Association of clopidogrel resistance and ABCD-GENE score with long-term clinical prognosis in patients with ischemic stroke or TIA

BACKGROUND

Clopidogrel resistance (CR) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients. However, whether CR affects the long-term clinical prognosis remains to be clarified. The ABCD-GENE score is a novel risk model that identifies CR in cardiovascular disease patients; its diagnostic ability and application in ischemic stroke or TIA remain to be studied. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic ability of the ABCD-GENE score for CR and analyze the relationship between CR and long-term clinical prognosis in patients with ischemic stroke or TIA.

METHODS

From January 2018 to January 2021, 251 ischemic stroke or TIA patients who were treated with clopidogrel for more than three months after onset and maintained the medication until the follow-up time were enrolled, and platelet reactivity was detected by thromboelastography. CYP2C19 gene analysis was performed. Adverse clinical outcomes were recorded from 3months after onset. The median follow-up time was 878days.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CR was 33.9%. The proportion of CYP2C19 loss-of-function carriers was 62.2%. The ABCD-GENE score≥10 was independently associated with CR (OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.02-3.24, P=0.041), and the C-statistic value of the score (as a binary and integer variable) on CR was 0.58 and 0.63, respectively. The risk of long-term adverse clinical outcomes was not significantly different between CR and clopidogrel sensitive groups (12.94% vs. 11.44%, HR=1.22, 95% CI: 0.57-2.62, P=0.603). A similar result was observed between ABCD-GENE score≥10 and ABCD-GENE score<10 groups (10.38% vs. 12.64%, HR=1.19, 95% CI: 0.55-2.60, P=0.666).

CONCLUSIONS

In ischemic stroke or TIA patients, the ABCD-GENE score could identify the risk of CR. CR was not associated with long-term adverse clinical outcomes.

Trimester-specific association between fetal growth and physical activity in pregnant women: total physical activity vs moderate-to-vigorous exercise

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the trimester-specific associations between maternal total physical activity level vs moderate-to-vigorous exercise and fetal growth disorders.

METHODS

We analyzed 2062 mother-neonate pairs participating in the longitudinal China Medical University Birth Cohort Study. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess the physical activity level of women during the three trimesters. A higher level of total physical activity was defined as meeting or exceeding the cohort-specific 75th percentile, and a higher level of exercise was defined according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Fetal growth disorder was defined as small-for-gestational age (SGA) or large-for-gestational age (LGA) at birth.

RESULTS

Of the neonates included in this study, 7.1% were SGA and 15.5% were LGA. A higher level of total physical activity during the first trimester (adjusted relative risk (aRR), 0.62 (95% CI, 0.42-0.91)) and second trimester (aRR, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.41-0.95)) was associated with a lower risk of SGA, and a higher level of total physical activity during the third trimester was associated with a lower risk of LGA (aRR, 0.73 (95% CI, 0.54-0.97)). When analyzing physical activity by subtype, a higher level of occupational physical activity during the first and second trimesters was associated negatively with SGA risk, and higher levels of occupational and low-intensity physical activity during the first trimester were associated negatively with LGA risk. No significant association was found between maternal adherence to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and risk of fetal growth disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

A higher total physical activity level during the first and second trimesters was associated with a decreased risk of SGA, whereas a higher total physical activity level in the third trimester was associated with a decreased risk of LGA. Pregnant women should be advised to increase their total physical activity levels instead of focusing on engaging in only moderate-to-vigorous exercise. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Precise Measurement of Born Cross Sections for e^{+}e^{-}→DD[over ¯] at sqrt[s]=3.80-4.95 GeV

Using data samples collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider at center-of-mass energies ranging from 3.80 to 4.95 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20  fb^{-1}, a measurement of Born cross sections for the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0} and D^{+}D^{-} processes is presented with unprecedented precision. Many clear peaks in the line shape of e^{+}e^{-}→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0} and D^{+}D^{-} around the mass range of G(3900), ψ(4040), ψ(4160), Y(4260), and ψ(4415), etc., are foreseen. These results offer crucial experimental insights into the nature of hadron production in the open-charm region.

