Insights into the key odorants in fresh and dried Amomum tsaoko using the sensomics approach

To identify the key odorants in Amomum tsaoko (AT), volatiles in fresh AT (FAT) and dried AT (DAT) were investigated using molecular sensory science. In addition to this, the sensomics approach was used to confirm the presence of the compound in FAT that contributed the most to its aroma profile. A total of 49 odor-active compounds (43 in FAT and 42 in DAT) with flavor dilution (FD) factors ranging from 1 to 6561 were identified, with eucalyptol exhibiting the highest FD factor of 6561. Odorants with FD factors ≥ 27 were quantitated, and 23 and 20 compounds in FAT and DAT, respectively, with odor activity value ≥ 1 were determined as key odorants. Recombination and omission experiment further indicated that (E)-2-dodecenal, geranial, octanal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-decenal, and eucalyptol contributed significantly to the overall aroma profile of FAT. After drying of FAT, the concentrations of aldehydes decreased significantly, whereas those of terpene hydrocarbons increased. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that 26 FAT and 23 DAT odorants were biomarker compounds.

Gene detection of VDR BsmI locus and its approteins, genes and growthplication in rational drug use in patients with osteoporosis

Aim: This paper determines the polymorphism distribution of the VDR BsmI gene in 350 patients and provides medication recommendations for osteoporosis based on detection results. Materials & methods: Chi-square tests compared genotype and allele frequencies with other populations. Results: Genotype frequencies were 91.66 bb, 8.72 Bb and 0.21% BB, with allelic frequencies of 95.43 b and 4.57% B, adhering to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These findings suggest that VDR gene polymorphisms, particularly at the BsmIlocus, play an essential role in bone health and osteoporosis treatment. Genotype-based drug selection reduced adverse reactions from 14 to two cases. Conclusion: These findings improve clinical treatment efficacy and guide rational drug use for osteoporosis patients.

Biomechanical impact of labiolingual diameter on endodontically treated anterior teeth with crown restoration under occlusal loading

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of the labiolingual diameter and construction of an endodontically treated (ET) anterior tooth with crown restoration on stress distribution and biomechanical safety under occlusal loading.

METHODOLOGY

Three-dimensional finite element models were generated for maxillary central incisors with all-ceramic crown restorations. The labiolingual diameters of the tooth, defined as the horizontal distance between the protrusion of the labial and lingual surfaces, were changed as follows: (D1) 6.85 mm, (D2) 6.35 mm, and (D3) 5.85 mm. The model was constructed as follows: (S0) vital pulp tooth; (S1) ET tooth; (S2) ET tooth with a 2 mm ferrule, restored with a fiber post and composite resin core; (S3) ET tooth without a ferrule, restored with a fiber post and composite resin core. A total of 12 models were developed. In total, two force loads (100 N) were applied to the crown's incisal edge and palatal surface at a 45° oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the teeth. The Von Mises stress distribution and maximum stress of the models were analyzed.

RESULTS

Regardless of the loading location, stress concentration and maximum stress (34.07~66.78MPa) in all models occurred in the labial cervical 1/3 of each root. Both labiolingual diameter and construction influenced the maximum stress of the residual tooth tissue, with the impact of the labiolingual diameter being greater. A reduction in labiolingual diameter led to increased maximum stress throughout the tooth. The ferrule reduced the maximum stress of the core of S2 models (7.15~10.69 MPa), which is lower compared with that of S3 models (19.45~43.67 MPa).

CONCLUSION

The labiolingual diameter exerts a greater impact on the biomechanical characteristics of ET anterior teeth with crown restoration, surpassing the influence of the construction. The ferrule can reduce the maximum stress of the core and maintain the uniformity of stress distribution.

Correlated Charge Density Wave Insulators in Chirally Twisted Triple Bilayer Graphene

Electrons residing in a flat-band system can play a vital role in triggering spectacular phenomenology due to relatively large interactions and spontaneous breaking of different degeneracies. In this work, we demonstrate chirally twisted triple bilayer graphene, a new moiré structure formed by three pieces of helically stacked Bernal bilayer graphene, as a highly tunable flat-band system. In addition to the correlated insulators showing at integer moiré fillings, commonly attributed to interaction induced symmetry broken isospin flavors in graphene, we observe abundant insulating states at half-integer moiré fillings, suggesting a longer-range interaction and the formation of charge density wave insulators which spontaneously break the moiré translation symmetry. With weak out-of-plane magnetic field applied, as observed half-integer filling states are enhanced and more quarter-integer filling states appear, pointing toward further quadrupling moiré unit cells. The insulating states at fractional fillings combined with Hartree-Fock calculations demonstrate the observation of a new type of correlated charge density wave insulators in graphene and points to a new accessible twist manner engineering correlated moiré electronics.

