Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in nerve repair

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has the capability of assisting in the recovery of damaged tissues by releasing a variety of biologically active factors to initiate a hemostatic cascade reaction and promote the synthesis of new connective tissue and revascularization. It is now widely used for tissue engineering repair. In addition, PRP has demonstrated nerve repair and pain relief, and has been studied and applied to the facial nerve, median nerve, sciatic nerve, and central nerve. These suggest that PRP injection therapy has a positive effect on nerve repair. This indicates that PRP has high clinical value and potential application in nerve repair. It is worthwhile for scientists and medical workers to further explore and study PRP to expand its application in nerve repair, and to provide a more reliable scientific basis for the opening of a new approach to nerve repair.

LAMC2 regulates the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

OBJECTIVES

Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignant tumor widely distributed globally, exhibiting elevated incidence and fatality rates. The gene LAMC2 encodes the laminin subunit gamma-2 chain and is found specifically in the basement membrane of epithelial cells. Its expression is aberrant in multiple types of malignant tumors. This research elucidated a link between LAMC2 and the clinical characteristics of GC and investigated the potential involvement of LAMC2 in GC proliferation and advancement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

LAMC2 expressions were detected in GC cell lines and normal gastric epithelial cell lines via qRT-PCR. Silencing and overexpression of the LAMC2 were conducted by lentiviral transfection. A xenograft mouse model was also developed for in vivo analysis. Cell functional assays were conducted to elucidate the involvement of LAMC2 in cell growth, migration, and penetration. Further, immunoblotting was conducted to investigate the impact of LAMC2 on the activation of signal pathways after lentiviral transfection.

RESULTS

In the findings, LAMC2 expression was markedly upregulated in GC cell lines as opposed to normal gastric epithelial cells. In vitro analysis showed that sh-LAMC2 substantially inhibited GC cell growth, migration, and invasion, while oe-LAMC2 displayed a contrasting effect. Xenograft tumor models demonstrated that oe-LAMC2 accelerated tumor growth via high expression of Ki-67. Immunoblotting analysis revealed a substantial decrease in various signaling pathway proteins, PI3K, p-Akt, and Vimentin levels upon LAMC2 knockdown, followed by increased E-cadherin expression. Conversely, its overexpression exhibited contrasting effects. Besides, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was accelerated by LAMC2.

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence indicating that LAMC2, by stimulating signaling pathways, facilitated EMT and stimulated the progression of GC cells in laboratory settings and mouse models. Research also explored that the abnormal LAMC2 expression acts as a biomarker for GC.

Ideal cardiovascular health index and high-normal blood pressure in elderly people: evidence based on real-world data

Limited information is available on the cardiovascular health (CVH) index and risk of high-normal blood pressure (HNBP) in elderly people. Randomized cluster sampling, multivariate logistic regression, and mediating effects analysis were used in this study analyze the relationship between CVH index and HNBP in the elderly. 1089 non-hypertensive residents aged 65 years or older completed the study. The positive rate of HNBP was 75.85% (male vs. female: 76.13% vs. 75.64%, P = 0.852); The ideal rate of CVH (ideal CVH index ≥ 5 items) was 14.51% (male vs. female: 15.91% vs. 13.46%, P = 0.256). Compared with people with 0-2 ideal CVH index, the risk of HNBP in people with 4 ideal indexes and ≥ 5 ideal indexes decreased by 50% and 63%, respectively, and their OR (95% CI) were 0.50 (0.31, 0.81) and 0.37 (0.21, 0.66), respectively. The results of the trend test showed that the risk of HNBP decreased by 32% for every increase in the ideal CVH index (trend P < 0.001) and TyG index does not play a mediating role in this relationship. That is, increasing the number of ideal CVH index may effectively reduce the risk of HNBP in elderly by one-third.

Influence of Selective Carbon 1s Excitation on Auger-Meitner Decay in the ESCA Molecule

Two-dimensional spectral mapping is used to visualize how resonant Auger-Meitner spectra are influenced by the site of the initial core-electron excitation and the symmetry of the core-excited state in the trifluoroethyl acetate molecule (ESCA). We observe a significant enhancement of electron yield for excitation of the COO 1s → π* and CF3 1s → σ* resonances unlike excitation at resonances involving the CH3 and CH2 sites. The CF3 1s → π* and CF3 1s → σ* resonance spectra are very different from each other, with the latter populating most valence states equally. Two complementary electronic structure calculations for the photoelectron cross section and Auger-Meitner intensity are shown to effectively reproduce the site- and state-selective nature of the resonant enhancement features. The site of the core-electron excitation and the respective final state hole locality increase the sensistivity of the photoelectron signal at specific functional group sites. This showcases resonant Auger-Meitner decay as a potentially powerful tool for selectively probing structural changes at specific functional group sites of polyatomic molecules.

Aggregation-induced emission-active iridium (III)-based mitochondria-targeting nanoparticle for two-photon imaging-guided photodynamic therapy

The efficacy of imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) is compromised by the attenuation of fluorescence and decline in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency in the physiological environment of conventional photosensitizers, limited near-infrared (NIR) absorption, and high systemic cytotoxicity. This paper presents the synthesis of two cyclometalated Ir (III) complexes (Ir-thpy and Ir-ppy) by using a triphenylamine derivative (DPTPA) as the primary ligand and their encapsulation into an amphiphilic phospholipid to form nanoparticles (NPs). These complexes exhibit aggregation-induced emission features and remarkably enhanced ROS generation compared to Chlorin e6 (Ce6). Moreover, Ir-thpy NPs possess the unique ability to selectively target mitochondria, leading to depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential and ultimately triggering apoptosis. Notably, Ir-thpy NPs exhibit exceptional photocytotoxicity even towards cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP tumor cells. In vivo two-photon imaging verified the robust tumor-targeting efficacy of Ir-thpy NPs. The in vivo results unequivocally demonstrate that Ir-thpy NPs exhibit excellent tumor ablation along with remarkable biocompatibility. This study presents a promising approach for the development of multifunctional Ir-NPs for two-photon imaging-guided PDT and provides novel insights for potential clinical applications in oncology.

RAE1 promotes gastric carcinogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of RAE1 in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer (GC) cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RAE1 expression in GC cells was determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting (WB). Cell models featuring RAE1 gene silencing and overexpression were constructed by lentiviral transfection; The proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of cells were detected by cell counting, colony formation assay, would healing assay, and transwell invasion and migration test. WB analysis of ERK/MAPK signaling pathway (ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2, c-Myc) and EMT-related molecules (ZEB1, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin).

RESULTS

The expression level of RAE1 in GC was notably higher than in adjacent tissues. Elevated RAE1 expression correlated with an unfavorable prognosis for GC patients. Knockdown of RAE1, as compared to the control group, resulted in a significant inhibition of proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities in GC cell lines. Furthermore, RAE1 knockdown led to a substantial decrease in the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, ZEB1, p-ERK1/2, and c-Myc proteins, coupled with a marked increase in E-cadherin expression. The biological effects of RAE1 in GC cells were effectively reversed by the inhibition of the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway using SCH772984. Additionally, RAE1 knockdown demonstrated a suppressive effect on GC tumor size in vivo. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) results revealed significantly lower expression of Ki-67 in RAE1 knockout mice compared to the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

RAE1 promotes GC cell migration and invasion through the ERK/MAPK pathway and is a potential therapeutic target for GC therapy.

