) states are studied in the wavelength region of 230-260 nm using the high-n Rydberg H-atom time-of-flight (TOF) technique. The H + C2H4 product channels are reexamined using the H-atom TOF spectra and photofragment translational spectroscopy. A prompt H + C2H4(X̃1Ag) product channel is characterized by a repulsive translational energy release, anisotropic product angular distribution, and partially resolved vibrational state distribution of the C2H4(X̃1Ag) product. This fast dissociation is initiated from the 3s Rydberg state and proceeds via a H-bridged configuration directly to the H + C2H4(X̃1Ag) products. A statistical-like H + C2H4(X̃1Ag) product channel via unimolecular dissociation of the hot electronic ground-state ethyl (X̃2A') after internal conversion from the 3s Rydberg state is also examined, showing a modest translational energy release and isotropic angular distribution. An adiabatic H + excited triplet C2H4(ã3B1u) product channel (a minor channel) is identified by energy-dependent product angular distribution, showing a small translational energy release, anisotropic angular distribution, and significant internal excitation in the C2H4(ã3B1u) product. The dissociation times of the different product channels are evaluated using energy-dependent product angular distribution and pump-probe delay measurements. The prompt H + C2H4(X̃1Ag) product channel has a dissociation time scale of <10 ps, and the upper bound of the dissociation time scale of the statistical-like H + C2H4(X̃1Ag) product channel is <5 ns.

Co-occurrence of fecal incontinence with constipation or irritable bowel syndrome indicates the need for personalized treatment

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to compare the prevalence and symptoms of fecal incontinence (FI) in relation to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-associated FI), constipation (constipation-associated FI), and isolation (isolated FI).

METHODS

Data were analyzed from 3145 respondents without organic comorbidities known to influence defecation function from the general Chinese population who filled in the online Groningen Defecation and Fecal Continence questionnaire. FI, IBS, and constipation were evaluated with the Rome IV criteria.

KEY RESULTS

The prevalence of FI was 10.5% (n = 329) in the non-comorbidity group. After multivariable logistic regression analysis, IBS (odds ratio [OR]: 12.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.06-17.36) and constipation (OR: 4.38, 95% CI: 3.27-5.85) were the most significant factors contributing to FI. Based on this finding, 106/329 (32.2%) had IBS-associated FI, 119/329 (36.2%) had constipation-associated FI, and 104/329 (31.6%) had isolated FI. Among the 329 FI respondents, there was a high prevalence of IBS and constipation-related symptoms, including abdominal pain (81.5%) and abdominal bloating (77.8%) for IBS and straining during defecation (75.4%), incomplete defecation (72.3%), defecation blockage (63.2%), anal pain during defecation (59.3%), and hard stools (24%) for constipation. The patients with IBS-associated FI asked for specialists' help less frequently than those with isolated FI. Interestingly, among the patients with constipation-associated FI, 56.3% used anti-diarrhea medicine.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

The prevalence of IBS-associated FI, constipation-associated FI, and isolated FI is comparably high. It is important to diagnose and target the cause of FI to provide personalized and cause-targeting care instead of treating only the FI symptoms.

SLG2 specifically regulates grain width through WOX11-mediated cell expansion control in rice

Grain size is specified by three dimensions of length, width and thickness, and slender grain is a desirable quality trait in rice. Up to now, many grain size regulators have been identified. However, most of these molecules show influence on multi-dimensions of grain development, and only a few of them function specifically in grain width, a key factor determining grain yield and appearance quality. In this study, we identify the SLG2 (SLENDER GUY2) gene that specifically regulates grain width by affecting cell expansion in the spikelet hulls. SLG2 encodes a WD40 domain containing protein, and our biochemical analyses show that SLG2 acts as a transcription activator of its interacting WOX family protein WOX11. We demonstrate that the SLG2-associated WOX11 binds directly to the promoter of OsEXPB7, one of the downstream cell expansion genes. We show that knockout of WOX11 results in plants with a slender grain phenotype similar to the slg2 mutant. We also present that finer grains with different widths could be produced by combining SLG2 with the grain width regulator GW8. Collectively, we uncover the crucial role of SLG2 in grain width control, and provide a promising route to design rice plants with better grain shape and quality.

Ghrelin promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation of adipose tissue‑derived mesenchymal stem cells by DDX17‑mediated regulation of the SFRP4/Wnt/β‑catenin axis

Adipose tissue‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) differentiate into cardiomyocytes and may be an ideal cell source for myocardial regenerative medicine. Ghrelin is a gastric‑secreted peptide hormone involved in the multilineage differentiation of MSCs. To the best of our knowledge, however, the role and potential downstream regulatory mechanism of ghrelin in cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs is still unknown. The mRNA and protein levels were measured by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting. Immunofluorescence staining was used to show the expression and cellular localization of cardiomyocyte markers and β‑catenin. RNA sequencing was used to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that regulated by ghrelin. The present study found that ghrelin promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs in a concentration‑dependent manner, as shown by increased levels of cardiomyocyte markers GATA binding protein 4, α‑myosin heavy chain (α‑MHC), ISL LIM homeobox 1, NK2 homeobox 5 and troponin T2, cardiac type. Ghrelin increased β‑catenin accumulation in nucleus and decreased the protein expression of secreted frizzled‑related protein 4 (SFRP4), an inhibitor of Wnt signaling. RNA sequencing was used to determine the DEGs regulated by ghrelin. Functional enrichment showed that DEGs were more enriched in cardiomyocyte differentiation‑associated terms and Wnt pathways. Dead‑box helicase 17 (DDX17), an upregulated DEG, showed enhanced mRNA and protein expression levels following ghrelin addition. Overexpression of DDX17 promoted protein expression of cardiac‑specific markers and β‑catenin and enhanced the fluorescence intensity of α‑MHC and β‑catenin. DDX17 upregulation inhibited protein expression of SFRP4. Rescue assay confirmed that the addition of SFRP4 partially reversed ghrelin‑enhanced protein levels of cardiac‑specific markers and the fluorescence intensity of α‑MHC. In conclusion, ghrelin promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs by DDX17‑mediated regulation of the SFRP4/Wnt/β‑catenin axis.