Olfactory perceptual interactions of maltol with key food odorants in binary mixtures: Scatter matrix statistical analysis of odor intensity in heterogeneous perceptual situation

To study the olfactory perceptual interaction of odorants (OPIO) in binary mixtures containing maltol, a simple and efficient analysis method was developed. This method correlated three variables of the binary mixture: two rates of change in perceived odor intensities of two odorants within the binary mixtures, and the degree of overall odor synergy exhibited by the binary mixtures. By creating a three-dimensional scatter matrix with the variables, the changes in odor intensity of the binary mixture due to OPIO were visualized. The results revealed that the proportions of mutual antagonism, opposite effect, mutual independence, and mutual synergy in the binary mixtures were 64.7%, 32.9%, 1.9%, and 0.5%, respectively. The odor of maltol was mainly masked, and those of esters (68%), aldehydes and ketones (33%) in the mixture were enhanced. In terms of overall odor intensity, 67% of cases involved partial addition, followed by 22.2% overshadowing, and 19.6% stronger component effect.

Association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with cardiovascular mortality and kidney outcome in patients with early stages of CKD

PURPOSE

While serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency is prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD), the effects of 25(OH)D deficiency on cardiovascular mortality and kidney outcomes in patients with early-stage CKD remain incompletely understood.

METHODS

This multicenter retrospective cohort study included adult patients with stages 1-3 CKD from 19 medical centers across China between January 2000 and May 2021. The primary outcome was cardiovascular mortality. The secondary study outcome included CKD progression (defined as a sustained > 40% eGFR decrease from baseline or progress to end-stage kidney disease), and annual percentage change of eGFR.

RESULTS

Of 9229 adults with stages 1-3 CKD, 27.0% and 38.9% had severe (< 10 ng/mL) and moderate (10 to < 20 ng/mL) serum 25(OH)D deficiency, respectively. Compared with patients having 25(OH)D ≥ 20 ng/mL, a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.90, 95% CI 1.37-2.63), CKD progression (HR 2.20, 95% CI 1.68-2.88), and a steeper annual decline in eGFR (estimate - 7.87%; 95% CI - 10.24% to - 5.51% per year) was found in those with serum 25(OH)D < 10 ng/mL. Similar results were obtained in subgroups and by sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

25(OH)D deficiency is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular mortality and CKD progression in patients with early-stage CKD. Studies are needed to determine whether early intervention for 25(OH)D deficiency could improve the prognosis of patients with early-stage CKD.

[Diagnostic values of conventional tumor markers and their combination with chest CT for patients with stageⅠA lung cancer]

