Freeze-thaw aged polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics alter enzyme activity and microbial community composition in soil

In cold regions, microplastics (MPs) in the soil undergo freeze-thaw (FT) aging process. Little is known about how FT aged MPs influence soil physico-chemical properties and microbial communities. Here, two environmentally relevant concentrations (50 and 500 mg/kg) of 50 and 500 µm polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) MPs treated soils were subjected to 45-day FT cycles (FTCs). Results showed that MPs experienced surface morphology, hydrophobicity and crystallinity alterations after FTCs. After 45-day FTCs, the soil urease (SUE) activity in control (MPs-free group that underwent FTCs) was 33.49 U/g. SUE activity in 50 µm PE group was reduced by 19.66 %, while increased by 21.16 % and 37.73 % in 500 µm PE and PP groups compared to control. The highest Shannon index was found in 50 µm PP-MPs group at 50 mg/kg, 2.26 % higher than control (7.09). Compared to control (average weighted degree=8.024), all aged MPs increased the complexity of network (0.19-1.43 %). Bacterial biomarkers of aged PP-MPs were associated with pollutant degradation. Aged PP-MPs affected genetic information, cellular processes, and disrupted the biosynthesis of metabolites. This study provides new insights into the potential hazards of MPs after FTCs on soil ecosystem in cold regions.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of ramucirumab combined with nab-paclitaxel, lobaplatin, and S-1 in neoadjuvant and conversion therapy for advanced gastric cancer: A study protocol of prospective single-center, randomized controlled and open label clinical trial (RNPLS-01)

Objective

Ramucirumab is a VEGFR2 antagonist. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ramucirumab combined with nab-paclitaxel, lobaplatin and S-1 in neoadjuvant and conversion therapy for advanced gastric cancer.

Methods

and analysis: This study is a prospective single-center, randomized controlled and open label clinical study, enrolling a total of 140 patients with advanced gastric cancer distributed across two distinct cohorts (Cohort A n = 70; Cohort B n = 70). The central focus of the study lies in evaluating the pathological complete response (pCR) of the cancer post-neoadjuvant or conversion therapy. Secondary endpoints encompass the assessment of the R0 resection rate subsequent to the aforementioned therapies, the occurrence of adverse events (AE), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), the objective response rate (ORR), the total response rate and its duration, the disease control rate (DCR), and the duration of overall response (DOR).

Ethics

Ethics approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee at the First Affiliated Hospital (Xijing Hospital) of Air force Military Medical University (KY20232220-F-1).

Trial registration

This trial has been registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06169410 (registration date: December 5, 2023).

Simultaneous achievement of removing bensulfuron-methyl and reducing CO2 emission in paddy soil by Acinetobacter YH0317 immobilized boron-doping biochar

Herbicide residue and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission are two main problems in the paddy rice field, which have barely been considered simultaneously. Herein, a bensulfuron-methyl (BSM)-degrading bacterium named Acinetobacter YH0317 was successfully immobilized on two kinds of biochars and subsequently applied in the paddy soil. The BSM removal rate of Acinetobacter YH0317 immobilized boron-doping biochar (BBC) was 80.42% after 30 d, which was significantly higher than that of BBC (39.05%) and Acinetobacter YH0317 (49.10%) applied alone. BBC acting as an immobilized carrier could enable Acinetobacter YH0317 to work in harsh and complex environment and thus improve the BSM removal efficiency. The addition of Acinetobacter YH0317 immobilized BBC (TP5) significantly improved the soil physicochemical properties (pH, SOC, and NH4+-N) and increased the diversity of soil microbial community compared to control group (CG). Meanwhile, Acinetobacter YH0317 immobilized BBC reduced the CO2-equivalent emission by 41.0%. Metagenomic sequencing results revealed that the decreasing CO2 emission in TP5 was correlated with carbon fixation gene (fhs), indicating that fhs gene may play an important role in reducing CO2 emission. The work presents a practical and supportive technique for the simultaneous achievement on the soil purification and GHG emission reduction in paddy soil.

Development of an Evaluation System for the Prophylactic Use of Antimicrobial Drugs in the Perioperative Period of Class I Surgical Incisions in Neurosurgery

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to establish a precise preoperative high-risk factor scoring system and algorithm for antibiotic prophylaxis decision-making, provide guidance for the judicious use of AMP, refine interventions, and ensure the appropriate application of AMP for class I incisions in neurosurgery.

METHODS

According to PRISMA guidelines, literature searches, study selection, methodology development, and quality appraisal were performed. The quality of evidence across the study population was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A two-round Delphi expert consultation method involved 15 experts from leading tertiary hospitals in China. Establishing an algorithm of SOPs for perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis in Class I neurosurgical incisions.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies, encompassing 11,936 patients undergoing clean neurosurgical procedures, were included. 791 patients experienced SSI, resulting in an average incidence of 6.62%. Identified risk factors significantly associated with an increased incidence of postoperative SSI (P < 0.05) included emergency surgery, preoperative hospitalization ≥7 days, intraoperative blood loss ≥300 mL, operation time ≥4 hours, diabetes mellitus, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and repeat surgery. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated robust results for emergency surgery, intraoperative blood loss ≥300 mL, operation time ≥4 hours, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and repeat surgery. Established a risk assessment system for Class I neurosurgical incisions by the Delphi method. Additionally, we have formulated an algorithm of SOPs for perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis in Class I neurosurgical incisions.

CONCLUSIONS

The established index for AMP utilization and SOPs in the preoperative period of class I neurosurgical incisions proves valuable, contributing to improved patient outcomes in neurosurgical procedures.

Association between infarct location and haemorrhagic transformation of acute ischaemic stroke after intravenous thrombolysis

AIM

To evaluate the association between computed tomography (CT)-based imaging variables at the time of admission and haemorrhagic transformation (HT) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and eight patients who were treated with IVT for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) during January 2021 to July 2023 were analysed retrospectively. The infarct location was classified as cortical or subcortical in accordance with the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) system. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to determine the relationship between ischaemic variables and HT.

RESULTS

Of the total, 18 (16.7%) patients had HT and seven (6.5%) had symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage (sICH). Multivariate analysis revealed that cortical ASPECTS was independently associated with HT (odds ratio [OR], 0.197; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.076-0.511; p=0.001) and cortical ASPECTS was independently associated with sICH (OR, 0.066; 95% CI, 0.009-0.510; p=0.009). To predict HT and sICH, cortical ASPECTS (HT area under the curve [AUC] = 0.881, sICH AUC = 0.971) provided a higher AUC compared with ASPECTS (HT AUC = 0.850, sICH AUC = 0.918).

CONCLUSION

Cortical ASPECTS seen on CT at the time of admission is associated with HT and sICH after IVT.