Measurement of multijet azimuthal correlations and determination of the strong coupling in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te V

A measurement is presented of a ratio observable that provides a measure of the azimuthal correlations among jets with large transverse momentum p T . This observable is measured in multijet events over the range ofp T = 360 - 3170 Ge V based on data collected by the CMS experiment in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13Te V , corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 134fb - 1 . The results are compared with predictions from Monte Carlo parton-shower event generator simulations, as well as with fixed-order perturbative quantum chromodynamics (pQCD) predictions at next-to-leading-order (NLO) accuracy obtained with different parton distribution functions (PDFs) and corrected for nonperturbative and electroweak effects. Data and theory agree within uncertainties. From the comparison of the measured observable with the pQCD prediction obtained with the NNPDF3.1 NLO PDFs, the strong coupling at the Z boson mass scale isα S ( m Z ) = 0.1177 ± 0.0013 (exp) - 0.0073 + 0.0116 (theo) = 0 . 1177 - 0.0074 + 0.0117 , where the total uncertainty is dominated by the scale dependence of the fixed-order predictions. A test of the running of α S in theTe V region shows no deviation from the expected NLO pQCD behaviour.

Measurement of Energy Correlators inside Jets and Determination of the Strong Coupling α_{S}(m_{Z})

Energy correlators that describe energy-weighted distances between two or three particles in a hadronic jet are measured using an event sample of sqrt[s]=13  TeV proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3  fb^{-1}. The measured distributions are consistent with the trends in the simulation that reveal two key features of the strong interaction: confinement and asymptotic freedom. By comparing the ratio of the measured three- and two-particle energy correlator distributions with theoretical calculations that resum collinear emissions at approximate next-to-next-to-leading-logarithmic accuracy matched to a next-to-leading-order calculation, the strong coupling is determined at the Z boson mass: α_{S}(m_{Z})=0.1229_{-0.0050}^{+0.0040}, the most precise α_{S}(m_{Z}) value obtained using jet substructure observables.

Stringent Tests of Lorentz Invariance Violation from LHAASO Observations of GRB 221009A

On 9 October 2022, the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) reported the observation of the very early TeV afterglow of the brightest-of-all-time gamma-ray burst 221009A, recording the highest photon statistics in the TeV band ever obtained from a gamma-ray burst. We use this unique observation to place stringent constraints on the energy dependence of the speed of light in vacuum, a manifestation of Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) predicted by some quantum gravity (QG) theories. Our results show that the 95% confidence level lower limits on the QG energy scales are E_{QG,1}>10 times the Planck energy E_{Pl} for the linear LIV effect, and E_{QG,2}>6×10^{-8}E_{Pl} for the quadratic LIV effect. Our limits on the quadratic LIV case improve previous best bounds by factors of 5-7.

Constraints on Ultraheavy Dark Matter Properties from Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies with LHAASO Observations

In this Letter we try to search for signals generated by ultraheavy dark matter at the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) data. We look for possible γ rays by dark matter annihilation or decay from 16 dwarf spheroidal galaxies in the field of view of the LHAASO. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are among the most promising targets for indirect detection of dark matter that have low fluxes of astrophysical γ-ray background while having large amount of dark matter. By analyzing more than 700 days of observational data at LHAASO, no significant dark matter signal from 1 TeV to 1 EeV is detected. Accordingly we derive the most stringent constraints on the ultraheavy dark matter annihilation cross section up to EeV. The constraints on the lifetime of dark matter in decay mode are also derived.

Constraints on anomalous Higgs boson couplings from its production and decay using the WW channel in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A study of the anomalous couplings of the Higgs boson to vector bosons, including CP -violation effects, has been conducted using its production and decay in the WW channel. This analysis is performed on proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC during 2016-2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The different-flavor dilepton ( e μ ) final state is analyzed, with dedicated categories targeting gluon fusion, electroweak vector boson fusion, and associated production with a W or Z boson. Kinematic information from associated jets is combined using matrix element techniques to increase the sensitivity to anomalous effects at the production vertex. A simultaneous measurement of four Higgs boson couplings to electroweak vector bosons is performed in the framework of a standard model effective field theory. All measurements are consistent with the expectations for the standard model Higgs boson and constraints are set on the fractional contribution of the anomalous couplings to the Higgs boson production cross section.