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic efficiency of conventional serum tumor markers and their combination with chest CT for stage ⅠA lung cancer. Methods: A total of 1 155 patients with stage ⅠA lung cancer and 200 patients with benign lung lesions (confirmed by surgery) treated at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2016 to October 2020 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Six conventional serum tumor markers [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), squamous cell carcinoma associated antigen (SCCA), cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and gastrin-releasing peptide precursor (ProGRP)] and chest thin-slice CT were performed on all patients one month before surgery. Pathology was taken as the gold standard to analyze the difference of positivity rates of tumor markers between the lung cancer group and the benign group, the moderate/poor differentiation group and the well differentiation group, the adenocarcinoma group and the squamous cell carcinoma group, the lepidic and non-lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma groups, the solid nodule group and the subsolid nodule group based on thin-slice CT, and subgroups of ⅠA1 to ⅠA3 lung cancers. The diagnostic performance of tumor markers and tumor markers combined with chest CT was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: The positivity rates of six serum tumor markers in the lung cancer group and the benign group were 2.32%-20.08% and 0-13.64%, respectively; only the SCCA positivity rate in the lung cancer group was higher than that in the benign group (10.81% and 0, P=0.022). There were no significant differences in the positivity rates of other serum tumor markers between the two groups (all P>0.05). The combined detection of six tumor markers showed that the positivity rate of the lung cancer group was higher than that of the benign group (40.93% and 18.18%, P=0.004), and the positivity rate of the adenocarcinoma group was lower than that of the squamous cell carcinoma group (35.66% and 47.41%, P=0.045). The positivity rates in the poorly differentiated group and moderately differentiated group were higher than that in the well differentiated group (46.48%, 43.75% and 22.73%, P=0.025). The positivity rate in the non-lepidic adenocarcinoma group was higher than that in lepidic adenocarcinoma group (39.51% and 21.74%, P=0.001). The positivity rate of subsolid nodules was lower than that of solid nodules (30.01% vs 58.71%, P=0.038), and the positivity rates of stageⅠA1, ⅠA2 and ⅠA3 lung cancers were 33.33%, 48.96% and 69.23%, respectively, showing an increasing trend (P=0.005). The sensitivity and specificity of the combined detection of six tumor markers in the diagnosis of stage ⅠA lung cancer were 74.00% and 56.30%, respectively, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.541. The sensitivity and specificity of the combined detection of six serum tumor markers with CT in the diagnosis of stage ⅠA lung cancer were 83.0% and 78.3%, respectively, and the AUC was 0.721. Conclusions: For stage ⅠA lung cancer, the positivity rates of commonly used clinical tumor markers are generally low. The combined detection of six markers can increase the positivity rate. The positivity rate of markers tends to be higher in poorly differentiated lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, or solid nodules. Tumor markers combined with thin-slice CT showed limited improvement in diagnostic efficiency for early lung cancer.

[Effects of the anterolateral thigh chimeric perforator flaps in repairing complex wounds of foot and ankle]

Objective: To investigate the effects of anterolateral thigh chimeric perforator flap in repairing complex wounds of foot and ankle. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From May 2018 to June 2022, 23 patients who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University to repair complex wounds of foot and ankle with anterolateral thigh chimeric perforator flaps, including 15 males and 8 females, aged from 20 to 66 years. The wounds were all accompanied by bone exposure and defects, and were complicated with varying degrees of infection. All patients underwent debridement and continuous vacuum sealing drainage treatment for 1 week in stage Ⅰ, with the skin and soft tissue defect area after debridement being 10 cm×5 cm to 22 cm×7 cm. In stage Ⅱ, the anterolateral thigh chimeric perforator flap was used to cover the defective wound, of which the muscle flap was used to fill the deep invalid cavity of the ankle joint or cover bone and internal fixation exposures, and the skin flap was used to cover the superficial wound, with the area of the skin flap ranging from 11 cm×6 cm to 23 cm×8 cm, and the area of the muscle flap ranging from 4.0 cm×2.5 cm to 8.0 cm×5.0 cm. The survival of the flap was observed after operation. During follow-up, the color, texture, appearance, and complications of the flap were observed, the function of ankle joint and its range of dorsiflexion motion and plantar flexion motion were measured, and the scar hyperplasia and muscular hernia in donor area were observed. Results: Ecchymosis and epidermal necrosis occurred at the tip of the flap in 1 patient on 5 days after operation and healed after dressing change for 1 week; the other flaps of patients survived successfully. After 6 to 40 months of follow-up, the color, texture, and shape of flaps were good, but 1 patient was not satisfied with the shape of the flap because of flap swelling; the ankle joint movement was basically normal, the dorsiflexion motion was 15-30°, and the plantar flexion motion was 20-45°; the scar hyperplasia in the donor area of the flap was not obvious, and no muscular hernia occurred. Conclusions: The anterolateral thigh chimeric perforator flap can effectively fill the deep invalid cavity of ankle joint and cover the superficial wound at the same time, with minimal damage to the donor site. So it is an ideal flap for repairing the complex wounds of foot and ankle.

