Netrin-1 Promotes M2 Type Activation and Inhibits Pyroptosis of Microglial Cells by Depressing RAC1/Nf-?B Pathway to Alleviate Inflammatory Pain

Netrin-1 (NTN-1) plays a vital role in the progress of nervous system development and inflammatory diseases. However, the role and underlying mechanism of NTN-1 in inflammatory pain (IP) are unclear. BV2 microglia were treated with LPS to mimic the cell status under IP. Adeno-associated virus carrying the NTN-1 gene (AAV-NTN-1) was used to overexpress NTN-1. Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced mouse was recruited as an in vivo model. MTT and commercial kits were utilized to evaluate cell viability and cell death of BV2 cells. The mRNA expressions and secretions of cytokines were measured using the ELISA method. Also, the pyroptosis and activation of BV2 cells were investigated based on western blotting. To verify the role of Rac1/NF-kappaB signaling, isochamaejasmin (ISO) and AAV-Rac1 were presented. The results showed that NTN-1 expression was decreased in LPS-treated BV2 microglia and spinal cord tissues of CFA-injected mice. Overexpressing NTN-1 dramatically reversed cell viability and decreased cell death rate of BV2 microglia under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, while the level of pyroptosis was inhibited. Besides, AAV-NTN-1 rescued the activation of microglia and inflammatory injury induced by LPS, decreasing IBA-1 expression, as well as iNOS, IL-1beta and IL-6 secretions. Meanwhile AAV-NTN-1 promoted the anti-inflammation response, including increases in Arg-1, IL-4 and IL-10 levels. In addition, the LPS-induced activation of Rac1/NF-kappaB signaling was depressed by NTN-1 overexpression. The same results were verified in a CFA-induced mouse model. In conclusion, NTN-1 alleviated IP by suppressing pyroptosis and promoting M2 type activation of microglia via inhibiting Rac1/NF-?B signaling, suggesting the protective role of NTN-1 in IP. Keywords: Netrin-1, Inflammatory pain, Pyroptosis, Microglia M2 activation, Rac1/NF-kappaB.

Sleeve gastrectomy links the attenuation of diabetic kidney disease to the inhibition of renal tubular ferroptosis through down-regulating TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway

PURPOSE

To investigate how sleeve gastrectomy (SG), a typical operation of bariatric surgery, attenuated symptom, and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

METHODS

DKD model was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozocin in Wistar rats. SG was performed, and the group subjected to sham surgery served as control. The animals were euthanized 12 weeks after surgery, followed by sample collection for the subsequent experiment. The HK-2, a renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line derived from human, was utilized to investigate the potential mechanisms.

RESULTS

SG improved metabolic parameters and glucose homeostasis, and could alleviate DKD in terms of renal function indices as well as histological and morphological structures in DM rats, accompanied with a significant reduction in renal tubular injury. Compared with sham group, SG reduced the renal tubular ferroptosis. To further clarify the mechanism involved, in vitro experiments were performed. In the presence of high glucose, renal tubular TGF-β1 secretion was significantly increased in HK-2 cell line, which led to activation of ferroptosis through TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway. Inhibition of TGF-β1 receptor and phosphorylation of Smad3 significantly ameliorated TGF-β1-mediated ferroptosis. In vivo experiments also found that SG improved the hyperglycemic environment, reduced renal TGF-β1 concentrations, and down-regulated the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

With the capacity to lower the glucose, SG could attenuate the ferroptosis by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway in DKD rats, and eventually attenuated DKD.

Efficient Photothermal Catalytic Oxidation Enabled by Three-Dimensional Nanochannel Substrates

Photothermal catalysis exhibits promising prospects to overcome the shortcomings of high-energy consumption of traditional thermal catalysis and the low efficiency of photocatalysis. However, there is still a challenge to develop catalysts with outstanding light absorption capability and photothermal conversion efficiency for the degradation of atmospheric pollutants. Herein, we introduced the Co3O4 layer and Pt nanoclusters into the three-dimensional (3D) porous membrane through the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, leading to a Pt/Co3O4/AAO monolithic catalyst. The 3D ordered nanochannel structure can significantly enhance the solar absorption capacity through the light-trapping effect. Therefore, the embedded Pt/Co3O4 catalyst can be rapidly heated and the O2 adsorbed on the Pt clusters can be activated to generate sufficient O2- species, exhibiting outstanding activity for the diverse VOCs (toluene, acetone, and formaldehyde) degradation. Optical characterization and simulation calculation confirmed that Pt/Co3O4/AAO exhibited state-of-the-art light absorption and a notable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (in situ DRIFTS) studies demonstrated that light irradiation can accelerate the conversion of intermediates during toluene and acetone oxidation, thereby inhibiting byproduct accumulation. Our finding extends the application of AAO's optical properties in photothermal catalytic degradation of air pollutants.

Changing epidemiologic patterns of typhus group rickettsiosis and scrub typhus in China, 1950-2022

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a systematic analysis of the notifiable rickettsial diseases in humans in China during 1950-2022.

METHODS

We utilized descriptive statistics to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic characteristics of typhus group rickettsiosis (TGR) and scrub typhus (ST) cases.

RESULTS

Since the 1950s, there have been variations in the incidence rate of TGR and ST in China, with a downtrend for TGR and an uptrend for ST. The South became a high-incidence area of TGR, whereas the North was previously the high-incidence area. ST cases were concentrated in the South and the geographic area of ST spread northward and westward. The seasonality of TGR and ST were similar in the South but distinct in the North. Most TGR and ST cases were reported by county-level medical institutions, whereas primary institutions reported the least. Delayed diagnosis was associated with fatal outcomes of TGR and ST. Cases in low-incidence provinces, confirmed by laboratory tests and reported from county/municipal-level institutions had higher odds of delayed diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed significant changes in the epidemiological characteristics of TGR and ST in China, which can provide useful information to enhance the control and prevention strategies of rickettsial diseases in China.

Improved Interface Construction on Anode and Cathode for Na-Ion Batteries Using Ultralow-Concentration Electrolyte Containing Dual-Additives

Compared with Li+ , Na+ with a smaller stokes radius has faster de-solvation kinetics. An electrolyte with ultralow sodium salt (0.3 M NaPF6 ) is used to reduce the cell cost. However, the organic-dominated interface, mainly derived from decomposed solvents (SSIP solvation structure), is defective for the long cycling performance of sodium ion batteries. In this work, the simple application of dual additives, including sodium difluoro(oxalato)borate (NaDFOB) and tris(trimethylsilyl)borate (TMSB), is demonstrated to improve the cycling performance of the hard carbon/NaNi1/3 Fe1/3 Mn1/3 O2 cell by constructing interface films on the anode and cathode. A significant improvement on cycling stability has been achieved by incorporating dual additives of NaDFOB and TMSB. Particularly, the capacity retention increased from 17 % (baseline) to 79 % (w/w, 2.0 wt % NaDFOB) and 83 % (w/w, 2.0 wt % NaDFOB and 1.0 wt % TMSB) after 200 cycles at room temperature. Insight into the mechanism of improved interfacial properties between electrodes and electrolyte in ultralow concentration electrolyte has been investigated through a combination of theoretical computation and experimental techniques.

