[Effects and techniques of soft tissue augmentation in immediate implant treatment]

Immediate implant placement can reduce the number of treatments and the time without teeth, but it carries a higher aesthetic risk. Soft tissue augmentation can reduce the risk of gingival recession to a certain extent, improve the predictability and long-term stability of immediate implant aesthetics, and is currently a hot research topic. A comprehensive understanding of the evidence-based medicine and surgical techniques using soft tissue augmentation in immediate implant surgery can assist in clinical diagnosis, treatment decisions and improve treatment outcomes. This article elucidates the changes in soft and hard tissues after immediate implant placement, aesthetic risks, and risk factors. It also discusses the advantages, timing, material selection, and commonly used clinical techniques of soft tissue transplantation in immediate implantation, aiming to provide reference for clinical doctors to improve the effectiveness of immediate implantation.

[Clinical efficacy of intraarticular vancomycin in preventing early periprosthetic joint infection after primary knee arthroplasty]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of intraarticular vancomycin on early periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in knee arthroplasty and the incidence of postoperative complications. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 1 867 patients who underwent primary knee arthroplasty at Department of Joint Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from April 2022 to June 2023 were retrospectively analysed, including total knee arthroplasty (TKA), robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) and unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA). There were 687 males and 1180 females, aged (68.0±11.2)years(range:45 to 87 years). Patients were divided into the vancomycin group and the control group according to whether or not intra-articular injection of 1 g of vancomycin powder dissolved in 30 ml of saline was performed after intraoperative joint capsule closure. In the vancomycin group, 925 patients were included, including 782 TKA, 27 RA-TKA and 116 UKA.In the control group, 942 patients were included, including 767 TKA, 99 RA-TKA and 76 UKA. Early PJI, wound complications, and vancomycin-related toxicity including acute renal collapse, ototoxicity, and allergic reactions were assessed within 3 months postoperatively. Results: No PJI was found in all patients in the vancomycin group.Five cases (0.7%,5/767) of early PJI were found in TKA patients in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.030); 1 case of early PJI was found in each RA-TKA and UKA patients, with non-significant difference compared with vancomycin group (all P>0.05). Two cases (0.3%,2/782) of incisional complications were found in TKA patients in the vancomycin group, and 4 cases (0.5%, 4/767) of incisional complications were found in TKA patients in the control group, with non-significant difference(P=0.449); no incisional complications were found in RA-TKA patients in the vancomycin group, and 1 case (1.0%,1/99) of incisional complications were found in RA-TKA patients in the control group, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05); no incisional complications were found in both groups of UKA patients.No vancomycin-related acute kidney injury, ototoxicity, or allergic reactions was observed in all patients. Conclusion: Intra-articular injection of 1 g of vancomycin suspension after arthrotomy closure during TKA maybe lower the risk of early PJI without increasing the risk of wound complication and vancomycin-associated systemic toxicity.

Experimental study on opto-acoustic nonlinear frequency-mixing technique with separated basic temperature

Different from the traditional frequency-mixing technique which employs a contacting transducer, the laser-induced acoustic nonlinear frequency-mixing detection technique utilizes a laser source to instigate crack motion and generate acoustic waves. Thus, apart from the temperature oscillation induced by the pump laser, the "basic temperature" originating from the probe laser can also influence the crack. This additional variable complicates the contact state of the crack, yielding a more diverse range of nonlinear acoustic signal attributes. In light of this, our study enhances the conventional opto-acoustic nonlinear frequency mixing experimental setup by integrating an independent heating laser beam. This modification isolates the impact of the "basic temperature" on crack width while also dialing down the probe laser power to mitigate its thermal effects. To amplify the sensitivity of crack detection, we deliberated on the optimal laser source parameters for this setup. Consequently, our revamped system, paired with fine-tuned parameters, captures nonlinear acoustic signals with an enriched feature set. This investigation can provide support for the non-contact opto-acoustic nonlinear frequency mixing technique in the detection and evaluation of micro-cracks.

Study of thermal effects induced by the high-frequency probing laser in nonlinear opto-acoustic frequency-mixing technique

Photo-thermal modulation-based nonlinear opto-acoustic frequency-mixing technique is an effective method for detecting micro-cracks. When using this technique for micro-crack detection, the selection of laser source parameters is particularly crucial. Compared to traditional piezo-transducer-based mixing techniques, the characteristic of using a laser as the detection source is the presence of thermal effects. The thermal effect caused by laser irradiation on the sample surface can not only generate acoustic waves but also affect the crack state, thus influencing nonlinear signals. In this paper, an experimental setup using photo-thermal modulation-based nonlinear opto-acoustic frequency-mixing technique has been set up to investigate the thermal effects of the probe laser source. In addition, a corresponding physical model has been established to discuss the physical mechanisms revealed by the experimental results. This study provides a basis for selecting appropriate probe source parameters and scanning positions of laser sources when detecting micro-cracks using the photo-thermal modulation-based nonlinear opto-acoustic frequency-mixing technique.

Measurements of All-Particle Energy Spectrum and Mean Logarithmic Mass of Cosmic Rays from 0.3 to 30 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A

We present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3-30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15  PeV. Below the knee, the spectral index is found to be -2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is -3.128±0.005±0.027, with the sharpness of the transition measured with a statistical error of 2%. The mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is almost heavier than helium in the whole measured energy range. It decreases from 1.7 at 0.3 PeV to 1.3 at 3 PeV, representing a 24% decline following a power law with an index of -0.1200±0.0003±0.0341. This is equivalent to an increase in abundance of light components. Above the knee, the mean logarithmic mass exhibits a power law trend towards heavier components, which is reversal to the behavior observed in the all-particle energy spectrum. Additionally, the knee position and the change in power-law index are approximately the same. These findings suggest that the knee observed in the all-particle spectrum corresponds to the knee of the light component, rather than the medium-heavy components.

Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of kimura's disease

BACKGROUND

Kimura's disease (KD) is a rare chronic inflammatory condition characterized by nodules and lymphadenopathy in the head and neck region, exhibiting type II inflammation. Dupilumab is commonly used against type II inflammation.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in KD patients.

DESIGN

The real-world study was conducted in a hospital in China.

METHODS

Six male patients with a mean age of 24.50 ± 15.47 years were treated with dupilumab following the same protocol as that for atopic dermatitis (AD). Clinical and laboratory indicators, such as maximum nodule diameter, blood eosinophil count, eosinophil percentage, and total serum IgE levels were assessed at baseline, week 12, and week 24. Adverse events were documented. Paired t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The results showed significant reductions in the longest nodule diameter at week 12 (P = 0.008) and week 24 (P = 0.001) compared to baseline. Blood eosinophil count decreased by 57.95% (P = 0.024) at week 12 and 90.59% (P = 0.030) at week 24. Eosinophil percentage decreased by 58.44% (P = 0.026) at week 12 and 89.37% (P = 0.013) at week 24. Total serum IgE levels decreased by 78.02% (P = 0.040) at week 12 and 89.55% (P = 0.031) at week 24. The presence of AD did not affect the results. One patient experienced temporary facial erythema after 32 weeks of treatment, which resolved with topical treatment. No other adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

Dupilumab demonstrated effectiveness in treating KD without severe adverse events.

