Diazo probe-based chemical isotope labeling assisted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis for sensitive determination of amino acids in biofluids

Amino acids are important biomolecules and contribute to essential biological processes. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) now is a powerful tool for the analysis of amino acid metabolites; however, the structural similarity and polarity of amino acids can lead to the poor chromatographic retention and low detection sensitivities. In this study, we used a pair of light and heavy isotopomers of diazo probes, d₀/d₅-2-(diazomethyl)-N-methyl-N-phenyl-benzamide (2-DMBA/d₅ -2-DMBA) to label amino acids. The paired MS probes of 2-DMBA and d₅ -2-DMBA carry diazo groups that can efficiently and specifically react with the carboxyl group on free amino acid metabolites under mild conditions. Benefiting from the transfer of the 2-DMBA/d₅ -2-DMBA to carboxyl group on amino acids, the ionization efficiencies of amino acids presented great enhancement during LC-MS analysis. The results suggested that the detection sensitivities of 17 amino acids increased by 9-133-fold upon 2-DMBA labeling, and the obtained limits of detection (LODs) of amino acids on-column ranged from 0.011 fmol-0.057 fmol. With the application of the developed method, we successfully achieved the sensitive and accurate detection of the 17 amino acids in microliter level of serum sample. Moreover, the contents of most amino acids were different in the serum from normal and B16F10-tumour mice, demonstrating that endogenous amino acids may play important roles in the regulation of tumors development. This developed method of chemical labeling of amino acids with diazo probes assisted LC-MS analysis provides a potentially valuable tool to investigate the relationships between amino acids metabolism and diseases.

Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q^{2}) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→n[over ¯]n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6  pb^{-1} in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between sqrt[s]=2.0-2.95  GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at sqrt[s]=2.3935  GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio R_{em}≡|G_{E}|/|G_{M}| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |G_{E}| and |G_{M}| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.

Dynamic changes of resting state functional network following acute ischemic stroke

Stroke, the second common cause of death in the world, is commonly considered to the well-known phenomenon of diaschisis. After stroke, regions far from the lesion can show altered neural activity. However, the comprehensive treatment recovery mechanism of acute ischemic stroke remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of comprehensive treatment on resting state brain functional connectivity to reveal the therapeutic mechanism through a three time points study design. Twenty-one acute ischemic stroke patients and twenty matched healthy controls (HC) were included. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and clinical evaluations were assessed in three stages: baseline (less than 72hours after stroke onset), post-first month and post-third month. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and Independent component analysis (ICA) were conducted. We found: 1) stroke patients had decreased ALFF in the right cuneus (one of the important parts of the visual network). After three months, ALFF increased to the normal level; 2) the decreased functional connectivity in the right cuneus within the visual network and restored three months after onset. However, the decreased functional connectivity in the right precuneus within the default mode network restored one month after onset; 3) a significant association was found between the clinical scale score change over time and improvement in the cuneus and precuneus functional connectivity. Our results demonstrate the importance of the cuneus and precuneus within the visual network and default mode network in stroke recovery. These findings suggest that the different restored patterns of neural functional networks may contribute to the neurological function recovery. It has potential applications from stroke onset through rehabilitation because different rehabilitation phase corresponds to specific strategies.

[Blueberry attenuates liver injury in metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease by promoting the expression of mitofilin/Mic60 in human hepatocytes and inhibiting the production of superoxide]

Objective To study the effect and mechanism of blueberry on regulating the mitochondrial inner membrane protein mitofilin/Mic60 in an in vitro model of metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MAFLD). Methods L02 human hepatocytes were induced by free fatty acids (FFA) to establish MAFLD cell model. A normal group, a model group, an 80 μg/mL blueberry treatment group, a Mic60 short hairpin RNA (Mic60 shRNA) transfection group, and Mic60 knockdown combined with an 80 μg/mL blueberry treatment group were established. The intracellular lipid deposition was observed by oil red O staining, and the effect of different concentrations of blueberry pulp on the survival rate of L02 cells treated with FFA was measured by MTT assay. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were measured by visible spectrophotometry. The expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hepatocytes was observed by fluorescence microscopy, and the mRNA and protein expression of Mic60 were detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results After 24 hours of FFA stimulation, a large number of red lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of L02 cells was observed, and the survival rate of L02 cells treated with 80 μg/mL blueberry was higher. The results of ALT, AST, TG, TC, MDA and the fluorescence intensity of ROS in blueberry treated group were lower than those in model group, while the levels of SOD, GSH, Mic60 mRNA and protein in blueberry treated group were higher than those in model group. Conclusion Blueberry promotes the expression of Mic60, increases the levels of SOD and GSH in hepatocytes, and reduces the production of ROS, thus alleviating the injury of MAFLD hepatocytes and regulating the disorder of lipid metabolism.

Impact of Ejaculation upon Effect of Acupuncture on Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Acupuncture can improve chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Ejaculation frequencies might impact the conditions of CP/CPPS. The present study aimed to explore the impact of different ejaculation frequencies on the effect of acupuncture among men with CP/CPPS.

Methods

This was a secondary analysis of the data from a multicenter, randomized, clinical trial. Eligible participants were patients with moderate to severe CP/CPPS, who had taken 8-week acupuncture treatment, and followed until week 32. Participants fell into the category of 0-3, 4-7, or at least 8 according to their monthly ejaculation frequencies reported at baseline. The primary outcome was the proportion of responders, defined as men who reported at least 6 points reduction from baseline in the National Institute of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) total score at weeks 8 and 32.

Results

214 participants were included in this secondary analysis, of whom 42 reported a monthly ejaculation frequency of 0-3, 89 reported a frequency of 4-7, and 83 reported a frequency of at least 8. At week 8, 52.20% participants with an ejaculation frequency of 0-3 responded to the acupuncture treatment, 65.38% participants with a frequency of 4-7 responded, and 63.09% participants with a frequency of at least 8 responded. At week 32, 56.14%, 59.57%, and 68.36% participants responded in the three groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed between three groups (all P>0.05).

Conclusion

Acupuncture can improve symptoms of CP/CPPS, regardless of ejaculation frequencies. Ejaculation frequencies may not affect the efficacy of acupuncture on CP/CPPS among Chinese men.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03213938.

