Social exclusion in a virtual Cyberball game reduces the virtual hand illusion

Sense of ownership and agency are two important aspects of the minimal self, but how self-perception is affected by social conditions remains unclear. Here, we studied how social inclusion or exclusion of participants in the course of a virtual Cyberball game would affect explicit judgments and implicit measures of ownership and agency (proprioceptive drift, skin conductance responses, and intentional binding, respectively) in a virtual hand illusion paradigm, in which a virtual hand moved in or out of sync with the participants' own hand. Results show that synchrony affected all four measures. More importantly, this effect interacted with social inclusion/exclusion in the Cyberball game for both ownership and agency measure, showing that social exclusion reduces perceived agency and ownership.

Identification and characterization of Achromobacter spanius P-9 and elucidation of its deoxynivalenol-degrading potential

Deoxynivalenol (DON) poses significant challenges due to its frequent contamination of grains and associated products. Microbial strategies for mitigating DON toxicity showed application potential. Eight bacterial isolates with DON degradation activity over 5% were obtained from various samples of organic fertilizer in this study. One of the isolates emerged as a standout, demonstrating a substantial degradation capability, achieving a 99.21% reduction in DON levels. This isolate, underwent thorough morphological, biochemical, and molecular characterization to confirm its identity, and was identified as a new strain of Achromobacter spanius P-9. Subsequent evaluations revealed that the strain P-9 retains its degradation activity after a 24-h incubation, reaching optimal performance at 35 °C with a pH of 8.0. Further studies indicated that Ca2+ ions enhance the degradation process, whereas Zn2+ ions exert an inhibitory effect. This is the pioneering report of DON degradation by Achromobacter spanius, illuminating its prospective utility in addressing DON contamination challenges.

Identifying the oral microbiome of adolescents with and without dental fluorosis based on full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing

Dental fluorosis, resulting from long-term environmental exposure to fluoride, is prevalent among diverse populations worldwide. Severe fluorosis not only compromises the aesthetic appeal of teeth but also impairs their functionality. This study aims to investigate the oral microbiome in dental fluorosis and the health individuals of adolescents living in the endemic fluorosis area of Guizhou, China through full-length 16S rDNA sequencing. Fourty-six individuals meet the sampling criteria, and we divided these samples into the following groups: a healthy group (H = 23) and a dental fluorosis group (F = 23), and two subgroups of Miao ethnicity: a healthy Miao group (Hm = 13) and a dental fluorosis Miao group (Fm = 15). A total of 660,389 high-quality sequences were obtained, and 12,007 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) were identified, revealing significant variations in oral microbiome between Fm and Hm groups. The composition of oral microbiota was similar between the H and F groups. At the genus level, Pseudopropionibacterium and at the species level, Streptococcus oralis_subsp.dentisani_clade_058 were less abundant in group F than in group H (P < 0.05). Further analysis revealed that the abundance of Capnocytophaga gingivalis and Kingella denitrificans was significantly lower in Fm fluorosis patients than in the Hm group (P < 0.05). Based on the LEfSe analysis, the potential core biomarkers in the oral of Fm fluorosis patients were identified at different taxonomic levels, ranging from phylum to species. These include Gammaproteobacteria, Prevotella sp_HMT_304, Gemella sanguinis, and Gracilibacteria_(GN02). Network analysis revealed that the microbiota in the fluorosis group exhibited more complex interactions with each other than the healthy group. Notably, within the Hm group, the potential biomarkers Capnocytophaga gingivalis and Kingella denitrificans exhibited a positive correlation. Finally, we employed PICRUSt2 analysis to explore the abundance clustering of the top 30 functional units in each sample, and we found that the metabolic pathway compositions of the four groups were similar. In summary, our findings suggest that the microbial composition of plaque in Hm patients with dental fluorosis is significantly altered, and we identified the potential marker microorganisms that contribute to these changes.

RB1 5́UTR contains an IRES related to cell cycle control and cancer progression

Retinoblastoma gene1 (RB1) is the first tumor suppressor gene that stands as the guardian of the gate of the G1 period and plays a central role in proliferation and differentiation. However, no reports focused on the possible internal ribosome entry site (IRES) function of the RB1 gene flanking sequence. In this study, we constructed a bicistronic reporter with the RB1 5'untranslated region (5́UTR) inserted between two reporter coding regions. We found RB1 5'UTR harbors an IRES and has higher activity in cancer cell lines than normal cells. Besides, RB1 IRES acquired the highest activity in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, and the RB1 5'UTR mutation collected from retinoblastoma decreased IRES activity compared with RB1 5'UTR wild-type. These data indicated that RB1 IRES is a mechanism of stress regulation and is related to cell cycle control and cancer progression.

Another thread to uncover the aging mystery of white tea: Focusing on the natural nanoparticles in tea infusion

Aged white tea (WT) has promising medicinal potential, but how to accurately identify aged white tea is still a difficult problem. Inspired by tea cream, the relationship between the characteristics of nanoparticles in tea infusion and aging time was studied. The results showed that with the increase of aging time, the particle size of white tea nanoparticles (WTNs) decreased gradually. Microscopic images showed that the surface structure of WTNs was changed in three aspects: the waxy layer, the cuticle layer and the palisade tissue. Additional in vitro modeling demonstrated a strong correlation between nanoparticle size and protein and tea polyphenol content. The correlation between nanoparticle sizes and aging time was further verified in aged Pu'er raw tea. Starting with the tea infusion's nanoparticles, this study showed that the aging time of WT would impact the nanoparticles' properties, offering a unique way to determine the aging period of WT.

Transcriptome Analysis of Deoxynivalenol (DON)-Induced Hepatic and Intestinal Toxicity in Zebrafish: Insights into Gene Expression and Potential Detoxification Pathways

The effects of deoxynivalenol (DON, 50 µg/mL) on the zebrafish liver and intestine were studied. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from mRNA and lncRNA were analyzed by RNA seq. Gene Ontology (GO) and signaling pathways were studied where the top 30 DEGs of each type of RNA were involved. The results showed there were 2325 up-regulated and 934 down-regulated DEGs of lncRNA in the intestinal tract, and 95 up-regulated genes and 211 down-regulated genes in the liver, respectively. GO functional annotation analysis showed that lncRNA was enriched in the biological processes, involving the RNA splicing, CSF1-CSF1R complexes, and MAP kinase activity. DEGs of lncRNA located in the KEGG signal pathways include the C-type lectin receptor signaling and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathways. Metabolism involves the biosynthesis of indole alkaloids, cancer pathways for human disease, MAPK and Rap1signaling pathways for environmental information processing, necroptosis and focal adhesion for cell processes. The mRNA gene expression analysis showed there were 1939 up-regulated, 1172 down-regulated genes and 866 up-regulated, 1211 down-regulated genes in the intestine and liver of zebrafish, respectively. This study provides transcriptome analysis and toxicological investigation of DON in the zebrafish liver and intestine, offering insights into gene expression patterns and potential detoxification pathways.