A placental model of SARS-CoV-2 infection reveals ACE2-dependent susceptibility and differentiation impairment in syncytiotrophoblasts

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes COVID-19. Several clinical reports have linked COVID-19 during pregnancy to negative birth outcomes and placentitis. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning SARS-CoV-2 infection during placentation and early pregnancy are not clear. Here, to shed light on this, we used induced trophoblast stem cells to generate an in vitro early placenta infection model. We identified that syncytiotrophoblasts could be infected through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Using a co-culture model of vertical transmission, we confirmed the ability of the virus to infect syncytiotrophoblasts through a previous endometrial cell infection. We further demonstrated transcriptional changes in infected syncytiotrophoblasts that led to impairment of cellular processes, reduced secretion of HCG hormone and morphological changes vital for syncytiotrophoblast function. Furthermore, different antibody strategies and antiviral drugs restore these impairments. In summary, we have established a scalable and tractable platform to study early placental cell types and highlighted its use in studying strategies to protect the placenta.

Identifying driving hydrogeomorphic factors of coastal wetland downgrading using random forest classification models

Coastal wetlands provide critical ecosystem services but are experiencing disruptions caused by inundation and saltwater intrusion under intensified climate change, sea-level rise, and anthropogenic activities. Recent studies have shown that these disturbances downgraded coastal wetlands mainly through affecting their hydrological processes. However, research on what is the most critical driver for wetland downgrading and how it affects coastal wetlands is still in its infancy. This study examined drivers of three types of wetland downgrading, including woody wetland loss, emergent herbaceous wetland loss, and woody wetlands converting to emergent herbaceous wetlands. By using random forest classification models for the wetland ecosystems in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, USA, during 1995-2019, we determined the relative importance of different hydrogeomorphic processes and the dominant variables in driving the wetland downgrading. Results showed that random forest classification models were accurate (> 97 % overall accuracy) in classifying wetland downgrading. Multiple hydrogeomorphic variables collectively contributed to the coastal wetland downgrading. However, the dominant control factors varied across different types of wetland downgrading. Woody wetlands were most susceptible to saltwater intrusion and were likely to downgrade if the saltwater table was shallower than 0.2 m below the land surface. In contrast, emergent herbaceous wetlands were most vulnerable to inundation and drought. The favorable groundwater table for emergent herbaceous wetlands was between 0.34 m above the land surface and 0.32 m below the land surface, beyond which the emergent herbaceous wetland tended to disappear. For downgraded woody wetlands, their distance to canals/ditches played a crucial role in determining their fates after downgrading. The machine learning approach employed in this study provided critical knowledge about the thresholds of hydrogeomorphic variables for the downgrading of different types of coastal wetlands. Such information can help guide effective and targeted coastal wetland conservation, management, and restoration measures.

Uranium uptake is mediated markedly by clathrin-mediated endocytosis and induce dose-dependent toxicity in HK-2 cells

The objective of this study was to explore the endocytosis mechanisms of uranium uptake in HK-2 cells and its toxic effects. Our results demonstrated that uranium exposure impairs redox homeostasis and increases the permeability of the cell membrane and mitochondrial membrane, which may induce cell apoptosis by cytochrome-c leakage. Alkaline phosphatase activity increased after uranium exposure, which may be involved in the process of intracellular mineralisation of uranium, leading to severe cell necrosis. Furthermore, our findings demonstrated that the clathrin-mediated endocytosis process contributed substantially to uranium uptake in HK-2 cells and the total uranium uptake was highly correlated with cell viability, reaching a high correlation coefficient (r= -0.853) according to Pearson correlation analysis. In conclusion, the uptake of uranium into mammalian cells was mainly facilitated by the clathrin-mediated endocytosis pathway and induced dose-dependent cellular toxicity, including redox homeostasis imbalance, membrane injury, cell apoptosis and necrosis.

Comparison of functional and oncological outcome of conformal sphincter preservation operation, low anterior resection, and abdominoperineal resection in very low rectal cancer: a retrospective comparative cohort study with propensity score matching

PURPOSE

Conformal sphincter preservation operation (CSPO) procedure is a sphincter preservation procedure for preserving the anal canal function for very low rectal cancers. This study investigated the functional and oncological outcome of conformal sphincter preservation operation by comparing with low anterior resection (LAR) and abdominoperineal resection (APR).

METHODS

This is a retrospective comparative study. Patients who received conformal sphincter preservation operation (n = 52), low anterior resection (n = 54), or abdominoperineal resection (n = 69) were included between 2011 and 2016 in a tertiary referral hospital. Propensity score matching was applied to adjust the baseline characteristics which may influence the choice of the surgical procedure.