Characterization of striatal dopamine projections across striatal subregions in behavioral flexibility

Behavioural flexibility is key to survival in a dynamic environmentWhile flexible, goal-directed behaviours are initially dependent on dorsomedial striatum, they become dependent on lateral striatum as behaviours become inflexible. Similarly, lesions of dopamine terminals in lateral striatum disrupt the development of inflexible habits. This work suggests that dopamine release in lateral striatum may drive inflexible behaviours, though few studies have investigated a causative role of subpopulations of striatal dopamine terminals in reversal learning, a measure of flexibility. Here, we performed two optogenetic experiments to activate dopamine terminals in dorsomedial (DMS), dorsolateral (DLS) or ventral (nucleus accumbens [NAc]) striatum in DAT-Cre mice that expressed channelrhodopsin-2 via viral injection (Experiment I) or through transgenic breeding with an Ai32 reporter line (Experiment II) to determine how specific dopamine subpopulations impact reversal learning. Mice performed a reversal task in which they self-stimulated DMS, DLS, or NAc dopamine terminals by pressing one of two levers before action-outcome lever contingencies were reversed. Largely consistent with presumed ventromedial/lateral striatal function, we found that mice self-stimulating medial dopamine terminals reversed lever preference following contingency reversal, while mice self-stimulating NAc showed parial flexibility, and DLS self-stimulation resulted in impaired reversal. Impairments in DLS mice were characterized by more regressive errors and reliance on lose-stay strategies following reversal, as well as reduced within-session learning, suggesting reward insensitivity and overreliance on previously learned actions. This study supports a model of striatal function in which DMS and ventral dopamine facilitate goal-directed responding, and DLS dopamine supports more inflexible responding.

Long-Term Anorectal Function in Rectal Cancer Patients Managed by a Watch-and-Wait Strategy after Neoadjuvant Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Rectal cancer patients reaching complete clinical response (cCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy can be offered a nonoperative watch-and-wait (W&W) strategy. As evidence of good oncological outcomes accumulates, the functional outcomes remain less explored. The aim of this study is to comprehensively assess the long-term rectal toxicity and anorectal function in patients managed by a W&W strategy and to investigate the clinical risk factors for anorectal dysfunction.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Seventy W&W patients who were disease-free at the moment of recruitment were included. A minimum 2-year follow-up was considered. We graded late rectal toxicity according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (RTOG/EORTC) scale and the Late Effects of Normal Tissue/Subjective Objective Management Analytic (LENT/SOMA) system. Long-term anorectal function was assessed with the Wexner score, the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome score (LARS score), and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Bowel Function Instrument (MSK BFI).

RESULTS

All patients received standard chemoradiotherapy consisting of a total dose of 5000 cGy in 25 fractions. The median tumor distance from the anal verge was 3 (IQR 2-4) cm. After a median follow-up of 43 (IQR 28-66) months, less than half of patients developed Grade 1 (40.0%) or Grade 2 (1.4%) late rectal toxicity, and no patients complained of higher grades. LENT/SOMA criteria also identified more patients with mild symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were sphincter control problems, mainly manifested as fecal urgency, reported by 60.0% of patients. For long-term anorectal function, the median LARS score was 16 (IQR 4-25). 17.1% of patients reported minor LARS and 15.7% reported major LARS. The median Wexner score was 2 (IQR 0-3). The median MSK BFI total score was 82 (IQR 77-86). Smoking history was an independent risk factor for anorectal dysfunction in multivariate analyses (OR = 6.491, 95% CI 1.536-27.432).

CONCLUSION

Rectal cancer patients managed by a watch-and-wait strategy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy have retained satisfactory anorectal function. However, fecal urgency might be a common problem. Smoking history was an independent risk factor for long-term anorectal dysfunction. Prospective studies with emphasis on bowel function outcomes containing a larger number of patients are needed.

[Normative wideband absorbance measures in children: a cross-sectional study]

Objective: This study was to investigate the main characteristics and related factors of wideband absorbance (WBA) in children with normal hearing and to obtain age-specific reference range of WBA. Methods: 384 children between 0-12 years old (615 ears) who visited the Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from October 2019 to February 2021 were enrolled, including 230 males (376 ears) and 154 females (239 ears), with totally 306 left ears and 309 right ears. Wideband tympanometry (WBT) was performed and normative WBA data were analyzed by SPSS 24.0 statistical software. Repeated measures and multivariate analysis of variance were applied to the data from 16 points at 1/3-octave frequencies (226, 324, 408, 500, 667, 841, 1 000, 1 297, 1 682, 2 000, 2 670, 3 364, 4 000, 5 339, 6 727 and 8 000 Hz) to evaluate the effects of frequency, age, external auditory canal pressures, gender and ear on WBA. Results: According to the WBT frequency-absorbance curve, the subjects were divided into seven groups: 1-month old group, 2-month old group, 3-month old group, 4-5 month old group, 6-24 month old group,>2-6 year old group and>6-12 year old group. The WBA of normal-hearing children underwent a series of developmental changes with age at both ambient pressure and tympanometric peak pressures. WBA results for 1-month group and 2-month old group exhibited a multipeaked pattern, with the peaks occurring around 2 000 and 4 897 Hz, and a notch around 3 886 Hz. WBA results for 3-month group and 4-5 month old group exhibited a single broad-peaked pattern, with the peak occurring between 2 000-4 757 Hz. The WBA of 1-month old group to 4-5 month old group decreased gradually at low frequency (226-408 Hz) and 6 727 Hz, and increased at middle to high frequency (2 670-4 000 Hz). The WBA of 6-24 month old group were significantly lower than that of 2-month old group to 4-5 month old group at all frequencies except 3 364 and 4 000 Hz. WBA results for 6-24 month old group,>2-6 year old group and>6-12 year old group exhibited a single-peaked pattern, and the peak frequency of WBA moved to the lower frequency successively. From 6-24 month old group to>6-12 year old group, the WBA gradually increased at low to middle frequencies (667-2 670 Hz) and 8 000 Hz, and decreased at middle to high frequencies (3 364-5 339 Hz). Among the 16 frequencies of all age groups, the difference between WBA under ambient pressure and tympanometric peak pressure were -0.09-0.06, and 43.75%-81.25% frequency points had statistically significant difference, which was mainly manifested in that WBA under ambient pressure were lower than that under tympanometric peak pressure at 226-1 682 Hz. There was no significant ear effect on all of the age groups. Similarly, there was no significant gender effect except for 3-month old group and 4-5 month old group. Conclusions: The WBA of normal-hearing children measured at ambient pressure and tympanometric peak pressure varied across the frequencies with age from 1 month to 12 years old, and different frequencies followed different change patterns (increase vs. decrease) in WBA. There was also significant external auditory canal pressures effect on all of the age groups. The establishment of age-specific reference range of WBA for 0-12 years old normal-hearing children in this study would be useful for clinical practice of determining normative data regarding WBT.