[Molecular epidemiological characterization of hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a hospital in Henan Province from 2020 to 2022]

Objective: The study investigated the clinical distribution, antimicrobial resistance and epidemiologic characteristics of hypervirulent Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (hv-CRKP) in a hospital in Henan Province to provide a scientific basis for antibiotic use and nosocomial infection prevention and control. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data from the cases was carried out in this study. Clinical data of patients infected with the CRKP strain isolated from the clinical microbiology laboratory of Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. A string test, virulence gene screening, serum killing, and a G. mellonella infection model were used to screen hv-CRKP isolates. The clinical characteristics of hv-CRKP and the drug resistance rate of hv-CRKP to twenty-five antibiotics were analyzed using WHONET 5.6. Carbapenemase phenotypic characterization of the hv-CRKP was performed by colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay, and Carbapenemase genotyping, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and capsular serotyping of hv-CRKP isolates were performed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. Results: A total of non-duplicate 264 CRKP clinical isolates were detected in the hospital from 2020 to 2022, and 23 hv-CRKP isolates were detected, so the corresponding detection rate of hv-CRKP was 8.71% (23/264). The hv-CRKP isolates in this study were mainly from the intensive care unit (10/23) and neurosurgery department (8/23), and the main sources of hv-CRKP isolates were sputum (10/23) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (6/23). The hv-CRKP isolates in this study were highly resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides, and were only susceptible to colistin, tigecycline and ceftazidime/avibactam. The detection rate of the blaKPC-2 among 23 hv-CRKP isolates was 91.30% (21/23) and none of the class B and class D carbapenemases were detected. Results of MLST and capsular serotypes showed that ST11 type hv-CRKP was the dominant strain in the hospital, accounting for 56.52% (13/23), and K64 (9/13) and KL47 (4/13) were the major capsular serotypes. Conclusion: The hv-CRKP isolates from the hospital are mainly from lower respiratory tract specimens from patients admitted to the intensive care department and the drug resistance is relatively severe. The predominant strains with certain polymorphisms are mainly composed of the KPC-2-producing ST11-K64 and ST11-KL47 hv-CRKP isolates in the hospital.

Analysis of Mitochondrial Transfer RNA Mutations in Breast Cancer

Damage of mitochondrial functions caused by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) pathogenic mutations had long been proposed to be involved in breast carcinogenesis. However, the detailed pathological mechanism remained deeply undetermined. In this case-control study, we screened the frequencies of mitochondrial tRNA (mt-tRNA) mutations in 80 breast cancer tissues and matched normal adjacent tissues. PCR and Sanger sequence revealed five possible pathogenic mutations: tRNA^Val G1606A, tRNA^Ile A4300G, tRNA^Ser(UCN) T7505C, tRNA^Glu A14693G and tRNA^Thr G15927A. We noticed that these mutations resided at extremely conserved positions of tRNAs and would affect tRNAs transcription or modifications. Furthermore, functional analysis suggested that patients with these mt-tRNA mutations exhibited much lower levels of mtDNA copy number and ATP, as compared with controls (p<0.05). Therefore, it can be speculated that these mutations may impair mitochondrial protein synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes, which caused mitochondrial dysfunctions that were involved in the breast carcinogenesis. Taken together, our data indicated that mutations in mt-tRNA were the important contributors to breast cancer, and mutational analyses of mt-tRNA genes were critical for prevention of breast cancer.

[Expert consensus on late stage of critical care management]

We wished to establish an expert consensus on late stage of critical care (CC) management. The panel comprised 13 experts in CC medicine. Each statement was assessed based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) principle. Then, the Delphi method was adopted by 17 experts to reassess the following 28 statements. (1) ESCAPE has evolved from a strategy of delirium management to a strategy of late stage of CC management. (2) The new version of ESCAPE is a strategy for optimizing treatment and comprehensive care of critically ill patients (CIPs) after the rescue period, including early mobilization, early rehabilitation, nutritional support, sleep management, mental assessment, cognitive-function training, emotional support, and optimizing sedation and analgesia. (3) Disease assessment to determine the starting point of early mobilization, early rehabilitation, and early enteral nutrition. (4) Early mobilization has synergistic effects upon the recovery of organ function. (5) Early functional exercise and rehabilitation are important means to promote CIP recovery, and gives them a sense of future prospects. (6) Timely start of enteral nutrition is conducive to early mobilization and early rehabilitation. (7) The spontaneous breathing test should be started as soon as possible, and a weaning plan should be selected step-by-step. (8) The waking process of CIPs should be realized in a planned and purposeful way. (9) Establishment of a sleep-wake rhythm is the key to sleep management in post-CC management. (10) The spontaneous awakening trial, spontaneous breathing trial, and sleep management should be carried out together. (11) The depth of sedation should be adjusted dynamically in the late stage of CC period. (12) Standardized sedation assessment is the premise of rational sedation. (13) Appropriate sedative drugs should be selected according to the objectives of sedation and drug characteristics. (14) A goal-directed minimization strategy for sedation should be implemented. (15) The principle of analgesia must be mastered first. (16) Subjective assessment is preferred for analgesia assessment. (17) Opioid-based analgesic strategies should be selected step-by-step according to the characteristics of different drugs. (18) There must be rational use of non-opioid analgesics and non-drug-based analgesic measures. (19) Pay attention to evaluation of the psychological status of CIPs. (20) Cognitive function in CIPs cannot be ignored. (21) Delirium management should be based on non-drug-based measures and rational use of drugs. (22) Reset treatment can be considered for severe delirium. (23) Psychological assessment should be conducted as early as possible to screen-out high-risk groups with post-traumatic stress disorder. (24) Emotional support, flexible visiting, and environment management are important components of humanistic management in the intensive care unit (ICU). (25) Emotional support from medical teams and families should be promoted through"ICU diaries"and other forms. (26) Environmental management should be carried out by enriching environmental content, limiting environmental interference, and optimizing the environmental atmosphere. (27) Reasonable promotion of flexible visitation should be done on the basis of prevention of nosocomial infection. (28) ESCAPE is an excellent project for late stage of CC management.

The therapeutic potential for senescence-associated diabetes of green alga Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharide

DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100 columns were used to isolate Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharide (EPP), which contains α-L-Rhap-(1 → 4)-α-L-Arap-(1 → 2)-α-L-Rhap-(1 → 3)-β-D-Galp-(1 → structural fragment, along with α-L-Rhap-(1 → and →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1 → 3)-β-D-GlcpA-(1 → side bonds that connect to →3,6)-β-D-Galp-(1→. The anti-ageing and hypoglycemic activities of EPP were assessed using an ageing diabetic mice model, and the revealed that EPP could improve glucose metabolism-associated parameters and inhibit the expression of ageing associated genes, including p16^INK4a, p38 MAPK, NOX-1, VEGF, and AGER, thus preventing liver damage. Moreover, gut microbiota profiling revealed that EPP significantly increased the abundances of o_Lactobacillaceae, c_Bacilli, f_Lactobacillaceae, g_Lactobacillus, and p_Firmicutes, showing that EPP has a probiotic effect on enhancing the beneficial microbiota in ageing diabetic mice. In summary, EPP might serve as a potential bioactive compound to alleviate hyperglycaemia and ageing in diabetic in mice and further clinical studies are required to verify these effects.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a patulin degradation candidate both in vitro and in vivo

