Search for Heavy Neutral Leptons in Electron-Positron and Neutral-Pion Final States with the MicroBooNE Detector

We present the first search for heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) decaying into νe^{+}e^{-} or νπ^{0} final states in a liquid-argon time projection chamber using data collected with the MicroBooNE detector. The data were recorded synchronously with the NuMI neutrino beam from Fermilab's main injector corresponding to a total exposure of 7.01×10^{20} protons on target. We set upper limits at the 90% confidence level on the mixing parameter |U_{μ4}|^{2} in the mass ranges 10≤m_{HNL}≤150  MeV for the νe^{+}e^{-} channel and 150≤m_{HNL}≤245  MeV for the νπ^{0} channel, assuming |U_{e4}|^{2}=|U_{τ4}|^{2}=0. These limits represent the most stringent constraints in the mass range 35 Collapse

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[A study of the clinical curative effect of nucleos(t)ide analogues treated to pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To investigate the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance condition and its predictive factors after treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues to pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2018~2019 were prospectively enrolled. HBsAg≤ 1500 IU/mL, hepatitis B e antigen-negative, HBV DNA undetectable, received antiviral treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues for at least one year, and pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy for 48 weeks were included. The primary endpoint of study was to determine the proportion of HBsAg clearance at 72 weeks. Concurrently, the predictive factors for HBsAg clearance were analyzed. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using a t-test or non-parametric test and a Fisher's exact test. Results: A total of 38 cases were included in this study, of which 13 cases obtained HBsAg clearance at 48 weeks of therapy and another six cases obtained HBsAg clearance throughout the extended treatment period of 72 weeks, accounting for 50.00% of all enrolled patients. There was a significant difference in HBsAg dynamics between the HBsAg clearance group and the non-clearance group (P < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients' age, baseline, 12-and 24-week HBsAg levels, and early HBsAg reduction were predictive factors for HBsAg clearance at 72 weeks of treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.311; P = 0.016; 95% confidence interval: 1.051~1.635) and HBsAg levels at 24 weeks of treatment (OR = 4.481; P = 0.004; 95% confidence interval: 1.634~12.290) were independent predictors for HBsAg clearance. Conclusion: Hepatitis B e antigen-negative, nucleos(t)ide analogue treated, HBsAg ≤ 1500 IU/mL, and HBV DNA undetectable, peg-IFNα add-on treatment for 48 weeks could promote HBsAg clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Six of the sixteen cases (37.50%) who did not obtain HBsAg clearance at week 48 did so with the course of therapy extended to week 72. Hence, the optimal individualized treatment strategy should be customized according to the predictors rather than the fixed 48-week course. Age (≤ 38), baseline HBsAg level (≤2.86 log(10)IU/ml), HBsAg level at 24 weeks (≤ 0.92 log(10)IU/ml), and 12-week HBsAg decrease from baseline (≥ 0.67 log(10)IU/ml) indicate that patients are highly likely to obtain HBsAg clearance at the 72 weeks of combination therapy, in which the combined indicator based on HBsAg level ≤0.92 log(10)IU/ml at 24 weeks will identify 85.0% to 100.0% of patients with HBsAg clearance.

[Preliminary insights into the practice of hypoallergenic home visiting program]

Allergic diseases affect about 40% of the world's population. Environmental factors are important in the occurrence and development of allergic diseases. Dust mites are one of the most important allergens in the indoor environment. The World Health Organization proposes the "four-in-one, combination of prevention and treatment" treatment principle for allergic diseases, in which environmental control to avoid or reduce allergens is the first choice for treatment. Modern people spend much more time at home (including sleeping) than outdoors, and the control of the home environment is particularly critical. This practice introduces the hypoallergenic home visit program, which including home environment assessment, environmental and behavioral intervention guidance, and common household hypoallergenic supplies and service guidance for the patient's home environment. The real-time semi-quantitative testing of dust mite allergens, qualitative assessments of other indoor allergens, record of patients' household items and lifestyle, and precise, individualized patient prevention and control education will be conducted. The hypoallergenic home visit program improves the doctors' diagnosis and treatment data dimension, and becomes a patient management tool for doctors outside the hospital. It also helps patients continue to scientifically avoid allergens and irritants in the environment, effectively build a hypoallergenic home environment, reduce exposure to allergens in the home environment, and achieve the goal of combining the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.