Observation of Strong Nuclear Suppression in Exclusive J/ψ Photoproduction in Au+Au Ultraperipheral Collisions at RHIC

We report a measurement of exclusive J/ψ and ψ(2s) photoproduction in Au+Au ultraperipheral collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV using the STAR detector. For the first time, (i) the ψ(2s) photoproduction in midrapidity at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider has been experimentally measured; (ii) nuclear suppression factors are measured for both the coherent and incoherent J/ψ production. At average photon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 25.0 GeV, the coherent and incoherent J/ψ cross sections of Au nuclei are found to be 71±10% and 36±7%, respectively, of that of free protons. The stronger suppression observed in the incoherent production provides a new experimental handle to study the initial-state parton density in heavy nuclei. Data are compared with theoretical models quantitatively.

Comparison of laparoscopic and open inguinal-hernia repair in elderly patients: the experience of two comprehensive medical centers over 10 years

PURPOSE

The safety of laparoscopic inguinal-hernia repair must be carefully evaluated in elderly patients. Very little is known regarding the safety of the laparoscopic approach in elderly patients under surgical and medical co-management (SMC). Therefore, this study evaluated the safety of the laparoscopic approach in elderly patients, especially patients with multiple comorbidities under SMC.

METHODS

From January 2012 to December 2021, patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent open or laparoscopic inguinal-hernia repair during hospitalization were consecutively enrolled. Postoperative outcomes included major and minor operation-related complications, and other adverse events. To reduce potential selection bias, propensity score matching was performed between open and laparoscopic groups based on patients' demographics and comorbidities.

RESULTS

A total of 447 elderly patients who underwent inguinal-hernia repair were enrolled, with 408 (91.3%) underwent open and 39 (8.7%) laparoscopic surgery. All postoperative outcomes were comparable between open and laparoscopic groups after 1:1 propensity score matching (all p > 0.05). Moreover, compared to the traditional care group (n = 360), a higher proportion of the SMC group (n = 87) was treated via the laparoscopic approach (18.4% vs. 6.4%, p = 0.00). In the laparoscopic approach subgroup (n = 39), patients in the SMC group (n = 16) were older with multiple comorbidities but were at higher risks of only minor operation-related complications, compared to those in the traditional care group.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic inguinal-hernia repair surgery is safe for elderly patients, especially those with multiple comorbidities under SMC.

Observation of the antimatter hypernucleus H ¯ Λ ¯ 4

At the origin of the Universe, an asymmetry between the amount of created matter and antimatter led to the matter-dominated Universe as we know it today. The origins of this asymmetry remain unknown so far. High-energy nuclear collisions create conditions similar to the Universe microseconds after the Big Bang, with comparable amounts of matter and antimatter1-6. Much of the created antimatter escapes the rapidly expanding fireball without annihilating, making such collisions an effective experimental tool to create heavy antimatter nuclear objects and to study their properties7-14, hoping to shed some light on the existing questions on the asymmetry between matter and antimatter. Here we report the observation of the antimatter hypernucleusH ¯ Λ ¯ 4 , composed of aΛ ¯ , an antiproton and two antineutrons. The discovery was made through its two-body decay after production in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider15,16. In total, 15.6 candidateH ¯ Λ ¯ 4 antimatter hypernuclei are obtained with an estimated background count of 6.4. The lifetimes of the antihypernucleiH ¯ Λ ¯ 3 andH ¯ Λ ¯ 4 are measured and compared with the lifetimes of their corresponding hypernuclei, testing the symmetry between matter and antimatter. Various production yield ratios among (anti)hypernuclei (hypernuclei and/or antihypernuclei) and (anti)nuclei (nuclei and/or antinuclei) are also measured and compared with theoretical model predictions, shedding light on their production mechanisms.

Development of Fluorenyl-Based Copolyimines with Adjustable Mechanical Properties, Recyclability and Friction Resistance

Dynamic polyimines are a class of fascinating dynamic polymers with recyclability and reparability owing to their reversible Schiff-base reactions. However, balancing the dynamic properties and mechanical strength of dynamic polyimines presents a major challenge due to the dissociative and associative nature of the imine bonds. Herein, we introduced bulky fluorene groups and polyether amine into the skeleton of polyimine networks to achieve a tradeoff in comprehensive properties. The resulting dynamic polyimines with fluorene groups (Cardo-DPIs) were successfully synthesized by combining the rigid diamine 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorene and the flexible polyether amine, demonstrating a high tensile strength of 64.7 MPa. Additionally, Cardo-DPIs films with more content of rigid fluorene groups exhibited higher water resistance, glass transition temperature and wear-resisting ability. Moreover, the Cardo-DPIs films not only efficiently underwent thermal reshaping, but also exhibited excellent self-healing capabilities and chemical degradation in acidic solutions. Furthermore, the resulting films can achieve fully closed-loop recovery by free amine solution for 2 h at room temperature. This study broadens the scope of dynamic polyimine materials and promotes the balanced development of their functional and mechanical properties.