Alterations in degree centrality and functional connectivity in tension-type headache: a resting-state fMRI study

Previous studies have provided evidence of structural and functional changes in the brains of patients with tension-type headache (TTH). However, investigations of functional connectivity alterations in TTH have been inconclusive. The present study aimed to investigate abnormal intrinsic functional connectivity patterns in patients with TTH through the voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) method as well as functional connectivity (FC) analysis. A total of 33 patients with TTH and 30 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scanning and were enrolled in the final study. The voxel-wise DC method was performed to quantify abnormalities in the local functional connectivity hubs. Nodes with abnormal DC were used as seeds for further FC analysis to evaluate alterations in functional connectivity patterns. In addition, correlational analyses were performed between abnormal DC and FC values and clinical features. Compared with HCs, patients with TTH had higher DC values in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG.L) and lower DC values in the left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri (ACG.L) (GRF, voxel-wise p < 0.05, cluster-wise p < 0.05, two-tailed). Seed-based FC analyses revealed that patients with TTH showed greater connections between ACG.L and the right cerebellum lobule IX (CR-IX.R), and smaller connections between ACG.L and ACG.L. The MTG.L showed increased FC with the ACG.L, and decreased FC with the right caudate nucleus (CAU.R) and left precuneus (PCUN.L) (GRF, voxel-wise p < 0.05, cluster-wise p < 0.05, two-tailed). Additionally, the DC value of the MTG.L was negatively correlated with the DASS-depression score (p = 0.046, r=-0.350). This preliminary study provides important insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of TTH.

Cardiometabolic index is associated with increased depression: A population-based study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Depression is a common and complex psychiatric disorder, and lipid metabolism plays an important role in the development of psychiatric disorders such as depression. Cardiometabolic index (CMI) is a novel index that synthesizes two quantitative indicators of blood lipids (triglyceride(TG)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)) and human obesity-related parameters (waist height ratio (WHtR)). This study used NHANES data to explore the correlation between CMI and the incidence of depression.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Based on the data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2018, multivariate logistic regression, sensitivity analysis, and smooth curve fitting were used to study the relationship between CMI and depression. Subgroup analysis and interaction tests were used to investigate whether the association was stable in different populations. CMI was positively associated with depression in 7229 participants aged >20 years. In the fully adjusted model, each unit increase in CMI was associated with 36 % higher likelihood of depression symptoms [1.36(1.16,1.59)]. Participants in the highest quartile of CMI had a 62 % higher risk of depression than participants in the lowest quartile [1.62(1.17,2.23)]. This positive correlation was more pronounced in those with hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

CMI was associated with a higher PHQ-9 score and an increased likelihood of depression among US adults. Further large-scale prospective studies are still need to analyze the role of CMI in depression.

Brain functional connectivity alterations of Wernicke's area in individuals with autism spectrum conditions in multi-frequency bands: A mega-analysis

Characterized by severe deficits in communication, most individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) experience significant language dysfunctions, thereby impacting their overall quality of life. Wernicke's area, a classical and traditional brain region associated with language processing, plays a substantial role in the manifestation of language impairments. The current study carried out a mega-analysis to attain a comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanisms underpinning ASC, particularly in the context of language processing. The study employed the Autism Brain Image Data Exchange (ABIDE) dataset, which encompasses data from 443 typically developing (TD) individuals and 362 individuals with ASC. The objective was to detect abnormal functional connectivity (FC) between Wernicke's area and other language-related functional regions, and identify frequency-specific altered FC using Wernicke's area as the seed region in ASC. The findings revealed that increased FC in individuals with ASC has frequency-specific characteristics. Further, in the conventional frequency band (0.01-0.08 Hz), individuals with ASC exhibited increased FC between Wernicke's area and the right thalamus compared with TD individuals. In the slow-5 frequency band (0.01-0.027 Hz), increased FC values were observed in the left cerebellum Crus II and the right lenticular nucleus, pallidum. These results provide novel insights into the potential neural mechanisms underlying communication deficits in ASC from the perspective of language impairments.

"Two-Stage Rocket-Propelled" Strategy Boosting Theranostic Efficacy with Mitochondria-Specific Type I-II Photosensitizers

Imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) holds great potential for tumor therapy. However, achieving the synergistic enhancement of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency and fluorescence emission of photosensitizers (PSs) remains a challenge, resulting in suboptimal image guidance and theranostic efficacy. The hypoxic tumor microenvironment also hinders the efficacy of PDT. Herein, we propose a "two-stage rocket-propelled" photosensitive system for tumor cell ablation. This system utilizes MitoS, a mitochondria-targeted PS, to ablate tumor cells. Importantly, MitoS can react with HClO to generate a more efficient PS, MitoSO, with a significantly improved fluorescence quantum yield. Both MitoS and MitoSO exhibit less O2-dependent type I ROS generation capability, inducing apoptosis and ferroptosis. In vivo PDT results confirm that this mitochondrial-specific type I-II cascade phototherapeutic strategy is a potent intervention for tumor downstaging. This study not only sheds light on the correlation between the PS structure and the ROS generation pathway but also proposes a novel and effective strategy for tumor downstaging intervention.

Identification and validation of a novel glycolysis-related ceRNA network for sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy

Purpose

Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) is a major life-threatening condition in critically infected patients. Early diagnosis and intervention are important to improve patient prognosis. Recognizing the pivotal involvement of the glycolytic pathway in SIC, this study aims to establish a glycolysis-related ceRNA network and explore novel diagnostic avenues.

Materials and methods

SIC-related datasets were carefully filtered from the GEO database. CytoHubba was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with glycolysis. A predictive method was then used to construct an lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. Dual-luciferase reporter assays validated gene interactions, and the specificity of this ceRNA network was confirmed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from SIC patients. Logistic analysis was used to examine the correlation between the ceRNA network and SIC. Diagnostic potential was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and correlation analysis investigated any associations between gene expression and clinical indicators.

Results

IER3 was identified as glycolysis-related DEG in SIC, and a ceRNA network (SNHG17/miR-214-3p/IER3) was established by prediction. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed the presence of mutual binding between IER3, miR-214-3p and SNHG17. RT-qPCR verified the specific expression of this ceRNA network in SIC patients. Multivariate logistic analysis established the correlation between the ceRNA network and SIC. ROC analysis demonstrated its high diagnostic specificity (AUC > 0.8). Correlation analysis revealed a negative association between IER3 expression and oxygenation index in SIC patients (p < 0.05). Furthermore, miR-214-3p expression showed a negative correlation with NT-proBNP (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

In this study, we identified and validated a ceRNA network associated with glycolysis in SIC: SNHG17/miR-214-3p/IER3. This ceRNA network may play a critical role in the onset and development of SIC. This finding is important to further our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying SIC and to explore potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for SIC.

[Frontiers and advances in dental caries research]

Dental caries is a prevalent infectious disease caused by microbial metabolism, affecting the hard tissues of teeth. According to data from the Fourth National Oral Health Epidemiological Survey, there is a gradual increase in caries prevalence in China, particularly among children and elderly individuals. As an etiological factor for dental lesions, caries not only impact oral health but also exhibit significant associations with various systemic diseases, suggesting that systemic diseases may serve as potential risk factors of caries development. To effectively implement the plan of national oral health action, researchers investigate the pathogenesis of caries actively while concurrently develop innovative preventive and treatment strategies based on advanced concepts and technologies, aiming to comprehensively enhance China's oral health status. Therefore, this article provides insights into the pathogenesis of caries, its correlation with systemic diseases, as well as cutting-edge research advancements pertaining to novel preventive measures for caries.