RESULTS

Twenty-one pairs of conformal sphincter preservation operation vs. low anterior resection and 29 pairs of conformal sphincter preservation operation vs. abdominoperineal resection were selected. The first group had a higher tumor location than the second group. Compared with the low anterior resection group, the conformal sphincter preservation operation group had shorter distal resection margins; however, no significant differences were identified in daily stool frequency, Wexner incontinence score, local recurrence, distant metastasis, overall survival, and disease-free survival between both groups. Compared with the abdominoperineal resection group, the conformal sphincter preservation operation group had shorter operative time and shorter postoperative hospital stay. No significant differences were identified in local recurrence, distant metastasis, overall survival, and disease-free survival.

CONCLUSION

Conformal sphincter preservation operation is oncologically safe compared to APR and LAR, and has similar functional findings to LAR. Studies comparing CSPO with intersphincteric resection should be performed.

Inter-basin surface water transfers database for public water supplies in conterminous United States, 1986-2015

The manipulation of water resources is a common human solution to water-related problems. Of particular interest because of impacts on both source and destination is the anthropogenic movement of water from one basin to another, or inter-basin transfers (IBTs). In the United States, IBTs occur widely in both wet and dry regions, but IBT data are not collated and served in a coordinated way. Thus researchers wishing to account for transfers between basins have faced difficulty in doing so. Here we present the outcome of a systematic investigation into inter-basin surface water transfers connected with public water supplies in the conterminous United States (CONUS), 1986 to 2015. The present open-access geodatabase includes transfer volumes collected, evaluated, and compiled from disparate sources. We provide an updated snapshot of CONUS IBTs at a higher spatial resolution of points of withdrawal and delivery than previous datasets. This paper puts the national inter-basin transfer data in context, and shows how we acquired, structured, and validated the locations and volumes of surface water transfers in public water systems.

[Efficacy of high-dose dual therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection eradication in servicemen: a randomized controlled trial]

Objective: To assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of high-dose dual therapy compared with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for treating Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) infection in servicemen patients. Methods: A total of 160 H. pylori-infected, treatment-naive servicemen, including 74 men and 86 women, aged from 20 years to 74 years, with a mean (SD) age of 43 (13) years, tested in the First Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from March 2022 to May 2022 were enrolled in this open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial. Patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups: the 14-day high-dose dual therapy group and the bismuth-containing quadruple therapy group. Eradication rates, adverse events, patient compliance, and drug costs were compared between the two groups. The t-test was used for continuous variables, and the Chi-square test for categorical variables. Results: No significant difference in H. pylori eradication rates were found between high-dose dual therapy and bismuth-containing quadruple therapy by ITT, mITT and PP analysis[ITT:90.0% (95%CI 81.2%-95.6%) vs. 87.5% (95%CI 78.2%-93.8%), χ²=0.25, P=0.617;mITT:93.5% (95%CI 85.5%-97.9%) vs. 93.3% (95%CI 85.1%-97.8%), χ²<0.01, P=1.000; PP: 93.5% (95%CI 85.5%-97.9%) vs. 94.5% (95%CI 86.6%-98.5%), χ²<0.01, P=1.000 ]. The dual therapy group exhibited significantly less overall side effects compared with the quadruple therapy group [21.8% (17/78) vs. 38.5% (30/78), χ²=5.15,P=0.023]. There were no significant differences in the compliance rates between the two groups [98.7%(77/78) vs. 94.9%(74/78), χ²=0.83,P=0.363]. The cost of medications in the dual therapy was 32.0% lower compared with that in the quadruple therapy (472.10 RMB vs. 693.94 RMB). Conclusions: The dual regimen has a favorable effect on the eradication of H. pylori infection in servicemen patients. Based on the ITT analysis, the eradication rate of the dual regimen is grade B (90%, good). Additionally, it exhibited a lower incidence of adverse events, better compliance and significantly reduced cost. The dual regimen is expected to be a new choice for the first-line treatment of H. pylori infection in servicemen but needs further evaluation.

BAP18 facilitates CTCF-mediated chromatin accessible to regulate enhancer activity in breast cancer

The estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signaling pathway is a crucial target for ERα-positive breast cancer therapeutic strategies. Co-regulators and other transcription factors cooperate for effective ERα-related enhancer activation. Recent studies demonstrate that the transcription factor CTCF is essential to participate in ERα/E2-induced enhancer transactivation. However, the mechanism of how CTCF is achieved remains unknown. Here, we provided evidence that BAP18 is required for CTCF recruitment on ERα-enriched enhancers, facilitating CTCF-mediated chromatin accessibility to promote enhancer RNAs transcription. Consistently, GRO-seq demonstrates that the enhancer activity is positively correlated with BAP18 enrichment. Furthermore, BAP18 interacts with SMARCA1/BPTF to accelerate the recruitment of CTCF to ERα-related enhancers. Interestingly, BAP18 is involved in chromatin accessibility within enhancer regions, thereby increasing enhancer transactivation and enhancer-promoter looping. BAP18 depletion increases the sensitivity of anti-estrogen and anti-enhancer treatment in MCF7 cells. Collectively, our study indicates that BAP18 coordinates with CTCF to enlarge the transactivation of ERα-related enhancers, providing a better understanding of BAP18/CTCF coupling chromatin remodeling and E-P looping in the regulation of enhancer transcription.