Patulin is one of the mycotoxins that exists in abundance in fruits and derivative products and is easily exposed in daily life, leading to various toxicities such as genotoxicity, teratogenicity, immunotoxicity, and carcinogenicity in the human body, while the efficient removal or degradation measures are still in urgent demand. In this work, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a natural yeast with both patulin degradation and intestine damage protection abilities, was first applied to prevent and decrease the hazard after patulin intake. In vitro, Saccharomyces cerevisiae KD (S. cerevisiae KD) could efficiently degrade patulin at high concentrations. In a Canenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model fed on S. cerevisiae KD, locomotion, oxidative stress, patulin residual, intestine damage, and gene expression were investigated after exposure to 50 μg mL^-1 patulin. The results demonstrated that S. cerevisiae KD could efficiently degrade patulin, as well as weaken the oxidative stress and intestinal damage caused by patulin. Moreover, S. cerevisiae KD could regulate the gene expression levels of daf-2 and daf-16 through the IGF-1 signaling pathway to control the ROS level and glutathione (GSH) content, thus decreasing intestinal damage. In summary, this work uncovers the outstanding characteristic of an edible probiotic S. cerevisiae KD in patulin degradation and biotoxicity alleviation and provides enlightenment toward solving the hazards caused by the accumulation of patulin.

Invasive fungal infection is associated with antibiotic exposure in preterm infants: a multi-centre prospective case-control study

BACKGROUND

Previous antibiotic exposure is an important risk factor for invasive fungal infection (IFI). Antibiotic overexposure is common in lower-income countries; however, multi-centre studies concerning IFI in relation to antibiotic exposure are scarce.

AIM

This prospective, multi-centre matched case-control study explored the correlation of IFI and antibiotic exposure in very preterm infants or very-low-birthweight infants admitted to 23 tertiary hospitals in China between 2018 and 2021.

METHODS

Using a 1:2 matched design for gestational age, birth weight and early-onset sepsis (yes/no), the risk factors between infants diagnosed with IFI and infection-free controls were compared. The antibiotic use rate (AUR) was calculated using calendar days of antibiotic therapy in the 4 weeks preceding IFI onset divided by onset day of IFI.

FINDINGS

In total, 6368 infants were included in the study, of which 90 (1.4%) were diagnosed with IFI. Median AUR, length of antibiotic therapy (LOT) and days of antibiotic therapy (DOT) within the 4 weeks preceding IFI onset were 0.90, 18 days and 30 days, respectively. Multi-variate analysis showed that a 10% increase in AUR, each additional day of DOT and LOT, and each additional day of third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems were notably associated with IFI.

CONCLUSION

Prolonged antibiotic therapy is common before the onset of IFI, and is an important risk factor, especially the use of third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems. Antibiotic stewardship should be urgently developed and promoted for preterm infants in order to reduce IFI in lower-income countries such as China.

The flavors of edible mushrooms: A comprehensive review of volatile organic compounds and their analytical methods

Due to their distinctive flavors, edible mushrooms have gained attention in flavor-related research, and the quality of their flavors determines their consumption. The odor is a vital element of food flavor that significantly impacts consumers' perceptions and purchase decisions. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the odorant ingredient is the primary factors affecting scent characteristics. VOCs analysis and identification require technical assistance. The production and use of edible mushrooms can be aided by a broader examination of their volatile constituents. This review discusses the composition of VOCs in edible mushrooms and how they affect flavors. The principles, advantages, and disadvantages of various methods for extraction, isolation, and characterization of the VOCs of edible mushrooms are also highlighted. The numerous VOCs found in edible mushrooms such as primarily C-8 compounds, organic sulfur compounds, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and esters are summarized along with their effects on the various characteristics of scent. Combining multiple extraction, isolation, identification, and quantification technologies will facilitate rapid and accurate analysis of VOCs in edible mushrooms as proof of sensory attributes and quality.

Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside promotes stress tolerance and lifespan extension of Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to polystyrene via DAF-16 pathway

Microplastic pollution has attracted growing attention due to its prevalent and persistent exposure to general population through the food chain, but few reports have focused on the toxicological prevention of polystyrene (PS). Using the wild-type and mutant strains, this study explored the impacts of PS and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) on stress tolerance and lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). In N2 nematodes, PS exposure initiated the oxidative stress and subsequent lifespan reduction, while these adverse impacts could be positively improved by C3G treatment. Considering the pivotal role of DAF-16 pathway in stress tolerance and lifespan regulation, the expression of the daf-16 gene and its downstream antioxidant genes (clt-2, hsp-16.1, sod-3, sod-5) were examined, and found to be significantly enhanced by C3G. Since the sod-3 gene was up-regulated the most fold by C3G, the activity of SOD enzyme that encoded by the sod-3 was examined, and could be obviously enhanced upon C3G treatment. This explained the improved oxidative stress and delayed oxidation-associated aging after C3G intervention. Nevertheless, these positive effects of C3G were weakened in daf-16(-) mutant strain (with deleted DAF-16 gene), for which the beneficial effects of C3G in promoting stress resistance and lifespan extension were inhibited. These findings suggested that the DAF-16 gene and its downstream antioxidant genes, have participated in C3G's regulations on redox balance and lifespan that impacted by nano-polystyrene particles. This study highlighted the link between dietary components and environmentally driven disturbance.

Dual Regulation of Metal Doping and Adjusting Cut-Off Voltage for MoSe2 to Achieve Reversible Sodium Storage

MoSe₂ , as a typical 2D material, possesses tremendous potential in Na-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to larger interlayer distance, more favorable band gap structure, and higher theoretical specific capacity than other analogs. Nevertheless, the low intrinsic electronic conductivity and irreversible conversion of discharged products of Mo/Na₂ Se to MoSe₂  seriously hamper its electrochemical performance. Herein, through a facile hydrothermal method combined with calcination process, Sn-doped MoSe₂  nanosheets grown on graphene substrate in the vertical direction are fabricated. Benefiting from the improved electronic conductivity contributed by the abundant defects and expanded interlamellar spacing of MoSe₂  originated from Sn doping, combined with a smart strategy of raising discharge cut-off voltage to 0.2 V during the actual performance testing for SIBs, the as-fabricated anode material delivers superior Na-ions storage performance in terms of electrons/ions transfer, reversible sodium storage as well as cycle stability. An ultra-stable reversible specific capacity of 268.5 mAh g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 can be maintained after 1600 cycles. Moreover, the great sodium storage property in the SIB full-cell system of the as-obtained nanocomposite illustrates practical potential. Density functional theory calculation and in situ/ex situ measurements are employed to further reveal the storage mechanism and process of Na-ions.

[The quality control standards and principles of the application and training of critical ultrasonography]

Critical ultrasonography is widely used in ICU and has become an indispensable tool for clinicians. However, besides operator-dependency of critical ultrasonography, lack of standardized training mainly result in the physicians' heterogenous ultrasonic skill. Therefore, standardized training as well as strict quality control plays the key role in the development of critical ultrasonography. We present this quality control standards to promote better development of critical ultrasonography.