Biocontrol and Growth Promotion Potential of Bacillus subtilis CTXW 7-6-2 against Rhizoctonia solani that Causes Tobacco Target Spot Disease

Fungal diseases form perforated disease spots in tobacco plants, resulting in a decline in tobacco yield and quality. The present study investigated the antagonistic effect of Bacillus subtilis CTXW 7-6-2 against Rhizoctonia solani, its ability to promote the growth of tobacco seedlings, and the expression of disease resistance-related genes for efficient and eco-friendly plant disease control. Our results showed that CTXW 7-6-2 had the most vigorous growth after being cultured for 96 h, and its rate of inhibition of R. solani growth in vitro was 94.02%. The volatile compounds produced by CTXW 7-6-2 inhibited the growth of R. solani significantly (by 96.62%). The fungal growthinhibition rate of the B. subtilis CTXW 7-6-2 broth obtained after high-temperature and no-high-temperature sterile fermentation was low, at 50.88% and 54.63%, respectively. The lipopeptides extracted from the B. subtilis CTXW 7-6-2 fermentation broth showed a 74.88% fungal growth inhibition rate at a concentration of 100 mg/l. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed some organelle structural abnormalities, collapse, shrinkage, blurring, and dissolution in the R. solani mycelia. In addition, CTXW 7-6-2 increased tobacco seedling growth and improved leaf and root weight compared to the control. After CTXW 7-6-2 inoculation, tobacco leaves showed the upregulation of the PDF1.2, PPO, and PAL genes, which are closely related to target spot disease resistance. In conclusion, B. subtilis CTXW 7-6-2 may be an efficient biological control agent in tobacco agriculture and enhance plant growth potential.

Dual Role of IGF2BP2 in Osteoimmunomodulation during Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a complex disease characterized by distinct inflammatory stages, with a peak of inflammation in the early phase and less prominent inflammation in the advanced phase. The insulin-like growth factor 2-binding proteins 2 (IGF2BP2) has recently been identified as a new m6A reader that protects m6A-modified messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from decay, thus participating in multiple biological processes. However, its role in periodontitis remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the role of IGF2BP2 in inflammation and osteoclast differentiation using a ligature-induced periodontitis model. Our findings revealed that IGF2BP2 responded to bacterial-induced inflammatory stimuli and exhibited differential expression patterns in early and advanced periodontitis stages, suggesting its dual role in regulating this disease. Depletion of Igf2bp2 contributed to increased release of inflammatory cytokines, thereby exacerbating periodontitis after 3 d of ligature while suppressing osteoclast differentiation and ameliorating periodontitis after 14 d of ligature. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that IGF2BP2 directly interacted with Cd5l and Cd36 mRNA via RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Overexpression of CD36 or recombinant CD5L rescued the osteoclast differentiation ability of Igf2bp2-null cells upon lipopolysaccharide stimulus, and thus the downregulation of Cd36 and Cd5l effectively reversed periodontitis in the advanced stage. Altogether, this study deepens our understanding of the potential mechanistic link among the dysregulated m6A reader IGF2BP2, immunomodulation, and osteoclastogenesis during different stages of periodontitis.

Short-term exposure to gaseous pollutants is neglected factors for knee osteoarthritis: evidence from a humid subtropical region of China

Few studies were performed on the impact of exposure to gaseous pollutants on the risk of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). We conducted this study to analyze the association between short-term exposure to gaseous pollutants and the risk of hospitalizations for KOA. A total of 2952 KOA hospitalizations derived from two hospitals in Hefei, and the relationship between gaseous pollutants and KOA hospitalizations was analyzed by a distributed lag non-linear model combined with a generalized linear model. We found that the decreased risk of hospitalizations for KOA were both related to exposure to NO2 (RR = 0.993, lag19 day) and O3 (RR = 0.984, lag0 day), while exposure to CO could increase the risk of hospitalizations for KOA (RR = 1.076, lag2 day). Stratified analyses suggested that the KOA patients < 65 years were more susceptible to O3 exposure, and the female, male, patients ≥ 65 years, and patients < 65 years were both more sensitive to CO exposure. Our findings demonstrated that exposure to NO2, O3 resulted in a decreased risk for KOA hospitalizations, and CO exposure might increase the risk of KOA hospitalizations.

[Killing effect of anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells on ovarian epithelial cancer cells]

Objective: To investigate the cytotoxic effects of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells of anti-mesothelin (MSLN)-chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cells (anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cells) on ovarian epithelial cancer cells. Methods: Twenty cases of ovarian cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment at Henan Provincial People's Hospital from September 2020 to September 2021 were collected, and 20 cases of normal ovarian tissues resected during the same period due to other benign diseases were also collected. (1) Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to verify the expression of MSLN protein in ovarian cancer tissues. (2) Fresh ovarian cancer tissues were extracted and cultured to obtain primary ovarian cancer cells. Recombinant lentiviral vectors targeting anti-MSLN-CAR-CD244 were constructed and co-cultured with iPS cells to obtain anti-MSLN-iCAR cells. These cells were differentiated into anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cells using cytokine-induced differentiation method. The cell experiments were divided into three groups: anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cell group, natural killer (NK) cell group, and control group. (3) Flow cytometry and live cell staining experiment were used to detect the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells in the three groups. (4) Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the expression levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), granzyme B (GZMB), perforin 1 (PRF1), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 in the three groups of ovarian cancer cells. Results: (1) Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that a positive expression rate of MSLN protein in ovarian cancer tissues of 65% (13/20), while normal ovarian tissues had a positive rate of 30% (6/20). The comparison between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=4.912, P=0.027). Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that the positive expression rate of MSLN protein in ovarian cancer tissues was 70% (14/20), while normal ovarian tissues had a positive rate of 30% (6/20). The comparison between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=6.400, P=0.011). (2) Flow cytometry analysis showed that the apoptotic rate of ovarian cancer cells in the anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cell group was (29.27±0.85)%, while in the NK cell group and control group were (8.44±0.34)% and (6.83±0.26)% respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the comparisons between the three groups (all P<0.01). Live cell staining experiment showed that the ratio of dead cells to live cells in the anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cell group was (36.3±8.3)%, while in the NK cell group and control group were (5.4±1.4)% and (2.0±1.3)% respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the comparisons between the three groups (all P<0.001). (3) ELISA analysis revealed that the expression levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, GZMB, PRF1, IL-6, and IL-10 in ovarian cancer cells of the anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cell group were significantly higher than those in the NK cell group and the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The anti-MSLN-iCAR-NK cells exhibit a strong killing ability against ovarian cancer cells, indicating their potential as a novel immunotherapy approach for ovarian cancer.

[Technical specification for orthodontic transmission straight wire technique]

Malocclusion is an oral disease with a high prevalence. The goal of orthodontic treatment is health, aesthetics, function and stability. The transmission straight wire appliance and technique is an innovative orthodontic system with independent intellectual property rights invented by Professor Jiuxiang Lin's team based on decades of clinical experience, which provides a new solution for the non-surgical correction of skeletal malocclusions, especially class Ⅲ malocclusion, and it is also a good carrier for the implementation of the concept of healthy orthodontics. Due to the lack of guidelines, how to implement standardized application of transmission straight wire technique remains a problem to be solved. This technical specification was formed by combining the guidance from Professor Jiuxiang Lin and joint revision by a number of authoritative experts from the Orthodontic Special Committee, Chinese Stomatological Association, with reference to relevant literatures, and combined with abundant clinical experience of many experts. This specification aims to provide reference to standardize the clinical application of transmission straight wire technique, so as to reduce the risk and complications, and finally to improve the clinical application level of this technique.

Factors associated with epidural-related maternal fever in low-risk term women: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The underlying mechanism of epidural-related maternal fever (ERMF) is not fully understood. This systematic review aimed to identify factors associated with ERMF in low-risk, full-term women using neuraxial analgesia.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and Wanfang Data were searched from inception to September 10, 2022 with no language restriction. Studies reported descriptive data regarding the factors associated with ERMF. A random effects model meta-analysis was used to pool the raw data of univariate analyses for each identified factor. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed to explore possible sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Eighteen observational studies involving 33 427 women were included, with 18 factors eligible for meta-analyses. Higher body mass index, baseline temperature, admission maternal interleukin-6 levels and white blood cell counts, nulliparity, increasing gestational age, longer duration of labor and rupture of membranes, increasing number of vaginal examinations, oxytocin use, higher birth weight, lower cervical dilation at initiation of analgesia, and longer analgesia duration were associated with increased risk of ERMF, while intermittent compared with continuous epidural dosing was associated with a decreased risk of ERMF (odds ratio 0.25, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.48, P < 0.001). However, heterogeneity among studies was high and the quality of evidence was low for these meta-analyses, except for intermittent epidural dosing.

