New insights into bee pollen: Nutrients, phytochemicals, functions and wall-disruption

Bee pollen is hailed as a treasure trove of human nutrition and has progressively emerged as the source of functional food and medicine. This review conducts a compilation of nutrients and phytochemicals in bee pollen, with particular emphasis on some ubiquitous and unique phenolamides and flavonoid glycosides. Additionally, it provides a concise overview of the diverse health benefits and therapeutic properties of bee pollen, particularly anti-prostatitis and anti-tyrosinase effects. Furthermore, based on the distinctive structural characteristics of pollen walls, a substantial debate has persisted in the past concerning the necessity of wall-disruption. This review provides a comprehensive survey on the necessity of wall-disruption, the impact of wall-disruption on the release and digestion of nutrients, and wall-disruption techniques in industrial production. Wall-disruption appears effective in releasing and digesting nutrients and exploiting bee pollen's bioactivities. Finally, the review underscores the need for future studies to elucidate the mechanisms of beneficial effects. This paper will likely help us gain better insight into bee pollen to develop further functional foods, personalized nutraceuticals, cosmetics products, and medicine.

Temporal Coherence-Based Distributed Ray Tracing of Massive Scenes

Distributed ray tracing algorithms are widely used when rendering massive scenes, where data utilization and load balancing are the keys to improving performance. One essential observation is that rays are temporally coherent, which indicates that temporal information can be used to improve computational efficiency. In this paper, we use temporal coherence to optimize the performance of distributed ray tracing. First, we propose a temporal coherence-based scheduling algorithm to guide the task/data assignment and scheduling. Then, we propose a virtual portal structure to predict the radiance of rays based on the previous frame, and send the rays with low radiance to a precomputed simplified model for further tracing, which can dramatically reduce the traversal complexity and the overhead of network data transmission. The approach was validated on scenes of sizes up to 355 GB. Our algorithm can achieve a speedup of up to 81% compared to previous algorithms, with a very small mean squared error.

High-Performance Flexible Broadband Photoelectrochemical Photodetector Based on Molybdenum Telluride

Flexible broadband photodetectors are desired but challenging to be fabricated for next-generation wearable intelligent optoelectronic devices. Considering the narrow bandgap and strong light absorption, molybdenum telluride (MoTe2 ) based photoelectrochemical photodetectors are successfully assembled by liquid phase exfoliation accompanied with the electrophoretic deposited method. This MoTe2 -based photodetector shows a broadband detection in ultraviolet-near-infrared band, long-term stability within 18000 s, and fast response in millisecond-level (response time≈19 ms, recovery time≈26 ms). More importantly, even though the MoTe2 photodetector is bent and twisted at a high degree for several hundred times, it still shows excellent flexibility with stable on-off switching characteristics. Additionally, this photodetector displays a good response for rotation angles in the range from 0° to 360°, and the extracted Iph maintain almost the same value approximately 0.97 µA cm-2 , suggesting an omnidirectional detection capability. This work demonstrates the proposed flexible photoanode shows a great potential in future broadband omnidirectional detection systems.

Left endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery with electrocoagulation hemostasis and right flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy for bilateral upper urinary tract stones: a case report

Background

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the first-line treatment for large renal stones. However, multi-tract or staged procedures may be necessitated in bilateral or anatomically-complex stones to achieve stone clearance. Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) integrates the advantages of PCNL and retrograde intrarenal surgery. In this article, we detail a hybrid surgical technique adopted for the management of complex simultaneous bilateral upper urinary tract stones. In addition, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of combining a variety of new techniques that may improve post-operative outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Case Description

We report the case of a 36-year-old male with a large left renal pelvis stone, right proximal ureteric stone, and bilateral renal stones. Biochemical results showed raised inflammatory markers but he denied pre-stenting and staged surgery. After receiving 3-day antibiotic prophylaxis, he underwent an elective hybrid procedure. Under split-leg prone position, we performed a hybrid procedure that included left ECIRS with tubeless single-tract mini PCNL and left flexible ureteroscopy, and right flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy. Hemostasis was achieved by electrocauterization with a novel device. The patient made an uneventful recovery. Follow-up computed tomography (CT) at 1-month revealed complete stone clearance.

Conclusions

Unilateral ECIRS with tubeless single-tract mini PCNL with electrocoagulation hemostasis and adjacent retrograde intrarenal surgery in split-leg prone position is a safe, feasible, and efficient technique to manage large renal stones.

N-Sulfonyl amidine polypeptides: new polymeric biomaterials with conformation transition responsive to tumor acidity

Manipulation of pH responsiveness is a frequently employed tactic in the formulation of trigger-responsive nanomaterials. It offers an avenue for "smart" designs capitalizing on distinctive pH gradients across diverse tissues and intracellular compartments. However, an overwhelming majority of documented functional groups (>80%) exhibit responsiveness solely to the heightened acidic milieu of intracellular pH (about 4.5-5.5). This scenario diverges markedly from the moderately acidic extracellular pH (∼6.8) characteristic of tumor microenvironments. Consequently, systems predicated upon intracellular pH responsiveness are unlikely to confer discernible advantages concerning targeted penetration and cellular uptake at tumor sites. In this study, we elucidated the extracellular pH responsiveness intrinsic to N-sulfonyl amidine (SAi), delineating a method to synthesize an array of SAi-bearing polypeptides (SAi-polypeptides). Notably, we demonstrated the pH-dependent modulation of SAi-polypeptide conformations, made possible by the protonation/deprotonation equilibrium of SAi in response to minute fluctuations in pH from physiological conditions to the extracellular milieu of tumors. This dynamic pH-triggered transition of SAi-polypeptides from negatively charged to neutrally charged side chains at the pH outside tumor cells (∼6.8) facilitated a transition from coil to helix conformations, concomitant with the induction of cellular internalization upon arrival at tumor sites. Furthermore, the progressive acidification of the intracellular environment expedited drug release, culminating in significantly enhanced site-specific chemotherapeutic efficacy compared with free-drug counterparts. The distinct pH-responsive attributes of SAi could aid the design of tumor acidity-responsive applications, thereby furnishing invaluable insights into the realm of smart material design.

Hydroxyl-functionalized pillar[5]arene with high separation performance for gas chromatography

Here we report the first example of employing hydroxyl-functionalized pillar[5]arene (P5A-C10-OH) as stationary phase for capillary gas chromatographic (GC) separations. The statically coated P5A-C10-OH capillary column possessed moderate polarity and column efficiency of 3233 plates per m determined by n-dodecane. As a result, the P5A-C10-OH column exhibited high-resolution capability for the mixture of 17 analytes from apolar to polar nature. Importantly, it exhibited advantageous performance for high resolution of the challenging isomers of bromonitrobenzene, chloroaniline, bromoaniline, iodoaniline and dimethylaniline with good peak shapes over the P5A-C10 and commercial HP-35 columns. In addition, eight cis-/trans-isomers with diverse types were baseline separated on the P5A-C10-OH column. And the application of detecting isomeric impurities in real samples gave strong evidence of its potential and feasibility for the viable GC analysis.

Notes on species of Talaus Simon, 1886 (Araneae, Thomisidae) from China, with descriptions of two new species

Taxonomic notes on the Talaus species from China are provided. Two new species, T.yuyang Yao & Liu, sp. nov. and T.zhangjiangkou Yao & Liu, sp. nov. are described and illustrated, and a further three species are redescribed based on their genitalic characters: T.dulongjiang Tang, Yin, Ubick & Peng, 2008, T.niger Tang, Yin, Ubick & Peng, 2008, and T.sulcus Tang & Li, 2010. The species T.xiphosus Zhu & Ono, 2007 is considered a junior synonym of T.triangulifer Simon, 1886 based on an examination of many recently collected female and male specimens from Guangxi Province, China. Diagnoses, detailed illustrations and a map of distributional records of the six treated species of Talaus in China are provided.

