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Lyu YB, Zhao F, Qiu YD, Ding L, Qu YL, Xiong JH, Lu YF, Ji SS, Wu B, Hu XJ, Li Z, Zheng XL, Zhang WL, Liu JX, Li YW, Cai JY, Song HC, Zhu Y, Cao ZJ, Shi XM. [Association of cadmium internal exposure with chronic kidney disease in Chinese adults]. ZHONGHUA YI XUE ZA ZHI 2021; 101:1921-1928. [PMID: 34139825 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20210425-00996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To analyze the association of the cadmium internal exposure with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Chinese adults aged 18 and older. Methods: A total of 9 821 adults aged 18-79 from the China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) from 2017 to 2018 were included. Blood and urine cadmium exposure levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and urine cadmium levels were adjusted with urine creatinine; CKD were defined by estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) using the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI). Weights were considered due to complex sampling process for in statistical analysis. Logistic regression is used to analyze the association of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine exposure levels with CKD, and restricted cube spline (RCS) was used to assess the exposure-response curve of blood cadmium, urine cadmium and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine with CKD. Results: The weighted age was 44.75 and males accounted for 61.1%. The prevalence rate of CKD was 12.7%. The geometric mean values of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine were 0.96 μg/L, 0.61 μg/L, and 0.58 μg/g. After adjusting for confounding factors, the weighted logistic regression showed that the lowest quintile (Q1) was compared with the odds ratio (OR) of the highest quintile (Q5) of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was 1.80 (1.02-3.20), 1.77 (0.94-3.31) and 1.94 (1.11-3.37) respectively. In the restricted cubic spline regression model, non-linear association of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine with CKD were observed after adjusting for related confounding factors (P<0.001, 0.018, 0.031 respectively). The risk of CKD increased with the increment of cadmium exposure without risk threshold, and the exposure response curve was steeper at low cadmium exposure. Conclusions: Among Chinese adults aged 18 and older, cadmium exposure is positively associated with the risk of chronic kidney disease.
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Cao Z, Aharonian FA, An Q, Axikegu, Bai LX, Bai YX, Bao YW, Bastieri D, Bi XJ, Bi YJ, Cai H, Cai JT, Cao Z, Chang J, Chang JF, Chang XC, Chen BM, Chen J, Chen L, Chen L, Chen L, Chen MJ, Chen ML, Chen QH, Chen SH, Chen SZ, Chen TL, Chen XL, Chen Y, Cheng N, Cheng YD, Cui SW, Cui XH, Cui YD, Dai BZ, Dai HL, Dai ZG, Danzengluobu, Della Volpe D, D Ettorre Piazzoli B, Dong XJ, Fan JH, Fan YZ, Fan ZX, Fang J, Fang K, Feng CF, Feng L, Feng SH, Feng YL, Gao B, Gao CD, Gao Q, Gao W, Ge MM, Geng LS, Gong GH, Gou QB, Gu MH, Guo JG, Guo XL, Guo YQ, Guo YY, Han YA, He HH, He HN, He JC, He SL, He XB, He Y, Heller M, Hor YK, Hou C, Hou X, Hu HB, Hu S, Hu SC, Hu XJ, Huang DH, Huang QL, Huang WH, Huang XT, Huang ZC, Ji F, Ji XL, Jia HY, Jiang K, Jiang ZJ, Jin C, Kuleshov D, Levochkin K, Li BB, Li C, Li C, Li F, Li HB, Li HC, Li HY, Li J, Li K, Li WL, Li X, Li X, Li XR, Li Y, Li YZ, Li Z, Li Z, Liang EW, Liang YF, Lin SJ, Liu B, Liu C, Liu D, Liu H, Liu HD, Liu J, Liu JL, Liu JS, Liu JY, Liu MY, Liu RY, Liu SM, Liu W, Liu YN, Liu ZX, Long WJ, Lu R, Lv HK, Ma BQ, Ma LL, Ma XH, Mao JR, Masood A, Mitthumsiri W, Montaruli T, Nan YC, Pang BY, Pattarakijwanich P, Pei ZY, Qi MY, Ruffolo D, Rulev V, Sáiz A, Shao L, Shchegolev O, Sheng XD, Shi JR, Song HC, Stenkin YV, Stepanov V, Sun QN, Sun XN, Sun ZB, Tam PHT, Tang ZB, Tian WW, Wang BD, Wang C, Wang H, Wang HG, Wang JC, Wang JS, Wang LP, Wang LY, Wang RN, Wang W, Wang W, Wang XG, Wang XJ, Wang XY, Wang YD, Wang YJ, Wang YP, Wang Z, Wang Z, Wang ZH, Wang ZX, Wei DM, Wei JJ, Wei YJ, Wen T, Wu CY, Wu HR, Wu S, Wu WX, Wu XF, Xi SQ, Xia J, Xia JJ, Xiang