CONCLUSIONS

Many factors are associated with ERMF but may not be independent or causal. Further study is needed to clarify the interactions of these factors in ERMF development and whether modification of these factors might influence risk of ERMF.

Osteoprotective Role of the Mir338 Cluster Ablation during Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that compromises the integrity of the supporting tissues of the teeth and leads to the loss of the alveolar bone. The Mir338 cluster has been proven to be a potential target for the treatment of osteoporosis and is also enriched in gingival tissues with periodontitis; however, its role in periodontitis remains unknown. Here, we aimed to use periodontitis as a model to expand our understanding of the Mir338 cluster in osteoimmunology and propose a new target to protect against bone loss during periodontitis progression. Significant enrichment of the Mir338 cluster was validated in gingival tissues from patients with chronic periodontitis and a ligature-induced periodontitis mouse model. In vivo, attenuation of alveolar bone loss after 7 d of ligature was observed in the Mir338 cluster knockout (KO) mice. Interestingly, immunofluorescence and RNA sequencing showed that ablation of the Mir338 cluster reduced osteoclast formation and elevated the inflammatory response, with enrichment of IFN-γ and JAK-STAT signaling pathways. Ablation of the Mir338 cluster also skewed macrophages toward the M1 phenotype and inhibited osteoclastogenesis via Stat1 in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the local administration of miR-338-3p antagomir prevented alveolar bone loss from periodontitis. In conclusion, the Mir338 cluster balanced M1 macrophage polarization and osteoclastogenesis and could serve as a novel therapeutic target against periodontitis-related alveolar bone loss.

Effect of Reactive Oxygen Scavenger N,N'-Dimethylthiourea (DMTU) on Seed Germination and Radicle Elongation of Maize

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important part of adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses and regulate seed germination through positive or negative signaling. Seed adaptation to abiotic stress may be mediated by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The effects of the ROS scavenger N,N'-dimethylthiourea (DMTU) on maize seed germination through endogenous H2O2 regulation is unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of different doses of DMTU on seed endogenous H2O2 and radicle development parameters using two maize varieties (ZD958 and DMY1). The inhibitory effect of DMTU on the germination rate and radicle growth was dose-dependent. The inhibitory effect of DMTU on radicle growth ceased after transferring maize seeds from DMTU to a water medium. Histochemical analyses showed that DMTU eliminated stable H2O2 accumulation in the radicle sheaths and radicles. The activity of antioxidant enzyme and the expression of antioxidant enzyme-related genes (ZmAPX2 and ZmCAT2) were reduced in maize seeds cultured with DMTU compared with normal culture conditions (0 mmol·dm-3 DMTU). We suggest the use of 200 mmol·dm-3 DMTU as an H2O2 scavenger to study the ROS equilibrium mechanisms during the germination of maize seeds, assisting in the future with the efficient development of plant growth regulators to enhance the seed germination performance of test maize varieties under abiotic stress.

Measurement of Ultra-High-Energy Diffuse Gamma-Ray Emission of the Galactic Plane from 10 TeV to 1 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A

The diffuse Galactic γ-ray emission, mainly produced via interactions between cosmic rays and the interstellar medium and/or radiation field, is a very important probe of the distribution, propagation, and interaction of cosmic rays in the Milky Way. In this Letter, we report the measurements of diffuse γ rays from the Galactic plane between 10 TeV and 1 PeV energies, with the square kilometer array of the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO). Diffuse emissions from the inner (15°10  TeV). The energy spectrum in the inner Galaxy regions can be described by a power-law function with an index of -2.99±0.04, which is different from the curved spectrum as expected from hadronic interactions between locally measured cosmic rays and the line-of-sight integrated gas content. Furthermore, the measured flux is higher by a factor of ∼3 than the prediction. A similar spectrum with an index of -2.99±0.07 is found in the outer Galaxy region, and the absolute flux for 10≲E≲60  TeV is again higher than the prediction for hadronic cosmic ray interactions. The latitude distributions of the diffuse emission are consistent with the gas distribution, while the longitude distributions show clear deviation from the gas distribution. The LHAASO measurements imply that either additional emission sources exist or cosmic ray intensities have spatial variations.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonist induces mouse hepatomegaly through the spatial hepatocyte enlargement and proliferation

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) activation-induced hepatomegaly is accompanied by hepatocyte hypertrophy around the central vein (CV) area and hepatocyte proliferation around the portal vein (PV) area. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this spatial change of hepatocytes remains unclear. In this study, we examined the characteristics and possible reasons for the zonation distinction of hypertrophy and proliferation during PPARα activation-induced mouse liver enlargement. Mice were injected with corn oil or a typical mouse PPARα agonist WY-14643 (100 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.p.) for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 10 days. At each time point, the mice were sacrificed after the final dose, and liver tissues and serum were harvested for analysis. We showed that PPARα activation induced zonal changes in hepatocyte hypertrophy and proliferation in the mice. In order to determine the zonal expression of proteins related to hepatocyte hypertrophy and proliferation in PPARα-induced liver enlargement, we performed digitonin liver perfusion to separately destroy the hepatocytes around the CV or PV areas, and found that PPARα activation-induced increase magnitude of its downstream targets such as cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4 A and acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1) levels around the CV area were higher compared with those around the PV area. Upregulation of proliferation-related proteins such as cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin A1 (CCNA1) after WY-14643-induced PPARα activation mainly occurred around the PV area. This study reveals that the zonal expression of PPARα targets and proliferation-related proteins is responsible for the spatial change of hepatocyte hypertrophy and proliferation after PPARα activation. These findings provide a new insight into the understanding of PPARα activation-induced liver enlargement and regeneration.

Integrative analysis of DNA methylome and transcriptome reveals epigenetic regulation of bisphenols-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy, a kind of cardiomyopathic abnormality, might trigger heart contractile and diastolic dysfunction, and even heart failure. Currently, bisphenols (BPs) including bisphenol A (BPA), and its alternatives bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) are ubiquitously applied in various products and potentially possess high cardiovascular risks for humans. However, the substantial experimental evidences of BPs on heart function, and their structure-related effects on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy are still urgently needed. DNA methylation, a typical epigenetics, play key roles in BPs-induced transcription dysregulation, thereby affecting human health including cardiovascular system. Thus, in this study, we performed RNA-seq and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) to profile the landscapes of BPs-induced cardiotoxicity and to determine the key roles of DNA methylation in the transcription. Further, the capabilities of three BPA analogues, together with BPA, in impacting heart function and changing DNA methylation and transcription were compared. We concluded that similar to BPA, BPAF, BPF and BPS exposure deteriorated heart function in a mouse model, and induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in a H9c2 cell line. BPAF, BPF and BPS all played BPA-like roles in both transcriptive and methylated hierarchies. Moreover, we validated the expression levels of four cardiomyocyte hypertrophy related candidate genes, Psmc1, Piptnm2, Maz and Dusp18, which were all upregulated and with DNA hypomethylation. The findings on the induction of BPA analogues on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and DNA methylation revealed their potential detrimental risks in heart function of humans.

A tera-electron volt afterglow from a narrow jet in an extremely bright gamma-ray burst

Some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have a tera-electron volt (TeV) afterglow, but the early onset of this has not been observed. We report observations with the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory of the bright GRB 221009A, which serendipitously occurred within the instrument field of view. More than 64,000 photons >0.2 TeV were detected within the first 3000 seconds. The TeV flux began several minutes after the GRB trigger, then rose to a peak about 10 seconds later. This was followed by a decay phase, which became more rapid ~650 seconds after the peak. We interpret the emission using a model of a relativistic jet with half-opening angle ~0.8°. This is consistent with the core of a structured jet and could explain the high isotropic energy of this GRB.