[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of high-risk anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery]

Objective: To analyze the diagnosis and surgical treatment of high-risk anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery (AAOCA). Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. From January 2016 to July 2023, 24 cases of high-risk AAOCA underwent surgical treatment in Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital. There were 18 males and 6 females, operatively aged (M (IQR)) 13 (26) years (range: 0.3 to 57.0 years). They were confirmed by cardiac ultrasound and cardiac CT, all of which had anomalous coronary running between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. There were 15 cases of the right coronary artery from the left aortic sinus of Valsalva, 6 cases of left coronary artery from the right aortic sinus of Valsalva, 3 cases of the sigle coronary artery. Only 3 patients had no obvious related symptoms (2 cases were complicated with a positive exercise stress test and 1 case with other intracardiac malformations), 21 cases had a history of chest tightness, chest pain, or syncope after exercise. Three patients suffered syncope after exercise and underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (2 cases were treated with an extracorporeal membrane oxygenerator (ECMO)). The gap from the first symptom to the diagnosis was 4.0 (11.5) months (range: 0.2 to 84.0 months). The detection rate of coronary artery abnormalities suggested by the first cardiac ultrasound was only 37.5% (9/24). Seven patients were complicated with other cardiac diseases (4 cases with congenital heart defects, 2 cases with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, 1 case with mitral valve disease). Results: All 24 patients underwent surgical treatment (23 cases underwent abnormal coronary artery unroofing, 1 case underwent coronary artery bypass grafting), and 5 patients underwent other intracardiac malformation correction at the same time. There were no death or surgery related complications in the hospital for 30 days after the operation. A patient with preoperative extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation was continuously assisted by ECMO after emergency AAOCA correction and had complications such as limb ischemia necrosis and renal dysfunction after the operation. During the follow-up of 2.2 (3.3) years (range: 1 month to 7.2 years), one patient who previously underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with a stent implant experienced significant postoperative symptomatic relief, and the other discharged patients had no related symptoms. Conclusions: The accurate rate of initial diagnosis for high-risk AAOCA is still low, but the risk of cardiovascular accidents is high. For sports-related chest pain and other symptoms, more attention should be paid to the detection of AAOCA, especially for adolescents. Exercise stress testing can be helpful in evaluating the cardiovascular risk of asymptomatic AAOCA. Instant surgical treatment can achieve satisfactory curative effects.

Effects and mechanisms of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes from soil to lettuce

Effects of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil-plant systems are still unclear. To investigate the spread and mechanisms of ARGs from soil to lettuce, lettuce was exposed to soil spiked with two environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene MPs (100 μm) and NPs (100 nm). Results showed that microorganisms that carried ARGs in soil were increased after exposure to MPs/NPs, which led to an increase in ARGs in roots. NPs were absorbed by roots and can be transported to leaves. Analysis of transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics indicated that high concentration of NPs regulated the expression of related genes and proteins and improved the accumulation of flavonoids in the lettuce, therefore decreased the abundance of microorganisms that contained ARGs. Our work emphasizes the size and dose influences of MPs and NPs on the spread of ARGs from soil to plant.

Loops, crosstalk, and compartmentalization: it takes many layers to regulate DNA methylation

DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic modification associated with transposon silencing and gene regulation. The stability of this modification relies on intimate connections between DNA and histone modifications that generate self-reinforcing loops wherein the presence of one mark promotes the other. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the efficiency of these loops is affected by cross-talk between pathways and by chromatin accessibility, which is heavily influenced by histone variants. Focusing primarily on plants, this review provides an update on the aforementioned self-reinforcing loops, highlights recent advances in understanding how DNA methylation pathways are restricted to prevent encroachment on genes, and discusses the roles of histone variants in compartmentalizing epigenetic pathways within the genome. This multilayered approach facilitates two essential, yet opposing functions, the ability to maintain heritable DNA methylation patterns while retaining the flexibility to modify these patterns during development.

Research on the Influence of Heterogeneity and Viscosity on the Fluid Intrusion Mechanism of the Water Flooding Process Based on the Microscopic Visualization Experiment

The flow law of immiscible fluids in porous media plays an important role in the development of oil and gas fields. In the process of water flooding reservoir development, when the water phase displaces the oil phase, a fluid with higher viscosity, as a fluid with lower viscosity, the oil-water interface will always be unstable, resulting in different fingering effects. After water flooding, the distribution law of oil and water in the reservoir is mainly affected by the fluid intrusion mechanism. Due to the difference of capillary force, viscous force, and other microscopic forces, the fluid intrusion mechanism is mainly divided into two types: viscous fingering and capillary fingering. At the same time, due to the influence of reservoir heterogeneity, the fingering effect in the process of water displacement in porous media will be influenced to a certain extent. Based on the two-dimensional microscopic visualization experiment, this paper extracted the variance of the static parameter G in the capillary number calculation method of the two-dimensional microscopic model to represent the heterogeneity and conducted displacement experiments with different viscosities and flow rates to study the influence of the flow rate, viscosity, and heterogeneity on the results of water flooding. The experiments found that as for the influence of flow velocity, with the increase of flow velocity, that is, with the increase of capillary number, the recovery degree decreases first and then increases. As for the influence of viscosity, from a numerical point of view, the displacement efficiency and conformance coefficient of the low-viscosity group are higher than those of the high-viscosity group. From the trend, with the increase of the capillary number, the displacement efficiency of both the low-viscosity and high-viscosity groups increases, while the conformance coefficient decreases first and then increases, indicating that capillary fingering and viscous fingering can occur in different viscosity reservoirs. As for the influence of heterogeneity, the conformance coefficient of the water flooding decreases with the increase of heterogeneity, and the viscous pointing trend caused by heterogeneity is stronger, resulting in an uneven water injection sweep and higher oil displacement efficiency within the swept area. It can be seen from the fluid intrusion mechanism diagram that with the increase of heterogeneity, the viscous fingering trend becomes more obvious; with the increase of viscosity, the fluid intrusion mechanism boundary moves down and the viscous fingering trend becomes more obvious.

Toxic effects and mechanisms of engineered nanoparticles and nanoplastics on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are typical nanoparticles in terrestrial environments. Till now, few studies have compared their toxicity and mechanism to plants. Here we investigated the effects of CuO, nZVI ENPs and polystyrene (PS) NPs on lettuce growth, metabolic functions, and microbial community structure. Results showed that low concentrations of nanoparticles decreased root biomass and promoted photosynthetic indicators, whereas increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected in roots exposed to high concentrations of nanoparticles. High-dose CuO ENP exposure significantly raised the MDA content by 124.6 % compared to CK, causing the most severe membrane damage in the roots among the three types of nanoparticles. Although linoleic acid metabolism was down-regulated, the roots alleviated CuO stress by up-regulating galactose metabolism. Uptake of PS by roots similarly caused ROS production and activated the oxidative stress system by altering amino acid and vitamin metabolism. Faster microbial responses to nanoparticles were observed in the nZVI and PS networks. The root toxicity was indirectly mediated by ion release, NP uptake, or ROS generation, ultimately impacting root cell metabolism, rhizospheric microorganism and plant growth. These findings provide theoretical basis for assessing environmental impact of nanoparticles and their possible ecological risks.

PD-L1 overexpression induces STAT signaling and promotes the secretion of pro-angiogenic cytokines in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

BACKGROUND

Monoclonal antibodies (ICI) targeting the immune checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1 alone or in combination with chemotherapy have demonstrated relevant benefits and established new standards of care in first-line treatment for advanced non-oncogene addicted non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, a relevant percentage of NSCLC patients, even with high PD-L1 expression, did not respond to ICI, highlighting the presence of intracellular resistance mechanisms that could be dependent on high PD-L1 levels. The intracellular signaling induced by PD-L1 in tumor cells and their correlation with angiogenic signaling pathways are not yet fully elucidated.

METHODS

The intrinsic role of PD-L1 was initially checked in two PD-L1 overexpressing NSCLC cells by transcriptome profile and kinase array. The correlation of PD-L1 with VEGF, PECAM-1, and angiogenesis was evaluated in a cohort of advanced NSCLC patients. The secreted cytokines involved in tumor angiogenesis were assessed by Luminex assay and their effect on Huvec migration by a non-contact co-culture system.

RESULTS

PD-L1 overexpressing cells modulated pathways involved in tumor inflammation and JAK-STAT signaling. In NSCLC patients, PD-L1 expression was correlated with high tumor intra-vasculature. When challenged with PBMC, PD-L1 overexpressing cells produced higher levels of pro-angiogenic factors compared to parental cells, as a consequence of STAT signaling activation. This increased production of cytokines involved in tumor angiogenesis largely stimulated Huvec migration. Finally, the addition of the anti-antiangiogenic agent nintedanib significantly reduced the spread of Huvec cells when exposed to high levels of pro-angiogenic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we reported that high PD-L1 modulates STAT signaling in the presence of PBMC and induces pro-angiogenic factor secretion. This could enforce the role of PD-L1 as a crucial regulator of the tumor microenvironment stimulating tumor progression, both as an inhibitor of T-cell activity and as a promoter of tumor angiogenesis.