Causal relationship between telomere length and epilepsy: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

OBJECTIVE

Observational studies have suggested a link between telomere length (TL) and epilepsy, but the direction of the effect and whether it is causal or not is still being debated. The objective of this study was to investigate the causal relationship between TL and epilepsy using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS

We performed a bidirectional two-sample MR analysis using pooled statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of TL and epilepsy. Additionally, we conducted a replication analysis using data from another GWAS study on epilepsy to validate our findings. The final results were analyzed using five MR methods, with the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method as the primary outcome. We applied methods such as radial MR, MR pleiotropy residual and outlier test and MR Steiger filters to exclude outliers. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy.

RESULTS

Our analysis found no evidence of a causal relationship between epilepsy and TL (all p-values >0.05). The sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of these results.

SIGNIFICANCE

In summary, our study contradicts existing observational reports by not finding any evidence to support a causal relationship between epilepsy and TL. Further research is necessary to determine the underlying mechanism behind the association observed in observational studies.

[Relation factor analysis for the short-term preservation of ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy]

Objectives: To analyze the factors relative to the short-term preservation of ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy. Methods: The clinical data of 83 patients who were treated with partial nephrectomy from December 2014 to December 2019 in the Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were retrospectively analyzed. There were 54 males and 29 females, aging (M (IQR)) 49 (17) years (range: 27 to 74 years). The ischemia time in operation was 25 (18) minutes (range: 10 to 67 minutes). Emission computed tomography scan and CT scan were performed before (within 1 month) and after (3 to 12 months) surgery. The volume of the ipsilateral and contralateral kidney was measured on the basis of preoperative and postoperative CT scans. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) specifically in each kidney was estimated by emission computed tomography. Recovery from ischemia is determined by the formula: GFR preservation/volume saved×100%. Linear regression was used to explore the factors ralative to the short-term preservation of ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy. Results: The GFR preservation of the ipsilateral kidney was 80.9 (25.2) % (range: 31.0% to 109.4%). The volume loss of the kidney resulted in a decrease of 12.0% (5.8 ml/(min×1.96 m2)) of GFR, while the ischemic injury resulted in a decrease of 6.5% (2.5 ml/(min×1.96 m2)) of GFR. The volume saved from the ipsilateral kidney was 87.1 (12.9) % (range: 27.0% to 131.7%). Recovery from ischemia was 93.5 (17.5) % (range:44.3% to 178.3%). In multivariate analysis, GFR preservation of the ipsilateral kidney was significantly correlated with the volume saved of the ipsilateral kidney (β=0.383, 95%CI: 0.144 to 0.622, P=0.002). It was not related to the ischemia time (β=0.046, 95%CI:-0.383 to 0.475, P=0.831). Conclusion: In the condition of limited ischemic time, in the short term ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy is mainly determined by the loss of kidney volume, while ischemic injury only plays a minor role.

Causal relationship between depression and aging: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

The causal relationship and the direction of the effect between depression and aging remain controversial.

METHODS

We used a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to examine the relationship between depression and age proxy indicators. We obtained pooled statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on depression and the age proxy indicators. We employed five MR analysis methods to address potential biases and ensure robustness of our results, with the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method being the primary outcome. We also conducted outlier exclusion using Radial MR, MRPRESSO, and MR Steiger filters. Additionally, sensitivity analyses were performed to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy.

RESULTS

Our MR analysis revealed that depression causally leads to shortened telomere length (β = - 0.014; P = 0.038), increased frailty index (β = 0.076; P = 0.000), and accelerated GrimAge (β = 0.249; P = 0.024). Furthermore, our findings showed that the frailty index (OR = 1.679; P = 0.001) was causally associated with an increased risk of depression. Additionally, we found that appendicular lean mass (OR = 0.929; P = 0.000) and left-hand grip strength (OR = 0.836; P = 0.014) were causally associated with a reduced risk of depression. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the robustness of our findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides evidence that depression contributes to the accelerated aging process, resulting in decreased telomere length, increased frailty index, and accelerated GrimAge. Additionally, we found that the frailty index increases the risk of depression, while appendicular lean mass and left-handed grip strength reduce the risk of depression.