CircMAPK1 promoted CD8 + T cell infiltration in LUAD by improving the IGF2BP1 dependent CCL5 upregulation

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common pathological subtype of lung cancer and has a poor prognosis. Immune Checkpoint Blockage (ICB) have been shown to improve the survival of LUAD in the last decade. CD8 + T cell infiltration is significantly related to LUAD prognosis and plays a critical role in ICB response efficiency. Chemokines expressed and secreted by tumor and microenvironment cells regulate the recruitment of CD8 + T cells. A cytoplasm-dominant circRNA, termed circMAPK1, was found to be down-regulated in LUAD and dramatically suppressed the growth of LUAD upon circMAPK1 overexpression in immunocompetent mice. Meanwhile, it was found that circMAPK1 significantly promoted the CD8 + T cell intratumoral infiltration in vitro and in vivo. CircMAPK1 was identified as binding IGF2BP1 in the cytoplasm and inducing IGF2BP1 to occupy the 3'UTR of CCL5 mRNA, resulting in retained stability of CCL5 mRNA. In general, circMAPK1 is a microenvironment-associated circRNA that recruits CD8 + T cells in LUAD. CircMAPK1 is an effective microenvironment regulator and a potential nucleic acid drug that can be combined with ICB to improve immunotherapy response efficiency.

All-Purpose Measure of Electron Correlation for Multireference Diagnostics

We present an analytical relationship between two natural orbital occupancy-based indices, I N D ¯ and INDmax, and two established electron correlation metrics: the leading term of a configuration interaction expansion, c0, and the D2 diagnostic. Numerical validation revealed that I N D ¯ and INDmax can effectively substitute for c0 and D2, respectively. These indices offer three distinct advantages: (i) they are universally applicable across all electronic structure methods, (ii) their interpretation is more intuitive, and (iii) they can be readily incorporated into the development of hybrid electronic structure methods. Additionally, we draw a distinction between correlation measures and correlation diagnostics, establishing MP2 and CCSD numerical thresholds for INDmax, which are to be used as a multireference diagnostic. Our findings further demonstrate that establishing thresholds for other electronic structure methods can be easily accomplished using small data sets.

Establishment of sex-specific predictive models for critical illness in Chinese people with the Omicron variant

Introduction

The Omicron variant has rapidly spread throughout the world compared to the Delta variant and poses a great threat to global healthcare systems due to its immune evasion and rapid spread. Sex has been identified as a factor significantly associated with COVID-19 mortality, but it remains unclear which clinical indicators could be identified as risk factors in each sex group and which sex-specific risk factors might shape the worse clinical outcome, especially for Omicrons. This study aimed to confirm the relationship between sex and the progression of the Omicron variant and to explore its sex-biased risk factors.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study including 1,132 hospitalized patients with the COVID-19 Omicron variant from 5 December 2022 to 25 January 2023 at Shanghai General Hospital, and the medical history data and clinical index data of the inpatients for possible sex differences were compared and analyzed. Then, a sex-specific Lasso regression was performed to select the variables significantly associated with critical illness, including intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death. A logistic regression was used to construct a sex-specific predictive model distinctively for the critical illness outcome using selected covariates.

Results

Among the collected 115 clinical indicators, up to 72 showed significant sex differences, including the difference in merit and the proportion of people with abnormalities. More importantly, males had greater critical illness (28.4% vs. 19.9%) and a significantly higher intensive care unit occupancy (20.96% vs. 14.49%) and mortality (13.2% vs. 4.9%), and males over 80 showed worse outcomes than females. Predictive models (AUC: 0.861 for males and 0.898 for females) showed 12 risk factors for males and 10 for females. Through a comprehensive sex-stratified analysis of a large cohort of hospitalized Omicron-infected patients, we identified the specific risk factors for critical illness by developing prediction models.

Discussion

Sex disparities and the identified risk factors should be considered, especially in the personalized prevention and treatment of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Flat-Silk-Cocoon-Based Wearable Flexible Piezoresistive Sensor and Its Performance

Flexible sensors are becoming the focus of research because they are very vital for intelligent products, real-time data monitoring, and recording. The flat silk cocoon (FSC), as a special form of cocoon, has all the advantages of silk, which is an excellent biomass carbon-based material and a good choice for preparing flexible sensors. In this work, a flexible piezoresistive sensor was successfully prepared by encapsulating carbonized flat silk cocoons (CFSCs) using an elastic matrix polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The sensing performance of the material is 0.01 kPa-1, and the monitoring range can reach 680.57 kPa. It is proved that the sensor can detect human motion and has excellent durability (>800 cycles). In addition, a sensor array for a keyboard based on CFSCs was explored. The sensor has a low production cost and a simple preparation process, and it is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Thus, it may have potential applications in wearable devices and human-computer interactions.

Ester-functionalized pillar[6]arene as the gas chromatographic stationary phase with high-resolution performance towards the challenging isomers of xylenes, diethylbenzenes, and ethyltoluenes

This work presents the first example of the utilization of polar ester group functionalized pillar[6]arene (P6A-C10-OAc) as a stationary phase for capillary gas chromatographic (GC) separations. The statically coated P6A-C10-OAc column showed a high column efficiency of 5393 plates/m and moderate polar nature. Its resolving capability and retention behaviors were investigated for a mixture of 20 analytes and more than a dozen isomers from apolar to polar in nature. As evidenced, the P6A-C10-OAc column achieved high-resolution separations of all the analytes and good inertness. Importantly, it exhibited distinctly advantageous performance for high resolution of the challenging isomers of xylenes, diethylbenzenes, ethyltoluenes, and halobenzenes over the commercial HP-5 (5% phenyl dimethyl polysiloxane), HP-35 (25% phenyl dimethyl polysiloxane), and PEG-20M (polyethylene glycol) columns.

Impact of Graphitization Degree on the Electrochemical and Thermal Properties of Coal

Coal-based cryptocrystalline graphite is an intermediate phase formed during the transformation of highly metamorphic anthracite into crystalline graphite. In order to explore the relationship between the graphitization degree of coal-based cryptocrystalline graphite and its physical properties from macromolecular structure to provide a theoretical basis for industrial application, samples were tested by X-ray diffraction, electrochemistry, and thermal conductivity and compared with standard graphite (SG) and artificial thermal simulation graphitized samples. The results show that with the increase of graphitization degree and the growth of microcrystalline structure, the electrical impedance of cryptocrystalline graphite decreases, the conductivity increases, the specific capacity of initial discharge increases, and the thermal conductivity increases, which gradually approach the electrical and thermal properties of crystalline graphite. The linear equations between impedance and La and Lc are y = -0.42x + 70.44 and y = -1.87x + 70.62, and the correlation coefficients are 0.93 and 0.88. The linear equations between thermal conductivity and the horizontal extension length (La) and vertical stacking thickness (Lc) are y = 0.09x + 1.36 and y = 0.4x + 0.76, the correlation coefficients are 0.82 and 0.84., and the reduction of microcrystalline parameters d002 and the increase of La and Lc lead to a direct improvement of physical properties. Artificial thermal simulation samples also show the same regularity, but their physical properties are lower than those of natural evolution samples. Short-term high-temperature simulation is different from long-term magma heat and pressure, and the growth of graphite microcrystals is more complete under long-term geological conditions, resulting in better physical properties.

Protective effect of arctiin against Toxoplasma gondii HSP70-induced allergic acute liver injury by disrupting the TLR4-mediated activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 and platelet-activating factor

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)-derived heat shock protein 70 (T.g.HSP70) is a toxic protein that downregulates host defense responses against T. gondii infection. T.g.HSP70 was proven to induce fatal anaphylaxis in T. gondii infected mice through cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) activated-platelet-activating factor (PAF) production via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated signaling. In this study, we investigated the effect of arctiin (ARC; a major lignan compound of Fructus arctii) on allergic liver injury using T.g.HSP70-stimulated murine liver cell line (NCTC 1469) and a mouse model of T. gondii infection. Localized surface plasmon resonance, ELISA, western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of action of ARC on T. gondii-induced allergic acute liver injury. The results showed that ARC suppressed the T.g.HSP70-induced allergic liver injury in a dose-dependent manner. ARC could directly bind to T.g.HSP70 or TLR4, interfering with the interaction between these two factors, and inhibiting activation of the TLR4/mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling, thereby inhibiting the overproduction of cPLA2, PAF, and interferon-γ. This result suggested that ARC ameliorates T.g.HSP70-induced allergic acute liver injury by disrupting the TLR4-mediated activation of inflammatory mediators, providing a theoretical basis for ARC therapy to improve T.g.HSP70-induced allergic liver injury.