Sustainable management of water-agriculture-ecology nexus system under multiple uncertainties

The shrinkage and ecological degradation of the Aral Sea resulting from the uncontrolled use of water resources and the unregulated expansion of agriculture activities call for sustainable management of water-agriculture-ecology (WAE) nexus from a basin perspective. However, managers face thorny challenges brought by multiple uncertainties in the management and planning processes. In this study, an interval stochastic fuzzy programming (ISF) method is developed for tackling multiple uncertainties presented as probability distributions, flexible variables and interval parameters. Then, an ISF-WAE model is formulated for Aral Sea Basin, which considers 108 planning scenarios that reflect different food-security and ecology-restoration requirements, as well as risk-response attitudes of decision maker over a long-term planning horizon (2021-2050). Results reveal that for Aral Sea Basin: (i) managers should set strict acreage benchmarks for cereal crops, in which wheat would account for a range of [29.1, 31.2] % of the total agricultural area; (ii) for promoting ecological restoration, the proportion of agricultural water allocation should decrease by a range of [12.7, 16.1] % during the planning horizon; (iii) due to low water requirement and high ecological value of grassland, it is recommended to expand grassland area to improve the sustainability of the Aral Sea Basin in the case of limited water resources.

[Influencing factors of mild cognitive impairment among the Chinese elderly: a meta-analysis]

Objective: To conduct a meta-analysis on the influencing factors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the Chinese elderly. Methods: The literature related to the influencing factors of MCI in Chinese elderly population was retrieved through CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases up to March 13, 2022. Stata17.0 software was used to calculate the combined risk ratio (RR) with the 95% confidence interval (CI), test the heterogeneity, and assess the publication bias. Results: A total of 2 450 articles were retrieved, and 49 articles met the inclusion criteria, including 5 cohort studies and 44 case-control studies. Meta-analysis results showed that male (RR=0.778, 95%CI: 0.696-0.870, I²=73.1), education>6years (RR=0.428, 95%CI: 0.374-0.490, I²=86.9) and regular exercise (RR=0.496, 95%CI: 0.421-0.585, I²=81.5) were protective factors for MCI, while age≥70 years (RR=2.431, 95%CI: 2.086-2.833, I²=79.3), family history of dementia (RR=3.228, 95%CI: 2.140-4.867, I²=0.0), smoking (RR=1.214, 95%CI: 1.098-1.342, I²=78.8), alcohol consumption (RR=1.165, 95%CI: 1.047-1.297, I²=68.2), solitary living (RR=2.816, 95%CI: 2.123-3.736, I²=42.0), insomnia (RR=1.402, 95%CI: 1.093-1.799, I²=41.3), overweight/obesity (RR=1.431, 95%CI: 1.207-1.696, I²=75.9), hypertension (RR=1.731, 95%CI: 1.589-1.886, I²=67.1), hyperlipidemia (RR=1.722, 95%CI: 1.541-1.924, I²=63.9), diabetes mellitus (RR=1.495, 95%CI: 1.341-1.666, I²=71.6), cardiovascular diseases (RR=1.671, 95%CI: 1.446-1.932, I²=74.6) and cerebrovascular diseases (RR=2.309, 95%CI: 2.040-2.613, I²=76.3) were risk factors of MCI. Conclusion: The present study indicates that male, junior high school education or above and regular exercise are protective factors of MCI, while age≥70 years, family history of dementia, smoking, alcohol consumption, living alone, insomnia, overweight/obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cerebrovascular diseases are risk factors of MCI.

[Application of digital bone block in bone augmentation]

Alveolar ridge augmentation is a common method to solve the problem of insufficient bone mass during implant treatment, while shaping bone substitutes during surgery, maintaining space and stability remain challenging. Digital bone block refers to a digital method for making bone grafts suitable for personalized defect shape. With the advancement of digital technology and the development of materials science, the means of realizing digital bone blocks have also undergone a series of updates. This paper summarizes the relevant researches in the past, systematically introduces the workflow, implementation methods, development history and future prospects of digital bone blocks, and provides suggestions and references for clinicians to use digital methods to improve the predictability of bone augmentation outcome.

A review of cardiovascular effects and underlying mechanisms of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses the leading threats to human health and life, and their occurrence and severity are associated with exposure to environmental pollutants. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of widely used industrial chemicals, are characterized by persistence, long-distance migration, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Some PFAS, particularly perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), have been banned, leaving only legacy exposure to the environment and human body, while a number of novel PFAS alternatives have emerged and raised concerns, such as polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic and carboxylic acid (PFESA and PFECA) and sodium p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzene sulfonate (OBS). Overall, this review systematically elucidated the adverse cardiovascular (CV) effects of legacy and emerging PFAS, emphasized the dose/concentration-dependent, time-dependent, carbon chain length-dependent, sex-specific, and coexposure effects, and discussed the underlying mechanisms and possible prevention and treatment. Extensive epidemiological and laboratory evidence suggests that accumulated serum levels of legacy PFAS possibly contribute to an increased risk of CVD and its subclinical course, such as cardiac toxicity, vascular disorder, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The underlying biological mechanisms may include oxidative stress, signaling pathway disturbance, lipid metabolism disturbance, and so on. Various emerging alternatives to PFAS also play increasingly prominent toxic roles in CV outcomes that are milder, similar to, or more severe than legacy PFAS. Future research is recommended to conduct more in-depth CV toxicity assessments of legacy and emerging PFAS and explore more effective surveillance, prevention, and treatment strategies, accordingly.

[Epidemiological characteristics of typhus in China, 1950-2021]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of typhus in China from 1950 to 2021, and discuss the challenges in typhus prevention and control in China and suggest future prevention and control strategies. Methods: Based on the reported data of typhus from 1950 to 2021 in China from the Infectious Disease History Database of China Public Health Science Data Center and the National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting Information System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, we conducted a descriptive statistical analysis. Mann-Kendall test and circular distribution method were used to analyze the incidence, mortality and case fatality of typhus to reveal the temporal, spatial and population distributions and diagnosis of typhus in China. Results: From 1950 to 2021, a total of 452 965 typhus cases and 7 339 typhus deaths were reported in China, with the cases numbers exceeding 10 000 in 14 years of the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s, respectively. Since 1990s, the reported cases and incidence rate of typhus have decreased dramatically and the most cases were sporadic. However, the reported typhus cases in Anhui, Hubei, Hunan Provinces showed significant uptrends. Although typhus could occur all the year round, but the seasonality was observed with the incidence mainly in summer and autumn. For different provinces from the north to the south, the peaks of typhus' monthly incidence tended to shift to earlier dates. The male to female ratio of the cases was 1.01∶1 (18 529∶18 366). However, more cases occurred in women in recent years. The cases aged ≤9 years accounted for the highest proportion (18.9%), but the number of cases aged ≥50 years showed an upward trend. Most cases were farmers with the proportion increasing year by year. Moreover, the cases in students and scattered-living children also accounted for relatively higher proportions. The median of the interval between onset and diagnosis of typhus was 6 days. Most cases were clinically diagnosed, while the proportion of laboratory-confirmed cases was low and most laboratory cases were confirmed by Well-Felix reaction. Conclusions: Although the incidence and mortality of typhus in China has decreased significantly, the risk for local typhus outbreaks still exists. The prevention and control of typhus still face many challenges. It is indispensable to strengthen the pathogen detection and surveillance for typhus in China.