[Structural changes of the frontal cortex in depressed mice are associated with decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the changes in gray matter volume in depressive-like mice and explore the possible mechanism.

METHODS

Twenty-four 6-week-old C57 mice were randomized equally into control group and model group, and the mice in the model group were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stimulation (CUMS) for 35 days. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed to examine structural changes of the grey matter volume in depressive-like mice. The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the grey matter of the mice was detected using Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

Compared with the control mice, the mice with CUMS showed significantly decreased central walking distance in the open field test (P < 0.05) and increased immobile time in forced swimming test (P < 0.05). Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the volume of the frontal cortex was significantly decreased in CUMS mice (P < 0.001, when the mass level was greater than or equal to 10 756, the FDRc was corrected with P=0.05). Western blotting showed that the expression of mature BDNF in the frontal cortex was significantly decreased in CUMS mice (P < 0.05), and its expression began to decrease after the exposure to CUMS as shown by immunofluorescence staining. The volume of different clusters obtained by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was correlated with the expression level of mature BDNF detected by Western blotting (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The decrease of frontal cortex volume after CUMS is related with the reduction of mature BDNF expression in the frontal cortex.

Molecular Detection of Tick-Borne Bacterial and Protozoan Pathogens in Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) Ticks from Free-Ranging Domestic Sheep in Hebei Province, China

Ticks and tick-borne pathogens significantly threaten human and animal health worldwide. Haemaphysalis longicornis is one of the dominant tick species in East Asia, including China. In the present study, 646 Ha. longicornis ticks were collected from free-ranging domestic sheep in the southern region of Hebei Province, China. Tick-borne pathogens of zoonotic and veterinary importance (i.e., Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Borrelia, Theileria, and Hepatozoon spp.) were detected in the ticks using PCR assays and sequence analysis. The prevalence rates of these pathogens were 5.1% (33/646), 15.9% (103/646), 1.2% (8/646), 17.0% (110/646), 0.15% (1/646), and 0.15% (1/646), respectively. For Rickettsia spp., R. japonica (n = 13), R. raoultii (n = 6), and Candidatus R. jingxinensis (n = 14) were detected for the first time in the province, while several Anaplasma spp. were also detected in the ticks, including A. bovis (n = 52), A. ovis (n = 31), A. phagocytophilum (n = 10), and A. capra (n = 10). A putative novel Ehrlichia spp. was also found with a prevalence of 1.2% in the area. The present study provides important data for effectively controlling ticks and tick-borne diseases in the Hebei Province region of China.

Quenching-Induced Defect-Rich Platinum/Metal Oxide Catalysts Promote Catalytic Oxidation

Enhancing oxygen activation through defect engineering is an effective strategy for boosting catalytic oxidation performance. Herein, we demonstrate that quenching is an effective strategy for preparing defect-rich Pt/metal oxide catalysts with superior catalytic oxidation activity. As a proof of concept, quenching of α-Fe₂O₃ in aqueous Pt(NO₃)₂ solution yielded a catalyst containing Pt single atoms and clusters over defect-rich α-Fe₂O₃ (Pt/Fe₂O₃-Q), which possessed state-of-the-art activity for toluene oxidation. Structural and spectroscopic analyses established that the quenching process created abundant lattice defects and lattice dislocations in the α-Fe₂O₃ support, and stronger electronic interactions between Pt species and Fe₂O₃ promote the generation of higher oxidation Pt species to modulate the adsorption/desorption behavior of reactants. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS) characterization studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations determined that molecular oxygen and Fe₂O₃ lattice oxygen were both activated on the Pt/Fe₂O₃-Q catalyst. Pt/CoMn₂O₄, Pt/MnO₂, and Pt/LaFeO₃ catalysts synthesized by the quenching method also offered superior catalytic activity for toluene oxidation. Results encourage the wider use of quenching for the preparation of highly active oxidation catalysts.

Effect of surface gallium termination on the formation and emission energy of an InGaAs wetting layer during the growth of InGaAs quantum dots by droplet epitaxy

Self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) based on III-V semiconductors have excellent properties for applications in quantum optics. However, the presence of a 2D wetting layer (WL) which forms during the Stranski-Krastanov growth of QDs can limit their performance. Here, we investigate WL formation during QD growth by the droplet epitaxy technique. We use a combination of photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy, lifetime measurements, and transmission electron microscopy to identify the presence of an InGaAs WL in these droplet epitaxy QDs, even in the absence of distinguishable WL luminescence. We observe that increasing the amount of Ga deposited on a GaAs (100) surface prior to the growth of InGaAs QDs leads to a significant reduction in the emission wavelength of the WL to the point where it can no longer be distinguished from the GaAs acceptor peak emission in photoluminescence measurements. However increasing the amount of Ga deposited does not suppress the formation of a WL under the growth conditions used here.

Clinical Forms of Japanese Spotted Fever from Case-Series Study, Zigui County, Hubei Province, China, 2021

We report a case-series study of 5 patients with Japanese spotted fever from the Three Gorges Area in China, including 1 fatal case. Seroprevalence of Rickettsia japonica was ≈21% among the local population. Our report highlights the emerging potential threat to human health of Japanese spotted fever in the area.

Diversity of Rickettsiales bacteria in five species of ticks collected from Jinzhai County, Anhui Province, China in 2021-2022

The order Rickettsiales in the class Alphaproteobacteria comprises vector-borne pathogens of both medical and veterinary importance. Ticks, as a group, are second only to mosquitoes as vectors of pathogens to humans, playing a critical role in the transmission of rickettsiosis. In the present study, 880 ticks collected from Jinzhai County, Lu'an City, Anhui Province, China in 2021-2022 were identified as belonging to five species from three genera. DNA extracted from individual ticks was examined using nested polymerase chain reaction targeting the 16S rRNA gene (rrs), and the gene fragments amplified were sequenced to detect and identify Rickettsiales bacteria in the ticks. For further identification, the rrs-positive tick samples were further amplified by PCR targeting the gltA and groEL gene and sequenced. As a result, 13 Rickettsiales species belonging to the genera Rickettsia, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia were detected, including three tentative species of Ehrlichia. Our results reveal the extensive diversity of Rickettsiales bacteria in ticks from Jinzhai County, Anhui Province. There, emerging rickettsial species may be pathogenic and cause under-recognized diseases. Detection of several pathogens in ticks that are closely related to human diseases may indicate a potential risk of infection in humans. Therefore, additional studies to assess the potential public health risks of the Rickettsiales pathogens identified in the present study are warranted.

Chronotype and insomnia may affect the testosterone levels with a sexual difference: a Mendelian randomization

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the causal effects of sleep traits (i.e., chronotype, insomnia, and sleep duration) on bioavailable testosterone (BT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and total testosterone (TT) levels in women and men.

METHODS

We performed Mendelian randomization (MR) using random-effect inverse-variance weighted (IVW) and 7 other MR analyses. Exposure data for sleep traits were obtained from the largest-to-date genome-wide association study (GWAS) from 339,926 to 1,331,010 individuals. Summary data for testosterone levels were obtained from GWAS based on the UK Biobank.

