Potential effects and mechanism of flavonoids extract of Callicarpa nudiflora Hook on DSS-induced colitis in mice

Callicarpa nudiflora Hook (C. nudiflora) is an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and hemostatic ethnomedicine. To date, little has been reported regarding the activity of C. nudiflora against ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, we investigated the effect of a flavonoid extract of C. nudiflora on Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice. Mice in the treatment group (CNLF+DSS group) and drug-only (CNLF group) groups were administered 400 mg/kg of flavonoid extract of C. nudiflora leaf (CNLF), and drinking water containing 2.5 % DSS was given to the model and treatment groups. The symptoms of colitis were detected, relevant indicators were verified, intestinal barrier function was assessed, and the contents of the cecum were analyzed for intestinal microorganisms. The results showed that CNLF significantly alleviated the clinical symptoms and histological morphology of colitis in mice, inhibited the increase in pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IFN-γ), and increased the level of IL-10. The expression of NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signal pathway-related proteins (p-p65, p-p38, p-ERK, p-JNK) was regulated. The expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, OCLDN, and CLDN1) was increased, while the content of D-LA, DAO, and LPS was decreased. In addition, 16S rRNA sequencing showed that CNLF restored the gut microbial composition, and increased the relative abundance of Prevotellaceae, Intestinimonas butyriciproducens, and Barnesiella_intestinihominis. In conclusion, CNLF alleviated colitis by suppressing inflammation levels, improving intestinal barrier integrity, and modulating the intestinal microbiota, and therefore has promising future applications in the treatment of UC.

Spatial-temporal trends in leprosy burden and its associations with socioeconomic and physical geographic factors: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of our study was to assess the multiscalar changes in leprosy burden and its associated risk factors over the last three decades.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted an in-depth examination of leprosy's spatial-temporal trends at multiple geographical scale (global, regional, and national), utilizing information from Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD 2019).

METHODS

Incidence and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of leprosy were determined, with countries categorized based on leprosy incidence changes. We examined socioeconomic and physical geography influences on leprosy incidence via Spearman correlation analysis, using ternary phase diagrams to reveal the synergetic effects on leprosy occurrence.

RESULTS

Globally, incident cases of leprosy decreased by 27.86% from 1990 to 2019, with a reduction in ASIR (EAPC = -2.53), yet trends were not homogeneous across regions. ASIR and EAPC correlated positively with sociodemographic index (SDI), and an ASIR growth appeared in high SDI region (EAPC = 3.07). Leprosy burden was chiefly distributed in Tropical Latin America, Oceania, Central Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Negative correlations were detected between the incidence of leprosy and factors of SDI, GDP per capita, urban population to total population, and precipitation, whereas the number of refugee population, temperature, and elevation showed opposite positive results.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a global decline in leprosy over the past three decades, the disparities of disease occurrence at regional and national scales still persisted. Socioeconomic and physical geographic factors posed an obvious influence on the transmission risk of leprosy. The persistence and regional fluctuations of leprosy incidence necessitate the ongoing dynamic and multilayered control strategies worldwide in combating this ancient disease.

[Role of innate lymphoid cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment]

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral malignancy. It has a high incidence, strong invasion ability, easy metastasis, poor curative effect, and poor prognosis. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are an important part of immune cells located in the mucosal barrier, which play an important role in the occurrence, development and outcome of tumors. ILCs are the key cells for decoding the regulatory mechanism of tumor microenvironment and the signatures for tumor progression. This paper reviewed the latest progress on ILCs, summarized the possible characteristics and functions of ILCs in the microenvironment of OSCC, and explored the relationship between ILCs and the occurrence, development and immunotherapy of OSCC.

Effect of the Pseudopleuronectes americanus-derived Pleurocidin on DSS-induced Ulcerative colitis in mice and its preliminary molecular mechanisms

Pleurocidin is an antimicrobial peptide derived from the mucous membranes of the skin or intestinal secretions of Pseudopleuronectes americanus that has antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. Ulcerative colitis is recognized as a widespread human disease that may be influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Evidence emphasizes the critical role of the gut microbiota in UC. Synthetic Pleurocidin was analyzed by a combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Pleurocidin pharmacological effects were evaluated by DAI score, colon histological score, cytokine levels, and tight junction protein expression in mice. The preliminary molecular mechanism was explored by the levels of key proteins in the NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signaling pathways in colon tissues. The main analytical methods such as immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blot were used. We then used 16S rRNA gene sequences to characterize the gut microbiota. Firstly, our study demonstrated that rectal injection of Pleurocidin at 5 mg/kg body weight alleviated clinical symptoms and colonic histopathological changes in UC mice caused by DSS. Secondly, Pleurocidin altered the abnormal levels of inflammatory and immune-related cytokines in serum, modulated the significant down-regulation of tight junction proteins, and inhibited the expression of NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signaling pathway-related proteins. Finally, Pleurocidin can regulate gut microbiota, increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria and reduce the relative abundance of harmful bacteria. In conclusion, Pleurocidin alleviates UC symptoms in mice, and its effects on the gut microbiome may be potential pathways. It is providing a promising therapeutic option for UC.

The antimicrobial peptide Abaecin alleviates colitis in mice by regulating inflammatory signaling pathways and intestinal microbial composition

Abaecin is a natural antimicrobial peptide (AMP) rich in proline from bees. It is an important part of the innate humoral immunity of bees and has broad-spectrum antibacterial ability. This study aimed to determine the effect of Abaecin on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) -induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice and to explore its related mechanisms. Twenty-four mice with similar body weight were randomly divided into 4 groups. 2.5% DSS was added to drinking water to induce colitis in mice. Abaecin and PBS were administered rectally on the third, fifth, and seventh days of the experimental period. The results showed that Abaecin significantly alleviated histological damage and intestinal mucosal barrier damage caused by colitis in mice, reduced the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and the phosphorylation of NF-κB / MAPK inflammatory signaling pathway proteins, and improved the composition of intestinal microorganisms. These findings suggest that Abaecin may have potential prospects for the treatment of UC.

Oral administration of LfcinB alleviates DSS-induced colitis by improving the intestinal barrier and microbiota

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a kind of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that often recurs and is difficult to cure, and no drugs with few side effects are available to treat this disease. LfcinB is a small molecular peptide obtained by the hydrolysis of bovine lactoferrin in the digestive tract of animals. It has strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. However, direct evidence that LfcinB improves the condition of colitis in mice is rarely reported. In this study, UC was induced in mice by adding 2.5% dextran sulfate (DSS) to drinking water and LfcinB was orally administered. The results showed that oral administration of LfcinB improved colonic tissue damage and inflammatory cell infiltration, increased the expression of tight junction proteins, and down-regulated the phosphorylation of proteins related to the NF-κB/MAPK inflammatory signalling pathway in mice. It also significantly suppressed the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria (Bacteroides, Barnesiella and Escherichia) in the intestinal flora. In conclusion, oral administration of LfcinB significantly alleviated DSS-induced UC. This may be related to the regulation of inflammatory signalling pathways and gut microbial composition by LfcinB.