CLSY docking to Pol IV requires a conserved domain critical for small RNA biogenesis and transposon silencing

Eukaryotes must balance the need for gene transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) against the danger of mutations caused by transposable element (TE) proliferation. In plants, these gene expression and TE silencing activities are divided between different RNA polymerases. Specifically, RNA polymerase IV (Pol IV), which evolved from Pol II, transcribes TEs to generate small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that guide DNA methylation and block TE transcription by Pol II. While the Pol IV complex is recruited to TEs via SNF2-like CLASSY (CLSY) proteins, how Pol IV partners with the CLSYs remains unknown. Here we identified a conserved CYC-YPMF motif that is specific to Pol IV and is positioned on the complex exterior. Furthermore, we found that this motif is essential for the co-purification of all four CLSYs with Pol IV, but that only one CLSY is present in any given Pol IV complex. These findings support a "one CLSY per Pol IV" model where the CYC-YPMF motif acts as a CLSY-docking site. Indeed, mutations in and around this motif phenocopy pol iv null mutants. Together, these findings provide structural and functional insights into a critical protein feature that distinguishes Pol IV from other RNA polymerases, allowing it to promote genome stability by targeting TEs for silencing.

A Facilely Synthesized NiCo2S4 with Two Mutually Reinforcing Active Sites for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

The shuttle effect and slow conversion kinetics of soluble polysulfides hinder the commercial application of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this context, we propose a three-dimensional lamellar-stacked nanostructure of nickel cobalt sulfide (D-NiCo2S4) enriched with lattice defects by manipulating the cations in spinel sulfides. It has an obvious synergistic promotion mechanism for the adsorption and catalysis of lithium sulfides. Specifically, Ni3+ on tetrahedral (Td) sites with strong Ni-S covalency anchors LiPSs, whereas Co3+ on octahedral (Oh) sites promotes a highly efficient catalytic conversion of LiPSs, which is confirmed by experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Besides, the crystal defects and distortions in the lamellar region could expose more active sites and enhance the redox reaction kinetics of polysulfides. Hence, Li-S batteries with D-NiCo2S4@S as the cathode show outstanding cycle stability; upon cycling at 1 A/g, the battery achieves a high initial specific capacity of 1001.12 and 655.31 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles (decay rate as low as 0.05% per cycle), as well as a high initial areal capacity of 3.15 mAh cm-2 under high S loading (4.2 mg cm-2). This work provides a viable scheme for designing efficient bimetal sulfide catalysts and furnishes a rational strategy for constructing LSB cathodes with high specific capacity and high area capacity.

Breakage fusion bridge cycles drive high oncogene copy number, but not intratumoral genetic heterogeneity or rapid cancer genome change

Oncogene amplification is a major driver of cancer pathogenesis. Breakage fusion bridge (BFB) cycles, like extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA), can lead to high copy numbers of oncogenes, but their impact on intratumoral heterogeneity, treatment response, and patient survival are not well understood due to difficulty in detecting them by DNA sequencing. We describe a novel algorithm that detects and reconstructs BFB amplifications using optical genome maps (OGMs), called OM2BFB. OM2BFB showed high precision (>93%) and recall (92%) in detecting BFB amplifications in cancer cell lines, PDX models and primary tumors. OM-based comparisons demonstrated that short-read BFB detection using our AmpliconSuite (AS) toolkit also achieved high precision, albeit with reduced sensitivity. We detected 371 BFB events using whole genome sequences from 2,557 primary tumors and cancer lines. BFB amplifications were preferentially found in cervical, head and neck, lung, and esophageal cancers, but rarely in brain cancers. BFB amplified genes show lower variance of gene expression, with fewer options for regulatory rewiring relative to ecDNA amplified genes. BFB positive (BFB (+)) tumors showed reduced heterogeneity of amplicon structures, and delayed onset of resistance, relative to ecDNA(+) tumors. EcDNA and BFB amplifications represent contrasting mechanisms to increase the copy numbers of oncogene with markedly different characteristics that suggest different routes for intervention.

Quantification of nanoplastics uptake and transport in lettuce by pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Nanoplastics (NPs) can enter the edible parts of crop and threaten human health, which attract widespread attention. However, the precise quantification of NPs in crop is still a tremendous challenge. Herein, a method with Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) digestion, dichloromethane extraction combined with pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) quantification was present to quantify polystyrene (PS) NPs uptake in lettuce (Lactuca sativa). 25% of TMAH was optimized as extraction solvent and 590 °C was selected as pyrolysis temperature. Recoveries of 73.4-96.9% were obtained for PS-NPs at spiking level of 4-100 μg/g in control samples (RSD < 8.6%). The method exhibited good intra-day and inter-day reproducibility, detection limits of 34-38 ng/g and linearity with 0.998-0.999. The reliability of Py-GC/MS method was verified by europium-chelated PS using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To simulate different environmental conditions, hydroponic culture and soil incubated lettuce were exposed to different concentrations of NPs. Higher levels of PS-NPs were detected in roots and very few was transferred to the shoots. NPs in lettuce were confirmed by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). The developed method provides new opportunities for the quantification of NPs in crops.

Mass-based trophic transfer of polystyrene nanoplastics in the lettuce-snail food chain

To investigate the potential transfer of nanoplastics (NPs) from water to plants and subsequently to a higher trophic level, we established a food chain and evaluated the trophic transfer of polystyrene (PS) NPs based on mass concentrations by pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Lettuce plants were cultivated in Hoagland solution with varying concentrations of PS-NPs (0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 mg/L) for a period of 60 d and then a total of 7 g lettuce shoot was fed to snails for 27 d. Shoot biomass exposed at 1000 mg/L PS-NPs was reduced by 36.1 %. No significant change in root biomass was observed, however, root volume was reduced by 25.6 % at 100 mg/L. Moreover, PS-NPs were detected in both lettuce roots and shoots across all concentrations. Additionally, PS-NPs were transferred to snails and primarily found in feces (>75 %). Only 28 ng/g of PS-NPs were detected in the soft tissue of snails indirectly exposed at 1000 mg/L. Although PS-NPs were bio-diluted when transferred to species at higher trophic levels, they significantly inhibited the growth of snails, indicating that their potential risk to high trophic levels cannot be ignored. This study provides key information on trophic transfer and patterns of PS-NPs in food chains and helps to evaluate risk of NPs in terrestrial ecosystem.

CT-based radiomics nomogram for the preoperative prediction of microsatellite instability and clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer: a multicentre study

AIM

To develop and validate a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics nomogram for preoperative prediction of microsatellite instability (MSI) status and clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled 497 CRC patients from three centres. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression was utilised for feature selection and constructing the radiomics signature. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify significant clinical variables. The radiomics nomogram was constructed by integrating the radiomics signature and the identified clinical variables. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated through receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to investigate the prognostic value of the nomogram.

RESULTS

The radiomics signature comprised 10 radiomics features associated with MSI status. The nomogram, integrating the radiomics signature and independent predictors (age, location, and thickness), demonstrated favourable calibration and discrimination, achieving areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) of 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83-0.95), 0.87 (95% CI: 0.79-0.95), 0.88 (95% CI: 0.81-0.96), and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78-0.93) in the training cohort, internal validation cohort, and two external validation cohorts, respectively. The nomogram exhibited superior performance compared to the clinical model (p<0.05). Additionally, survival analysis demonstrated that the nomogram successfully stratified stage II CRC patients based on prognosis (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.357, p=0.022).

CONCLUSION

The radiomics nomogram demonstrated promising performance in predicting MSI status and stratifying the prognosis of patients with CRC.

Can SGRT be a Substitute for Plan Verification Procedure?