[Effect of a novel pH-responsive tertiary amine monomer dodecylmethylaminoethyl methacrylate modified resin adhesive on biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus casei in vitro]

Objective: To explore the application prospect of a new pH-responsive tertiary amine monomer dodecylmethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEM) modified resin adhesive (DMAEM@RA) in the prevention and treatment of secondary caries. Methods: Five percents DMAEM was added to the resin adhesive to synthesize DMAEM@RA for modifying. Streptococcus mutans (Sm) and Lactobacillus casei (Lc) biofilms were cultured on resin adhesive and DMAEM@RA, respectively. The culture systems were set up at pH=7.4, 6.0, 5.5, and 5.0. The antimicrobial activity of DMAEM@RA was evaluated by quantitative PCR. The effects of DMAEM@RA on biofilm thickness, bacterial amount, and extracellular polysaccharides were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and extracellular polysaccharide staining. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to study the effect of DMAEM@RA on the expression levels of cariogenic genes in Sm. Results: DMAEM@RA could significantly reduce the amount of Sm and Lc under acidic conditions, especially Lc. At pH=5.0, the logarithm value of co-cultured Sm bacteria [lg (CFU/ml)] in DMAEM@RA group (7.58±0.01) was significantly lower than that in control group (7.87±0.03) (t=14.32, P<0.001), and the logarithm value of Lc bacteria [lg (CFU/ml)] (7.29±0.04) was also significantly lower than that in control group (7.93±0.15) (t=6.93, P=0.002). SEM observed that the bacteria decreased and the cell fragments appeared in DMAEM@RA group. In addition, DMAEM@RA significantly reduced the biomass of extracellular polysaccharides in the dual-species biofilm under acidic conditions. At pH=5.0, the biomass of extracellular polysaccharides in DMAEM@RA group [(25.13±3.14) mm3/mm2] was significantly lower than that in the control group [(42.66±7.46) mm3/mm2] (t=3.75, P=0.020). DMAEM@RA could significantly up-regulate the expressions of gtfB and gtfC genes in Sm under acidic conditions. At pH=5.0, gtfB and gtfC genes were significantly up-regulated by (14.64± 0.44) times and (2.99±0.20) times, respectively (t=-42.74, P<0.001; t=-13.55, P<0.001). Conclusions: The DMAEM@RA has a good antibacterial effect under acidic conditions, demonstrating that it has a good potential to prevent the occurrence and development of secondary caries.

An empirical study on the development of metaphorical comprehension of Chinese children

Metaphor affects how people focus, remember, and process information and significantly influences children's language development. The study explored metaphorical comprehension by Chinese children of different ages (5-8 years). We collected response times and accuracy rates when they processed metaphorical and literal sentences with the graded salience. Linear mixed-effects modeling showed that Chinese children's metaphorical ability improved with age. Subsequent analysis found that the perception period of metaphorical knowledge was at age 5, the development stage of metaphorical knowledge was at age 6 and 7, and the rational decision period of metaphorical ability was at age 8. After 8-year-old, children can invoke the knowledge of the intention schema while activating the source domain, and this knowledge can be automatically and quickly mapped to the target domain. Meanwhile, language development and cognitive processing influenced the metaphorical comprehension of Chinese children, especially children of 8 years of age who had the highest correct rate and the shortest reaction time to process low-saliency metaphorical sentences, while 5-year-old children had the highest accuracy in high-saliency metaphorical sentence and 6-year-old children got the longest reaction time to process sentence in high-saliency metaphor. This study may provide evidence for improving and training metaphor comprehension in children with special needs such as those with an autism spectrum disorder.

Natural disasters: a comprehensive study using EMDAT database 1995-2022

INTRODUCTION

The frequency, intensity, and geographical reach of natural disasters, fueled in part by factors such as climate change, population growth, and urbanization, have undeniably been escalating concerns around the world.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of natural disasters recorded in the Emergency Events Database from 1995 to 2022.

RESULTS

Between 1995 and 2022, 11,360 natural disasters occurred, with a mean of 398 per year. Asia experienced the most disasters (4390) and the highest number of casualties (918,198). Hydrological disasters were the most common subgroup (4969), while geophysical disasters led in terms of deaths (770,644). Biological disasters caused the most injuries (2544), particularly in Africa.

CONCLUSION

Recognizing the historical impacts of the various subtypes of natural disasters may help different regions better risk analyze and mitigate the unique risks associated with such events.

HPV-positive clinically advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder (aBSCC): A comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) study

BACKGROUND

Advanced bladder squamous cell carcinoma (aBSCC) is an uncommon form of urinary bladder malignancy when compared with the much higher urothelial carcinoma incidence. We studied the genomic alteration (GA) landscape in a series of aBSCC based on the association with human papilloma virus (HPV) to determine if differences in GA would be observed between the positive and negative groups.

METHODS

Using a hybrid capture-based FDA-approved CGP assay, a series of 171 aBSCC were sequenced to evaluate all classes of GA. Tumor mutational burden (TMB) was determined on up to 1.1 Mbp of sequenced DNA and microsatellite instability (MSI) was determined on up to 114 loci. Programmed cell death ligand -1 (PD-L1) expression was determined by IHC (Dako 22C3) with negative expression when PD-L1 was 0, lower expression of positivity set at 1 to 49%, and higher expression set at ≥50% expression.

RESULTS

Overall, 11 (6.4%) of the aBSCC were found to harbor HPV sequences (10 HPV16 and 1 HPV 11). HPV+ status was identified slightly more often in women (NS) and in younger patients (P = 0.04); 2 female patients with aBSCC had a prior history of SCC including 1 anal SCC and 1 vaginal SCC. HPV+ aBSCC had fewer GA/tumor (P < 0.0001), more inactivating mutations in RB1 (P = 0.032), and fewer inactivating GA in CDKN2A (P < 0.0001), CDKN2B (P = 0.05), TERT promoter (P = 0.0004) and TP53 (P < 0.0001). GA in genes associated with urothelial carcinoma including FGFR2 and FGFR3 were similar in both HPV+ and HPV- aBSCC groups. MTAP loss (homozygous deletion) which has emerged as a biomarker for PRMT5 inhibitor-based clinical trials was not identified in any of the 11 HPV+ aBSCC cases, which was significantly lower than the 28% positive frequency of MTAP loss in the HPV- aBSCC group (P < 0.0001). MTOR and PIK3CA pathway GA were not significantly different in the 2 groups. Putative biomarkers associated with immunotherapy (IO) response, including MSI and TMB status, were also similar in the 2 groups. PD-L1 expression data was available for a subset of both HPV+ and HPV- cases and showed high frequencies of positive staining which was not different in the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

HPV+ aBSCC tends to occur more often in younger patients. As reported in other HPV-associated squamous cell carcinomas, HPV+ aBSCC demonstrates significantly reduced frequencies of inactivating mutations in cell cycle regulatory genes with similar GA in MTOR and PIK3CA pathways. The implication of HPV in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer remains unknown but warrants further exploration and clinical validation.

The generation of genuine quadripartite Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering in an optical superlattice

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering is a quantum effect based on quantum entanglement and it is the key resource for building quantum networks because of its useful properties. Based on the criterion for genuine multipartite EPR steering, the genuine quadripartite EPR steering is confirmed and it can be generated by a spontaneous parametric down-conversion cascaded process with two sum-frequency generations in an optical superlattice. This occurs either below the oscillation threshold and without oscillation threshold. The influence of the parameters of cascaded nonlinear process on the quadripartite EPR steering among signal, idler, and two sum-frequency beams are also discussed. Choosing appropriate nonlinear parameters can achieve good quadripartite quantum steering. This scheme of the generation of genuine quadripartite EPR steering has potential applications in quantum communication and computing.