A novel onco-cardiological mouse model of lung cancer-induced cardiac dysfunction and its application in identifying potential roles of tRNA-derived small RNAs

An increasing body of research suggests cancer-induced cardiovascular diseases, leading to the appearance of an interdisciplinary study known as onco-cardiology. Lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality. Cardiac dysfunction constitutes a major cause of death in lung cancer patients. However, its mechanism has not been elucidated because suitable animal models that adequately mimic clinical features are lacking. Here, we established a novel chemically induced lung cancer mouse model using benzo[a]pyrene and urethane to recapitulate the general characteristics of cardiac dysfunction caused by lung cancer, the cardiac disorders in the context of the progression of lung cancer were evaluated using echocardiographic and histological approaches. The pathological changes included myocardial ischaemia, pericarditis, cardiac pre-cachexia, and pulmonary artery hypertension. We performed sequencing to detect the tRNA-derived fragments and tRNA-derived stress-induced RNAs (tRFs/tiRNAs) expressions in mouse heart tissue. 22 upregulated and 16 downregulated tRFs/tiRNAs were identified. Subsequently, the top 10 significant results of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were presented. The in vitro model was established by exposing neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and myocardial fibroblasts to lung tumour cell-conditioned medium, respectively. Western blotting revealed significant changes in cardiac failure markers (atrial natriuretic peptide and α-myosin heavy chain) and cardiac fibrosis markers (Collagen-1 and Collagen-3). Our model adequately reflects the pathological features of lung cancer-induced cardiac dysfunction. Furthermore, the altered tRF/tiRNA profiles showed great promise as novel targets for therapies. These results might pave the way for research on therapeutic targets in onco-cardiology.

A cross-sectional study of ageing at the mouse neuromuscular junction and effects of an experimental therapeutic approach for dynapenia

Despite prior efforts to understand and target dynapenia (age-induced loss of muscle strength), this condition remains a major challenge that reduces the quality of life in the aged population. We have focused on the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) where changes in structure and function have rarely been systematically studied as a dynamic and progressive process. Our cross-sectional study found neurotransmission at the male mouse NMJ to be biphasic, displaying an early increase followed by a later decrease, and this phenotype was associated with structural changes to the NMJ. A cross-sectional characterization showed that age-induced alterations fell into four age groups: young adult (3-6 months), adult (7-18 months), early aged (19-24 months), and later aged (25-30 months). We then utilized a small molecule therapeutic candidate, GV-58, applied acutely during the later aged stage to combat age-induced reductions in transmitter release by increasing calcium influx during an action potential, which resulted in a significant increase in transmitter release. This comprehensive study of neuromuscular ageing at the NMJ will enable future research to target critical time points for therapeutic intervention. KEY POINTS: Age-induced frailty and falls are the leading causes of injury-related death and are caused by an age-induced loss of muscle strength due to a combination of neurological and muscular changes. A cross-sectional approach was used to study age-induced changes to the neuromuscular junction in a mouse model, and physiological changes that were biphasic over the ageing time course were found. Changes in physiology at the neuromuscular junction were correlated with alterations in neuromuscular junction morphology. An acutely applied positive allosteric gating modifier of presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels was tested as a candidate therapeutic strategy that could increase transmitter release at aged neuromuscular junctions. These results provide a detailed time course of age-induced changes at the neuromuscular junction in a mouse model and test a candidate therapeutic strategy for weakness.

Comparative Analysis of Volatile Flavor Compounds in Seven Mustard Pastes via HS-SPME-GC-MS

To identify the volatile flavor components in mustard paste (MP), the volatile compounds in seven MPs available on the market were isolated and analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 27 volatile constituents were found by mass spectra and retention index compared to the data obtained from reference compounds or the related literature and databases; these compounds included nine esters, three sulfur-containing compounds, two nitriles, three ketones, three alkenes, and seven other compounds. Of the 27 compounds, 6 compounds came from the turmeric added to MPs. Among the components detected, some compounds derived from AITC were allyl thiocyanate, carbon disulfide, allyl mercaptan, diallyl sulfide, and diallyl disulfide. The results obtained provide a better and comprehensive recognition of the volatile flavor compounds in MPs, and have some reference values for developing and applying isothiocyanate compounds.