On-line screening and verification of haptens in Xiangdan injection combining chemical analysis with activity detection

Xiangdan injection (XDI), as a well-known traditional Chinese medicine injection, is of great significance to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The haptens causing allergic reactions are urged to be detected due to the adverse reaction. In this study, an efficient approach was established to rapidly identify and screen potential haptens in XDI for the first time by combining high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization-ion trap-time of flight-mass spectrometry with human serum albumin-fluorescence detector (HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MS-HSA-FLD). 21 compounds were identified according to their mass spectrum or comparison with reference substances and 8 salvianolic acids in XDI showed interactions with HSA in varying degrees. After that, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was applied to screen the compounds showing specific affinity with human serum albumin (HSA). Subsequently, active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) in guinea pigs was carried out to verify the sensitization of active compounds, In the meantime the serum IgE level before and after challenge was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Ultimately, it was tested that salvianolic acid C had a strong sensitization, in addition, lithospermic acid, rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B had potential sensitization. This study suggest that the on-line method provides rapid preliminary searching for haptens in XDI, combined with SPR and ASA, offering an efficient, rapid and comprehensive approach to screen haptens.

Flash pyrolysis vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry of cycloheptane: A study of the initial decomposition mechanism

Thermal decomposition of cycloheptane was studied using flash pyrolysis coupled with vacuum ultraviolet (118.2 nm) single photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry at temperatures ranging from 295 K to 1380 K. C-C bond breaking of cycloheptane leading to the 1,7-heptyl diradical was considered as the initiation step. The 1,7-heptyl diradical could readily isomerize to 1-heptene and decompose into several fragments, with dissociation to •C₄H₉ and •C₃H₅ as the predominant product channel. The 1,7-heptyl diradical could undergo direct dissociation, as evidenced by the production of the C₅H₁₀ species. Quantum chemistry calculations at UCCSD(T)/cc-pVDZ//UB3LYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory on the initial reaction pathways of cycloheptane were also carried out to support the experimental observations. Other possible initiation channels, as well as some secondary reaction products, were also identified.

Noncoding RNAs as a potential biomarker for the prognosis of bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The relationship between noncoding RNAs and the prognosis of bladder cancer (BC) is still controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between noncoding RNAs and prognosis by meta-analysis.

METHODS

Comprehensive retrieval of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, CNKI, and WanFang databases is related to the correlation between noncoding RNAs and the prognosis of BC. Data were extracted, and the literature quality was evaluated. STATA16.0 served for the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

1. CircRNAs: High circ-ZFR expression led to poor overall survival (OS) of BC. 2. LncRNAs: Low lnc-GAS5 expression predicted poor OS of BC, high lnc-TUG1 expression predicted poor OS of BC. 3. MiRNAs: High miR-21 expression predicted poor OS of BC, high miR-222 expression led to poor OS of BC, high miR-155 expression predicted poor progression-free survival (PFS) of BC, high miR-143 expression caused poor PFS of BC, low miR-214 expression could result in poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) of BC.

CONCLUSIONS

High circ-ZFR, lnc-TUG1, miR-222, and miR-21 expressions were correlated with poor OS of BC; high miR-155 and miR-143 expression predicted poor PFS of BC; low lnc-GAS5 expression predicted poor OS of BC; low miR-214 expression predicted poor RFS of BC.

High-Entropy Solid-State Na-Ion Conductor for Stable Sodium-Metal Batteries

Solid-state sodium-metal batteries (SSBs) hold great promise for their merits in low-cost, high energy density, and safety. However, developing solid electrolyte (SE) materials for SSBs with high performance is still a great challenge. Here, we successfully synthesizehigh-entropy Na4.9Sm0.3Y0.2Gd0.2La0.1Al0.1Zr0.1Si4O12 atcomparatively low sintering temperature of 950 °C with high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 6.7×10-4 S cm-1 and a low activation energy of 0.22 eV. More importantly, the Na symmetric cells using high-entropy SE show a high critical current density of 0.6 mA cm-2, outstanding rate performance with fairly flat potential profiles at 0.5 mA cm-2 and steady cycling over 700 h under 0.1 mA cm-2. Solid-state Na3V2(PO4)3||high-entropy SE||Na batteries are further assembled manifesting a desirable cycling stability with almost no capacity decay after 600 cycles and high Columbic efficiency over 99.9%. The findings presented opportunities forthe design of high-entropy Na-ion conductors toward the development of SSBs.

A possible physiological mechanism of rectocele formation in women

BACKGROUND

We aimed to determine the anorectal physiological factors associated with rectocele formation.

METHODS

Female patients (N = 32) with severe constipation, fecal incontinence, or suspicion of rectocele, who had undergone magnetic resonance defecography and anorectal function tests between 2015 and 2021, were retrospectively included for analysis. The anorectal function tests were used to measure pressure in the anorectum during defecation. Rectocele characteristics and pelvic floor anatomy were determined with magnetic resonance defecography. Constipation severity was determined with the Agachan score. Information regarding constipation-related symptoms was collected.