Regulation of the intestinal flora using polysaccharides from Callicarpa nudiflora Hook to alleviate ulcerative colitis and the molecular mechanisms involved

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that cannot be completely cured by current treatments. C. nudiflora Hook has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hemostatic biological functions; however, the therapeutic role of C. nudiflora Hook or its extracts in IBD remains poorly understood. In this study, we extracted and purified three fractions of C. nudiflora Hook polysaccharides by hydroalcohol precipitation method, which were named as CNLP-1, CNLP-2 and CNLP-3, respectively. CNLP-2, the main component of the polysaccharides of C. nudiflora Hook is an pyranose type acidic polysaccharide composed of Fuc, Rha, Ara, Gal, Glc, Xyl, Man, Gal-UA and Glc-UA, with an Mn of 15.624 kDa; Mw of 31.375 kDa. CNLP-2 was found to have a smooth lamellar structure as observed by scanning electron microscopy. To investigate the effect of CNLP-2 (abbreviated to CNLP) on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC mice and its mechanism of action, we treated DSS-induced UC mice by administering CNLP at a dose of 100 mg/kg every other day. The results of the study showed that CNLP alleviated the clinical symptoms such as body weight (BW) loss, pathological damage, and systemic inflammation. The mechanism may be through the regulation of intestinal flora and its metabolism, which in turn affects the expression of NF-κB/MAPK pathway-related proteins through the metabolites of intestinal flora to further alleviate inflammation and ultimately improve the intestinal barrier function in UC mice. In conclusion, CNLP has great potential for the treatment of IBD.

Porcine-derived antimicrobial peptide PR39 alleviates DSS-induced colitis via the NF-κB/MAPK pathway

PR39 is an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) with a variety of biological functions, including antimicrobial, wound healing, leukocyte chemotaxis, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation; however, its therapeutic efficacy in colitis (IBD) has rarely been reported. For this reason, the present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of PR39 on IBD and its underlying mechanisms. In this experiment, a mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC) was induced with 3 % dextran sulfate (DSS) and administered by rectal injection of PR39. The results of the study showed that 5 mg/kg of PR39 was able to ameliorate the clinical manifestations of DSS-induced UC mice by improving the clinical symptoms, colonic tissue damage, up-regulating the expression of tight junction proteins, and alleviating the systemic inflammation in mice in various ways. The mechanism of action may involve inhibition of the phosphorylation level of proteins related to the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway and modulation of the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic (Bacteroides, Pseudoflavonifractor, Barnesiella, and Oscillibacter) and potentially beneficial bacteria (Candidatus_Saccharibacteria, Desulfovibrio, Saccharibacteria) in the intestinal flora. The results enriched the biological functions of PR-39 and also suggested that PR-39 may be able to be used as a novel drug for the treatment of IBD.

Temporal Structures in Positron Spectra and Charge-Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic positron fluxes in the rigidity range from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 3.4×10^{6} positrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The positron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the electron fluxes at short and long timescales. A hysteresis between the electron fluxes and the positron fluxes is observed with a significance greater than 5σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. On the contrary, the positron fluxes and the proton fluxes show similar time variation. Remarkably, we found that positron fluxes are modulated more than proton fluxes with a significance greater than 5σ for rigidities below 7 GV. These continuous daily positron fluxes, together with AMS daily electron, proton, and helium fluxes over an 11-year solar cycle, provide unique input to the understanding of both the charge-sign and mass dependencies of cosmic rays in the heliosphere.

Experimental Validation of a Kinetic Ballooning Mode in High-Performance High-Bootstrap Current Fraction Fusion Plasmas

We report the observation of a set of coherent high frequency electromagnetic fluctuations that leads to a turbulence induced self-regulating phenomenon in the DIII-D high bootstrap current fraction plasma. The fluctuations have frequency of 130-220  kHz, the poloidal wavelength and phase velocity are 16-30  m^{-1} and ∼30  km/s, respectively, in the outboard midplane with the estimated toroidal mode number n∼5-9. The fluctuations are located in the internal transport barrier (ITB) region at large radius and are experimentally validated to be kinetic ballooning modes (KBM). Quasilinear estimation predicts the KBM to be able to drive experimental particle flux and non-negligible thermal flux, suggesting its significant role in regulating the ITB saturation.

[Diagnosis status and genetic characteristics analysis of Fanconi anemia in China]

Objective: To analyze the clinical and molecular diagnostic status of Fanconi anemia (FA) in China. Methods: The General situation, clinical manifestations and chromosome breakage test and genetic test results of 107 pediatric FA cases registered in the Chinese Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry Group (CBMTRG) and the Chinese Children Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry Group (CCBMTRG) from August 2009 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Children with FANCA gene variants were divided into mild and severe groups based on the type of variant, and Wilcoxon-test was used to compare the phenotypic differences between groups. Results: Of the 176 registered FA patients, 69 (39.2%) cases were excluded due to lack of definitive genetic diagnosis results, and the remaining 107 children from 15 hospitals were included in the study, including 70 males and 37 females. The age at transplantation treatment were 6 (4, 9) years. The enrolled children were involved in 10 pathogenic genes, including 89 cases of FANCA gene, 7 cases of FANCG gene, 3 cases of FANCB gene, 2 cases of FANCE gene and 1 case each of FANCC, FANCD1, FANCD2, FANCF, FANCJ, and FANCN gene. Compound heterozygous or homozygous of loss-of-function variants account for 69.2% (72/104). Loss-of-function variants account for 79.2% (141/178) in FANCA gene variants, and 20.8% (37/178) were large exon deletions. Fifty-five children (51.4%) had chromosome breakage test records, with a positive rate of 81.8% (45/55). There were 172 congenital malformations in 80 children.Café-au-Lait spots (16.3%, 28/172), thumb deformities (16.3%,28/172), polydactyly (13.9%, 24/172), and short stature (12.2%, 21/172) were the most common congenital malformations in Chinese children with FA. No significant difference was found in the number of congenital malformations between children with severe (50 cases) and mild FANCA variants (26 cases) (Z=-1.33, P=0.185). Conclusions: FANCA gene is the main pathogenic gene in children with FA, where the detection of its exon deletion should be strengthened clinically. There were no phenotypic differences among children with different types of FANCA variants. Chromosome break test is helpful to determine the pathogenicity of variants, but its accuracy needs to be improved.