RESULTS

For women, our study supported that chronotype was associated with decreased BT (IVW: β = - 0.042, 95% CI - 0.060, - 0.023, p = 1.17E-05) and TT (IVW: - 0.053, 95% CI - 0.075, - 0.031, p = 2.30E-06). Besides, insomnia can significantly increase BT (IVW: β = 0.025, 95% CI 0.009, 0.041, p = 0.002). These findings were significant in most sensitivity analyses. For men, statistical significance was found between chronotype and BT (β = - 0.027, 95% CI - 0.048, - 0.005, p = 0.016), and insomnia and TT (β = - 0.028, 95% CI - 0.049, 0.007, p = 0.009) in IVW. However, the effect estimates were not broadly consistent with other sensitivity analyses. Our study did not find support for causal effects of sleep duration on testosterone levels in both women and men.

CONCLUSION

Our study reveals the sex differences in the effects of sleep traits on testosterone levels. A healthy sleep habit is vital for the maintenance of testosterone homeostasis in women. Further studies are warranted to investigate the associations between sleep traits and testosterone levels in men.

Magnetic-field-synchronized wireless modulation of neural activity by magnetoelectric nanoparticles

The in vitro study demonstrates wirelessly controlled modulation of neural activity using magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs), synchronized to magnetic field application with a sub-25-msec temporal response. Herein, MENPs are sub-30-nm CoFe₂O₄@BaTiO₃ core-shell nanostructures. MENPs were added to E18 rat hippocampal cell cultures (0.5 μg of MENPs per 100,000 neurons) tagged with fluorescent Ca²⁺ sensitive indicator cal520. MENPs were shown to wirelessly induce calcium transients which were synchronized with application of 1200-Oe bipolar 25-msec magnetic pulses at a rate of 20 pulses/sec. The observed calcium transients were similar, in shape and magnitude, to those generated through the control electric field stimulation with a 50-μA current, and they were inhibited by the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin. The observed MENP-based magnetic excitation of neural activity is in agreement with the non-linear M - H hysteresis loop of the MENPs, wherein the MENPs' coercivity value sets the threshold for the externally applied magnetic field.

Effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation on knee osteoarthritis - A target trial emulation study using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort

OBJECTIVE

To assess the real-world effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by replicating a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design in an observational study.

METHOD

This study emulated a target trial using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Eligible participants were ≥45 years, had symptomatic KOA and did not take vitamin D supplements in the past 30 days. A participant can enter the trial more than once. Participants were included in vitamin D group if they took ≥1,000 IU/day for ≥4 days/week in the past 30 days at the first follow-up visit after baseline. The control group did not use vitamin D in the past 30 days. Optimal propensity score matching at 1:1 ratio was performed. The primary outcome was change in knee pain 2 years after baseline measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Secondary outcomes included WOMAC physical function and quantitative joint space width (JSW). Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to compare the findings with previous RCTs.

RESULTS

A total of 236 person-trials in the vitamin D group were pair-matched with a control. Compared to the control group, vitamin D supplementation did not reach significant changes in WOMAC pain (SMD = -0.04, 95%CI [-0.21, 0.13]), physical function and radiographic JSW over 2 years. The SMDs were consistent with the effect sizes reported in previous RCTs.

CONCLUSION

Target trial emulation in the OAI cohort demonstrated findings close to published RCTs. This supports the future use of target trial emulation in evaluating other systemic therapies for KOA.

Quenching-induced surface modulation of perovskite oxides to boost catalytic oxidation activity

Quenching is a powerful method for modulating surface structures of metal oxide nanocatalysts to achieve high catalytic oxidation activities, but it is still challenging. Herein, a catalyst of ultrafine Co₃O₄ nanoparticles decorated on Co-doped LaMnO₃ (Co₃O₄/LaCo_xMn_1-xO₃) is synthesized via one-step quenching perovskite-type LaMnO₃ nanocatalyst into an aqueous solution of cobalt nitrate, which exhibits significantly improved catalytic performance with toluene (1000 ppm) conversion of 90% at 269 °C under the gas hourly space velocity of 72000 mL g^-1 h^-1. The high catalytic activity correlates with large surface area, abundant oxygen vacancies and good reducibility. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations disclose that Co doping and interfacial effect of Co₃O₄/LaCo_xMn_1-xO₃ can achieve lower C-H bond activation energy. These findings provide a unique and effective route towards surface modification of nanocatalysts.

Toxic Effects of Thioacetamide-Induced Femoral Damage in New Zealand White Rabbits by Activating the p38/ERK Signaling Pathway

Thioacetamide (TAA) is widely used in the production of drugs, pesticides and dyeing auxiliaries. Moreover, it is a chemical that can cause liver damage and cancer. TAA has recently been identified to cause bone damage in animal models. However, the type of bone damage that TAA causes and its potential pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. The toxic effects of TAA on the femurs of New Zealand white rabbits and the underlying toxicity mechanism were investigated in this study. Serum samples, the heart, liver, kidney and femurs were collected from rabbits after intraperitoneal injection of TAA for 5 months (100 and 200 mg/kg). The New Zealand white rabbits treated with TAA showed significant weight loss and femoral shortening. The activities of total bilirubin, total bile acid and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in the serum were increased following treatment with TAA. In addition, the cortical bone became thinner, and the trabecular thickness decreased significantly in TAA-treated rabbits, which was accompanied by significantly decreased mineral density of the cortical and trabecular bone. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in modulus of elasticity and maximum load on bone stress in TAA-treated rabbits. The western blotting results showed that the expression of phosphorylated (p)-p38 and p-ERK in femur tissues of rabbits were increased after TAA administration. Collectively, these results suggested that TAA may lead to femoral damage in rabbits by activating the p38/ERK signaling pathway.

Computational diffraction reveals long-range strains, distortions and disorder in molecular dynamics simulations of irradiated single crystals

Atomic-scale simulations, and in particular molecular dynamics (MD), are key assets to model the behavior of the structure of materials under the action of external stimuli, say temperature, strain or stress, irradiation, etc. Despite the widespread use of MD in condensed matter science, some basic material characteristics remain difficult to determine. This is, for instance, the case for the long-range strain tensor, and its root-mean-squared fluctuations, in disordered materials. In this work, computational diffraction is introduced as a fast and reliable structural characterization tool of atomic-scale simulation cells in the case of irradiated single crystals. In contrast to direct-space methods, computational diffraction operates in the reciprocal space and is therefore highly sensitive to long-range spatial correlations. With the example of irradiated UO2 single crystals, it is demonstrated that the normal strains, shear strains and rotations, as well as their root-mean-squared fluctuations (microstrain) and the atomic disorder, are straightforwardly and unambiguously determined. The methodology presented here has been developed with efficiency in mind, in order to be able to provide simple and reliable characterizations either operating in real time, in parallel with other analysis tools, or operating on very large data sets.