Bean Pod-Like SbSn/N-Doped Carbon Fibers toward a Binder Free, Free-Standing, and High-Performance Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Bimetallic SbSn alloy stands out among the anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of its high theoretical specific capacity (752 mAh g^-1 ) and good electrical conductivity. However, the major challenge is the large volume change during cycling processes, bringing about rapid capacity decay. Herein, to cope with this issue, through electrostatic spinning and high temperature calcination reduction, the unique bean pod-like free-standing membrane is designed initially, filling SbSn dots into integrated carbon matrix including hollow carbon spheres and nitrogen-doped carbon fibers (B-SbSn/NCFs). Significantly, the synergistic carbon matrix not only improves the conductivity and flexibility, but provides enough buffer space to alleviate the large volume change of metal particles. More importantly, the B-SbSn/NCFs free-standing membrane can be directly used as the anode without polymer binder and conductive agent, which improves the energy density and reaction kinetics. Satisfyingly, the free-standing BSbSn/NCFs membrane anode shows excellent electrochemical performance in SIB. The specific capacity of the membrane electrode can maintain 486.9 mAh g^-1 and the coulombic efficiency is close to 100% after 400 cycles at 100 mA g^-1 . Furthermore, the full cell based on B-SbSn/NCFs anode also exhibits the good electrochemical performance.

Adjustable Dimensionality of Microaggregates of Silicon in Hollow Carbon Nanospheres: An Efficient Pathway for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon, as an anode candidate with great promise for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), has drawn massive attention. However, the deficiencyies of tremendous volume change and intrinsic low electron/ion conductivity will hinder its further development. To cope with these bottlenecks, from the aspect of dimension design concept, the diverse dimensionality of microaggregates derived from cogenetic Si/C nano-building blocks was explored rather than the conventional strategies such as morphology control, structure design, and composition adjustment of Si/C. Herein, constructing silicon-carbon hybrid materials considering component dimensional variation and dimensional hybridization is beneficial to enhance lithium storage performance. Initiating from 0D silicon nanodots evenly immersed in the interior and skeleton of a hollow carbon shell (SHC) nanosphere, the 1D SHC nanospheres interconnected with nitrogen doping carbon necklace fiber, a 2D SHC nanospheres directional arranged plane, and a 3D SHC nanospheres self-aggregated microsphere will be elaborately and favorably designed and composed. Then, three different as-prepared dimensional materials deliver their inherent superiority in chemical, physical, and electronic properties containing 1D high aspect ratio, 2D fast electron/ion diffusion kinetics, and 3D efficient conductive networks, yielding effectively enhanced electrochemical performance, respectively.

Food-derived cyanidin-3-O-glucoside reverses microplastic toxicity via promoting discharge and modulating the gut microbiota in mice

Microplastics (MPs) ingested and accumulated by organisms would ultimately pose a threat to humans via the food chain. A balanced gut microbiota contributes to many health benefits, which is readily influenced by environmental chemicals such as MPs. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), a bioactive compound of the anthocyanin family, possesses a variety of functional effects including anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, as well as gut microbiota modulation. C3G has been demonstrated to prevent polystyrene (PS) induced toxicities in Caco-2 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) via activating autophagy and promoting discharge. In the present study, we aimed to explore the alleviation effect of C3G on PS induced toxicities in C57BL/6 mice. Our results showed that the supplementation of C3G effectively reduced the tissue accumulation and promoted the fecal PS discharge, leading to alleviation of the PS-caused oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Meanwhile, C3G modulated PS-associated gut microbiome perturbations and regulated functional bacteria in inflammation such as Desulfovibrio, Helicobacter, Oscillospiraceae and Lachnoclostridium. Also, C3G administration initiated alterations in functional pathways in response to xenobiotic PS, and reduced bacterial functional genes related to inflammation and human diseases. These findings may offer evidence for the protective role of C3G in the intervention of PS-induced toxicity and gut dysbiosis.

Efficient and Precise Secure Generalized Edit Distance and Beyond

Secure string-comparison by some non-linear metrics such as edit-distance and its variations is an important building block of many applications including patient genome matching and text-based intrusion detection. Despite the significance of these string metrics, computing them in a provably secure manner is very expensive. In this paper, we improve the performance of secure computation of these string metrics without sacrificing security, generality, composability, and accuracy. We explore a new design methodology that allows us to reduce the asymptotic cost by a factor of O(log n) (where n denotes the input string length). In our experiments, we observe up to an order-of-magnitude savings in time and bandwidth compared to the best prior results. We extended our semi-honest protocols to work in the malicious model, which is by-far the most efficient actively-secure protocols for computing these string metrics.

[Effects of cortical bone trajectory screw in adjacent-segment disease after posterior lumbar interbody fusion]

Objective: To investigate the effect of the cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screw fixation combined with midline lumbar fusion (MIDLF) for adjacent spondylopathy after posterior lumbar interbody fusion. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted in 16 patients, including 9 males and 7 females, with a mean age of (68±6) years, who underwent revision surgery for adjacent spondylopathy after posterior lumbar fusion surgery using CBT combined with MIDLF technology in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University from May 2013 to August 2019. The reasons for revision were radiculalgia in 4 cases, intermittent claudication in 10 cases and protrusive dissociate in 2 cases. Eleven cases had 1 segment fused in the first operation, while the other 5 cases received fusion in 2 segments. The average interval time between the first operation and the revision operation was (7.5±2.0) years. For the levels underwent revision, 1 case was L_2/3, 6 cases were L_3/4, 7 cases were L_4/5 and 2 cases were L₅/S₁. Before the operation, all the patients took X-rays scans of the thoracic and lumbar spine. CT and MRI scans were also performed. The operation time, intraoperative bleeding, surgical complications, visual analog scale (VAS) of low back and leg pain before the operation and at each follow-up were all recorded. Oswestry disability index (ODI) questionnaire was used to evaluate the functional improvement of patients after the operation. Results: All operations were completed successfully. The operation time was 120-240 (170±30) mins, intraoperative bleeding was 100-280 (220±45) ml. One case had a slight split in the isthmus, and the screw was inserted smoothly after adjusting the insertion point. In one case, the cerebrospinal fluid leaked during the operation and was successfully treated with conservative methods including no pillow supine treatment and strengthened anti-infection. The average follow-up time was of (19.5±1.3) months. The VAS of low back pain was 2.9±1.7 before the operation and it was 1.8±0.5 at the last follow-up, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The VAS of leg pain was 5.9±1.5 before the operation and it was 1.5±0.4 at the last the follow-up (P<0.01). The ODI score was 34.5±3.2 preoperatively and it decreased to 12.6±4.2 at the last follow-up, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: CBT technique combined with MIDLF for the adjacent-segment disease after posterior lumbar interbody fusion is minimally invasive and convenient, with good clinical effects. This technique can be used as an option for the revision of adjacent spondylopathy.

Cancer-fighting potentials of algal polysaccharides as nutraceuticals

Cancer has been listed as one of the world's five incurable diseases by the World Health Organization and causes tens of thousands of deaths every year. Unfortunately, anticancer agents either show limited efficacy or show serious side effects. The algae possess high nutritional value and their polysaccharides have a variety of biological activities, especially anti-cancer and immunomodulatory properties. Algal polysaccharides exert anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, anti-angiogenesis, and regulating intestinal flora and immune function. Algal polysaccharides can be combined with nanoparticles and other drugs to reduce the side effects caused by chemotherapy and increase the anticancer effects. This review shows the signal pathways related to the anti-cancer mechanisms of algal polysaccharides, including their influence on intestinal flora and immune regulation, the application of nanoparticles, and the effects on combination therapy and clinical trials of cancer treatments.