Lower serum testosterone is associated with increased likelihood of arthritis

Studies have suggested that serum testosterone levels may be strongly correlated with the pathogenesis of arthritis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serum testosterone levels and arthritis in US adults using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We used the database from NHANES, 2013-2016 to perform a cross-sectional study. This study investigated the relationship between serum testosterone and arthritis using multivariate logistic regression models and also used smoothed curve fitting and generalized additivity models. A total of 10,439 adults were included in this analysis. A significant negative association between serum testosterone and arthritis was found in a linear regression analysis. The study showed that the arthritis group had lower testosterone levels than the non-arthritis group. The univariate multivariate analyses of Q4, using Q1 as a reference, all showed a significantly lower risk of developing arthritis. In subgroup analyses, the negative correlation between serum testosterone levels and arthritis was more significant in women and those with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2. After controlling for various variables, we found a significant association between serum testosterone and arthritis in this analysis. Further study of the relationship between testosterone and arthritis is necessary to clarify the specific mechanism of serum testosterone action on arthritis.

GPR143 mutations in an X-linked infantile nystagmus syndrome cohort in Southeast China

Purpose

Infantile nystagmus syndrome (INS), or congenital nystagmus (CN), refers to a group of ocular motor disorders characterized by rapid to-and-fro oscillations of the eyes. GPR143 is the causative gene of ocular albinism type 1 (OA1), which is a special type of INS that manifests as reduced vision, nystagmus, and iris and fundus hypopigmentation. Here, we explored the genetic spectrum of INS and the genotype-phenotype correlation.

Methods

A total of 98 families with INS from Southeast China were recruited for this study. A sample from each participant was subjected to PCR-based DNA direct sequencing of GPR143. Varied bioinformatics analysis was subsequently used in a mutation assessment. All participants received detailed ophthalmic examinations.

Results

Genetic analysis identified 11 GPR143 mutations in 11.2% (11/98) of the X-linked INS families. These included seven novel mutations (c.899 C>T, c.886-2 A>G, c.1A>G, c.633_643del CCTGTTCCAAA, c.162_198delCGCGGGCCCCGGGTCCCCCGCGACGTCCCCGCCGGCC, c.628C>A, and c.178_179insGGGTCCC) and four known mutations. Patients who carried a GPR143 mutation were found to present a typical or atypical phenotype of OA1. All patients with GPR143 mutations manifested foveal hypoplasia; thus, about 45.8% (11/24) of the families with total X-linked INS exhibited foveal hypoplasia.

Conclusions

We discovered seven novel mutations and four previously reported mutations of GPR143 in a cohort of families with X-linked INS and enlarged the Chinese genetic spectrum of INS. These findings offer new insights for developing genetic screening strategies and shed light on the importance of conducting genetic analysis in confirming the clinical diagnosis in unresolved patients and atypical phenotypes.

Temporal Structures in Positron Spectra and Charge-Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic positron fluxes in the rigidity range from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 3.4×10^{6} positrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The positron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the electron fluxes at short and long timescales. A hysteresis between the electron fluxes and the positron fluxes is observed with a significance greater than 5σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. On the contrary, the positron fluxes and the proton fluxes show similar time variation. Remarkably, we found that positron fluxes are modulated more than proton fluxes with a significance greater than 5σ for rigidities below 7 GV. These continuous daily positron fluxes, together with AMS daily electron, proton, and helium fluxes over an 11-year solar cycle, provide unique input to the understanding of both the charge-sign and mass dependencies of cosmic rays in the heliosphere.

Molecular mechanism of Danshenol C in reversing peritoneal fibrosis: novel network pharmacological analysis and biological validation

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study is to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the reversal of peritoneal fibrosis (PF) by Danshenol C, a natural compound derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza. By comprehensively investigating the intricate interactions and signaling pathways involved in Danshenol C's therapeutic effects on PF, we aim to unveil novel insights into its pharmacological actions. This investigation holds the potential to revolutionize the clinical application of Salvia miltiorrhiza in traditional Chinese medicine, offering promising new avenues for the treatment of PF and paving the way for evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

METHODS

Firstly, we utilized the YaTCM database to retrieve the structural formula of Danshenol C, while the SwissTargetPrediction platform facilitated the prediction of its potential drug targets. To gain insights into the genetic basis of PF, we acquired the GSE92453 dataset and GPL6480-9577 expression profile from the GEO database, followed by obtaining disease-related genes of PF from major disease databases. R software was then employed to screen for DEG associated with PF. To explore the intricate interactions between Danshenol C's active component targets, we utilized the String database and Cytoscape3.7.2 software to construct a PPI network. Further analysis in Cytoscape3.7.2 enabled the identification of core modules within the PPI network, elucidating key targets and molecular pathways critical to Danshenol C's therapeutic actions. Subsequently, we employed R to perform GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses, providing valuable insights into the functional implications and potential biological mechanisms of Danshenol C in the context of PF. To investigate the binding interactions between the core active components and key targets, we conducted docking studies using Chem3D, autoDock1.5.6, SYBYL2.0, and PYMOL2.4 software. We applied in vivo and in vitro experiments to prove that Danshenol C can improve PF. In order to verify the potential gene and molecular mechanism of Danshenol C to reverse PF, we used quantitative PCR, western blot, and apoptosis, ensuring robust and reliable verification of the results.

RESULTS

① Wogonin, sitosterol, and Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 5 (STAT5) emerged as the most significant constituents among the small-molecule active compounds and gene targets investigated. ②38 targets intersected with the disease, among which MAPK14, CASP3, MAPK8 and STAT3 may be the key targets; The results of GO and KEGG analysis showed that there was a correlation between inflammatory pathway and Apoptosis. ④Real-time PCR showed that the mRNA expressions of MAPK8 (JNK1), MAPK14 (P38) and STAT3 were significantly decreased after Danshenol C treatment (P < 0.05), while the mRNA expression of CASP3 was significantly increased (P < 0.05)⑤Western blot showed that protein expressions of CASP3 and MAPK14 were significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the expression of STAT3 and MAPK8 was decreased after Danshenol C treatment (P < 0.05). ⑥There was no significant difference in flow analysis of apoptosis among groups.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that Danshenol C may modulate crucial molecular pathways, including the MAPK, Apoptosis, Calcium signaling, JAK-STAT signaling, and TNF signaling pathways. This regulation is mediated through the modulation of core targets such as STAT3, MAPK14, MAPK8, CASP3, and others. By targeting these key molecular players, Danshenol C exhibits the potential to regulate cellular responses to chemical stress and inflammatory stimuli. The identification of these molecular targets and pathways represents a significant step forward in understanding the molecular basis of Danshenol C's therapeutic effects in PF. This preliminary exploration provides novel avenues for the development of anti-PF treatment strategies and the discovery of potential therapeutic agents. By targeting specific core targets and pathways, Danshenol C opens up new possibilities for the development of more effective and targeted drugs to combat PF. These findings have the potential to transform the landscape of PF treatment and offer valuable insights for future research and drug development endeavors.