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Verification of plan (VP) has been part of our pre-treatment workflow for treatment isocenter verification. Currently, our center uses simulator for VP procedure for all our patients before the treatment. We would like to investigate if SGRT could be a good substitute for VP procedure to simplify our pre-treatment workflow.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In Group A (A-c, A-t, A-a), 20 patients of each treatment site (cranial, thorax and abdomen) were selected randomly. Patients did not go through VP procedure. During the first fraction of treatment, the therapists were guided by SGRT system (Vision RT, UK) and aligned the patient to 3mm and 1°using a standard region of interest (ROI). First CBCT was taken as a reference to customize the ROI for better suitability. Next, the patient was re-aligned to 1mm and 1°using the new ROI. Second CBCT was acquired, and 6 degrees of freedoms shifts were recorded. In Group B (B-c, B-t, B-a), 20 patients of each treatment site (cranial, thorax and abdominal) that were assigned for VP over the same period as Group A patients. Group B patients were aligned based on the skin markings drawn during VP procedure. CBCTs were taken at the first fraction of treatment and shifts were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 60 CBCT images were analyzed for each group of patients. The absolute mean and standard deviations were shown in Table 1. The results indicated that Group A is superior, if not comparable, to Group B. Table 1: The absolute mean and standard deviations of first fraction of CBCT positioning errors for Group A and B patients.

CONCLUSION

With appropriate ROI, SGRT is a good or superior substitute for plan verification procedure. Localization verification can be done during day one of treatment which ease the pre-treatment workflow to both patients and clinical team. Analysis of customized ROI will be further studied in the future.

Enhanced removal efficiency of bensulfuron-methyl by a novel boron doping biochar-based Acinetobacter YH0317 at a lower temperature

Biochar-based bacteria are regarded as an efficient strategy for remediating organic pollutants in aquatic environments. Herein, a strain named Acinetobacter YH0317 that could degrade bensulfuron-methyl (BSM) at a lower temperature (15 °C) was isolated from a paddy rice field with long-term BSM application. Then Acinetobacter YH0317 was loaded on unmodified biochar (BC) and boron doping biochar (BBC). Results showed that BBC-based YH0317 significantly enhanced the removal efficiency of BSM (71.8-99.1%) compared with BC-based YH0317 (41.9-44.0%) and YH0317 alone (18.1-20.7%) in 24 h. BBC promoted the growth of YH0317 and secretion of extracellular secretions by providing a carrier and shelter for YH0317. The electrochemical analysis suggested BBC improved the electron transfer rate, which ultimately facilitated the removal of BSM. Hydroponic experiments indicated that BBC-based YH0317 effectively improved the growth of soybean. This work reports a novel BBC-based Acinetobacter YH0317 that could effectively remediate BSM contamination in the water environment.

Co single atoms anchored on straw biochar as an efficient peroxydisulfate activator for ultrafast removal of antibiotics

The removal efficiency of antibiotics decreases at low temperature, which is an urgent problem to be solved in cold regions. This study prepared a low-cost single atom catalyst (SAC) from straw biochar, which can rapidly degrade antibiotics at different temperatures by activating peroxydisulfate (PDS). Co SA/CN-900 + PDS system can degrade 100% of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH, 10 mg/L) in 6 min. The high concentration of TCH (25 mg/L) was degraded by 96.3% in 10 min at 4 °C. The system was also tested in simulated wastewater and showed a good removal efficiency. TCH was primarily degraded by 1O2 and direct electron transfer pathway. Electrochemical experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that CoN4 improved the electron transfer capacity of biochar and thus enhanced the oxidation capacity of Co SA/CN-900 + PDS complex. This work optimizes the application of agricultural waste biochar and provides a design strategy of efficient heterogenous Co SACs to degrade antibiotics in cold regions.

[Effects of advanced platelet-rich fibrin on deep partial-thickness burn wounds in nude mice]

Objective: To explore the effects of advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) on deep partial-thickness burn wounds in nude mice and its mechanism. Methods: The experimental study method was adopted. Forty healthy volunteers in Subei People's Hospital were recruited, including 32 females and 8 males, aged 60 to 72 years. Leukocyte platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) and A-PRF membranes were prepared after venous blood was extracted from them. The microstructure of two kinds of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) membranes was observed by field emission scanning electron microscope. The number of samples was 3 in the following experiments. The L-PRF and A-PRF membranes were divided into L-PRF group and A-PRF group and cultured, and then the release concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in culture supernatant were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on culture day 1, 3, 7, and 14. Mice L929 fibroblasts (Fbs) were divided into L-PRF group and A-PRF group, and cultured with L-PRF or A-PRF conditioned medium, respectively. On culture day 1, 3, and 7, the cell proliferation activity was detected by thiazole blue method. The cell migration rate was detected and calculated at 24 h after scratching by scratch test. Thirty-six male BALB/c nude mice aged 6-8 weeks were selected to make a deep partial-thickness burn wound on one hind leg, and then divided into normal saline group, L-PRF group, and A-PRF group, according to the random number table, with 12 mice in each group. The wounds of nude mice in normal saline group were only washed by normal saline, while the wounds of nude mice in L-PRF group and A-PRF group were covered with the corresponding membranes in addition. The wounds of nude mice in the 3 groups were all bandaged and fixed with dressings. On treatment day 4, 7, and 14, the wound healing was observed and the wound healing rate was calculated. Masson staining was used to observe the new collagen in wound tissue, and immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the percentage of CD31 positive cells in the wound. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, analysis of variance for repeated measurement, analysis of variance for factorial design, one-way analysis of variance, and least significant difference test. Results: L-PRF membrane's dense network structure was composed of coarse fibrin bundles, with scattered white blood cells and platelets with complete morphology. A-PRF membrane's loose network structure was composed of fine fibrin bundles, with scattered small amount of deformed white blood cells and platelets. On culture day 1, the release concentration of PDGF-AB in PRF culture supernatant in A-PRF group was significantly higher than that in L-PRF group (t=5.73, P<0.05), while the release concentrations of VEGF in PRF culture supernatant in the two groups were similar (P>0.05). On culture day 3, 7, and 14, the release concentrations of PDGF-AB and VEGF in PRF culture supernatant in A-PRF group were significantly higher than those in L-PRF group (with t values of 6.93, 7.45, 5.49, 6.97, 8.97, and 13.64, respectively, P<0.05). On culture day 3, 7, and 14, the release concentrations of PDGF-AB and VEGF in PRF culture supernatant in the two groups were all significantly higher than those in the previous time points within the group (P<0.05). On culture day 1, 3, and 7, the proliferation activity of mice Fbs in A-PRF group was 0.293±0.034, 0.582±0.054, and 0.775±0.040, respectively, which were significantly stronger than 0.117±0.013, 0.390±0.036, and 0.581±0.037 in L-PRF group (with t values of 8.38, 5.14, and 6.16, respectively, P<0.05). At 24 h after scratching, the migration rate of mice Fbs in A-PRF group was (60.9±2.2)%, which was significantly higher than (39.1±2.3)% in L-PRF group (t=11.74, P<0.05). On treatment day 4, the wound exudates of nude mice in L-PRF group and A-PRF group were less with no obvious signs of infection, while the wounds of nude mice in normal saline group showed more exudation. On treatment day 7, the wounds of nude mice in L-PRF group and A-PRF group were dry and crusted, while there was still a small amount of exudate in the wounds of nude mice in normal saline group. On treatment day 14, the wounds of nude mice in A-PRF group tended to heal; a small portion of wounds remained in nude mice in L-PRF group; the wound of nude mice was still covered with eschar in normal saline group. On treatment day 4, 7, and 14, the wound healing rate and percentage of CD31 positive cells of nude mice in L-PRF group were all significantly higher than those in normal saline group (P<0.05); compared with those in normal saline group and L-PRF group, the wound healing rate of nude mice in A-PRF group was significantly increased (P<0.05), the newborn collagen was orderly and evenly distributed, with no excessive deposition, and the percentage of CD31 positive cells was significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusions: The stable fibrin network structure of A-PRF can maintain the sustained release of growth factors, accelerate cell proliferation, and promote cell migration, so as to shorten the healing time and improve the healing quality of deep partial-thickness burn wounds in nude mice.

