[Effects of cerium oxide nanoenzyme-gelatin methacrylate anhydride hydrogel in the repair of infected full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice]

Objective: To investigate the effects of cerium oxide nanoenzyme-gelatin methacrylate anhydride (GelMA) hydrogel (hereinafter referred to as composite hydrogel) in the repair of infected full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice. Methods: This study was an experimental study. Cerium oxide nanoenzyme with a particle size of (116±9) nm was prepared by hydrothermal method, and GelMA hydrogel with porous network structure and good gelling performance was also prepared. The 25 μg/mL cerium oxide nanoenzyme which could significantly promote the proliferation of human skin fibroblasts and had high superoxide dismutase activity was screened out. It was added to GelMA hydrogel to prepare composite hydrogel. The percentage of cerium oxide nanoenzyme released from the composite hydrogel was calculated after immersing it in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) for 3 and 7 d. The red blood cell suspension of mice was divided into PBS group, Triton X-100 group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, GelMA hydrogel group, and composite hydrogel group, which were treated with corresponding solution. The hemolysis of red blood cells was detected by microplate reader after 1 h of treatment. The bacterial concentrations of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli were determined after being cultured with PBS, cerium oxide nanoenzyme, GelMA hydrogel, and composite hydrogel for 2 h. The sample size in all above experiments was 3. Twenty-four 8-week-old male BALB/c mice were taken, and a full-thickness skin defect wound was prepared in the symmetrical position on the back and infected with MRSA. The mice were divided into control group without any drug intervention, and cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, GelMA hydrogel group, and composite hydrogel group applied with corresponding solution, with 6 mice in each group. The wound healing was observed on 3, 7, and 14 d after injury, and the remaining wound areas on 3 and 7 d after injury were measured (the sample size was 5). The concentration of MRSA in the wound exudation of mice on 3 d after injury was measured (the sample size was 3), and the blood flow perfusion in the wound of mice on 5 d after injury was observed using a laser speckle flow imaging system (the sample size was 6). On 14 d after injury, the wound tissue of mice was collected for hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe the newly formed epithelium and for Masson staining to observe the collagen situation (the sample size was both 3). Results: After immersion for 3 and 7 d, the release percentages of cerium oxide nanoenzyme in the composite hydrogel were about 39% and 75%, respectively. After 1 h of treatment, compared with that in Triton X-100 group, the hemolysis of red blood cells in PBS group, GelMA hydrogel group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, and composite hydrogel group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with that cultured with PBS, the concentrations of MRSA and Escherichia coli cultured with cerium oxide nanoenzyme, GelMA hydrogel, and composite hydrogel for 2 h were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The wounds of mice in the four groups were gradually healed from 3 to 14 d after injury, and the wounds of mice in composite hydrogel group were all healed on 14 d after injury. On 3 and 7 d after injury, the remaining wound areas of mice in composite hydrogel group were (29±3) and (13±5) mm2, respectively, which were significantly smaller than (56±12) and (46±10) mm2 in control group and (51±7) and (38±8) mm2 in cerium oxide nanoenzyme group (with P values all <0.05), but was similar to (41±5) and (24±9) mm2 in GelMA hydrogel group (with P values both >0.05). On 3 d after injury, the concentration of MRSA on the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group was significantly lower than that in control group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, and GelMA hydrogel group, respectively (with P values all <0.05). On 5 d after injury, the volume of blood perfusion in the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group was significantly higher than that in control group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, and GelMA hydrogel group, respectively (P<0.05). On 14 d after injury, the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group basically completed epithelization, and the epithelization was significantly better than that in the other three groups. Compared with that in the other three groups, the content of collagen in the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group was significantly increased, and the arrangement was also more orderly. Conclusions: The composite hydrogel has good biocompatibility and antibacterial effect in vivo and in vitro. It can continuously sustained release cerium oxide nanoenzyme, improve wound blood perfusion in the early stage, and promote wound re-epithelialization and collagen synthesis, therefore promoting the healing of infected full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice.

[Research progress of long-chain non-coding RNA in lipid metabolism reprogramming in primary hepatocellular carcinoma]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver malignant tumor with complex pathogenesis and a poor prognosis. Metabolic reprogramming has been recognized as one of the important cancer markers, and the liver, as an important organ for lipid metabolism in the human body, plays an important role in the process of the occurrence and development of HCC. More and more evidence shows that long-chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) can influence the lipid metabolism process by regulating key enzymes and transcription factors, as well as being involved in the occurrence and development of HCC. Therefore, explicating the mechanism of lncRNA in lipid metabolism reprogramming is conducive to providing new targets and strategies for the diagnosis and treatment and improving the prognosis of HCC patients. This article summarizes the latest research progress on the involvement of lncRNA in the reprogramming process of HCC lipid metabolism.