Comprehensive analysis of N6-methylandenosine regulators and m6A-related RNAs as prognosis factors in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies and has been a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in recent years. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is the most abundant epigenetic modification of various types of RNAs, and it plays a vital role in promoting cancer development. Here, we obtained SNV and transcriptome data of CRC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We demonstrated that most m6A methylation regulators were aberrantly expressed in individuals with CRC. The abnormal expression of m6A regulators was caused by their different copy number variation (CNV) patterns, and alteration of m6A regulators was significantly correlated with prognosis and tumor stage. By using weighted coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), we identified m6A-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNAs; then we used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis to construct m6A-related lncRNA and mRNA prognostic signatures in the TCGA dataset. Furthermore, a nomogram with clinicopathological features, lncRNA risk scores, and mRNA risk scores was established, which showed a strong ability to forecast the overall survival of the individuals with CRC in training and testing sets. In conclusion, m6A methylation regulators played a vital role in affecting the prognosis of subjects with CRC, and m6A-related lncRNAs and mRNAs revealed underlying mechanisms in CRC tumorigenesis and progression.

[The citation analysis of the articles published in Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery from 2009 to 2019]

Objective: To analyze the citation of articles in Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and to explore the strategy for running scientific journals. Methods: Using the Citation Database of Chinese Biomedical Journals, the citations of articles in this journal from 2009 to 2019 were statistically analyzed, and the characteristics of highly cited articles were analyzed. Results: From 2009 to 2019, Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery published 2 814 papers. Cited papers accounted for 75.69% of all papers, and each paper was cited 7.24 times. The citation rate of published papers was consistent with the variation trend of citation frequency. Non treatises such as guide consensus and original articles for special issues were cited better. There was no obvious correlation between paper funding and citation. Conclusion: Improving the content quality and optimizing the column setting are important measures to enhance the influence of scientific journals.

The elevation of miR-185-5p alleviates high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis and lipid accumulation in vivo and in vitro via SREBP2 activation

OBJECTIVE

SREBP2, a member of the SREBP family, is a primary regulator of lipid metabolism. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have suggested that miRNAs regulate lipid metabolism-related genes. It was speculated in this study that miRNAs may be implicated in the regulation of lipid accumulation in macrophages by SREBP2 protein.

METHODS AND RESULTS

GSE34812, GSE132651 and GSE28829 datasets comprised of atherosclerosis samples were downloaded to explore the gene expression profiles related to the miRNAs and SREBP2, and miR-185-5p was predicted to be a target of SREBP2. The GO annotations and KEGG pathway analysis were adopted for functional classification of differentially expressed genes, and lipid metabolic process was an enriched pathway in atherosclerosis. Besides, the effects of SREBP2 on increasing lipid accumulation were investigated in vivo using miR-185-5p mimic/apoE^-/- mice and miR-185-5p NC/apoE^-/- mice. All mice fed with a HFD suffered from atherosclerosis. Moreover, the effects of miR-185-5p on atherosclerotic plaque formation in mice were analyzed. An in vitro assay was also performed to determine the effect of miR-185-5p on ox-LDL-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Finally, miR-185-5p mimic was transfected into cultured macrophages. The results showed that the miR-185-5p elevation might regulate lipid accumulation in mice by targeting SREBP2. Furthermore, miR-185-5p mimic repressed the activation of SREBP1, SREBP2, LDLR, SCD-1, HMGCR as well as NLRP3, IL-1β, TNF-α in HFD fed mice or ox-LDL-stimulated macrophages.

CONCLUSIONS

our study demonstrated that miR-185-5p effectively alleviates atherosclerosis and lipid accumulation by regulating the miR-185-5p/SREBP2 axis.

The relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D level and sweat function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

AIMS

The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D(25-(OH)₂D₃) level and sweat function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 1021 patients with T2DM who underwent 25-(OH)₂D₃ level detections and sweat function tests was carried out. These individuals were divided into deficient groups (n = 154 cases), insufficient groups (n = 593 cases) and sufficient groups (n = 274 cases). Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis were implemented to determine the association of 25-(OH)2D3 level and sweat function.

RESULTS

The total presence of sweating dysfunction was 38.59%. Patients with a lower level of serum 25-(OH)₂D₃ had more severe sweat secretion impairment (P < 0.05). As the decrease of serum 25-(OH)₂D₃ level, the presence of sweating dysfunction increased (P < 0.05). 25-(OH)₂D₃ level was positively correlated with sweat function parameters, age and duration of T2DM were negatively correlated with sweat function parameter (P < 0.05). Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis explored a significant association between serum 25-(OH)₂D₃ level with sweat function (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum 25-(OH)₂D₃ level was positively correlated with sweat function in patients with T2DM.

<i>Anaplasma bovis</i> Infection in Fever and Thrombocytopenia Patients — Anhui Province, China, 2021

What is already known about this topic?

The genusAnaplasma contains seven recognized bacterial species, mainly transmitted by tick bites. The two species, A. phagocytophilum and A. capra, are known commonly to cause diseases in humans.

What is added by this report?

Anaplasma bovis was initially thought to be only an animal agent until the first patient case was reported in 2019. This study investigated another two patients who became sick within one month in the same township and were infected with A. bovis in Anhui Province.

What are the implications for public health practice?

This study suggested that more A. bovis-infected patients may exist in this area and that patients with anaplasmosis require an early and specific diagnosis.

Silencing IKBKE inhibits the migration and invasion of glioblastoma by promoting Snail1 degradation

PURPOSE

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common malignant brain tumors in adults and has high mortality and relapse rates. Over the past few years, great advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of GBM, but unfortunately, the five-year overall survival rate of GBM patients is approximately 5.1%. Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon (IKBKE) is a major oncogenic protein in tumors and can promote evil development of GBM. Snail1, a key inducer of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transcription factor, is subjected to ubiquitination and degradation, but the mechanism by which Snail1 is stabilized in tumors remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the mechanism of IKBKE regulating Snail1 in GBM.

METHODS

First, we analyzed the correlation between the expression of IKBKE and the tumor grade and prognosis through public databases and laboratory specimen libraries. Second, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot were used to detect the correlation between IKBKE and Snail expression in glioma samples and cell lines. Western blot and immunofluorescence (IF) experiments were used to detect the quality and distribution of IKBKE and Snail1 proteins. Third, In situ animal model of intracranial glioma to detect the regulatory effect of IKBKE on intracranial tumors.

RESULTS

In this study, Our study reveals a new connection between IKBKE and Snail1, where IKBKE can directly bind to Snail1, translocate Snail1 into the nucleus from the cytoplasm. Downregulation of IKBKE results in Snail1 destabilization and impairs the tumor cell migration and invasion capabilities.

CONCLUSION

Our studies suggest that the IKBKE-Snail1 axis may serve as a potential therapeutic target for GBM treatment.