[Comparative study on CT image characteristics of pneumoconiosis large shadow and primary lung cancer mass]

Objective: To compare the CT image characteristics of pneumoconiosis large shadow and primary lung cancer mass, and analyze the value of CT image characteristics in the differential diagnosis of pneumoconiosis large shadow and primary lung cancer. Methods: In September 2022, 43 patients with stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis who were hospitalized in Zibo Occupational Disease Prevention Hospital from January 2020 to June 2021 and 52 patients with primary lung cancer who were confirmed by pathology in the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University during the same period were selected as the investigation objects, and the image characteristics of pneumoconiosis large shadow or lung cancer mass and surrounding tissues in the chest CT images of the two groups were compared. Univariate analysis, cluster analysis and cross analysis were used to screen out statistically significant indicators as independent variables, and pneumoconiosis and lung cancer as dependent variables for logistic regression analysis. Results: There were statistically significant differences between large shadow of pneumoconiosis and primary lung cancer mass in single factor CT imaging, such as irregular shape of lesions, CT attenuation value, calcification, cavitation, spiculation, liquefactive necrosis, satellite lesions, adjacent emphysema, short spicules, and pleural thickening (P<0.05). CT value ≥92 HU (abnormal CT attenuation value), calcification, peripheral satellite lesions, pleural thickening, parapunctal emphysema, spines on the lesion margin, irregular lesion morphology were typical features of stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis, with multiple features of aggregation. The typical features of lung cancer were liquefaction necrosis, round or quasi-round appearance, cavitation and interlobar pleura. A logistic regression model was constructed using satellite lesions, spiculation, pleural thickening, and lesion abnormal CT attenuation value had an R(2) of 0.880 and an accuracy of 95.3% for differentiation. Conclusion: Abnormal CT attenuation value, calcification, peripheral satellite lesions, pleural thickening, spiculation at the edges, liquefaction necrosis, interlobar pleura involvement, and cavitation can distinguish the large shadow of stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis from lung cancer mass.

The predictive value of ultrasound markers for pregnancy outcomes in recurrent pregnancy loss: a retrospective study

Establishing prediction models of pregnancy outcomes for recurrent pregnancy loss women at specific gestational weeks will provide patients and physicians with more precise information, ultimately leading to time and cost savings associated with unnecessary revisits. Therefore, our aim was to develop a prediction model for first trimester pregnancy loss in RPL patients. We used ultrasound indices during the first trimester of pregnancy in combination with demographic characteristics and commonly used serum markers. The independent risk factors for each week were as follows: age and P in the fifth week; age, mGSD and CRL in the sixth week; age, hCG and CRL in the seventh week; CRL in the eighth week; mGSD and CRL in ninth week. The corresponding AUC was 0.671, 0.796, 0.872, 0.871, 0.813, respectively. There is a linear relationship between age and first trimester pregnancy loss. hCG < 69,636.6 mIU/ml was associated with a higher risk of pregnancy loss in the seventh gestation week. An mGSD < 18.3 mm, adjusted for age, BMI, and previous pregnancy loss in the sixth week, was linked to an increased risk of first trimester pregnancy loss. A small CRL measurement (less than 2.4 mm, 9.9 mm, 16.9 mm, and 18.6 mm) in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth week was closely correlated with higher risk of first trimester pregnancy loss. Furthermore, an mGSD < 33.3 mm and > 48.3 mm in ninth gestational week was associated with a higher risk of pregnancy loss. These models and thresholds may help physicians and patients make more informed decisions together. Further studies are needed to confirm the results.