Micronano Titanium Accelerates Mesenchymal Stem Cells Aging through the Activation of Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype

Stem cell senescence is one of the most representative events of organism aging and is responsible for many physiological abnormalities and disorders. In the scenario of orthopedic disease treatment, stem cell aging may affect the implantation outcome and even lead to operation failure. To explore whether stem cell aging will affect the osteointegration effect of titanium implant, a widely used micronano titanium (MNT) was fabricated. We first verified the expected osteointegration effect of the MNT, which could be attributed to the improvement of stem cell adhesion and osteogenic differentiation. Then, we obtained aged-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and studied their biological behaviors on MNT both in vitro and in vivo. We found that compared with normal rats, MNT did not significantly improve the osteointegration in aged rats. Compared with normal rats, fewer endogenous stem cells were observed at the implant-host interface, and the expression of p21 (senescence marker) was also higher. We further confirmed that MNT promoted the nuclear localization of NF-κB in senescent stem cells through the activation of p38 MAPK, thereby inducing the occurrence of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and ultimately leading to the depletion of the stem-cell pool at the implant-host interface. However, the activation of p38 MAPK can still promote the osteogenic differentiation of nonsenescent BMSCs. These results showed an interesting paradoxical balance between osteogenesis and senescence on MNT surfaces and also provided insights for the design of orthopedic implants for aging patients.

[Molecular detection and subtyping of Blastocystis sp. in pigs in Anhui Province]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in pigs in Anhui Province.

METHODS

A total of 500 stool samples were collected from large-scale pig farms in Bozhou, Anqing, Chuzhou, Hefei, Fuyang, and Lu'an cities in Anhui Province from October to December 2015. Blastocystis was detected in pig stool samples using a PCR assay based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, and positive samples were subjected to sequencing and sequence analysis. Blastocystis subtypes were characterized in the online PubMLST database, and verified using phylogenetic tree created with the neighbor-joining algorithm in the Meta software.

RESULTS

The prevalence of Blastocystis infection was 43.2% (216/500) in pigs in 6 cities of Anhui Province, and all pig farms were tested positive for Blastocystis. There was a region-specific prevalence rate of Blastocystis (17.2% to 50.0%) (χ2 = 26.084, P < 0.01), and there was a significant difference in the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. among nursery pigs (39.6%), preweaned pigs (19.1%), and growing pigs (62.3%) (χ2 = 74.951, P < 0.01). Both online inquiry and phylogenetic analysis revealed ST1, ST3, and ST5 subtypes in pigs, with ST5 as the predominant subtype.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of Blastocystis sp. is high in pigs in Anhui Province, with three zoonotic subtypes identified, including ST1, ST3, and ST5.

Modulation of cell cycle increases CRISPR-mediated homology-directed DNA repair

BACKGROUND

Gene knock-in (KI) in animal cells via homology-directed repair (HDR) is an inefficient process, requiring a laborious work for screening from few modified cells. HDR tends to occur in the S and G2/M phases of cell cycle; therefore, strategies that enhance the proportion of cells in these specific phases could improve HDR efficiency.

RESULTS

We used various types of cell cycle inhibitors to synchronize the cell cycle in S and G2/M phases in order to investigate their effect on regulating CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR. Our results indicated that the four small molecules-docetaxel, irinotecan, nocodazole and mitomycin C-promoted CRISPR/Cas9-mediated KI with different homologous donor types in various animal cells. Moreover, the small molecule inhibitors enhanced KI in animal embryos. Molecular analysis identified common signal pathways activated during crosstalk between cell cycle and DNA repair. Synchronization of the cell cycle in the S and G2/M phases results in CDK1/CCNB1 protein accumulation, which can initiate the HDR process by activating HDR factors to facilitate effective end resection of CRISPR-cleaved double-strand breaks. We have demonstrated that augmenting protein levels of factors associated with the cell cycle via overexpression can facilitate KI in animal cells, consistent with the effect of small molecules.

CONCLUSION

Small molecules that induce cell cycle synchronization in S and G2/M phases promote CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR efficiency in animal cells and embryos. Our research reveals the common molecular mechanisms that bridge cell cycle progression and HDR activity, which will inform further work to use HDR as an effective tool for preparing genetically modified animals or for gene therapy.