High genetic merit dairy heifers grazing low quality forage had similar weight gain and urinary nitrogen excretion to those of low genetic merit heifers

Climate variability and increasing drought events have become significant concerns in recent years. However, there is limited published research on body weight (BW) change of dairy heifers with different genetic merit when grazing on drought impacted pastures in southern Australia. Achieving target body weight (BW) is vital for dairy heifers, especially during critical stages like mating and calving. This study aimed to assess dry matter (DM) intake, BW change, urinary nitrogen excretion, and grazing behaviours of high vs. low genetic dairy heifers grazing pasture during a 43-day experimental period in a drought season. Forty-eight Holstein Friesian heifers grazed on ryegrass-dominant pasture and were divided into two groups based on their high and low Balanced Performance Index (HBPI and LBPI, respectively). Each group was further stratified into six plots, with similar BW, resulting in four heifers per replication group. Data from the five measurement days were averaged for individual cows to analyse the dry matter intake, nitrogen intake and nitrogen excretion. The statistical model included the treatment effect of BPI (H and L) and means were analysed using ANOVA. The pasture quality was poor, with metabolizable energy 9.3 MJ/Kg DM and crude protein 5.9% on a DM basis. Nitrogen intake and urinary nitrogen excretion were significantly higher (p  <  0.05) in HBPI compared to the LBPI. However, despite these differences, the study did not find any advantages of having HBPI heifer grazing on low quality forage in terms of BW performance.

Stochastic scheduling of autonomous mobile robots at hospitals

This paper studies the scheduling of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at hospitals where the stochastic travel times and service times of AMRs are affected by the surrounding environment. The routes of AMRs are planned to minimize the daily cost of the hospital (including the AMR fixed cost, penalty cost of violating the time window, and transportation cost). To efficiently generate high-quality solutions, some properties are identified and incorporated into an improved tabu search (I-TS) algorithm for problem-solving. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that the I-TS algorithm outperforms existing methods by producing high-quality solutions. Based on the characteristics of healthcare requests and the AMR working environment, scheduling AMRs reasonably can effectively provide medical services, improve the utilization of medical resources, and reduce hospital costs.

[Research advances on allergen component-resolved diagnosis in respiratory allergic diseases]

Allergen component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) is an emerging molecular diagnostic technology, which can further clarify the protein profile of allergen components in allergic patients, achieve accurate detection of allergens, and have great significance and value for the precise prevention and treatment of allergic diseases. In this article, the CRD technology and its research progress in respiratory allergic diseases are introduced, and the importance of CRD in the evaluation, prevention and treatment of respiratory allergic diseases are discussed.

Phase 1/2 Study of the Pan-PIM Kinase Inhibitor INCB053914 Alone or in Combination With Standard-of-Care Agents in Patients With Advanced Hematologic Malignancies

BACKGROUND

The Proviral Integration site of Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM) kinases are implicated in tumorigenesis; the pan-PIM kinase inhibitor, INCB053914, demonstrated antitumor activity in hematologic malignancy preclinical models.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This phase 1/2 study evaluated oral INCB053914 alone or combined with standard-of-care agents for advanced hematologic malignancies (NCT02587598). In Parts 1/2 (monotherapy), patients (≥18 years) had acute leukemia, high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm, myelofibrosis (MF), multiple myeloma, or lymphoproliferative neoplasms. In Parts 3/4 (combination therapy), patients had relapsed/refractory or newly diagnosed (≥65 years, unfit for intensive chemotherapy) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or MF with suboptimal ruxolitinib response.

RESULTS

Parts 1/2 (n = 58): 6 patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), most commonly aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase-elevated (AST/ALT; each n = 4). Fifty-seven patients (98.3%) had treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), most commonly ALT-elevated and fatigue (36.2% each); 48 (82.8%) had grade ≥3 TEAEs, most commonly anemia (31.0%); 8 (13.8%) had grade ≥3 ALT/AST-elevated TEAEs. Parts 3/4 (n = 39): for INCB053914 + cytarabine (AML; n = 6), 2 patients experienced DLTs (grade 3 maculopapular rash, n = 1; grade 3 ALT-elevated and grade 4 hypophosphatemia, n = 1); for INCB053914 + azacitidine (AML; n = 16), 1 patient experienced a DLT (grade 3 maculopapular rash). Two complete responses were observed (1 with incomplete count recovery). For INCB053914 + ruxolitinib (MF; n = 17), no DLTs occurred; 3 patients achieved best reduction of >25% spleen volume at week 12 or 24.

CONCLUSION

INCB053914 was generally well tolerated as monotherapy and in combinations; TEAEs were most commonly ALT/AST-elevated. Limited responses were observed with combinations. Future studies are needed to identify rational, effective combination strategies.

Correlation between bone mineral density and sarcopenia in US adults: a population-based study

INTRODUCTION

In the aging process of the body, in addition to changes in fat and muscle content, there is also bone loss, implying the possibility of a strong muscle-bone-lipid link. In this study, we initially investigated the relationship between lumbar BMD and low muscle mass and the relationship between "muscle-bone-lipid."

METHODS

The datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2018 were used in a cross-sectional investigation. BMD and appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and appendicular skeletal muscle was adjusted by body mass index (BMI) as a marker of sarcopenia. Weighted multivariate regression and logistic regression analysis were used to explore the independent relationship between lumbar BMD and sarcopenia. Fitted smoothing curves and threshold effect analysis were used to describe the nonlinear relationship.

RESULT

In 8386 participants with ages 20-59 years, there was a negative association between lumbar BMD and sarcopenia. In the fully adjusted model, the risk of developing sarcopenia decreased by 93% for each 1-unit increase in lumbar BMD (OR = 0.07, 95%CI 0.03-0.20). The risk of sarcopenia was 58% lower in participants in the highest quartile of lumbar BMD than in those in the lowest quartile (OR = 0.42, 95%CI 0.27-0.64). This negative association was more pronounced in the population of women with BMI ≥ 25.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that lumbar BMD is negatively associated with sarcopenia in US adults. The dynamic balance between "muscle-bone-lipid" is likely to be related to the pathogenesis of bone loss.

3D organization of regulatory elements for transcriptional regulation in Arabidopsis

BACKGROUND

Although spatial organization of compartments and topologically associating domains at large scale is relatively well studied, the spatial organization of regulatory elements at fine scale is poorly understood in plants.

RESULTS

Here we perform high-resolution chromatin interaction analysis using paired-end tag sequencing approach. We map chromatin interactions tethered with RNA polymerase II and associated with heterochromatic, transcriptionally active, and Polycomb-repressive histone modifications in Arabidopsis. Analysis of the regulatory repertoire shows that distal active cis-regulatory elements are linked to their target genes through long-range chromatin interactions with increased expression of the target genes, while poised cis-regulatory elements are linked to their target genes through long-range chromatin interactions with depressed expression of the target genes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that transcription factor MYC2 is critical for chromatin spatial organization, and propose that MYC2 occupancy and MYC2-mediated chromatin interactions coordinately facilitate transcription within the framework of 3D chromatin architecture. Analysis of functionally related gene-defined chromatin connectivity networks reveals that genes implicated in flowering-time control are functionally compartmentalized into separate subdomains via their spatial activity in the leaf or shoot apical meristem, linking active mark- or Polycomb-repressive mark-associated chromatin conformation to coordinated gene expression.

CONCLUSION

The results reveal that the regulation of gene transcription in Arabidopsis is not only by linear juxtaposition, but also by long-range chromatin interactions. Our study uncovers the fine scale genome organization of Arabidopsis and the potential roles of such organization in orchestrating transcription and development.

Clashes and crowds: protests, riots, and other mass gathering events in North America 2021-2022

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to provide an overview of the scope and challenges of historic events and help better prepare emergency healthcare services for future similar mass gathering events.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective descriptive analysis of protest and conflict events in North America from 2021 to 2022.