Effect of purple sweet potato-derived anthocyanins on heat stress response in Wenchang chickens and preliminary mechanism study

This study was conducted to investigate the beneficial effect of purple sweet potato anthocyanins (PSPA) on growth performance, oxidative status, immune response, intestinal morphology, and intestinal flora homeostasis in heat-stressed Wenchang chickens. A total of 100 Wenchang chickens (50-day-old) were randomly assigned to 5 groups, including the thermoneutral environment (TN) group (26°C); high-temperature stressed (HS) group (33°C ± 1°C); low-dose PSPA treatment (L_HS) group (8 mg/kg body weight, 33°C ± 1°C); medium-dose PSPA treatment (M_HS) group and high-dose PSPA treatment (H_HS) group (16 mg/kg and 32 mg/kg body weight, respectively, 33°C ± 1°C). The results showed that PSPA reversed the adverse effects of heat stress on growth performance, meat quality, and carcass characteristics. And the effect was associated with the concentration of PSPA partially. Heat stress increased the serum lipids of Wenchang chickens. LDL-C, TG, TC, and FFA in the serum were significantly decreased, and HDL-C and LPS in the serum were increased by PSPA treatment. The digestive enzymes in duodenal chyme were significantly (P < 0.05) increased by PSPA treatment. And PSPA treatment significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the redox status by improving antioxidant parameters (GSH-Px and SOD) and decreasing the MDA level in the serum and liver. Moreover, the level of inflammatory cytokines was significantly (P < 0.05) regulated by PSPA treatment compared to the HS group. The villus length and goblet cell numbers after PSPA treatment were significantly higher than HS group. Furthermore, PSPA also played protection on the intestine structure by decreasing the level of D-LA and DAO. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed the microbial composition was altered by PSPA, and Acetanaerobacterium and Oscillibacter were dominant in the H_HS group. Microbial functional prediction indicated that function pathways based on KEGG and metacyc database were regulated by PSPA, and intestinal flora correlated with metabolic function significantly. The spearman correlation analysis showed that Saccharibacteria and Clostridium_IV correlated with the serum lipids, antioxidant, and inflammatory cytokines. Collectively, these findings suggest that PSPA has a positive effect against heat stress in poultry.

Incidence and characteristics of aspiration pneumonia in adults in Beijing, China, 2011-2017

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to estimate aspiration pneumonia (AP) incidence and describe comorbid characteristics and mortality in Beijing, China.

STUDY DESIGN

A historical cohort study was conducted based on medical claim records.

METHODS

Patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of AP were identified from approximately 12 million adults who enrolled in the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance program in Beijing, China, from January 2011 to December 2017. The incidences of AP and pneumonia with risk factors for aspiration (PRFA) were estimated by a Poisson distribution. The estimated annual percentage change was reported to represent the average percentage change in incidence per year. Characteristics and 6-month and 1-year all-cause mortality rates for AP and suspected AP patients were described and compared with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

RESULTS

The incidence rates of hospitalized AP and PRFA were 9.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.6, 11.3) and 102.9 (95% CI: 95.8, 110.3) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. The incidences increased rapidly with age and were stable across the observed years. Patients with AP and PRFA possessed a greater burden of comorbidities than CAP (mean age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity indices for AP: 7.72, PRFA: 7.83, and CAP: 2.84). The 6-month and 1-year all-cause mortality rates for those with AP and PRFA were higher than those for patients with CAP (6-month mortality, AP: 35.2%, PRFA: 21.8%, CAP: 11.1%; 1-year mortality, AP: 42.7%, PRFA: 26.6%, CAP: 13.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of AP and PRFA in Beijing was reported, presenting a full picture of the disease burden. The results provide baseline information for AP prevention.

Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic-Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the properties of primary cosmic-ray sulfur (S) in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.38×10^{6} sulfur nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment (AMS). We observed that above 90 GV the rigidity dependence of the S flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of Ne-Mg-Si fluxes, which is different from the rigidity dependence of the He-C-O-Fe fluxes. We found that, similar to N, Na, and Al cosmic rays, over the entire rigidity range, the traditional primary cosmic rays S, Ne, Mg, and C all have sizeable secondary components, and the S, Ne, and Mg fluxes are well described by the weighted sum of the primary silicon flux and the secondary fluorine flux, and the C flux is well described by the weighted sum of the primary oxygen flux and the secondary boron flux. The primary and secondary contributions of the traditional primary cosmic-ray fluxes of C, Ne, Mg, and S (even Z elements) are distinctly different from the primary and secondary contributions of the N, Na, and Al (odd Z elements) fluxes. The abundance ratio at the source for S/Si is 0.167±0.006, for Ne/Si is 0.833±0.025, for Mg/Si is 0.994±0.029, and for C/O is 0.836±0.025. These values are determined independent of cosmic-ray propagation.

Temporal Structures in Electron Spectra and Charge Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.

[Therapeutic efficacy of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome in 60 children]

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS), and to analyze the factors related to the outcomes. Methods: The clinical data of 60 children with WAS received HSCT in Shanghai Children's Medical Center from January 2006 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. All cases were treated with a myeloablative conditioning regimen with busulfan and cyclophosphamide, and a graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prevention regimen based on cyclosporine and methotrexate. Implantation, GVHD, transplant-related complications, immune reconstitution and survival rate were observed. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method, and Log-Rank method was used for univariate comparison. Results: The 60 male patients had main clinical features as infection and bleeding. The age at diagnosis was 0.4 (0.3, 0.8) years, and the age at transplantation was 1.1 (0.6, 2.1) years. There were 20 cases of human leukocyte antigen matched transplantation and 40 mismatched transplantation; 35 patients received peripheral blood HSCT, and 25 cord blood HSCT. All cases were fully implanted. The incidence of acute GVHD (aGVHD) was 48% (29/60) and only 2 (7%) developed aGVHD of grade Ⅲ; the incidence of chronic GVHD (cGVHD) was 23% (13/56), and all cases were limited. The incidence of CMV and EBV infection was 35% (21/60) and 33% (20/60) respectively; and 7 patients developed CMV retinitis. The incidence of sinus obstruction syndrome was 8% (5/60), of whom 2 patients died. There were 7 cases (12%) of autoimmune hemocytopenia after transplantation. Natural killer cells were the earliest to recover after transplantation, and B cells and CD4⁺T cells returned to normal at about 180 days post HSCT. The 5-year overall survival rate (OS) of this group was 93% (95%CI 86%-99%), and the event free survial rate (EFS) was 87% (95%CI 78%-95%). EFS of non-CMV reactivation group is higher than that of CMV reactivation group (95% (37/39) vs.71% (15/21), χ²=5.22, P=0.022). Conclusions: The therapeutic efficacy of HSCT for WAS is satisfying, and the early application of HSCT in typical cases can achieve better outcome. CMV infection is the main factor affecting disease-free survival rate, which can be improved by strengthening the management of complications.

Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder as New Source of Protein-Based Feedstuff Improves Growth Performance and Cecal Microbial Diversity of Broiler Chicken

Currently, the lack of protein source feed has become a pressing issue. Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) has good potential for the development of protein-derived feeds due to its good protein quality and abundance, but little is known about its effects on broiler growth performance and cecal microbiota. In this study, the chickens were fed different rates of MOLP (1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%) instead of the rape seed cake, and the effects of different levels of MOLP on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and cecal microbiota of the broilers were evaluated at two different growth stages (day 28 and day 56). In terms of growth performance, the best results were obtained at the 3% MOLP level in the early stages (p < 0.05). In terms of carcass characteristics, in the early stage, the level of 5% MOLP had the best effect; in the later stage, 5% MOLP also had the best effect. In terms of cecal microbial changes, the alpha diversity analysis revealed that 5% MOLP enhanced the richness and diversity of broiler intestinal flora. At the phylum level, the addition of 5% MOLP adjusted the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes to a level close to that of the A1 group on day 28, while 5% MOLP significantly reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (p < 0.05) compared to the A2 group on day 56, and the relative abundance of Firmicutes was still higher in the D2 group than in the A2 group (p < 0.05). At the genus level, MOLP addition consistently and significantly increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides (p < 0.05), except for 3% on day 28 and 1% on day 56. For Oscillospira, increasing MOLP levels in the pre- and post-period resulted in a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Oscillospira (p < 0.05). In conclusion, MOLP helps to enhance growth performance and carcass characteristics and improve the cecal microbial structure of broilers. The recommended rate of MOLP addition for broilers is 5% in both the early and late stages.

Exome-wide screening identifies novel rare risk variants for bone mineral density

Bone mineral density (BMD) is an independent risk factor of osteoporosis-related fractures. We performed gene-based burden tests to assess the association between rare variants and BMD, and identified several BMD candidate genes.

PURPOSE

BMD is highly heritable and a major predictor of osteoporotic fractures, but its genetic basis remains unclear. We aimed to identify rare risk variants contributing to BMD.

METHODS

Utilizing the newly released UK Biobank 200,643 exome dataset, we conducted a gene-based exome-wide association study in males and females, respectively. First, 100,639 males and 117,338 females with BMD values were included in the polygenic risk scores (PRS) analysis. Among individuals with lower 30% PRS, cases were individuals with top 10% BMD, and individuals with bottom 10% BMD were the controls. Considering the effects of vitamin D (VD), individuals with the highest 30% VD concentration were selected for VD-BMD analysis. After quality control, 741 males and 697 females were included in the BMD analysis, and 717 males and 708 females were included in the VD-BMD analysis. The variants were annotated by ANNOVAR software, then BMD and VD-BMD qualified variants were imported into the SKAT R-package to perform gene-based burden tests, respectively.

RESULTS

The gene-based burden test of the exonic variants identified genome-wide candidate associations in ANKRD18A (P = 1.60 × 10^-5, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 2.11 × 10^-3), C22orf31 (P = 3.49 × 10^-4, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 3.17 × 10^-2), and SPATC1L (P = 1.09 × 10^-5, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 8.80 × 10^-3). For VD-BMD analysis, three genes were associated with BMD, such as NIPAL1 (P = 1.06 × 10^-3, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 3.91 × 10^-2).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested that rare variants contribute to BMD, providing new sights for broadening the genetic structure of BMD.

U-shaped association between dietary thiamine intake and new-onset diabetes: a nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

The association between dietary thiamine intake and the risk of diabetes remains unknown.

AIM

We aimed to evaluate the relation of dietary thiamine intake with new-onset diabetes and examine possible effect modifiers.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

A total of 16 272 participants who were free of diabetes at baseline were enrolled from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Dietary nutrients intake information was collected by 3-day dietary recalls in addition to using a 3-day food-weighed method to assess cooking oil and condiment consumption. New-onset diabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose ≥7.0 mmol/l or a glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or diagnosed by a physician during the follow-up.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up duration of 9.0 years, new-onset diabetes occurred in 1101 participants. Overall, the association between dietary thiamine intake and new-onset diabetes followed a U-shape (P for non-linearity <0.001). Consistently, when thiamine intake was assessed as quartiles, compared with those in the 2-3 quartiles (0.75 to 1.10 mg/day), the significantly higher risks of new-onset diabetes were found in participants in the first quartile [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.33; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.61] and the fourth quartile (adjusted HR, 1.39; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.67). Similar results were found when further adjusting for the intake of other major nutrients or food groups; or using the propensity score weighting to control the imbalance of covariates.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that there was a U-shape association between dietary thiamine intake and new-onset diabetes in general Chinese adults, with a minimal risk at 0.75-1.10 mg/day.

Investigating the mechanism of interactive regulation of B-cell lymphoma-2/Beclin 1 through electroacupuncture intervention during reperfusion in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat model

To observe the regulation of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)/Beclin 1 interaction through electroacupuncture (EA) intervention during reperfusion and to investigate the EA mechanism of apoptosis-autophagy interactive regulation against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). A total of 48 adult Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated group (group Sham), the model group (group Model), the EA group (group EA), and the JNK inhibitor (SP600125) group (group JNK), with 12 rats in each group. Biospecimens were collected randomly from six rats in each group four hours after reperfusion. Evans Blue and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride double-staining were applied to observe each group's myocardial damage area and risk area. We collected 4 ml of blood by abdominal aortic method to detect serum troponin cTnI level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For the remaining six in each group, a part of myocardial tissue below the ligation line was stored in 4% paraformaldehyde for immunohistochemistry and TUNEL staining; the other amount of myocardial tissue was detected by Western blotting to determine the expression levels of Bcl-2, Beclin1, and the phosphorylation levels of Thr69, Ser70, and Ser87 in Bcl-2. In results: electroacupuncture (EA) intervention during reperfusion significantly reduced the myocardial infarction area, cTnI level, and myocardial apoptosis, upregulated Bcl-2 expression, downregulated Beclin 1 expression and inhibited phosphorylation levels of Thr69, Ser70, and Ser87 in Bcl-2. We concluded that EA effectively inhibited apoptosis by upregulating Bcl-2 expression and inhibiting the phosphorylation of Thr69, Ser70, and Ser87 in Bcl-2. This reduced the separation of Bcl-2 and Beclin 1, restrains excessive autophagy, alleviates MIRI, and has a protective effect on myocardial tissue.

[The surveillance analysis of the adverse events following immunization of the domestic 13-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine in Zhejiang Province]

To evaluate the safety of the domestic 13-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine-tetanus toxoid protein (PCV13-TT) after its licensure. The adverse event following immunization (AEFI) and the vaccination data of PCV13-TT in Zhejiang province from July 2020 to October 2021 were collected from national adverse event following immunization surveillance system and Zhejiang provincial immunization information system. Descriptive epidemiological method was used for this analysis. From July 2020 to October 2021, 302 317 doses of PCV13-TT were administered in children under 6 years old in Zhejiang Province and 636 AEFI case reports were received, with a reporting rate of 21.04 per 10 000 doses. Of these AEFI cases, 97.17% were mild vaccine product-related reaction (20.54 per 10 000 doses) and 95.44% occurred in the 0-1 d after vaccination (20.08 per 10 000 doses). The most common clinical diagnoses of AEFI included fever (224 cases), redness (204 cases), and induration (190 cases), while allergic rash (11 cases) was the most common diagnosis among the abnormal reactions. In conclusion,the present results bolstered that the domestic PCV13-TT was generally well tolerated in children under 6 years old in Zhejiang Province.