The study on bactericidal effect and ultrastructural alterations of chlorocresol nanoemulsion disinfectant against Staphylococcus aureus

Chlorocresol nanoemulsion disinfectant (CND) is an environmental disinfectant prepared with nanoemulsion as its drug carrier. This study aimed to investigate the bactericidal effect of CND on Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus) and its effect on bacterial ultrastructure. The neutralizing effect of CND against S. aureus was first screened by suspension quantitative evaluation experiment procedure of neutralizer. Disinfection performance was evaluated by the determination of Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), quantitative bactericidal experiment, and comparative experiment of disinfection performance between 0.1% CND and 0.1% chlorocresol aqueous solution. Meanwhile, the effect of CND on the ultrastructure of S. aureus was investigated with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) to preliminarily explore the bactericidal mechanism. The results showed that 3% Tween-80 in PBS could be screened as the neutralizer of CND against S. aureus. MIC and MBC were 100 μg/mL and 200 μg/mL, respectively. The bactericidal rates were all 100% when 0.06% and 0.08% disinfectant acted for 15 and 5 min, respectively. Furthermore, compared with 0.1% chlorocresol aqueous solution, the bactericidal effect of 0.1% CND was significantly enhanced (p⟨0.01). After treatment with CND for 10 min, SEM observation showed that the morphology of S. aureus cells were changed and the integrity destroyed. TEM observation showed that the cell shape changed, and the structures of the cell wall, cell membrane and cytoplasm were damaged in varying degrees. CND showed the strong bactericidal effect on S. aureus and could cause ultrastructure alterations of S. aureus.

Transition from electromagnetically-induced transparency to absorption in a single microresonator

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and absorption (EIA) are two phenomena that can be observed in whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) optical microresonators. Transition from EIT to EIA has potential applications in optical switching, filtering and sensing. In this paper an observation of the transition from EIT to EIA in a single WGM microresonator is presented. A fiber taper is used to couple light into and out of a sausage-like microresonator (SLM) that contains two coupled optical modes with significantly different quality factors. By stretching the SLM axially the resonance frequencies of the two coupled modes are tuned to the same, a transition from EIT to EIA is then observed in the transmission spectra when the fiber taper is moved closer to the SLM. It is the special spatial distribution of the optical modes of the SLM that provide a theoretical basis for the observation.

Probiotic characterization and comparison of broiler-derived lactobacillus strains based on technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution analysis

A total of 10 lactobacillus strains were isolated from broiler chickens and their probiotic properties including tolerance to gastrointestinal fluids and heat treatment, antimicrobial activity, adhesion capacity to intestinal cells, surface hydrophobicity, autoaggregation, antioxidative activity, and immunomodulatory effects on chicken macrophages were evaluated. The Limosilactobacillus reuteri (LR) was the most frequently isolated species, followed by Lactobacillus johnsonii (LJ) and Ligilactobacillus salivarius (LS). All isolates showed good resistance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions and antimicrobial activity against 4 indicator strains including Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis LR 21 exhibited excellent performances on autoaggregation, hydrophobicity and adhesion capacity to Caco-2 intestinal cells. In the meantime, this strain also possessed considerable tolerance to heat treatment, which indicated great potential to be used in the feed industry. However, LJ 20 strain had the highest free radical scavenging activity compared with the other strains. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results revealed that all isolated strains significantly increased the transcriptional levels of proinflammatory genes and tended to induce the M1-type polarization on HD11 macrophages. Particularly, the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) was adopted in our study to compare and select the most promising probiotic candidate based on in vitro evaluation tests.

Bilateral symmetrical distal clavicle fractures (Neer type II): A case of rare injury

BACKGROUND

Neer type II/bilateral distal clavicular fracture is an extremely rare injury combination, with few cases having been reported.

CASE PRESENTATION

This paper reports a case of polytrauma in a 16-year-old female following a road traffic accident. The radiographs revealed distal fractures of the bilateral clavicles (Neer type II), and an open reduction and internal fixation procedure was performed. Initially, the distal fracture of the right clavicle was fixed with a six-hole hook plate before the fracture of the left clavicle was fixed using a pre-contoured lateral locking plate following reduction. At the two-year follow-up, the patient had an excellent constant score in terms of the bilateral shoulder joints.

CONCLUSION

It is important to achieve stability and to aim for excellence in terms of full shoulder function in this rare combination injury.

Design and Fabrication of a MEMS Bandpass Filter with Different Center Frequency of 8.5-12 GHz

The design simulation and fabrication results of a bandpass filter based on micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switches are presented in this paper. The MEMS filter element consists of a MEMS capacitance switch and two resonant rings that are fixed onto coplanar waveguide lines through anchor points. The micromachine characteristics of the filter could be optimized to change the center frequency from 8.5 to 12 GHz by improving the geometrical parameters; other electrical parameters of the filter, such as stopband rejection, insertion loss, and return loss at each center frequency, were simulated and calculated. In order to evaluate the MEMS filter design methodology, a filter working at 10.5 GHz fabricated with an aluminum top electrode was used, and it displayed a low insertion loss of 1.12 dB and a high stopband rejection of 28.3 dB. Compared with the simulation results, these proposed filter showed better electrical performance. Our results demonstrated that the filter with the integrated RF MEMS switch not only provides the benefit of reduced size compared with a traditional filter, but also improves stopband rejection, insertion loss, and return loss.

Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of a neurovirulent Zika virus isolated from Cambodia in 2019

The geographic range of Zika virus (ZIKV) has expanded from Asia to the Americas, leading to the 2015-2016 pandemic with enhanced neurovirulence. At present, ZIKV is continuously circulating in many Southeast Asian countries. Unfortunately, the persistent evolution of ZIKV in Southeast Asia and its influence on the biological characteristics of the virus remain incompletely understood. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo properties of a new ZIKV isolate obtained from Cambodia in 2019 (CAM/2019) were characterized and compared with those of the Cambodian strain (CAM/2010). Compared with CAM/2010, the CAM/2019 virus showed similar plaque morphology and growth curves in cell cultures and induced comparable viremia and organ viral loads profiles in both BALB/c and A129 (IFNAR1^-/- ) mice upon intraperitoneal (i.p.) inoculation. Remarkably, the CAM/2019 virus exhibited enhanced neurovirulence in neonatal mice compared with CAM/2010, with a 74-fold reduction in the 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀ ). Consistently, CAM/2019 produced higher viral loads in the brains of BALB/c neonatal mice than CAM/2010 did. Sequence alignment showed that the CAM/2019 virus has acquired 12 amino acid substitutions, several of which were found to be associated with neurovirulence. In particular, the CAM/2019 virus shared an A1204T substitution in NS2A with the Thai isolate SI-BKK02 that was isolated from a microcephaly case. Taken together, our results indicate that a ZIKV strain isolated with specific mutations has emerged in Cambodia, highlighting the need for extensive molecular and disease surveillance in Cambodia and other Asian countries.

Long-term treatment with the mPXR agonist PCN promotes hepatomegaly and lipid accumulation without hepatocyte proliferation in mice

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is highly expressed in the liver and plays a pivotal role in xenobiotic and endobiotic metabolism. We previously reported that PXR activation by its specific mouse agonist pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile (PCN) significantly induces liver enlargement and lipid accumulation. However, the effect of long-term PCN treatment on PXR and mouse liver is still unknown. This study aimed to explore the influence of long-term administration of PCN on mouse liver and hepatic lipid homeostasis. Male C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally with PCN (100 mg/kg once a week) for 42 weeks. Serum and liver samples were collected for biochemical and histological analysis. PXR activation was investigated by Western blot. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-HRMS)-based lipidomics analysis was performed to explore the change in different lipid categories. The results showed that long-term treatment with PCN significantly promoted hepatomegaly without hepatocyte proliferation and enlargement. Long-term treatment with PCN did not upregulate PXR target proteins in mice, and there was no significant upregulation of CYP3A11, CYP2B10, UGT1A1, MRP2, or MRP4. Lipidomics analysis showed obvious hepatic lipid accumulation in the PCN-treated mice, and the most significant change was found in triglycerides (TGs). Additionally, long-term treatment with PCN had no risk for carcinogenesis. These findings demonstrated that long-term PCN treatment induces hepatomegaly and lipid accumulation without hepatocyte proliferation or enlargement.