INTRODUCTION

Recent protests, riots, and other conflict events in North America have highlighted the increasing challenges hospital-based and prehospital healthcare providers face. This study provides a retrospective descriptive analysis of protest and conflict events in North America from 2021 to 2022, which may aid emergency healthcare services in understanding the scope and challenges of historic events and help better prepare for future similar mass gathering events.

METHODS

Data collection was performed using a retrospective database search through the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) database. The ACLED database was searched using the internal database search functions for recorded events that occurred in North America from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022. Date, event type, event subtype, the country of incident, and fatality numbers were extracted. The results were exported into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed independently by L.C., H.S., and R.H.

RESULTS

There were a total of 52,529 recorded events of political conflict in North America, with 30,269 events in 2021 and 29,260 in 2022. Political conflict events included protests (40,934, 68.8%), violence against civilians (11,532, 19.4%), strategic developments (2,819, 4.7%), battles (2,293, 3.9%), riots (1,909, 3.2%), and remote violence (42, 0.1%). Violence against civilians caused the highest fatalities (13,466, 82.6%), followed by battles (2,662, 16.3%), riots (111, 0.7%), strategic developments, remote violence, and protests (57, 6, and 3 respectively).

CONCLUSION

Mexico and the United States accounted for most of the political conflicts in North America across 2021 and 2022. In Mexico, protests and violence against civilians were the most common types of conflict, with the latter accounting for the comparatively high fatality compared with the other countries. Battles in Mexico between cartels were the most deadly political conflicts recorded in North America.

[Clinical effect of the giant deep inferior epigastric artery paraumbilical perforator flap in repairing the circular high-voltage electric burn wounds on the wrist]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of the giant deep inferior epigastric artery paraumbilical perforator flap in repairing the circular high-voltage electric burn wounds on the wrist. Methods: A retrospective observational study method was used. From September 2016 to October 2021, thirteen male patients (aged 20-43 years) with annular high voltage (10-100 kV) electrical burns on the wrist were admitted to the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. At the early stage after injury, the patient's wrist was subjected to incision, tension reduction and debridement, with the wound area after debridement being 27 cm×16 cm-32 cm×19 cm; in 12 patients with vascular injury, the radial or ulnar artery was reconstructed by great saphenous vein transplantation, with the length of 15-25 cm; the wrist wound was repaired by free transplantation of the deep inferior epigastric artery paraumbilical perforator flap (if the wound was giant, the lower abdominal flap carrying other perforators was used), with the area of 30 cm×19 cm-35 cm×20 cm. The donor site was repaired by direct suture+skin grafting or relay flap transplantation. After surgery, the survival of flap in recipient area, as well as survival of the skin or flap in donor site were observed. During follow-up, the appearances of the flap in recipient area and the recovery of hand function, as well as the healing of donor site, occurrence of abdominal wall hernia, and scar in skin graft area were observed. Results: After surgery, all the 13 patients' paraumbilical perforator flaps survived. Among them, 3 patients had subcutaneous fat necrosis at the distal end of the wrist flap, and the wound had mild infection, which healed after re-expansion and dressing change. All the skin grafts in the donor site of 10 patients survived, and the flaps in the donor site of 3 patients survived well. The patients were followed up for 6 months to 3 years. The flaps in recipient area were in good shape, 8 cases had partial recovery of hand function, and 5 cases had loss of finger flexion function; the donor site of abdominal flap healed well with no abdominal hernia occurred, and the skin graft site had no obvious scar hyperplasia and was soft in texture. Conclusions: Early vascular reconstruction after injury, together with free transplantation of the giant deep inferior epigastric artery paraumbilical perforator flap are effective in repairing circular high-voltage electrical burn wounds on the wrist.

Disaggregated Nano-Hydroxyapatite (DnHAP) with Inhibitory Effects on Biofilms and Demineralization

Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP) is considered a biocompatible agent that promotes the remineralization of dental hard tissue; however, its antibacterial efficacy is under scientific discussion. Therefore, this investigation aimed to specify the inhibitory effects of disaggregated nano-hydroxyapatite (DnHAP) on regrown biofilms and demineralization. Regrown biofilm models of single-species (Streptococcus mutans), dual-species (S. mutans and Candida albicans), and saliva-derived microcosm biofilms were established in vitro. Repeat treatment with DnHAP was applied to biofilms. The viability, lactic acid, biofilm structure, biomass, the inhibitory effect of demineralization, and virulence factors' expression were determined. In addition, the biofilm microbial community was analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. DnHAP inhibited metabolism, lactic acid production, biomass, and water-insoluble polysaccharide production (P < 0.05) of regrown single/dual-species biofilms. Concerning the saliva-derived biofilms, samples treated with DnHAP showed lower biofilm metabolic activity without significant differences from samples treated with sterile deionized water (P > 0.05); in addition, saliva-derived biofilms treated with DnHAP exhibited lower lactic acid production (P < 0.05). The demineralization of bovine enamel was the lowest in the DnHAP group, as detected by transverse microradiography, and the lesion depth and volume decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The application of DnHAP did not change the diversity of regrown saliva-derived microcosm biofilms. In conclusion, this investigation showed that DnHAP could be a promising solution for the management of regrown biofilms to combat dental caries.

[Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain: a national multi-center survey of 35 566 population]

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus plays a protective role against osteoporosis --mendelian randomization analysis

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and osteoporosis (OP) are currently the two most significant causes of mortality and morbidity in older adults, according to clinical evidence. The intrinsic link between them is yet unknown, despite reports of their coexistence. By utilizing the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, we sought to evaluate the causal impact of DM2 on OP.

METHODS

The aggregate data of the whole gene-wide association study (GWAS) were analyzed. A two-sample MR analysis was performed using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are strongly associated with DM2, as instrumental variables (IVs) to evaluate the causal analysis of DM2 on OP risk with OR values, using inverse variance weighting, MR-egger regression, and weighted median methods, respectively.

RESULT

A total of 38 single nucleotide polymorphisms were included as tool variables. According to the results of inverse variance-weighted (IVW), we found that there was a causal relationship between DM2 and OP, in which DM2 had a protective effect on OP. For each additional case of DM2, there is a 0.15% decrease in the odds of developing OP (OR = 0.9985;95%confidence interval:0.9974,0.9995; P value = 0.0056). There was no evidence that the observed causal effect between DM2 and the risk of OP was affected by genetic pleiotropy (P = 0.299). Using Cochran Q statistics and MR-Egger regression in the IVW approach, the heterogeneity was calculated; P > 0.05 shows that there is a significant amount of heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

A causal link between DM2 and OP was established by MR analysis, which also revealed that DM2 decreased the occurrence of OP.

Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic-Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the properties of primary cosmic-ray sulfur (S) in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.38×10^{6} sulfur nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment (AMS). We observed that above 90 GV the rigidity dependence of the S flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of Ne-Mg-Si fluxes, which is different from the rigidity dependence of the He-C-O-Fe fluxes. We found that, similar to N, Na, and Al cosmic rays, over the entire rigidity range, the traditional primary cosmic rays S, Ne, Mg, and C all have sizeable secondary components, and the S, Ne, and Mg fluxes are well described by the weighted sum of the primary silicon flux and the secondary fluorine flux, and the C flux is well described by the weighted sum of the primary oxygen flux and the secondary boron flux. The primary and secondary contributions of the traditional primary cosmic-ray fluxes of C, Ne, Mg, and S (even Z elements) are distinctly different from the primary and secondary contributions of the N, Na, and Al (odd Z elements) fluxes. The abundance ratio at the source for S/Si is 0.167±0.006, for Ne/Si is 0.833±0.025, for Mg/Si is 0.994±0.029, and for C/O is 0.836±0.025. These values are determined independent of cosmic-ray propagation.