GM, Xiao G, Xiao HB, Xin GG, Xin YL, Xing Y, Xu DL, Xu RX, Xue L, Yan DH, Yang CW, Yang FF, Yang JY, Yang LL, Yang MJ, Yang RZ, Yang SB, Yao YH, Yao ZG, Ye YM, Yin LQ, Yin N, You XH, You ZY, Yu YH, Yuan Q, Zeng HD, Zeng TX, Zeng W, Zeng ZK, Zha M, Zhai XX, Zhang BB, Zhang HM, Zhang HY, Zhang JL, Zhang JW, Zhang L, Zhang L, Zhang LX, Zhang PF, Zhang PP, Zhang R, Zhang SR, Zhang SS, Zhang X, Zhang XP, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang YF, Zhang YL, Zhao B, Zhao J, Zhao L, Zhao LZ, Zhao SP, Zheng F, Zheng Y, Zhou B, Zhou H, Zhou JN, Zhou P, Zhou R, Zhou XX, Zhu CG, Zhu FR, Zhu H, Zhu KJ, Zuo X. Ultrahigh-energy photons up to 1.4 petaelectronvolts from 12 γ-ray Galactic sources. Nature 2021; 594:33-36. [PMID: 34002091 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03498-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The extension of the cosmic-ray spectrum beyond 1 petaelectronvolt (PeV; 1015 electronvolts) indicates the existence of the so-called PeVatrons-cosmic-ray factories that accelerate particles to PeV energies. We need to locate and identify such objects to find the origin of Galactic cosmic rays1. The principal signature of both electron and proton PeVatrons is ultrahigh-energy (exceeding 100 TeV) γ radiation. Evidence of the presence of a proton PeVatron has been found in the Galactic Centre, according to the detection of a hard-spectrum radiation extending to 0.04 PeV (ref. 2). Although γ-rays with energies slightly higher than 0.1 PeV have been reported from a few objects in the Galactic plane3-6, unbiased identification and in-depth exploration of PeVatrons requires detection of γ-rays with energies well above 0.1 PeV. Here we report the detection of more than 530 photons at energies above 100 teraelectronvolts and up to 1.4 PeV from 12 ultrahigh-energy γ-ray sources with a statistical significance greater than seven standard deviations. Despite having several potential counterparts in their proximity, including pulsar wind nebulae, supernova remnants and star-forming regions, the PeVatrons responsible for the ultrahigh-energy γ-rays have not yet been firmly localized and identified (except for the Crab Nebula), leaving open the origin of these extreme accelerators.
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Tian YP, Hu XJ, Ma XJ, Gu Q, Ge XL, Yang M, Jia P, Huang GY. [The distribution and variance of neonatal pulse oxygen saturation at different altitudes]. ZHONGHUA YI XUE ZA ZHI 2021; 101:1410-1414. [PMID: 34034369 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20200831-02504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To analyze the distribution and variance of neonatal pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) at different altitudes in China, and provide a new evidence for the screening of NCHD at high altitudes. Methods: Based on the database of National Screening Project of NCHD, the distribution of SpO2 values was described in 26 766 newborns at altitudes of 0-100 m, 600-700 m, 900-1 100 m, 1 400-1 600 m, 1 900-2 100 m, and 2 200-2 500 m. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the differences among SpO2 values in newborns at different altitudes. Results: The average SpO2 values of right hand in newborns at altitudes of 0-100 m, 600-700 m, 900-1 100 m, 1 400-1 600 m, 1 900-2 100 m and 2 200-2 500 m were 97.7%±1.4%, 97.1%±1.1%, 96.1%±1.3%, 96.0%±1.7%, 95.9%±1.7% and 95.5%±2.4%, respectively. And corresponding average SpO2 values of either foot were 97.7%±1.4%, 96.9%±1.1%, 96.3%±1.4%, 96.0%±1.7%, 95.6%±1.8% and 95.2%±2.7%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the average SpO2 values of newborns at different altitudes (right hand: F=1 248.35, P<0.001; either foot: F=1 280.45, P<0.001). The SpO2 of newborns tended to be lower with the increase of altitudes (P-trend<0.001). Conclusion: SpO2 values in newborns were negatively associated with the altitudes, which indicated that the cut-off value of screening for NCHD at sea level might not be applicable to newborns at higher altitudes. Thus, it is worthwhile to conducted studies on the normal values of SpO2 and the cut-off value of screening for NCHD in newborns at high altitudes.