Social Capital and Self-Rated Health: Empirical Evidence from China

This study assesses the relationship between social capital and self-reported health (SRH) by comparing different genders and ages. It utilizes data from the 2016 China Family Panel Study data with a sample of 30,657 adult individuals from 25 provincial-level administrative regions in China. This was a cross-sectional study conducted with computer-assisted face-to-face interviews to assess social capital and self-rated health among Chinese adults. A multi-level Poisson regression model is employed to model social capital-related dependent variables using the independent variable of fair/poor health status. In terms of social relations, mobile phone use can improve men's health. However, this effect is insignificant for women. Moreover, gender and age interact with the relationship between social capital and individual health. The relationship between trust and self-rated health is not significantly different between men and women. The frequency of feeling lonely and the lack of feelings for the community in which they live have a negative impact on self-rated health, but there are no obvious differences in terms of gender. The number of meals per week with family members is negatively correlated with men's SRH, but there is no correlation with adult women 41 and above. Lack of help from neighbors is negatively correlated with men's health, but not with that of adult women 40 and below. Being a member of the Chinese Communist Party or a member of the Chinese Communist Youth League is positively correlated with SRH for women 60 and above.

Screen time and sleep disorder in preschool children: identifying the safe threshold in a digital world

OBJECTIVES

Sleep disorder is a common problem in children that can jeopardize their health and well-being. With the popularity of electronic devices such as portable tablets and smartphones in the 21st century, children are spending much more time on screen, but the impact of such change on children's sleep disorder has been less investigated so far. This study aims to examine the dose-response association between time spent on different electronic devices and children's sleep disorder.

STUDY DESIGN

The design of this study is a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

We randomly selected 2278 children aged 3-6 years from 15 kindergartens in Tongling, China. The potentially non-linear association between screen-viewing time (i.e. television [TV], computer, iPad, Phone) and the risk of sleep disorder was examined using a logistic generalized additive model.

RESULTS

We observed a J-shaped association between TV viewing time and the risk of sleep disorder, with a threshold of 1 h/day. For each 1 h/day increment in TV viewing time over the threshold, the risk of sleep disorder increased by 12.35% (95% confidence interval: 1.87-23.92%). This association seemed to be greater for girls than boys and for TV viewing at weekend than on weekdays, but the difference was not statistically significant (P-value>0.05). We did not find adequate evidence of an adverse effect of more time spent on computer, iPad and Phone.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests a positive but non-linear relationship between time spent on watching TV and sleep disorder in Chinese preschool children. Setting the TV viewing time limit less than 1 h/day may help reduce the risk of developing sleep disorder. Further investigation is also needed to examine and compare the effects of heavy use of other electronic devices on sleep disorder.

0581 Characteristics of US Women Veterans with Sleep Apnea: Results of a National Survey of VA Healthcare Users

Introduction

Sleep apnea (SA) is the most commonly diagnosed sleep disorder among patients in the US Veterans Administration (VA). The dramatic rise in women receiving VA care makes it essential to understand the presentation and treatment of SA in women Veterans. We performed a nationwide survey about sleep among US women Veterans and compared characteristics of respondents with and without a self-reported history of SA diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

A survey was mailed to a random sample of 4000 women VA healthcare users. The survey included demographics, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4 depression/anxiety), Primary Care-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PC-PTSD), RLS symptom presence, SA symptoms (snore loudly, observed breathing pauses), diagnosis of SA, and use of PAP therapy (APAP, BPAP, CPAP). We compared women with and without SA, and (among those with SA) women who did and did not use PAP, using Chi-square and t-tests.

Results

1,498 completed surveys were returned (mean age 51.6 years, range 18-105 years, 62% non-Hispanic White). 200 respondents (13.4%) reported diagnosed SA. Women with SA were older (p&lt;.001), likely to be employed (p=.013), more likely to snore loudly (p&lt;.001) and to have breathing pauses while asleep (p&lt;.001). They also had higher ISI (p&lt;.001), were more like to report RLS (p&lt;.001) nightmares (p=.027), and had higher PHQ-4 (p&lt;.001) and PC-PTSD (p&lt;.001) scores. Among women with SA, 130 (65%) used PAP. Loud snorers (p&lt;.001) and those with observed breathing pauses were more likely to use PAP (p&lt;.001).

Conclusion

One in 7 women who receive VA care report diagnosed SA. Women with SA had more mental health symptoms and comorbid sleep problems. Most reported using PAP therapy, although the amount of use is unknown. Those with SA symptoms were more likely to use PAP. Future work is needed to understand barriers to diagnosis and treatment of SA among women Veterans.

Support

Funding: VA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative RRP12-189 (Martin); NIH/NHLBI K24 HL143055 (Martin).

0537 Cognitive Functioning Before and After Insomnia Treatment in Women Veterans

Introduction

Women are at higher risk for cognitive impairment and dementia compared to men. Identifying potentially treatable risk factors such as insomnia is an important clinical goal. In a trial comparing two behavioral treatments for insomnia in women veterans, we hypothesized that 1) worse baseline insomnia severity would be associated with poorer cognitive function, and 2) improvement in insomnia severity with treatment would be associated with improvement in cognitive functioning.

Methods

347 women veterans with insomnia disorder [mean age 48.3 (12.9) years] completed baseline testing. Of these, 149 women were randomized to receive cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) or acceptance and commitment (ACT) based insomnia treatment (both treatments included sleep restriction, stimulus control, and sleep hygiene). Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Cognitive functioning was measured with Symbol Digit Coding (SDC) and Trail Making Test A and B (TMTA and TMTB). Pearson correlations were used to examine associations between insomnia severity and cognitive functioning at baseline and changes in both insomnia severity and cognitive functioning from before to after treatment.

Results

At baseline (N=347), mean ISI was 14.1 (5.3). Worse baseline ISI was associated with worse baseline cognitive functioning on TMTA (r=-.15, p&lt;.01) and SDC (r=-.12, p&lt;.05). In the randomized sample (N=149), ISI scores improved at post-treatment (mean ISI change= -9.0; p&lt;.001) and 3-month follow-up (mean change= -8.0; p&lt;.001) relative to baseline. Improvement in ISI from baseline to post-treatment was significantly associated with improvement in SDC from baseline to post-treatment (r=-.18, p&lt;.05), but not improvement in TMTA and TMTB. Change in ISI was not significantly related to change in cognitive tasks from baseline to 3-month follow-up.

Conclusion

More severe insomnia is associated with worse cognitive functioning in women veterans. The magnitude of improvement in insomnia symptoms may be associated with improvement in cognition.

Support

NIH/NIA K23AG049955 (PI: Dzierzewski); VA/HSR&D IIR-HX002300 (PI: Martin), NIH/NHLBI K24HL143055 (PI: Martin).

Distinct clinical features and serum cytokine pattern of elderly atopic dermatitis in China

BACKGROUND

Elderly atopic dermatitis (AD) is a newly defined subtype of AD stratified by age-related clinical pictures.

