Non-coding RNAs in acute ischemic stroke: from brain to periphery

Acute ischemic stroke is a clinical emergency and a condition with high morbidity, mortality, and disability. Accurate predictive, diagnostic, and prognostic biomarkers and effective therapeutic targets for acute ischemic stroke remain undetermined. With innovations in high-throughput gene sequencing analysis, many aberrantly expressed non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the brain and peripheral blood after acute ischemic stroke have been found in clinical samples and experimental models. Differentially expressed ncRNAs in the post-stroke brain were demonstrated to play vital roles in pathological processes, leading to neuroprotection or deterioration, thus ncRNAs can serve as therapeutic targets in acute ischemic stroke. Moreover, distinctly expressed ncRNAs in the peripheral blood can be used as biomarkers for acute ischemic stroke prediction, diagnosis, and prognosis. In particular, ncRNAs in peripheral immune cells were recently shown to be involved in the peripheral and brain immune response after acute ischemic stroke. In this review, we consolidate the latest progress of research into the roles of ncRNAs (microRNAs, long ncRNAs, and circular RNAs) in the pathological processes of acute ischemic stroke-induced brain damage, as well as the potential of these ncRNAs to act as biomarkers for acute ischemic stroke prediction, diagnosis, and prognosis. Findings from this review will provide novel ideas for the clinical application of ncRNAs in acute ischemic stroke.

Preparation and bioevaluation of a novel 99mTc-labelled propylene amine oxime (PnAO) containing two 4-methyl-2-nitroimidazole groups as a promising tumor hypoxia imaging agent

Hypoxia is a common phenomenon in solid tumors, and its presence inhibits the efficacy of tumor chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Accurate measurement of hypoxia before tumor treatment is essential. Three propylene amine oxime (PnAO) derivatives with different substituents attached to 2-nitroimidazole were synthesized in the work, they are 3,3,9,9-tetramethyl-1,11-bis(4-bromo-2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-4,8-diazaundecane-2,10-dione dioxime (Br2P2), 3,3,9,9-tetramethyl-1,11-bis(4-methyl-2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-4,8-diazaundecane-2,10-dione dioxime (Me2P2) and 3,3,9,9-tetramethyl-1,11-bis(4,5-dimethyl-2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-4,8-diazaundecane-2,10-dione dioxime (2Me2P2). The three compounds were radiolabeled with 99mTc to give three complexes([99mTc]Tc-Br2P2, [99mTc]Tc-Me2P2 and [99mTc]Tc-2Me2P2) with good in vitro stability. [99mTc]Tc-Me2P2 with a more suitable reduction potential had the highest hypoxic cellular uptake, compared with [99mTc]Tc-2P2 that have been previously reported, [99mTc]Tc-Br2P2 and [99mTc]Tc-2Me2P2. Biodistribution results in S180 tumor-bearing mice demonstrated that [99mTc]Tc-Me2P2 had the highest tumor-to-muscle (T/M) ratio (12.37 ± 1.16) at 2 h in the four complexes. Autoradiography and immunohistochemical staining results revealed that [99mTc]Tc-Me2P2 specifically targeted tumor hypoxic regions. The SPECT/CT imaging results showed that [99mTc]Tc-Me2P2 could target the tumor site. [99mTc]Tc-Me2P2 may become a potential hypoxia imaging agent.

Polyethylene and sulfa antibiotic remediation in soil using a multifunctional degrading bacterium

To obtain a multifunctional bacterium that can effectively degrade polyethylene (PE) and sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs), PE and SAs were selected as the primary research objects. Multifunctional degrading bacteria were isolated and screened from an environment in which plastics and antibiotics have existed for a long time. An efficient degrading strain, Raoultella sp., was screened by measuring the degradation performance of PE and SAs. We analyzed the changes in the microbial community of indigenous bacteria using 16S rRNA. After 60 d of degradation at 28 °C, the Raoultella strain to PE degradation rate was 4.20 %. The SA degradation rates were 96 % (sulfonathiazole, (ST)), 86 % (sulfamerazine, (SM)), 72 % (sulfamethazine, (SM2)) and 64 % (sulfamethoxazole, (SMX)), respectively. This bacterium increases the surface roughness of PE plastic films and produces numerous gullies, pits, and folds. In addition, after 60 d, the contact angle of the plastic film decreased from 92.965° to 70.205°, indicating a decrease in hydrophobicity. High-throughput sequencing analysis of the degrading bacteria revealed that the Raoultella strain encodes enzymes involved in PE and SA degradation. The results of this study not only provide a theoretical basis for further study of the degradation mechanism of multifunctional and efficient degrading bacteria but also provide potential strain resources for the biodegradation of waste plastics and antibiotics in the environment.

Clinical and cardiac MRI characteristics: prognosis in patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy

AIMS

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is recognized as a type of non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). To date, the clinical prognosis of ACM remains a topic of debate in previous studies and there are limited studies on its cardiac MRI characteristics. The aim of this study was to summarize the clinical and MRI features of ACM patients and to identify the predictors of adverse prognosis based on clinical characteristics and MRI imaging findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adult patients who were clinically diagnosed with ACM and underwent enhanced CMR between September 2015 and August 2022 were retrospectively enrolled. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events, including cardiac-related death, heart transplantation, hospitalization for heart failure and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or ICD shock). The risk factors associated with these primary end points were identified using multivariable Cox analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 62 ACM patients (50 ± 9 years, 62 men) were included. The majority of patients presented with symptoms of heart failure. Over a median follow-up period of 30.3 months (IQR 12.2-57.7 months), 24 patients reached the primary endpoints. For clinical variables, multivariable analysis showed that drinking duration (HR=1.05; 95%CI:1.01, 1.11; p=0.03) and persistent drinking (HR=3.71; 95%CI:1.46, 9.44; p=0.01) were associated with MACE. For CMR variables, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) percent (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.14; p<0.001) stood out as an independent predictor for MACE.

CONCLUSIONS

In ACM patients, persistent drinking and cardiac MRI-defined myocardial scar were associated with adverse outcomes such as cardiac death, heart transplantation, hospitalization for heart failure or life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

MA-MIL: Sampling point-level abnormal ECG location method via weakly supervised learning

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Current automatic electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnostic systems could provide classification outcomes but often lack explanations for these results. This limitation hampers their application in clinical diagnoses. Previous supervised learning could not highlight abnormal segmentation output accurately enough for clinical application without manual labeling of large ECG datasets.

METHOD

In this study, we present a multi-instance learning framework called MA-MIL, which has designed a multi-layer and multi-instance structure that is aggregated step by step at different scales. We evaluated our method using the public MIT-BIH dataset and our private dataset.

RESULTS

The results show that our model performed well in both ECG classification output and heartbeat level, sub-heartbeat level abnormal segment detection, with accuracy and F1 scores of 0.987 and 0.986 for ECG classification and 0.968 and 0.949 for heartbeat level abnormal detection, respectively. Compared to visualization methods, the IoU values of MA-MIL improved by at least 17 % and at most 31 % across all categories.

CONCLUSIONS

MA-MIL could accurately locate the abnormal ECG segment, offering more trustworthy results for clinical application.

Component Patterns and Survival Outcomes in Patients with Mixed Malignant Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors: A Retrospective Cohort Study

AIMS

To evaluate the component patterns and risk stratification in patients with mixed malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (mMOGCT).

METHODS

A retrospective study of 70 mMOGCT patients treated in our hospital between 2000 and 2022 was conducted. The recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and risk stratification systems based on scoring the identified prognostic factors were assessed.

RESULTS

Yolk sac tumor component was the most common type (80%), followed by dysgerminoma (50%), immature teratoma (40%), embryonic carcinoma (27.1%), and chorionic carcinoma (15.7%). The 5-year RFS and DSS rates were 77.9% and 87.9%, respectively. International federation of gynecology and obstetrics (FIGO) stage III-IV (RR 3.253, P = 0.029) and normalization of tumor marker (TM) ≤ 3 cycles of chemotherapy (RR 6.249, P = 0.017) were risk factors for RFS and DSS, respectively. Significant DSS (RR 8.268, P = 0.006) was also noted between patients who had normalized TM ≤ 4 and ≥5 cycles of chemotherapy. FIGO stages I-II and stages III-IV were scored as 0 and 2, respectively. AFP normalization ≤3, 4, and ≥5 cycles of chemotherapy were scored as 0, 1, and 4, respectively. A total score of 0, 1-2, and ≥3 stratified patients into low-risk (43 patients), intermediate-risk (13 patients), and high-risk groups (14 patients), respectively. Patients in three risk stratifications manifested significant differences in DSS (P = 0.010) but not in RFS (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Distinct different component patterns existed among mMOGCT patients, and predicting survival outcomes in a universal model was challenging.