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Hu XJ, Wang SX, Li Y, Xia YZ, Liao ZB, Yan Y. [Geometric model of reduction in basilar invagination with atlantoaxial dislocation and its clinical application]. ZHONGHUA WAI KE ZA ZHI [CHINESE JOURNAL OF SURGERY] 2021; 59:216-221. [PMID: 33685056 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112139-20200922-00720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: To establish a geometric model of the atlantoaxial dislocation and basilar invagination reduction,and examine its value for clinical application. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 patients with atlantoaxial dislocation and basilar invagination admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery,First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from May 2018 to May 2020 was conducted.There were 5 males and 30 females,aged (48±15) years(range: 19 to 69 years). The geometric model of the atlantoaxial reduction was established based on the mid-sagittal section of the cervical spine. The relevant data were calculated according to the geometric model before operation,and the fusion cage of the corresponding height was placed into C1-2 facet joint of patient for quantitative reduction. The theoretical reset value, actual reset value, postoperative symptoms and complications were collected. The paired t-test was used to compare the difference between theoretical and actual reset value to verify the reliability of the geometric model. Results: The theoretical vertical reduction distance of all patients was (5.79±2.96) mm(range:1.52 to 10.96 mm),and the actual vertical reduction distance was (7.43±2.96)mm(range: 1.40 to 12.77 mm),and there was no statistical difference between them(t=-1.96,P=0.069).The theoretical reduction angle was (10.80±2.24)°(range: 7.09 to 14.86°), the actual reduction angle was (10.64±7.00)°(range: 3.50 to 20.50°),and there was no statistical difference between them (t=0.09, P=0.933). At 6 months follow-up, 35 patients achieved satisfactory atlanto-axial joint fusion, and the symptoms were relieved. No internal fixation system displacement, fracture, wound infection and other complications occurred. Conclusion: This geometric model can estimate the vertical reduction distance and the reduction angle of the axial before operation,and provide a reference for the height of the fusion cage so as to avoid under or over-reduction.
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Su H, Xu W, Hu X, Xu Y, Wen G, Cao Y. Spatiotemporal variations and source tracking of antibiotics in an ecological aquaculture farm in Southern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 763:143022. [PMID: 33131848 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although the occurrence and distribution of antibiotics in aquatic environments and reared organisms have been widely reported, the spatiotemporal variations and sources of antibiotics throughout the rearing period of aquaculture remain unclear. In this study, the concentrations and spatiotemporal variations of antibiotics in water sources, pond water, sediment, feed, and reared shrimp samples during three rearing periods in an ecological shrimp farm in Southern China were investigated. The water, sediment, and feed samples were found to contain twelve, nine, and four types of antibiotics, respectively, and the concentration of erythromycin-H2O was the highest among these antibiotics. No target antibiotics were detected in the reared shrimp samples from this typical shrimp farm, which employed ecological rearing with no antibiotic use throughout the rearing processes. The total concentrations of antibiotics in water source were 1.96-40.58 times higher than those in pond water. A significant decrease in the total antibiotic concentrations of the pond water was observed, while a significant increase was observed in sediment during each rearing period (p < 0.05), suggesting that antibiotics transferred from the water phase to the sediment phase in the farm. Redundancy analysis demonstrated that the chemical oxygen demand was negatively correlated with the concentration of the target antibiotics in the water samples during three rearing periods (p < 0.05). The results of calculations conducted using the concentrations of antibiotics in the water source, pond water, sediment, and feed samples detected in this study indicated that the water source was likely to be the main source of antibiotics in the rearing ponds. This study can provide a better understanding of the spatiotemporal variations and sources of antibiotics in aquaculture.
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Fan S, Chen B, Zhang X, Hu X, Bao L, Yang X, Liu Z, Yu Y. Machine learning algorithms in classifying TCM tongue features in diabetes mellitus and symptoms of gastric disease. Eur J Integr Med 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2021.101288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Hu X, Liu Z, Yang X, Xu J, Tu L, Cui J, Huang J, Cui L, Jiang T, Ma X, Yao X. An Unsupervised Tongue Segmentation Algorithm Based on Improved gPb-owt-ucm. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND HEALTH INFORMATICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1166/jmihi.2021.3317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objective: The modernization of tongue diagnosis is an important research in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Accurate and practical tongue segmentation method is a premise in subsequent analyses. In this paper, an unsupervised tongue segmentation method is proposed
based on an improved gPb-owt-ucm algorithm. The gPb-owt-ucm is short for global pixel point, oriented watershed transform and ultrametric contour map. Methods: Improved gPb-owt-ucm algorithm is adopted in this paper because of its powerful contour detection capabilities. The boundary feasibility
of each pixel is calculated by the weight of pixel, and the result is converted to multiple closed regions and hierarchical tree. Finally, locating tongue accurate boundary by rectangular slider is taken to perform the final tongue segmentation. Two experiments are designed to evaluate its
effectiveness by comparing with the snake method. Results: 300 tongue images were tested (150 images for the diabetes and 150 images for the health) in two experiments. The first one is to validate boundary detection performance (CBDR experiment). The second one is for validation of
classification performance (CCE experiment) between diabetic and healthy tongues. In CBDR experiment, the mean and variance of IoU obtained using our improved gPb-owt-ucm method are 0.72±0.19, which are better than the snake method. In CCE experiment, the obtained precision and F1-score
using our method are 1.0 and 0.97 over diabetic data respectively, and results of 0.94, 0.97 over health data. Conclusion: The effectiveness of our improved unsupervised gPb-owt-ucm method is validated in comparisons with the snake method. In the future, we plan to combine the proposed
method with a supervised method in order to achieve more improvements for the tongue segmentation.