A Hydrothermally Stable Single-Atom Catalyst of Pt Supported on High-Entropy Oxide/Al2O3: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Catalytic Activity

A catalyst with high-entropy oxide (HEO)-stabilized single-atom Pt can afford low-temperature activity for catalytic oxidation and remarkable durability even under harsh conditions. However, HEO is easy to harden during sintering, which results in a few defective sites for anchoring single-atom metals. Herein, we present a sol-gel-assisted mechanical milling strategy to achieve a single-atom catalyst of Pt-HEO/Al₂O₃. The strong interaction between HEO and Al₂O₃ effectively inhibits the growth of HEO microparticles, which leads to generation of more surface defects because of the nanoscale effect. Meanwhile, another strong interaction between Pt and HEO stabilizes single-atom Pt on HEO. Temperature-programmed techniques further verify that the reactivity of surface lattice oxygen species is enhanced because of the Pt-O-M bonds on the surface of HEO. Unlike conventional single-atom Pt catalysts, Pt-HEO/Al₂O₃ as a heterogeneous catalyst not only exhibits superior stability against hydrothermal aging but also presents long-term reaction stability for CO catalytic oxidation, which exceeds 540 h. The present work opens a new door for rational design of hydrothermally stable single-atom Pt catalysts, which are highly promising in practical applications.

Artemisia ordosica Polysaccharide Alleviated Lipopolysaccharide-induced Oxidative Stress of Broilers via Nrf2/Keap1 and TLR4/NF-κB Pathway

Artemisia ordosica is one of the main shrubby perennials belonging to Artemisia species of Asteraceae and could be used in folk Chinese/Mongolian medicine to treat symptoms of various inflammatory ailments. The present study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of dietary Artemisia ordosica polysaccharide (AOP) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced oxidative stress in broilers via Nrf2/Keap1 and TLR4/NF-κB pathway. A total of 192 1-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allotted to four treatments with 6 replicates (n = 8): (1) CON group, non-challenged broilers fed basal diet; (2) LPS group, LPS-challenged broilers fed basal diet; (3) AOP group, non-challenged broilers fed basal diet supplemented with 750 mg/kg AOP; (4) LPS+AOP group, LPS-challenged broilers fed basal diet supplemented with 750 mg/kg AOP. The trial included starter phase (d 1-14), stress period Ⅰ (d 15-21), convalescence Ⅰ (d 22-28), stress period Ⅱ (d 29-35) and convalescence Ⅱ (d 36-42). During stress period Ⅰ (on d 15, 17, 19 and 21) and stress period Ⅱ (on d 29, 31, 33 and 35), broilers were injected intra-abdominally either with LPS solution or with an equal amount of sterile saline. The results showed that dietary AOP supplementation alleviated LPS-induced reduction in antioxidant enzyme activity and excessive production of ROS, 8-OHdG and PC in serum of broilers challenged with LPS. Moreover, dietary AOP supplementation alleviated the decrease of T-AOC and activities of SOD, CAT and GPx in liver of broilers challenged with LPS by increasing expression of Nrf2, and inhibiting over-expression of Keap1 both at gene and protein level. Additionally, dietary AOP supplementation decreased the over-production of IL-1β and IL-6 in liver of broilers challenged by LPS through decreasing mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB P65, IL-1β and IL-6, and alleviating the increase of protein expression of TLR4, IKKβ, NF-κB P65, IL-1β, IL-6, and the decrease of protein expression of IkBα. In conclusion, dietary AOP supplementation could alleviate LPS-induced oxidative stress through Nrf2/Keap1 and TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Three Novel Structural Variations at MHC and IL12B Predisposing to Psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Structural variations (SVs, defined as DNA variants ≥50 bp) have been associated with various complex human diseases. However, research to screen the whole genome for SVs predisposing to psoriasis is still lacking.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the association of SVs and psoriasis.

METHODS

We performed a genome-wide screen on SVs using an imputation method on 5 independent cohorts with 45,386 subjects from the Chinese Han population. Fine mapping analysis, genetic interaction analysis and RNA expression analysis were conducted to explore the mechanism of SVs.

RESULTS

We obtained 4,535 SVs in total and identified 2 novel deletions (esv3608550, OR=2.73, P<2.00×10^-308 ; esv3608542, OR=0.47, P=7.40×10^-28 ) at 6q21.33 (MHC), 1 novel Alu element insertion (esv3607339, OR=1.22, P=1.18×10^-35 ) at 5q33.3 (IL12B), and confirmed 1 previously reported deletion (esv3587563, OR=1.30, P=9.52×10^-60 ) at 1q21.2 (LCE) for psoriasis. Fine mapping analysis including SNPs and small Insertions/Deletions (InDels) revealed that esv3608550 and esv3608542 were independently associated with psoriasis, and a novel independent SNP (rs9378188, OR=1.65, P=3.46×10^-38 ) was identified at 6q21.33. By genetic interaction analysis and RNA expression analysis, we speculate that the association of 2 deletions at 6q21.33 with psoriasis might relate to their influence on the expression of HLA-C.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study constructed the most comprehensive SV map for psoriasis thus far and enriched the genetic architecture and pathogenesis of psoriasis as well as highlighted the nonnegligible impact of SVs on complex diseases.

Activating Metal Oxides Nanocatalysts for Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation by Quenching-Induced Near-Surface Metal Atom Functionality

Developing a reliable strategy for the modulation of the texture, composition, and electronic structure of electrocatalyst surfaces is crucial for electrocatalytic performance, yet still challenging. Herein, we develop a facile and universal strategy, quenching, to precisely tailor the surface chemistry of metal oxide nanocatalysts by rapidly cooling them in a salt solution. Taking NiMoO₄ nanocatalysts an example, we successfully produce the quenched nanocatalysts offering a greatly reduced oxygen evolution reaction (OER) overpotential by 85 mV and 135 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 and 100 mA cm^-2 respectively. Through detailed characterization studies, we establish that quenching induces the formation of numerous disordered stepped surfaces and the near-surface metal ions doping, thus regulating the local electronic structures and coordination environments of Ni, Mo, which promotes the formation of the dual-site active and thereby affords a low energy pathway for OER. This quenching strategy is also successfully applied to a number of other metal oxides, such as spinel-type Co₃O₄, Fe₂O₃, LaMnO₃, and CoSnO₃, with similar surface modifications and gains in OER activity. Our finding provides a new inspiration to activate metal oxide catalysts and extends the use of quenching chemistry in catalysis.