B2M is a Biomarker Associated With Immune Infiltration In High Altitude Pulmonary Edema

BACKGROUND

High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a serious mountain sickness with certain mortality. Its early diagnosis is very important. However, the mechanism of its onset and progression is still controversial.

AIM

This study aimed to analyze the HAPE occurrence and development mechanism and search for prospective biomarkers in peripheral blood.

METHODS

The difference genes (DEGs) of the Control group and the HAPE group were enriched by gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and then GSEA analysis was performed. After identifying the immune-related hub genes, QPCR was used to verify and analyze the hub gene function and diagnostic value with single-gene GSEA and ROC curves, and the drugs that acted on the hub gene was found in the CTD database. Immune infiltration and its association with the hub genes were analyzed using CIBERSORT. Finally, WGCNA was employed to investigate immune invasion cells' significantly related gene modules, following enrichment analysis of their GO and KEGG.

RESULTS

The dataset enrichment analysis, immune invasion analysis and WGCNA analysis showed that the occurrence and early progression of HAPE were unrelated to inflammation. The hub genes associated with immunity obtained with MCODE algorithm of Cytoscape were JAK2 and B2M.. RT-qPCR and ROC curves confirmed that the hub gene B2M was a specific biomarker of HAPE and had diagnostic value, and single-gene GSEA analysis confirmed that it participated in MHC I molecule-mediated antigen presentation ability decreased, resulting in reduced immunity.

CONCLUSION

Occurrence and early progression of high altitude pulmonary edema may not be related to inflammation. B2M may be a new clinical potential biomarker for HAPE for early diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation as well as therapeutic targets, and its decrease may be related to reduced immunity due to reduced ability of MCH I to participate in antigen submission.

The Multi-domain Lifestyle Intervention for Cognitive Impairment in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Hangzhou (The Heritage Study): Study Design and Protocol

BACKGROUND

The globe has been working to promote a multi-domain lifestyle intervention for dementia prevention in older adults, referring to the Worldwide-FINGERS (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) initiative. In China, the multi-domain lifestyle intervention has been implemented in rural communities (MIND-China), yet the adaptability of such intervention based on the urban communities in China has not been verified.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effectiveness and feasibility of the multi-domain lifestyle intervention on dementia prevention in at-risk community-dwelling older adults in China.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

The multi-domain lifestyle intervention study is a community-based 2-year cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 1200 participants aged 60-80 years old will be recruited from twelve communities in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Inclusion criteria were the Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5 minutes protocol (5 min MoCA) score of 6-9 or the Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD 8) score of ≥2, and having modifiable lifestyle factors.

INTERVENTION, MEASUREMENTS, RESULTS

Participating communities will be randomized into either the structured multi-domain intervention (SMI) arm or the self-guided intervention (SGI, general health education) arm. The SMI consists of cognitive training, physical exercise, and nutritional and dietary instruction for the first 12 months; and vascular risks monitoring and control for 24 months. The primary outcome is the global cognitive performance, measured by the comprehensive Neuropsychological Test Battery (NTB). The secondary outcomes include domain-specific cognitive performances, physical function, mental health, physiological and biochemical indices, adherence to healthy lifestyles, and neuroimaging metrics. The feasibility of intervention will be evaluated around the five dimensions of the RE-AIM framework and in conjunction with quantitative data, operational data and results of focus group discussions.

CONCLUSIONS

Following the Worldwide-FINGERS, this cluster RCT will verify the adaptability of the multi-domain lifestyle intervention in the urban community settings in China. This study will add evidence for global dementia prevention and management among older adults.

Elevated circulating follicle stimulating hormone level is associated with dyslipidemia in male type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) commonly combines with dyslipidemia, and both are known as the risk factors of cardiovascular events and aggravate the arteriosclerosis progression. In this study, we investigated the relationship between follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and lipid profiles in male T2DM patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We collected clinical data of male T2DM patients in the Chinese Han population hospitalised from January 2018 to June 2020. A total of 963 patients with a mean age of 58.89 ± 12.25 years old were enroled in this study.

RESULTS

The results showed that the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-C levels were decreased gradually from the highest quartile groups (Q4) to Q1 group relevant to luteinising hormone and FSH, and no significant difference was observed in high-density lipoprotein-C levels among Q4-Q1 groups. Sub-groups analysis showed that, with the increased FSH level, TC, TG, and LDL-C levels were increased in the elder group (40-59 years old) than those in the younger group (20-39 years old). Spearman's analysis revealed a positive correlation between FSH and the levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C (r = 0.354, r = 0.336, r = 0.312, p < 0.001, respectively). The effect of FSH is independent of the changes in total testosterone level. Multivariate analysis found that increased FSH levels (≥9.26 mIU/mL) and decreased total testosterone levels (<13.30 nmol/L) were positively correlated with high TC, TG, and LDL-Cemia (OR = 4.014, 1.565, 1.602, 1.660, 2.127, 1.322, respectively, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that high serum FSH level in male T2DM patients could be a potential independent risk factor correlated with the elevated TC, TG, and LDL-C.

Downregulation of Nrp1 transcription promotes blood-brain barrier disruption following experimental cerebral ischemia-reperfusion

Disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) is a major factor in the pathophysiology of stroke. Endothelial cell-cell communication is essential for maintaining BBB integrity. By analyzing GSE227651 data, we found that a decrease in endothelial cell-cell communication mediated by Sema3/Nrp1 may be due to the downregulation of Nrp1 transcription, which could contribute to BBB breakdown after CIRI. We confirmed this hypothesis by using western blot analysis to show a reduction in Nrp1 protein levels in penumbra endothelial cells after CIRI in mice. We then overexpressed Nrp1 specifically in brain endothelial cells using adeno-associated virus in mice. Furthermore, Nrp1 overexpression had a protective effect on BBB integrity, as evidenced by a decrease in IgG and albumin leakage caused by CIRI in mice. Finally, we found that Nrp1 overexpression also reduced brain cell death and neurological deficits induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in mice. Our findings suggest that Nrp1 downregulation may be a key factor in the breakdown of endothelial cell-cell communication and subsequent BBB disruption following CIRI. Targeting Nrp1-mediated pathways may be a promising approach for mitigating BBB damage and alleviating neurological consequences in stroke patients.

A statistical study of postmortem heart weight in Chinese adults

INTRODUCTION

Objective assessment of cardiac hypertrophy in forensic pathology practice is of great significance for forensic pathologists, for whom reference values for normal heart weights are needed. Developed regions such as Europe, the United States, and Japan recalculate the weight of human organs at regular intervals, but in China, there has been no systematic calculation of the weights of human organs since 2006.

AIMS

To statistically analyse the heart weight of Chinese adults postmortem and obtain a reference range.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

4170 adult autopsy reports were collected from 12 forensic departments in 10 provinces in China. The causes of death were classified by sex, and heart weight and the heart weight/body height ratio reference values were further calculated according to different body mass index and body heights. Finally, the cutoff value of cardiac hypertrophy in Chinese adults was calculated.

RESULTS

In the group of non-cardiovascular disease causes of death, the cardiac weight of the electric death group was higher, while the heart weight of the prolonged bed-rest group was significantly reduced. After the electric death and prolonged bed-rest groups were excluded, heart weight, the heart weight/body height ratio, and cutoff values for cardiac hypertrophy were further classified and analysed according to body mass index. The mean reference values for heart weight in men and women with normal weight status were 325.82 ± 41.60 g and 286.39 ± 44.84 g, and the heart weight/body height ratios were 1.95 ± 0.23 in men and 1.82 ± 0.27, respectively. The cutoff values for cardiac hypertrophy were 387.35 g for men and 346.80 g for women.