Comparison of Flavor Profile Relationship of Soy Sauce under Different Storage Conditions

To elucidate the relation of flavor in soy sauce (SS) kept at room temperature (SSAT) and SS kept under accelerated aging condition (SSAA), four analytical instruments, including electronic nose (E-nose), electronic tongue (E-tongue), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactory combined with solvent assisted flavor evaporation, and amino acid analyzer, were applied for analyzing the overall flavor profiles and flavor constituents in SSAT and SSAA. The results of E-nose and E-tongue showed overall flavor profile in SSAT for 3 weeks was similar to that of SSAA for 1 week, and 6 weeks (SSAT) was similar to 2 weeks (SSAA). In SS, a total of 35 odor-active compounds were identified and quantitated, and 22 compounds with odor activity value ≥1 were determined as key odorants. The compounds with the highest concentration were 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (28,756 μg/mL), followed by acetic acid (8838 μg/mL) and maltol (7984 μg/mL). The heatmap and hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that the concentrations of key odorants and amino acids in SSAT for 3 weeks was close to those of SSAA for 1 week, and 6 weeks (SSAT) was similar to 2 weeks (SSAA). Based on the results obtained above, it was concluded that the flavor changes in SSAA for 1 week were equivalent to those in SSAT for 3 weeks.

The effectiveness of global protected areas for climate change mitigation

Forests play a critical role in stabilizing Earth's climate. Establishing protected areas (PAs) represents one approach to forest conservation, but PAs were rarely created to mitigate climate change. The global impact of PAs on the carbon cycle has not previously been quantified due to a lack of accurate global-scale carbon stock maps. Here we used ~412 million lidar samples from NASA's GEDI mission to estimate a total PA aboveground carbon (C) stock of 61.43 Gt (+/- 0.31), 26% of all mapped terrestrial woody C. Of this total, 9.65 + /- 0.88 Gt of additional carbon was attributed to PA status. These higher C stocks are primarily from avoided emissions from deforestation and degradation in PAs compared to unprotected forests. This total is roughly equivalent to one year of annual global fossil fuel emissions. These results underscore the importance of conservation of high biomass forests for avoiding carbon emissions and preserving future sequestration.

Exon shuffling potentiates a diverse repertoire of brown algal NB-ARC-TPR candidate immune receptor proteins via alternative splicing

Like other organisms, brown algae are subject to diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Brown algal immunity mechanisms are not well characterized; however, there is evidence suggesting that pathogen receptors exist in brown algae. One key protein family likely associated with brown algal innate immunity possesses an NB-ARC domain analogous to innate immune proteins in plants and animals. In this study, we conducted an extensive survey of NB-ARC genes in brown algae and obtained insights into the domain organization and evolutionary history of the encoded proteins. Our data show that brown algae possess an ancient NB-ARC-tetratricopeptide repeat (NB-TPR) domain architecture. We identified an N-terminal effector domain, the four-helix bundle, which was not previously found associated with NB-ARC domains. The phylogenetic tree including NB-ARC domains from all kingdoms of life suggests the three clades of brown algal NB-TPRs are likely monophyletic, whereas their TPRs seem to have distinct origins. One group of TPRs exhibit intense exon shuffling, with various alternative splicing and diversifying selection acting on them, suggesting exon shuffling is an important mechanism for evolving ligand-binding specificities. The reconciliation of gene duplication and loss events of the NB-ARC genes reveals that more independent gene gains than losses have occurred during brown algal evolution, and that tandem duplication has played a major role in the expansion of NB-ARC genes. Our results substantially enhance our understanding of the evolutionary history and exon shuffling mechanisms of the candidate innate immune repertoire of brown algae.

[The performance of digital chest radiographs in the detection and diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and the consistency among readers]