Cobalt nanoparticles & nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes@hollow carbon with high catalytic ability for high-performance lithium sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery has been considered as a potential next-era energy storage device. However, its practical application is limited by the volume change of sulfur and the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides. To effectively overcome these issues, a hollow carbon decorated with cobalt nanoparticles and interconnected by nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (Co-NCNT@HC) is developed for high-performance Li-S battery. The uniformly distributed nitrogen and cobalt nanoparticles in Co-NCNT@HC are able to enhance the chemical adsorption capability and fasten the transformation speed of the intermediates, thus effectively inhibit the loss of lithium polysulfides. Moreover, the hollow carbon spheres interconnected by carbon nanotubes are structurally stable and electrically conductive. Due to the unique structure, the Li-S battery enhanced by Co-NCNT@HC shows a high initial capacity of 1550 mAh/g at 0.1 A g^-1. Even at a high current density of 2.0 A g^-1, after 1000 cycles, it still maintains a capacity of 750 mAh/g with a capacity retention of 76.4% (the capacity decay rate is only 0.037% per cycle). This study provides a promising strategy for the development of high-performance Li-S batteries.

[Association between vitamin D level and blood eosinophil count in healthy population and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with blood eosinophil count in healthy population and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS

We analyzed the data of a total 6163 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examination in our hospital between October, 2017 and December, 2021, who were divided according to their serum 25(OH)D level into severe vitamin D deficiency group (< 10 ng/mL), deficiency group (< 20 ng/mL), insufficient group (< 30 ng/mL) and normal group (≥30 ng/mL). We also retrospectively collected the data of 67 COPD patients admitted in our department from April and June, 2021, with 67 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination in the same period as the control group. Routine blood test results, body mass index (BMI) and other parameters were obtained from all the subjects, and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between 25(OH)D levels and eosinophil count.

RESULTS

The overall abnormal rate of 25(OH)D level (< 30 ng/mL) in the healthy individuals was 85.31%, and the rate was significantly higher in women (89.29%) than in men. Serum 25(OH)D levels in June, July, and August were significantly higher than those in December, January, and February. In the healthy individuals, blood eosinophil counts were the lowest in severe 25(OH)D deficiency group, followed by the deficiency group and insufficient group, and were the highest in the normal group (P < 0.05). Multivariable regression analysis showed that an older age, a higher BMI, and elevated vitamin D levels were all risk factors for elevated blood eosinophils in the healthy individuals. The patients with COPD had lower serum 25(OH)D levels than the healthy individuals (19.66±7.87 vs 26.39±9.28 ng/mL) and a significantly higher abnormal rate of serum 25(OH)D (91% vs 71%; P < 0.05). A reduced serum 25(OH)D level was a risk factor for COPD. Blood eosinophils, sex and BMI were not significantly correlated with serum 25(OH)D level in patients with COPD.

CONCLUSION

Vitamin D deficiency is common in both healthy individuals and COPD patients, and the correlations of vitamin D level with sex, BMI and blood eosinophils differ obviously between healthy individuals and COPD patients.

Quantitatively biomechanical response analysis of posterior musculature reconstruction in cervical single-door laminoplasty

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The current trend of laminoplasty is developing toward the goal of muscle preservation and minimum tissue damage. Given this, muscle-preserving techniques in cervical single-door laminoplasty have been modified with protecting the spinous processes at the sites of C2 and/or C7 muscle attachment and reconstruct the posterior musculature in recent years. To date, no study has reported the effect of preserving the posterior musculature during the reconstruction. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively evaluate the biomechanical effect of multiple modified single-door laminoplasty procedures for restoring stability and reducing response level on the cervical spine.

METHODS

Different cervical laminoplasty models were established for evaluating kinematics and response simulations based on a detailed finite element (FE) head-neck active model (HNAM), including ① C3 - C7 laminoplasty (LP_C37), ② C3 - C6 laminoplasty with C7 spinous process preservation (LP_C36), ③ C3 laminectomy hybrid decompression with C4 - C6 laminoplasty (LT_C3 + LP_C46) and ④ C3 - C7 laminoplasty with unilateral musculature preservation (LP_C37 + UMP). The laminoplasty model was validated by the global range of motion (ROM) and percentage changes relative to the intact state. The C2 - T1 ROM, axial muscle tensile force, and stress/strain levels of functional spinal units were compared among the different laminoplasty groups. The obtained effects were further analysed by comparison with a review of clinical data on cervical laminoplasty scenarios.

RESULTS

Analysis of the locations of concentration of muscle load showed that the C2 muscle attachment sustained more tensile loading than the C7 muscle attachment, primarily in flexion-extension (FE) and in lateral bending (LB) and axial rotation (AR), respectively. Simulated results further quantified that LP_C36 primarily produced 10% decreases in LB and AR modes relative to LP_C37. Compared with LP_C36, LT_C3 + LP_C46 resulted in approximately 30% decreases in FE motion; LP C37 + UMP also showed a similar trend. Additionally, when compared to LP_C37, LT_C3 + LP_C46 and LP C37 + UMP reduced the peak stress level at the intervertebral disc by at most 2-fold as well as the peak strain level of the facet joint capsule by 2-3-fold. All these findings were well correlated with the result of clinical studies comparing modified laminoplasty and classic laminoplasty.

CONCLUSIONS

Modified muscle-preserving laminoplasty is superior to classic laminoplasty due to the biomechanical effect of the posterior musculature reconstruction, with a retained postoperative ROM and loading response levels of the functional spinal units. More motion-sparing is beneficial for increasing cervical stability, which probably accelerates the recovery of postoperative neck movement and reduces the risk of the complication for eventual kyphosis and axial pain. Surgeons are encouraged to make every effort to preserve the attachment of the C2 whenever feasible in laminoplasty.

A small-scale, exploratory real-world study of nab-paclitaxel combined with oxaliplatin and tegafur in the perioperative treatment of advanced gastric cancer: a study protocol for a real-world clinical trial

Background

Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) is an optimized and improved derivative of paclitaxel with superior efficacy and fewer adverse reactions, and it is widely used in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the safety and efficacy of nab-paclitaxel combined with oxaliplatin (LBP) and tegafur in the treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Methods

This analysis is a prospective, single-center, open-label, historically controlled real-world study designed to include 10 patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with nab-paclitaxel combined with LBP and tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium. The primary and main efficacy outcomes are safety indicators, including the incidence of adverse drug reactions and adverse events (AEs), as well as the outliers of laboratory indicators and vital signs. The secondary efficacy outcomes are overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and proportion of dose suspensions, dose reductions and discontinuations.

Discussion

Based on the findings of previous studies, we wished to assess the safety and efficacy of nab-paclitaxel combined with LBP and tegafur in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. The trial requires constant contact and monitoring. The purpose is to determine a superior protocol in terms of patient survival, and pathological and objective response.

Trial Registration

This trial has been registered with the Clinical Trial Registry: NCT05052931 (registration date: 2021/9/12).

[DTX2 overexpression promotes migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells through the Notch2/Akt axis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of changes in DTX2 expression level on migration and invasion of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and explore the mechanism.

METHODS

Two CRC cell lines SW620 and LoVo were transfected with a specific shRNA targeting DTX2 (DTX2-shRNA) or a DTX2-overexpressing plasmid (pcDNA-DTX2), and the transfection efficiency was evaluated with RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Scratch and Transwell assays were used to assess the changes in migration and invasion ability of the transfected cells, and the cellular expression levels of Notch2, NICD, AKT, p-Akt and MMP-2/9 proteins were detected with Western blotting. The CRC cells were co-transfected with pcDNA-DTX2 and Notch2 siRNA to assess the effect of Notch2 knockdown on DTX2 overexpression-induced enhancement of cell migration and invasion.