Dose-response association of Chinese visceral adiposity index with comorbidity of hypertension and diabetes mellitus among elderly people

Background

Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) is a reliable indicator of visceral obesity, but little is known about the association of CVAI with comorbidity of hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aimed to explore the associations of CVAI with HTN-DM comorbidity, HTN or DM, HTN, and DM in elderly people and evaluate the mediating role of insulin resistance in the associations.

Methods

A total of 3,316 Chinese participants aged ≥60 years were included in this cross-sectional study. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic splines were applied to explore the dose-response associations. Mediation analyses were used to assess the mediating effect of triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in the associations.

Results

The prevalence rate of HTN-DM comorbidity, HTN or DM, HTN, and DM was 13.78%, 72.26%, 67.16%, and 18.88%, respectively. Linear associations between CVAI and HTN-DM comorbidity, HTN or DM, HTN, and DM were found, and ORs (95%CIs) were 1.45 (1.30-1.61), 1.39 (1.28-1.52), 1.36 (1.25-1.48), and 1.28 (1.16-1.41) for per SD increase in CVAI. Compared with quartile 1 of CVAI, the risk of HTN-DM comorbidity, HTN or DM, HTN, and DM increased 190%, 125%, 112%, and 96% for quartile 4. In addition, we found TyG index playing a key role in the associations of CVAI with HTN-DM comorbidity, HTN or DM, and DM.

Conclusion

CVAI is linearly and positively correlated with HTN-DM comorbidity, HTN or DM, HTN, and DM. The potential mechanism is insulin resistance largely mediating the associations.

Signal-processing electronics for stable and sensitive weak-field atomic vector magnetometers

We present the electronics developed for a sensitive and stable atomic vector magnetometer used in low-field detections. These electronics are required to be not only highly reliable and sophisticated for signal processing but also compact in size and low cost in resource consumption for the purpose of miniaturization. In addition, this magnetometer works with multiple modulations, where the interferences between harmonics of modulation fields often disturb the long-term measurements of the sensor. We work out a robust method to eliminate this problem by choosing the modulation frequencies with separations to match the minimum response points of the low-pass filters used in the demodulation processes. We validate the performance of the electronics and the frequency-selection scheme of the modulation fields with corresponding experimental results.

Temporal Structures in Electron Spectra and Charge Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.

Abnormalities of regional spontaneous brain activity in poststroke aphasia: a meta-analysis

Poststroke aphasia is an acquired language disorder and has been proven to have adverse effects on patients' social skills and quality of life. However, there are some inconsistencies in the neuroimaging studies investigating poststroke aphasia from the perspective of regional alterations. A meta-analysis has been employed to examine the common pattern of abnormal regional spontaneous brain activity in poststroke aphasia in the current study. Specifically, the Anisotropic effect-size version of seed-based d mapping was utilized, and 237 poststroke aphasia patients and 242 healthy controls (HCs) from 12 resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF, or regional homogeneity were included. The results showed that compared with HCs, patients with poststroke aphasia demonstrated increased regional spontaneous brain activity in the right insula, right postcentral gyrus, left cerebellar lobule IX, left angular gyrus, right caudate nucleus, left parahippocampal gyrus, and right supplementary motor area, and decreased regional spontaneous brain activity in the left cerebellar lobule VI, left median cingulate and paracingulate gyri, right cerebellar crus I, and left supplementary motor area. The study could provide further evidence for pathophysiological mechanism of poststroke aphasia and help find targets for treatment.

Cognitive-pragmatic functions of mitigation in therapeutic conversations emphasizing rapport management

Based on conversations between 15 clients and 5 therapists in the context of daily treatment, this study investigated therapist-client linguistic mitigation in a natural setting. The study found that (1) the therapists and clients mainly used three major types of mitigation, among which illocutionary mitigation and propositional mitigation were employed more frequently. Furthermore, direct dissuasion and disclaimers, as subtypes of mitigators, were the most regularly employed by therapists and clients, respectively. (2) Through cognitive-pragmatic interpretation under rapport management theory, it was found that mitigation in the therapist-client conversations mainly performed cognitive-pragmatic functions in giving the means to preserve positive face, maintaining social rights and concentrating on interactive goals, which were interpenetrated with each other in therapeutic conversations. (3) This study proposed that three cognitive-pragmatic functions jointly devoted to a rapport in therapeutic relationship to reduce therapeutic risk of conflicts.

Making and revising predictive inferences during Chinese narrative text reading: Evidence from an electrophysiological study

The current study employed the event-related potential (ERP) technique to investigate predictive inference revision during Chinese narrative text reading among Chinese native speakers. Experiment 1 studied predictive inference revision by ensuring high contextual constraints for activation of the primary predictive inferences. Experiment 2 inspected the effects of the weaker inference alternatives on the revision process. Longer reading time and less positive mean average amplitude with two subcomponents of P300 (P3a and P3b) in the revise condition suggest that readers could detect inconsistent information and disconfirm the incorrect predictive inferences. However, they have difficulties in either integrating the alternative predictive inferences (N400) or revising the incorrect ones (P600), especially when the alternatives are of weaker activation levels. This study supports the Knowledge Revision Components (KReC) framework by verifying remaining activation of the disconfirmed primary inferences and extends it by considering effects of competitive alternatives on the predictive inference revision process.

Dabrafenib and Trametinib Therapy for Advanced Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer - Real-World Outcomes From UK Centres

AIMS

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare but aggressive form of thyroid cancer with a median survival of 4 months. Recent advances in molecular profiling have shown that up to half of ATCs harbour the BRAF-V600E mutation. The aim of this study was to provide real-world data and experience on the use of combination therapy dabrafenib and trametinib in patients with BRAF-V600E-mutated advanced ATC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients with confirmed BRAF-V600E-mutated ATC, defined as patients with locally advanced or metastatic ATC with no locoregional, radical treatment options. Outcomes measured were overall survival, progression-free survival, response rate, discontinuation rate, dose reduction rate and toxicity data.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients were evaluated and the mean age was 68 years. Ten patients died by the time of censoring. The median duration of follow-up was 12 months (3-43 months). The estimated median overall survival was 6.9 months (95% confidence interval 2.46 months - upper confidence interval not reached) and the median progression-free survival was 4.7 months (95% confidence interval 1.4-7.8 months). Dose interruptions and/or reductions were common, but none of the patients had to permanently discontinue treatment because of toxicities. Severe toxicities (grades 3 and 4) were uncommon.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the indication of dabrafenib and trametinib in BRAF-V600E-mutated ATC as an effective and well-tolerated treatment in an historically difficult to treat cancer.

Knowledge and willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine: a survey from Anhui Province, China

OBJECTIVES

Vaccinations can prevent COVID-19 and control its spread quickly and efficiently. This study aimed to investigate knowledge and willingness of geriatric care facility staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and to provide a basis for the government to promote the COVID-19 vaccine and guide people to get vaccinated.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Data on characteristics of the participants, knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine, and willingness to get vaccinated for COVID-19 were collected through an online survey from May 19 to June 18, 2021. Statistical analyses were conducted with ANOVA, chi-square, logistic regression.