Integrated 2D beam emission spectroscopy diagnostic at the Huan-Liuqi-2A (HL-2A) tokamak

Two newly developed, eight-channel, integrated Beam Emission Spectroscopy (BES) detectors have been installed at Huan-Liuqi-2A tokamak, which extends the existing 16 single-channel modular BES system with additional 16 spatial channels. The BES collects the Doppler-shifted Balmer D_α emission with a spatial resolution of 1 cm (radial) × 1.5 cm (poloidal) and a temporal resolution of 0.5 µs to measure long-wavelength (k_⊥ρ_i < 1) density fluctuations. Compared to the modular BES, the dark noise of the integrated BES is reduced by 50%-60% on average. The signal-to-noise ratio of the integrated BES system is optimized by the high light throughput front-end optics, high quantum efficiency photodiodes, high-gain, low-noise preamplifiers, and sufficient cooling capacity provided by the thermoelectric cooling (TEC) units that maintain the detectors at -20 °C. Crosstalk between channels that share the same optical system is found to be negligible. High-quality density fluctuation data enables 2D (radial-poloidal) imaging of turbulence, which allows for multi-channel spectral analysis, multi-channel cross-correlation analysis and velocimetry analysis. Preliminary results show that BES successfully captures the spatiotemporal features of the local turbulence and obtains statistically consistent turbulence characterization results.

Genetic Variation Analysis of Porcine Circovirus Type 4 in South China in 2019 to 2021

Porcine circovirus type 4 (PCV4) is a novel virus associated with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS)-like signs identified firstly in China in 2019. However, the details of the molecular epidemiology of PCV4 are unclear at this time. A total of forty-two related sequences were selected from the GenBank database to explore the spread of PCV4 and its rule in genetic evolution. Of the selected strains, 41 were from south China in 2019 to 2021 and the other was a foreign representative strain. Phylogenetic tree construction, nucleotide and amino acid (aa) sequence alignment, gene recombination and antigen structure prediction were performed on the collected sequences using bioinformatics softwares. The 42 PCV4 strains were divided into two subgenotypes: PCV4a (35/42) and PCV4b (7/42), according to the constructed genetic evolution tree. PCV4a is the main epidemic strain, and it can be further divided into two different gene clusters: PCV4a-1 (22/35) and PCV4a-2 (13/35). The pairwise comparison analysis showed that the complete genome sequence similarity of the 42 PCV4 strains ranged between 97.9% and 100%, and the aa sequences of the Cap proteins of 42 PCV4 strains had three major heterogenic or hypervariable regions—27–28, 96 and 212—all located near the antigenic epitope of the Cap protein. The results of this study can provide some basis for further studying the spread and epidemic growth of PCV4, and the prevention and control of PCV4 infection in China.

[Comparison and thoughts of the training system for thoracic surgeons]

There is no unified thoracic surgery training system in China, neither in the trainee selection or evaluation, nor in the training curriculum or the graduation requirements. A literature review was performed for available publications regarding international thoracic surgical training. A brief comparison was made regarding the thoracic surgery residency programs in China, Japan, United States and United Kingdom, including training pathway, recruitments, training content, performance assessment and academic experience. In conclusion, there are four key aspects worth noting. Firstly, an effective residency programme is invaluable to specialty training, and effort should be made to create a unified training programme that allows trainee to progress from residency to specialty training smoothly. Secondly, flexibility and personalization should be allowed in higher specialty training, so that trainee can develop their subspecialty interests. Thirdly, a unified clinical curriculum, selection and standardized income should be promoted to minimalize the variation of training outcome between provinces. Fourthly, additional training and time should be allowed for trainee who wants to pursue an academic career, and academic outcomes should be evaluated alongside with the standard clinical training.

Properties of Daily Helium Fluxes

We present the precision measurement of 2824 daily helium fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 in the rigidity interval from 1.71 to 100 GV based on 7.6×10^{8} helium nuclei collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The helium flux and the helium to proton flux ratio exhibit variations on multiple timescales. In nearly all the time intervals from 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent helium flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. In the entire time period, we found that below ∼7  GV the helium flux exhibits larger time variations than the proton flux, and above ∼7  GV the helium to proton flux ratio is time independent. Remarkably, below 2.4 GV a hysteresis between the helium to proton flux ratio and the helium flux was observed at greater than the 7σ level. This shows that at low rigidity the modulation of the helium to proton flux ratio is different before and after the solar maximum in 2014.

Relation of BMI and waist circumference with the risk of new-onset hyperuricemia in hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with the risk of new-onset hyperuricemia, and examine possible effect modifies in general hypertensive patients.

METHODS

A total of 10 611 hypertensive patients with normal uric acid (UA) concentrations (<357 μmol/l) at baseline were included from the UA sub-study of the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial. The primary outcome was new-onset hyperuricemia, defined as a UA concentration ≥417 μmol/l in men or ≥357 μmol/l in women at the exit visit.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up duration of 4.4 years, 1663 (15.7%) participants developed new-onset hyperuricemia. When analyzed separately, increased BMI (≥25 kg/m2, quartile 3-4; OR, 1.46; 95% CI: 1.29-1.65), or increased WC (≥85 cm for females, quartile 3-4; OR, 1.24; 95% CI: 1.08-1.42; and ≥84 cm for males, quartile 3-4; OR, 1.30; 95% CI: 1.01-1.67) were each significantly associated with higher risk of new-onset hyperuricemia. When WC was forced into the model with BMI simultaneously, its significant association with new-onset hyperuricemia disappeared in females (<85 vs. ≥85 cm; OR, 0.96, 95% CI: 0.81-1.13) or males (≥84 vs. <84 cm; OR, 1.13; 95% CI: 0.84-1.52); however, BMI was still significantly related with new-onset hyperuricemia (≥25 vs. <25 kg/m2; OR, 1.48; 95% CI: 1.27-1.73). Moreover, the positive BMI & new-onset hyperuricemia association was more pronounced in participants with higher time-averaged on-treatment systolic blood pressure (median: <138.3 vs. ≥138.3 mmHg; P-interaction = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher BMI, but not WC, is significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of new-onset hyperuricemia among hypertensive patients.

Total bone mineral density is inversely associated with stroke: a family osteoporosis cohort study in rural China

BACKGROUND

The relationship of osteoporosis and stroke is still not fully clarified. Apart from the well-known risk factors for stroke, bone mineral density (BMD) has gained more interest in recent years.

AIM

To further elucidate the relationship between BMD and stroke risk, a prospective cohort study in the Chinese rural population was conducted.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of a family osteoporosis cohort.