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Shi Y, Hu X, Cui J, Cui L, Huang J, Ma X, Jiang T, Yao X, Lan F, Li J, Bi Z, Li J, Wang Y, Fu H, Wang J, Lin Y, Bai J, Guo X, Tu L, Xu J. Clinical data mining on network of symptom and index and correlation of tongue-pulse data in fatigue population. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2021; 21:72. [PMID: 33627103 PMCID: PMC7905588 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-021-01410-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fatigue is a kind of non-specific symptom, which occurs widely in sub-health and various diseases. It is closely related to people's physical and mental health. Due to the lack of objective diagnostic criteria, it is often neglected in clinical diagnosis, especially in the early stage of disease. Many clinical practices and researches have shown that tongue and pulse conditions reflect the body's overall state. Establishing an objective evaluation method for diagnosing disease fatigue and non-disease fatigue by combining clinical symptom, index, and tongue and pulse data is of great significance for clinical treatment timely and effectively. Methods In this study, 2632 physical examination population were divided into healthy controls, sub-health fatigue group, and disease fatigue group. Complex network technology was used to screen out core symptoms and Western medicine indexes of sub-health fatigue and disease fatigue population. Pajek software was used to construct core symptom/index network and core symptom-index combined network. Simultaneously, canonical correlation analysis was used to analyze the objective tongue and pulse data between the two groups of fatigue population and analyze the distribution of tongue and pulse data. Results Some similarities were found in the core symptoms of sub-health fatigue and disease fatigue population, but with different node importance. The node-importance difference indicated that the diagnostic contribution rate of the same symptom to the two groups was different. The canonical correlation coefficient of tongue and pulse data in the disease fatigue group was 0.42 (P < 0.05), on the contrast, correlation analysis of tongue and pulse in the sub-health fatigue group showed no statistical significance. Conclusions The complex network technology was suitable for correlation analysis of symptoms and indexes in fatigue population, and tongue and pulse data had a certain diagnostic contribution to the classification of fatigue population.
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Li J, Chen Q, Hu X, Yuan P, Cui L, Tu L, Cui J, Huang J, Jiang T, Ma X, Yao X, Zhou C, Lu H, Xu J. Establishment of noninvasive diabetes risk prediction model based on tongue features and machine learning techniques. Int J Med Inform 2021; 149:104429. [PMID: 33647600 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetes is a chronic noncommunicable disease with high incidence rate. Diabetics without early diagnosis or standard treatment may contribute to serious multisystem complications, which can be life threatening. Timely detection and intervention of prediabetes is very important to prevent diabetes, because it is inevitable in the development and progress of the disease. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to establish the predictive model that can be applied to evaluate people with blood glucose in high and critical state. METHODS We established the diabetes risk prediction model formed by a combined TCM tongue diagnosis with machine learning techniques. 1512 subjects were recruited from the hospital. After data preprocessing, we got the dataset 1 and dataset 2. Dataset 1 was used to train classical machine learning model, while dataset 2 was used to train deep learning model. To evaluate the performance of the prediction model, we used Classification Accuracy(CA), Precision, Recall, F1-score, Precision-Recall curve(P-R curve), Area Under the Precision-Recall curve(AUPRC), Receiver Operating Characteristic curve(ROC curve), Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve(AUROC), then selected the best diabetes risk prediction model. RESULTS On the test set of dataset 1, the CA of non-invasive Stacking model was 71 %, micro average AUROC was 0.87, macro average AUROC was 0.84, and micro average AUPRC was 0.77. In the critical blood glucose group, the AUROC was 0.84, AUPRC was 0.67. In the high blood glucose group, AUROC was 0.87, AUPRC was 0.83. On the validation set of dataset 2, the CA of ResNet50 model was 69 %, micro average AUROC was 0.84, macro average AUROC was 0.83, and micro average AUPRC was 0.73. In the critical blood glucose group, AUROC was 0.88, AUPRC was 0.71. In the high blood glucose group, AUROC was 0.80, AUPRC was 0.76. On the test set of dataset 2, the CA of ResNet50 model was 65 %, micro average AUROC was 0.83, macro average AUROC was 0.82, and micro average AUPRC was 0.71. In the critical blood glucose group, the prediction of AUROC was 0.84, AUPRC was 0.60. In the high blood glucose group, AUROC was 0.87, AUPRC was 0.71. CONCLUSIONS Tongue features can improve the prediction accuracy of the diabetes risk prediction model formed by classical machine learning model significantly. In addition to the excellent performance, Stacking model and ResNet50 model which were recommended had non-invasive operation and were easy to use. Stacking model and ResNet50 model had high precision, low false positive rate and low misdiagnosis rate on detecting hyperglycemia. While on detecting blood glucose value in critical state, Stacking model and ResNet50 model had a high sensitivity, a low false negative rate and a low missed diagnosis rate. The study had proved that the differential changes of tongue features reflected the abnormal glucose metabolism, thus the diabetes risk prediction model formed by a combined TCM tongue diagnosis and machine learning technique was feasible.