CONCLUSION

The heart weight reference values of both sexes in this study were significantly higher than those in 2006, which is considered related to the development of China's economy and the improvement of people's living standards. This study also suggests the need for a new round of statistical surveys and updated data on the weight of other organs.

Biomimetic hybrid nanovesicles improve infected diabetic wound via enhanced targeted delivery

Infected diabetic wounds have been raising the global medical burden because of its high occurrence and resulting risk of amputation. Impaired endothelium has been well-documented as one of the most critical reasons for unhealed wounds. Recently, endothelial cell-derived nanovesicles (NVs) were reported to facilitate angiogenesis, whereas their efficacy is limited in infected diabetic wounds because of the complex niche. In this study, extrusion-derived endothelial NVs were manufactured and then hybridized with rhamnolipid liposomes to obtain biomimetic hybrid nanovesicles (HNVs). The HNVs were biocompatible and achieved endothelium-targeted delivery through membrane CXCR4-mediated homologous homing. More importantly, the HNVs exhibited better penetration and antibacterial activity compared with NVs, which further promote the intrinsic endothelium targeting in infected diabetic wounds. Therefore, the present research has established a novel bioactive delivery system-HNV with enhanced targeting, penetration, and antibacterial activity-which might be an encouraging strategy for infected diabetic wound treatment.

Nanozymes With Osteochondral Regenerative Effects: An Overview of Mechanisms and Recent Applications

With the discovery of the intrinsic enzyme-like activity of metal oxides, nanozymes garner significant attention due to their superior characteristics, such as low cost, high stability, multi-enzyme activity, and facile preparation. Notably, in the field of biomedicine, nanozymes primarily focus on disease detection, antibacterial properties, antitumor effects, and treatment of inflammatory conditions. However, the potential for application in regenerative medicine, which primarily addresses wound healing, nerve defect repair, bone regeneration, and cardiovascular disease treatment, is garnering interest as well. This review introduces nanozymes as an innovative strategy within the realm of bone regenerative medicine. The primary focus of this approach lies in the facilitation of osteochondral regeneration through the modulation of the pathological microenvironment. The catalytic mechanisms of four types of representative nanozymes are first discussed. The pathological microenvironment inhibiting osteochondral regeneration, followed by summarizing the therapy mechanism of nanozymes to osteochondral regeneration barriers is introduced. Further, the therapeutic potential of nanozymes for bone diseases is included. To improve the therapeutic efficiency of nanozymes and facilitate their clinical translation, future potential applications in osteochondral diseases are also discussed and some significant challenges addressed.

The expression mechanism of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 and its role in immunomodulatory ability of mesenchymal stem cells

Programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is an important immunosuppressive molecule, which inhibits the function of T cells and other immune cells by binding to the receptor programmed cell death-1. The PD-L1 expression disorder plays an important role in the occurrence, development, and treatment of sepsis or other inflammatory diseases, and has become an important target for the treatment of these diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a kind of pluripotent stem cells with multiple differentiation potential. In recent years, MSCs have been found to have a strong immunosuppressive ability and are used to treat various inflammatory insults caused by hyperimmune diseases. Moreover, PD-L1 is deeply involved in the immunosuppressive events of MSCs and plays an important role in the treatment of various diseases. In this review, we will summarize the main regulatory mechanism of PD-L1 expression, and discuss various biological functions of PD-L1 in the immune regulation of MSCs.

Effect of GRK4 on renal gastrin receptor regulation in hypertension

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether GRK4 regulates the phosphorylation and function of renal CCKBR.

METHODS

GRK4 A142V transgenic mice were used as an animal model of enhanced GRK4 activity, and siRNA was used to silence the GRK4 gene to investigate the regulatory effect of GRK4 on CCKBR phosphorylation and function. Finally, the co-localization and co-connection of GRK4 and CCKBR in RPT cells were observed by laser confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation to explore the mechanism of GRK4 regulating CCKBR.

RESULTS

Gastrin infusion significantly increased urinary flow and sodium excretion rates in GRK4 WT mice (P < .05). GRK4 siRNA did not affect CCKBR protein expression in WKY RPT cells and SHR RPT cells, but remarkably reduced CCKBR phosphorylation in WKY and SHR RPT cells (P < .05). The inhibitory effect of gastrin on Na+-K+ -ATPase activity in WKY RPT cells was further enhanced by the reduction of GRK4 expression (P < .05), while GRK4 siRNA restored the inhibitory effect of gastrin on Na+-K+ -ATPase activity in SHR RPT cells. Laser confocal and Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that GRK4 and CCKBR co-localized in cultured RPT cells' cytoplasm.

CONCLUSION

GRK4 participates in the development of hypertension by regulating the phosphorylation of renal CCKBR leading to impaired CCKBR function and water and sodium retention. Knockdown of GRK4 restored the function of CCKBR. The enhanced co-connection between GRK4 and CCKBR may be an important reason for the hyperphosphorylation of GRK4 and CCKBR involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension.

Circulating Exosomal LncRNAs as Novel Diagnostic Predictors of Severity and Sites of White Matter Hyperintensities

Objective

Exosomal long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the key to diagnosing and treating various diseases. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of plasma exosomal lncRNAs in white matter hyperintensities (WMH).

Methods

We used high-throughput sequencing to determine the differential expression (DE) profiles of lncRNAs in plasma exosomes from WMH patients and controls. The sequencing results were verified in a validation cohort using qRT-PCR. The diagnostic potential of candidate exosomal lncRNAs was proven by binary logistic analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The diagnostic value of DE exo-lncRNAs was determined by the area under the curve (AUC). The WMH group was then divided into subgroups according to the Fazekas scale and white matter lesion site, and the correlation of DE exo-lncRNAs in the subgroup was evaluated.

Results

In our results, four DE exo-lncRNAs were identified, and ROC curve analysis revealed that exo-lnc_011797 and exo-lnc_004326 exhibited diagnostic efficacy for WMH. Furthermore, WMH subgroup analysis showed exo-lnc_011797 expression was significantly increased in Fazekas 3 patients and was significantly elevated in patients with paraventricular matter hyperintensities.

Conclusion

Plasma exosomal lncRNAs have potential diagnostic value in WMH. Moreover, exo-lnc_011797 is considered to be a predictor of the severity and location of WMH.

Quality assessment of non-mydriatic fundus photographs for glaucoma screening in primary healthcare centres: a real-world study

BACKGROUND

This study assessed the quality distribution of non-mydriatic fundus photographs (NMFPs) in real-world glaucoma screening and analysed its influencing factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in primary healthcare centres in the Yinzhou District, China, from 17 March to 3 December 2021. The quality distribution of bilateral NMFPs was assessed by the Digital Reading Department of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Generalised estimating equations and logistic regression models identified factors affecting image quality.

RESULTS

A total of 17 232 photographs of 8616 subjects were assessed. Of these, 11.9% of images were reliable for the right eyes, while only 4.6% were reliable for the left eyes; 93.6% of images were readable in the right eyes, while 90.3% were readable in the left eyes. In adjusted models, older age was associated with decreased odds of image readability (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.07, 95% CI 1.06~1.08, p<0.001). A larger absolute value of spherical equivalent significantly decreased the odds of image readability (all p<0.001). Media opacity and worse visual acuity had a significantly lower likelihood of achieving readable NMFPs (aOR=1.52, 95% CI 1.31~1.75; aOR=1.70, 95% CI 1.42~2.02, respectively, all p<0.001). Astigmatism axes within 31°~60° and 121°~150° had lower odds of image readability (aOR=1.35, 95% CI 1.11~1.63, p<0.01) than astigmatism axes within 180°±30°.