Constraints on Heavy Decaying Dark Matter from 570 Days of LHAASO Observations

The kilometer square array (KM2A) of the large high altitude air shower observatory (LHAASO) aims at surveying the northern γ-ray sky at energies above 10 TeV with unprecedented sensitivity. γ-ray observations have long been one of the most powerful tools for dark matter searches, as, e.g., high-energy γ rays could be produced by the decays of heavy dark matter particles. In this Letter, we present the first dark matter analysis with LHAASO-KM2A, using the first 340 days of data from 1/2-KM2A and 230 days of data from 3/4-KM2A. Several regions of interest are used to search for a signal and account for the residual cosmic-ray background after γ/hadron separation. We find no excess of dark matter signals, and thus place some of the strongest γ-ray constraints on the lifetime of heavy dark matter particles with mass between 10^{5} and 10^{9}  GeV. Our results with LHAASO are robust, and have important implications for dark matter interpretations of the diffuse astrophysical high-energy neutrino emission.

Neutralization of ARCoV-induced sera against SARS-CoV-2 variants

ARCoV is a candidate mRNA vaccine encoding receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. Its safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity profile have been confirmed in the phase 1 clinical trial in China. A multi-regional phase 3 clinical trial is currently underway to test the efficacy of ARCoV (NCT04847102). Here, we tested the cross-neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) of a panel of serum samples from participants in the phase 1 clinical trial of ARCoV by pesudo- and authentic SARS-CoV-2. Our data suggest the immunity induced by the ARCoV vaccine reduced but still has significant neutralization against the Alpha and Delta variants. Moreover, ARCoV maintained activity against the Beta variant, despite of its obvious reduction in neutralizing titers. Our findings further support the solid protective neutralization activity against VOCs induced by ARCoV vaccine.

[The meaning and indication of "Rou Ji"]

"Rou Ji", as a name of disease syndrome, played an important role with its relevant theories and clinical experiences in historical recordings. However, it was treasured neither in modern archives nor by clinical physicians. The concept of "Rou Ji" started in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (770 B.C. - 221 B.C.), and its name was first found in Shan Fan Fang in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589). The symptoms of this disease mainly suggested weakness of limbs caused by exogenous factors. It was gradually developed into following symptoms, such like emaciation or muscle atrophy, fatigue, skin color change, abnormal skin sensation, poor digestion and absorption function of spleen and stomach. Its etiology was changed from exogenous factors into internal injuries and deficiency of congenital Qi. Its treatment was also changed with the change of the understanding of diseases. The dialectical thinking in its treatment in ancient medical materials may have reference value for current clinical diagnosis and treatment.

[A retrospective controlled study on the treatment effect of distraction osteogenesis and maxillomandibular advancement for severe obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome patients]

Objective: To compare the treatment effect of distraction osteogenesis (DO) and maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) for severe obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients and to guide clinical decisions about treatment of OSAHS. Methods: Thirty-seven OSAHS patients which accepted maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) or distraction osteogenesis (DO) in Stomatological Hospital of the Department of Maxillofacial Trauma and Orthognathic Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Forth Military Medical University from June 2017 to June 2019 were collected. Their preoperative and postoperative data of cephalometry, polysomnography (PSG), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) scores were collected and analyzed. With propensity score matching method, the treatment effect of MMA and DO was analyzed and compared. Results: According to the statistics of MMA group, only AHI was correlated with operative successful rate and cure rate. With the increase of AHI, the treatment effect of MMA on OSAHS patients gradually decreased. The cut-off point of AHI as a predictor of MMA treatment failure was 78.2 n/h. All the matched cases were severe OSAHS patients. Statistical analysis showed that the mandibular elongation of DO patients[(24.00±4.39) mm] was significantly more than that of MMA group [(11.20±1.37) mm] (t=-6.11, P<0.001), the improvement of PSG index [including lowest oxygen saturation (LSpO₂), longest apnea (LA) and longest hypopnea (LH)] in DO group [LSpO₂=(93.40±1.82)%; LA=(18.28±8.32) s; LH=(61.84±32.94) s] was significantly higher than that in the MMA group [LSpO₂=(86.00±4.06)%, LA=(64.08±21.78) s, LH=(172.40±30.70) s](t=-3.72, P=0.005; t=4.39, P=0.003; t=5.49, P=0.004). The PSQI and the ESS scores of DO group (PSQI=4.20±0.83; ESS=3.40±1.52) were also significantly better than that of MMA group (PSQI=8.80±2.39, ESS=9.40±2.88)(t=4.07, P=0.001; t=4.12, P=0.002). Conclusions: For severe OSAHS patients, the objective and subjective indicators of DO treatment group showed a better therapeutic effect than that of MMA.

A fixed-mix stochastic fractional programming method for optimizing agricultural irrigation and hydropower generation in Central Asia

In this study, a fixed-mix stochastic fractional programming (FSFP) method is developed for balancing the water-allocation conflict between upstream hydropower generation and downstream agricultural irrigation. FSFP has advantages in dealing with ratio-objective problem under uncertainty, reflecting the dynamic and stochastic characteristics over a long-term planning context, as well as analyzing interrelationships between system efficiency and violation risk of water-allocation target. Then, FSFP is firstly applied to Tuyamuyun reservoir in the lower reach of Amu Darya River basin (Central Asia), where multiple scenarios based on different hydropower-generation targets and inflow levels are examined for identifying the complex relationship between hydropower generation and crop irrigation. Major findings and managerial insights can be summarized as: (i) with the reduction of reservoir inflow, water allocation for downstream agricultural irrigation would decrease by 30.4% once the minimum demand is satisfied, and hydropower generation should be higher priority for pursuing higher marginal benefit; (ii) with the shrinking water supply and rising hydropower-generation target, cotton planting should be firstly restrained due to its high water demand and grape planting is encouraged; (iii) under extreme water scarcity (i.e., low and very-low inflow levels), low-level hydropower generation target (i.e., α = 0.45) is desired for meeting the food requirement in the study basin; (iv) for alleviating the water shortage during dry seasons, it is recommended that water storage should be conducted in autumn and winter, and water release for crop irrigation should be implemented during spring and summer. These findings can help managers identify sustainable water-allocation schemes for agricultural irrigation and hydropower generation against water shortage, environmental destruction and energy insecurity in arid regions.

The regulatory function of piRNA/PIWI complex in cancer and other human diseases: The role of DNA methylation

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of short chain noncoding RNAs that are constituted by 26-30 nucleotides (nt) and can couple with PIWI protein family. piRNAs were initially described in germline cells and are believed to be critical regulators of the maintenance of reproductive line. Increasing evidence has extended our perspectives on the biological significance of piRNAs and indicated that they could still affect somatic gene expression through DNA methylation, chromatin modification and transposon silencing, etc. Many studies have revealed that the dysregulation of piRNAs might contribute to diverse diseases through epigenetic changes represented by DNA methylation and chromatin modification. In this review, we summarized piRNA/PIWI protein-mediated DNA methylation regulation mechanisms and methylation changes caused by piRNA/PIWI proteins in different diseases, especially cancers. Since DNA methylation and inhibitory chromatin marks represented by histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation frequently cooperate to silence genomic regions, we also included methylation in chromatin modification within this discussion. Furthermore, we discussed the potential clinical applications of piRNAs as a new type promising biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, as well as the significance of piRNA/PIWI protein-associated methylation changes in treatment, providing disparate insights into the potential applications of them.

Unraveling the Synergistic Effect of Heteroatomic Substitution and Vacancy Engineering in CoFe2O4 for Superior Electrocatalysis Performance

Metal ion substitution and anion exchange are two effective strategies for regulating the electronic and geometric structure of spinel. However, the optimal location of foreign metallic cations and the exact role of these metals and anions remain elusive. Herein, CoFe₂O₄-based hollow nanospheres with outstanding oxygen evolution reaction activity are prepared by Cr³⁺ substitution and S^2- exchange. X-ray absorption spectra and theoretical calculations reveal that Cr³⁺ can be precisely doped into octahedral (Oh) Fe sites and simultaneously induce Co vacancy, which can activate adjacent tetrahedral (Td) Fe³⁺. Furthermore, S^2- exchange results in structure distortion of Td-Fe due to compressive strain effect. The change in the local geometry of Td-Fe causes the *OOH intermediate to deviate from the y-axis plane, thus enhancing the adsorption of the *OOH. The Co vacancy and S^2- exchange can adjust the geometric and electronic structure of Td-Fe, thus activating the inert Td-Fe and improving the electrochemical performance.