Breastfeeding and risk of food allergy and allergic rhinitis in offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

The association between breastfeeding and the occurrence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and food allergy (FA) in offspring remains inconclusive. This review aims to comprehensively explore the potential relationships between various patterns and durations of breastfeeding and allergic diseases in offspring. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, WOS databases, and Google Scholar for observational studies published up to March 30, 2023, that investigated the link between breastfeeding and allergies in offspring. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated employing an appropriate model based on the degree of heterogeneity. A total of 68 studies, encompassing 772,142 children, were ultimately included. The findings indicated that breastfeeding for more than 6 months was associated with a reduced risk of AR (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79 to 0.98) but posed a risk for FA (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.27 to 2.25). Exclusive breastfeeding exhibited a protective effect against AR (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90 to 0.97), whereas non-breastfeeding was identified as a risk factor for AR (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.03 to 2.12). No significant association was observed between breastfeeding patterns and FA.

CONCLUSION

Breastfeeding for more than 6 months proves to be an effective preventive measure against AR. However, large prospective high-quality studies are needed to investigate the potential risk of FA in children with prolonged breastfeeding.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• The impact of breastfeeding on allergic rhinitis and food allergy in offspring is controversial. • Previous meta-analyses fail to prove the effect of breastfeeding on food allergy in offspring of all ages.

WHAT IS NEW

• Breastfeeding for more than 6 months proves to be an effective preventive measure against AR. However, it potentially elevates the risk of FA in children. Non-breastfeeding is linked to an increased risk of AR in children, but there is no evidence of an association between breastfeeding patterns and FA in children. • The impact of breastfeeding on allergic rhinitis and food allergy in offspring may vary with the time and pattern of breastfeeding.

Sex-specific association of serum dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate levels with osteoporosis in type 2 diabetes

INTRODUCTION

This study is to investigate the relation between serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEAS) levels and the risk of osteoporosis in patients with T2DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 938 hospitalized patients with T2DM. Linear regression models were used to explore the relationship between DHEA and DHEAS and the BMD at different skeletal sites. Multinominal logistic regression models and the restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to evaluate the associations of DHEA and DHEAS with the risks of osteopenia and/or osteoporosis.

RESULTS

In postmenopausal women with T2DM, after adjustment for confounders including testosterone and estradiol, DHEA showed a significant positive correlation with lumbar spine BMD (P = 0.013). Moreover, DHEAS exhibited significant positive correlations with BMD at three skeletal sites: including femoral neck, total hip, and lumbar spine (all P < 0.05). Low DHEA and DHEAS levels were associated with increased risk of osteopenia and/or osteoporosis (all P < 0.05) and the risk of osteoporosis gradually decreased with increasing DHEAS levels (P overall = 0.018, P-nonlinear = 0.559). However, DHEA and DHEAS levels in men over the age of 50 with T2DM were not associated with any of above outcomes.

CONCLUSION

In patients with T2DM, independent of testosterone and estradiol, higher DHEA and DHEAS levels are associated with higher BMD and lower risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis in postmenopausal women but not men over the age of 50.

Advances and challenges in the removal of organic pollutants via sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes by Fe-based metal-organic frameworks: A review

Organic contaminants, notorious for their complexity and resistance to degradation, are prevalent in aquatic environments, posing severe threats to ecosystems. Sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs), known for their stability and high effectiveness, have become a common choice for treating organic wastewater. Metal-organic framework materials (MOFs) have garnered substantial attention due to their facile chemical manipulation, unique structural configurations, and other favorable properties. Therefore, this article critically reviews recent advances in research involving the utilization of Fe-based MOFs (Fe-MOFs) and their derivatives in SR-AOPs. Specifically, it highlights the manipulation of influencing factors within the system to enhance the degradation of organic pollutants. The mechanisms and applications underlying the degradation of organic pollutants in the SR-AOPs system are also elucidated.

miR394 modulates brassinosteroid signaling to regulate hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis

The interplay between microRNAs (miRNAs) and phytohormones allows plants to integrate multiple internal and external signals to optimize their survival of different environmental conditions. Here, we report that miR394 and its target gene LEAF CURLING RESPONSIVENESS (LCR), which are transcriptionally responsive to BR, participate in BR signaling to regulate hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Phenotypic analysis of various transgenic and mutant lines revealed that miR394 negatively regulates BR signaling during hypocotyl elongation, whereas LCR positively regulates this process. Genetically, miR394 functions upstream of BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), BRASSINAZOLEs RESISTANT1 (BZR1), and BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR1 (BES1), but interacts with BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1) and BRI1 SUPRESSOR PROTEIN (BSU1). RNA-sequencing analysis suggested that miR394 inhibits BR signaling through BIN2, as miR394 regulates a significant number of genes in common with BIN2. Additionally, miR394 increases the accumulation of BIN2 but decreases the accumulation of BZR1 and BES1, which are phosphorylated by BIN2. MiR394 also represses the transcription of PACLOBUTRAZOL RESISTANCE1/5/6 and EXPANSIN8, key genes that regulate hypocotyl elongation and are targets of BZR1/BES1. These findings reveal a new role for a miRNA in BR signaling in Arabidopsis.

The complexity of glucose time series is associated with short- and long-term mortality in critically ill adults: a multi-center, prospective, observational study

BACKGROUND

The wealth of data taken from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) remains to be fully used. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between a promising new CGM metric, complexity of glucose time series index (CGI), and mortality in critically ill patients.

METHODS

A total of 293 patients admitted to mixed medical/surgical intensive care units from 5 medical centers in Shanghai were prospectively included between May 2020 and November 2021. CGI was assessed using intermittently scanned CGM, with a median monitoring period of 12.0 days. Outcome measures included short- and long-term mortality.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 1.7 years, a total of 139 (47.4%) deaths were identified, of which 73 (24.9%) occurred within the first 30 days after ICU admission, and 103 (35.2%) within 90 days. The multivariable-adjusted HRs for 30-day mortality across ascending tertiles of CGI were 1.00 (reference), 0.68 (95% CI 0.38-1.22) and 0.36 (95% CI 0.19-0.70), respectively. For per 1-SD increase in CGI, the risk of 30-day mortality was decreased by 51% (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.35-0.69). Further adjustment for HbA1c, mean glucose during hospitalization and glucose variability partially attenuated these associations, although the link between CGI and 30-day mortality remained significant (per 1-SD increase: HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.40-0.83). Similar results were observed when 90-day mortality was considered as the outcome. Furthermore, CGI was also significantly and independently associated with long-term mortality (per 1-SD increase: HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.61-0.97).

CONCLUSIONS

In critically ill patients, CGI is significantly associated with short- and long-term mortality.

Understanding the drying mechanism of straw substrate culture block: Physicochemical properties, pore structure, and drying optimization

As a new type of agricultural waste block substrate utilization, the initial wet base state of the substrate culture block needs to be dried. Therefore, studying the drying mechanism of substrate culture block is critical. In this study, the substrate culture block in a dry state was taken as the research object. Based on physical and chemical properties, the internal section of the substrate culture block was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and the pore condition of the particles was quantified. The results showed that the internal pore structure was uniform and favorable for plant root growth. Based on the pore structure, pore channel modeling was constructed to investigate the distribution of the internal multiphase medium and to distinguish between channels and pore-blind channels. The applicability of the modeling was verified and discussed. By measuring the drying rate of the substrate culture block and classifying its drying stages as fast speed, constant speed, and slow speed, it is clarified that the forms of moisture existence are bound-state water and free-state water, and the moisture migration is prioritized as surface adsorption water, interparticle water, particle attached water, and capillary water. Innovate a method to quantify the change of pore space in the drying process by pore coefficient ratio to evaluate the drying quality. The results show that when the pore coefficient ratio is about 40 %, its moisture content is 20 %∼30 %, and the drying effect is best at this time. The physical drying test further confirmed the correctness of the conclusion of the drying stage division and water loss law. This study can provide a theoretical reference for the modeling study of the pore structure of the block matrix and the exploration of its drying mechanism.

Generation of allogeneic CAR-NKT cells from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells using a clinically guided culture method

Cancer immunotherapy with autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells faces challenges in manufacturing and patient selection that could be avoided by using 'off-the-shelf' products, such as allogeneic CAR natural killer T (AlloCAR-NKT) cells. Previously, we reported a system for differentiating human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells into AlloCAR-NKT cells, but the use of three-dimensional culture and xenogeneic feeders precluded its clinical application. Here we describe a clinically guided method to differentiate and expand IL-15-enhanced AlloCAR-NKT cells with high yield and purity. We generated AlloCAR-NKT cells targeting seven cancers and, in a multiple myeloma model, demonstrated their antitumor efficacy, expansion and persistence. The cells also selectively depleted immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenviroment and antagonized tumor immune evasion via triple targeting of CAR, TCR and NK receptors. They exhibited a stable hypoimmunogenic phenotype associated with epigenetic and signaling regulation and did not induce detectable graft versus host disease or cytokine release syndrome. These properties of AlloCAR-NKT cells support their potential for clinical translation.

Identification and validation of stable reference genes for RT-qPCR analyses of Kobresia littledalei seedlings

BACKGROUND

Kobreisa littledalei, belonging to the Cyperaceae family is the first Kobresia species with a reference genome and the most dominant species in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau alpine meadows. It has several resistance genes which could be used to breed improved crop varieties. Reverse Transcription Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) is a popular and accurate gene expression analysis method. Its reliability depends on the expression levels of reference genes, which vary by species, tissues and environments. However, K.littledalei lacks a stable and normalized reference gene for RT-qPCR analysis.