The chromosome-level genome of Eucommia ulmoides provides insights into sex differentiation and α-linolenic acid biosynthesis

Eucommia ulmoides Oliver is a typical dioecious plant endemic to China that has great medicinal and economic value. Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-level female genome of E. ulmoides obtained by PacBio and Hi-C technologies. The size of the female genome assembly was 1.01 Gb with 17 pseudochromosomes and 31,665 protein coding genes. In addition, Hi-C technology was used to reassemble the male genome released in 2018. The reassembled male genome was 1.24 Gb with the superscaffold N50 (48.30 Mb), which was increased 25.69 times, and the number of predicted genes increased by 11,266. Genome evolution analysis indicated that E. ulmoides has undergone two whole-genome duplication events before the divergence of female and male, including core eudicot γ whole-genome triplication event (γ-WGT) and a recent whole genome duplication (WGD) at approximately 27.3 million years ago (Mya). Based on transcriptome analysis, EuAP3 and EuAG may be the key genes involved in regulating the sex differentiation of E. ulmoides. Pathway analysis showed that the high expression of ω-3 fatty acid desaturase coding gene EU0103017 was an important reason for the high α-linolenic acid content in E. ulmoides. The genome of female and male E. ulmoides presented here is a valuable resource for the molecular biological study of sex differentiation of E. ulmoides and also will provide assistance for the breeding of superior varieties.

The feasibility of a novel computer-aided classification system for the characterisation and diagnosis of breast masses on ultrasound: a single-centre preliminary test study

AIM

To introduce a novel computer-aided classification (CAC) system and investigate the feasibility of characterising and diagnosing breast masses on ultrasound (US).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 246 breast masses were included. US features and the final assessment categories of the breast masses were analysed by a radiologist and the CAC system according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon. The CAC system evaluated the BI-RADS assessment from the fusion of multi-view and colour Doppler US images without (SmartBreast) or with combining clinical variables (m-CAC system). The diagnostic performance and agreement of US characteristics between the radiologist and the CAC system were compared.

RESULTS

The agreement between the radiologist and the CAC system was substantial for mass shape (κ = 0.673), orientation (κ = 0.682), margin (κ = 0.622), posterior features (κ = 0.629), calcifications in a mass (κ = 0.709) and vascularity (κ = 0.745), fair for echo pattern (κ = 0.379), and moderate for BI-RADS assessment (κ = 0.575). With BI-RADS 4a as the cut-off value, the specificity (52.5% versus 25%, p<0.0001) and accuracy (73.98% versus 62.6%, p=0.0002) of the m-CAC system were improved without significant loss of sensitivity (94.44% versus 98.41%, p=0.1250) compared with the SmartBreast. The m-CAC system showed similar specificity (52.5% versus 45.83%, p=0.2430) and accuracy (73.98% versus 73.58%, p=1.0000) as the radiologist, but a lower sensitivity (94.44% versus 100%, p=0.0156).

CONCLUSION

The CAC system showed an acceptable agreement with the radiologist for characterisation of breast lesions. It has the potential to mimic the decision-making behaviour of radiologists for the classification of breast lesions.

Observation of Three Charmoniumlike States with J^{PC}=1^{--} in e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+}

The Born cross sections of the process e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} at center-of-mass energies from 4.189 to 4.951 GeV are measured for the first time. The data samples used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 17.9  fb^{-1} and were collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Three enhancements around 4.20, 4.47, and 4.67 GeV are visible. The resonances have masses of 4209.6±4.7±5.9  MeV/c^{2}, 4469.1±26.2±3.6  MeV/c^{2}, and 4675.3±29.5±3.5  MeV/c^{2} and widths of 81.6±17.8±9.0  MeV, 246.3±36.7±9.4  MeV, and 218.3±72.9±9.3  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The first and third resonances are consistent with the ψ(4230) and ψ(4660) states, respectively, while the second one is compatible with the ψ(4500) observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}J/ψ process. These three charmoniumlike ψ states are observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} process for the first time.

Xanthotoxol alleviates secondary brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage by inhibiting microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress

BACKGROUND

Oxidative damage and inflammation are two critical mechanisms underlying secondary brain injury (SBI) following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Xanthotoxol is reported to alleviate brain edema and inhibit inflammatory responses. Herein, we investigated the effects of xanthotoxol and its related mechanisms in SBI post-ICH.

METHODS

To explore the clinical effects of xanthotoxol an animal model of ICH was established. Neurological scores, survival rates and brain water content were measured. Inflammatory responses and oxidative damage in the peri-hemorrhagic areas were determined by measuring pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative related factors. The activation of the M1/M2 phenotype was detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

Xanthotoxol improved the neurological functions and reduced cerebral edema in ICH mice. Additionally, xanthotoxol inhibited microglia activation and promotes microglial phagocytosis. Simultaneously, xanthotoxol promoted the transformation of BV2 cells from M1 phenotype to M2 phenotype, and protected BV2 cells against hemin-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. Mechanistically, xanthotoxol inactivated the NF-κB p65 signaling pathway in the hemin-challenged BV2 cells.

CONCLUSION

Xanthotoxol ameliorates SBI post-ICH by suppressing microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress and enhancing microglial phagocytosis through inhibition of NF-κB signaling.

A229 THE BACTERIAL VIRULENCE FACTOR NLEA UNDERGOES HOST-MEDIATED O-LINKED GLYCOSYLATION

NOT PUBLISHED AT AUTHOR’S REQUEST

Prediction of Renal Function 1 Year After Transplantation Using Machine Learning Methods Based on Ultrasound Radiomics Combined With Clinical and Imaging Features

Kidney transplantation is the most effective treatment for advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). If the prognosis of transplantation can be predicted early after transplantation, it might improve the long-term survival of patients with transplanted kidneys. Currently, studies on the assessment and prediction of renal function by radiomics are limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the value of ultrasound (US)-based imaging and radiomics features, combined with clinical features to develop and validate the models for predicting transplanted kidney function after 1 year (TKF-1Y) using different machine learning algorithms. A total of 189 patients were included and classified into the abnormal TKF-1Y group, and the normal TKF-1Y group based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels 1 year after transplantation. The radiomics features were derived from the US images of each case. Three machine learning methods were employed to establish different models for predicting TKF-1Y using selected clinical and US imaging as well as radiomics features from the training set. Two US imaging, four clinical, and six radiomics features were selected. Then, the clinical (including clinical and US image features), radiomics, and combined models were developed. The area under the curves (AUCs) of the models was 0.62 to 0.82 within the test set. Combined models showed statistically higher AUCs than the radiomics models (all p-values <.05). The prediction performance of different models was not significantly affected by the different machine learning algorithms (all p-values >.05). In conclusion, US imaging features combined with clinical features could predict TKF-1Y and yield an incremental value over radiomics features. A model integrating all available features may further improve the predictive efficacy. Different machine learning algorithms may not have a significant impact on the predictive performance of the model.