[Role of Bruton's tyrosine kinase in endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide-induced pyroptosis of intestinal cells in scalded mice]

Objective: To investigate the role of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) in pyroptosis of intestinal cells caused by endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in scalded mice. Methods: The experimental research method was applied. One hundred and twenty-eight male C57BL/6 mice aged 6-8 weeks were divided into sham injury group, scald alone group, scald+LPS group, scald+LPS+3 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, scald+LPS+10 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, and scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group. There were 8 mice in sham injury group, and there were 24 mice in the other 5 groups, respectively. Mice in 5 scald groups were inflicted with 10% total body surface area full-thickness scald on the back, and mice in sham injury group were sham injured on the back. At post injury hour (PIH) 0 (immediately), mice in sham injury group and scald alone group were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline, mice in scald+LPS group were intraperitoneally injected with LPS, and mice in scald+LPS+3 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, scald+LPS+10 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, and scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group were intraperitoneally injected with LPS and LFM-A13 in corresponding doses. Mice in sham injury group were sacrificed at PIH 0 to collect serum and intestinal tissue, and 8 mice in each group of 5 scald groups were sacrificed at PIH 0, 12, and 24 to collect intestinal tissue and serum at PIH 12. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect phosphorylation of BTK in intestinal tissue of mice. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of phosphorylated BTK (p-BTK), cleaved cysteine aspartic acid specific protease 1 (caspase-1), and cleaved caspase-11 in intestinal tissue of mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used to detect interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in serum and intestinal tissue of mice. Data were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and least significant difference test. Results: There was no obvious phosphorylation of BTK in intestinal tissue of mice in 6 groups at PIH 0 and scald alone group at PIH 12 and 24. Phosphorylation of BTK in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS group at PIH 12 and 24 were obviously increased compared with those in scald alone group. Phosphorylation of BTK in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS+3 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, scald+LPS+10 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, and scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group were obviously decreased compared with those in scald+LPS group, and the degrees of decline gradually increased with increase of dose in LFM-A13. Compared with (0.130±0.010) of sham injury group and (0.120±0.040 and 0.110±0.040) of scald alone group, protein expressions of p-BTK in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS group at PIH 12 and 24 were obviously increased (0.470±0.090 and 0.430±0.080, P<0.01). Compared with those in scald+LPS group, protein expressions of p-BTK in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS+3 mg/kg LFM-A13 group at PIH 24, and scald+LPS+10 mg/kg LFM-A13 group and scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group at PIH 12 and 24 were obviously decreased (0.280±0.060, 0.300±0.120, 0.150±0.050, 0.280±0.090, 0.140±0.040, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with those in scald+LPS+3 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, protein expressions of p-BTK in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS+10 mg/kg LFM-A13 group and scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group at PIH 24 were obviously decreased (P<0.01). Compared with those in sham injury group and scald alone group, protein expressions of cleaved caspase-1 and caspase-11 in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS group were obviously increased at PIH 12 and 24 (P<0.01). Compared with those in scald+LPS group, protein expressions of cleaved caspase-1 at PIH 12 and cleaved caspase-11 at PIH 12 and 24 in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS+3 mg/kg LFM-A13 group and protein expressions of cleaved caspase-1 and caspase-11 in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS+10 mg/kg LFM-A13 group and scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group at PIH 12 and 24 were obviously decreased (P<0.01). Compared with those in scald+LPS+3 mg/kg LFM-A13 group, protein expressions of cleaved caspase-1 and caspase-11 in intestinal tissue of mice in scald+LPS+10 mg/kg LFM-A13 group and scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group at PIH 12 and 24 were obviously decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). At PIH 12, content of IL-1β in intestinal tissue and serum of mice in scald+LPS group were obviously higher than those in sham injury group and scald alone group (P<0.01), and content of IL-1β in intestinal tissue and serum of mice in scald+LPS+30 mg/kg LFM-A13 group were obviously lower than those in scald+LPS group (P<0.01). Conclusions: Phosphorylation of BTK is related to increases of cleaved caspase-1 and caspase-11 in intestinal tissue, and IL-1β content in intestinal tissue and serum of scalded septic mice caused by LPS. Phosphorylation of BTK mediates intestinal cell pyroptosis of scalded mice caused by LPS. Inhibiting phosphorylation of BTK can alleviate intestinal cell pyroptosis of scalded mice, with protective effect on intestinal injury intestine.

[Characteristics and recovery of hearing loss in 573 patients with bacterial meningitis]

Objective: To analyze the characteristics and prognosis of hearing loss in children with bacterial meningitis. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study. Patients diagnosed with bacterial meningitis who were hospitalized in Beijing Children's Hospital between 2010 and 2016 and older than 28 days and younger than 18 years at symptom onset were included in this study (n=573). All clinical information including hearing assessment results during hospitalization were reviewed. All patients with hearing loss were followed up to repeat their hearing test and assess their hearing condition with parents' evaluation of aural and (or) oral performance of children (PEACH). Patients were grouped according to their hearing assessment results, and Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for hearing loss in patients with bacterial meningitis. Results: Five hundred and seventy-three patients were enrolled in this study, including 347 males and 226 females. The onset age ranged from 29 days to 15.8 years. Two hundred and forty-six patients had identified causative pathogens, among whom 92 cases (37.4%) were pneumococcal meningitis cases. Hearing loss was found in 160 cases (27.9%) during hospitalization, involving 240 ears. Permanent hearing loss was found in 20 cases (16.9%), involving 32 ears. In the patients with permanent hearing loss, 87.5% (28/32) of ears were identified as severe or profound hearing loss during hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis showed that dystonia, the protein concentration level in cerebrospinal fluid>1 g/L, glucose concentration level lower than 1 mmol/L and subdural effusion were independent risk factors for hearing loss (OR=2.426 (1.450-4.059), 1.865 (1.186-2.932), 1.544 (1.002-2.381) and 1.904 (1.291-2.809)). Conclusions: Hearing loss is a common sequela of bacterial meningitis in children. Most patients have transient hearing loss, but patients with severe or profound hearing impairment have a higher risk of developing permanent hearing loss.

POS0817 A NOVEL MODEL TO ASSESS DISEASE ACTIVITY IN TAKAYASU ARTERITIS BASED ON 18F-FDG-PET/CT: A CHINESE COHORT STUDY

Background:

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a condition characterized by major large-vessel vasculitis (LVV), and is most commonly found in young women (age <40 years) of East Asia countries. 18F-FDG-PET/CT has been widely used in the diagnosis and follow-up of cancers to gather functional information based on metabolic activity. In the present study, we evaluated the value of different parameters in 18F-FDG-PET/CT for assessing active TA disease, and we establish a simple, quantifiable, and effective disease activity evaluation model based on 18F-FDG-PET/CT. A comparison in the ability to identify active disease was performed between the established Kerr score and the new 18F-FDG-PET/CT was also performed.

Objectives:

To investigate the utility of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) in assessing disease activity in TA.

Methods:

Ninety-one patients with TA, were recruited from a Chinese cohort from October 2017 to January 2019. Clinical data, acute-phase reactants (APRs), and 18F-FDG-PET/CT findings were simultaneously recorded. The Physician Global Assessment was used as the gold standard to assess TA disease activity. The value of using 18F-FDG-PET/CT to identify active disease was evaluated, using erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) as a reference. Disease activity assessment models were constructed and concordance index (C-index), net reclassification index (NRI), and integrated discrimination index (IDI) were evaluated to compare the benefits of the new modes with ESR and Kerr score.