RESULTS

The stability of 13 potential reference genes was tested and the stable reference genes were selected for RT-qPCR normalization for the expression analysis in the different tissues of K. littledalei under two abiotic stresses (salt and drought) and two hormonal treatments (abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA)). Five algorithms were used to assess the stability of putative reference genes. The results showed a variation amongst the methods, and the same reference genes showed tissue expression differences under the same conditions. The stability of combining two reference genes was better than a single one. The expression levels of ACTIN were stable in leaves and stems under normal conditions, in leaves under drought stress and in roots under ABA treatment. The expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expression was stable in the roots under the control conditions and salt stress and in stems exposed to drought stress. Expression levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were stable in stems of ABA-treated plants and in the roots under drought stress. Moreover, RPL6 expression was stable in the leaves and stems under salt stress and in the stems of the GA-treated plants. EF1-alpha expression was stable in leaves under ABA and GA treatments. The expression levels of 28 S were stable in the roots under GA treatment. In general, ACTIN and GAPDH could be employed as housekeeping genes for K. littledalei under different treatments.

CONCLUSION

This study identified the best RT-qPCR reference genes for different K. littledalei tissues under five experimental conditions. ACTIN and GAPDH genes can be employed as the ideal housekeeping genes for expression analysis under different conditions. This is the first study to investigate the stable reference genes for normalized gene expression analysis of K. littledalei under different conditions. The results could aid molecular biology and gene function research on Kobresia and other related species.

[Genetic analysis of a Chinese pedigree affected with Brachydactyly type B1 due to a novel variant of ROR2 gene]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the genetic basis for a Chinese pedigree affected with Brachydactyly type B1 (BDB1) through whole exome sequencing (WES).

METHODS

A BDB1 pedigree admitted to the Affiliated Women and Children's Hospital of Qingdao University on June 25, 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the pedigree was collected with informed consent. WES was carried out for the proband, and candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing and bioinformatic analysis.

RESULTS

WES and Sanger sequencing had identified a heterozygous c.2257delT variant in the ROR2 gene of the proband and his affected father, which has conformed to an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was classified to be likely pathogenic (PVS1_Strong+PM2 Supporting+PP4).

CONCLUSION

The c.2257delT variant of the ROR2 gene was unreported previously and is strongly correlated with the BDB1-like phenotype in this pedigree. Above finding has enriched the mutational spectrum of the ROR2 gene and facilitated the diagnosis and genetic counseling for this pedigree.

An electrochemical aptasensor based on silver-thiolated graphene for highly sensitive detection of Pb2

The presence of lead ions (Pb2+) in the environment not only leads to environmental contamination but also poses a significant risk to public health through their migration into food and drinking water. Therefore, the development of rapid and effective techniques for detection of trace amounts of Pb2+ is crucial for safeguarding both the environment and biosafety. In this study, an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor was developed for specific detection of Pb2+ by modifying a polylysine (PLL) coated silver-thiolated graphene (Ag-SH-G) nanocomposite (PLL/Ag-SH-G) on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode, which was further modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for attachment of aptamers (Apt) that specifically recognized Pb2+. The Ag-SH-G particles were synthesized using a one-step in situ method, resulting in significantly enhanced electrochemical properties upon incorporating Ag nanoparticles into the PLL/Ag-SH-G composite. Coating of the covalently or no-covalently bonded Ag-SH-G particles with PLL provides an excellent supporting matrix, facilitating the assembly of AuNPs and a thiol-modified aptamer for Pb2+. Under optimized conditions, Apt/AuNPs/PLL/Ag-SH-G/GCE exhibited excellent sensing performance for Pb2+ with a wide linear response range (10-1000 nM), a low detection limit (0.047 nM) and extraordinary selectivity. The sensor was employed and satisfactory results were obtained in river water, soil and vegetable samples for the detection of Pb2+.

Association between egg consumption and mortality risk in United States adults with established coronary heart disease or stroke: A cohort study using data from NHANES 1999-2018

BACKGROUND

To investigate the relationship between egg consumption and mortality in individuals with pre-existing coronary heart disease or stroke.

METHODS

This study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 1999 and 2018. Egg consumption was evaluated through 24 h dietary recalls at baseline. Mortality status was tracked until December 31, 2019. Survey-weighted Cox proportional hazards models were utilized.

RESULTS

The study involved 3,975 participants aged 20 years or older with a median follow-up of 89.00 months. A total of 1,675 individuals died during follow-up. Compared to individuals who did not consume eggs, the consumption of 0-50 g/day (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.033, 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.878-1.214) was not found to have a significant association with all-cause mortality. However, consuming 50-100 g/day (HR = 1.281, 95% CI = 1.004-1.635) and >100 g/day (HR = 1.312, 95% CI =1.036-1.661) exhibited a significant association with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. We identified a non-liner relationship between egg consumption and cardiovascular mortality, where the risk was found to be lowest at an intake of about 50 g/day. For individuals consuming more than 50 g/day, each additional 50 g increment in egg consumption was significantly linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR = 1.276, 95% CI = 1.009-1.614).

CONCLUSION

In U.S. adults with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, a significant positive association was found between consuming over 50 g of eggs per day and the risk of mortality, highlighting the importance of moderate intake.

Oxidation effects on Microcystis aeruginosa inactivation through various reactive oxygen species: Degradation efficiency, mechanisms, and physiological properties

The study investigated the inactivation of Microcystis aeruginosa using a combined approach involving thermally activated peroxyacetic acid (Heat/PAA) and thermally activated persulfate (Heat/PDS). The Heat/PDS algal inactivation process conforms to first-order reaction kinetics. Both hydroxyl radical (•OH) and sulfate radical (SO4-•) significantly impact the disruption of cell integrity, with SO4-• assuming a predominant role. PAA appears to activate organic radicals (RO•), hydroxyl (•OH), and a minimal amount of singlet oxygen (1O2). A thorough analysis underscores persulfate's superior ability to disrupt algal cell membranes. Additionally, SO4-• can convert small-molecule proteins into aromatic hydrocarbons, accelerating cell lysis. PAA can accelerate cell death by diffusing into the cell membrane and triggering advanced oxidative reactions within the cell. This study validates the effectiveness of the thermally activated persulfate process and the thermally activated peroxyacetic acid as strategies for algae inactivation.

Associations of ambient temperature and total cloud cover during pregnancy with newborn vitamin D status

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to estimate the effects of temperature and total cloud cover before birth on newborn vitamin D status.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective birth cohort.

METHODS

This study included 2055 mother-newborn pairs in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. The data of temperature and total cloud cover from 30 days before birth were collected, and cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were determined. Restricted cubic spline regression models, multiple linear regression models, and logistic regression models were applied to estimate the associations.

RESULTS

A "J" shaped curve was observed between temperature and vitamin D status, and an inverse "J" shaped curve was observed between total cloud cover and vitamin D status. Compared to the fourth quartile (75-100th percentile, Q4) of average temperature (30 days before birth), the odds ratio (OR) for Q1 (0-25th percentile) associated with the vitamin D deficiency occurrence (<20 ng/mL) was 3.63 (95% CI, 1.54, 8.65). Compared to Q1 of the average total cloud cover (30 days before birth), the OR associated with the occurrence of vitamin D deficiency was 2.38 (95% CI, 1.63, 3.50) for the Q4.

CONCLUSIONS

Low temperature and high cloud cover before delivery were significantly associated with an increased probability of vitamin D deficiency in newborns. The findings suggested that pregnancy women lacking sufficient sunlight exposure still need vitamin D supplement to overcome the potential vitamin D deficiency status.

Impulse oscillometry in the diagnosis of cough variant asthma in children

BACKGROUND

Cough variant asthma (CVA) is one of the most common causes of chronic cough in children worldwide. The diagnosis of CVA in children remains challenging. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of impulse oscillometry (IOS) pulmonary function in children with CVA.

METHODS

This study included children aged 4 to 12 years diagnosed with CVA who underwent IOS pulmonary function and bronchodilation (BD) tests. A control group of healthy children was matched. Pre- and post-BD IOS parameters were recorded and presented as mean ± standard deviation or median. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the discriminatory potential of the IOS parameters for diagnosing CVA.

RESULTS

A total of 180 patients with CVA and 65 control subjects were included. The baseline IOS parameters in the CVA group, except X5%pred, were significantly greater compared to the control group. After inhalation of salbutamol sulfate, all IOS parameters improved significantly in the CVA group. However, Z5%pred, R5%pred, and R20%pred remained greater in the CVA group compared to the control group. The improvement rates of IOS parameters in the CVA group significantly surpassed those in the control group. The ROC curve results for pre-BD IOS parameters and the improvement rate during the BD test showed that the combinations of pre-Z5%pred+△Z5% and pre-R5%pred+△R5% achieved the highest AUC value of 0.920 and 0.898, respectively. The AUC values of these combined parameters surpassed those of individual ones.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights that children with CVA exhibit greater IOS parameters compared to healthy children. The changes in IOS parameters during the BD test provided valuable diagnostic information for CVA, and the combination of various parameters can help pediatricians accurately identify CVA in children.