Identification of the GAPDH gene family in Citrullus lanatus and functional characteristics of ClGAPC2 in Arabidopsis thaliana

Members of the GAPDH family play important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in stress responses. Our aim was to identify stress resistance genes through systematic analysis of the GAPDH family in watermelon. This could not only provide genetic resources for stress resistance breeding, but also form a basis for the study of plant stress resistance mechanisms. Eight GAPDHs representing four types of plant GAPDH in watermelon were identified (ClGAPA/B, ClGAPC1-3, ClGAPCp1-2 and ClGAPN). A comprehensive analysis of physicochemical properties, chromosome distribution, evolutionary relationships, exon-intron structure and conserved motifs of watermelon GAPDHs was performed using bioinformatics. Expression characteristics were assessed by RT-qPCR. Based on RT-qPCR results, ClGAPC2 was screened as a candidate for subcellular localization analysis and functional verification in Arabidopsis thaliana. Eight GAPDHs were classified into four subfamilies. GAPDHs in each subgroup were generally conserved and shared similarities in structure and conserved motifs. ClGAPDHs had notable tissue specificity and different expression patterns in response to H₂ O₂ , chilling, salt, osmotic stress, heat, salicylic acid, gibberellin, brassinosterol, ethylene and abscisic acid treatments. Three ClGAPC genes, especially ClGAPC2, were markedly induced by several treatments. ClGAPC2 was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm of tabacum epidermal cells. The ClGAPC2 transgenic Arabidopsis showed enhanced tolerance to salinity at the germination stage. We suggest that ClGAPC2 plays important roles in the adaptation of watermelon to salinity. Our findings provided candidate genes for further improving the salt tolerance of watermelon.

[Changes of serum calcium and bone turnover markers in maintenance hemodialysis patients treated with denosumab]

A total of 20 patients (8 males and 12 females) aged (64.8±13.9) years who underwent regular hemodialysis and had bone loss or osteoporosis in Peking University People's Hospital from July to December 2021 were recruited. Sixty milligrams of denosumab were given subcutaneously. The average serum calcium decreased by 0.31 mmol/L and 40% (8/20) of the patients had hypocalcemia one month after treatment. The markers of bone turnover began to decrease 3 days after treatment, and continued to decrease until 5 months after denosumab medication. Multivariate logistic regression analysis failed to detect any independent risk factor for hypocalcemia (R²=0.516, P=0.021). Therefore, denosumab can significantly inhibit bone turnover in hemodialysis patients, however, patients with denosumab medication are more prone to hypocalcemia.

Worm Generator: A System for High-Throughput in Vivo Screening

Large-scale screening of molecules in organisms requires high-throughput and cost-effective evaluating tools during preclinical development. Here, a novel in vivo screening strategy combining hierarchically structured biohybrid triboelectric nanogenerators (HB-TENGs) arrays with computational bioinformatics analysis for high-throughput pharmacological evaluation using Caenorhabditis elegans is described. Unlike the traditional methods for behavioral monitoring of the animals, which are laborious and costly, HB-TENGs with micropillars are designed to efficiently convert animals' behaviors into friction deformation and result in a contact-separation motion between two triboelectric layers to generate electrical outputs. The triboelectric signals are recorded and extracted to various bioinformation for each screened compound. Moreover, the information-rich electrical readouts are successfully demonstrated to be sufficient to predict a drug's identity by multiple-Gaussian-kernels-based machine learning methods. This proposed strategy can be readily applied to various fields and is especially useful in in vivo explorations to accelerate the identification of novel therapeutics.

Factors associated with infection events after chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

OBJECTIVES

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a new and effective method in relapsed or refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM). This study was aimed to explore the risk factors of infection events.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 68 patients with R/R MM who received CAR T-cell therapy at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from June 2017 to June 2021.35 patients received anti-CD19 combined with anti-BCMA CAR T-cell therapy and 33 patients received anti-BCMA CAR T-cell therapy alone.

RESULTS

Infection events in patients who received ≥4 prior lines of treatment or with grade 3-5 cytokines released syndrome (CRS) mainly occurred within 4 months after CAR T-cell infusion(CTI). The duration of infection-free survival was positively correlated with progression-free survival of patients with R/R MM (R² = 0.962, p < 0.001) and the first infection event was closely accompanied by the disease relapse or progression. Treatment lines (p = 0.05), duration of ANC<500 cells/mm³ after CTI (p = 0.036), CRS grade (p = 0.007) and treatment response (p < 0.001) were the independent risk factors associated with infection for a multivariable model. The infection incidence was higher in patients with dual CAR T-cell therapy than with mono CAR T-cell therapy18 months after CTI although no statistic differences were observed within 18 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Infections after CTI were closely associated with more lines of prior treatment, longer duration of ANC<500 cells/mm³, higher grade CRS and poor treatment response. Infections tended to occur in the early stage after CTI in patients with more lines of prior treatment and higher grade CRS.

Effects of Electroacupuncture for Opioid-Induced Constipation in Patients With Cancer in China: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is prevalent among patients treated with opioids for cancer pain. Safe and effective therapies for OIC in patients with cancer remain an unmet need.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) for OIC in patients with cancer.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This randomized clinical trial was conducted at 6 tertiary hospitals in China among 100 adult patients with cancer who were screened for OIC and enrolled between May 1, 2019, and December 11, 2021.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomized to receive 24 sessions of EA or sham electroacupuncture (SA) over 8 weeks and then were followed up for 8 weeks after treatment.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was the proportion of overall responders, defined as patients who had at least 3 spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs) per week and an increase of at least 1 SBM from baseline in the same week for at least 6 of the 8 weeks of the treatment period. All statistical analyses were based on the intention-to-treat principle.