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the clinical features and molecular profile of elderly AD patients in China, comparing with infantile, childhood and adolescent/adult AD.

METHODS

A total of 1312 patients diagnosed by Hanifin and Rajka diagnostic criteria of AD from Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China, were divided into four groups by age (2-18, 19-40, 41-60 and >60 years), and clinical features were evaluated by questionnaire and physical examination. Serum total IgE, eosinophil counts and various cytokines were further analysed in some of the patients and healthy controls.

RESULTS

Elderly AD showed significantly higher male/female ratio and rural/urban ratio than other age groups, and more than half of elderly AD first appeared after 60 years old. Skin lesions of elderly AD were more often seen in the trunk and extensor sites of the extremities. Level of serum IgE and eosinophil counts were significantly lower in elderly AD than those in other age groups. Serum levels of IL-4, TARC, IL-17A, IL-6, IL-22, IL-33 and TSLP were significantly higher in elderly AD patients than those of healthy controls, indicating a mixed Th2/Th17/Th22 inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly AD demonstrated unique clinical characteristics compared with other age groups and showed mixed Th2/Th17/Th22 skewing, indicating a unique pathogenesis for elderly AD.

[A Chinese consensus statement on the clinical application of transesophageal echocardiography for critical care (2019)]

Transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) is valuable in intensive care unit (ICU) because its application meets the requirements of diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients.However, the current application has not fully adapted to the specialty of critical care. TEE could be more valuablein ICU when used with a new way that under the guidance of the theory of critical care and embedded into the treatment workflow. We have expanded and improved the application of traditional TEE and integrated the concept of critical care, established the concept of transesophageal echocardiography for critical care (TEECC). Chinese Critical Ultrasound Study Group (CCUSG) organized experts in the area to form the consensus based the previous studiesand the long term practice of critical care ultrasound and TEE, aiming at clarifying the nature and characteristics of TEECC, promoting the rational and standardized clinical application and the coming researches.The consensus of Chinese experts on clinical application of TEECC (2019) were 33 in total, of whichthe main items were as follows: (1) TEECC is a significant means, which is expanded and improved from the traditional transesophageal echocardiography according to characteristics of critically ill patients and is applied in ICU based on critically clinical scenarios and requirements by the critical care physician, to promote visualized, refined and precisely management of critically ill patients.(2) TEE possesses distinctive superiority in implementation in ICU. It has characteristics of images with good quality, operations with good stability and low-dependent of operators, monitoring with continuity, and visualization with all-dimensional and detail of heart and blood vessels.(3)As a means of refined monitoring that could resulted in precise diagnosis and treatment, TEECC expands the dimension of intensive monitoring and improves the performance of critical care. (4) Indications of TEECC application include clinical etiological searching and invasive procedures guiding when it acted as a traditional role; and also refined hemodynamic monitoring based on critical care rationale and over-all management under specific critical clinical scenarios. (5) TEE and TTE assessments are complementary; they are not alternative. Integrated assessment of TTE and TEE is required under many critical clinical scenarios.(6) TEE should be a necessary configuration in ICU. (7) All-round and significant information regarding to the mechanism of acute circulatory disorders can be provided by TEECC; it is a non-substitutable means of identifying the causes of shock under some special clinical scenarios. (8) Focal extracardiac hematoma can be accurately and rapidly detected by TEE in patients with open-thoracic cardiac surgery or severe chest trauma when highly suspected pericardial tamponade.(9) The priority of pathophysiologic mechanism of septic shock can be rapidly and accurately identified by TEE; even if its pathophysiological changes are complex, including hypovolemia and/or vasospasm and/or left and right heart dysfunction. (10) Causes of hemodynamic disorders can be rapidly and qualitatively evaluated so that the orientation of treatment can be clarified by TEECC. (11) A full range of quantitative indicators for refined hemodynamic management in critically ill patients can be provided by TEECC. (12) TEECC helps to accurately assess volume status and predict fluid responsiveness.(13) TEECC is specially suitable for accurate quantitative assessment of cardiac function.(14) Mini TEE provides long-term continuous hemodynamic monitoring. (15) Standard views are easy to be acquired by TEECC, which is a premise for accurate and repeatable measurements, and a guarantee for assessment of effect and risk of therapy. (16) Compared with invasive hemodynamic monitoring, TEECC is minimally invasive, with low infection risk and high safety.(17) In patients with acute cor pulmonale (ACP) under condition of right ventricular dysfunction and low cardiac output, TEECC is a key tool for assessment. (18) TEECC should be implemented actively when suspicious of left to right shunt in critically ill patients who occurred hypotension that hard to explain the cause. (19) TEECC should be implemented actively when suspicious of right to left shunt in critically ill patients who occurred hypoxemia that hard to explain the cause. (20) TEECC is preferred in hemodynamics monitoring under prone position of ventilated patients.(21) TEECC is an imperative means to achieve over-all management of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, especially for all-round hemodynamic monitoring. (22) Three basic views is recommended to be used to simplify TEE assessment during cardiac arrest so that reversible causes could be identified, and resuscitation could be guided. (23) The flow related echodynamic evaluation (TEECC-FREE) workflow is preferred in refined hemodynamics monitoring and therapy. (24) Simple workflow of TEECC could be implemented in special critical clinical scenarios. (25) Application of TEECC is highly secure; however, impairments of procedure should also be alert by operators. (26) Pitfalls in application of TEE should be paid attention to by the critical care physician. (27) Timely and rationally application of TEECC is in favor of diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients and may improve the prognosis.

[Effect of clinical characteristics on relapse of alcohol dependence: a prospective cohort study]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether craving and demographic factors to predict relapse in alcohol dependence.

METHODS

This study was a prospective cohort study. From August 2017 to August 2018, 158 Han male inpatients who met the diagnositic and statistical manual disorders-fourth version(DSM-IV) alcohol dependence diagnostic criteria were recruited from three mental hospitals in China. The participants were interviewed at baseline and followed up by telephone after 3 months for assessment. The baseline assessment after the acute withdrawal period included demographic data and alcohol-related data, clinical institute withdrawal assessment-advanced revised (CIWA-Ar), withdrawal and cue-induced craving on visual analog scale (VAS), Michigan alcoholism screening test (MAST), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS) and alcohol urge questionnaire (AUQ). According to the follow-up results, "relapse" was defined as the consumption of beverages containing ethanol at any time during the follow-up study, and "time to relapse" was defined as the number of days from the first drinking to the baseline. Whether relapse occurred and the time to relapse were the primary endpoints. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting the relapse of alcohol dependence.

RESULTS

In the study, 158 alcohol dependence patients were finally included, age from 21 to 60 years, with the mean age of (40.31±9.14) years. The relapse rate was 63.7% three months after baseline assessment. According to Cox univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, the age (OR=0.975, P=0.030) and CIWA-Ar scores (OR=1.126, P=0.010) significantly predicted relapse. And there was no significant difference in education level, marital status, withdrawal and cue-induced craving on VAS, SAS and SDS between the relapse group and the non-relapse group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Age and severity of alcohol-dependent withdrawal symptoms during hospitalization are significantly related to relapse for alcohol in alcohol-dependent patients. To be exact, the older age is a protective factor, that is to say, the younger patients are prone to relapse, while the risk of relapse is raised by the higher severity of withdrawal symptoms. However, neither cue-induced nor withdrawal craving can predict relapse of alcohol-dependent patients.