[Efficacy and safety analysis of the zanubrutinib-based bridging regimen in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma]

Objective: To further elucidate the clinical efficacy and safety of a combination regimen based on the BTK inhibitor zebutanil bridging CD19 Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) in the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL) . Methods: Twenty-one patients with high-risk r/r DLBCL were treated with a zanubrutinib-based regimen bridging CAR-T between June 2020 and June 2023 at the Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, and the efficacy and safety were retrospectively analyzed. Results: All 21 patients were enrolled, and the median age was 57 years (range: 38-76). Fourteen patients (66.7%) had an eastern cooperative oncology group performance status score (ECOG score) of ≥2. Eighteen patients (85.7%) had an international prognostic index (IPI) score of ≥3. Three patients (14.3%) had an IPI score of 2 but had extranodal infiltration. Fourteen patients (66.7%) had double-expression of DLBCL and seven (33.3%) had TP53 mutations. With a median follow-up of 24.8 (95% CI 17.0-31.6) months, the objective response rate was 81.0%, and 11 patients (52.4%) achieved complete remission. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.8 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was not reached. The 1-year PFS rate was 52.4% (95% CI 29.8% -74.3%), and the 1-year OS rate was 80.1% (95% CI 58.1% -94.6%). Moreover, 18 patients (85.7%) had grade 1-2 cytokine-release syndrome, and two patients (9.5%) had grade 1 immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. Conclusion: Zanubrutinib-based combination bridging regimen of CAR-T therapy for r/r DLBCL has high efficacy and demonstrated a good safety profile.

An Immune-Related Gene Prognostic Prediction Risk Model for Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Rectal Cancer Using Artificial Intelligence

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To develop and validate an immune-related gene prognostic model (IRGPM) that can predict disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and to clarify the immune characteristics of patients with different prognostic risks.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In this study, we obtained transcriptomic and clinical data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and rectal cancer database of West China Hospital. Genes in the RNA immune-oncology panel were extracted. Elastic net was used to identify the immune-related genes that significantly affected the DFS of patients. A prognostic risk model (IRGPM) for rectal cancer was constructed with the random forest method. The prognostic risk score was calculated by the model, and the patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the median risk score. Immune characteristics were analyzed and compared between the high- and low-risk groups.

RESULTS

A total of 407 LARC samples were used in this study. A 20-gene signature was identified by elastic net and was found to be significantly correlated with DFS. The IRGPM was constructed on the basis of the 20 immune-related genes. Kaplan‒Meier survival analysis showed poorer 5-year DFS in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve suggested good model prediction (areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.87, 0.94, 0.95 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively). The model was validated in the GSE190826 cohort (AUCs of 0.79, 0.64, and 0.63 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively) and the cohort from our institution (AUCs of 0.64, 0.66, and 0. 64 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively). The differentially expressed genes between the high- and low-risk groups were enriched in cytokine‒cytokine receptor interactions. The patients in the low-risk group had higher immune scores than the patients in the high-risk group. Subsequently, we found that activated B cells, activated CD8 T cells, central memory CD8 T cells, macrophages, T follicular helper cells and type 2 helper cells were more abundant in the low-risk group. Moreover, we compared the expression of immune checkpoints and found that the low-risk group had a higher PDCD1 expression level.

CONCLUSION

The IRGPM, which was constructed based on the random forest and elastic net methods, is a promising method to distinguish DFS in LARC patients treated with a standard strategy. The low-risk group identified by IRGPM was characterized by the activation of adaptive immunity in tumor microenvironment.

The axial and sagittal CT values of the 7th thoracic vertebrae in screening for osteoporosis and osteopenia

AIM

To evaluate the difference in computed tomography (CT) attenuation value of different planes of the 7th thoracic vertebra and investigate the efficacy of axial and sagittal vertebral CT measurements in predicting osteoporosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent routine chest CT and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) within 1 month were included in this retrospective study. The CT attenuation values of different planes were compared. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were used to analyse the difference of each plane in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

RESULTS

The study included 1,338 patients (mean age of 61.9±11.9; 54% female). The CT attenuation values decreased successively in the normal group, osteopenia group, and osteoporosis group. The paired t-test results showed that the mid-axial measurements were greater than mid-sagittal measurements, with a mean difference of 9 HU, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.8-10.1). For each one-unit reduction in mid-sagittal CT attenuation value, the risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis increased by 3.6%. To distinguish osteoporosis from non-osteoporosis (osteopenia + normal), the sensitivity was 90% and the specificity was 52.4% at the mid-sagittal threshold of 113.7 HU.

CONCLUSIONS

The CT attenuation values of mid-sagittal plane have higher diagnostic efficacy than axial planes in predicting osteoporosis. For patients with a sagittal CT attenuation value of <113.7 HU in the T7, further DXA examination is warranted.