Search for Z Z and Z H production in the b b ¯ b b ¯ final state using proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te V

A search forZ Z andZ H production in theb b ¯ b b ¯ final state is presented, where H is the standard model (SM) Higgs boson. The search uses an event sample of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 133fb - 1 collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The analysis introduces several novel techniques for deriving and validating a multi-dimensional background model based on control samples in data. A multiclass multivariate classifier customized for theb b ¯ b b ¯ final state is developed to derive the background model and extract the signal. The data are found to be consistent, within uncertainties, with the SM predictions. The observed (expected) upper limits at 95% confidence level are found to be 3.8 (3.8) and 5.0 (2.9) times the SM prediction for theZ Z andZ H production cross sections, respectively.

3D Printed Calcium Phosphate Physiochemically Dual-Regulating Pro-Osteogenesis and Antiosteolysis for Enhancing Bone Tissue Regeneration

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are two of the most important types of cells in bone repair, and their bone-forming and bone-resorbing activities influence the process of bone repair. In this study, we proposed a physicochemical bidirectional regulation strategy via ration by physically utilizing hydroxyapatite nanopatterning to recruit and induce MSCs osteogenic differentiation and by chemically inhibiting osteolysis activity through the loaded zoledronate. The nanorod-like hydroxyapatite coating was fabricated via a modified hydrothermal process while the zoledronic acid was loaded through the chelation within the calcium ions. The fabrication of a hydroxyapatite/zoledronic acid composite biomaterial. This biomaterial promotes bone tissue regeneration by physically utilizing hydroxyapatite nanopatterning to recruit and induce MSCs osteogenic differentiation and by chemically inhibiting osteolysis activity through the loaded zoledronate. The nanorod-like hydroxyapatite coating was fabricated via a modified hydrothermal process while the zoledronic acid was loaded through the chelation within the calcium ions. The in vitro results tested on MSCs and RAW 246.7 indicated that the hydroxyapatite enhanced cells' physical sensing system, therefore enhancing the osteogenesis. At the same time the zoledronic acid inhibited osteolysis by downregulating the RANK-related genes. This research provides a promising strategy for enhancing bone regeneration and contributes to the field of orthopedic implants.

Observation of the ϒ(3S) Meson and Suppression of ϒ States in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The production of ϒ(2S) and ϒ(3S) mesons in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions is studied in their dimuon decay channel using the CMS detector at the LHC. The ϒ(3S) meson is observed for the first time in Pb-Pb collisions, with a significance above 5 standard deviations. The ratios of yields measured in Pb-Pb and pp collisions are reported for both the ϒ(2S) and ϒ(3S) mesons, as functions of transverse momentum and Pb-Pb collision centrality. These ratios, when appropriately scaled, are significantly less than unity, indicating a suppression of ϒ yields in Pb-Pb collisions. This suppression increases from peripheral to central Pb-Pb collisions. Furthermore, the suppression is stronger for ϒ(3S) mesons compared to ϒ(2S) mesons, extending the pattern of sequential suppression of quarkonium states in nuclear collisions previously seen for the J/ψ, ψ(2S), ϒ(1S), and ϒ(2S) mesons.

Measurements of Normalized Differential Cross Sections of Inclusive η Production in e^{+}e^{-} Annihilation at Energy from 2.0000 to 3.6710 GeV

Using data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring, the cross section of the inclusive process e^{+}e^{-}→η+X, normalized by the total cross section of e^{+}e^{-}→hadrons, is measured at eight center-of-mass energy points from 2.0000 to 3.6710 GeV. These are the first measurements with momentum dependence in this energy region. Our measurement shows a significant discrepancy compared to the existing fragmentation functions. To address this discrepancy, a new QCD analysis is performed at the next-to-next-to-leading order with hadron mass corrections and higher twist effects, which can explain both the established high-energy data and our measurements reasonably well.

[Application of whole exome sequencing technology in the diagnosis of hereditary eye diseases]