[Preliminary study on centrifugation time of liquid plasmatrix for soft tissue regeneration]

Objective: To provide reference for clinical application of liquid plasmatrix, and to investigate the optimal centrifugation time of liquid plasmatrix prepared by horizontal centrifugation for soft tissue regeneration from the aspects of mechanical properties, biological properties, and the effect of promoting soft tissue regeneration. Methods: Venous blood was collected from 6 healthy volunteers [3 males and 3 females, aged (26±2) years, with informed consent] who volunteered to donate blood at School of Stomatology, Wuhan University from September to November 2021. The collected venous blood was centrifuged at 500 ×g for 3, 5, 8 and 12 min to obtain liquid plasmatrix. The volume, weight, solidification time, and mechanical properties of liquid plasmatrix prepared at different centrifugation time were measured and recorded (the sample size at each time point was 3). The microstructure of different groups of liquid plasmatrix clot was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The rheological properties of each group of liquid plasmatrix clot were measured by rheological test. The number and concentration of cells in the whole blood group and in each liquid plasmatrix group were measured using complete blood count test. The distribution of cells in the liquid plasmatrix clots was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The effect of control group (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 20% fetal bovine serum) and liquid plasmatrix clot exudates in 3, 5, 8, 12 min group (the sample size at each time point was 3) on gingival fibroblast migration was detected by cell migration method. Finally, the effects of control group and liquid plasmatrix clot exudates on the morphology of gingival fibroblasts were observed by fluorescence microscope. Results: The volume of liquid plasmatrix in 3, 5, 8 and 12 min group were approximately (2.47±0.12), (2.67±0.12), (3.53±0.12) and (3.73±0.12) ml, respectively. The weight of liquid plasmatrix in 3, 5, 8 and 12 min group were approximately (0.35±0.01), (0.46±0.02), (0.88±0.06) and (1.03±0.01) g, respectively. The maximum tensile force of liquid plasmatrix clots in 3, 5, 8 and 12 min group were (0.55±0.03), (0.56±0.03), (1.31±0.05) and (1.38±0.02) N, respectively. SEM results showed that the fibers inside the liquid plasmatrix clot became denser with increased centrifugation time. Compared with other groups, the concentrations of leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes in 8 min group were the highest, and the distribution of cell was more even. Compared with other groups, the efficiency of stimulating gingival fibroblast migration in 8 min group was the best (1.60±0.01). Fluorescence staining test showed that the liquid plasmatrix clot exudates could make gingival fibroblasts more stretched compared with control group. Conclusions: The present study shows that liquid plasmatrix prepared by centrifugation with 500 ×g centrifugal force for 8 min has higher concentration of viable cells and the ability to promote the migration of gingival fibroblasts.

Safety and immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 ARCoV mRNA vaccine in Chinese adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1 trial

BACKGROUND

Safe and effective vaccines are urgently needed to end the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to assess the preliminary safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an mRNA vaccine ARCoV, which encodes the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD).

METHODS

This single centre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation, phase 1 trial of ARCoV was conducted at Shulan (Hangzhou) hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Healthy adults aged 18-59 years negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled and randomly assigned using block randomisation to receive an intramuscular injection of vaccine or placebo. Vaccine doses were 5 μg, 10 μg, 15 μg, 20 μg, and 25 μg. The first six participants in each block were sentinels and along with the remaining 18 participants, were randomly assigned to groups (5:1). In block 1 sentinels were given the lowest vaccine dose and after a 4-day observation with confirmed safety analyses, the remaining 18 participants in the same dose group proceeded and sentinels in block 2 were given their first administration on a two-dose schedule, 28 days apart. All participants, investigators, and staff doing laboratory analyses were masked to treatment allocation. Humoral responses were assessed by measuring anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG using a standardised ELISA and neutralising antibodies using pseudovirus-based and live SARS-CoV-2 neutralisation assays. SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific T-cell responses, including IFN-γ and IL-2 production, were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay. The primary outcome for safety was incidence of adverse events or adverse reactions within 60 min, and at days 7, 14, and 28 after each vaccine dose. The secondary safety outcome was abnormal changes detected by laboratory tests at days 1, 4, 7, and 28 after each vaccine dose. For immunogenicity, the secondary outcome was humoral immune responses: titres of neutralising antibodies to live SARS-CoV-2, neutralising antibodies to pseudovirus, and RBD-specific IgG at baseline and 28 days after first vaccination and at days 7, 15, and 28 after second vaccination. The exploratory outcome was SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses at 7 days after the first vaccination and at days 7 and 15 after the second vaccination. This trial is registered with www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2000039212).

FINDINGS

Between Oct 30 and Dec 2, 2020, 230 individuals were screened and 120 eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive five-dose levels of ARCoV or a placebo (20 per group). All participants received the first vaccination and 118 received the second dose. No serious adverse events were reported within 56 days after vaccination and the majority of adverse events were mild or moderate. Fever was the most common systemic adverse reaction (one [5%] of 20 in the 5 μg group, 13 [65%] of 20 in the 10 μg group, 17 [85%] of 20 in the 15 μg group, 19 [95%] of 20 in the 20 μg group, 16 [100%] of 16 in the 25 μg group; p<0·0001). The incidence of grade 3 systemic adverse events were none (0%) of 20 in the 5 μg group, three (15%) of 20 in the 10 μg group, six (30%) of 20 in the 15 μg group, seven (35%) of 20 in the 20 μg group, five (31%) of 16 in the 25 μg group, and none (0%) of 20 in the placebo group (p=0·0013). As expected, the majority of fever resolved in the first 2 days after vaccination for all groups. The incidence of solicited systemic adverse events was similar after administration of ARCoV as a first or second vaccination. Humoral immune responses including anti-RBD IgG and neutralising antibodies increased significantly 7 days after the second dose and peaked between 14 and 28 days thereafter. Specific T-cell response peaked between 7 and 14 days after full vaccination. 15 μg induced the highest titre of neutralising antibodies, which was about twofold more than the antibody titre of convalescent patients with COVID-19.

INTERPRETATION

ARCoV was safe and well tolerated at all five doses. The acceptable safety profile, together with the induction of strong humoral and cellular immune responses, support further clinical testing of ARCoV at a large scale.

FUNDING

National Key Research and Development Project of China, Academy of Medical Sciences China, National Natural Science Foundation China, and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA antibody provides long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 in mice and hamsters

Monoclonal antibodies represent important weapons in our arsenal to against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this potential is severely limited by the time-consuming process of developing effective antibodies and the relative high cost of manufacturing. Herein, we present a rapid and cost-effective lipid nanoparticle (LNP) encapsulated-mRNA platform for in vivo delivery of SARS-CoV-2 neutralization antibodies. Two mRNAs encoding the light and heavy chains of a potent SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody HB27, which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials, were encapsulated into clinical grade LNP formulations (named as mRNA-HB27-LNP). In vivo characterization demonstrated that intravenous administration of mRNA-HB27-LNP in mice resulted in a longer circulating half-life compared with the original HB27 antibody in protein format. More importantly, a single prophylactic administration of mRNA-HB27-LNP provided protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in mice at 1, 7 and even 63 days post administration. In a close contact transmission model, prophylactic administration of mRNA-HB27-LNP prevented SARS-CoV-2 infection between hamsters in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, our results demonstrate a superior long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 conferred by a single administration of this unique mRNA antibody, highlighting the potential of this universal platform for antibody-based disease prevention and therapy against COVID-19 as well as a variety of other infectious diseases.