[Effect of hollow compression screw internal fixation in treating McCrory-Bladin type Ⅱ lateral process fracture of the talus: open versus arthroscopy surgery]

In order to explore the clinical efficacy of hollow compression screw internal fixation in the treatment of lateral process fracture of the talus under open surgery versus arthroscopy procedure, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 33 patients with lateral process fracture of the talus admitted to Xuzhou Central Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. There were 19 males (19 feet) and 14 females (14 feet), aged 18 to 50 years, with an average age of (32.2±9.3) years. According to the modified McCrory-Bladin classification, all patients were classified as type Ⅱ. Based on the different surgical methods, the patients were divided into the arthroscopy group (21 cases, treated with double-tunnel subtalar arthroscopy combined with hollow compression screw internal fixation) and the open group (12 cases, treated with open reduction and internal fixation with hollow compression screw). The operation time was observed and the surgical effects were evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, the Foot Function Index (FFI), and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), which includes the FAAM-ADL (activity of daily living subscale) and the FAAM-S (sport subscale). All the patients of the two groups achieved stage Ⅰ wound healing. On the first day after the operation, the mean VAS score of the arthroscopy group was 2.4±0.7, which was significantly lower than that of the open group (3.4±1.6) (P=0.020). No significant difference was observed in terms of the follow-up time, operation time and AOFAS score between the two groups (all P>0.05). The FFI score of the arthroscopy group was significantly lower than that of the open group, and the FAAM-ADL and FAAM-S scores were significantly higher than those in the open group (all P<0.05). Two cases of dorsal foot numbness occurred in the open group after the operation, and the incidence of complications was not significantly different from that of the arthroscopy group (P=0.054). For McCrory-Bladin type Ⅱ lateral process fracture of the talus, the use of compression screw internal fixation could achieve reliable results, however, compared to open surgery, arthroscopy procedure obtained mini trauma and better functions.

[Untargeted metabolomics study of dexamethasone-induced congenital cleft palate in New Zealand rabbits]

Objective: To investigate the metabolic disorders in placental tissues of dexamethasone induced cleft palate mode. Methods: Twelve pregnant rabbits were randomly divided into dexamethasone group (experimental group, 8) and saline control group (4), and a certain amount of dexamethasone and saline were administered intramuscularly to the experimental and control groups respectively from embryonic days (ED) 13 to 16, and placental tissue samples were collected on day 21 of gestation. The corresponding profiles of the embryonic placental tissue samples were obtained by liquid chromatography-triple tandem quadrupole(LC-MS), and the metabolites of the embryonic placental tissues were characterized by principal component analysis among the dexamethasone-treated group with cleft palate (D-CP group), the dexamethasone-treated group without cleft palate (D-NCP group) and the control group. Results: There were significant metabolic differences among the D-CP group, D-NCP group and control group, with a total of 133 differential metabolites (VIP>1, P<0.05) involving in important metabolic pathways including vitamin B6 metabolism, lysine metabolism, arginine anabolic metabolism, and galactose metabolism. The four metabolites, vitamin B6, galactose, lysine and urea, differed among the three groups (P<0.05). There were significant differences in vitamin B6 (0.960±0.249, 0.856±0.368, 1.319±0.322), galactose (0.888±0.171, 1.033±0.182, 1.127±0.127), lysine (1.551±0.924, 1.789±1.435, 0.541±0.424) and urea (0.743±0.142, 1.137±0.301, 1.171±0.457, respectively) levels among control group, D-NCP group and D-CP group (F=5.90, P=0.008; F=5.59, P=0.009; F=4.26, P=0.025; F=5.29, P=0.012). Conclusions: The results indicated that dexamethasone induced cleft palate may be highly correlated with metabolic disorders including vitamin B6 metabolism, lysine metabolism, arginine anabolic metabolism and galactose metabolism.

First Double-Differential Measurement of Kinematic Imbalance in Neutrino Interactions with the MicroBooNE Detector

We report the first measurement of flux-integrated double-differential quasielasticlike neutrino-argon cross sections, which have been made using the Booster Neutrino Beam and the MicroBooNE detector at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The data are presented as a function of kinematic imbalance variables which are sensitive to nuclear ground-state distributions and hadronic reinteraction processes. We find that the measured cross sections in different phase-space regions are sensitive to different nuclear effects. Therefore, they enable the impact of specific nuclear effects on the neutrino-nucleus interaction to be isolated more completely than was possible using previous single-differential cross section measurements. Our results provide precision data to help test and improve neutrino-nucleus interaction models. They further support ongoing neutrino-oscillation studies by establishing phase-space regions where precise reaction modeling has already been achieved.