Objective: To evaluate the application of whole exome sequencing (WES) in the diagnosis of hereditary eye diseases. Methods: A total of 24 patients who came to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University for reproductive genetic counseling from December 2020 to December 2023 with the main complaint of congenital eye disorders were included in this study. All cases had no known infections or exposure to known teratogenic drugs, karyotype and chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) abnormalities. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of the probands and their family members and tested for WES. Among them, three individual WES and 21 Trio WES were performed. Potential pathogenic sites were screened and analyzed by Sanger sequencing. For RPGRIP1:c.1611+26G>A site, minigene vector was constructed and RT-qPCR was performed to detect the effect of mRNA splicing. Results: A total of 24 families were collected in this study, of which 20 yielded positive results, achieving a diagnosis rate of 83.3% (20/24). The results involved 21 genes and identified 30 distinct variants, 19 of which were new variants reported. Prenatal diagnostic analysis of family 3 revealed that the fetus carried a c.6970G>T heterozygous nonsense mutation in the PRPF8 gene. The results of RT-PCR with the minigene vector at the non-classical splice site in family 24 indicated that the transcription product of the mutant plasmid was partially retained 104 bp in intron 12, resulting in a p.Glu538Valfs*12 alteration of the protein. Conclusions: The high detection rate of WES in the diagnosis of hereditary eye diseases further supports the advantages of its application as an important molecular detection tool for determining the etiology of hereditary eye diseases.

The relationship between Sjögren's syndrome and recurrent pregnancy loss: a bioinformatics analysis

RESEARCH QUESTION

As Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease and an essential factor in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), are there gene-related relationships between the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome and RPL?

DESIGN

The gene datasets for Sjögren's syndrome and RPL were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and the co-expression modules and shared differentially expressed genes were identified through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and limma analysis based on sample size. Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were applied to reveal the hidden biological pathways. Additionally, shared hub gene identification, gene set enrichment analysis, association of the hub gene with ferroptosis and immunity, drug sensitivity analysis, single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, and construction of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network were conducted.

RESULTS

By intersecting the genes from WGCNA and limma analysis, one shared hub gene (KCNN3) was derived, exhibiting up-regulation in Sjögren's syndrome and RPL. There was a positive relationship between KCNN3 and the immune-related gene TLR2. The ceRNA network revealed that XIST was the most shared long non-coding RNA, which may bind competitively with eight microRNA to regulate the expression of KCNN3. Forty-eight drugs were found to be strongly associated with KCNN3 expression, including estramustine and cyclosporine. Moreover, KCNN3 exhibited high expression in RPL endothelial cells of villous tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

This is one of the first studies to reveal that Sjögren's syndrome shares common biological pathways with RPL. KCNN3 was identified as the hub gene associated with Sjögren's syndrome and RPL, and may be a new target for mechanistic studies on Sjögren's syndrome and RPL.

Search for Narrow Trijet Resonances in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for singly produced narrow resonances decaying to three well-separated hadronic jets is presented. The search uses proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected at the CERN LHC. No significant deviations from the background predictions are observed between 1.75 and 9.00 TeV. The results provide the first mass limits on a right-handed boson Z_{R} decaying to three gluons and on an excited quark decaying via a vector boson to three quarks, as well as updated limits on a Kaluza-Klein gluon decaying via a radion to three gluons.

Longitudinal Microbiome Changes in Supragingival Biofilm Transcriptomes Induced by Orthodontics

INTRODUCTION

Common oral diseases are known to be associated with dysbiotic shifts in the supragingival microbiome, yet most oral microbiome associations with clinical end points emanate from cross-sectional studies. Orthodontic treatment is an elective procedure that can be exploited to prospectively examine clinically relevant longitudinal changes in the composition and function of the supragingival microbiome.

METHODS

A longitudinal cohort study was conducted among 24 adolescent orthodontic patients who underwent saliva and plaque sampling and clinical examinations at time points: before fixed appliance bonding and at 1, 6, and 12 wk thereafter. Clinical indices included bleeding on probing (BOP), mean gingival index (GI), probing depths (PDs), and plaque index (PI). To study the biologically (i.e., transcriptionally) active microbial communities, RNA was extracted from plaque and saliva for RNA sequencing and microbiome bioinformatics analysis. Longitudinal changes in microbiome beta diversity were examined using PERMANOVA tests, and the relative abundance of microbial taxa was measured using Kruskal-Wallis tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and negative binomial and zero-inflated mixed models.