Genetic variants for head size share genes and pathways with cancer

The size of the human head is highly heritable, but genetic drivers of its variation within the general population remain unmapped. We perform a genome-wide association study on head size (N = 80,890) and identify 67 genetic loci, of which 50 are novel. Neuroimaging studies show that 17 variants affect specific brain areas, but most have widespread effects. Gene set enrichment is observed for various cancers and the p53, Wnt, and ErbB signaling pathways. Genes harboring lead variants are enriched for macrocephaly syndrome genes (37-fold) and high-fidelity cancer genes (9-fold), which is not seen for human height variants. Head size variants are also near genes preferentially expressed in intermediate progenitor cells, neural cells linked to evolutionary brain expansion. Our results indicate that genes regulating early brain and cranial growth incline to neoplasia later in life, irrespective of height. This warrants investigation of clinical implications of the link between head size and cancer.

Hydrazyl hydroxycoumarins as new potential conquerors towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A class of unique hydrazyl hydroxycoumarins (HHs) as novel structural scaffold was developed to combat dreadful bacterial infections. Some HHs could effectively suppress bacterial growth at low concentrations, especially, pyridyl HH 7 exhibited a good inhibition against Pseudomonas aeruginosa 27853 with a low MIC value of 0.5 μg/mL, which was 8-fold more active than norfloxacin. Furthermore, pyridyl HH 7 with low hemolytic activity and low cytotoxicity towards NCM460 cells showed much lower trend to induce the drug-resistant development than norfloxacin. Preliminarily mechanism exploration indicated that pyridyl HH 7 could eradicate the integrity of bacterial membrane, result in the leakage of intracellular proteins, and interact with bacterial DNA gyrase via non-covalent binding, and ADME analysis manifested that compound 7 gave good pharmacokinetic properties. These results suggested that the newly developed hydrazyl hydroxycoumarins as potential multitargeting antibacterial agents should be worthy of further investigation for combating bacterial infection.

Fibroblast growth factor 21: An emerging pleiotropic regulator of lipid metabolism and the metabolic network

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was originally identified as an important metabolic regulator which plays a crucial physiological role in regulating a variety of metabolic parameters through the metabolic network. As a novel multifunctional endocrine growth factor, the role of FGF21 in the metabolic network warrants extensive exploration. This insight was obtained from the observation that the FGF21-dependent mechanism that regulates lipid metabolism, glycogen transformation, and biological effectiveness occurs through the coordinated participation of the liver, adipose tissue, central nervous system, and sympathetic nerves. This review focuses on the role of FGF21-uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) signaling in lipid metabolism and how FGF21 alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Additionally, this review reveals the mechanism by which FGF21 governs glucolipid metabolism. Recent research on the role of FGF21 in the metabolic network has mostly focused on the crucial pathway of glucolipid metabolism. FGF21 has been shown to have multiple regulatory roles in the metabolic network. Since an adequate understanding of the concrete regulatory pathways of FGF21 in the metabolic network has not been attained, this review sheds new light on the metabolic mechanisms of FGF21, explores how FGF21 engages different tissues and organs, and lays a theoretical foundation for future in-depth research on FGF21-targeted treatment of metabolic diseases.

Supramolecular deep eutectic solvent: a powerful tool for pre-concentration of trace metals in edible oil

The utilization of supramolecular deep eutectic solvent eddy-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction utilizing 2-hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin (SUPRADES) has been identified as a successful method for pre-enriching Cu, Zn, and Mn in vegetable oil samples. Determination of each element was conducted by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after digestion of metal-enriched phases. Various parameters were examined, including the composition of SUPRADES species [2HP-β-CD: DL-lactic acid], a cyclodextrin mass ratio of 20 wt%, a water bath temperature of 75 °C, an extractor volume of 800 μL, a dispersant volume of 50 μL, and an eddy current time of 5 min. Optimal conditions resulted in extraction rates of 99.6% for Cu, 105.2% for Zn, and 101.5% for Mn. The method exhibits a broad linear range spanning from 10 to 20,000 μg L-1, with determination coefficients exceeding 0.99 for all analytes. Enrichment coefficients of 24, 21, and 35 were observed. Limits of detection ranged from 0.89 to 1.30 μg L-1, while limits of quantification ranged from 3.23 to 4.29 μg L-1. The unique structural characteristics of the method enable the successful determination of trace elements in a variety of edible vegetable oils.

IFITM1 and IFITM2 inhibit the replication of senecavirus A by positive feedback with RIG-I signaling pathway

The role of host factors in the replication of emerging senecavirus A (SVA) which induced porcine idiopathic vesicular disease (PIVD) distributed worldwide remains obscure. Here, interferon-induced transmembrane (IFITM) protein 1 and 2 inhibit SVA replication by positive feedback with RIG-I signaling pathway was reported. The expression levels of IFITM1 and IFITM2 increased significantly in SVA infected 3D4/21 cells. Infection experiments of cells with over and interference expression of IFITM1 and IFITM2 showed that these two proteins inhibit SVA replication by regulating the expression of interferon beta (IFN-β), IFN-stimulated gene 15 (ISG-15), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IFN regulatory factor-3 (IRF3), and IRF7. Further results showed that antiviral responses of IFITM1 and IFITM2 were achieved by activating retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling pathway which in turn enhanced the expression of IFITM1 and IFITM2. It is noteworthy that conserved domains of these two proteins also paly the similar role. These findings provide new data on the role of host factors in infection and replication of SVA and help to develop new agents against the virus.

Peripheral cutaneous synucleinopathy characteristics in genetic Parkinson's disease

Background

Cutaneous phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (p-α-syn) deposition is an important biomarker of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD). Recent studies have reported synucleinopathies in patients with common genetic forms of PD.

Objective

This study aimed to detect p-α-syn deposition characteristic in rare genetic PD patients with CHCHD2 or RAB39B mutations. Moreover, this study also aimed to describe peripheral alpha-synuclein prion-like activity in genetic PD patients, and acquire whether the cutaneous synucleinopathy characteristics of genetic PD are consistent with central neuropathologies.

Methods

We performed four skin biopsy samples from the distal leg (DL) and proximal neck (C7) of 161 participants, including four patients with CHCHD2 mutations, two patients with RAB39B mutations, 16 patients with PRKN mutations, 14 patients with LRRK2 mutations, five patients with GBA mutations, 100 iPD patients, and 20 healthy controls. We detected cutaneous synucleinopathies using immunofluorescence staining and a seeding amplification assay (SAA). A systematic literature review was also conducted, involving 64 skin biopsies and 205 autopsies of genetic PD patients with synucleinopathy.

Results

P-α-syn was deposited in the peripheral cutaneous nerves of PD patients with CHCHD2, LRRK2, or GBA mutations but not in those with RAB39B or PRKN mutations. There were no significant differences in the location or rate of α-syn-positive deposits between genetic PD and iPD patients. Peripheral cutaneous synucleinopathy appears to well represent brain synucleinopathy of genetic PD, especially autosomal dominant PD (AD-PD). Cutaneous α-synuclein SAA analysis of iPD and LRRK2 and GBA mutation patients revealed prion-like activity.

Conclusion

P-α-syn deposition in peripheral cutaneous nerves, detected using SAA and immunofluorescence staining, may serve as an accurate biomarker for genetic PD and iPD in the future.

Cannabidiol Exerts Sedative and Hypnotic Effects in Normal and Insomnia Model Mice Through Activation of 5-HT1A Receptor

Cannabis sativa has been used for improving sleep for long history. Cannabidiol (CBD) has drown much attention as a non-addictive psychoactive component in Cannabis sativa extract. However, the effects of CBD on sleep architecture and it's acting mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the sedative-hypnotic effect of cannabidiol (CBD), assessed the effects of CBD on sleep using a wireless physiological telemetry system. We further explored the therapeutic effects of CBD using 4-chloro-dl-phenylalanine (PCPA) induced insomnia model and changes in sleep latency, sleep duration and intestinal flora were evaluated. CBD shortened sleep latency and increases sleep duration in both normal and insomnia mice, and those effects were blocked by 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635. We determined that CBD increases 5-HT1A receptors expression and 5-HT content in the hypothalamus of PCPA-pretreated mice and affects tryptophan metabolism in the intestinal flora. These results showed that activation of 5-HT1A receptors is one of the potential mechanisms underlying the sedative-hypnotic effect of CBD. This study validated the effects of CBD on sleep and evaluated its potential therapeutic effects on insomnia.

A nomogram based on neuron-specific enolase and substantia nigra hyperechogenicity for identifying cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease

Background

One in four individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience cognitive impairment (CI). However, few practical models integrating clinical and neuroimaging biomarkers have been developed to address CI in PD. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between circulating neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels, substantia nigra hyperechogenicity (SNH), and cognitive function in PD and to develop a nomogram based on clinical and neuroimaging biomarkers for predicting CI in patients with PD.