Heat stress-associated changes in the intestinal barrier, inflammatory signals, and microbiome communities in dairy calves

Recent studies indicate that heat stress pathophysiology is associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction, local and systemic inflammation, and gut dysbiosis. However, inconclusive results and a poor description of tissue-specific changes must be addressed to identify potential intervention targets against heat stress illness in growing calves. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate components of the intestinal barrier, pro- and anti-inflammatory signals, and microbiota community composition in Holstein bull calves exposed to heat stress. Animals (mean age = 12 wk old; mean body weight = 122 kg) penned individually in temperature-controlled rooms were assigned to (1) thermoneutral conditions (constant room temperature at 19.5°C) and restricted offer of feed (TNR, n = 8), or (2) heat stress conditions (cycles of room temperatures ranging from 20 to 37.8°C) along with ad libitum offer of feed (HS, n = 8) for 7 d. Upon treatment completion, sections of the jejunum, ileum, and colon were collected and snap-frozen immediately to evaluate gene and protein expression, cytokine concentrations, and myeloperoxidase activity. Digesta aliquots of the ileum, colon, and rectum were collected to assess bacterial communities. Plasma was harvested on d 2, 5, and 7 to determine cytokine concentrations. Overall, results showed a section-specific effect of HS on intestinal integrity. Jejunal mRNA expression of TJP1 was decreased by 70.9% in HS relative to TNR calves. In agreement, jejunal expression of heat shock transcription factor-1 protein, a known tight junction protein expression regulator, decreased by 48% in HS calves. Jejunal analyses showed that HS decreased concentrations of IL-1α by 36.6% and tended to decrease the concentration of IL-17A. Conversely, HS elicited a 3.5-fold increase in jejunal concentration of anti-inflammatory IL-36 receptor antagonist. Plasma analysis of pro-inflammatory cytokines showed that IL-6 decreased by 51% in HS relative to TNR calves. Heat stress alteration of the large intestine bacterial communities was characterized by increased genus Butyrivibrio_3, a known butyrate-producing organism, and changes in bacteria metabolism of energy and AA. A strong positive correlation between the rectal temperature and pro-inflammatory Eggerthii spp. was detected in HS calves. In conclusion, this work indicates that HS impairs the intestinal barrier function of jejunum. The pro- and anti-inflammatory signal changes may be part of a broader response to restore intestinal homeostasis in jejunum. The changes in large intestine bacterial communities favoring butyrate-producing organisms (e.g., Butyrivibrio spp.) may be part of a successful response to maintain the integrity of the colonic mucosa of HS calves. The alteration of intestinal homeostasis should be the target for heat stress therapies to restore biological functions, and, thus highlights the relevance of this work.

[Research progress of non-coding RNA-encoding polypeptides in primary hepatocellular carcinoma]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, with rapid progression and a poor prognosis. More and more studies have shown that there are small open reading frames (sORFs) on the molecular sequences of a large number of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which can encode conserved peptides that play an important role in controlling the occurrence and development of HCC. This article introduces the discovery, prediction, and validation methods of ncRNA-encoding polypeptides and reviews its research progress, with the aim of providing new targets and ideas for early-stage diagnosis, targeted therapy, and prognosis assessment of HCC.

A Cholecystokinin Analogue Ameliorates Cognitive Deficits and Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics via the AMPK/Drp1 Pathway in APP/PS1 Mice

BACKGROUND

There are no drugs on the market that can reverse or slow Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. A protease-resistant Cholecystokinin (CCK) analogue used in this study is based on the basic structure of CCK, which further increases the stability of the peptide fragment and prolongs its half-life in vivo. We observed a neuroprotective effect of CCK-8L in APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) AD mice. However, its corresponding mechanisms still need to be elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined CCK-8L's neuroprotective effects in enhancing cognitive impairment by regulating mitochondrial dynamics through AMPK/Drp1 pathway in the APP/PS1 AD mice.