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Zheng Q, Ding F, Hu X, Feng J, Shen J, He X. ESIPT-based fluorescent probe for bioimaging and identification of group IIIA ions in live cells and zebrafish. Bioorg Chem 2021; 109:104746. [PMID: 33639363 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.104746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In) are three essential elements in group IIIA of the periodic table, which all share similar chemical properties and are also vital in many aspects of bio- and environmental systems. Proper control of their levels is thus necessary as overexposure to them has been linked to onsets of many diseases. Fluorescence based molecular probes have always been the driving horse for detecting vital ions including group IIIA ions. However, only a few such probes have been reported so far and all of them are faced with one or more shortcomings such as not very high sensitivity, incapability to detect multiple ions simultaneously, and poor cell penetration abilities due to emitted fluorescence at shorter wavelengths. To meet those challenges, we herein presented the successful development and application of a novel group IIIA ions fluorescent probe, NBD-hnap, in live RAW264.7 cell and zebrafish models, especially the imaging of ocular tumor cell OCM-1 (human choroid melanoma cells). NBD-hnap was synthesized by a simple conjugation of NBD and hnap molecules under suitable conditions. Subsequent experimental analysis and theoretical calculations confirmed that NBD-hnap forms a 1:1 chelate with each of three selected group IIIA ions. Further evaluation proved that NBD-hnap can realize highly sensitive [LODs of 113, 82 and 150 nM for Al(III), Ga(III), and In(III) respectively in aqueous solutions] and highly selective (over a dozen of interfering cations) through an ESIPT-based fluorescent sensing mechanism with strong far-red emission around 640 nm. Those value merits make NBD-hnap superior to other group IIIA ion probes reported before and NBD-hnap is thus expected to find wider and greater applications in the near future.
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Amin KS, Hu X, Salahub DR, Baldauf C, Lim C, Noskov S. Benchmarking polarizable and non-polarizable force fields for Ca2+–peptides against a comprehensive QM dataset. J Chem Phys 2020; 153:144102. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0020768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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Hu X, Wu T, Wang C, Li J, Ying C. CD248+CD8+ T lymphocytes suppress pathological vascular remodeling in human thoracic aortic aneurysms. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2020; 246:121-129. [PMID: 32867546 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220953386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aortic aneurysms are characterized by vascular inflammation, neovascularization, and extracellular matrix destruction of the aortic wall. Although experimental studies indicate a potential role of CD248 in microvessel remodeling, the functions of CD248 in human vascular pathologies remain unexplored. Here we aimed to study how CD248 interferes with pathological vascular remodeling of human aortic aneurysms. Immunofluorescent staining showed that CD248 expression was mainly localized in the CD8+ T cells infiltrating in the adventitia and media of aortic walls of patients with ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms. qPCR and immunofluorescent staining analyses revealed increased aortic CD248 expression and infiltrating CD248+CD8+ T cells in aortic aneurysms than in nonaneurysmal aortas. Flow cytometry analysis of human peripheral blood further identified a fraction of circulating CD248+ cells which was confined in the CD8+ T-cell compartment. The increased infiltrating of CD248+CD8+ T cells was coincident with reduced circulating CD248+CD8+ T cells in patients with ascending TAA when compared with patients with coronary artery diseases and healthy donors. The CD248+CD8+ T cells were characterized by upregulated IL-10 and downregulated IL-1β/INF-γ expression when compared with CD248-CD8+ T cells. Moreover, when co-cultured with human aortic endothelial cells, the CD248+CD8+ T cells not only downregulated endothelial expression of ICAM1/VCAM1 and MMP2/3 but also suppressed endothelial migration. This study shows that CD248 reduces pathological vascular remodeling via anti-inflammatory CD248+CD8+ T cells, revealing a CD248-mediated cellular mechanism against human aortic aneurysms.
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Gu Z, Bi Y, Yuan F, Wang R, Li D, Wang J, Hu X, He G, Zhang L, Liu BC. FTO Polymorphisms are Associated with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) Susceptibility in the Older Chinese Han Population. Clin Interv Aging 2020; 15:1333-1341. [PMID: 32848374 PMCID: PMC7429205 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s254740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background As fat and obesity play a vital role in the pathophysiology of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), this study aims to investigate the association between the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) and MAFLD. Methods Six SNPs (rs6499640, rs1421085, rs8050136, rs3751812, rs9939609 and rs9930506) within FTO were genotyped for 741 MAFLD patients (median age, 69.98; interquartile range, 66.55–75.93) and 825 healthy people (median age, 69.94; interquartile range, 66.39–75.64). Allele and genotype frequencies, pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) and haplotype analysis were calculated. Results BMI, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, alanine transaminase, glutamyl transpeptidase and the prevalence of diabetes were found to be higher in the MAFLD individuals comparing to the control ones (P < 0.05). For rs1421085, the C allele frequency was remarkably higher in MAFLD after Bonferroni correction (OR [95% CI] =1.353 [1.095–1.671]; Pcorr =0.030), and a significantly different genotype result was observed in log-additive model (OR [95% CI] =1.369 [1.108–1.691]; Pcorr =0.024). For rs8050136, significantly increased A allele frequency was observed in MAFLD (OR [95% CI] =1.371 [1.109–1.695]; Pcorr =0.024), and A-allele carriers showed increased MAFLD risk (OR [95% CI] =1.393 [1.103–1.759]; Pcorr =0.030). For rs3751812, the T allele frequency was remarkably higher in MAFLD (OR [95% CI] =1.369 [1.108–1.691]; Pcorr =0.024), and T-allele carriers demonstrated high MAFLD risk (OR [95% CI] =1.392 [1.103–1.756]; Pcorr =0.030). For rs9939609, A allele frequency was also remarkably high in MAFLD (OR [95% CI] =1.369 [1.108–1.691]; Pcorr =0.024), and A-allele carriers were more susceptible to MAFLD (OR [95% CI] =[1.103–1.756]; Pcorr =0.030). A strong LD was found among rs1421085, rs8050136, rs3751812 and rs9939609 (r2 >0.8), and individuals with C-A-T-A haplotype had an elevated MAFLD risk (P =0.005). Conclusion The case-control study indicated that C variant of rs1421085, A variant of rs8050136, T variant of rs3751812 and A variant of rs9939609 are associated with elevated MAFLD risk in the older Chinese Han population.