Objective: To investigate the detection and diagnostic efficacy of chest radiographs for ≤30 mm pulmonary nodules and the factors affecting them, and to compare the level of consistency among readers. Methods: A total of 43 patients with asymptomatic pulmonary nodules who consulted in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2012 to 2014 and had chest CT and X-ray chest radiographs during the same period were retrospectively selected, and one nodule ≤30 mm was visible on chest CT images in the whole group (total 43 nodules in the whole group). One senior radiologist with more than 20 years of experience in imaging diagnosis reviewed CT images and recording the size, morphology, location, and density of nodules was selected retrospectively. Six radiologists with different levels of experience (2 residents, 2 attending physicians and 2 associate chief physicians independently reviewed the chest images and recorded the time of review, nodule detection, and diagnostic opinion. The CT imaging characteristics of detected and undetected nodules on X images were compared, and the factors affecting the detection of nodules on X-ray images were analyzed. Detection sensitivity and diagnosis accuracy rate of 6 radiologists were calculated, and the level of consistency among them was compared to analyze the influence of radiologists' seniority and reading time on the diagnosis results. Results: The number of nodules detected by all 6 radiologists was 17, with a sensitivity of detection of 39.5%(17/43). The number of nodules detected by ≥5, ≥4, ≥3, ≥2, and ≥1 physicians was 20, 21, 23, 25, and 28 nodules, respectively, with detection sensitivities of 46.5%, 48.8%, 53.5%, 58.1%, and 65.1%, respectively. Reasons for false-negative result of detection on X-ray images included the size, location, density, and morphology of the nodule. The sensitivity of detecting ≤30 mm, ≤20 mm, ≤15 mm, and ≤10 mm nodules was 46.5%-58.1%, 45.9%-54.1%, 36.0%-44.0%, and 36.4% for the 6 radiologists, respectively; the diagnosis accuracy rate was 19.0%-85.0%, 16.7%-6.5%, 18.2%-80.0%, and 0%-75.0%, respectively. The consistency of nodule detection among 6 doctors was good (Kappa value: 0.629-0.907) and the consistency of diagnostic results among them was moderate or poor (Kappa value: 0.350-0.653). The higher the radiologist's seniority, the shorter the time required to read the images. The reading time and the seniority of the radiologists had no significant influence on the detection and diagnosis results (P>0.05). Conclusions: The ability of radiographs to detect lung nodules ≤30 mm is limited, and the ability to determine the nature of the nodules is not sufficient, and the increase in reading time and seniority of the radiologists will not improve the diagnostic accuracy. X-ray film exam alone is not suitable for lung cancer diagnosis.

Development of an Au nanoclusters based activatable nanoprobe for NIR-II fluorescence imaging of gastric acid

Gastric acid is an important functional substance secreted by the stomach of the living organisms, reflecting the gastric physiological condition. The sensing of gastric acid in vivo is of great significance for evaluation of gastric function, diagnosis and treatment of gastric diseases and maintenance of organism health but remains challenging due to the harsh acid and digestive environment of stomach. This study developed an activatable nanoprobe based on Au nanoclusters (Au NCs) for sensitive and real-time noninvasive near-infrared II (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging detection of gastric acid in vivo for the first time. The Au NCs were encapsulated by polydopamine to have enhanced NIR-II luminescence and high stability and combined with methylene blue to possess the pH responsiveness for gastric acid imaging. The developed nanoprobe could not only monitor gastric acid secretion in vivo but also imaging the changes of gastric acid caused by feeding, acid-inhibition drugs and gastric ulcer disease. This study provides a promising avenue for the improvement of the application performance of Au NCs and imaging analysis of gastric acid and related gastric diseases.

LMCD1-AS1 Facilitates Cell Proliferation and EMT by Sponging miR-873-3p in Cervical Cancer

Long non-coding RNA LMCD1 antisense RNA 1 (LMCD1-AS1) has recently been reported to participate in the pathogenesis of several tumors, including thyroid cancer and osteosarcoma. However, the clinical significance of LMCD1-AS1 and the related biological function have not been reported in cervical cancer (CC). In this study, we observed that LMCD1-AS1 expression was highly expressed in CC specimens compared with adjacent normal specimens using quantitative real-time PCR. Chi-square test showed that high LMCD1-AS1 expression was correlated with FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed poor prognosis with high LMCD1-AS1 expression. Moreover, FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis and high LMCD1-AS1 expression could be independent prognostic factors for the patients with CC. Functionally, knockdown of LMCD1-AS1 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of two CC cell lines (HeLa and CaSki) cells by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and Transwell assay. Knockdown of LMCD1-AS1 upregulated E-cadherin expression and downregulated the expression of PCNA, N-cadherin, and imentin in HeLa and CaSki cells. Luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay were conducted to evaluate the downstream molecular mechanisms of LMCD1-AS1. LMCD1-AS1 possesses a putative miR-873-3p-binding site and confirmed the negative correlation between them in CC tissues. Moreover, overexpression of LMCD1-AS1 promoted CC cell proliferation and EMT process through the regulation of miR-873-3p. In addition, depletion of LMCD1-AS1 reduced tumor growth and Ki-67 protein expression. In summary, our findings indicate that LMCD1-AS1 might exert an oncogenic role in CC and targeting LMCD1-AS1 might be a promising therapeutic target for CC treatment.