Exploring Lorentz Invariance Violation from Ultrahigh-Energy γ Rays Observed by LHAASO

Recently, the LHAASO Collaboration published the detection of 12 ultrahigh-energy γ-ray sources above 100 TeV, with the highest energy photon reaching 1.4 PeV. The first detection of PeV γ rays from astrophysical sources may provide a very sensitive probe of the effect of the Lorentz invariance violation (LIV), which results in decay of high-energy γ rays in the superluminal scenario and hence a sharp cutoff of the energy spectrum. Two highest energy sources are studied in this work. No signature of the existence of the LIV is found in their energy spectra, and the lower limits on the LIV energy scale are derived. Our results show that the first-order LIV energy scale should be higher than about 10^{5} times the Planck scale M_{Pl} and that the second-order LIV scale is >10^{-3}M_{Pl}. Both limits improve by at least one order of magnitude the previous results.

Mitochondrial DNA leakage exacerbates odontoblast inflammation through gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis

Alleviating odontoblast inflammation is crucial to control the progression of pulpitis. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a vital driver of inflammation when it leaks from mitochondria of inflamed odontoblasts into the cytosol. Bacteria-induced inflammation leads to a novel type of cell death named pyroptosis. The canonical pyroptosis is a gasdermin (GSDM)-dependent cytolytic programmed cell death characterized by cell swelling and pore formation in the plasma membrane. To date, whether odontoblast cytosolic mtDNA regulates dental pulp inflammation through the canonical pyroptosis pathway remains to be elucidated. In this study, high gasdermin D (GSDMD) expression was detected in human pulpitis. We found that LPS stimulation of mDPC6T cells promoted BAX translocation from the cytosol to the mitochondrial membrane, leading to mtDNA release. Moreover, overexpression of isolated mtDNA induced death in a large number of mDPC6T cells, which had the typical appearance of pyroptotic cells. Secretion of the inflammatory cytokines CXCL10 and IFN-β was also induced by mtDNA. These results suggest that cytosolic mtDNA participates in the regulation of odontoblast inflammation through GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis in vitro. Interestingly, after overexpression of mtDNA, the expression of inflammatory cytokines CXCL10 and IFN-β was increased and not decreased in GSDMD knockdown mDPC6T cells. We further proposed a novel model in which STING-dependent inflammation in odontoblast-like cell is a compensatory mechanism to control GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis, jointly promoting the immune inflammatory response of odontoblasts. Collectively, these findings provide the first demonstration of the role of the mtDNA-GSDMD-STING in controlling odontoblast inflammation and a detailed description of the underlying interconnected relationship.

Emerging Functions and Clinical Applications of Exosomal ncRNAs in Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the deadliest gynecological malignancies worldwide and has a high mortality rate. Its dismal prognosis is closely related to late diagnosis and drug resistance. Exosomes are a novel means of intercellular communication that are involved in the genesis and development of tumors by delivering a variety of biologically active molecules, including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. As an important component, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are selectively enriched in exosomes and participate in the regulation of specific aspects of OC development, such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, immune escape, and treatment resistance. Therefore, strategies that specifically target exosomal ncRNAs may be attractive therapeutic options. Exosomes are readily available in almost all types of human biological fluids and are biocompatible, making them promising biomarkers of OC as well as targets for therapeutic applications. In this review, we briefly summarize the biology of exosomes, the function of exosomal ncRNAs in OC development, and their potential clinical applications as biomarkers and therapeutic tools. Ideally, exosomal ncRNAs will become increasingly valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of OC in the near future.

Phenotypic and genetic correlations of pork myoglobin content with meat colour and other traits in an eight breed-crossed heterogeneous population

Meat colour is one of the most important meat quality traits affecting consumption desire. Genetic improvement for meat colour traits is not so easy because pigs can be phenotyped only after slaughter. Besides the parameters from the optical instrument, other indexes that reflect the material basis of meat colour should be measured accurately and used in the genomic analysis. Myoglobin (Mb) is the main chemical component determining meat colour. However, to what extent the Mb content contributes to meat colour, and whether it can be used as a trait for pig breeding to improve meat colour, and the correlations of Mb content with complex porcine traits are largely unknown. To address these questions, we measured the muscle Mb content in 624 pigs from the 7th generation of a specially designed eight breed-crossed pig heterogeneous population, evaluated its phenotypic and genetic correlations with longissimus thoracis colour score at 24 h after slaughter. More than that, we also systematically phenotyped more than 100 traits on these animals to evaluate the potential correlations between muscle Mb content and economically important traits. Our results showed that the average muscle Mb content in the 624 pigs was 1.00 mg/g, ranging from 0.51 to 2.17 mg/g. We found that higher Mb content usually correlated with favourable meat colour, higher marbling score, less moisture content, and less drip loss. Genetic correlation analysis between muscle Mb content and 101 traits measured in this study shows that Mb content is also significantly correlated with 31 traits, including marbling, shear force, firmness, and juiciness. To our knowledge, this is one of the largest studies about the correlations of muscle Mb content with as many as 100 various traits in a large-scale genetically diversified population. Our results showed that the Mb content could be a selection parameter for the genetic improvement of meat colour. The selection for higher Mb content will also benefit marbling, shear force, firmness, and overall liking but might not affect the growth, carcass, and fat deposition traits.

Characterization and structural basis of a lethal mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2

There is an urgent need for animal models to study SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity. Here, we generate and characterize a novel mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain, MASCp36, that causes severe respiratory symptoms, and mortality. Our model exhibits age- and gender-related mortality akin to severe COVID-19. Deep sequencing identified three amino acid substitutions, N501Y, Q493H, and K417N, at the receptor binding domain (RBD) of MASCp36, during in vivo passaging. All three RBD mutations significantly enhance binding affinity to its endogenous receptor, ACE2. Cryo-electron microscopy analysis of human ACE2 (hACE2), or mouse ACE2 (mACE2), in complex with the RBD of MASCp36, at 3.1 to 3.7 Å resolution, reveals the molecular basis for the receptor-binding switch. N501Y and Q493H enhance the binding affinity to hACE2, whereas triple mutations at N501Y/Q493H/K417N decrease affinity and reduce infectivity of MASCp36. Our study provides a platform for studying SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, and unveils the molecular mechanism for its rapid adaptation and evolution.

Characterization and structural basis of a lethal mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2

There is an urgent need for animal models to study SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity. Here, we generate and characterize a novel mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain, MASCp36, that causes severe respiratory symptoms, and mortality. Our model exhibits age- and gender-related mortality akin to severe COVID-19. Deep sequencing identified three amino acid substitutions, N501Y, Q493H, and K417N, at the receptor binding domain (RBD) of MASCp36, during in vivo passaging. All three RBD mutations significantly enhance binding affinity to its endogenous receptor, ACE2. Cryo-electron microscopy analysis of human ACE2 (hACE2), or mouse ACE2 (mACE2), in complex with the RBD of MASCp36, at 3.1 to 3.7 Å resolution, reveals the molecular basis for the receptor-binding switch. N501Y and Q493H enhance the binding affinity to hACE2, whereas triple mutations at N501Y/Q493H/K417N decrease affinity and reduce infectivity of MASCp36. Our study provides a platform for studying SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, and unveils the molecular mechanism for its rapid adaptation and evolution.

In this study, Qin et al. present a murine-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain, MASCp36, as a model for studying the pathogenicity, evolution and adaptation of the virus to human and animal hosts.

[Study on the operation process and construction standard of an esophageal cancer screening cohort study]

One of the most cost-effective measures in cancer prevention on cancer is to advocate to be aware of the disease, consciously changing negative behaviors, and taking the initiative to participate in regular physical checkup programs. Esophageal cancer is one of the malignant tumors accompanied by a heavy disease burden in China. Routine screening, early diagnosis, and treatment are the critical points of preventing and treating the disease. Cohort studies help understand the natural history and risk factors of esophageal cancer and identify high-risk groups of the disease. This paper intends to discuss the construction specifications of the multi-dimensional dynamic follow-up shared cohort for esophageal cancer by studying the risk factors, monitoring, and collecting biological sample information, providing references for developing a standardized and unified screening cohort research procedure, and necessary standards on esophageal cancer in the future.