RESULTS

Mean rectocele size during defecation was 2.14 ± 0.88 cm. During defecation, the mean anal sphincter pressure just before defecation was 123.70 ± 67.37 mm Hg and was associated with rectocele size (P = 0.041). The Agachan constipation score was moderately correlated with anal sphincter pressure just before defecation (r = 0.465, P = 0.022), but not with rectocele size (r = 0.276, P = 0.191). During defecation, increased anal sphincter pressure just before defecation correlated moderately and positively with straining maneuvers (r = 0.539, P = 0.007) and defecation blockage (r = 0.532, P = 0.007). Rectocele size correlated moderately and positively with the distance between the pubococcygeal line and perineum (r = 0.446, P = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

Increased anal sphincter pressure just before defecation is correlated with the rectocele size. Based on these results, it seems important to first treat the increased anal canal pressure before considering surgical rectocele repair to enhance patient outcomes.

[Effects of adjuvant trastuzumab on long-term survival of T1N0M0 stage human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive breast cancer: a real-world study]

Objective: To investigate the prognosis impact of adjuvant trastuzumab treatment on human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) positive early breast cancer patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, HER-2-positive T1N0M0 stage breast cancer patients who underwent surgery in the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2010 to December 2019 were divided into treatment group and control group according to whether they were treated with trastuzumab or not. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the confounding bias caused by differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the risk factors affecting disease-free survival (DFS). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the 3- and 5-year DFS and overall survival (OS) rates of the two groups before and after PSM. Results: There were 291 patients with HER-2 positive T1N0M0 stage breast cancer, including 21 cases in T1a (7.2%), 61 cases in T1b (21.0%), and 209 cases in T1c (71.8%). Before PSM, there were 132 cases in the treatment group and 159 cases in the control group, the 5-year DFS rate was 88.5%, and the 5-year OS rate was 91.5%. After PSM, there were 103 cases in the treatment group and 103 cases in the control group, the 5-year DFS rate was 86.0%, and the 5-year OS rate was 88.5%. Before PSM, there were significant differences in tumor size, histological grade, vascular invasion, Ki-67 index, postoperative chemotherapy or not and radiotherapy between the treatment group and the control group (P<0.05). After PSM, there were no significant difference in clinicopathological features between the treatment group and the control group (P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that histological grade (HR=2.927, 95 CI: 1.476, 5.805; P=0.002), vascular invasion (HR=3.410, 95 CI: 1.170, 9.940; P=0.025), menstrual status (HR=3.692, 95 CI: 1.021, 13.344, P=0.046), and chemotherapy (HR=0.238, 95 CI: 0.079, 0.720; P=0.011) were independent factors affecting DFS. After PSM, the 5-year DFS rate of the treatment group was 89.2%, while that of the control group was 83.5%(P=0.237). The 5-year OS rate of the treatment group was 96.1%, while that of the control group was 84.7%(P=0.036). Conclusion: Postoperative targeted therapy with trastuzumab can reduce the risk of recurrence and metastasis in patients with HER-2-positive T1N0M0 stage breast cancer.

Validation of the Chinese DeFeC questionnaire: a comprehensive screening tool for symptoms and causes of constipation and incontinence

BACKGROUND

Currently, the diagnosis of defecation disorders in China is usually based on varied and ambiguous criteria. We aimed to translate the Groningen Defecation and Fecal Continence (DeFeC) questionnaire to Chinese and test its reproducibility and feasibility in the general Chinese population.

METHODS

The Groningen Defecation Questionnaire was translated into Chinese according to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). The feasibility and reproducibility were evaluated by performing a test-retest online survey and calculating the Cohen's kappa (κ) coefficient [or intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)], with 0.01-0.20 considered slight agreement; 0.21-0.40, fair agreement; 0.41-0.60, moderate agreement; 0.61-0.80, substantial agreement; and 0.81-1.00, almost perfect agreement.

RESULTS

In total, 130 respondents completed the questionnaire twice, with a mean age of 47.08±12.46 years. No remarks were made that indicted that the questions were difficult to understand. The median time to complete the questionnaire was 20.78 min [interquartile range (IQR), 14.83-29.20 min] for the first time. The κ coefficient of all defecation function-related domains ranged between 0.25 and 0.71, with an average value of 0.53. The constipation and fecal incontinence-related domains showed a substantial and moderate agreement level, as indicated by κ of 0.65 and 0.52, respectively. The Agachan constipation score and Wexner incontinence score showed perfect and substantial agreement, as indicated by an ICC of 0.88 and 0.74, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of the Groningen DeFeC questionnaire is highly feasible and reproducible and can be applied in clinical and research activities for the Chinese population.

Novel insights into physiological mechanisms underlying fecal continence

The machinery maintaining fecal continence prevents involuntary loss of stool and is based on the synchronized interplay of multiple voluntary and involuntary mechanisms, dependent on cooperation between motor responses of the musculature of the colon, pelvic floor, and anorectum, and sensory and motor neural pathways. Knowledge of the physiology of fecal continence is key toward understanding the pathophysiology of fecal incontinence. The idea that involuntary contraction of the internal anal sphincter is the primary mechanism of continence and that the external anal sphincter supports continence only by voluntary contraction is outdated. Other mechanisms have come to the forefront, and they have significantly changed viewpoints on the mechanisms of continence and incontinence. For instance, involuntary contractions of the external anal sphincter, the puborectal muscle, and the sphincter of O'Beirne have been proven to play a role in fecal continence. Also, retrograde propagating cyclic motor patterns in the sigmoid and rectum promote retrograde transit to prevent the continuous flow of content into the anal canal. With this review, we aim to give an overview of primary and secondary mechanisms controlling fecal continence and evaluate the strength of evidence.