RESULTS

A total of 100 patients (mean [SD] age, 64.4 [10.5] years; 56 men [56.0%]) underwent randomization; 50 were randomly assigned to each group. Among them, 44 of 50 patients (88.0%) in the EA group and 42 of 50 patients (84.0%) in the SA group received at least 20 (≥83.3%) sessions of treatment. The proportion of overall responders at week 8 was 40.1% (95% CI, 26.1%-54.1%) in the EA group and 9.0% (95% CI, 0.5%-17.4%) in the SA group (difference between groups, 31.1 percentage points [95% CI, 14.8-47.6 percentage points]; P < .001). Compared with SA, EA provided greater relief for most OIC symptoms and improved quality of life among patients with OIC. Electroacupuncture had no effects on cancer pain and its opioid treatment dosage. Electroacupuncture-related adverse events were rare, and, if any, all were mild and transient.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This randomized clinical trial found that 8-week EA treatment could increase weekly SBMs with a good safety profile and improve quality of life for the treatment of OIC. Electroacupuncture thus provided an alternative option for OIC in adult patients with cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03797586.

Implantable 3D Printed Hydrogel Scaffolds Loading Copper-Doxorubicin Complexes for Postoperative Chemo/Chemodynamic Therapy

Biomaterial-based implants hold great potential for postoperative cancer treatment due to the enhanced drug dosage at the disease site and decreased systemic toxicity. However, the elaborate design of implants to avoid complicated chemical modification and burst release remains challenging. Herein, we report a three-dimensional (3D) printed hydrogel scaffold to enable sustained release of drugs for postoperative synergistic cancer therapy. The hydrogel scaffold is composed of Pluronic F127 and sodium alginate (SA) as well as doxorubicin (DOX) and copper ions (F127-SA/Cu-DOX hydrogel scaffold). Benefiting from the coordination of Cu(II) with both SA and DOX, burst release of DOX can be overcome, and prolonged release time can be achieved. The therapeutic efficiency can be adjusted by altering the amount of DOX and Cu(II) in the scaffolds. Moreover, apoptosis and ferroptosis of cancer cells can be induced through the combination of chemotherapy and chemodynamic therapy. In addition, DOX supplies excess hydrogen peroxide to enhance the efficiency of Cu-based chemodynamic therapy. When implanted in the resection site, hydrogel scaffolds effectively inhibit tumor growth. Overall, this study may offer a new strategy for fabricating local implants with synergistic therapeutic performance for preventing postoperative cancer recurrence.

Effectiveness of electroacupuncture versus prucalopride for women with severe chronic constipation: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Electroacupuncture (EA) is a component alternative therapy for severe chronic constipation (SCC). Women are more vulnerable to SCC and gender might impact the response of patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders to therapy. We performed this secondary analysis to explore the effectiveness and safety of EA compared with prucalopride among women with SCC.

METHODS

Based on a multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial, 446 female patients were randomly assigned to receive 28-session EA (n = 222) over 8 weeks with 24-week follow-up without treatment or to receive prucalopride (n = 224) over 32 consecutive weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of overall complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) responders over weeks 1-8, defined as at least three CSBMs per week, and more than an increase of one CSBM from baseline meanwhile for at least 6 weeks during an 8-week treatment period. Secondary outcomes measure sustained CSBM responder, weekly responders, change from baseline in mean weekly CSBMs and SBMs, straining and stool consistency, quality of life, and adverse events (AEs).

RESULTS

The proportion of overall responders was 25.23% in the EA group, similar to 25.89% in the prucalopride group, with a between-group difference of - 0.67% (95% CI, - 8.80 to 7.40%; P = 0.872) during an 8-week treatment. In the secondary outcomes, EA and prucalopride groups had no significant difference, except that EA was inferior to prucalopride in improving SBMs. The AEs were less in the EA group than the prucalopride group.

CONCLUSION

EA may be a promising and safe treatment for women with SCC; its effect could sustain 24 weeks after treatment stopped.

Corrigendum: A novel N-arylpyridone compound alleviates the inflammatory and fibrotic reaction of silicosis by inhibiting the ASK1-p38 pathway and regulating macrophage polarization

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.848435.].

Erratum: Addendum: A novel N-Arylpyridone compound alleviates the inflammatory and fibrotic reaction of silicosis by inhibiting the ASK1-p38 pathway and regulating macrophage polarization

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.848435.].

Aza-Wacker Cyclization Toward the Bridged Core of FR901483

Herein, we reported a nine-step synthetic route to access the tricyclic core of FR901483, featuring a key aza-Wacker cyclization step to construct an α-tertiary amine (ATA) in the bridged structure. The aza-Wacker protocol can tolerate both exocyclic and endocyclic double bonds, providing viable access to various bridged bicyclic rings bearing an ATA (e.g., 6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane, 7-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, and 7-azabicyclo[4.2.1]nonane) in good to excellent yields. The synthetic studies presented herein enable structural derivatization of FR901483 to further exploit its compelling biological activities.

[Long-term evaluation and physical and mental effects of residual tinnitus following treatment of sudden hearing loss]