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Li W, Su H, Cao Y, Wang L, Hu X, Xu W, Xu Y, Li Z, Wen G. Antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial community dynamics in the seawater environment of Dapeng Cove, South China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 723:138027. [PMID: 32224396 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the propagation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and increased antibiotic resistance in pathogens have gained serious attention. Numerous reports have investigated the influence of domestic sewage discharge, medical wastewater and aquaculture wastewater on rivers and lakes, while the dynamics of ARGs in seawater and the relationships between ARGs, bacterial community structure and environmental factors have been less thoroughly described. In this study, the abundance, distribution and source of ARGs, as well as the relationships between ARGs, bacterial community changes and environmental factors in the seawater environment and sediment of Dapeng Cove, were investigated. Real-time quantitative PCR and Illumina Miseq sequencing technology were applied to determine the effects of the production cycle of cage culture, tourism and seasonality on ARGs. Chloramphenicol resistance genes (floR, cmlA) and sulfonamide resistance genes (sul1) were the dominant resistance genes in water and sediment. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that the abundance of all ARGs and the integrase I gene intI1 was positively correlated with chemical oxygen demand and suspended solids. Class 1 integrons might facilitate the dissemination of ARGs, and intI1 was detected in all samples at high concentrations. In aqueous environments, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla, among which Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were positively correlated with the concentration of target ARGs. In the sediment, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes were the dominant phyla, among which Bacteroidetes and Planctomycetes were positively correlated with most of the target ARGs and had a significant influence on changes in the abundance of ARGs. The domestic sewage was the main source of ARGs in the seawater. Our results showed that bacterial community structure and environmental factors affected the distributional dynamics of ARGs. Anthropogenic activities played significant roles in promoting ARGs abundance in the seawater environments.
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Han S, Chen J, Hua J, Hu X, Jian S, Zheng G, Wang J, Li H, Yang J, Hejtmancik JF, Qu J, Ma X, Hou L. MITF protects against oxidative damage-induced retinal degeneration by regulating the NRF2 pathway in the retinal pigment epithelium. Redox Biol 2020; 34:101537. [PMID: 32361183 PMCID: PMC7191850 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative damage is one of the major contributors to retinal degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), while RPE mediated antioxidant defense plays an important role in preventing retinopathies. However, the regulatory mechanisms of antioxidant signaling in RPE cells are poorly understood. Here we show that transcription factor MITF regulates the antioxidant response in RPE cells, protecting the neural retina from oxidative damage. In the oxidative stress-induced retinal degeneration mouse model, retinal degeneration in Mitf+/- mice is significantly aggravated compared to WT mice. In contrast, overexpression of Mitf in Dct-Mitf transgenic mice and AAV mediated overexpression in RPE cells protect the neural retina against oxidative damage. Mechanistically, MITF both directly regulates the transcription of NRF2, a master regulator of antioxidant signaling, and promotes its nuclear translocation. Furthermore, specific overexpression of NRF2 in Mitf+/- RPE cells activates antioxidant signaling and partially protects the retina from oxidative damage. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the regulation of NRF2 by MITF in RPE cells and provide new insights into potential therapeutic approaches for prevention of oxidative damage diseases. MITF haploinsufficiency exacerbates oxidative stress-induced retinal degeneration. Specific overexpression of MITF in RPE cells protects retinas from oxidative damage in vivo. MITF directly regulates the transcription and nuclear translocation of NRF2. Partial rescue of retinal oxidative damage in Mitf ±mice by gene transfer mediated RPE cell specific expression of NRF2.
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Min J, Wang Z, Liang C, Li W, Shao J, Zhu K, Zhou L, Cheng J, Luo S, Yu L, Wu Y, Xie M, Hu X. Detection of Phytoestrogen Metabolites in Breastfed Infants' Urine and the Corresponding Breast Milk by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2020; 68:3485-3494. [PMID: 32093471 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b08107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
To date, there has been limited information on phytoestrogen (PE) exposure and metabolism in breastfed infants. In the present work, 50 sample pairs of Chinese breastfed infants' urine and the corresponding breast milk were collected. The contents of the relevant PE metabolites in the biosamples were detected via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The correlations between the PE metabolite contents in breastfed infants' urine and those in the corresponding breast milk were analyzed. The average concentrations of total PE metabolites in breast milk and urine were 0.27 and 0.23 nmol/mL, respectively. Genistein and enterolactone levels in the infant urine were positively correlated with their concentrations in the corresponding breast milk samples, which implies that urine excretion can be utilized as a noninvasive parameter for precise genistein and enterolactone intake assessment. Additionally, the efficiency of PE urine excretion showed significant differences across infants with different ages, genders, and durations of pregnancy.