Drug Value of Drynariae Rhizoma Root-Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Neurodegenerative Diseases Based on Proteomics and Bioinformatics

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized membrane vesicles released by various cell types. Mammalian EVs have been studied in-depth, but the role of plant EVs has rarely been explored. For the first time, EVs from Drynariae Rhizoma roots were isolated and identified using transmission electron microscopy and a flow nano analyzer. Proteomics and bioinformatics were applied to determine the protein composition and complete the functional analysis of the EVs. Seventy-seven proteins were identified from Drynariae Rhizoma root-derived EVs, with enzymes accounting for 47% of the proteins. All of the enzymes were involved in important biological processes in plants. Most of them, including NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase, were enriched in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway in plants and humans, and Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and Parkinson's disease, which are associated with oxidative stress in humans. These findings suggested that EVs from Drynariae Rhizoma roots could alleviate such neurological diseases and that enzymes, especially NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase, might play an important role in the process.

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 14 maintains estrogen receptor α stability via its deubiquitination activity in endometrial cancer

USP14 deubiquitinates ERα to maintain its stability in ECEndometrial cancer (EC) is one of the common gynecological malignancies of which the incidence has been rising for decades. It is considered that continuously unopposed estrogen exposure is the main risk factor for EC initiation. Thus, exploring the modulation of estrogen/estrogen receptor α (ERα) signaling pathway in EC would be helpful to well understand the mechanism of EC development and find the potential target for EC therapy. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 14 (USP14), a member of the proteasome-associated deubiquitinating enzyme family, plays a crucial role in a series of tumors. However, the function of USP14 in EC is still elusive. Here, our results have demonstrated that USP14 is highly expressed in EC tissues compared with that in normal endometrial tissues, and higher expression of USP14 is positively correlated with poor prognosis. Moreover, USP14 maintains ERα stability through its deubiquitination activity. Our results further demonstrate that USP14 depletion decreases the expression of ERα-regulated genes in EC-derived cell lines. Moreover, knockdown of USP14 or USP14-specific inhibitor treatment significantly suppresses cell growth and migration in EC cell lines or in mice. We further provide the evidence to show that the effect of USP14 on EC cell growth, if not all, at least is partially related to ERα pathway. Our study provides new sights for USP14 to be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of EC, especially for EC patients with fertility preservation needs.

Longwave IR lattice matched L-valley Ge/GeSiSn waveguide quantum cascade detector

We propose a lattice-matched Ge/GeSiSn quantum cascade detector (QCD) capable of operating in the longwave infrared. The optical absorption and carrier transport based on intersubband transitions all occur within the L-valley of the conduction band of the group-IV material system using N-doped quantum wells (QWs). The waveguided lattice matched structure can be deposited strain free on top of a Ge buffer grown on Si substrate, and is end-coupled to low-loss on-chip Ge waveguides. We optimized the QCD structure through the analysis of the photoresponsivity and detectivity D*. The QCD operates in photovoltaic mode with narrow spectral response that is peaked anywhere in the 9 to 16 µm range, tunable by design. This work aims to push the optical response of the photodetectors made from the SiGeSn material system to longer wavelengths. The study suggests the QCD response can indeed significantly extend the spectral range beyond that of the photodiodes and photoconductors made from the same group-IV system for a wide variety of applications in imaging, sensing, lidar, and space-and-fiber communications.

Dynamic risk prediction models for different subtypes of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy

Background

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) are diseases that coexist with pregnancy and hypertension. The pathogenesis of this disease is complex, and different physiological and pathological states can develop different subtypes of HDP.

Objective

To investigate the predictive effects of different variable selection and modeling methods on four HDP subtypes: gestational hypertension, early-onset preeclampsia, late-onset preeclampsia, and chronic hypertension complicated with preeclampsia.

Methods

This research was a retrospective study of pregnant women who attended antenatal care and labored at Beijing Maternity Hospital, Beijing Haidian District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, and Peking University People's Hospital. We extracted maternal demographic data and clinical characteristics for risk factor analysis and included gestational week as a parameter in this study. Finally, we developed a dynamic prediction model for HDP subtypes by nonlinear regression, support vector machine, stepwise regression, and Lasso regression methods.

Results

The AUCs of the Lasso regression dynamic prediction model for each subtype were 0.910, 0.962, 0.859, and 0.955, respectively. The AUC of the Lasso regression dynamic prediction model was higher than those of the other three prediction models. The accuracy of the Lasso regression dynamic prediction model was above 85%, and the highest was close to 92%. For the four subgroups, the Lasso regression dynamic prediction model had the best comprehensive performance in clinical application. The placental growth factor was tested significant (P &lt; 0.05) only in the stepwise regression dynamic prediction model for early-onset preeclampsia.

Conclusion

The Lasso regression dynamic prediction model could accurately predict the risk of four HDP subtypes, which provided the appropriate guidance and basis for targeted prevention of adverse outcomes and improved clinical care.

Dynamic gestational week prediction model for pre-eclampsia based on ID3 algorithm

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a type of hypertensive disorder during pregnancy, which is a serious threat to the life of mother and fetus. It is a placenta-derived disease that results in placental damage and necrosis due to systemic small vessel spasms that cause pathological changes such as ischemia and hypoxia and oxidative stress, which leads to fetal and maternal damage. In this study, four types of risk factors, namely, clinical epidemiology, hemodynamics, basic biochemistry, and biomarkers, were used for the initial selection of model parameters related to PE, and factors that were easily available and clinically recognized as being associated with a higher risk of PE were selected based on hospital medical record data. The model parameters were then further analyzed and screened in two subgroups: early-onset pre-eclampsia (EOPE) and late-onset pre-eclampsia (LOPE). Dynamic gestational week prediction model for PE using decision tree ID3 algorithm in machine learning. Performance of the model was: macro average (precision = 76%, recall = 73%, F1-score = 75%), weighted average (precision = 88%, recall = 89%, F1-score = 89%) and overall accuracy is 86%. In this study, the addition of the dynamic timeline parameter "gestational week" made the model more convenient for clinical application and achieved effective PE subgroup prediction.