The causal effect of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels on epilepsy: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study

OBJECTIVE

Observational studies have shown an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) D) and epilepsy, but it is unclear whether the association is causal. Therefore, we applied Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to determine the causal relationship between serum 25 (OH) D levels and epilepsy.

METHODS

We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) study to investigate the association between serum 25 (OH) D levels and epilepsy using pooled statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Data for 25 (OH) D came from a GWAS comprising 417,580 participants, and data for epilepsy were obtained from the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) consortium. Five methods were used to analyze TSMR, including the inverse variance weighting method, MR Egger method, weighted median method, simple model, and weighted model. In the sensitivity analysis, MR Egger and MR PRESSO methods were used to test for pleiotropy, inverse variance weighting and MR Egger in Cochran's Q statistics were used to test for heterogeneity.

RESULTS

MR analyzed the relationship between 25 (OH) D and different types of epilepsy, and the results showed that a 1 standard deviation increase in natural log-transformed serum 25 (OH) D levels was associated with reduced risk for juvenile absence epilepsy (IVW OR = 0.985; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.971-0.999; P-value = 0.038). There was no apparent heterogeneity and horizontal gene pleiotropy.

SIGNIFICANCE

Higher serum levels of 25 (OH) D were a protective factor for adolescent absence epilepsy, but had no effect on other types of epilepsy.

YY2/PHGDH axis suppresses tumorigenesis by inhibiting tumor cell de novo serine biosynthesis

Metabolic reprogramming is one of the key features of tumors facilitating their rapid proliferation and adaptation to harsh microenvironments. Yin Yang 2 (YY2) has recently been reported as a tumor suppressor downregulated in various types of tumors; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying its tumor-suppressive activity remain poorly understood. Furthermore, the involvement of YY2 in tumor cell metabolic reprogramming remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the novel regulatory mechanism of YY2 in the suppression of tumorigenesis. Using transcriptomic analysis, we uncovered an unprecedented link between YY2 and tumor cell serine metabolism. YY2 alteration could negatively regulate the expression level of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), the first enzyme in the serine biosynthesis pathway, and consequently, tumor cell de novo serine biosynthesis. Mechanistically, we revealed that YY2 binds to the PHGDH promoter and suppresses its transcriptional activity. This, in turn, leads to decreased production of serine, nucleotides, and cellular reductants NADH and NADPH, which subsequently suppresses tumorigenic potential. These findings reveal a novel function of YY2 as a regulator of the serine metabolic pathway in tumor cells and provide new insights into its tumor suppressor activity. Furthermore, our findings suggest the potential of YY2 as a target for metabolic-based antitumor therapeutic strategies.

PBX3 promotes pentose phosphate pathway and colorectal cancer progression by enhancing G6PD expression

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancers crucial for fulfilling the needs of energy, building blocks, and antioxidants to support tumor cells' rapid proliferation and to cope with the harsh microenvironment. Pre-B-cell leukemia transcription factor 3 (PBX3) is a member of the PBX family whose expression is up-regulated in various tumors, however, whether it is involved in tumor cell metabolic reprogramming remains unclear. Herein, we report that PBX3 is a positive regulator of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). PBX3 promoted G6PD transcriptional activity in tumor cells by binding directly to its promoter, leading to PPP stimulation and enhancing the production of nucleotides and NADPH, a crucial reductant, thereby promoting nucleic acid and lipid biosynthesis while decreasing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. The PBX3/G6PD axis also promoted tumorigenic potential in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these findings reveal a novel function of PBX3 as a regulator of G6PD, linking its oncogenic activity with tumor cell metabolic reprogramming, especially PPP. Furthermore, our results suggested that PBX3 is a potential target for metabolic-based anti-tumor therapeutic strategies.

Nonlocal Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer by Transdimensional Plasmonics

Using transdimensional plasmonic materials (TDPM) within the framework of fluctuational electrodynamics, we demonstrate nonlocality in dielectric response alters near-field heat transfer at gap sizes on the order of hundreds of nanometers. Our theoretical study reveals that, opposite to the local model prediction, propagating waves can transport energy through the TDPM. However, energy transport by polaritons at shorter separations is reduced due to the metallic response of TDPM stronger than that predicted by the local model. Our experiments conducted for a configuration with a silica sphere and a doped silicon plate coated with an ultrathin layer of platinum as the TDPM show good agreement with the nonlocal near-field radiation theory. Our experimental work in conjunction with the nonlocal theory has important implications in thermophotovoltaic energy conversion, thermal management applications with metal coatings, and quantum-optical structures.