METHODS

Our subjects were selected from an osteoporosis cohort conducted in Anqing, China. All participants underwent a questionnaire assessment, clinical examinations and laboratory assessments. During the follow-up period, the number of people who had a stroke was recorded. Generalized estimating equation regression analysis was performed to determine the significance of the association between BMD and stroke.

RESULTS

A total of 17868 people were included. A two-way interaction test of sex and BMD on stroke was significant (P = 0.002). There was a significant difference in BMD and stroke morbidity in the male group (P = 0.003). When BMD was assessed as quartiles and the lowest quartile was used as reference, a significantly lower risk for stroke was observed in Q2-4. Notably, no significant difference was observed in female participants with adjusted odds ratio (P > 0.05). The P-value for interaction was calculated. The body mass index (P = 0.014) and waist-to-hip ratio (P = 0.027) were found to be significantly associated with BMD and stroke risk in female participants.

CONCLUSIONS

In Chinese rural areas, total BMD may negatively correlated with stroke, especially in men.

[Magnetic resonance imaging quantitative analysis of knee joint injury and cartilage before and after long-distance march and training for college students]

Objective: To assess the effects of long-distance march and training on acute knee injury and knee cartilage sub-regions of college students using quantitatively magnetic resonance imaging analysis. Methods: Twenty-seven young male students from freshman classes in the Army Military Medical University were enrolled in September 2019, aged from 17 to 20 (19.48±0.14) years, participated in the whole 8-day, 240 km long-distance march and training. Three-dimensional quantitative MRI was performed on the right knee using high-field MRI before (baseline) and 1 day after (follow-up) march. The assessment indexes included: meniscus and cartilage injury(5-point scale), bone marrow and ligament injury, and joint effusion(3-point scale). Using semi-automatic cartilage segmentation and 3D data post-processing techniques, a total of 21 sub-regions of cartilage volume and thickness were measured in the medial and lateral femur, medial and lateral tibia. Paired-samples t-test was used to compare the changes in quantitative cartilage indices of the knee joint before and after march. Results: In terms of acute knee injuries, medial and lateral meniscus injuries (grade 1-3) occurred in 8 and 9 college students, respectively compared with those before march. Anterior cruciate ligaments injury occurred in 4 college students and developed from grade 0 to grade 1. Bone marrow edema occurred in 10 students and developed from grade 0 to grade 2, and in 5 students from grade 0 to grade 1. Joint effusion occurred in 5 college students and developed from grade 1 to grade 2 (all P<0.05). In terms of quantitative analysis of cartilage subregion of knee joint, the volume of central region of femoral pulley increased [(1.84±0.32) mm³ vs (1.67±0.29) mm³] and the volume of central region of medial femoral condyle decreased [(1.18±0.21) mm³ vs (1.26±0.17) mm³] compared with that before march (all P<0.05); The cartilage thickness of 11 cartilage subregion [(1.37±0.27) mm vs (1.53±0.18) mm], [(1.42±0.25) mm vs (1.54±0.17) mm], [(1.53±0.20) mm vs (1.62±0.20) mm], [(1.72±0.28) mm vs (1.83±0.28) mm], [(1.84±0.45) mm vs (2.04±0.42) mm], [(2.20±0.58) mm vs (2.46±0.50) mm], [(1.74±0.19) mm vs (1.85±0.21) mm] [(1.45±0.21) mm vs (1.58±0.16) mm], [(1.81±0.22) mm vs (1.91±0.15) mm], [(1.44±0.13) mm vs (1.53±0.15) mm] was thinner than that before march (all P<0.05). The T₂ values of 7 cartilage subregion [(40.57±26.23) ms vs (67.10±47.46) ms], [(80.10±20.56) ms vs (98.42±23.58) ms], [(87.92±24.95) ms vs (108.84±29.24) ms], [(50.49±19.18) ms vs (76.97±37.16) ms], [(38.89±15.82) ms vs (69.70±40.16) ms] [(55.84±24.53) ms vs (106.35±50.01) ms] and [(72.38±36.64) ms vs (105.31±39.34) ms] were lower than those before march, while the T₂ values of the two subregions of patellar cartilage [(102.13±44.47) ms vs (72.20±28.37) ms], [(97.42±44.86) ms vs (76.67±51.64) ms] were higher than those before march (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in other cartilage subareas (P>0.05). Conclusions: Long distance hiking will lead to acute injury of knee joint of young college students. The thickness of cartilage subregion of knee joint showed a thinning trend as a whole, while the volume and T₂ values showed different trends.

Relations of Variety and Quantity of Dietary Proteins Intake from Different Sources with Mortality Risk: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort

OBJECTIVES

The relations of variety and quantity of dietary proteins intake from different sources with mortality risk were still controversial. We aimed to examine the associations of variety and quantity of different sourced proteins with all-cause mortality risk in adults and older adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

17,310 participants (mean age was 44.0 [SD: 15.9] years and 51.0% were females) with utilizable data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were included. Dietary intake was collected using three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with a household food inventory. The variety score of protein sources was defined as the number of proteins consumed at the appropriate level, accounting for both types and quantity of proteins. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 9.0 years, 1324 (7.6%) death cases were reported. There were reversed J-shaped relationships of percentages energy from total protein, and protein from legume with all-cause mortality; U-shaped relationships of proteins from unprocessed red meat, processed red meat, poultry and whole grain with all-cause mortality; L-shaped relationships of proteins from egg and fish with all-cause mortality; and a reversed L-shaped relationship of protein from refined grain with all-cause mortality (all P values for nonlinearity < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant inverse association between the variety score of protein sources with overall mortality risk (per score increment, HR, 0.69; 95%CI, 0.66-0.72).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater variety of proteins with appropriate quantity from different food sources was associated with significantly lower risk of mortality in Chinese adults and older adults.

Dietary Iron Intake and New-Onset Hypertension: A Nationwide Cohort Study from China

OBJECTIVES

The relationship of dietary iron intake with the risk of hypertension remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate the prospective association between dietary iron intake and new-onset hypertension among Chinese adults.

DESIGN

A nationwide cohort study.

SETTING

Using data from seven rounds of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1997 to 2015.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 12,245 participants without hypertension at baseline were included in this study.

EXPOSURES

Dietary intake was measured by three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with a household weighing inventory.

MEASUREMENTS

The study outcome was new-onset hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg or diagnosed by physician or currently under antihypertensive treatment during the follow-up.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 6.1 years, 4,304 (35.1%) participants developed hypertension. Overall, there was a U-shaped association between dietary total iron intake and new-onset hypertension (P for nonlinearity <0.001), with the lowest risk observed at 18.2-<22.1 mg/day (quintile 2-3). Similarly, a U-shaped association between dietary nonheme iron intake and new-onset hypertension was found (P for nonlinearity <0.001), with the lowest risk at 17.4-<21.3 mg/day (quintile 2-3). However, the association between dietary heme iron intake and new-onset hypertension followed a L-shape (P for nonlinearity <0.001), and a significantly lower risk of new-onset hypertension was found in participants with quintile 2-5 of dietary heme iron intake (adjusted HR, 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.82), compared with those in quintile 1 (<0.25 mg/day).