RESULTS

The expression levels of DTX2 at both the mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased in CRC cells transfected with DTX2- shRNA (P < 0.01) and increased in cells transfected with pcDNA-DTX2 (P < 0.01). Scratch and Transwell assays showed that the migration and invasion abilities of CRC cells were significantly lowered following DTX2 knockdown (P < 0.01) and were enhanced in cells with DTX2 overexpression (P < 0.01). The expression levels of Notch2, NICD, p-Akt and MMP-2 proteins decreased significantly in CRC cells with DTX2 knockdown (P < 0.05) and increased obviously in DTX2-overexpressing cells (P < 0.05). In both of the two CRC cell lines, transfection with Notch2 siRNA obviously reversed the effect of DTX2 overexpression in promoting cell migration and invasion (P < 0.01) and expressions of the related proteins.

CONCLUSION

DTX2 overexpression promotes migration and invasion of CRC cells through the Notch2/Akt axis, suggesting the potential of DTX2 as a new biological indicator of CRC.

M1 macrophage predicted efficacy of neoadjuvant camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone for locally advanced ESCC: A pilot study

Introduction

The efficacy and safety of immunotherapy have been widely recognized in gastrointestinal-related cancers. However, the efficacy of neoadjuvant camrelizumab for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been firmly established. This study compared the efficacy of camrelizumab in combination with neoadjuvant DCF (docetaxel, cisplatin and fluorouracil), with DCF alone for ESCC, and exploring biomarkers related to immune infiltration of the ESCC immunotherapy response.

Methods

We enrolled and randomly assigned patients with stage II-IVa ESCC to two study treatments: camrelizumab combined with docetaxel, cisplatin and fluorouracil (DCF) regimen and DCF regimen alone. The tissue for multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) was obtained before and after neoadjuvant therapy. The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors RECIST Version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) and Tumor Regression Grade (TRG) was used to evaluate efficacy.

Results

A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the study. Following neoadjuvant camrelizumab, the objective response rate (ORR) and the disease control rate (DCR) were 46.7% (7/15) and 95.7% (14/15), respectively. No patients reported complete remission, while ORR and DCR in the chemotherapy group were 26.7% (4/15) and 86.7% (13/15), respectively. R0 resection after neoadjuvant treatment was achieved in 3 out of 15 patients in the combined group and in all patients (15/15) in the chemotherapy group. In the combined group, M1-type tumor-associated macrophages and CD56dim NK cells were more abundant in responders than in non-responders (p &lt; 0.05). A higher M1/M2 ratio was observed in responders (p &lt; 0.05). With respect to the NGS, among the copy number amplified genes, the 11q13 amplicon (CCND1/FGF19/FGF4/FGF3) showed the highest frequency (47%, 7/15).

Conclusions

Neoadjuvant camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy improved ORR in locally advanced ESCC. M1-type tumor-associated macrophages and CD56dim NK cells might be utilized to predict camrelizumab efficacy.

Alterations in smell or taste in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of Omicron variant dominance

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the prevalence, severity, correlation with initial symptoms, and role of vaccination in patients with COVID-19 with smell or taste alterations (STAs).

METHODS

We conducted an observational study of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron admitted to three hospitals between May 17 and June 16, 2022. The olfactory and gustatory functions were evaluated using the taste and smell survey and the numerical visual analog scale at two time points.

RESULTS

The T1 and T2 time point assessments were completed by 688 and 385 participants, respectively. The prevalence of STAs at two time points was 41.3% vs 42.6%. Furthermore, no difference existed in the severity distribution of taste and smell survey, smell, or taste visual analog scale scores between the groups. Patients with initial symptoms of headache (P = 0.03) and muscle pain (P = 0.04) were more likely to develop STAs, whereas higher education; three-dose vaccination; no symptoms yet; or initial symptoms of cough, throat discomfort, and fever demonstrated protective effects, and the results were statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of STAs did not decrease significantly during the Omicron dominance, but the severity was reduced, and vaccination demonstrated a protective effect. In addition, the findings suggest that the presence of STAs is likely to be an important indicator of viral invasion of the nervous system.

Enhanced adsorption performance of bensulfuron methyl with B doping biochar: Mechanism and density functional theory calculations

It is an urgent task to develop suitable adsorbents for the control of herbicide-bensulfuron methyl (BSM) in the paddy rice fields at cold regions. Herein, B doping biochar was synthesized via one-step method. Results showed that the adsorption capacity for BSM on 1.0BBC was significantly superior to BC at 15 °C. Besides, low temperature resistance, wide pH adaptability, stable adsorption performance and reusability test suggested that 1.0BBC have potential practical application. The mechanisms of BSM removal by 1.0BBC were mainly attributed to pore filling and π-π electron donor-acceptor (EDA) interaction. Theoretical calculations revealed that BCO₂ could enhance the adsorption capacity by π-π EDA between BSM and adsorbent. Meanwhile, hydroponic experiment demonstrated that the toxicity to soybean after adsorption of BSM by 1.0BBC was within the safe range. This study proves that 1.0BBC is an easy-to-prepare adsorbent with promising application in BSM removal in the rice paddy fields at lower temperature.

[Bushen Huoxue Fang improves recurrent miscarriage in mice by down-regulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of Bushen Huoxue Fang (BSHXF, a traditional Chinese medicine formula) for improving recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in mice and the role of tyrosine kinase (JAK2) and transcriptional activator (STAT3) signaling pathway in its therapeutic mechanism.

METHODS

Female CBA/J mice were caged with male DBA/2 mice to establish RSA mouse models, which were randomly divided into model group, dydrogesterone group and BSHXF group, with the female mice caged with male BALB/c mice as the control group (n=6). From the first day of pregnancy, the mice were subjected to daily intragastric administration of BSHXF, dydrogesterone, or distilled water (in control and model groups) for 12 days. After the treatments, serum levels of antithrombin III (AT-III), activated protein C (APC), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), progesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and estradiol (E2) were detected in each group using ELISA. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the endometrium of the mice. Western blotting was performed to determine the expressions of p-JAK2, p-Stat3 and Bcl-2 in the placenta of the mice.

RESULTS

Compared with the control mice, the mouse models of RSA showed a significantly increased embryo loss rate with decreased serum levels of AT-III, T-PA, progesterone, APC and HCG, increased placental expressions of p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and Bax, and decreased expression of Bcl-2 (P < 0.05). Treatments with BSHXF and dydrogesterone both increased serum levels of AT-III, t-PA and HCG in the mouse models; Serum APC level was significantly reduced in BSHXF group and serum progesterone level was significantly increased in dydrogesterone group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

BSHXF can improve the prethrombotic state and inhibit cell apoptosis by downregulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway to increase the pregnancy rate in mouse models of RSA.

Establishment and external verification of an oxidative stress-related gene signature to predict clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses of colorectal cancer

Objective: Accumulated evidence highlights the biological significance of oxidative stress in tumorigenicity and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Our study aimed to establish a reliable oxidative stress-related signature to predict patients' clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses. Methods: Transcriptome profiles and clinical features of CRC patients were retrospectively analyzed from public datasets. LASSO analysis was used to construct an oxidative stress-related signature to predict overall survival, disease-free survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free survival. Additionally, antitumor immunity, drug sensitivity, signaling pathways, and molecular subtypes were analyzed between different risk subsets through TIP, CIBERSORT, oncoPredict, etc. approaches. The genes in the signature were experimentally verified in the human colorectal mucosal cell line (FHC) along with CRC cell lines (SW-480 and HCT-116) through RT-qPCR or Western blot. Results: An oxidative stress-related signature was established, composed of ACOX1, CPT2, NAT2, NRG1, PPARGC1A, CDKN2A, CRYAB, NGFR, and UCN. The signature displayed an excellent capacity for survival prediction and was linked to worse clinicopathological features. Moreover, the signature correlated with antitumor immunity, drug sensitivity, and CRC-related pathways. Among molecular subtypes, the CSC subtype had the highest risk score. Experiments demonstrated that CDKN2A and UCN were up-regulated and ACOX1, CPT2, NAT2, NRG1, PPARGC1A, CRYAB, and NGFR were down-regulated in CRC than normal cells. In H₂O₂-induced CRC cells, their expression was notably altered. Conclusion: Altogether, our findings constructed an oxidative stress-related signature that can predict survival outcomes and therapeutic response in CRC patients, thus potentially assisting prognosis prediction and adjuvant therapy decisions.