Dramatic decline of observed atmospheric CO2 and CH4 during the COVID-19 lockdown over the Yangtze River Delta of China

The temporal variation of greenhouse gas concentrations in China during the COVID-19 lockdown in China is analyzed in this work using high resolution measurements of near surface △CO₂, △CH₄ and △CO concentrations above the background conditions at Lin'an station (LAN), a regional background station in the Yangtze River Delta region. During the pre-lockdown observational period (IOP-1), both △CO₂ and △CH₄ exhibited a significant increasing trend relative to the 2011-2019 climatological mean. The reduction of △CO₂, △CH₄ and △CO during the lockdown observational period (IOP-2) (which also coincided with the Chinese New Year Holiday) reached up to 15.0 ppm, 14.2 ppb and 146.8 ppb, respectively, and a reduction of △CO₂/△CO probably due to a dramatic reduction from industrial emissions. △CO₂, △CH₄ and △CO were observed to keep declining during the post-lockdown easing phase (IOP-3), which is the synthetic result of lower than normal CO₂ emissions from rural regions around LAN coupled with strong uptake of the terrestrial ecosystem. Interestingly, the trend reversed to gradual increase for all species during the later easing phase (IOP-4), with △CO₂/△CO constantly increasing from IOP-2 to IOP-3 and finally IOP-4, consistent with recovery in industrial emissions associated with the staged resumption of economic activity. On average, △CO₂ declined sharply throughout the days during IOP-2 but increased gradually throughout the days during IOP-4. The findings showcase the significant role of emission reduction in accounting for the dramatic changes in measured atmospheric △CO₂ and △CH₄ associated with the COVID-19 lockdown and recovery.

[Exploration of family rehabilitation model for children with scar contracture after hand burns]

Objective: To explore the family rehabilitation model for children with scar contracture after hand burns and observe its efficacy. Methods: A retrospective non-randomized controlled study was conducted. From March 2020 to March 2021, 30 children with scar contracture after deep partial-thickness to full-thickness burns of hands, who met the inclusion criteria, were hospitalized in the Burn Center of PLA of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University. According to the rehabilitation model adopted, 18 children (23 affected hands) were included in a group mainly treated by family rehabilitation (hereinafter referred to as family rehabilitation group), and 12 children (15 affected hands) were included in another group mainly treated by hospital rehabilitation (hereinafter referred to as hospital rehabilitation group). In the former group, there were 11 males and 7 females, aged (4.8±2.1) years, who began rehabilitation treatment (3.1±0.8) d after wound healing; in the latter group, there were 7 males and 5 females, aged (4.6±2.1) years, who began rehabilitation treatment (2.8±0.7) d after wound healing. The children in hospital rehabilitation group mainly received active and passive rehabilitation training in the hospital, supplemented by independent rehabilitation training after returning home; after 1-2 weeks of active and passive rehabilitation training in the hospital, the children in family rehabilitation group received active and passive rehabilitation training at home under the guidance of rehabilitation therapists through WeChat platform. Both groups of children were treated for 6 months. During the treatment, they wore pressure gloves and used hand flexion training belts and finger splitting braces. Before treatment and after 6 months of treatment, the modified Vancouver scar scale, the total active movement of the hand method, and Carroll quantitative test of upper extremity function were used to score/rate the scar of the affected hand (with the difference of scar score between before treatment and after treatment being calculated), the joint range of motion (with excellent and good ratio being calculated), and the function of the affected limb, respectively. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, equivalence test, Fisher's exact probability test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The differences of scar scores of the affected hands of children in family rehabilitation group and hospital rehabilitation group between after 6 months of treatment and those before treatment were 3.0 (2.0, 7.0) and 3.0 (2.0, 8.0) respectively (with 95% confidence interval of 2.37-5.38 and 1.95-5.91). The 95% confidence interval of the difference between the differences of the two groups was -2.43-2.21, which was within the equivalent boundary value of -3-3 (P<0.05). The excellent and good ratios of joint range of motion of the affected hand of children in family rehabilitation group and hospital rehabilitation group were 3/23 and 2/15 respectively before treatment, and 15/23 and 12/15 respectively after 6 months of treatment. The ratings of joint range of motion of the affected hand of children in family rehabilitation group and hospital rehabilitation group after 6 months of treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (with Z values of 3.58 and 2.30, respectively, P<0.05), but the ratings of joint range of motion of the affected hand between the two groups were similar before treatment and after 6 months of treatment (with Z values of 0.39 and 0.55, respectively, P>0.05). The functional ratings of the affected limbs of children in family rehabilitation group and hospital rehabilitation group after 6 months of treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (with Z values of 3.98 and 3.51, respectively, P<0.05), but the functional ratings of the affected limbs between the two groups were similar before treatment and after 6 months of treatment (with Z values of 1.27 and 0.38, respectively, P>0.05). Conclusions: The WeChat platform assisted rehabilitation treatment with mainly family rehabilitation, combined with hand flexion and extension brace can effectively reduce the scarring after children's hand burns, improve the joint range of motion of the affected hands, and promote the recovery of affected limb function. The effect is similar to that of hospital-based rehabilitation providing an optional rehabilitation, treatment method for children who cannot continue to receive treatment in hospital.