CONCLUSIONS

The association between dietary iron and new-onset hypertension was nonlinear in Chinese adults, following a U-shape for total or nonheme iron intake, and a L-shape for heme iron intake.

Periodicities in the Daily Proton Fluxes from 2011 to 2019 Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station from 1 to 100 GV

We present the precision measurement of the daily proton fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 (a total of 2824 days or 114 Bartels rotations) in the rigidity interval from 1 to 100 GV based on 5.5×10^{9} protons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard the International Space Station. The proton fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. From 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. The rigidity dependence of the 27-day periodicity is different from the rigidity dependences of 9-day and 13.5-day periods. Unexpectedly, the strength of 9-day and 13.5-day periodicities increases with increasing rigidities up to ∼10  GV and ∼20  GV, respectively. Then the strength of the periodicities decreases with increasing rigidity up to 100 GV.

Erratum: Properties of a New Group of Cosmic Nuclei: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on Sodium, Aluminum, and Nitrogen [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 021101 (2021)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.021101.

Properties of a New Group of Cosmic Nuclei: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on Sodium, Aluminum, and Nitrogen

We report the properties of sodium (Na) and aluminum (Al) cosmic rays in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.46 million sodium and 0.51 million aluminum nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. We found that Na and Al, together with nitrogen (N), belong to a distinct cosmic ray group. In this group, we observe that, similar to the N flux, both the Na flux and Al flux are well described by the sums of a primary cosmic ray component (proportional to the silicon flux) and a secondary cosmic ray component (proportional to the fluorine flux). The fraction of the primary component increases with rigidity for the N, Na, and Al fluxes and becomes dominant at the highest rigidities. The Na/Si and Al/Si abundance ratios at the source, 0.036±0.003 for Na/Si and 0.103±0.004 for Al/Si, are determined independent of cosmic ray propagation.

Dietary supplementation of methionine mitigates oxidative stress in broilers under high stocking density

We aimed to investigate whether dietary supplementation of methionine could mitigate intestinal oxidative injury in broilers under high stocking density (HSD). In the grower phase (d 22–42), 576 broilers with similar body weight were randomly chosen and divided into 8 groups in a 2 × 4 factorial experiment. Two different stocking densities (14 and 20 broilers per m²) were tested with 4 different methionine levels: 0.35%, 0.4%, 0.45%, or 0.5%. Intestinal morphological and oxidative stress markers were assessed at the end of the test period. The results showed that mortality of broilers was significantly higher in the HSD group fed 0.35% methionine diet than the other groups, which was reversed by supplementation with 0.40% to 0.50% methionine. HSD significantly decreased feed intake and daily weight gain. HSD treatment significantly decreased T-AOC, activity of GPX (P < 0.01) and increased the level of PCO (P < 0.01), MDA (P = 0.052) of plasma. The decreased glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver and jejunum caused by HSD was alleviated by additional methionine. Supplementation of methionine increased the ration of GSH/GSSG in the plasma. The jejunum villus height and ratio of villus height to crypt depth under low stocking density conditions with 0.40% methionine diet were the highest, whereas the 0.45% methionine group was the highest under HSD conditions. Thus, additional dietary supplementation of methionine mitigates oxidative stress in broilers under HSD conditions and 0.40% to 0.45% methionine can be applied in cage rearing broiler production for amelioration of oxidative stress caused by HSD.

Advances in Research on the Toxicological Effects of Selenium

Selenium is a trace element necessary for the growth of organisms. Moreover, selenium supplementation can improve the immunity and fertility of the body, as well as its ability to resist oxidation, tumors, heavy metals, and pathogenic microorganisms. However, owing to the duality of selenium, excessive selenium supplementation can cause certain toxic effects on the growth and development of the body and may even result in death in severe cases. At present, increasing attention is being paid to the development and utilization of selenium as a micronutrient, but its potential toxicity tends to be neglected. This study systematically reviews recent research on the toxicological effects of selenium, aiming to provide theoretical references for selenium toxicology-related research and theoretical support for the development of selenium-containing drugs, selenium-enriched dietary supplements, and selenium-enriched foods.

LINC00460 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer cells through targeted regulation of miR-539

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of long intergenic non-coding ribonucleic acid 00460 (LINC00460) on the proliferation and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, the expression of LINC00460 in lung cancer tissues and its prognostic potential in NSCLC patients were analyzed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) website and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Then, the influences of silenced LINC00460 on proliferation and apoptosis in A549 cells were observed via methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry in vitro. Moreover, Dual-Luciferase reporter assay and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were performed to detect the targeting relationship between LINC00460 and micro RNA (miR)-539. The biological role of the LINC00460/miR-539 axis in the proliferation of A549 cells was examined using MTT assay.

RESULTS

It was found that the expression level of LINC00460 was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, and particularly negatively correlated with the overall survival (OS). According to the in vitro experimental results, LINC00460 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells, but promoted their apoptosis. Dual-Luciferase reporter assay results revealed that miR-539 was directly targeted by LINC00460 and involved in the LINC00460-mediated proliferation of A549 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

LINC00460 is overexpressed in NSCLC tissues and can promote the growth of NSCLC cells by targeting miR-539.

Properties of Heavy Secondary Fluorine Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Precise knowledge of the charge and rigidity dependence of the secondary cosmic ray fluxes and the secondary-to-primary flux ratios is essential in the understanding of cosmic ray propagation. We report the properties of heavy secondary cosmic ray fluorine F in the rigidity R range 2.15 GV to 2.9 TV based on 0.29 million events collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. The fluorine spectrum deviates from a single power law above 200 GV. The heavier secondary-to-primary F/Si flux ratio rigidity dependence is distinctly different from the lighter B/O (or B/C) rigidity dependence. In particular, above 10 GV, the F/Si/B/O ratio can be described by a power law R^{δ} with δ=0.052±0.007. This shows that the propagation properties of heavy cosmic rays, from F to Si, are different from those of light cosmic rays, from He to O, and that the secondary cosmic rays have two classes.