CONCLUSIONS

The image readability of NMFPs in large-scale glaucoma screening for individuals 50 years and older is comparable with relevant studies, but image reliability is unsatisfactory. Addressing the associated factors may be vital when implementing ophthalmological telemedicine in underserviced areas.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2200059277.

Combination of Backbone Rigidity and Richness in Aryl Structures Enables Direct Membrane Translocation of Polymer Scaffolds for Efficient Gene Delivery

The development of cell-penetrating polymers with endocytosis-independent cell uptake pathways has emerged as a prominent strategy to enhance the transfection efficiency. Inspired by the rigid α-helical structure that endows polypeptides with cell-penetrating ability, we propose that a rigid backbone can facilitate the corresponding polymer vector's performance in gene delivery by bypassing the difficult endosomal escape process. Meanwhile, the installation of aromatic domains, as a way to promote gene transfection efficiency, is employed through the construction of a poly(benzyl ether) (PBE)-based scaffold in this work. We demonstrate that the direct membrane translocation capability of the synthesized PBE contributes to its enhanced transfection performance and excellent biocompatibility profile, rendering the imidazolium-functionalized PBE scaffold with higher activity and biocompatibility. Molecular details of the PBE-lipid interaction are also revealed in molecular dynamics simulations, indicating the important roles of individual structural elements on the polymeric scaffold in the membrane penetration process.

Ultra-high static magnetic field induces a change in the spectrum but not frequency of DNA spontaneous mutations in Arabidopsis thaliana

Biological effects of magnetic fields have been extensively studied in plants, microorganisms and animals, and applications of magnetic fields in regulation of plant growth and phytoprotection is a promising field in sustainable agriculture. However, the effect of magnetic fields especially ultra-high static magnetic field (UHSMF) on genomic stability is largely unclear. Here, we investigated the mutagenicity of 24.5, 30.5 and 33.0 T UHSMFs with the gradient of 150, 95 and 0 T/m, respectively, via whole genome sequencing. Our results showed that 1 h exposure of Arabidopsis dried seeds to UHSMFs has no significant effect on the average rate of DNA mutations including single nucleotide variations and InDels (insertions and deletions) in comparison with the control, but 33.0 T and 24.5 T treatments lead to a significant change in the rate of nucleotide transitions and InDels longer than 3 bp, respectively, suggesting that both strength and gradient of UHSMF impact molecular spectrum of DNA mutations. We also found that the decreased transition rate in UHSMF groups is correlated with the upstream flanking sequences of G and C mutation sites. Furthermore, the germination rate of seeds exposed to 24.5 T SMF with -150 T/m gradient showed a significant decrease at 24 hours after sowing. Overall, our data lay a basis for precisely assessing the potential risk of UHSMF on DNA stability, and for elucidating molecular mechanism underlying gradient SMF-regulated biological processes in the future.

DOM hydrophilic components of organic fertilizers increased the soil nitrogen retention capacity and succession of the microbial community

Introduction

Application of organic fertilizers affects soil properties and microbial communities, which in turn alters soil N transformation processes. Unfortunately, it is not clear how the difference in the character of the organic fertilizer DOM affects the soil nitrogen retention capacity and its microbial processes.

Methods

According to the principle of equal nutrients, the treatments of chemical fertilizer alone (treatment CF), chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer DOM hydrophilic components (treatment H), and chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer DOM hydrophobic components (treatment P) were set up, where the characteristics of soil nitrogen transformation and changes in microbial community structure were studied with soil culture conditions for 24 days.

Results

It was discovered that the addition of organic fertilizer DOM components (H and P) slowed nitrification rate and increased protease activity resulting in a higher NH4+-N content compared to the CF treatment. The DOM addition (H and P) increased the microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) levels in the soil and increased the soil nitrogen pool capacity.

Conclusions

Moreover, the carbon use efficiency of the hydrophilic components is higher than that of the hydrophobic components, resulting in its further increase in nitrogen reservoir capacity and higher nitrogen retention capacity. Network analysis showed that the addition of organic fertilizer DOM hydrophilic components increased network complexity and synergy between microorganisms. In combination with random forest analysis, it was shown that Sphingomonas and Massilia were key species influencing soil nitrogen retention capacity and nitrogen availability characteristics.

Modified Hongyu Decoction promotes wound healing by activating the VEGF/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Wound healing is a considerable problem for clinicians. Ever greater attention has been paid to the role of Chinese herbal monomers and compounds on wound healing. This study aims to elucidate the wound healing mechanism of Modified Hongyu Decoction (MHD) in vivo and in vitro. MHD wound healing activity in vivo was evaluated using an excision rat model. H and E staining, Masson's staining and immunofluorescence of wound tissue on days 7 and 14 were performed to evaluate the efficacy of MHD on wound healing. Subsequently, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to evaluate wound healing characteristics in vitro. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and scratch assays were conducted to assess the effects of MHD on the proliferation and migration of HUVECs. The involvement of the VEGF/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was assessed by western blotting. The rats in the MHD group displayed more neovascularization and collagen fibers. Western blotting of wound tissue showed that VEGF, PI3K, p-Akt and p-eNOS expression were significantly increased (p<0.05) in the MHD group. Cell Counting Kit-8 and scratch assays demonstrated that MHD promoted HUVECs proliferation and migration. MHD treatment significantly increased VEGF, PI3K, p-Akt and p-eNOS expression in HUVECs (p<0.05), which was inhibited by LY294002. Both in vivo and in vitro data indicated that MHD promotes wound healing by regulating the VEGF/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

[Comparison of the efficiency of different etiological assays for detection of Schistosoma japonicum infections in wild mice]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficiency of multiple etiological techniques for detection of Schistosoma japonicum infections in wild mice, so as to provide technical supports to assessment of schistosomiasis transmission risk.

METHODS

Wild mice were captured with baited traps at night in Oncomelania hupensis snail-infested settings in schistosomiasis-endemic foci of Anhui Province from October to November, 2022. S. japonicum infections were detected in wild mice using microscopy of mouse liver tissues, microscopy of mouse mesenteric tissues, microscopy of mouse liver tissue homogenates, miracidial hatching test of mouse liver tissue homogenates, Kato-Katz technique and miracidial hatching test of mouse stool samples alone and in combinations. Identification of S. japonicum eggs or miracidia by any of these six assays was defined as an infection. The sensitivity of six assays alone or in combinations was compared for detection of S. japonicum infections in wild mice.

RESULTS

A total of 1 703 wild mice were captured, with 366 wild mice detected positive for S. japonicum (21.49%). There were significant differences in the prevalence of S. japonicum infections in wild mice by six assays (Q = 529.33, P < 0.001) and in the sensitivity of six assays for detection of S. japonicum infections in wild mice (χ2 = 527.78, P < 0.001). In addition, the combination of microscopy of mouse liver tissues and mesenteric tissues, combination of microscopy of mouse liver tissues and liver tissue homogenates and combination of microscopy of mouse liver tissues, microscopy of mesenteric tissues, microscopy of liver tissue homogenates and Kato-Katz technique showed 86.61%, 87.16% and 97.27% sensitivities for detection of S. japonicum infections in wild mice, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Diverse etiological assays show various efficiencies for detection of S. japonicum infections in wild mice. Combination of microscopy of mouse liver tissues and microscopy of mesenteric tissues, and combination of microscopy of mouse liver tissues and microscopy of liver tissue homogenates are potential approaches for field detection of S. japonicum infections in wild mice.