METHODS

Behavioural tests are applied to assess competence in cognitive functions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed to observe the ultrastructure of mitochondria of hippocampal neurons, Immunofluorescent staining was employed to assay for Aβ1-42, APP, Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and dynamin-related protein1 (Drp1). CRISPR/Cas9 was utilized for targeted knockout of the CCKB receptor (CCKBR) in the mouse APP/PS1 hippocampal CA1 region. A model of lentiviral vector-mediated overexpression of APP in N2a cells was constructed.

RESULTS

In vivo, experiments revealed that CCK analogue and liraglutide significantly alleviated cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice, reduced Aβ1-42 expression, and ameliorated l damage, which is associated with CCKBR activation in the hippocampal CA1 region of mice. In vitro tests showed that CCK inhibited mitochondrial fission and promoted fusion through AMPK/Drp1 pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

CCK analogue ameliorates cognitive deficits and regulates mitochondrial dynamics by activating the CCKB receptor and the AMPK/Drp1 pathway in AD mice.

Tissue-resident alveolar macrophages reduce O3-induced inflammation via MerTK mediated efferocytosis

Lung inflammation, caused by acute exposure to ozone (O3) - one of the six criteria air pollutants - is a significant source of morbidity in susceptible individuals. Alveolar macrophages (AMØs) are the most abundant immune cells in the normal lung and their number increases following O3 exposure. However, the role of AMØs in promoting or limiting O3-induced lung inflammation has not been clearly defined. Here, we used a mouse model of acute O3 exposure, lineage tracing, genetic knockouts, and data from O3-exposed human volunteers to define the role and ontogeny of AMØs during acute O3 exposure. Lineage tracing experiments showed that 12, 24, and 72 h after exposure to O3 (2 ppm) for 3h all AMØs were tissue-resident origin. Similarly, in humans exposed to FA and O3 (200 ppb) for 135 minutes, we did not observe ~21h post-exposure an increase in monocyte-derived AMØs by flow cytometry. Highlighting a role for tissue-resident AMØs, we demonstrate that depletion of tissue-resident AMØs with clodronate-loaded liposomes led to persistence of neutrophils in the alveolar space after O3 exposure, suggesting that impaired neutrophil clearance (i.e., efferocytosis) leads to prolonged lung inflammation. Moreover, depletion of tissue-resident AMØ demonstrated reduced clearance of intratracheally instilled apoptotic Jurkat cells, consistent with reduced efferocytosis. Genetic ablation of MerTK - a key receptor involved in efferocytosis - also resulted in impaired clearance of apoptotic neutrophils followed O3 exposure. Overall, these findings underscore the pivotal role of tissue-resident AMØs in resolving O3-induced inflammation via MerTK-mediated efferocytosis.

CREB3L2 Regulates Hemidesmosome Formation during Epithelial Sealing

The long-term success rate of dental implants can be improved by establishing a favorable biological sealing with a high-quality epithelial attachment. The application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) holds promise for facilitating the soft tissue integration around implants, but the molecular mechanism is still unclear and the general application of MSC sheet for soft tissue integration is also relatively unexplored. We found that gingival tissue-derived MSC (GMSC) sheet treatment significantly promoted the expression of hemidesmosome (HD)-related genes and proteins in gingival epithelial cells (GECs). The formation of HDs played a key role in strengthening peri-implant epithelium (PIE) sealing. Further, high-throughput transcriptome sequencing showed that GMSC sheet significantly upregulated the PI3K/AKT pathway, confirming that cell adhesion and HD expression in GECs were regulated by GMSC sheet. We observed that the expression of transcription factor CREB3L2 in GECs was downregulated. After treatment with PI3K pathway inhibitor LY294002, CREB3L2 messenger RNA and protein expression levels were upregulated. Further experiments showed that overexpression or knockdown of CREB3L2 could significantly inhibit or promote HD-related genes and proteins, respectively. We confirmed that CREB3L2 was a transcription factor downstream of the PI3K/AKT pathway and participated in the formation of HDs regulated by GMSC sheet. Finally, through the establishment of early implant placement model in rats, we clarified the molecular function of CREB3L2 in PIE sealing as a mechanical transmission molecule in GECs. The application of GMSC sheet-implant complex could enhance the formation of HDs at the implant-PIE interface and decrease the penetration distance of horseradish peroxidase between the implant and PIE. Meanwhile, GMSC sheet reduced the length of CREB3L2 protein expression on PIE. These findings elucidate the potential function and molecular mechanism of MSC sheet regulating the epithelial sealing around implants, providing new insights and ideas for the application of stem cell therapy in regenerative medicine.