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Hu X, Zhao F, Yu H, Luo Y, Liu J, Zhang Y. GC-PROM: validation of a patient-reported outcomes measure for Chinese patients with gastric cancer. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:41. [PMID: 31948422 PMCID: PMC6966844 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-6518-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is increasing recognition that PROs are important in the estimation of the burden of long-term survival among patients with gastric cancer. The study aimed to develop a disease-specific instrument to assess patient-reported outcomes for Chinese patients with gastric cancer. Method Following the FDA’s draft guidance for patient-reported outcome, conceptual framework and item pool were defined based on relevant existing work. A draft scale was formed after revising some items based on feedback from experts and Chinese patients with gastric cancer. The pre-survey and formal survey were conducted in eight different hospitals in Shanxi Province, and two item-selection process based on classical test theory and item response theory. Finally, the patient-reported outcomes measure for Chinese patients with gastric cancer (GC-PROM) was validated in terms of reliability, validity, and feasibility. The minimal clinically important difference was determined by distribution-based method. Results The final GC-PROM consisted of 38 items, 13 subdomains, and 4 domains. Reliability was verified by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for four domains and 13 subdomains respectively. The validity results showed that the multidimensional scale fulfilled expectations. In the formal survey, the completion rate was 96.16%, and the average filling time was less than half an hour. The values of the minimal clinically important difference were 4.14, 3.41, 3.37, and 3.28 in the four domains. Conclusions The GC-PROM had good reliability, validity, and feasibility and thus can be considered an effective clinical evaluation instrument for Chinese patients with gastric cancer.
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Su H, Hu X, Wang L, Xu W, Xu Y, Wen G, Li Z, Cao Y. Contamination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a typical marine aquaculture farm: source tracking of ARGs in reared aquatic organisms. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART. B, PESTICIDES, FOOD CONTAMINANTS, AND AGRICULTURAL WASTES 2019; 55:220-229. [PMID: 31680622 DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2019.1684747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Although the prevalence and concentrations of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquaculture is receiving increasing scientific interest, there is little understanding of the direct sources and dissemination pathways of ARGs in marine aquaculture-reared organisms. This study investigated the dynamics of ARGs and the bacterial community throughout the rearing period in a typical marine aquaculture farm in South China. The results demonstrated that sul1 and qnrD were predominant in the sediment, and qnrD and qnrA were predominant in the intestinal tracts of shrimps. Network analysis showed that the chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, suspended solids, and total phosphorus were positively correlated with the predominant ARGs. The results of the network and source tracking analyses indicate that environmental factors and the bacterial community may drive the dissemination of ARGs dissemination in the environment and in shrimp reared by marine aquaculture, and sediment is the most direct and important medium in this dissemination. These results aid in improving our understanding of the sources, level, and dissemination of ARGs in marine aquaculture.
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Li M, Luo Y, Hu X, Han Z, Liu X, Cui J. Co-regulation of the copper vacancy concentration and point defects leading to the enhanced thermoelectric performance of Cu 3In 5Te 9-based chalcogenides. RSC Adv 2019; 9:31747-31752. [PMID: 35527929 PMCID: PMC9072708 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra06565b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper vacancy concentration (Vc) in ternary Cu–In–Te chalcogenides is an important factor to engineer carrier concentration (nH) and thermoelectric performance. However, it is not sufficient to regulate the phonon scattering in the Cu3In5Te9-based chalcogenides. In this work we manipulate the Vc value and point defects simultaneously through addition of Cu along with Ga substitution for In in Cu3In5Te9, and thereby increase the carrier concentration and reduce the lattice thermal conductivity. This strategy finally enables us to achieve ∼60% enhancement of the TE figure of merit (ZT) at Vc = 0.078 compared with the pristine Cu3In5Te9. It is also used as guidance to achieve the high TE performance of the ternary chalcogenides. Co-regulation of both the copper vacancy concentration (Vc) and point defect GaIn realizing the high carrier concentration and low lattice thermal conductivity in Cu3In5Te9-based chalcogenides simultaneously.![]()
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Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Wu R, Gao F, Zang P, Hu X, Gu C. Effect of cerebral small vessel disease on cognitive function and TLR4 expression in hippocampus. J Clin Neurosci 2019; 67:210-214. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Gao F, Jing Y, Zang P, Hu X, Gu C, Wu R, Chai B, Zhang Y. Vascular Cognitive Impairment Caused by Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Is Associated with the TLR4 in the Hippocampus. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 70:563-572. [PMID: 31256136 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Liu R, Yu X, Chen X, Zhong H, Liang C, Xu X, Xu W, Cheng Y, Wang W, Yu L, Wu Y, Yan N, Hu X. Individual factors define the overall effects of dietary genistein exposure on breast cancer patients. Nutr Res 2019; 67:1-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2019.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Wang H, Hu X, Xu H, Li S, Lu Z. No-Reference Quality Assessment Method for Blurriness of SEM Micrographs with Multiple Texture. SCANNING 2019; 2019:4271761. [PMID: 31281563 PMCID: PMC6589194 DOI: 10.1155/2019/4271761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2018] [Revised: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) plays an important role in the intuitive understanding of microstructures because it can provide ultrahigh magnification. Tens or hundreds of images are regularly generated and saved during a typical microscopy imaging process. Given the subjectivity of a microscopist's focusing operation, blurriness is an important distortion that debases the quality of micrographs. The selection of high-quality micrographs using subjective methods is expensive and time-consuming. This study proposes a new no-reference quality assessment method for evaluating the blurriness of SEM micrographs. The human visual system is more sensitive to the distortions of cartoon components than to those of redundant textured components according to the Gestalt perception psychology and the entropy masking property. Micrographs are initially decomposed into cartoon and textured components. Then, the spectral and spatial sharpness maps of the cartoon components are extracted. One metric is calculated by combining the spatial and spectral sharpness maps of the cartoon components. The other metric is calculated on the basis of the edge of the maximum local variation map of the cartoon components. Finally, the two metrics are combined as the final metric. The objective scores generated using this method exhibit high correlation and consistency with the subjective scores.