METTL3/YTHDC1-mediated upregulation of LINC00294 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly prevalent malignancy and the third highest contributor to cancer-associated deaths globally. Research has increasingly demonstrated a strong correlation between long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and the incidence and progression of HCC. Nonetheless, the exact mechanism whereby the function of lncRNAs in HCC has not been elucidated. This study explored the pathological role of LINC00294 in HCC, as well as the modulatory mechanism involved. Based on the "The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)" database and validation in HCC cell lines and tissues, the expression of LINC00294 was discovered to be upregulated in HCC tissues and correlated with tumor grade and the prognosis of patients with HCC. Functionally, LINC00294 stimulated the proliferation of HCC cells as well as the Warburg effect (aerobic glycolysis) to enhance progression of tumor in vivo. Mechanistically, METTL3/YTHDC1-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification underwent a significant enrichment within LINC00294 and was shown to enhance its RNA stability. Moreover, LINC00294 promoted the interaction between YTHDC1 and HK2 and GLUT1 mRNA. Overall, our study illustrates the m6A modification-mediated epigenetic mechanism of LINC00294 expression and regulatory role in HK2and GLUT1 mRNA expression and indicate LINC00294 as a potential biomarker panel for prognostic prediction and treatment in HCC.

The effect of cold exposure on the levels of glucocorticoids, 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2, and placental vascularization in a rat model

OBJECTIVE

Cold exposure (CE) before birth is one of the initial stressors that may impact mammalian pregnancy, changing placental and fetal development and affecting the health of the offspring. While glucocorticoids (GCs) participate in the body's response to the stress of CE, the specific mechanisms of their action are unclear. This study aims to determine the effect of CE stress on the placenta and to test whether stress, caused by cold exposure in pregnancy impairs fetal development by changing placental angiogenesis via excessive GC expression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CE rat model was created by exposing 30 SD rats to cold preconception, or during the first, second, and third weeks of pregnancy. Serum cortisol and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) expression levels, physiological index changes (food intake, body weight change and blood pressure), and pregnancy outcomes (fetal rat weight, number of live fetal rats, and placental weight) were collected at baseline and at different time points after the conception. Protein expression levels of 11 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11β-HSD2), glucocorticoid receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), placental growth factor (PIGF), and sFlt-1 in placental tissues were measured by western blotting. Cytokeratin (CK) and laminin (LN) in trophoblasts, and α-actin in vascular smooth muscle of the spiral arteries of pregnant rats after the systemic cold treatment were assessed by immunofluorescence and visualized by fluorescent microscopy. To test the effect of 11β-HSD2 levels on the placental recasting, human first-trimester extravillous trophoblast cells (HTR8/SVneo) underwent knockdown using specific 11β-HSD2 siRNA constructs.  Expression levels of 11β-HSD2 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and into HTR8 cells, and the expression levels of the 11β-HSD2 gene in each group were measured using qPCR. Cell migration and invasion was assessed by Transwell migration assay, and sFlt-1 levels in HTR8 cells were measured by ELISA.

RESULTS

CE pre-conception led to consistently increasing serum corticosterone and sFlt-1 levels throughout pregnancy, and persistently increased diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in rat CE model compared to control animals. CE during the second week of gestation (Gp.3) was associated with significantly lower placental weight (p=0.0003). Cold exposure in the third week (Gp.4) was associated with significantly (p=0.001) lower fetal weight. CE pre-conception was associated with significantly decreased placental levels of 11β-HSD2, glucocorticoid receptor, VEGF-A, PIGF, and sFlt-1 proteins and α-actin compared to the control group. Silencing 11β-HSD2 by siRNA led to reduced cell migrations and invasion, and markedly increased expression levels of sFlt-1 in HTR8/SVneo cells (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-conception cold exposure and during early pregnancy leads to increased GCs levels and impaired placental 11β-HSD2 activity. We suggest that the subsequent 11β-HSD2-induced increase in the sFlt-1expression during early pregnancy may affect placental vascular remodeling and change placental morphological structure and function.

Effects of sodium thiosulfate on serum calcification factors in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of sodium thiosulfate (STS) on serum calcification factors in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

METHODS

Forty-four Patients were randomly divided into control group (n = 22) and observation group (n = 22) by envelope method (block 4 randomization). The control group received routine treatment while observation group was treated with STS on the basis of routine treatment. The biochemical indicators, including BUN, UA, SCr, Ca2+ , P3- , calcium-phosphorus product, PTH, hs-CRP, TG, TC, HDL, LDL, and serum calcification factor MGP, FA, FGF-23, and OPG levels were compared before and after treatment.

RESULTS

Control group had no statistically significant difference in the levels of vascular calcification factors MGP, FA, FGF-23, and OPG before and after treatment (p > 0.05). Whereas observation group had higher levels of MGP and FA, and lower levels of FGF-23 and OPG after treatment than before treatment (p < 0.05). The levels of MGP and FA in observation group were higher than those in control group, and FGF-23 and OPG were lower than those in control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It is speculated that sodium thiosulfate can alleviate the progression of vascular calcification by changing the levels of calcification factors.

White adipose tissue-derived small extracellular vesicles: A new potential therapeutic reagent for accelerating diabetic wound healing

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have gained great attention and have been widely used in cell-free therapies for treating diabetic non-healing wounds in recent years. However, further clinical application of ADSC-sEVs have been limited due to their unsolvable defects, including cumbersome extraction procedure, high cost, low yield, etc. Thus, we urgently need to find one therapeutic reagent that could not only accelerate diabetic wound healing as ADSC-sEVs but also overcome these shortcomings. As the extraction process of adipose tissue-derived sEVs (AT-sEVs) is quite simple and labor saving, we put our focus on the efficiencies of white adipose tissue-derived sEVs (WAT-sEVs) and brown adipose tissue-derived sEVs (BAT-sEVs) in diabetic wound repair. After successfully isolating WAT-sEVs and BAT-sEVs by ultracentrifugation, we thoroughly characterized them and compared their diabetic wound healing capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. According to our study, AT-sEVs possess similar competence in diabetic wound healing as compared with ADSC-sEVs. While the effect of BAT-sEVs is not as stable as WAT-sEVs and ADSC-sEVs, the repair efficiency is also slightly lower than the other two sEVs in some cases. In summary, we are the first to discover that WAT-sEVs show great potential in diabetic wound repair. With advantages that are specific to tissue-derived sEVs (Ti-sEVs) such as time- and cost-saving, high-yield, and simple isolation procedure, we believe WAT-sEVs could serve as a novel reliable cell-free therapy for clinical diabetic wound treatment.

Prognostic value of plaque volume combined with CT fractional flow reserve in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

AIM

To investigate the prognostic value of quantitative plaque volume on coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography (CTA) combined with CT fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent coronary CTA with clinically suspected CAD were enrolled retrospectively in this study. Patients' baseline, Framingham Risk Score (FRS), coronary CTA plaque assessment, and CT-FFR were analysed retrospectively. Study outcomes included rehospitalisation and MACE (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, revascularisation, and cardiac death).

RESULTS

There were 251 patients in the study, with a follow-up period of 1-6.58 years. Mean age was 61.16 ± 10.45 years and 146 (58%) patients were male. Higher CT-adapted Leaman score and quantitative plaque volume were found in patients with FRS >0.2 regardless of categorical or continuous variables. Coronary scores, quantitative plaque parameters, and CT-FFR were associated with MACE and rehospitalisation in univariate analysis. In model 1, CT-FFR was associated with MACE in multivariate Cox analysis when adjusted for FRS and CT-adapted Leaman score. Quantitative plaque parameters including calcified plaque volume, fibro-fatty plaque volume, low-attenuation plaque volume, non-calcified plaque volume, and total plaque volume were significantly associated with MACE and improved overall prognostic performance in a model adjusted for CT-FFR.

CONCLUSION

Additional quantitative plaque volume and CT-FFR further improve the predictive incremental value based on risk factor scores for prognostic prediction in patients. Adding quantitative plaque volume combined with CT-FFR analysis to anatomical and clinical assessment will be further beneficial to predict patients' prognosis of MACE.

A comparative study of flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy for upper urinary tract stones in patients with prior urosepsis following emergency drainage via retrograde ureteral stent or percutaneous nephrostomy

BACKGROUND

Patients with urosepsis associated with upper urinary tract stones require further stone management after emergency drainage.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of elective flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (F-URSL) for upper urinary tract stones in patients with prior urosepsis who have undergone emergency drainage using retrograde ureteral stent(RUS) or percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN).