A Mesozoic fossil lagerstätte from 250.8 million years ago shows a modern-type marine ecosystem

Finely preserved fossil assemblages (lagerstätten) provide crucial insights into evolutionary innovations in deep time. We report an exceptionally preserved Early Triassic fossil assemblage, the Guiyang Biota, from the Daye Formation near Guiyang, South China. High-precision uranium-lead dating shows that the age of the Guiyang Biota is 250.83 +0.07/-0.06 million years ago. This is only 1.08 ± 0.08 million years after the severe Permian-Triassic mass extinction, and this assemblage therefore represents the oldest known Mesozoic lagerstätte found so far. The Guiyang Biota comprises at least 12 classes and 19 orders, including diverse fish fauna and malacostracans, revealing a trophically complex marine ecosystem. Therefore, this assemblage demonstrates the rapid rise of modern-type marine ecosystems after the Permian-Triassic mass extinction.

The role of mitochondrial fission in intervertebral disc degeneration

Low back pain (LBP) is an extremely common disorder and is a major cause of disability globally. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the main contributor to LBP. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of IVDD remain unclear. Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that continuously undergo fusion and fission, known as mitochondrial dynamics. Accumulating evidence has revealed that aberrantly activated mitochondrial fission leads to mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction, which are involved in the development and progression of IVDD. To date, research into mitochondrial dynamics in IVDD is at an early stage. The present narrative review aims to summarize the most recent findings about the role of mitochondrial fission in the pathogenesis of IVDD.

Identification of novel characteristic biomarkers and immune infiltration profile for the anaplastic thyroid cancer via machine learning algorithms

PURPOSE

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare and lethal malignant cancer. In recent years, the application of molecular-driven targeted therapy and immunotherapy has markedly improved the prognosis of ATC. This study aimed to identify characteristic genes for ATC diagnosis and revealed the role of ATC characteristic genes in drug sensitivity and immune cell infiltration.

METHODS

We downloaded ATC RNA-sequencing data from the GEO database. Following the combination and normalization of the dataset, we first divided the combined datasets into the training cohort and the validation cohort. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ATC by differential expression analysis in the training cohort. We used two machine learning algorithms, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) to identify ATC characteristic genes. The CIBERSORT algorithm was performed to calculate the abundance of various immune cells in ATC. Finally, we validated the expression of ATC characteristic genes by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) in ATC cell lines and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTS

A total of 425 DEGs were identified in the training cohort, including 240 upregulated genes and 185 downregulated genes. Four ATC characteristic genes (ADM, PXDN, MMP1, and TFF3) were identified, and their diagnostic value was validated in the validation cohort (AUC in ROC analysis > 0.75). We established a practical gene expression-based nomogram to accurately predict the probability of ATC. We also found that ATC characteristic biomarkers are associated with the tumor immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity.

CONCLUSION

ADM, PXDN, MMP1, and TFF3 might serve as potential ATC diagnostic biomarkers and may be helpful for ATC molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

A semi-fluid multi-functional binder for a high-performance silicon anode of lithium-ion batteries

Currently, a variety of binders are developed to inhibit the rapid capacity fading of Si. The Si anodes are mainly enhanced by the chemical bonding effect on the surface of conventional solid-state binders. However, with a huge volume change of silicon, solid binders are easily deactivated. Herein, a semi-fluid binder termed GPC is designed based on a viscoelastic crosslinking network with abundant active sites and self-healing performance. The backbone of the binder network is in situ synthesized using guar gum (GG), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and citric acid (CA). Serving as the flexible joints and the plasticizer of the network, CA small molecules remarkably improve the viscoelasticity of the binder to tolerate the volume change of Si via rearranging particles in the network during cycling. Moreover, CA can form a layer of surface coating on Si to stabilize the SEI for long-term electrochemical performance. As a result, the Si@GPC electrode shows excellent cycling stability and exhibits a superb capacity of 1292 mA h g^-1 after 1000 cycles at 2 A g^-1. This work illustrates the advantages and prospects of designing semi-fluid binders for high-performance batteries.

Effects of micro- and nano-plastics on accumulation and toxicity of pyrene in water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk)

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) in terrestrial ecosystems are attracting increasing attentions. However, the studies of MNPs on the accumulation and migration of organic contaminants in edible plants are relatively scarce. Here, we investigated the impacts and mechanisms of MNPs of different concentrations and sizes on the uptake and toxicity of pyrene in water spinach. The results showed that MNPs had a promotion effect on the uptake of pyrene in various parts of water spinach, leading to the continuous accumulation of pyrene. The promotion effect of high concentration microplastics (MPs, 10 μm) is stronger than that of nanoplastics (NPs, 100 nm). The co-exposure of MNPs and pyrene increased the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in water spinach and aggravated the damage of lipid peroxidation. The co-exposure of MNPs and pyrene induced the increase of photosynthetic pigment contents and enhanced chloroplast activity. In addition, the co-exposure stimulated the overexpression of psbA and rbcL genes related to photosynthetic pigments, resulting in genotoxicity of water spinach. This study emphasized that the co-exposure of MNPs and pyrene caused harmful effects and high concentration of MPs caused greater toxicity to water spinach than NPs.

Different effects and mechanisms of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on the uptake of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) by lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Heavy metals are widely distributed in soil ecosystems, posing a potential threat to soil biota. Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) can impact the accumulation of heavy metals in plants through changing soil microbial community and cause injury to plants. In this work, two concentrations (100 and 1000 mg/kg) polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and nanoplastics (PS-NPs) were adopted to explore the effects and mechanisms of MNPs on the uptake of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). MPs increased the uptake of heavy metals in lettuce by increasing the relative abundance of the key metal-activation bacteria in rhizospheric soil. At the end of experiment, the contents of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in NP treatments were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of MPs, particularly in 1000 mg/kg of NPs, with concentrations of 52.6, 174, 10.3, and 33.2 mg/kg, respectively. Biomarkers and gene expression reveled that 1000 mg/kg of NPs caused more severe injuries to lettuce plant at the end. Moreover, metabolomic analysis demonstrated that NPs disturbed the metabolism of ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC transporter) and plant hormone signal transduction of lettuce root, causing increased uptake of heavy metals by lettuce. This work reveals that MPs may increase accumulation of heavy metals by altering the rhizosphere microorganisms, whereas NPs increase accumulation of heavy metals by causing more severe injuries to lettuce plant.

Number of Teeth and Denture Use Are Associated with Frailty among Chinese Older Adults: A Cohort Study Based on the CLHLS from 2008 to 2018

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the association between oral health and the development of frailty over a 10-year period in older Chinese adults.

DESIGN

This was a cohort study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The data in this study were derived from the 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The final analysis included 1155 older adults who had complete data for the Frailty Index (FI) and the other factors(oral health, sociodemographics, etc) that were analyzed in the study.

MEASUREMENTS

Frailty was assessed by the FI, which consists of 40 deficits(self-health assessments, diseases, physical functions,etc). Multivariable logistic regression was carried out to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) of the independent variables,which were obtained from investigator surveys and self-reports, in association with the development of frailty.