RESULTS

The survey illustrated that the highest score of COVID-19 vaccine knowledge was 50, the lowest 20, and the average 44.22. It also demonstrated that 91.3% of the participants had a good knowledge of COVID-19 vaccine, and that 97.3% participants were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The results showed that geriatric care facility staff had varied level of the COVID-19 vaccine knowledge depending upon their age, educational background, and other factors, and correspondingly, their willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccine was affected by their knowledge level of COVID-19 vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, the participants, the staff of geriatric care facilities in Anhui Province, had good mastery of the COVID-19 vaccine, and they were willing to get vaccinated. However, there still existed a few participants with poor knowledge, who were unwilling to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Government can guide people to accept vaccination by enhancing publicity about the effects and adverse reactions of COVID-19 vaccines.

[Characteristics and significance of outer retinal thickness changes in reticular macular disease]

Objective: To study the characteristics and significance of changes in the thickness of the outer retinal layer (ORL) outside the macula in patients with reticular macular disease (RMD). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. The clinical data of patients who visited the Department of Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from February to September 2019 were retrospectively collected. Thirty-one patients with at least one eye (54 eyes in total) diagnosed with early/mid-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were consecutively included in the AMD group, and 33 patients with at least one eye (64 eyes in total) showing subretinal wart-like deposits on optical coherence tomography images were consecutively included in the RMD group. Thirty-two volunteers aged between 50 to 90 years with a normal fundus in both eyes (64 eyes in total) were consecutively included in the healthy control (HC) group. Frequency domain optical coherence tomography was applied to examine and analyze the thickness features of the ORL, inner retinal layer and choroid at the macular fovea (F), 2 mm of the temporal edge (T), the nasal edge (N), the superior edge (S) and inferior edge (I) of the macular fovea in each group. The correlations of the thickness of ORL with the choroidal thickness and the blood flow density of the choriocapillaris layer in patients with RMD were also analyzed. Results: The thickness of ORL at the F, T, S and I sites in the RMD group was significantly thinner than that in the AMD and HC groups. The difference was most obvious at the F site [(90.27±8.93), (98.04±11.7) and (97.19±7.02)μm] in the RMD, AMD and HC groups, respectively; all P<0.01). In the logistic regression model with independent variables of the ORL thickness at the macular F site, gender and age, there was a significant association between the thickness of ORL at the F site and the incidence of RMD (odds ratio=0.926, P<0.05). The ORL and choroid in the eyes of patients with RMD were significantly thinner at the F site [(90.27±8.93) and (163.21±72.43) μm, respectively; both P<0.01] compared with the AMD [(98.04±11.7) and (235.34±64.15) μm, respectively] and HC [(97.19±7.02) and (240.08±62.27) μm, respectively] groups. However, the ORL and choroidal thickness did not show significant and strong linear correlations at multiple sites. In contrast, there was a significant linear correlation between the blood flow density of the choriocapillaris layer and the thickness of ORL at the F, T and S sites in patients with RMD (r=0.487, 0.722, 0.467, respectively; all P<0.05). Conclusions: The thickness of ORL outside the macula of eyes with RMD is thinner than that of healthy eyes and eyes with early/mid-stage AMD. The thinning of ORL outside the macula is related to the decrease in the blood flow density of the choriocapillaris layer in patients with RMD.

The atypical functional connectivity of Broca's area at multiple frequency bands in autism spectrum disorder

As a developmental disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has drawn much attention due to its severe impacts on one's language capacity. Broca's area, an important brain region of the language network, is largely involved in language-related functions. Using the Autism Brain Image Data Exchange (ABIDE) dataset, a mega-analysis was performed involving a total of 1454 participants (including 618 individuals with ASD and 836 healthy controls (HCs). To detect the neural pathophysiological mechanism of ASD from the perspective of language, we conducted a functional connectivity (FC) analysis with Broca's area as the seed in multiple frequency bands (conventional: 0.01-0.08 Hz; slow-4: 0.027-0.073 Hz; slow-5: 0.01-0.027 Hz). We found that compared with HC, ASD patients demonstrated increased FC in the left thalamus, left precuneus, left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, and left medial orbital of the superior frontal gyrus in the conventional frequency band (0.01-0.08 Hz). The results of the slow-5 frequency band (0.01-0.027 Hz) presented increased FC values of the left precuneus, left medial orbital of the superior frontal gyrus, right medial orbital of the superior frontal gyrus and right thalamus. No significant cluster was detected in the slow-4 frequency band (0.027-0.073 Hz). In conclusion, the abnormal functional connectivity in patients with ASD has frequency-specific properties. Furthermore, the slow-5 frequency band (0.01-0.027 Hz) mainly contributed to the findings of the conventional frequency band (0.01-0.08 Hz). The current study might shed new light on the neural pathophysiological mechanism of language impairments in people with ASD.

Altered resting state dynamic functional connectivity of amygdala subregions in patients with autism spectrum disorder: A multi-site fMRI study

BACKGROUND

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with altered brain connectivity. Previous studies have focused on the static functional connectivity pattern from amygdala subregions in ASD while ignoring its dynamics. Considering that dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) can provide different perspectives, the present study aims to investigate the dFC pattern of the amygdala subregions in ASD patients.

METHODS

Data of 618 ASD patients and 836 typical controls (TCs) of 30 sites were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database. The sliding window approach was applied to conduct seed-based dFC analysis. The seed regions were bilateral basolateral (BLA) and centromedial-superficial amygdala (CSA). A two-sample t-test was done at each site. Image-based meta-analysis (IBMA) based on the results from all sites was performed. Correlation analysis was conducted between the dFC values and the clinical scores.

RESULTS

The ASD patients showed lower dFC between the left BLA and the bilateral inferior temporal (ITG)/left superior frontal gyrus, between the right BLA and right ITG/right thalamus/left superior temporal gyrus, and between the right CSA and middle temporal gyrus. The ASD patients showed higher dFC between the left BLA and temporal lobe/right supramarginal gyrus, between the right BLA and left calcarine gyrus, and between the left CSA and left calcarine gyrus. Correlation analysis revealed that the symptom severity was positively correlated with the dFC between the bilateral BLA and ITG in ASD.

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal dFC of the specific amygdala subregions may provide new insights into the pathological mechanisms of ASD.

Regional homogeneity alterations in multifrequency bands in patients with basal ganglia stroke: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the spontaneous regional neural activity abnormalities in patients with acute basal ganglia ischemic stroke (BGIS) using a multifrequency bands regional homogeneity (ReHo) method and to explore whether the alteration of ReHo values was associated with clinical characteristics.

Methods

In this study, 34 patients with acute BGIS and 44 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. All participants were examined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). The ReHo method was used to detect the alterations of spontaneous neural activities in patients with acute BGIS. A two-sample t-test comparison was performed to compare the ReHo value between the two groups, and a Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between the regional neural activity abnormalities and clinical characteristics.

Results

Compared with the HCs, the patients with acute BGIS showed increased ReHo in the left caudate and subregions such as the right caudate and left putamen in conventional frequency bands. In the slow-5 frequency band, patients with BGIS showed decreased ReHo in the left medial cingulum of BGIS compared to the HCs and other subregions such as bilateral caudate and left putamen. No brain regions with ReHo alterations were found in the slow-4 frequency band. Moreover, we found that the ReHo value of left caudate was positively correlated with the NIHSS score.

Conclusion

Our findings revealed the alterations of ReHo in patients with acute BGIS in a specific frequency band and provided a new insight into the pathogenesis mechanism of BGIS. This study demonstrated the frequency-specific characteristics of ReHo in patients with acute BGIS, which may have a positive effect on the future neuroimaging studies.