Principal Component Analysis to Design Planning Target Volume in Oropharyngeal Cancers

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Standard translational shifts of the Clinical Target volume (CTV) to generate the Planning Target Volume (PTV) do not account for rotations. Head and neck positional misalignments derive in large part from rotations due to cervical spine arching and twisting in Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). Translational expansions do not track rotations, yielding coverage envelopes that unnecessarily overlap with adjacent structures. This work examines whether principal component analysis of the motion along all 6 degrees of freedom may be used to produce a more favorable PTV.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Seventy-five CBCTs of ten oropharyngeal cases were included. The records of couch shifts needed to align individual bony structures (C1-5, mandible and mastoid) between the planning image and CBCTs were recorded. A Principal Component Analysis of the shifts was used to generate an ellipsoid inflation of each CTV vertex along 6 degrees of freedom. The result was compared to a 3D ellipsoid based translational expansion, and to a described ellipsoid based vertex expansion along 6 degrees of freedom, with axes oriented in parallel to the treatment reference frame.

RESULTS

Themean (x, y) shifts in mm needed to align individually bodies C1 - C5 were respectively (-0.4, 0.5), (+.5, -0.2), (+-0.2, -0.2), (-0.2, +0.4), and (-0.5, +0.7), the monophasic pattern showing acquired curvature along both axes during treatment and demanding a PTV for coverage. A PTV was constructed using a described 6D ellipsoidal based boundary point expansion aligned along the reference frame axis or using a new theory to align against the principal components of the motion. A cyclical one-out method was used to validate the PTV models. Selected confidence intervals yielded complete coverage in >80% weeks in 80% cases. Validation testing disclosed similar complete coverage in 83-86% weekly CBCTs in the test cases with either method. The PCA 6D PTV could yield less normal structure overlap. A one out method was used to test overlap avoidance from PTVs constructed from a population of weekly CBCTs drawn from seven cases with one excluded. PTVs were drawn around target and constrictors on an extraneous case and imaged on a CT slice. Both a rolling 'ball' expansion of the vertices that applies a 3D translational ellipsoid and a PTV constructed using a 6D ellipsoid aligned against the standard reference frame overlapped with all or nearly all the constrictors in all but one trial (1/7). The 6D ellipsoid aligned against the principal motion components spared >70% of a constrictor in all trials (7/7).

CONCLUSION

PTVs remain needed to ensure target coverage in head and neck radiotherapy even with daily CT accuracy because of acquired spinal curvatures resulting in rotational displacements. A described 6D ellipsoid oriented to the reference frame can yield good coverage, but with unneeded constrictor coverage. A PCA analysis yields a PTV with equally good coverage but able to spare 70% of a constrictor.

Effect of residential relocation on environmental exposures in European cohorts: An exposome-wide approach

Residential relocation is increasingly used as a natural experiment in epidemiological studies to assess the health impact of changes in environmental exposures. Since the likelihood of relocation can be influenced by individual characteristics that also influence health, studies may be biased if the predictors of relocation are not appropriately accounted for. Using data from Swedish and Dutch adults (SDPP, AMIGO), and birth cohorts (BAMSE, PIAMA), we investigated factors associated with relocation and changes in multiple environmental exposures across life stages. We used logistic regression to identify baseline predictors of moving, including sociodemographic and household characteristics, health behaviors and health. We identified exposure clusters reflecting three domains of the urban exposome (air pollution, grey surface, and socioeconomic deprivation) and conducted multinomial logistic regression to identify predictors of exposome trajectories among movers. On average, 7 % of the participants relocated each year. Before relocating, movers were consistently exposed to higher levels of air pollution than non-movers. Predictors of moving differed between the adult and birth cohorts, highlighting the importance of life stages. In the adult cohorts, moving was associated with younger age, smoking, and lower education and was independent of cardio-respiratory health indicators (hypertension, BMI, asthma, COPD). Contrary to adult cohorts, higher parental education and household socioeconomic position were associated with a higher probability of relocation in birth cohorts, alongside being the first child and living in a multi-unit dwelling. Among movers in all cohorts, those with a higher socioeconomic position at baseline were more likely to move towards healthier levels of the urban exposome. We provide new insights into predictors of relocation and subsequent changes in multiple aspects of the urban exposome in four cohorts covering different life stages in Sweden and the Netherlands. These results inform strategies to limit bias due to residential self-selection in epidemiological studies using relocation as a natural experiment.