Methods

A total of 385 patients with PD who underwent transcranial sonography (TCS) from January 2021 to December 2022 at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, were recruited as the training cohort. For validation, 165 patients with PD treated from January 2023 to December 2023 were enrolled. Data for SNH, plasma NSE, and other clinical measures were collected, and cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Logistic regression analysis was employed to select potential risk factors and establish a nomogram. The receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration curve were generated to evaluate the performance of the nomogram.

Results

Patients with PD exhibiting CI displayed advanced age, elevated Unified PD Rating Scale-III (UPDRS-III) score, an increased percentage of SNH, higher levels of plasma NSE and homocysteine (Hcy), a larger SNH area, and lower education levels compared to PD patients without CI. Gender [odds ratio (OR) =0.561, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.330-0.954, P=0.03], age (OR =1.039; 95% CI: 1.011-1.066; P=0.005), education level (OR =0.892; 95% CI: 0.842-0.954; P<0.001), UPDRS-III scores (OR =1.026; 95% CI: 1.009-1.043; P=0.003), plasma NSE concentration (OR =1.562; 95% CI: 1.374-1.776; P<0.001), and SNH (OR =0.545; 95% CI: 0.330-0.902; P=0.02) were independent predictors of CI in patients with PD. A nomogram developed using these six factors yielded a moderate discrimination performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.823 (95% CI 0.781-0.864; P<0.001). The calibration curve demonstrated acceptable agreement between predicted outcomes and actual values. Validation further confirmed the reliability of the nomogram, with an AUC of 0.864 (95% CI: 0.805-0.922; P<0.001).

Conclusions

The level of NSE in plasma and the SNH assessed by TCS are associated with CI in patients with PD. The proposed nomogram has the potential to facilitate the detection of cognitive decline in individuals with PD.

Boosting knowledge diversity, accuracy, and stability via tri-enhanced distillation for domain continual medical image segmentation

Domain continual medical image segmentation plays a crucial role in clinical settings. This approach enables segmentation models to continually learn from a sequential data stream across multiple domains. However, it faces the challenge of catastrophic forgetting. Existing methods based on knowledge distillation show potential to address this challenge via a three-stage process: distillation, transfer, and fusion. Yet, each stage presents its unique issues that, collectively, amplify the problem of catastrophic forgetting. To address these issues at each stage, we propose a tri-enhanced distillation framework. (1) Stochastic Knowledge Augmentation reduces redundancy in knowledge, thereby increasing both the diversity and volume of knowledge derived from the old network. (2) Adaptive Knowledge Transfer selectively captures critical information from the old knowledge, facilitating a more accurate knowledge transfer. (3) Global Uncertainty-Guided Fusion introduces a global uncertainty view of the dataset to fuse the old and new knowledge with reduced bias, promoting a more stable knowledge fusion. Our experimental results not only validate the feasibility of our approach, but also demonstrate its superior performance compared to state-of-the-art methods. We suggest that our innovative tri-enhanced distillation framework may establish a robust benchmark for domain continual medical image segmentation.

Bioresorbable Multilayer Organic-Inorganic Films for Bioelectronic Systems

Bioresorbable electronic devices as temporary biomedical implants represent an emerging class of technology relevant to a range of patient conditions currently addressed with technologies that require surgical explantation after a desired period of use. Obtaining reliable performance and favorable degradation behavior demands materials that can serve as biofluid barriers in encapsulating structures that avoid premature degradation of active electronic components. Here, this work presents a materials design that addresses this need, with properties in water impermeability, mechanical flexibility, and processability that are superior to alternatives. The approach uses multilayer assemblies of alternating films of polyanhydride and silicon oxynitride formed by spin-coating and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition , respectively. Experimental and theoretical studies investigate the effects of material composition and multilayer structure on water barrier performance, water distribution, and degradation behavior. Demonstrations with inductor-capacitor circuits, wireless power transfer systems, and wireless optoelectronic devices illustrate the performance of this materials system as a bioresorbable encapsulating structure.

Hierarchical Self-Assembly Molecular Building Blocks as Intelligent Nanoplatforms for Ovarian Cancer Theranostics

Hierarchical self-assembly from simple building blocks to complex polymers is a feasible approach to constructing multi-functional smart materials. However, the polymerization process of polymers often involves challenges such as the design of building blocks and the drive of external energy. Here, a hierarchical self-assembly with self-driven and energy conversion capabilities based on p-aminophenol and diethylenetriamine building blocks is reported. Through β-galactosidase (β-Gal) specific activation to the self-assembly, the intelligent assemblies (oligomer and superpolymer) with excellent photothermal and fluorescent properties are dynamically formed in situ, and thus the sensitive multi-mode detection of β-Gal activity is realized. Based on the overexpression of β-Gal in ovarian cancer cells, the self-assembly superpolymer is specifically generated in SKOV-3 cells to achieve fluorescence imaging. The photothermal therapeutic ability of the self-assembly oligomer (synthesized in vitro) is evaluated by a subcutaneous ovarian cancer model, showing satisfactory anti-tumor effects. This work expands the construction of intelligent assemblies through the self-driven cascade assembly of small molecules and provides new methods for the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.

Application of PLGA in Tumor Immunotherapy

Biodegradable polymers have been extensively researched in the field of biomedicine. Polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), a biodegradable polymer material, has been widely used in drug delivery systems and has shown great potential in various medical fields, including vaccines, tissue engineering such as bone regeneration and wound healing, and 3D printing. Cancer, a group of diseases with high mortality rates worldwide, has recently garnered significant attention in the field of immune therapy research. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the delivery function of PLGA in tumor immunotherapy. In tumor immunotherapy, PLGA can serve as a carrier to load antigens on its surface, thereby enhancing the immune system's ability to attack tumor cells. Additionally, PLGA can be used to formulate tumor vaccines and immunoadjuvants, thereby enhancing the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy. PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) can also enhance the effectiveness of tumor immunotherapy by regulating the activity and differentiation of immune cells, and by improving the expression and presentation of tumor antigens. Furthermore, due to the diverse physical properties and surface modifications of PLGA, it has a wider range of potential applications in tumor immunotherapy through the loading of various types of drugs or other innovative substances. We aim to highlight the recent advances and challenges of plga in the field of oncology therapy to stimulate further research and development of innovative PLGA-based approaches, and more effective and personalized cancer therapies.

The miR184-3p targets neuron-specific ecdysone inducible protein 78 to promote rice black streaked dwarf virus propagation in its planthopper vector

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that play a pivotal role in antiviral infection. The miR184-3p has been identified to promote rice black streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) infection in vector Laodelphax striatellus, whether it targets other genes of L. striatellus to modulate RBSDV propagation remains unknown.

RESULTS

We first analyzed the expression profiles of miR184-3p and its role in regulating RBSDV infection in L. striatellus. Then the candidate genes expression of miR184-3p were systemically analyzed with gain and loss function of miR184-3p, and the interaction of candidate gene, ecdysone inducible protein 78 (Eip78) with miR184-3p was verified by dual luciferase reporter assay. We found Eip78 is evolutionary conserved among agricultural pests and predominantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) of L. striatellus. Knockdown of Eip78 effectively increased RBSDV propagation and transmission. Blockade with Eip78 antibody or injection with Eip78 protein could significantly regulate RBSDV infection. Further analysis revealed that knockdown of Eip78 specifically suppresses RBSDV infection in the head part but not in the body part of L. striatellus. Besides, knockdown of ecdysone receptor (EcR) notably restricted Eip78 expression and increased RBSDV accumulation in L. striatellus.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, we identified a novel target gene of miR184-3p, Eip78, a member of the ecdysone signaling pathway, and revealed the anti-RBSDV role of Eip78 in the CNS of L. striatellus. These results shed light on the interaction mechanisms of miRNAs, virus and ecdysone signaling pathway in insect vector. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nosocomial Infections After Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease Surgery: Data from National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in China

Purpose

Infection prevention and control (IPC) has a significant impact on the prognosis after pediatric cardiac surgery. This study aimed to provide surveillance data on the incidence and density of various infections during the COVID-19 epidemic and explore the influence of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) on in-hospital prognosis after congenital heart disease surgery.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study included pediatric patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 2021 and 2022. The results of the postoperative bacterial and fungal cultures and antimicrobial stewardship were collected. The demographic characteristics (age and weight), operation-related parameters (RACHS-1 grade, duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic cross clamp), and surgical outcomes (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, delayed sternal closure, mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of intensive care unit stay and hospital stay, and hospitalization costs) of MDRO and non-MDRO patients were compared.