METHOD

Between January 2017 and December 2021, clinical data were collected for 102 patients who underwent elective F-URSL following emergency drainage for urosepsis caused by upper ureteral or renal stones. The patients were categorized into two groups based on the drainage method used: the RUS group and the PCN group. The collected data included patient demographics, stone parameters, infection recovery after emergency drainage, and clinical outcomes post F-URSL. Subsequently, the data underwent statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 102 patients were included in the statistical analysis, with 58 (56.86%) in the RUS group and 44 (43.14%) in the PCN group. Among the patients, 84 (82.35%) were female and 18 (17.65%) were male, with an average age of 59.36 years. Positive urine cultures were observed in 71 (69.61%) patients. Successful drainage was achieved in all patients in both groups, and there were no significant differences in the time required for normalization of white blood cell count (WBC) and body temperature following drainage. Additionally, all patients underwent F-URSL successfully, and no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of operative time, stone-free rates, postoperative fever, and postoperative hospital stay.

CONCLUSION

Both RUS and PCN have been established as effective approaches for managing urosepsis caused by upper urinary tract stones. Furthermore, the impact of these two drainage methods on the subsequent management of stones through elective F-URSL has shown consistent outcomes.

Defect physics of intrinsic point defects in BiPO4 photocatalysts: a hybrid functional study

In this work, the intrinsic point defect properties of bulk BiPO4 under different growth conditions are intensively investigated and explored using first-principles hybrid functional calculations. It is found that Bi vacancies and O vacancies are the primary native defects in BiPO4. Under O-poor conditions, BiPO4 acts as an intrinsic insulator because the O vacancy defects (donor) and the Bi vacancy defects (acceptor) compensate for each other. Under Bi-poor conditions, good p-type conductivity is observed in BiPO4, which affirms the observed p-type conductivity behavior in experiments. Bi vacancies in BiPO4 are very shallow, which make it an excellent acceptor and are mostly responsible for the p-type character. In addition, it is found that the primary Bi vacancy defects of BiPO4 hardly affect its electronic structure and optical absorption spectrum regardless of the charge states. In contrast, the neutral O vacancy defects in BiPO4 introduce an impurity energy level near the VBM and induce a new optical absorption peak at around 370 nm. Furthermore, the O vacancies should be favorable for enhancing the production and separation efficiencies of the photo-generated electrons and holes in BiPO4. While Bi vacancies easily provide p-type carriers, simultaneously, they could become the active sites for the photocatalytic reactions because of their dominant -3 charge state. Therefore, understanding the defect physics in BiPO4 photocatalysts is believed to be beneficial for more research in developing BiPO4 or BiPO4-based photocatalysts.

Programmable Physical Unclonable Functions Using Randomly Anisotropic Two-Dimensional Flakes

Physical unclonable functions (PUFs) have been developed as promising strategies for secure authentication. Conventional strategies of PUFs have a limitation in the aspect of security for their static single channel. The introduction of polarization will endow a static PUF with many dynamic transformations based on polarized properties. Herein, high-security PUFs based on the polarized luminescence of chaotic luminescent patterns are fabricated by anisotropic rare earth (RE) material Er3O4Cl flakes. These derivatives under different polarizations show strong randomness (with similarity of the same PUF as high as 97%, while that for different PUFs is as low as 44%), which further widens the security and capacity of PUFs. Polarized luminescence control of Er3O4Cl patterns gives freedom to the PUFs and ensures a high encoding capacity of 2380000. Furthermore, we build a convolutional neural network (CNN) to realize fast intelligent authentication by extracting image features for convolution operation with a very high accuracy of 99.8% and fast classification speed in only 5 epochs.

The Presence and Severity of NAFLD are Associated With Cognitive Impairment and Hippocampal Damage

CONTEXT

Although cognitive impairment in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has received attention in recent years, little is known about detailed cognitive functions in histologically diagnosed individuals.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the association of liver pathological changes with cognitive features and further explore the underlying brain manifestations.

METHODS AND PATIENTS

We performed a cross-sectional study in 320 subjects who underwent liver biopsy. Among the enrolled participants, 225 underwent assessments of global cognition and cognitive subdomains. Furthermore, 70 individuals received functional magnetic resonance imaging scans for neuroimaging evaluations. The associations among liver histological features, brain alterations, and cognitive functions were evaluated using structural equation model.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, patients with NAFLD had poorer immediate memory and delayed memory. Severe liver steatosis (odds ratio, 2.189; 95% CI, 1.020-4.699) and ballooning (OR, 3.655; 95% CI, 1.419-9.414) were related to a higher proportion of memory impairment. Structural magnetic resonance imaging showed that patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis exhibited volume loss in left hippocampus and its subregions of subiculum and presubiculum. Task-based magnetic resonance imaging showed that patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis had decreased left hippocampal activation. Path analysis demonstrated that higher NAFLD activity scores were associated with lower subiculum volume and reduced hippocampal activation, and such hippocampal damage contributed to lower delayed memory scores.

CONCLUSIONS

We are the first to report the presence and severity of NAFLD to be associated with an increased risk of memory impairment and hippocampal structural and functional abnormalities. These findings stress the significance of early cognitive evaluation in patients with NAFLD.

Inhalation Lenalidomide-Loaded Liposome for Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis Improvement

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, fibrotic interstitial lung disease with unclear etiology and increasing prevalence. Pulmonary administration can make the drug directly reach the lung lesion location and reduce systemic toxic and side effects. The effectiveness of lenalidomide (Len) liposomal lung delivery in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was investigated. Len liposomes (Len-Lip) were prepared from soybean lecithin, cholesterol (Chol), and medicine in different weight ratios by thin film hydration method. The Len-Lip were spherical in shape with an average size of 226.7 ± 1.389 nm. The liposomes with a higher negative zeta potential of around - 34 mV, which was conducive to improving stability by repelling each other. The drug loading and encapsulation rate were 2.42 ± 0.07% and 85.47 ± 2.42%. Len-Lip had little toxicity at the cellular level and were well taken up by cells. At bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model mice, inhalation Len-Lip could improve lung function and decrease lung hydroxyproline contents, and alleviate pulmonary fibrosis state. Inhalation Len-Lip provided a reference for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of a novel 99mTc-labeled small molecule for PD-L1 imaging

In recent years, PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy with remarkable efficacy has set off a heat wave. The expression level of PD-L1, which plays a predictive role in anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, could be quantified by noninvasive imaging with radiotracers. Herein, we introduced the synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of a novel 99mTc-labeled small molecule radiotracer [99mTc]G3C-CBM for PD-L1 imaging. [99mTc]G3C-CBM was achieved with high radiochemical purity (>96 %) and remained good stability in PBS and FBS. In competitive combination experiment, [99mTc]G3C-CBM was displaced by increasing concentrations of unlabeled G3C-CBM, resulting in an IC50 value of 41.25±2.23 nM for G3C-CBM. The uptake of [99mTc]G3C-CBM in A375-hPD-L1 cells (17.51±2.08 %) was approximately 6.47 folds of that in A375 cells (2.71±0.36 %) after co-incubation for 2 h. The biodistribution results showed that the radioactivity uptake in A375-hPD-L1 tumor reached the maximum (0.35±0.01 %ID/g) at 2 h post injection, and the optimum tumor/muscle ratio of 2.94±0.29 occurred at the same time. In addition, [99mTc]G3C-CBM was quickly cleared from the blood with a clearance half-life of just 119.25 min. These results indicate that [99mTc]G3C-CBM is a potential SPECT PD-L1 imaging agent and is worthy of further study.

Efficacy and nephrotoxicity of polymyxin B in elderly patients with carbapenem resistant bacterial infection

BACKGROUND

To study the efficacy and nephrotoxicity of polymyxin B in the treatment of elderly patients with carbapenem-resistant organism (CRO) infection.