Erratum: Global Polarization of Ξ and Ω Hyperons in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 162301 (2021)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.162301.

[Establishment and validation of a novel nomogram to predict overall survival after radical nephrectomy]

Objective: To establish a nomogram prognostic model for predicting the 5-, 10-, and 15-year overall survival (OS) of non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients managed with radical nephrectomy (RN), compare the modelled results with the results of pure pathologic staging, the Karakiewicz nomogram and the Mayo Clinic Stage, Size, Grade, and Necrosis (SSIGN) score commonly used in foreign countries, and stratify the patients into different prognostic risk subgroups. Methods: A total of 1 246 non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients managed with RN in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) from 1999 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen the variables that influence the prognosis for nomogram establishment, and the bootstrap random sampling was used for internal validation. The time-receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), the calibration curve and the clinical decision curve analysis (DCA) were applied to evaluate the nomogram. The prediction efficacy of the nomogram and that of the pure pathologic staging, the Karakiewicz nomogram and the SSIGN score was compared through the area under the curve (AUC). Finally, patients were stratified into different risk subgroups according to our nomogram scores. Results: A total of 1 246 patients managed with RN were enrolled in this study. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, smoking history, pathological nuclear grade, sarcomatoid differentiation, tumor necrosis and pathological T and N stages were independent prognostic factors for RN patients (all P<0.05). A nomogram model named SYSUCC based on these factors was built to predict the 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival rate of the participating patients. In the bootstrap random sampling with 1 000 iterations, all these factors occurred for more than 800 times as independent predictors. The Harrell's concordance index (C-index) of SYSUCC was higher compared with pure pathological staging [0.770 (95% CI: 0.716-0.823) vs 0.674 (95% CI: 0.621-0.728)]. The calibration curve showed that the survival rate as predicted by the SYSUCC model simulated the actual rate, while the clinical DCA showed that the SYSUCC nomogram has a benefit in certain probability ranges. In the ROC analysis that included 857 patients with detailed pathological nuclear stages, the nomogram had a larger AUC (5-/10-year AUC: 0.823/0.804) and better discriminating ability than pure pathological staging (5-/10-year AUC: 0.701/0.658), Karakiewicz nomogram (5-/10-year AUC: 0.772/0.734) and SSIGN score (5-/10-year AUC: 0.792/0.750) in predicting the 5-/10-year OS of RN patients (all P<0.05). In addition, the AUC of the SYSUCC nomogram for predicting the 15-year OS (0.820) was larger than that of the SSIGN score (0.709), and there was no statistical difference (P<0.05) between the SYSUCC nomogram, pure pathological staging (0.773) and the Karakiewicz nomogram (0.826). The calibration curve was close to the standard curve, which indicated that the model has good predictive performance. Finally, patients were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk subgroups (738, 379 and 129, respectively) according to the SYSUCC nomogram scores, among whom patients in intermediate- and high-risk subgroups had a worse OS than patients in the low-risk subgroup (intermediate-risk group vs. low-risk group: HR=4.33, 95% CI: 3.22-5.81, P<0.001; high-risk group vs low-risk group: HR=11.95, 95% CI: 8.29-17.24, P<0.001), and the high-risk subgroup had a worse OS than the intermediate-risk group (HR=2.63, 95% CI: 1.88-3.68, P<0.001). Conclusions: Age, smoking history, pathological nuclear grade, sarcomatoid differentiation, tumor necrosis and pathological stage were independent prognostic factors for non-metastasis renal cell carcinoma patients after RN. The SYSUCC nomogram based on these independent prognostic factors can better predict the 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS than pure pathological staging, the Karakiewicz nomogram and the SSIGN score of patients after RN. In addition, the SYSUCC nomogram has good discrimination, agreement, risk stratification and clinical application potential.