Objective: To clarify the long-term characteristics of tinnitus following treatment of sudden deafness and its long-term physical and mental effects on patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 88 patients (46 males and 42 females; Age from 11 to 89 years) with sudden deafness treated in Department of Otoscope Surgery of Peoples's Libration Army General Hospital in Beijing from April 2020 to January 2021, and the occurrence of tinnitus and treatment effect of all patients were analyzed. Follow-up was conducted for patients with residual tinnitus after treatment for more than 1 year by the investigation and filling in the survey information collection form, Tinnitus Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ) and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). Descriptive statistics and SPSS 22.0 software were used for statistical data analysis. Results: In this study, 93.2% (82/88) of patients with sudden deafness were accompanied by tinnitus at the onset, and the proportion of long-term tinnitus after treatment was 90.2% (74/82). After 1 year of treatment for sudden deafness, the improvement of tinnitus was significant in low-frequency sudden deafness compared with those of high-frequency, flat and total deafness sudden deafness (χ2 value was 6.801, 4.568 and 4.038, all P<0.05). In patients with residual tinnitus, 9 (12.2%) patients felt minimal loudness or even no loudness, 34 (46.0%) patients felt slight loudness, 28 (37.8%) patients felt tinnitus was relatively loud, and 3 (4.1%) patients felt tinnitus was loud or noisy. Nine (12.2%) patients's sleep was often affected, 41 (55.4%) patients's sleep was sometimes affected, 9 (12.2%) patients's sleep was rarely affected, 15 (20.3%) patients's sleep was almost not affected. Twenty-eight (37.8%) patients basically completely adapted to tinnitus and 46 (62.2%) patients did not completely adapted to residual tinnitus. Eight (10.8%) patients had no impact on life, 39 (52.7%) patients had slight impact, 22 (29.7%) patients had moderate impact, and the other 5 (6.8%) patients had greater impact. According to tinnitus evaluation questionnaire(TEQ), there were 12 cases (16.2%) of grade Ⅰ, 26 cases (35.1%) of grade Ⅱ, 28 cases (37.8%) of grade Ⅲ, 7 cases (9.5%) of grade Ⅳ and 1 case (1.4%) of grade Ⅴ. According to tinnitus handicap inventory(THI), tinnitus disability was classified into grade Ⅰ, 22 cases (29.7%), grade Ⅱ, 14 cases (18.9%), Grade Ⅲ, 27 cases (36.5%) and grade Ⅳ, 11 cases (14.9%). Conclusion: The rate of residual tinnitus following treatment of sudden deafness is high. Some of the patients can completely adapt residual tinnitus after one year, but some of them will be affected when sleep, work and study. Residual tinnitus can lead to tinnitus disability in different degrees.

Stress Detection through Wrist-based Electrodermal Activity Monitoring and Machine Learning

Stress is an inevitable part of modern life. While stress can negatively impact a person's life and health, positive and under-controlled stress can also enable people to generate creative solutions to problems encountered in their daily lives. Although it is hard to eliminate stress, we can learn to monitor and control its physical and psychological effects. It is essential to provide feasible and immediate solutions for more mental health counselling and support programs to help people relieve stress and improve their mental health. Popular wearable devices, such as smartwatches with several sensing capabilities, including physiological signal monitoring, can alleviate the problem. This work investigates the feasibility of using wrist-based electrodermal activity (EDA) signals collected from wearable devices to predict people's stress status and identify possible factors impacting stress classification accuracy. We use data collected from wrist-worn devices to examine the binary classification discriminating stress from non-stress. For efficient classification, five machine learning-based classifiers were examined. We explore the classification performance on four available EDA databases under different feature selections. According to the results, Support Vector Machine (SVM) outperforms the other machine learning approaches with an accuracy of 92.9% for stress prediction. Additionally, when the subject classification included gender information, the performance analysis showed significant differences between males and females. We further examine a multimodal approach for stress classifications. The results indicate that wearable devices with EDA sensors have a great potential to provide helpful insight for improved mental health monitoring.

Mitigation of lamp oven and cavity oven temperature-induced frequency variation in rubidium atomic clock

The long-term frequency stability of the rubidium atomic clock is primarily affected by temperature variations in the lamp oven and the cavity oven, which cause changes in light intensity, which are then converted into frequency variations. Therefore, we propose using light intensity variations to actively improve the cavity oven and lamp oven temperature sensitivity of the rubidium atomic clock. This is accomplished through research into the theory of the rubidium atomic frequency standard, specifically the effect of light intensity, lamp oven temperature, and cavity oven temperature on the frequency deviation. In previous work, we discovered the relationship between the light intensity and frequency deviation by combining this with our engineering expertise. Furthermore, some related experiments show that the method is feasible with the lamp oven and cavity oven temperature sensitivity of the rubidium atomic clock greatly improved, providing an effective way to improve the rubidium atomic clock's long-term frequency stability.

[A particular state of shock: spontaneous rupture of a heterotopic pregnancy]

Heterotopic pregnancy is a rare pathology. It is defined as the coexistence of an intrauterine pregnancy and an extrauterine pregnancy, whatever its location. The presence of an intrauterine pregnancy in a woman of childbearing age does not therefore exclude the presence of an associated ectopic pregnancy. Late diagnosis can lead to fatal consequences for the mother, subsequent fertility as well as for the intrauterine pregnancy. We report the case of a 28-year old female patient, without any notion of assisted reproduction, who was admitted to the emergency department for hemorrhagic shock. The diagnosis of ruptured tubal heterotopic pregnancy was made intraoperatively.

Association between Intrinsic Capacity and Sarcopenia in Hospitalized Older Patients

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to clarify the association between intrinsic capacity (IC) and sarcopenia in hospitalized older patients.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Hospital-based.

PARTICIPANTS

This study included 381 inpatients aged ≥ 60 years (225 men and 156 women).

MEASUREMENTS

IC was evaluated in five domains defined by the World Health Organization: cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination), locomotion (Short Physical Performance Battery test), vitality (Short-Form Mini Nutritional Assessment), sensory (self-reported hearing and vision) and psychological (5-item Geriatric Depression Scale) capacities. IC composite score (0-5) was calculated based on five domains, with lower scores representing greater IC. Sarcopenia was defined in accordance with the criteria recommended by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were performed to explore the associations between IC composite score and IC domains with sarcopenia and its defining components.

RESULTS

The mean age of 381 patients included was 81.95±8.42 years. Of them, 128 (33.6%) patients had sarcopenia. The median IC composite score was 1 (1, 2). Cognition, locomotion, vitality, sensory and psychological capacities were impaired in 22.6%, 63.5%, 18.9%, 27.3% and 11.3% of patients. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that favorable IC domain scores in cognition, locomotion and vitality were associated with a stronger handgrip strength. A higher vitality score was associated with a greater appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), and a higher locomotion score was associated with a greater gait speed. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only vitality impairment was associated with sarcopenia. A higher IC composite score was associated with higher risks of sarcopenia, as well as low ASMI, handgrip strength and gait speed.

CONCLUSION

This study indicated that a more serious impairment of IC was associated with a greater risk of sarcopenia. Vitality was the domain most strongly associated with sarcopenia. IC may be employed to detect and manage sarcopenia.

The association between dietary selenium intake and Hashimoto's thyroiditis among US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2012

BACKGROUND

Selenium has been shown to influence the pathological processes and physiological functions of thyroid. Although growing evidence has shown that selenium can improve the treatment of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), there is a need to evaluate the association between dietary selenium intake and HT in a large cross-sectional study. This study explored the association between dietary selenium intake and HT based on the National Health reand Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (2007-2012).