Results

A total of 4776 patients were included. There were 101 infectious culture results after the operation, with a nosocomial infection rate of 2.1%. There were 40 MDRO specimens from 36 patients, 50 non-MDRO specimens from 30 patients, and 11 fungal specimens from 10 patients. The incidence of pneumonia was 1.5%, with a ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence density of 7.2/1000 patient-days. The incidence of sepsis was 0.4%, with a catheter-related bloodstream infection incidence density of 0.24/ 1000 patient-days. The incidence density of catheter-associated tract infection was 0.45/ 1000 patient-days. The incidence of surgical site infection was 0.06%. The culture proportion before commencing antibiotics was 93% and the antibiotic consumption intensity was 30.7 DDD/100 bed-days. The length of intensive care unit stay in MDRO infection patients increased compared with that in non-MDRO infection patients, 30 (18,52) vs 17 (7,62) days, p=0.05).

Conclusion

The IPC performance of Fuwai Hospital achieved satisfactory results. MDRO infection can lead to prolonged intensive care unit stay.

[Long-term outcome of patients with rectal cancer who achieve complete or near complete clinical responses after neoadjuvant therapy: a multicenter registry study of data from the Chinese Watch and Wait Database]

Objective: To report the long-term outcomes of Chinese rectal cancer patients after adopting a Watch and Wait (W&W) strategy following neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study was based on real-world data. The study cohort comprised rectal cancer patients who had achieved complete or near complete clinical responses (cCRs, near-cCRs) after NAT and were thereafter managed by a W&W approach, as well as a few patients who had achieved good responses after NAT and had then undergone local excision for confirmation of pathological complete response. All participants had been followed up for ≥2 years. Patients with distant metastases at baseline or who opted for observation while living with the tumor were excluded. Data of eligible patients were retrospectively collected from the Chinese Wait-and-Watch Data Collaboration Group database. These included baseline characteristics, type of NAT, pre-treatment imaging results, evaluation of post-NAT efficacy, salvage measures, and treatment outcomes. We herein report the long-term outcomes of Chinese rectal cancer patients after NAT and W&W and the differences between the cCR and near-cCR groups. Results: Clinical data of 318 rectal cancer patients who had undergone W&W for over 2 years and been followed up were collected from eight medical centers (Peking University Cancer Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Liaoning Cancer Hospital, the First Hospital of Jilin University, and Yunnan Cancer Hospital.) The participants comprised 221 men (69.4%) and 107 women (30.6%) of median age 60 (26-86) years. The median distance between tumor and anal verge was 3.4 (0-10.4) cm. Of these patients, 291 and 27 had achieved cCR or near-cCR, respectively, after NAT. The median duration of follow-up was 48.4 (10.2-110.3) months. The 5-year cumulative overall survival rate was 92.4% (95%CI: 86.8%-95.7%), 5-year cumulative disease-specific survival (CSS) rate 96.6% (95%CI: 92.2%-98.5%), 5-year cumulative organ-preserving disease-free survival rate 86.6% (95%CI: 81.0%-90.7%), and 5-year organ preservation rate 85.3% (95%CI: 80.3%-89.1%). The overall 5-year local recurrence and distant metastasis rates were 18.5% (95%CI: 14.9%-20.8%) and 8.2% (95%CI: 5.4%-12.5%), respectively. Most local recurrences (82.1%, 46/56) occurred within 2 years, and 91.0% (51/56) occurred within 3 years, the median time to recurrence being 11.7 (2.5-66.6) months. Most (91.1%, 51/56) local recurrences occurred within the intestinal lumen. Distant metastases developed in 23 patients; 60.9% (14/23) occurred within 2 years and 73.9% (17/23) within 3 years, the median time to distant metastasis being 21.9 (2.6-90.3) months. Common sites included lung (15/23, 65.2%), liver (6/23, 26.1%), and bone (7/23, 30.4%) The metastases involved single organs in 17 patients and multiple organs in six. There were no significant differences in overall, cumulative disease-specific, or organ-preserving disease-free survival or rate of metastases between the two groups (all P>0.05). The 5-year local recurrence rate was higher in the near-cCR than in the cCR group (41.6% vs. 16.4%, P<0.01), with a lower organ preservation rate (69.2% vs. 88.0%, P<0.001). The success rates of salvage after local recurrence and distant metastasis were 82.1% (46/56) and 13.0% (3/23), respectively. Conclusion: Rectal cancer patients who achieve cCR or near-cCR after NAT and undergo W&W have favorable oncological outcomes and a high rate of organ preservation. Local recurrence and distant metastasis during W&W follow certain patterns, with a relatively high salvage rate for local recurrence. Our findings highlight the importance of close follow-up and timely intervention during the W&W process.

[Role of neoadjuvant rectal score in prognosis and adjuvant chemotherapy decision-making in locally advanced rectal cancer following neoadjuvant short-course radiotherapy and consolidation chemotherapy]

Objectives: To assess the prognostic impact of the neoadjuvant rectal (NAR) score following neoadjuvant short-course radiotherapy and consolidation chemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), as well as its value in guiding decisions for adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: Between August 2015 and August 2018, patients were eligible from the STELLAR phase III trial (NCT02533271) who received short-course radiotherapy plus consolidation chemotherapy and for whom the NAR score could be calculated. Based on the NAR score, patients were categorized into low (＜8), intermediate (8-16), and high (＞16) groups. The Kaplan-Meier method, log rank tests, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to evaluate the impact of the NAR score on disease-free survival (DFS). Results: Out of the 232 patients, 24.1%, 48.7%, and 27.2% had low (56 cases), intermediate (113 cases), and high NAR scores (63 cases), respectively. The median follow-up period was 37 months, with 3-year DFS rates of 87.3%, 68.3%, and 53.4% (P＜0.001) for the low, intermediate, and high NAR score groups. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the NAR score (intermediate NAR score: HR, 3.10, 95% CI, 1.30-7.37, P=0.011; high NAR scores: HR=5.44, 95% CI, 2.26-13.09, P＜0.001), resection status (HR, 3.00, 95% CI, 1.64-5.52, P＜0.001), and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 3.25, 95% CI, 2.01-5.27, P＜0.001) were independent prognostic factors for DFS. In patients with R0 resection, the 3-year DFS rates were 97.8% and 78.0% for those with low and intermediate NAR scores who received adjuvant chemotherapy, significantly higher than the 43.2% and 50.6% for those who did not (P＜0.001, P=0.002). There was no significant difference in the 3-year DFS rate (54.2% vs 53.3%, P=0.214) among high NAR score patients, regardless of adjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusions: The NAR score is a robust prognostic indicator in LARC following neoadjuvant short-course radiotherapy and consolidation chemotherapy, with potential implications for subsequent decisions regarding adjuvant chemotherapy. These findings warrant further validation in studies with larger sample sizes.

[Analysis of the safety, accuracy, and factors influencing bleeding complications in CT-guided puncture biopsy of brain occupying lesions]

Objective: To investigate the safety and accuracy of CT-guided intracranial puncture biopsy and the possible influencing factors of postoperative bleeding complications. Methods: A case series study. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 101 patients who underwent CT-guided intracranial puncture biopsy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2017 to December 2021. The basic data of patients and the safety and accuracy of CT-guided intracranial puncture biopsy were analyzed statistically. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen the influencing factors of bleeding complications in CT-guided intracranial puncture biopsy, and the bleeding complications in glioma subgroup were analyzed. Results: Among the 101 patients, 53 were males and 48 were females, aged (53.7±17.2) years. The average diameter of intracranial lesions was (3.5±1.4) cm, while the vertical distance from the lesion to the meninges was (2.4±1.7) cm. The needle's intracranial depth reached (3.2±1.8) cm, with adjustments averaging (3±1) occurrences and an average procedural duration of (40.2±12.9) minutes. Pathological diagnoses included glioma (36 cases), gliosis (3 cases), lymphoma (32 cases), metastatic tumors (7 cases), inflammatory lesions (13 cases), and 10 indeterminate cases. The positive rate of puncture pathology was 90.1% (91/101), and the diagnostic coincidence rate was 94.0% (78/83). The incidence of bleeding complications in CT-guided intracranial puncture biopsy was 26.7% (27/101), of which 23 cases had small intratoma or needle path bleeding, 4 cases had massive bleeding, and 2 cases died. The patients were divided into bleeding group (n=27) and no bleeding group (n=74), according to the presence or absence of bleeding. The results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed that thrombin time≥15 s and the number of needle adjustment were the factors affecting the occurrence of bleeding complications (both P<0.05), and the results of multivariate logistic regression showed that thrombin time≥15 s was the related factor for bleeding. Patients with thrombin time≥15 s had a 3.045 times higher risk of bleeding than those with thrombin time<15 s (OR=3.045,95%CI:1.189-7.799,P=0.020). Among the 101 patients, 36 cases of midbrain glioma were divided into low-grade glioma group (n=11) and high-grade glioma group (n=25) according to the pathological grade. Subgroup analysis showed that the risk of bleeding for high-grade gliomas was 9.231 times higher than that for low-grade gliomas (OR=9.231,95%CI:1.023-83.331,P=0.031). Conclusions: CT-guided intracranial puncture biopsy is safe and feasible with high accuracy. Complication rates are associated with thrombin time≥15 s, especially high-grade glioma, which increases the risk of postoperative bleeding.