Correction to: Rehmanniae Radix Preparata suppresses bone loss and increases bone strength through interfering with canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in OVX rats

There was a mistake in the part of OVX rats model and RRP intervention in the original publication.

[A reevaluation of diagnostic efficacy of International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis and Japanese Association for Acute Medicine criteria for the diagnosis of sepsis disseminated intravascular coagulation]

Objective: To reevaluate the diagnostic efficacy of International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) and Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) criteria for sepsis disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Methods: A total of 769 patients diagnosed as sepsis were enrolled in our study. Blood samples were collected within the first hour in ICU and the index of coagulation was detected. The correlation between the conventional coagulation index and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE Ⅱ) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores was analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic efficacy were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: In the 769 cases, 95 cases (12.35%) conformed to the standard of ISTH and 271 cases (35.24%) were in accordance with the standard of JAAM. Prolonged prothrombin time (PT) was seen in 726 cases (94.41%). Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was prolonged in 434 cases (56.44%). Plasma fibrinogen (Fib) was decreased in 94 cases (12.22%) and increased in 365 cases(47.46%). Platelet (PLT) count decreased in 158 cases (20.55%). D-dimer was elevated in 759 cases (98.70%). Fibrin degradation product (FDP) was increased in 724 cases (94.15%). PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, PLT were correlated with APACHE Ⅱ(r value were 0.259, 0.348, 0.319, 0.289,-0.275, all P values<0.05) and SOFA score(r values were 0.409, 0.445, 0.407, 0.411,-0.526, respectively, all P values<0.05). The areas under the curve (AUCs) in the ISTH standard from high to low were accordingly PT (0.813), FDP (0.792), PLT (0.746), Fib (0.563). The AUCs from high to low were FDP (0.844), PLT (0.716), and PT (0.660), respectively in the JAAM standard. Under the criteria of ISTH, the diagnostic sensitivities of PT, PLT, Fib and FDP were 92.63%, 67.37%, 9.47%, 98.95%, respectively, and specificities as 53.56%, 86.05%, 99.26% and 33.38%% respectively. As to the JAAM criteria, the diagnostic sensitivities of PT, PLT, and FDP were 74.54%, 52.77%, 91.51% and specificities as 51.61%, 84.94%, 40.76% respectively. Conclusions: According to the ISTH and JAAM diagnostic criteria, the diagnostic efficacy of PT and PLT is relatively high, which is associated with the severity of DIC. D-dimer and FDP have the high sensitivity but the specificity is poor. The diagnostic specificity of Fib is good, yet with low sensitivity and poor overall efficacy.

Elevated aspartate aminotransferase and monocyte counts predict unfavorable prognosis in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma

Limited biomarkers predicting prognosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) have been identified. The present study aims to assess potential laboratory prognostic factors of MPM. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 105 patients with MPM. The overall survival and prognostic factors were assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the optimal cut-off values. The mean age of the 105 patients (62 men, 43 women) was 56.0 years. The major clinical presentations were dyspnea, cough and chest pain. The most common laboratory abnormalities were thrombocytosis and elevated monocyte count. Significant prognostic factors on univariate analysis were performance status (PS), serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), monocyte, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) and treatment strategy. Multivariate analysis showed PS, AST, monocyte, and treatment strategy were statistically significant (p<0.05). Higher AST level and monocyte count were both related to the presence of anemia (p=0.001 and 0.010, respectively) and higher ALP level (p=0.049 and 0.001, respectively). A higher AST level was also associated with higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and LDH level (p<0.05). A higher monocyte count was also correlated with male patients, higher white blood cell (WBC), platelet, neutrophil counts, lower red blood cell (RBC) and LMR counts (p<0.05). In conclusion, our data show that PS<2, normal AST level, lower monocyte count, and multimodality treatment are independent positive prognostic factors of MPM. The elevated AST and monocyte levels represent unfavorable prognostic biomarkers of MPM.

Rehmanniae Radix Preparata suppresses bone loss and increases bone strength through interfering with canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in OVX rats

Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (RRP) improves bone quality in OVX rats through the regulation of bone homeostasis via increasing osteoblastogenesis and decreasing osteoclastogenesis, suggesting it has a potential for the development of new anti-osteoporotic drugs.

INTRODUCTION

Determine the anti-osteoporotic effect of RRP in ovariectomized (OVX) rats and identify the signaling pathway involved in this process.

METHODS

OVX rats were treated with RRP aqueous extract for 14 weeks. The serum levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were determined by ELISA. Bone histopathological alterations were evaluated by H&E, Alizarin red S, and Safranin O staining. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone microstructure in rat femurs and lumbar bones were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and micro-computed tomography. Femoral bone strength was detected by a three-point bending assay. The expression of Phospho-glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (p-GSK-3β), GSK-3β, Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), cathepsin K, OPG, RANKL, IGF-1, Runx2, β-catenin, and p-β-catenin was determined by western blot and/or immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Treatment of OVX rats with RRP aqueous extract rebuilt bone homeostasis demonstrated by increasing the levels of OPG as well as decreasing the levels of TRAP, RANKL, and ALP in serum. Furthermore, RRP treatment preserved BMD and mechanical strength by increasing cortical bone thickness and epiphyseal thickness as well as improving trabecular distribution in the femurs of OVX rats. In addition, RRP downregulated the expression of DKK1, sclerostin, RANKL, cathepsin K, and the ratio of p-β-catenin to β-catenin, along with upregulating the expression of IGF-1, β-catenin, and Runx2 and the ratio of p-GSK-3β to GSK-3β in the tibias and femurs of OVX rats. Echinacoside, jionoside A1/A2, acetoside, isoacetoside, jionoside B1, and jionoside B2 were identified in the RRP aqueous extract.

CONCLUSION

RRP attenuates bone loss and improves bone quality in OVX rats partly through its regulation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, suggesting that RRP has the potential to provide a new source of anti-osteoporotic drugs.

Effect of Methylprednisolone on Liver Injury and Endotoxin Levels Following Brain Death in Rats

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Brain death impairs liver function in potential donors and is associated with inflammatory activation. Methylprednisolone treatment after brain death has been shown to reduce inflammatory activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of methylprednisolone on liver injury and endotoxin levels in brain-dead rats.

METHODS

Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: a sham-operation group (Sham group), a brain death with methylprednisolone treatment group (Methy group), a brain death with saline treatment group (Saline group), and a brain death group (BD group). The rats were anesthetized and induced by gradually increasing the intra-cranial pressure using a Fogarty catheter balloon for brain death. All of the animals were observed and ventilated for 6 h prior to being euthanized. Hepatic pathologic histology (Knodell histology activity index), liver inflammatory cytokine levels, liver function and endotoxin levels were assessed.

RESULTS

After brain death, methylprednisolone markedly alleviated the Knodell histology activity index of liver injury (P < .05). Additionally, significant reductions in the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 were observed in the Methy group compared to those in the Saline and BD groups (P < .01), whereas no significant differences were found between the Saline and BD groups (P > .05). Interestingly, although the rate of liver injury after brain death in the methylprednisolone treatment group improved, the endotoxin level did not decline in the Methy group compared to the levels in the Saline and BD groups (P > .05).