Properties of Iron Primary Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the observation of new properties of primary iron (Fe) cosmic rays in the rigidity range 2.65 GV to 3.0 TV with 0.62×10^{6} iron nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. Above 80.5 GV the rigidity dependence of the cosmic ray Fe flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of the primary cosmic ray He, C, and O fluxes, with the Fe/O flux ratio being constant at 0.155±0.006. This shows that unexpectedly Fe and He, C, and O belong to the same class of primary cosmic rays which is different from the primary cosmic rays Ne, Mg, and Si class.

microRNA-23B inhibits non-small cell lung cancer proliferation, invasion and migration via downregulation of RUNX2 and inhibition of Wnt/Β-catenin signaling pathway

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 85% of all lung cancer cases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) have been reported to play significant roles in the progression of human tumors, however, the expression and biological role of miR-23b in NSCLC remains elusive. Underexpression of miR-23b was detected in NSCLC tissues in comparison with the matched para-carcinoma tissues. The clinical value of miR-23b was analyzed, and the findings showed that miR-23b expression was negatively correlated with poor overall survival and malignant clinicopathologic characteristics of NSCLC patients. Furthermore, functional assays demonstrated that overexpression of miR-23b inhibited NSCLC cell viability, invasion and migration. Luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR revealed that RUNX2 was a functional target of miR-23b. The elevated expression of RUNX2 was positively correlated with overall survival of NSCLC patients. Additionally, Western blot analysis indicated that EMT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways were blocked by the upregulation of miR-23b. Taken together, these data demonstrated that dysregulation of miR-23b/RUNX2 signal may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Effect of the baseline pulse wave velocity on short term and long term blood pressure control in primary hypertension

OBJECTIVES

Arterial stiffness may affect antihypertensive response to antihypertensive treatment. However, sufficient clinical evidence is lacking. This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the effect of baseline arterial stiffness measured by the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) on response to short-term and long-term enalapril-based treatment in 3310 hypertensive adults from the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Blood pressure (BP) measured at three months (short-term) in 2780 subjects, and the time-average on-treatment BP in 3310 subjects during a median of 4.5-year follow-ups (long-term) were analyzed in the study. After short-term antihypertensive treatment, every 1 m/s increase in baPWV denoted a 7% and 6% decreased chance of achieving systolic BP (SBP) control (odds ratio (OR), 0.93; 95% CI 0.90, 0.96; P < 0.001) and BP control (OR, 0.94; 95% CI 0.91, 0.97; P < 0.001), respectively, after adjustment for age, gender and other variables. After long-term treatment, every 1 m/s increase in baPWV posed an 7% and 6% greater risk of failing to attain SBP control (OR, 0.93; 95% CI 0.90, 0.95; P < 0.001) and BP control (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92, 0.96; P < 0.001), respectively, not regarding for DBP control after both short- and long-term treatment. Higher baseline baPWV significantly decreased SBP reduction both after three months and the median 4.5-year treatment, while increased DBP reduction after the median 4.5-year treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated baseline baPWV significantly decreased BP response to short-and long-term treatment in adults with primary hypertensive. Arterial stiffness improvement may be an essential target to achieve adequate BP control.

Research on protective mechanism of ibuprofen in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To study the protective mechanism of ibuprofen (Ib) in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats, and to analyze its regulatory effect on the phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The rat model of myocardial I/R injury was established via ligation of the left main coronary artery (LCA) for 30 min and then reperfusion for 120 min. A total of 36 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham group (S group, n=12), model group (I/R group, n=12) and Ib group (n=12). The levels of serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in each group were detected. The rats were executed, the heart was isolated and the area of myocardial infarction was determined via 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and apoptosis-related proteins in myocardial tissues in each group were detected via Western blotting. Moreover, the content of inflammatory factors in myocardial tissues in each group was detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The expression levels of related proteins in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in myocardial tissues were further analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with those in S group, the levels of CK-MB and LDH were significantly increased (p<0.01), the area of myocardial infarction was significantly increased (p<0.01), the VEGF, HIF-1 and Cleaved caspase-3 protein levels in myocardial tissues were increased (p<0.01), while Bcl-2/Bax declined (p<0.01), the content of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in myocardial tissues was increased (p<0.01), while the content of IL-10 declined (p<0.01), and the expression levels of PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR proteins in myocardial tissues were significantly decreased (p<0.01) in I/R group. Compared with those in I/R group, the levels of CK-MB and LDH were significantly decreased (p<0.01), the area of myocardial infarction was significantly decreased (p<0.01), the VEGF, HIF-1 and Cleaved caspase-3 protein levels in myocardial tissues were decreased (p<0.01), while Bcl-2/Bax was increased (p<0.01), the content of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α in myocardial tissues declined (p<0.01), while the content of IL-10 was significantly increased (p<0.01), and the expression levels of PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR proteins in myocardial tissues were significantly increased (p<0.01) in Ib group.

CONCLUSIONS

Ib can activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, reduce the release of inflammatory factors and apoptosis, and alleviate the myocardial I/R injury in myocardial cells in rats.

[Differences in the bone marrow histopathology between pediatric acquired aplastic anemia and refractory cytopenia of childhood]

Objective: To study the differences in the bone marrow histopathology between acquired aplastic anemia (AAA) in children and refractory cytopenia of childhood (RCC) to facilitate their diagnoses and differential diagnosis. Methods: The clinical data and bone marrow biopsies of the RCC and AAA cases diagnosed from January 2008 to December 2018 in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Shanghai Children's Medical Center affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine were analyzed. Results: A total of 71 AAA and 79 RCC cases were analyzed. There were 52 males and 19 females, age ranged 1.0-15.0 years (median, 8.9 years) in the AAA group, and 53 males and 26 females, age ranged 0.5-16.0 years (median, 5.0 years) in the RCC group. All the biopsy specimens of AAA patients had severe hypocellularity; the cellularity of 88.7% (63/71) specimens was under 5.0%, and 11.3%(8/71) was 5%-24%. None of the AAA specimens showed any dysplastic change. All the biopsy specimens of RCC patients had hypocellularity, including 94.9%(75/79) of the specimens with a cellularity of 5%-50%. All of the RCC specimens showed a patchy distribution of hematopoiesis. A dysplastic change of erythroid cells and micromegakaryocytes was found in 40.5% (32/79) and in 60.8% (48/79) of the RCC cases, respectively. Conclusions: The degree of hypocellularity, the distribution pattern of hematopoiesis, the cell composition and localization of erythroid cell clusters and the appearance of micromegaryocytes could help the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of AAA and RCC.

Acupuncture for recurrent urinary tract infection in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Increasing antibiotic resistance has motivated interest in non-antibiotic prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI).

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a systematic review of the current state of evidence of acupuncture for uncomplicated rUTI in women.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Nine databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, AMED, CBM, CNKI, CQVIP, Wanfang) were searched from inception to February 2019.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of acupuncture and related therapies for prophylaxis or treatment of uncomplicated rUTI in women were included.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Risk of bias was assessed, and the quality and strength of evidence evaluated using the GRADE framework. Results were reported as risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes or mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

MAIN RESULTS

Five RCTs involving 341 participants were included. Methodological quality of studies and strength of the evidence were low to moderate. The chance of achieving a composite cure with acupuncture therapies was greater than that with antibiotics (three studies, 170 participants, RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.31-2.81, I²  = 38%). The risk of UTI recurrence was lower with acupuncture than with no treatment (two studies, 135 participants, RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.26-0.58, I²  = 0%) and sham acupuncture (one study, 53 participants, RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22-0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of rUTIs, noting the limitations of the current evidence. Given the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance, there is a need for high-quality RCTs of non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

This review found that acupuncture may improve treatment and prevent recurrence of urinary tract infection in women.