Construction of an Immunogenic Cell Death-Related Gene Signature and Genetic Subtypes for Predicting Prognosis, Immune Microenvironments, and Drug Sensitivity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a type of regulated cell death that modifies the immune response by releasing DAMPs or danger signals. Herein, we aimed to develop an ICD-related predictive model for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and investigate its applicability for predicting prognostic outcomes and immunotherapeutic responses.

Methods

Differentially expressed genes of ICD were identified in the HCC and normal liver samples. A prognostic risk model and a nomogram containing clinicopathological features were created. To validate the effectiveness of the model, an external dataset was used. Clinical characteristics, prognosis, tumor mutation burden, immune microenvironments, biological function and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity were evaluated for different genetic subtypes and risk groups.

Results

A total of 35 ICD-related genes (ICDRGs) were identified between HCC and normal samples, 11 of which were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) in HCC patients. Four different genetic subtypes were formed and eight ICDRGs were selected to develop a risk prognostic model. The risk scores were shown to be an independent prognostic factor for HCC and positively correlated with pathological severity. Patients in the high-risk group had a higher frequency of TP53 mutations, increased expression of immune checkpoints and human leukocyte antigen genes. The inhibitory concentrations of chemotherapeutic drugs differed in different populations.

Conclusion

In this study, we developed an ICDRG risk model and demonstrated its applicability in predicting survival outcomes, immune and chemotherapeutic responses in HCC patients. ICDRGs are expected to be used as novel biomarkers in the medical decision-making of HCC.

Exposure to nicotine regulates prostaglandin E2 secretion and autophagy of granulosa cells to retard follicular maturation in mammals

Exposure to nicotine by cigarette smoking have shown strongly defectives on the physiological function of ovaries, which in turn leads to disorders of fertility in women. However, the potential molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we notably found that nicotine was likely to specifically raise the expression of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) to promote the apoptosis and autophagy of granulosa cells (GCs) and block follicular maturation. Moreover, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) inhibited the apoptosis of GCs and facilitated follicular maturation, and nicotine appeared to inhibit PGE2 secretion by freezing the expression of cyclooxygenase 1 (COX1), which was the rate-limiting and essential enzyme for PGE2 synthesis. Epigenetically, the nicotine was observed to diminish the histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac) level and compact the chromatin accessibility in -1776/-1499 bp region of COX1 by evoking the expression of HDAC3, with the deactivated Cas9-HDAC3/sgRNA system. Mechanistically, the COX1 protein was found to pick up and degrade the autophagy related protein beclin 1 (BECN1) to control the autophagy of GCs. These results provided a potential new molecular therapy to recover the damage of female fertility induced by nicotine from cigarette smoking.

[Low-dose CT reconstruction based on high-dimensional partial differential equation projection recovery]

OBJECTIVE

We propose a low-dose CT reconstruction method using partial differential equation (PDE) denoising under high-dimensional constraints.

METHODS

The projection data were mapped into a high-dimensional space to construct a high-dimensional representation of the data, which were updated by moving the points in the high-dimensional space. The data were denoised using partial differential equations and the CT image was reconstructed using the FBP algorithm.

RESULTS

Compared with those by FBP, PWLS-QM and TGV-WLS methods, the relative root mean square error of the Shepp-Logan image reconstructed by the proposed method were reduced by 68.87%, 50.15% and 27.36%, the structural similarity values were increased by 23.50%, 8.83% and 1.62%, and the feature similarity values were increased by 17.30%, 2.71% and 2.82%, respectively. For clinical image reconstruction, the proposed method, as compared with FBP, PWLS-QM and TGV-WLS methods, resulted in reduction of the relative root mean square error by 42.09%, 31.04% and 21.93%, increased the structural similarity values by 18.33%, 13.45% and 4.63%, and increased the feature similarity values by 3.13%, 1.46% and 1.10%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The new method can effectively reduce the streak artifacts and noises while maintaining the spatial resolution in reconstructed low-dose CT images.

[Arbutin ameliorates liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting macrophage recruitment and regulating the Akt/NF-κB and Smad signaling pathways]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective effect of arbutin against CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice and explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Twenty-four C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, and low- and high-dose arbutin treatment (25 and 50 mg/kg, respectively) groups. Mouse models of liver fibrosis were established by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4, and arbutin was administered daily via gavage for 6 weeks. After the treatments, serum biochemical parameters of the mice were tested, and liver tissues were taken for HE staining, Sirius Red staining and immunohistochemical staining. RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA levels of α-SMA, Pdgfb, Col1α1, Timp-1, Ccl2 and Tnf-a, and Western blotting was performed to detect α-SMA protein expression in the liver tissues. In the cell experiment, the effect of arbutin treatment for 24 h on THP-1 and RAW264.7 cell migration and recruitment was examined using Transwell migration assay and DAPI staining; The changes in protein levels of Akt, p65, Smad3, p-Akt, p-p65, p-Smad3 and α-SMA in arbutintreated LX-2 cells were detected with Western blotting.

RESULTS

Arbutin treatment significantly lowered serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, alleviated liver tissue damage and collagen deposition, and reduced macrophage infiltration and α-SMA protein expression in the liver of the mouse models (P < 0.05 or 0.001). Arbutin treatment also significantly reduced CCl4-induced elevation of a-SMA, Pdgfb, Col1α1, Timp-1, Ccl2 and Tnf-a mRNA levels in mice (P < 0.05). In the cell experiment, arbutin treatment obviously inhibited migration and recruitment of THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells and lowered the phosphorylation levels of Akt, p65 and Smad3 and the protein expression level of α-SMA in LX-2 cells.

CONCLUSION

Arbutin ameliorates liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice by inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation via reducing macrophage recruitment and infiltration and suppressing activation of the Akt/NF-κB and Smad signaling pathways.

[A transcriptomic analysis of correlation between mitochondrial function and energy metabolism remodeling in mice with myocardial fibrosis following myocardial infarction]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the changes of mitochondrial respiratory function during myocardial fibrosis in mice with myocardial infarction (MI) and its correlation with the increase of glycolytic flux.

METHODS

Forty C57BL/6N mice were randomized into two equal groups to receive sham operation or ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery to induce acute MI. At 28 days after the operation, 5 mice from each group were euthanized and left ventricular tissue samples were collected for transcriptomic sequencing. FPKM method was used to calculate gene expression levels to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MI mice, which were analyzed using GO and KEGG databases to determine the pathways affecting the disease process. Heat maps were drawn to show the differential expressions of the pathways and the related genes in the enrichment analysis. In primary cultures of neonatal mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), the changes in mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis levels in response to treatment with the pro-fibrotic agonist TGF-β1 were analyzed using Seahorse experiment.

RESULTS

The mouse models of MI showed significantly increased diastolic and systolic left ventricular diameter (P < 0.05) and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (P < 0.0001). A total of 124 up-regulated and 106 down-regulated DEGs were identified in the myocardial tissues of MI mice, and GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in fatty acid metabolism, organelles and other metabolic pathways and in the mitochondria. Heat maps revealed fatty acid beta oxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction and increased glycolysis levels in MI mice. In the primary culture of CFs, treatment with TGF-β1 significantly reduced the basal and maximum respiratory levels and increased the basal and maximum glycolysis levels (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

During myocardial fibrosis, energy metabolism remodeling occurs in the CFs, manifested by lowered mitochondrial function and increased energy generation through glycolysis.

[Jisuikang formula promotes spinal cord injury repair in rats by activating the YAP/PKM2 signaling axis in astrocytes]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of Jisuikang formula-medicated serum for promoting spinal cord injury (SCI) repair in rats and explore the possible mechanism.

METHODS

Thirty adult SD rats were randomized into sham-operated group, SCI (induced using a modified Allen method) model group, and Jisuikang formula-medicated serum treatment group. After the operations, the rats were treated with normal saline or Jisuikang by gavage on a daily basis for 14 days, and the changes in hindlimb motor function of the rats was assessed with Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) scores and inclined-plate test. The injured spinal cord tissues were sampled from the SCI rat models for single-cell RNA sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify the target genes of Jisuikang, spinal cord injury and glycolysis. In the cell experiment, cultured astrocytes from neonatal SD rat cortex were treated with SOX2 alone or in combination with Jisuikang-medicated serum for 21 days, and the protein expressions of PKM2, p-PKM2 and YAP and colocalization of PKM2 and YAP in the cells were analyzed with Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining, respectively.

RESULTS

The SCI rats with Jisuikang treatment showed significantly improved BBB scores and performance in inclined-plate test. At the injury site, high PKM2 expression was detected in various cell types. Bioinformatic analysis identified the HIPPO-YAP signaling pathway as the target pathway of Jisuikang. In cultured astrocytes, SOX2 combined with the mediated serum, as compared with SOX2 alone, significantly increased PKM2, p-PKM2 and YAP expressions and entry of phosphorylated PKM2 into the nucleus, and promoted PKM2 and YAP co-localization in the cells.

CONCLUSION

Jisuikang formula accelerates SCI repair in rats possibly by promoting aerobic glycolysis of the astrocytes via activating the PKM2/YAP axis to induce reprogramming of the astrocytes into neurons.