CONCLUSION

The present study verified that methylprednisolone was protective for liver injury in rats subjected to brain death. This protection appeared to be due to reduced inflammatory activity with no influence on the endotoxin level.

The fungal-resistance factors BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 predominantly exist as tetramers, not monomers, in Bombyx mori

Previous studies have indicated that trypsin inhibitor-like cysteine-rich domain (TIL)-type protease inhibitors, BmSPI38 and BmSPI39, suppress conidial germination and integument penetration of entomopathogenic fungi by inhibiting their cuticle-degrading proteases and might functions as fungal-resistance factors in the silkworm. To date, the physiological forms and functional significance of multimerization of BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the physiological forms of BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 in Bombyx mori silkworms using multiple complementary methods, including activity staining, reducing and nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, western blotting and immunofluorescence. We found that recombinant BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 tend to form homologous multimers, and their dimers, trimers and tetramers possessed intense inhibitory activity against subtilisin A from Bacillus licheniformis. In contrast, their monomers showed no detectable inhibitory activity. Both BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 also exist mainly as stable tetramers in silkworm tissues, and they also predominantly function as a tetramer in these tissues. This study is the first to demonstrate this preferred quaternary form of a TIL-type protease inhibitor and will likely help to elucidate the mechanisms of BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 in the innate immune response of the silkworm.

Wave propagation in tunable lightweight tensegrity metastructure

Lightweight metastructures are designed consisting of prismatic tensegrity building blocks which have excellent strength-to-weight ratio and also enable unique compression-torsion coupling. A theoretical model with a coupled axial-torsional stiffness is first developed to study the band structures of the proposed lightweight metastructures. Then, various unit cell designs are investigated for bandgap generations at desired frequency ranges. Broadband full-wave attenuation is found in the tensegrity metastructure with special opposite-chirality. Furthermore, tunable stiffness in the prismatic tensegrity structure is investigated and 'small-on-large' tunability is achieved in the metastructure by harnessing the geometrically nonlinear deformation through an external control torque. Prestress adjustment is also investigated for fine tuning of the band structure. Finally, frequency response tests on the finite metastructures are preformed to validate their wave attenuation ability as well as their wave propagation tunability. The proposed tensegrity metastructures could be very useful in various engineering applications where lightweight and tunable structures with broadband vibration suspension and wave attenuation ability are in high demand.

[Technical specification for clinical application of critical ultrasonography]

Critical ultrasonography(CUS) is different from the traditional diagnostic ultrasound, the examiner and interpreter of the image are critical care medicine physicians. The core content of CUS is to evaluate the pathophysiological changes of organs and systems and etiology changes. With the idea of critical care medicine as the soul, it can integrate the above information and clinical information, bedside real-time diagnosis and titration treatment, and evaluate the therapeutic effect so as to improve the outcome. CUS is a traditional technique which is applied as a new application method. The consensus of experts on critical ultrasonography in China released in 2016 put forward consensus suggestions on the concept, implementation and application of CUS. It should be further emphasized that the accurate and objective assessment and implementation of CUS requires the standardization of ultrasound image acquisition and the need to establish a CUS procedure. At the same time, the standardized training for CUS accepted by critical care medicine physicians requires the application of technical specifications, and the establishment of technical specifications is the basis for the quality control and continuous improvement of CUS. Chinese Critical Ultrasound Study Group and Critical Hemodynamic Therapy Collabration Group, based on the rich experience of clinical practice in critical care and research, combined with the essence of CUS, to learn the traditional ultrasonic essence, established the clinical application technical specifications of CUS, including in five parts: basic view and relevant indicators to obtain in CUS; basic norms for viscera organ assessment and special assessment; standardized processes and systematic inspection programs; examples of CUS applications; CUS training and the application of qualification certification. The establishment of applied technology standard is helpful for standardized training and clinical correct implementation. It is helpful for clinical evaluation and correct guidance treatment, and is also helpful for quality control and continuous improvement of CUS application.

The Profile of Angiogenic Factors in Vitreous Humor of the Patients with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

OBJECTIVE

To explore the expression profile of angiogenic factors associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

METHODS

Undiluted vitreous humor samples were obtained from 10 diabetic patients with PDR (10 eyes) and 9 non-diabtic patients (9 eyes). The concentrations of 60 angiogenic factors in the vitreous humor samples were measured by RayBio Angiogenic Cytokine Antibody Array. Some differentially expressed factors were further confirmed in vitreous humor by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Compared with the non-diabetic controls, 20 differentially expressed factors with more than 1.50 fold changes were detected in patients with PDR. The median concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin 6 (IL-6), angiopoietin (ANG)-1, ANG-2, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), Follistatin and matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP-9) was significantly increased in vitreous samples from PDR compared to controls (P < 0.05). However, (MCP)-1, Angiogenin and Leptin was significantly lower in PDR eyes compared to controls (P < 0.05). In the verification assay using ELISA, ANG-1, ANG-2, IL-6, VEGF, MMP-9, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and placenta growth factor (PIGF) concentration were increased in patients with PDR compared to controls (all P-values < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of a comprehensive multiplex analysis to identify angiogenic factors associated with PDR. These angiogenic factors may contribute to the pathogenesis of PDR and may be targets for therapeutic strategies of PDR.

[Primary carcinoid of ovary: a clinicopathologic analysis of 17 cases]

Objective: To study the clinicopathologic feature, diagnostic strategy and prognostic significance of primary carcinoid of the ovary (PCOTO). Methods: A series of 17 patients previously diagnosed as PCOTO at Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital during the period from 2002 to 2017 were evaluated with clinical data analysis, histopathology and immunohistochemistry, and the patients were followed up and the relevant literatures were reviewed. Results: The age of patients ranged from 24 to 64 years (mean, 42 years). Fourteen patients were found a pelvic mass for a health check-up, and only 3 patients presented with pain in the lower abdomen. The left ovary was involved initially in ten patients, and the right in seven. The major axis of the tumor ranged from 2 to 14 cm. The surface of these tumors was smooth. Seven of the tumors were solid-cystic, 6 were cystic and 4 were solid. Under light microscope, 6 cases were diagnosed as strumal carcinoid, 4 cases were insular carcinoid, 4 cases were trabecular carcinoid, 3 cases were insular and trabecular mixed type carcinoid and 1 case was mucinous carcinoid. The mitotic figures were no more than 1/10 HPF.There were 11 cases complicated with other ovarian tumors, including 10 cases with teratoma, and 1 case with mucinous cystic adenoma. The paraffin-embedded tissues of all cases showed immunoreactivity for NSE and Syn, and the positive propotion of CgA was 10/17. TTF1 was positive in thyroid follicles and negative in strumal carcinoid. The positive index of Ki-67 was no more than 2%. Follow-up of 13 to 188 months showed 16 patients without recurrence and 1 patients were loss to follow-up. Conclusions: PCOTO is very rare. Most of the patients are found with a mass during health check-up in unilateral ovary and without obvious clinical symptoms. Histologically, the tumor always exists with other ovarian tumors, including teratoma and mucinous cystic adenoma, with relatively good prognosis.