[A prospective randomized controlled study on the effects of progressive core muscle group training combined with lower limb intelligent rehabilitation training for burn patients with lower limb dysfunction]

Objective: To observe the effect of progressive core muscle group training combined with lower limb intelligent rehabilitation training on burn patients with lower limb dysfunction. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. From March 2017 to May 2020, 60 patients with motor and balance dysfunction after deep partial-thickness burns or full-thickness burns of both lower extremities who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University. They were divided into simple intelligent rehabilitation group (30 cases, 20 males and 10 females, aged (40±3) years) and combined rehabilitation group (30 cases, 16 males and 14 females, aged (39±3) years) according to the random number table method. The patients in both groups started red light treatment after the wound healing or when the scattered residual wound area was less than 5% total body surface area. After 2 weeks of red light treatment, patients in the combined rehabilitation group started progressive core muscle group training on the basis of lower limb intelligent rehabilitation training in simple intelligent rehabilitation group, and the training time was 6 weeks. Before and after 6 weeks of training, the lower limb motor function was evaluated with the simple Fugl-Meyer scale, the balance capacity was evaluated with the Berg balance scale, and the walking capacity was evaluated with the Holden walking ability rating scale. After 6 weeks of training, a self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate patients' satisfaction for the treatment effect. The patients were followed up for 6 months after the treatment to observe the balance stability of standing on one foot in the flexion position and their participation in activities of daily life. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, paired sample t test, and chi-square test. Results: Before training, the lower limb motor function score of patients in simple intelligent rehabilitation group was 24.9±2.7, which was close to 23.9±2.3 in combined rehabilitation group (P>0.05). After 6 weeks of training, the lower limb motor function score of patients in combined rehabilitation group was 29.6±3.9, which was significantly higher than 27.3±3.8 in simple rehabilitation group (t=-2.28, P<0.05). The lower limb motor function scores of patients in combined rehabilitation group and simple intelligent rehabilitation group after 6 weeks of training were significantly higher than those before training (with t values of -6.50 and -3.21, respectively, P<0.01). After 6 weeks of training, the balance capacity score of patients in combined rehabilitation group was 41±7, which was significantly higher than 36±5 in simple intelligent rehabilitation group (t=-2.68, P<0.05); the balance capacity scores of patients in combined rehabilitation group and simple intelligent rehabilitation group after 6 weeks of training were significantly higher than those before training (with t values of -8.72 and -8.09, respectively, P<0.01). After 6 weeks of training, the walking capacity grading of patients in combined rehabilitation group was significantly improved compared with that in simple intelligent rehabilitation group (χ2=-2.14, P<0.05), and the walking capacity grading of patients in simple intelligent rehabilitation group and combined rehabilitation group after 6 weeks of training was significantly improved compared with that before treatment (with χ2 values of -4.94 and -5.26, respectively, P<0.01). After 6 weeks of training, the satisfaction score for the treatment effect of patients in combined rehabilitation group was 13.7±1.2, which was significantly higher than 7.8±1.4 in simple intelligent rehabilitation group (t=22.84, P<0.01). The patients in both groups could stand on one foot to maintain balance in the flexion position of lower limb, and their activities of daily life were not affected 6 months after treatment. Conclusions: On the basis of conventional rehabilitation therapy, the combination of progressive core muscle group training and lower limb intelligent rehabilitation training can significantly promote the recovery of lower limb motor and balance function of burn patients.