Novel Measurement of the Neutron Magnetic Form Factor from A=3 Mirror Nuclei

The electromagnetic form factors of the proton and neutron encode information on the spatial structure of their charge and magnetization distributions. While measurements of the proton are relatively straightforward, the lack of a free neutron target makes measurements of the neutron's electromagnetic structure more challenging and more sensitive to experimental or model-dependent uncertainties. Various experiments have attempted to extract the neutron form factors from scattering from the neutron in deuterium, with different techniques providing different, and sometimes large, systematic uncertainties. We present results from a novel measurement of the neutron magnetic form factor using quasielastic scattering from the mirror nuclei ^{3}H and ^{3}He, where the nuclear effects are larger than for deuterium but expected to largely cancel in the cross-section ratios. We extracted values of the neutron magnetic form factor for low-to-modest momentum transfer, 0.6 Collapse

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Affiliation(s)

S N Santiesteban University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
S Li University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
D Abrams University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
S Alsalmi Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44240, USA King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
D Androic University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
K Aniol California State University, Los Angeles, California 90032, USA
J Arrington Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
T Averett William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, USA
C Ayerbe Gayoso William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, USA
J Bane University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37966, USA
S Barcus William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, USA
J Barrow University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37966, USA Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
A Beck Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
V Bellini INFN Sezione di Catania, Italy
H Bhatt Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA
D Bhetuwal Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA
D Biswas Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA
A Camsonne Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
J Castellanos Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
J Chen William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, USA
J-P Chen Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
D Chrisman Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
M E Christy Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
C Clarke Stony Brook, State University of New York, New York 11794, USA
S Covrig Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
R Cruz-Torres Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
D Day University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
D Dutta Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA
E Fuchey University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
C Gal University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
F Garibaldi INFN, Rome, Italy
T N Gautam Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA
T Gogami Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
J Gomez Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
P Guèye Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
T J Hague Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44240, USA
J O Hansen Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
F Hauenstein Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USA
W Henry Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA
D W Higinbotham Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
R J Holt Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
C Hyde Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USA
K Itabashi Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
M Kaneta Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
A Karki Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA
A T Katramatou Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44240, USA
C E Keppel Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
P M King Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA
L Kurbany University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
T Kutz Stony Brook, State University of New York, New York 11794, USA
N Lashley-Colthirst Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA
W B Li William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, USA
H Liu Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
N Liyanage University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
E Long University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
A Lovato Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA Computational Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA INFN-TIFPA Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, 38123 Trento, Italy
J Mammei University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
P Markowitz Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
R E McClellan Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
F Meddi INFN, Rome, Italy
D Meekins Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
R Michaels Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
M Mihovilovič Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Institut für Kernphysik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, DE-55128 Mainz, Germany
A Moyer Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
S Nagao Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
D Nguyen University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
M Nycz Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44240, USA
M Olson Saint Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin 54115, USA
L Ou Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
V Owen William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, USA
C Palatchi University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
B Pandey Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA
A Papadopoulou Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
S Park Stony Brook, State University of New York, New York 11794, USA
T Petkovic University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
S Premathilake University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
V Punjabi Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USA
R D Ransome Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, USA
P E Reimer Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
J Reinhold Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
S Riordan Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
N Rocco Theoretical Physics Department, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
V M Rodriguez División de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Recinto de Cupey, San Juan 00926, Puerto Rico
A Schmidt Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
B Schmookler Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
E P Segarra Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
A Shahinyan Yerevan Physics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia
S Širca Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
K Slifer University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
P Solvignon University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
T Su Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44240, USA
R Suleiman Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
L Tang Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
Y Tian Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA
W Tireman Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan 49855, USA
F Tortorici INFN Sezione di Catania, Italy
Y Toyama Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
K Uehara Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
G M Urciuoli INFN, Rome, Italy
D Votaw Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
J Williamson University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ Scotland, United Kingdom
B Wojtsekhowski Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
S Wood Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606, USA
Z H Ye Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
J Zhang University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
X Zheng University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA

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Bioresorbable, wireless, passive sensors for continuous pH measurements and early detection of gastric leakage

Continuous monitoring of biomarkers at locations adjacent to targeted internal organs can provide actionable information about postoperative status beyond conventional diagnostic methods. As an example, changes in pH in the intra-abdominal space after gastric surgeries can serve as direct indicators of potentially life-threatening leakage events, in contrast to symptomatic reactions that may delay treatment. Here, we report a bioresorbable, wireless, passive sensor that addresses this clinical need, designed to locally monitor pH for early detection of gastric leakage. A pH-responsive hydrogel serves as a transducer that couples to a mechanically optimized inductor-capacitor circuit for wireless readout. This platform enables real-time monitoring of pH with fast response time (within 1 hour) over a clinically relevant period (up to 7 days) and timely detection of simulated gastric leaks in animal models. These concepts have broad potential applications for temporary sensing of relevant biomarkers during critical risk periods following diverse types of surgeries.

Genome assembly of Melilotus officinalis provides a new reference genome for functional genomics

BACKGROUND

Sweet yellow clover (Melilotus officinalis) is a diploid plant (2n = 16) that is native to Europe. It is an excellent legume forage. It can both fix nitrogen and serve as a medicine. A genome assembly of Melilotus officinalis that was collected from Best corporation in Beijing is available based on Nanopore sequencing. The genome of Melilotus officinalis was sequenced, assembled, and annotated.

RESULTS

The latest PacBio third generation HiFi assembly and sequencing strategies were used to produce a Melilotus officinalis genome assembly size of 1,066 Mbp, contig N50 = 5 Mbp, scaffold N50 = 130 Mbp, and complete benchmarking universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCOs) = 96.4%. This annotation produced 47,873 high-confidence gene models, which will substantially aid in our research on molecular breeding. A collinear analysis showed that Melilotus officinalis and Medicago truncatula shared conserved synteny. The expansion and contraction of gene families showed that Melilotus officinalis expanded by 565 gene families and shrank by 56 gene families. The contacted gene families were associated with response to stimulus, nucleotide binding, and small molecule binding. Thus, it is related to a family of genes associated with peptidase activity, which could lead to better stress tolerance in plants.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the latest PacBio technology was used to assemble and sequence the genome of the Melilotus officinalis and annotate its protein-coding genes. These results will expand the genomic resources available for Melilotus officinalis and should assist in subsequent research on sweet yellow clover plants.

Curcumin Supplementation Improves Growth Performance and Anticoccidial Index by Improving the Antioxidant Capacity, Inhibiting Inflammatory Responses, and Maintaining Intestinal Barrier Function in Eimeria tenella-Infected Broilers

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary curcumin supplementation on growth performance, anticoccidial index, antioxidant capacity, intestinal inflammation, and cecum microbiota in broilers infected with Eimeria tenella. A total of 234 one-day-old broilers were categorized into three treatments, with six replicates per treatment containing 13 broilers each. The three treatments included the control group, Eimeria tenella group, and Eimeria tenella + curcumin (200 mg/kg) group. The feeding trial lasted for 42 days, during which the broilers were orally administered with 0.9% saline or 5 × 104Eimeria tenella oocysts on day 14 of the study. On day 17 and day 21, one bird per replicate was selected for slaughtering. Results indicated an increased survival rate and anticoccidial index and improved productive performance in coccidia-infected broilers with curcumin supplementation. Furthermore, curcumin enhanced the serum antioxidant capacity in Eimeria tenella-infected broilers, evidenced by increased serum catalase activity (3d, 7d), as well as decreased malondialdehyde level (3d, 7d) and nitric oxide synthase activity (7d) (p < 0.05). Curcumin also improved intestinal inflammation and barrier function, evidenced by the downregulation of interleukin (IL)-1β (3d, 7d), TNF-alpha (TNF-α) (3d, 7d), and IL-2 (7d) and the up-regulated mRNA levels of claudin-1 (7d), zonula occludens (ZO-1; 3d, 7d), and occludin (3d, 7d) in the ceca of infected broilers (p < 0.05). Eimeria tenella infection significantly disrupted cecum microbial balance, but curcumin did not alleviate cecum microbial disorder in broilers infected with Eimeria tenella. Collectively, curcumin supplementation enhanced growth performance and anticoccidial index in Eimeria tenella-infected broilers via improving antioxidant ability and cecum inflammation without affecting cecum microbiota.

Intelligent perceptual textiles based on ionic-conductive and strong silk fibers

Endowing textiles with perceptual function, similar to human skin, is crucial for the development of next-generation smart wearables. To date, the creation of perceptual textiles capable of sensing potential dangers and accurately pinpointing finger touch remains elusive. In this study, we present the design and fabrication of intelligent perceptual textiles capable of electrically responding to external dangers and precisely detecting human touch, based on conductive silk fibroin-based ionic hydrogel (SIH) fibers. These fibers possess excellent fracture strength (55 MPa), extensibility (530%), stable and good conductivity (0.45 S·m-1) due to oriented structures and ionic incorporation. We fabricated SIH fiber-based protective textiles that can respond to fire, water, and sharp objects, protecting robots from potential injuries. Additionally, we designed perceptual textiles that can specifically pinpoint finger touch, serving as convenient human-machine interfaces. Our work sheds new light on the design of next-generation smart wearables and the reshaping of human-machine interfaces.