METHODS

A total of 8756 of 30,442 participants were included in the study. Dietary selenium intake was the independent variable, while HT was the dependent variable. In addition, the relative importance of the selected variables was determined using the XGBoost model. A smooth curve was constructed based on the fully adjusted model to investigate the potential linear relationship between dietary selenium intake and HT. Smooth curves were also constructed to explore the linear/non-linear relationship between dietary selenium intake and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb)/ thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb).

RESULTS

The mean age of the enrolled participants was 44.35 years (± 20.92). The risk of HT was significantly reduced by a 35% per-unit increase in dietary selenium intake after fully adjusting for covariates according to the model (log2-transformed data; OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.51, 0.83). The XGBoost model revealed that dietary selenium intake was the most important variable associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Dietary selenium intake (Log2-transformed) was negatively correlated with TPOAb levels [- 16.42 (- 22.18, - 10.65), P < 0.0001], while a non-linear relationship was observed between dietary selenium intake and TgAb with an inflection point of 6.58 (95.67 μg, Log2-transformed).

CONCLUSION

Dietary selenium intake is independently and inversely associated with HT risk. Moreover, dietary selenium intake is negatively correlated with TPOAb levels and non-linearly correlated with TGAb levels. Therefore, dietary selenium intake may be a safe and low-cost alternative for the prevention and treatment of HT.

[Comparison of pathogenicity and gene expression profiles between adult Schistosoma japonicum isolated from hilly and marshland and lake regions of Anhui Province]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the differences in pathogenicity and gene expression profiles between adult Schistosoma japonicum isolated from hilly and marshland and lake regions of Anhui Province, so as to provide the scientific evidence for formulating the precise schistosomiasis control strategy in different endemic foci.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice were infected with cercariae of S. japonicum isolates from Shitai County (hilly regions) and Susong County (marshland and lake regions) of Anhui Province in 2021, and all mice were sacrificed 44 days post-infection and dissected. The worm burdens, number of S. japonicum eggs deposited in the liver, and the area of egg granulomas in the liver were measured to compare the difference in the pathogenicity between the two isolates. In addition, female and male adult S. japonicum worms were collected and subjected to transcriptome sequencing, and the gene expression profiles were compared between Shitai and Susong isolates of S. japonicum. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses.

RESULTS

The total worm burdens [(14.50 ± 3.96) worms/mouse vs. (16.10 ± 3.78) worms/mouse; t = 0.877, P = 0.392], number of female and male paired worms [(4.50 ± 0.67) worms/mouse vs. (5.10 ± 1.45) worms/mouse; t = 1.129, P = 0.280], number of unpaired male worms [(5.50 ± 4.01) worms/mouse vs. (5.60 ± 1.69) worms/mouse; t = 0.069, P = 0.946], number of eggs deposited in per gram liver [(12 116.70 ± 6 508.83) eggs vs. (16 696.70 ± 4 571.56) eggs; t = 1.821, P = 0.085], and area of a single egg granuloma in the liver [(74 359.40 ± 11 766.34) µm² vs. (74 836.90 ± 13 086.12) µm²; t = 0.081, P = 0.936] were comparable between Shitai and Susong isolates of S. japonicum. Transcriptome sequencing identified 584 DEGs between adult female worms and 1 598 DEGs between adult male worms of Shitai and Susong isolates of S. japonicum. GO enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs between female adults were predominantly enriched in biological processes of stimulus response, cytotoxicity, multiple cell biological processes, metabolic processes, cellular processes and signaling pathways, cellular components of cell, organelles and cell membranes and molecular functions of binding and catalytic ability, and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways of vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, glutathione metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism. In addition, the DEGs between male adults were predominantly enriched in biological processes of signaling transduction, multiple cell biological processes, regulation of biological processes, metabolic processes, development processes and stimulus responses, cellular components of extracellular matrix and cell junction and molecular functions of binding and catalytic ability, and these DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways of Wnt signaling, Ras signaling, natural killer cells-mediated cytotoxicity, extracellular matrix-receptor interactions and arginine biosynthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no significant difference in the pathogenicity between S. japonicum isolates from hilly and marshland and lake regions of Anhui Province; however, the gene expression profiles vary significantly between S. japonicum isolates.

Non-pharmacological therapies for treating chronic pelvic pain in women: A review

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is an intricate condition with multiple etiologies that lead to indefinite pain mechanisms. Physicians and researchers are challenged in its treatment, and the combined therapy of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment has been recognized as a multidisciplinary approach cited by guidelines and adopted in clinical practice. As an alternative therapy for CPP, non-pharmacologic therapies benefit patients and deserve further study. This study reviews the literature published from January 1991 to April 2022 on non-pharmacologic therapies for CPP in adult women. Based on a survey, this review found that the most commonly used non-pharmacological therapies for CPP include pelvic floor physical therapy, psychotherapy, acupuncture, neuromodulation, and dietary therapy. By evaluating the efficacy and safety of each therapy, this study concluded that non-pharmacological therapies should be included in the initial treatment plan because of their high degree of safety and low rate of side effects. To fill the lack of data on non-pharmacologic therapies for CPP, this study provides evidence that may guide treatment and pain management.

The Effects of Adding Di-Tan Decoction (DTD) and/or Electroacupuncture (EA) to Standard Swallowing Rehabilitation Training (SRT) for Improving Poststroke Dysphagia (PSD): A Pilot, Single-Centred, Randomized Trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of adding Di-tan decoction (DTD) and/or electroacupuncture (EA) to standard swallowing rehabilitation training (SRT) on improving PSD.

METHODS

In total, 80 PSD patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the DTD, EA, DTD + EA or control group at a 1 : 1 : 1 : 1 ratio. All patients received basic treatment and standard SRT. The DTD group received DTD orally, the EA group received EA, the DTD + EA group received both DTD and EA simultaneously, and the control group received only basic treatment and standard SRT. The interventions lasted for 4 weeks. The outcome measurements included the Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) and Swallowing-Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL), performed and scored from baseline to 2, 4, and 6 weeks after intervention, and the Videofluoroscopic Dysphagia Scale (VDS), scored at baseline and 4 weeks after intervention. Scores were compared over time by repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) among all groups. Interactions between interventions were explored using factorial design analysis.