Result of a year-long animal survey in a state-owned forest farm in Beijing, China

Background Artificial forest can have great potential in serving as habitat to wildlife, depending on different management methods. As the state-owned forest farms now play a new role in ecological conservation in China, the biological richness of this kind of land-use type is understudied. Once owned by a mining company, a largest state-owned forest farm, Jingxi Forest Farm, has been reformed to be a state-owned forest farm with the purpose of conservation since 2017. Although this 116.4 km² forest farm holds a near-healthy montaine ecosystem very representative in North China, a large proportion of artificial coniferous forest in the forest farm has been proven to hold less biodiversity than natural vegetation. This situation, however, provides a great opportunity for ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation. Therefore, from November 2019 to December 2020, we conducted a set of biodiversity surveys, whose results will serve as a baseline for further restoration and conservation. New information Here, we report the result of a multi-taxa fauna diversity survey conducted in Jingxi Forest Farm mainly in year 2020 with explicit spatial information. It is the first survey of its kind conducted in this area, revealing a total of 19 species of mammals, 86 birds, four reptiles, two amphibians and one fish species, as well as 101 species of insects. Four species of mammals are identified as data-poor species as they have less than 100 occurrence records with coordination in the GBIF database. One species of insect, representing one new provincial record genus of Beijing, is reported.

The Role of Sleep Deprivation in Arrhythmias

Sleep is essential to the normal psychological and physiological activities of the human body. Increasing evidence indicates that sleep deprivation is associated with the occurrence, development, and poor treatment effects of various arrhythmias. Sleep deprivation affects not only the peripheral nervous system but also the central nervous system, which regulates the occurrence of arrhythmias. In addition, sleep deprivation is associated with apoptotic pathways, mitochondrial energy metabolism disorders, and immune system dysfunction. Although studies increasingly suggest that pathological sleep patterns are associated with various atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, further research is needed to identify specific mechanisms and recommend therapeutic interventions. This review summarizes the findings of sleep deprivation in animal experiments and clinical studies, current challenges, and future research directions in the field of arrhythmias.

Remote telemedicine strategy based on multi-risks intervention by intelligent wearable health devices in elderly comorbidities patients with coronary heart disease

Background

Telemedicine based on wearable intelligent health devices becomes increasingly promissing for the elderly due to the accelerated aging population. Especially during COVID-19 pandemic, more elderly coronary heart disease patients with chronic comorbidities are in less secondary prevention management at home.

Objective

To explore the prevention effect on main cardiovascular risk factors and repeated hospitalization in elderly comorbidities patients by telemedicine intervention based on multi-parameter wearable monitoring devices.

Methods

Total of 337 patients with comorbidities of coronary heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, with age more than 65 years old were recruited in the study from October 2019 to January 2021. They were randomly divided into control group and telemedcine intervention group. The latter used remote multi-parameter wearable devices to measure blood pressure, glycemic and electrocardiograph at home every day. A real-time monitoring platform would alarm any abnormal data to the doctors. Both doctors and patients can read the measurement results on a real-time mobile phone APP and interact with each other remotely twice a week routinely. A medical team remotely indicated the medications, while offering guidance on lifestyle. In contrast, the control group adopted traditional outpatient medical strategy to manage diseases.

Results

A total of 306 patients were enrolled in the follow-up experiment finally: 153 in the intervention group and 153 in the control group. Patient characteristics at baseline were balanced between two groups. After 12 months, compared with the control group, the intervention group saw the following metrics significantly reduced: systolic blood pressure (SBP) (131.66±9.43 vs 137.20±12.02 mmHg, P=0.000), total cholesterol (TC) (3.65±0.79 vs 4.08±0.82 mmol/L, P=0.001), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (2.06±0.53 vs 2.38±0.61 mmol/L, P=0.002), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) (6.26±0.75 vs 6.81±0.97 mmol/L, P=0.000), while the following metrics went up significantly: blood pressure control rate (77.3% vs 59.1%, P=0.039), blood lipid control rate(39.4% vs 21.2%, P=0.037), glycemic control rate (71.2% vs 51.5%, P=0.031), and medication adherence score (7.10±0.77 vs 6.80±0.73, P=0.020). Linear regression model analysis indicates that when interaction frequency ≥1.53, 2.47 and 1.15 times/week, the SBP, LDL-C and FBG levels would be controlled, respectively. Cox survival analysis finds that the hospitalization rate of intervention group is significantly lower than that of the control group (24.18% vs 35.29%, P=0.031).

Conclusion

The telemedicine interactive intervention based on multi-parameter wearable devices provides effectively improvement of cardiovascular risk controlling, medication adherence, while reducing the hospitalization rate of patients. A frequency of doctor-patient interactions more than 2 times/week is beneficial for disease management the elderly at home.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Key scientific research project of Health Commission

Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in five-year cancer survivors: a nationwide cohort study

Background

Patients with cancer have higher short-term rates of cardiovascular events than the general population. However, little is known about rates of long-term cardiovascular outcomes in 5-year cancer survivors, especially in older patients.