RESULTS

The prevalence of frailty at baseline was 22.94%, and the 10-year incidence of frailty was 24.16% (215/890). Age, number of natural teeth, use of dentures, toothache and sex were independent risk factors for frailty at baseline. After full adjustment, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that compared with having ≥21 teeth, edentulism (ORs 3.575; 95% CI 2.095,6.101) and partial tooth loss (ORs 2.448; 95% CI 1.592,3.766) were associated with progression to frailty. Compared with those with ≥21 teeth, those with <21 teeth and without dentures (ORs 2.617; 95% CI 1.713,3.999) were more likely to progress to frailty.

CONCLUSION

The loss of natural teeth is associated with the progression of frailty in older Chinese adults and denture using can help lower the odds of being frailty. Further research on maintain natural teeth and the appropriate use of dentures may help to establish effective frailty prevention strategies for the older adults.

Recent Development of Neural Microelectrodes with Dual-Mode Detection

Neurons communicate through complex chemical and electrophysiological signal patterns to develop a tight information network. A physiological or pathological event cannot be explained by signal communication mode. Therefore, dual-mode electrodes can simultaneously monitor the chemical and electrophysiological signals in the brain. They have been invented as an essential tool for brain science research and brain-computer interface (BCI) to obtain more important information and capture the characteristics of the neural network. Electrochemical sensors are the most popular methods for monitoring neurochemical levels in vivo. They are combined with neural microelectrodes to record neural electrical activity. They simultaneously detect the neurochemical and electrical activity of neurons in vivo using high spatial and temporal resolutions. This paper systematically reviews the latest development of neural microelectrodes depending on electrode materials for simultaneous in vivo electrochemical sensing and electrophysiological signal recording. This includes carbon-based microelectrodes, silicon-based microelectrode arrays (MEAs), and ceramic-based MEAs, focusing on the latest progress since 2018. In addition, the structure and interface design of various types of neural microelectrodes have been comprehensively described and compared. This could be the key to simultaneously detecting electrochemical and electrophysiological signals.

[Research advances on the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers with autologous platelet-rich fibrin]

Diabetic foot is one of the serious complications of diabetic patients, which makes the society and public health bear a huge economic burden. In recent years, more and more studies at home and abroad have been conducted on the treatment of chronic wounds with autologous platelet-rich fibrin, and the therapeutic concepts and methods have been updated constantly. In this paper, we reviewed the general situation of autologous platelet-rich fibrin, the mechanism of autologous platelet-rich fibrin in promoting the healing of diabetic foot ulcers and the new progress in its application, so as to provide a new strategy for the repair of diabetic foot ulcers.

Biodegradable microplastics impact the uptake of Cd in rice: The roles of niche breadth and assembly process

Biodegradable microplastics (MPs) can impact the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) by plants, however, its mechanisms have not been fully understood. In this study, two biodegradable MPs, polypropylene carbonate (PPC) and polylactic acid (PLA), were used to examine their influences on the uptake of Cd in rice plants. Results showed that PPC significantly reduced the accumulation of Cd in rice root and aerial part, whereas PLA increased the Cd concentrations in rice root. The random forest analysis revealed that the bacterial biomarkers enriched by two MPs were different at genus level. Niche breadths were significantly reduced under Cd stress, and PPC alleviated this environmental pressure for entire bacterial community, whereas PLA reduced the niche breadth for whole community and abundant taxa, which was further verified by co-occurrence network and normalized stochasticity ratio model. The abundant taxa of group PPC were primarily governed by deterministic process while rare taxa were more driven by stochastic process. Structural equation model and Mantel analysis identified that the niche breadth imposed a strong selection on Cd accumulation after co-exposure. This study reveals the underlying mechanism of assembly process and niche breadth of rice rhizosphere microbiome on Cd accumulation by rice plants.

[The influence of two kinds of transnasal endoscopic surgery on the outcome status of sinus cavity in patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps]

Objective: To investigate the trend of postoperative cavity status in patients with eosinophilic chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps (eCRSwNP) who underwent total nasalization surgery and partial reboot surgery. And to discuss the relationship between tissue eosinophil counts and status of postoperative cavity. Methods: Patients with eCRSwNP in four tertiary medical centers (Longgang ENT Hospital, Xiamen Humanity Hospital, Guangdong Clifford Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University) from March 2018 to October 2021 were divided into 2 groups. The group without previous surgery history was performed for the nasalization surgery, and another group with previous surgery history underwent the part-reboot surgery. The follow-up time after operation was defined as the following 5 stages: 6, 12, 20-24, 36 and more than 42 months. According to FESS-95 Guangzhou standard, status of sinus cavity was assessed and classified into 3 categories: good, better and bad. The association between the sinus cavity status and tissue eosinophil counts in the above 5 stages was analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 72 eCRSwNP patients finished the follow-up in this study. There were 47 males and 25 females in these patients, aged from 11 to 67 years. A total of 50 cases underwent nasalization surgery and 22 cases underwent partial reboot surgery. With the follow-up time from 6 to 48 months, there were 72 cases (100.0%) who completed 6 months and 12 months follow up, 46 cases (63.9%) for 20-24 months, 36 cases (50.0%) for 32-36 months and 16 cases (22.2%) with the follow-up time more than 42 months. No matter what kind of surgery, there was no "bad" situation of the surgical cavity status 6 months after the operation, and the differentiation gradually occurred more than 12 months after the surgery. Moreover, the rates of "good" cavity status for the 5 stages in the group of nasalization surgery were 78.0%, 66.0%, 56.7%, 47.6% and 42.9%, and were 63.6%, 45.5%, 25.0%, 20.0% and 11.1% in the partial reboot surgery group, respectively, suggesting that the status of nasal cavity in nasalization surgery group was always better than that in partial reboot surgery group in every period. In addition, the "bad" rate was 0, 8.0%, 10.0%, 14.3% and 28.6% in the group of nasalization surgery, and was 0, 27.3%, 18.8%, 33.3% and 55.6% in the partial reboot surgery group, respectively. The average percentage of tissue eosinophil counts in the 72 cases was 42.1%, which had no obvious effect on the status of the surgical cavity (P>0.05). Conclusions: For eCRSwNP patients, the operative cavity status in the patients without previous operation history treated with nasalization surgery is good. The time of 1-2 years after surgery is the main period for sinus lesions. The counts of tissue eosinophils has no significant influence on surgical sinus cavity status in the eCRSwNP patients.

Landscape of RB1 alterations in 22,432 Chinese solid tumor patients

Background

The human retinoblastoma susceptibility gene (RB1) is a tumor-suppressor gene mutated at different frequencies in many different cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of overall RB1 mutation and different mutation types in a range of Chinese patients with solid tumors.

Methods

We investigated RB1 mutations in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues of cancer patients who underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) at 3DMed Clinical Laboratory Inc from January 1, 2017 to April 15, 2020.

Results

Genomic alterations in RB1 were identified in 1,712 (7.6%) of 22,432 patients with more than 20 different cancer entities (58% males and 42% females, median age: 60 years). RB1 mutations occurred most frequently in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC; 138/165, 83.6%), followed by neuroendocrine neoplasms (40/170, 23.5%), bladder cancer (40/209, 19.1%), hepatocellular carcinoma (233/1,649, 14.1%), sarcomas (71/554, 12.8%), and esophageal cancer (32/293, 10.9%). Of these 1,712 patients, 185 (10.8%) had germline RB1 mutations. When stratified by mutational type, 1,258 (5.6%) had single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), 59 (0.3%) had fusions, and 210 (0.9%) had RB1 loss.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that RB1 alterations are widely distributed in solid cancers of many different histotypes in China, with specific mutations differing largely among different tumor types. The present study provides a comprehensive landscape of RB1 mutations in Chinese solid tumor patient and suggests a novel therapeutic target for cancer treatment.