Associations of improved air quality with lung function growth from childhood to adulthood: The BAMSE study

BACKGROUND

The beneficial effect of improving air quality on lung function development remains understudied. We assessed associations of changes in ambient air pollution levels with lung function growth from childhood until young adulthood in a Swedish cohort study.

METHODS

In the prospective birth cohort BAMSE (Children, Allergy, Environment, Stockholm, Epidemiology), spirometry was conducted at the 8-year (2002-2004), 16-year (2011-2013) and 24-year follow-ups (2016-2019). Participants with spirometry data at 8 years and at least one another measurement in subsequent follow-ups were included (1509 participants with 3837 spirometry measurements). Ambient air pollution levels (particulate matter≤2.5 μm [PM_2.5], particulate matter≤10 μm [PM₁₀], black carbon [BC] and nitrogen oxides [NOx]) at residential addresses were estimated using dispersion modelling. Linear mixed-effect models were used to estimate associations between air pollution exposure change and lung function development.

RESULTS

Overall, air pollution levels decreased progressively during the study period. For example, the median (interquartile range, IQR) of PM_2.5 decreased from 8.24 (0.92) μg·m^-3 during 2002-2004 to 5.21 (0.67) μg·m^-3 during 2016-2019. At the individual level, for each IQR reduction of PM_2.5 the lung function growth rate increased by 4.63 ml year^-1 (95%CI:1.64-7.61, p<0.001) for FEV₁ and 9.38 ml year^-1 (95%CI: 4.76-14.00, p<0.001) for FVC. Similar associations were also observed for reductions of BC and NO_x. Associations persisted after adjustment for potential confounders, and were not modified by asthma, allergic sensitization, overweight, early-life air pollution exposure or antioxidant dietary intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term reduction of air pollution is associated with positive lung function development from childhood to young adulthood.

Ambient ultrafine particles and asthma onset until age 20: The PIAMA birth cohort

RATIONALE

Evidence regarding the role of long-term exposure to ultrafine particles (<0.1 μm, UFP) in asthma onset is scarce.

OBJECTIVES

We examined the association between exposure to UFP and asthma development in the Dutch PIAMA (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy) birth cohort and assessed whether there is an association with UFP, independent of other air pollutants.

METHODS

Data from birth up to age 20 years from 3687 participants were included. Annual average exposure to UFP at the residential addresses was estimated with a land-use regression model. Overall and age-specific associations of exposure at the birth address and current address at the time of follow-up with asthma incidence were assessed using discrete-time hazard models adjusting for potential confounders. We investigated both single- and two-pollutant models accounting for co-exposure to other air pollutants (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mass concentrations, nitrogen dioxide, and PM_2.5 absorbance).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 812 incident asthma cases were identified. Overall, we found that higher UFP exposure was associated with higher asthma incidence (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.08 (1.02,1.14) and 1.06 (1.00, 1.12) per interquartile range increase in exposure at the birth address and current address at the time of follow-up, respectively). Age-specific associations were not consistent. The association was no longer significant after adjustment for other traffic-related pollutants (nitrogen dioxide and PM_2.5 absorbance).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support the importance of traffic-related air pollutants for asthma development through childhood and adolescence, but provide little support for an independent effect of UFP.

Long-term exposure to residential surrounding greenness and incidence of diabetes: A prospective cohort study

Exposure to residential greenness might affect population health through increasing physical activity and social engagement, improving mental health, and reducing harmful environmental exposure. However, evidence on the association of greenness with risk of diabetes is still controversial. In this study, we recruited a total of 22,535 participants aged ≥18 years from Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China to investigate the associations between residential greenness and risk of diabetes incidence. Residential greenness was estimated using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Vegetation Continuous Field (VCF). We also calculated cumulative average NDVI, EVI and VCF values, and changes in NDVI, EVI and VCF during the follow-up period. We used Cox proportional hazards models controlling for demographic characteristics, lifestyles, individual socioeconomic status, history of diseases and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5) to examine hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) and assessed physical activity, body mass index (BMI) or PM_2.5 as potential mediators. During 84,992.64 person-years of follow-up, a total of 1,154 incident cases of diabetes occurred. In multivariable models, living in the highest quartile of cumulative average NDVI, EVI and VCF within 250-m buffer was associated with 57% (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.52), 62% (HR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.45), and 55% (HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.54) reduction in diabetes risk compared with the lowest quartile, respectively. Results remained similar for NDVI, EVI, and VCF within 500-m and 1000-m buffers. Stratified analyses showed stronger association for residential greenness and diabetes among older people. The association between greenness and diabetes did not appear to be mediated by physical activity, PM_2.5 or BMI. Our findings suggested that higher residential greenness was significantly associated with lower risk of diabetes.