Results:

In total, 64 (70.3%) cases showed active disease. Higher levels of ESR and CRP, and lower interleukin (IL)-2R levels, were observed in active cases. 18F-FDG-PET/CT parameters, including SUVmean, SUVratio1, SUVratio2, sum of SUVmean, and sum of SUVmax, were significantly higher in active disease groups. The C index threshold of ESR to indicate active disease was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.69-0.88). The new activity assessment model combining ESR, sum of SUVmean, and IL-2R showed significant improvement in C index over the ESR method (0.96 vs. 0.78, P < 0.01; NRI 1.63, P < 0.01; and IDI 0.48, P < 0.01). The new model also demonstrated modest superiority to Kerr score assessment (0.96 vs. 0.87, P = 0.03; NRI 1.19, P < 0.01; and IDI 0.33 P < 0.01).

Conclusion:

A novel 18F-FDG-PET/CT-based method that involves combining the sum of SUVmean with ESR score and IL-2R levels demonstrated superiority in identifying active TA compared to conventional methods.

References:

[1]Kerr GS, Hallahan CW, Giordano J, Leavitt RY, Fauci AS, Rottem M, et al. Takayasu arteritis. Ann Intern Med 1994;120:919-29.

[2]Hoffman GS, Ahmed AE. Surrogate markers of disease activity in patients with Takayasu arteritis. A preliminary report from The International Network for the Study of the Systemic Vasculitides (INSSYS). Int J Cardiol 1998;66 Suppl 1:S191-4; discussion S195.

[3]Misra R, Danda D, Rajappa SM, Ghosh A, Gupta R, Mahendranath KM, et al. Development and initial validation of the Indian Takayasu Clinical Activity Score (ITAS2010). Rheumatology (Oxford) 2013;52:1795-801.

[4]Bardi M, Diamantopoulos AP. EULAR recommendations for the use of imaging in large vessel vasculitis in clinical practice summary. Radiol Med 2019;124:965-972.

[5]Spick C, Herrmann K, Czernin J. 18F-FDG PET/CT and PET/MRI Perform Equally Well in Cancer: Evidence from Studies on More Than 2,300 Patients. J Nucl Med 2016;57:420-30.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

A novel variant in PAX6 as the cause of aniridia in a Chinese family

Background

Aniridia is a kind of congenital human pan-ocular anomaly, which is related to PAX6 commonly.

Methods

The ophthalmic examinations including visual acuity, slit lamp and fundoscopy examination were performed in a Chinese aniridia pedigree. The targeted next-generation sequencing of aniridia genes was used to identify the causative mutation.

Results

A novel heterozygous PAX6 nonsense mutation c.619A > T (p.K207*) was identified in the Chinese autosomal dominant family with aniridia. Phenotype related to the novel mutation included nystagmus, keratopathy, absence of iris, cataract and foveal hypoplasia.

Conclusions

The novel nonsense variation in PAX6 was the cause of aniridia in this family, which expanded the spectrum of the PAX6 mutation.

Recent Progress of Thermocatalytic and Photo/Thermocatalytic Oxidation for VOCs Purification over Manganese-based Oxide Catalysts

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one of the main sources of air pollution, which are of wide concern because of their toxicity and serious threat to the environment and human health. Catalytic oxidation has been proven to be a promising and effective technology for VOCs abatement in the presence of heat or light. As environmentally friendly and low-cost materials, manganese-based oxides are the most competitive and promising candidates for the catalytic degradation of VOCs in thermocatalysis or photo/thermocatalysis. This article summarizes the research and development on various manganese-based oxide catalysts, with emphasis on their thermocatalytic and photo/thermocatalytic purification of VOCs in recent years in detail. Single manganese oxides, manganese-based oxide composites, as well as improving strategies such as morphology regulation, heterojunction engineering, and surface decoration by metal doping or universal acid treatment are reviewed. Besides, manganese-based monoliths for practical VOCs abatementare also discussed. Meanwhile, relevant catalytic mechanisms are also summarized. Finally, the existing problems and prospect of manganese-based oxide catalysts for catalyzing combustion of VOCs are proposed.

[HIV self-testing reagent use in pre-exposure prophylaxis and related factors in men who have sex with men]

Objective: To understand the current status of HIV self-testing reagent use in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and related factors in men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: From December 2018 to December 2019, "Gold data" online platform (www.jinshuju.com) was used to conduct multicenter PrEP studies in Shenyang, Beijing, Chongqing and Shenzhen of China. Results: A total of 1 222 MSM PrEP users were included in the multicenter study. The average age of the participants was (31.5±8.7) years, and the number of sexual partners in the past three months was 3 (P₂₅,P₇₅:2,6). The proportions of those who did not use condoms in anal sex with fixed, casual and commercial partners were 62.7% (456/727), 56.3% (440/781) and 41.0% (16/39), respectively. Up to 74.5% (910/1 222) of participants had used HIV self-testing reagents, and the number of HIV self-testing during last year was 3 (P₂₅,P₇₅:2,5). The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that compared with age group >40 years, those with education level of junior high school or below, those with psychological identity as female, event driven PrEP users, those never using new type drugs in past 3 months, the participants aged 18- years (aOR=2.06, 95%CI: 1.35-3.14), 26- years (aOR=2.72, 95%CI: 1.77-4.17), 31- years (aOR=1.76, 95%CI: 1.19-2.59), undergraduates (aOR=2.18, 95%CI: 1.35-3.49), graduate students and above (aOR=3.06, 95%CI: 1.69-5.54), those with psychological identity as male (aOR=3.22, 95%CI: 1.55-6.70), daily PrEP users (aOR=1.35, 95%CI: 1.03-1.78), and new type drug users in the past three months (aOR=1.72, 95%CI: 1.30-2.28) had higher proportions of HIV self-testing behaviors. Conclusions: The proportion of HIV self-testing in MSM PrEP users was high, while it was relatively low in older age group, event driven PrEP users and MSM never using new type drugs. To assess and improve the effectiveness and compliance of PrEPs, it is necessary to provide better HIV self-testing service for MSM with low HIV self-testing rate.

Endovascular treatment of visceral aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms

Visceral artery aneurysm (VAA) is a rare and potentially life-threatening condition, defined as true artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms of splanchnic circulation and renal artery. This study reports our experience in the diagnosis and endovascular treatment of visceral artery aneurysms (VAAs) over a 10-year period. Between 2008 and 2018, a total of 24 VAAs in 21 patients were diagnosed by clinical symptoms and a combination of imaging techniques, such as Doppler ultrasound, computed tomography angiogram, and catheter angiogram. All patients underwent endovascular treatment to exclude aneurysms. Oral antiplatelet medicine was administered, and imaging examination was performed during follow-up. Technical success was achieved in all 21 patients, and no periprocedural complications occurred. Endovascular coiling alone was employed in 10 aneurysms. Coiling was combined with gelfoam in 2 aneurysms. Coiling was assisted by stent in 4 aneurysms. Covered stents were deployed in 8 aneurysms individually. Clinical symptoms disappeared or highly improved in all patients after treatment. None of the patients showed recurrent symptoms after discharge. However, two cases with new aneurysms after 6 and 8 months, respectively, and one case with in-stent thrombosis after 12 months were reported during follow-up. This study may justify the efficacy of percutaneous endovascular coil embolization and stent deployment. It also provides beneficial experience about how to choose appropriate various endovascular strategies based on both clinical symptoms and aneurysm anatomy condition.