RESULTS

(1) The effective rates (ERs) for PSD treatment were higher in the DTD, EA and DTD + EA groups than in the control group (all P < 0.05). The ER was higher in the DTD + EA group than in the DTD or EA group (both P < 0.05). (2) There were significant group effects, time effects and interactions for the SSA and SWAL-QOL scores (all P < 0.05). All groups showed decreasing trends in SSA scores and increasing trends in SWAL-QOL scores over time from baseline to 6 weeks after intervention (all P < 0.01). (3) Factorial design analysis for ΔVDS showed that there was a significant main effect for DTD intervention (F = 11.877, P < 0.01) and for EA intervention (F = 29.357, P < 0.01). However, there was no significant interaction effect between DTD and EA (F = 0.133, P = 0.717). Multiple comparisons showed that the DTD, EA and DTD + EA groups all had higher ΔVDS values than the control group (P < 0.05). The DTD + EA group had a higher ΔVDS than the DTD or EA group (both P < 0.05). (4) Most adverse reactions were mild and transient.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding DTD or EA to SRT can better improve PSD than applying SRT alone. Adding DTD and EA simultaneously can accelerate and amplify the recovery of swallowing function versus DTD or EA alone, and both are effective and safe treatments, alone or jointly, for PSD and are a powerful supplement to routine treatments.

[Analysis of the characteristics of delayed high-degree atrioventricular block after transcatheter aortic valve replacement]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of delayed high-degree atrioventricular block (DHAVB) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Methods: One hundred and seventy-six patients who underwent TAVR with a self-extending valve between May 2014 and November 2018 in the Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, were retrospectively enrolled, including 101 males and 75 females, aged 54-92 (73±7) years, and the data were collected during the perioperative and 30 d follow-up periods. According to the occurrence of HAVB after TAVR, 160 patients were divided into no-HAVB group (145 cases) and DHAVB group (15 cases), except 16 patients who developed HAVB within 2 days after TAVR. Baseline data, intraoperative data, and immediate postoperative ECG characteristics were compared between the two groups, and logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors associated with the occurrence of DHAVB after TAVR. Meanwhile, the diagnostic ability of the postoperative routine 12-lead ECG for DHAVB was evaluated using the ambulatory ECG findings as the standard diagnosis. Results: The incidence of DHAVB was 8.5% (15/176) and occurred at 5 (4, 6) d. Compared with the no-HAVB group. The percentage of no new conduction block on the immediate postoperative ECG was lower in the DHAVB group [6/15 vs 66.2%(96/145), P=0.044], and the percentage of new right bundle branch block on the immediate postoperative ECG was higher [4/15 vs 3.4%(5/145), P=0.002]. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that right bundle branch block on the immediate postoperative ECG [OR (95%CI):6.60 (1.26-34.47), P=0.025] was an associated factor for the development of DHAVB after TAVR. The specificity of postoperative routine 12-lead ECG for the diagnosis of DHAVB was 100% (145/145), but the sensitivity was only 73.3% (11/15). Conclusions: The incidence of DHAVB after TAVR is also high in Chinese. The immediate postoperative ECG characteristics of patients who underwent TAVR are associated with DHAVB events, and applying these characteristics to risk stratify patients may optimize the management of DHAVB after TAVR.

[Efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in children]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases in children. Methods: The clinical data of 127 children who were treated with ERCP in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 2007 to July 2021 were analyzed. According to the diseases they suffered from, the children were divided into biliary group and pancreatic group. The operation times, technical success rate, diagnosis, interventions and post-ERCP complications between the groups were compared by t-test or χ² test. The risk factors of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression. Results: A total of 127 children, including 54 males and 73 females, with a median age of 14 years at first ERCP, were included in this study. ERCP was performed in 181 cases, with a success rate of 98.3% (178/181). In pre-ERCP imaging examination, the positive diagnostic rates of ultrasound, CT and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for biliary and pancreatic diseases were 54.1% (53/98), 56.1% (37/66) and 79.3% (88/111), respectively. MRCP had the highest positive diagnostic rate, and the difference among the three measures was statistically significant (χ²=17.33, P<0.001). The most common indications for ERCP in biliary and pancreatic diseases were choledocholithiasis (77.0%, 107/139) and congenital structural abnormalities of the pancreas (31.0%, 13/42), respectively. After ERCP, the abdominal pain was dramatically relieved and the liver function was significantly improved (all P<0.001). The blood amylase level of the children with pancreatic diseases was significantly lower than that before ERCP (t=7.73, P<0.001). The overall incidence of post-ERCP complications was 12.2% (22/181), of which post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) was the most common (7.2%, 13/181). The incidence of PEP was significantly higher in the pancreatic group than in the biliary group (16.7% (7/42) vs. 4.3% (6/139),χ²=7.38, P=0.007). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that young age was the independent risk factor of PEP (OR=0.80, 95%CI 0.67-0.96). Conclusions: MRCP is the first choice for pre-ERCP imaging examination of biliary and pancreatic diseases in children. ERCP can be safely and effectively used in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases in children, with a high success rate and obvious alleviation of symptoms.

BACH1 regulates the proliferation and odontoblastic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells

Background

The preservation of biological and physiological vitality as well as the formation of dentin are among the main tasks of human dental pulp for a life time. Odontoblastic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) exhibits the capacity of dental pulp regeneration and dentin complex rebuilding. Exploration of the mechanisms regulating differentiation and proliferation of hDPSCs may help to investigate potential clinical applications. BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) is a transcription repressor engaged in the regulation of multiple cellular functions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of BACH1 on the proliferation and odontoblastic differentiation of hDPSCs in vitro.

Methods

hDPSCs and pulpal tissues were obtained from extracted human premolars or third molars. The distribution of BACH1 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expression of BACH1 were examined by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. BACH1 expression was regulated by stable lentivirus-mediated transfection. Cell proliferation and cell cycle were assessed by cell counting kit-8 assay, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay and flow cytometry. The expression of mineralization markers, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and alizarin red S staining were conducted to assess the odontoblastic differentiation ability.