METHODS

The clinical and microbiological data of patients with CRO-infected sepsis treated with polymyxin B were retrospectively analyzed. The effective rate, bacterial clearance, incidence and recovery rate of acute renal injury (AKI) and prognosis-related indicators in AKI at different stages were compared.

RESULTS

The effective rate of 215 elderly patients with CRO infection treated with polymyxin was 50.7%. The total bacterial clearance rate was 44.2%, the total incidence of AKI was 37.2%, the recovery rate of AKI was 35%, and the incidence range of polymyxin B-related AKI was 10.2-37.2%. Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that the predictors of AKI in elderly patients were high APACHE II score, long duration of polymyxin, chronic renal insufficiency and ineffective outcome; the ROC curve showed that the cutoff value for predicting AKI was a serum creatinine concentration of 73 mmol/L before polymyxin B use, and the AUC was 0.931.

CONCLUSIONS

Rational use of polymyxin B is safe and effective in elderly patients with CRO infection, and its effective outcome can improve the recovery rate of AKI.

Exploring the effects of different crystal facet combinations and I-doping in the BiOCl/BiOI heterostructure on photocatalytic properties: a hybrid density functional investigation

This study uses hybrid functional calculations to investigate the effects of various crystal facet combinations in BiOCl and BiOI on the photocatalytic activity of the BiOCl/BiOI heterostructure. The results show that the separation efficiencies of photo-generated electron-hole pairs in BiOCl(010)/BiOI(001) and BiOCl(010)/BiOI(010) are constrained by type I band alignments in principle. In contrast, BiOCl(001)/BiOI(001) and BiOCl(001)/BiOI(010) heterostructures, which operate under the direct Z-scheme type, exhibit an enhanced photo-generated charge separation efficiency, superior redox capacity, and enhanced visible light absorption. Specifically, BiOCl(001)/BiOI(010) exhibits a more remarkable reduction ability that can reduce O2 to ˙O2-. Furthermore, our investigations demonstrate that targeted I element doping in BiOCl(001)/BiOI(010) can reduce the band gap of the BiOCl(001) sheet, enhance visible light absorption, and maintain the direct Z-scheme characteristics, thereby further improving the photocatalytic performance. Additionally, we discovered that I doping can transform the BiOCl(010)/BiOI(001) heterostructure from type I into a direct Z-scheme heterostructure, resulting in a substantial enhancement in the separation efficiency and reduction ability of photo-generated carriers as well as visible light absorption with increasing I doping concentration. Considering the excellent charge injection efficiency observed in experiments with the BiOCl(010)/BiOI(001) heterostructure, I-BiOCl(010)/BiOI(001) may represent a superior photocatalyst. Thus, this study highlights the crucial and substantial roles of engineering specific crystal facet combinations and I doping in enhancing the photocatalytic performance of the BiOCl/BiOI heterostructure. This theoretical study contributes to the comprehension of related experimental findings and offers valuable insights for the development of novel BiOCl/BiOI heterostructures with superior photocatalytic activity.

[Research progress on biomarkers and detection methods for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in vitro]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with insidious onset, posing a serious threat to human physical and mental health. The cognitive impairments caused by AD are generally diffuse and overlap symptomatically with other neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, the symptoms of AD are often covert, leading to missed opportunities for optimal treatment after diagnosis. Therefore, early diagnosis of AD is crucial. In vitro diagnostic biomarkers not only contribute to the early clinical diagnosis of AD but also aid in further understanding the disease's pathogenesis, predicting disease progression, and observing the effects of novel candidate therapeutic drugs in clinical trials. Currently, although there are numerous biomarkers associated with AD diagnosis, the complex nature of AD pathogenesis, limitations of individual biomarkers, and constraints of clinical detection methods have hindered the development of efficient, cost-effective, and convenient diagnostic methods and standards. This article provides an overview of the research progress on in vitro diagnostic biomarkers and detection methods related to AD in recent years.

Comparative analysis of the intestinal microbiome in Rattus norvegicus from different geographies

Rat species Rattus norvegicus, also known as the brown street rat, is the most abundant mammal after humans in urban areas, where they co-exist with humans and domestic animals. The reservoir role of R. norvegicus of zoonotic pathogens in cities among rodent-borne diseases that could endanger the lives of humans and other mammals. Therefore, understanding the normal microbiome of R. norvegicus is crucial for understanding and preventing zoonotic pathogen transmission to humans and animals. We investigated the intestinal microbiome of free-living R. norvegicus collected from the Ruili, Nujiang, and Lianhe regions of Yunnan, China, using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were abundant in the intestines of R. norvegicus; however, bacterial compositions varied significantly between samples from different locations. Following a similar trend, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Clostridia were among the top bacterial classes in most intestinal samples. The situation differed slightly for the Lianhe and Nujiang samples, although Phyla Bacteroidota and Spirochaetota were most prevalent. The Alpha diversity, Chao1, and Simpson indexes revealed microbial richness among the R. norvegicus samples. A slight variation was observed among the samples collected from Ruili, Nujiang, and Lianhe. At species levels, several opportunistic and zoonotic bacterial pathogens, including Lactococcus garvieae, Uruburuella suis, Bartonella australis, Clostridium perfringens, Streptococcus azizii, Vibrio vulnificus, etc., were revealed in the R. norvegicus intestines, implying the need for a regular survey to monitor and control rodent populations. In conclusion, we explored diverse microbial communities in R. norvegicus intestines captured from different regions. Further, we identified several opportunistic and potential bacterial pathogens, which still need to be tested for their underlying pathogenesis. The findings of our current study should be considered a warning to the health authorities to implement rat control and surveillance strategies globally.

In vivo labeling and quantitative imaging of neuronal populations using MRI

The study of neural circuits, which underlies perception, cognition, emotion, and behavior, is essential for understanding the mammalian brain, a complex organ consisting of billions of neurons. To study the structure and function of the brain, in vivo neuronal labeling and imaging techniques are crucial as they provide true physiological information that ex vivo methods cannot offer. In this paper, we present a new strategy for in vivo neuronal labeling and quantification using MRI. We demonstrate the efficacy of this method by delivering the oatp1a1 gene to the target neurons using rAAV2-retro virus. OATP1A1 protein expression on the neuronal membrane increased the uptake of a specific MRI contrast agent (Gd-EOB-DTPA), leading to hyperintense signals on T1W images of labeled neuronal populations. We also used dynamic contrast enhancement-based methods to obtain quantitative information on labeled neuronal populations in vivo.

Expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin in different metabolic obesity phenotypes: discrepancy for endothelial dysfunction

OBJECTIVES

Endothelial dysfunction, the earliest vascular alteration, is a consequence of metabolic disorders associated with obesity. However, it is still unclear whether a proportion of obese individuals without metabolic alterations associated with obesity, defined as "metabolically healthy obesity (MHO)", exhibit better endothelial function. We therefore aimed to investigate the association of different metabolic obesity phenotypes with endothelial dysfunction.

METHODS

The obese participants without clinical cardiovascular disease from the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) were allocated to the different metabolic obesity phenotypes based on their metabolic status, including MHO and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). Associations of metabolic obesity phenotypes with the biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction, including soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), were evaluated using multiple linear regression models.

RESULTS

Plasma levels of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin were respectively measured in 2371 and 968 participants. Compared to the non-obese participants, those with MUO were associated with higher concentrations of sICAM-1 (β 22.04, 95% CI 14.33-29.75, P < 0.001) and sE-selectin (β 9.87, 95% CI 6.00-13.75, P < 0.001) after adjusting for confounders. However, no differences were found for the concentrations of sICAM-1 (β 0.70, 95% CI - 8.91 to 10.32, P = 0.886) and sE-selectin (β 3.69, 95% CI - 1.13 to 8.51, P = 0.133) in the participants with MHO compared to the non-obese participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with MUO were associated with elevated biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction, but the association with endothelial dysfunction was not found in those with MHO, indicating that the individuals with MHO might exhibit better endothelial function.