Objective

We investigated the long-term rates of cardiovascular outcomes, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, venous thromboembolism, ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction in five-year cancer survivors, overall and according to age.

Methods

Using Danish nationwide registries, five-year survivors of 20 of the most common cancers (diagnosed between 1994 and 2013; 15 years of age or older at the time of the diagnosis) were matched with four non-cancer controls from the background population by age and sex. Study participants with a history of any the outcomes of interest prior to index date were excluded. Rates of outcomes in the cancer and non-cancer group were compared with Cox regression models, overall and according to age (i.e., 15–39, 40–59, and &gt;60 years).

Results

In total, 167,215 five-year cancer survivors were age- and sex-matched with 668,860 non-cancer controls (median age 66 years; 34.4% men, median follow-up of 6.8 years). Five-year survivors had higher associated rates of cardiovascular outcomes, irrespective of age, and the incidence rates per 1,000 person-years of cardiovascular outcomes for cancer survivors and non-cancer controls were: HF: 6.2 (95% CI: 6.1–6.4) and 5.2 (5.1–5.3), respectively; atrial fibrillation: 11.1 (10.9–11.3) and 9.3 (9.3–9.4), respectively; venous thromboembolism: 5.1 (5.0–5.2) and 2.8 (2.8–2.9), respectively; ischemic stroke: 5.8 (5.6–5.9) and 5.4 (5.4–5.5), respectively; and myocardial infarction: 3.6 (3.5–3.7) and 3.4 (3.3–3.4), respectively. The absolute rates of cardiovascular outcomes were highest in the oldest group, whereas the relative rates were more pronounced in the youngest cancer group compared with matched controls (Figure 1).

Conclusions

Compared with the general population, five-year cancer survivors had higher associated rates of cardiovascular outcomes across the spectrum of age. The increased rates of cardiovascular outcomes were more pronounced in the youngest group. These data underline the importance of risk assessment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases in five-year cancer survivors.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Beyond carbon flux partitioning: Carbon allocation and nonstructural carbon dynamics inferred from continuous fluxes

Carbon (C) allocation and nonstructural carbon (NSC) dynamics play essential roles in plant growth and survival under stress and disturbance. However, quantitative understanding of these processes remains limited. Here we propose a framework where we connect commonly measured carbon cycle components (eddy covariance fluxes of canopy CO₂ exchange, soil CO₂ efflux, and allometry-based biomass and net primary production) by a simple mass balance model to derive ecosystem-level NSC dynamics (NSC_i ), C translocation (dC_i ), and the biomass production efficiency (BPE_i ) in above- and belowground plant (i = agp and bgp) compartments. We applied this framework to two long-term monitored loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations of different ages in North Carolina and characterized the variations of NSC and allocation in years under normal and drought conditions. The results indicated that the young stand did not have net NSC flux at the annual scale, whereas the mature stand stored a near-constant proportion of new assimilates as NSC every year under normal conditions, which was comparable in magnitude to new structural growth. Roots consumed NSC in drought and stored a significant amount of NSC post drought. The above- and belowground dC_i and BPE_i varied more from year to year in the young stand and approached a relatively stable pattern in the mature stand. The belowground BPE_bgp differed the most between the young and mature stands and was most responsive to drought. With the internal C dynamics quantified, this framework may also improve biomass production estimation, which reveals the variations resulting from droughts. Overall, these quantified ecosystem-scale dynamics were consistent with existing evidence from tree-based manipulative experiments and measurements and demonstrated that combining the continuous fluxes as proposed here can provide additional information about plant internal C dynamics. Given that it is based on broadly available flux data, the proposed framework is promising to improve the allocation algorithms in ecosystem C cycle models and offers new insights into observed variability in soil-plant-climate interactions.

Vibrational energy levels and predissociation lifetimes of the A2Σ+ state of SH/SD radicals by photodissociation spectroscopy

Photo-predissociation of SH and SD radicals in the A2Σ+ state are investigated using the high- n Rydberg atom time-of-flight (HRTOF) technique. By measuring the photoproduct translational energy distributions as a function of excitation wavelength, contributions from overlapping A2Σ+ ( v') ← X2Π ( v") transitions can be separated, and the H/D + S(3PJ) photofragment yield (PFY) spectra are obtained across various rovibrational levels (SH v' = 0-7 and SD v' = 0-8) of the A2Σ+ ← X2Π bands. The upper A2Σ+ state vibrational levels v' = 5-7 of SH and v' = 3-8 of SD are determined for the first time. The PFY spectra are analyzed with the simulation program PGOPHER [Western, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 186, 221 (2016)], which gives vibrational origins and linewidths of the rovibrational levels of the A2Σ+ state. The linewidths ({greater than or equal to} 1.5 cm−1) of the SH A2Σ+ v' = 3-7 and SD A2Σ+ v' = 2-8 states are characterized for the first time in this work, demonstrating that these levels undergo rapid predissociation with lifetimes on the order of picosecond. The lifetimes of the SD A2Σ+ v' = 0, N' = 1 and 2 levels are determined to be 247{plus minus}50 ns and 176{plus minus}60 ns by pump-probe delay measurements, respectively. The experimentally measured lifetimes are in a reasonable agreement with the theoretical predictions.