Results

BACH1 expression was stronger in the odontoblast layer than in the cell rich zone. The total and nuclear protein level of BACH1 during odontoblastic differentiation was downregulated initially and then upregulated gradually. Knockdown of BACH1 greatly inhibited cell proliferation, arrested cell cycle, upregulated the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression and attenuated ALP activity, decreased calcium deposits and downregulated the expression of mineralization markers. Treatment of Tin-protoporphyrin IX, an HO-1 inhibitor, failed to rescue the impaired odonto/osteogenic differentiation capacity. Overexpression of BACH1 increased cell proliferation, ALP activity and the expression of mineralization markers.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that BACH1 is an important regulator of the proliferation and odontoblastic differentiation of hDPSCs in vitro. Manipulation of BACH1 expression may provide an opportunity to promote the regenerative capacity of hDPSCs.

[Research progress of the application of methacrylic anhydride gelatin hydrogel in wound repair]

Wound repair is a common clinical problem, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients and also brings a heavy burden to the society. Hydrogel-based multifunctional dressing has shown strong potential in the treatment of acute and chronic wounds. In addition to its good histocompatibility, cell adhesion, and biodegradability, methacrylic anhydride gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel has also attracted much attention due to its low cost, mild reaction conditions, adjustable physicochemical properties, and wide clinical applications. In this paper, the characteristics of GelMA hydrogel and its research progress in wound repair are introduced, and the future development of multifunctional GelMA hydrogel dressing for wound treatment is prospected.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of CHS Gene Family Members in Chrysanthemum nankingense

The chalcone synthase (CHS) gene family catalyzes the first committed step in the biosynthesis of flavonoids and plays key roles in various biological processes in plants. However, systematic studies of the CHS gene family in chrysanthemum remain unknown to date. In this study, 16 CnCHS genes were identified by searching the complete genome sequence of Chrysanthemum nankingense. Most contained two exons and one intron with Chal-sti-synt_N and Chal-sti-synt_C domains. A phylogenetic tree of CnCHSs indicated divergence into three major groups, including I, II, and III. Analyses of the genes and promoters of these genes indicated that there are many cis-acting elements that respond to light, phytohormones, stress, and developmental stages. The CnCHS genes have extensive patterns of expression in various tissues and stages of flower development. Tandemly repeated and segmental repeat genes were expressed at higher levels in different tissues than most of the CnCHS genes that have been identified. CnCHS10 is expressed at higher levels in various flower organs than in vegetative tissues, particularly in disc floret petals and pistils. Our study provides valuable information for the systematic analysis of the CnCHS gene family, which also contributes to further research on flavonoid synthesis and petal colors of chrysanthemum.

Effects of short-term waterfall forest aerosol air exposure on rat lung proteomics

Background

Chronic exposure to airborne microparticles has been shown to increase the incidence of several chronic diseases. Previous studies have found that waterfall forest aerosols contribute to a diminished immune stress response in patients with asthma. However, the specific effects of short-term waterfall forest aerosol exposure on lung proteins have not been fully elucidated.

Methods

This study used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to analyze changes in protein expression in the lungs of rats exposed to short-term waterfall forest aerosol environments. Specific protein markers were identified using bioconductivity analysis screening and validated using immunohistochemistry.

Results

Waterfall forest aerosol environment exposure on day 5 downregulated the expression of the classical inflammatory pathway nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. As the waterfall forest aerosol environment increased due to the duration of exposure, it was involved in oxidative phosphorylation and then hormone signaling in lung cells from the very beginning. In contrast, at day 15 of exposure, there is an effect on the regulation of the immune-related high-affinity IgE receptor pathway. In addition, iron-sulfur Rieske protein (Uqcrfs1), mitochondrial Tu translation elongation factor (Tufm) and ribosomal protein L4 (Rpl4) were identified as possible bioindicators for the evaluation of air quality.

Conclusions

These results provide a comprehensive proteomic analysis that supports the positive contribution of a good air quality environment to lung health.

[Analysis of the long-term outcomes of different secondary surgeries for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after Burch colposuspension]

Objective: To analyze the long-term outcomes of different secondary surgeries in women with recurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after Burch colposuspension. Methods: Between February 2004 to February 2010, five women with recurrent SUI after Burch colposuspension in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively followed up, and the long-term outcomes of secondary surgeries were analyzed. Subjective cures of Burch colposuspension and secondary surgeries were assessed by patients' self-reported incontinence symptoms and patient global impression of improvement questionnaire; objective cure, improvement or failure were determined by 1-hour pad test. Results: Three women underwent tension-free vaginal tape-retropubic (TVT) as the secondary surgery, one underwent tension-free vaginal tape-obturator (TVT-O), and one underwent single-incision tension-free vaginal tape-Secur (TVT-Secur). The follow-up period of five women was (14.6±2.4) years (range: 10.8 to 16.9 years). Three women undergoing TVT secondary surgery were subjectively cured; while the other two women undergoing TVT-O or TVT-Secur were not subjectively cured, but the woman undergoing TVT-O was objectively improved. Conclusions: It is feasible for women with recurrent SUI after Burch colposuspension to receive the secondary surgery. Our limited data suggests that TVT could be considered.

Ultralight type I transvaginal mesh: an alternative for recurrent severe posterior vaginal prolapse

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze the medium-term outcomes of ultralight type I mesh for postmenopausal women with recurrent severe posterior vaginal prolapse (PVP).

METHODS

All participants underwent transvaginal ultralight type I mesh repair between April 2016 and April 2021 and were followed until May 2022. Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System (POP-Q) staging, mesh-related complications, Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale and quality of life questionnaire responses were evaluated. The primary outcome was composite surgical success rate at the last follow-up, composite success being defined as no vaginal bulge symptoms, no POP-Q point at or beyond the hymen and no re-treatment for POP. Secondary outcomes included anatomic outcomes (POP-Q score), symptomatic relief and complications.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 37.3 months. At the last follow-up, the composite success rate was 75%, and POP-Q scores for the vault and posterior wall and quality of life questionnaire scores were significantly improved (p < 0.01). The subjective satisfaction (PGI-I ≤ 2) rate was 83.3%. There were no mesh-related complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultralight mesh can achieve good clinical outcomes and substantially improve the quality of life of patients with severe recurrent PVP in the medium term, and may thus be a viable alternative for treating this condition.