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Wang L, Su H, Hu X, Xu Y, Xu W, Huang X, Li Z, Cao Y, Wen G. Abundance and removal of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the rearing environments of intensive shrimp aquaculture in South China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART. B, PESTICIDES, FOOD CONTAMINANTS, AND AGRICULTURAL WASTES 2019; 54:211-218. [PMID: 30755094 DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2018.1550310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Although research regarding antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquaculture environments has gained increasing scientific interest, further studies are required to understand the abundances and removal mechanisms of ARGs during the entire rearing period of shrimp aquaculture. Thus, in this study, abundances, distributions and removal rates of ARGs in different environmental compartments of intensive shrimp farms in South China were investigated during the entire rearing period. The results indicated that sul1 and cmlA were the predominant ARGs in the water and sediment samples. Additionally, the total abundance of ARGs was higher in shrimp pond water than in the source water and farm effluent. Moreover, sediment samples indicated significantly higher ARG abundances than water samples from the shrimp ponds (P < 0.05). Environmental factors were found to significantly affect the distribution of ARGs in shrimp rearing environments. Furthermore, stable ponds aided the removal of ARGs from shrimp pond water. This study accounted for temporal variations in ARG abundances as well as removal of ARGs in different environmental compartments during the entire shrimp rearing period. However, additional research is required to optimize the water treatment process for removal of ARGs from the aquaculture.
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Zhang Y, Wu R, Gu C, Gao F, Hu X, Zang P, Dong T. A study on role and mechanism of TLR4/NF-κB pathway in cognitive impairment induced by cerebral small vascular disease. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2019; 72:201-210. [PMID: 30689560 DOI: 10.3233/ch-180515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the role and potential mechanism of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in cognitive impairment induced by cerebral small vascular disease (CSVD), so as to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of CSVD-induced cognitive impairment. METHODS Mice with TLR4 gene knockout (n = 20) and those with wild-type TLR4 gene (n = 40) aged 8-10 weeks old were divided into blank control group (Control group, n = 20), wild-type + CSVD group (WT + CSVD group, n = 20) and TLR4 gene knockout + CSVD group (TLR4 KO + CSVD group, n = 20). Allogeneic thrombosis (particle diameter: 50-70 mm) was injected to the mouse's external carotid artery to create a model of learning and memory dysfunction. Step-down test and Y-type maze test were utilized to examine the learning and memory abilities of the mice. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblotting techniques were adopted to measure the levels of apoptosis-related genes [B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), C-caspase-3 and T-caspase-3] in the brain tissues of mice. Terminal dexynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method was applied to detect the apoptosis of neuronal cells in the brain tissues. Meanwhile, the levels of oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), gp91 and malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured. Finally, the expression level of TLR4/NF-κB pathway was detected. RESULTS The latency in the step-down test in the WT + CSVD group was remarkably longer than that in the Control group, and the number of errors was evidently larger than that in the Control group (p < 0.05). At the same time, in the WT + CSVD group, the expression levels of pro-apoptotic genes Bax and C-caspase-3 were up-regulated markedly, while the expression level of anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 declined notably (p < 0.05). TUNEL results showed that the number of apoptotic cells in the brain tissues in the WT + CSVD group was about 12 times that in the Control group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the SOD expression level was lowered, and the MDA expression level was elevated in the brain tissues in the WT + CSVD group. In addition, the TLR4/NF-κB pathway was prominently activated in the mice in the WT + CSVD group (p < 0.05). After TLR4 gene knockout, the cognitive functions of the mice were improved markedly, and the apoptosis of neuronal cells and oxidative stress in the brain tissues were suppressed significantly in the meantime. Moreover, the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway was also inhibited. CONCLUSION The TLR4/NF-κB pathway is involved in the occurrence and development of CSVD-induced cognitive impairment through regulating oxidative stress and cell apoptosis.
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