RESULTS

Clinical measures of oral health deteriorated over time-the proportion of sites with GI and PI ≥1 increased by over 70% between prebonding and 12 wk postbonding while the proportion of sites with PD ≥4 mm increased 2.5-fold. Streptococcus sanguinis, a health-associated species that antagonizes cariogenic pathogens, showed a lasting decrease in relative abundance during orthodontic treatment. Contrarily, caries- and periodontal disease-associated taxa, including Selenomonas sputigena, Leptotrichia wadei, and Lachnoanaerobaculum saburreum, increased in abundance after bonding. Relative abundances of Stomatobaculum longum and Mogibacterium diversum in prebonding saliva predicted elevated BOP 12 wk postbonding, whereas Neisseria subflava was associated with lower BOP.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers insights into longitudinal community and species-specific changes in the supragingival microbiome transcriptome during fixed orthodontic treatment, advancing our understanding of microbial dysbioses and identifying targets of future health-promoting clinical investigations.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

Bonding braces was associated with subsequent changes in the oral microbiome characterized by increases in disease-associated species, decreases in health-associated species, and worsened clinical measures of oral health.

Inflammation Triggers Chondrocyte Ferroptosis in TMJOA via HIF-1α/TFRC

Inflammation and loss of articular cartilage are considered the major cause of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA), a painful condition of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). To determine the cause of TMJ osteoarthritis in these patients, synovial fluid of TMJOA patients was compared prior to and after hyaluronic lavage, revealing substantially elevated levels of interleukin (IL) 1β, reactive oxidative stress (ROS), and an overload of Fe3+ and Fe2+ prior to lavage, indicative of ferroptosis as a mode of chondrocyte cell death. To ask whether prolonged inflammatory conditions resulted in ferroptosis-like transformation in vitro, we subjected TMJ chondrocytes to IL-1β treatment, resulting in a shift in messenger RNA sequencing gene ontologies related to iron homeostasis and oxidative stress-related cell death. Exposure to rat unilateral anterior crossbite conditions resulted in reduced COL2A1 expression, fewer chondrocytes, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) downregulation, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) upregulation, an effect that was reversed after intra-articular injections of the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin 1 (Fer-1). Our study demonstrated that ferroptosis conditions affected mitochondrial structure and function, while the inhibitor Fer-1 restored mitochondrial structure and the inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) or the transferrin receptor 1 (TFRC) rescued IL-1β-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Inhibition of HIF-1α downregulated IL-1β-induced TFRC expression, while inhibition of TFRC did not downregulate IL-1β-induced HIF-1α expression in chondrocytes. Moreover, inhibition of HIF-1α or TFRC downregulated the IL-1β-induced MMP13 expression in chondrocytes, while inhibition of HIF-1α or TFRC rescued IL-1β-inhibited COL2A1 expression in chondrocytes. Furthermore, upregulation of TFRC promoted Fe2+ entry into chondrocytes, inducing the Fenton reaction and lipid peroxidation, which in turn caused ferroptosis, a disruption in chondrocyte functions, and an exacerbation of condylar cartilage degeneration. Together, these findings illustrate the far-reaching effects of chondrocyte ferroptosis in TMJOA as a mechanism causing chondrocyte death through iron overload, oxidative stress, and articular cartilage degeneration and a potential major cause of TMJOA.

Sleeve gastrectomy links the attenuation of diabetic kidney disease to the inhibition of renal tubular ferroptosis through down-regulating TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway

PURPOSE

To investigate how sleeve gastrectomy (SG), a typical operation of bariatric surgery, attenuated symptom, and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

METHODS

DKD model was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozocin in Wistar rats. SG was performed, and the group subjected to sham surgery served as control. The animals were euthanized 12 weeks after surgery, followed by sample collection for the subsequent experiment. The HK-2, a renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line derived from human, was utilized to investigate the potential mechanisms.

RESULTS

SG improved metabolic parameters and glucose homeostasis, and could alleviate DKD in terms of renal function indices as well as histological and morphological structures in DM rats, accompanied with a significant reduction in renal tubular injury. Compared with sham group, SG reduced the renal tubular ferroptosis. To further clarify the mechanism involved, in vitro experiments were performed. In the presence of high glucose, renal tubular TGF-β1 secretion was significantly increased in HK-2 cell line, which led to activation of ferroptosis through TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway. Inhibition of TGF-β1 receptor and phosphorylation of Smad3 significantly ameliorated TGF-β1-mediated ferroptosis. In vivo experiments also found that SG improved the hyperglycemic environment, reduced renal TGF-β1 concentrations, and down-regulated the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

With the capacity to lower the glucose, SG could attenuate the ferroptosis by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway in DKD rats, and eventually attenuated DKD.