[Short-term prognostic predictive value of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio combined with prognostic nutritional index in hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure]

Objective: To explore the prognostic predictive value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combined with prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods: Clinical data from 149 HBV-ACLF patients admitted to the infectious diseases Department of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data of the enrolled patients and the initial clinical-related data after admission were collected. Patients were divided into survival (93 cases) and death groups (56 cases) according to their prognostic condition 90 days after discharge. Demographic and clinical differences were compared between the two groups data. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the optimal cutoff values for NLR and PNI in predicting the 90-day mortality rate of HBV-ACLF patients. The COX regression model was used to conduct univariate and multivariate analyses to investigate the correlation between NLR and PNI and the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to explore the effects of NLR and PNI on the survival of HBV-ACLF patients. Results: The death group NLR was higher than that of the survival group, while the PNI was lower than that of the survival group, with a statistically significant difference. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.842, 95% CI: 0.779-0.906) showed patients with adverse prognosis assessed by NLR combined with PNI had a superior prognosis than that of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and its combined serum sodium (MELD-Na) and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores. COX regression analysis showed that NLR≥3.03 and MELD score were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. PNI > 36.13 was a protective factor for evaluating the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. Conclusion: NLR combined with PNI can enhance the prognostic predictive value of HBV-ACLF.

[Diagnosis and treatment procedures and health management for patients with hereditary angioedema]

As a recognized rare and highly fatal disease, hereditary angioedema (HAE) is difficult to diagnose and characterized by recurrent edema involving the head, limbs, genitals and larynx, etc. Diagnosis of HAE is not difficult. However, low incidence and lack of clinical characteristics lead to difficulty of doctors on timely diagnosis and correct intervention for HAE patients. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the awareness of this disease and prevent its recurrence. for HAE patients. In view of absent cognition of doctors and the general public on HAE, patients often suffer from sudden death or become disabled due to laryngeal edema which cannot be treated in time. Thus, based on the Internet mobile terminal platform, the team set up an all-day rapid emergency response system which is provided for HAE patients by setting up "one-click help". The aim is to offer optimization on overall management of HAE and designed the intelligent follow-up management to provide timely assistance and specialized suggestion for patients with acute attacks.

YY2-DRP1 Axis Regulates Mitochondrial Fission and Determines Cancer Stem Cell Asymmetric Division

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are associated with tumor progression, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance. To maintain their pool while promoting tumorigenesis, CSCs divide asymmetrically, producing a CSC and a highly proliferative, more differentiated transit-amplifying cell. Exhausting the CSC pool has been proposed as an effective antitumor strategy; however, the mechanism underlying CSC division remains poorly understood, thereby largely limiting its clinical application. Here, through cross-omics analysis, yin yang 2 (YY2) is identified as a novel negative regulator of CSC maintenance. It is shown that YY2 is downregulated in stem-like tumor spheres formed by hepatocarcinoma cells and in liver cancer, in which its expression is negatively correlated with disease progression and poor prognosis. Furthermore, it is revealed that YY2 overexpression suppressed liver CSC asymmetric division, leading to depletion of the CSC pool and decreased tumor-initiating capacity. Meanwhile, YY2 knock-out in stem-like tumor spheres caused enrichment in mitochondrial functions. Mechanistically, it is revealed that YY2 impaired mitochondrial fission, and consequently, liver CSC asymmetric division, by suppressing the transcription of dynamin-related protein 1. These results unravel a novel regulatory mechanism of mitochondrial dynamic-mediated CSCs asymmetric division and highlight the role of YY2 as a tumor suppressor and a therapeutic target in antitumor treatment.

Association between housework and the risk of dementia among older Chinese adults: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Physical activity (PA) is known to improve physical functioning and mental health and to reduce the incidence of dementia. However, studies of the effects of non-recreational PA on the incidence of dementia, especially in East Asian populations, remain limited. In this study, we evaluate the association of doing housework with the risk of dementia among participants in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS).

METHODS

The analysis was conducted with data from 7,237 CLHLS participants age over 65 obtained in 2008/2009, 2011/2012, 2014, and 2018. The frequency of housework performance was classified into four groups. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to examine the association of the baseline housework frequency with the incidence of dementia, with adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle and health conditions.

RESULTS

The adjusted multivariate model showed that the incidence of dementia was lower among participants who did housework almost every day than among those who rarely or never did housework (hazard ratio = 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.61). The subgroup and sensitivity analyses yielded similar results.

CONCLUSION

A high frequency of housework performance was associated with a reduced incidence of dementia among older Chinese adults, especially those who did not exercise regularly. The encouragement of engagement in housework would be a cost-effective measure promoting healthy aging in the Chinese population.