Air pollution, metabolites and respiratory health across the life-course

Previous studies have explored the relationships of air pollution and metabolic profiles with lung function. However, the metabolites linking air pollution and lung function and the associated mechanisms have not been reviewed from a life-course perspective. Here, we provide a narrative review summarising recent evidence on the associations of metabolic profiles with air pollution exposure and lung function in children and adults. Twenty-six studies identified through a systematic PubMed search were included with 10 studies analysing air pollution-related metabolic profiles and 16 studies analysing lung function-related metabolic profiles. A wide range of metabolites were associated with short- and long-term exposure, partly overlapping with those linked to lung function in the general population and with respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. The existing studies show that metabolomics offers the potential to identify biomarkers linked to both environmental exposures and respiratory outcomes, but many studies suffer from small sample sizes, cross-sectional designs, a preponderance on adult lung function, heterogeneity in exposure assessment, lack of confounding control and omics integration. The ongoing EXposome Powered tools for healthy living in urbAN Settings (EXPANSE) project aims to address some of these shortcomings by combining biospecimens from large European cohorts and harmonised air pollution exposure and exposome data.

Residential greenness, air pollution, and incident ischemic heart disease: A prospective cohort study in China

Greener residential surroundings are associated with beneficial health outcomes, whereas higher air pollution exposure is linked with elevated risks of chronic diseases. To date, limited studies have explored the interaction between residential greenness and air pollution on the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). We performed a prospective cohort study that included 29,141 adult participants recruited from Yinzhou District, Ningbo, China. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) around each participant's residence was calculated to measure residential greenness exposure. Land-use regression models were conducted to estimate long-term individual exposure to air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤ 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and ≤10 μm (PM₁₀). Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the associations of residential greenness and air pollutants with the risk of incident IHD. During 101,172.5 person-years of follow-up, 1392 incident IHD cases were reported in the study population. Residential greenness, expressed as an interquartile range (IQR) increase in NDVI within 250 m, was inversely associated with incident IHD (HR = 0.89, 95%CI: 0.81,0.98). However, long-term exposures to air pollution were associated with higher IHD incidence (HR = 1.21, 95%CI:1.10,1.33 per IQR increase for PM_2.5; HR = 1.12, 95%CI:1.03,1.22 per IQR increase for PM₁₀; HR = 1.09, 95%CI:1.02,1.16 per IQR increase for NO₂). Mediation analyses suggested that the beneficial effect of residential greenness on incident IHD could be partly mediated by reducing the exposure to PM_2.5. These findings suggested that higher greenness was associated with decreased risk of IHD, while air pollutants were positively associated with incident IHD. Meanwhile, residential greenness may decrease the risk of IHD by reducing exposure to PM_2.5.

Prediction of nitrogen excretion from data on dairy cows fed a wide range of diets compiled in an intercontinental database: A meta-analysis

Manure nitrogen (N) from cattle contributes to nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions and nitrate leaching. Measurement of manure N outputs on dairy farms is laborious, expensive, and impractical at large scales; therefore, models are needed to predict N excreted in urine and feces. Building robust prediction models requires extensive data from animals under different management systems worldwide. Thus, the study objectives were (1) to collate an international database of N excretion in feces and urine based on individual lactating dairy cow data from different continents; (2) to determine the suitability of key variables for predicting fecal, urinary, and total manure N excretion; and (3) to develop robust and reliable N excretion prediction models based on individual data from lactating dairy cows consuming various diets. A raw data set was created based on 5,483 individual cow observations, with 5,420 fecal N excretion and 3,621 urine N excretion measurements collected from 162 in vivo experiments conducted by 22 research institutes mostly located in Europe (n = 14) and North America (n = 5). A sequential approach was taken in developing models with increasing complexity by incrementally adding variables that had a significant individual effect on fecal, urinary, or total manure N excretion. Nitrogen excretion was predicted by fitting linear mixed models including experiment as a random effect. Simple models requiring dry matter intake (DMI) or N intake performed better for predicting fecal N excretion than simple models using diet nutrient composition or milk performance parameters. Simple models based on N intake performed better for urinary and total manure N excretion than those based on DMI, but simple models using milk urea N (MUN) and N intake performed even better for urinary N excretion. The full model predicting fecal N excretion had similar performance to simple models based on DMI but included several independent variables (DMI, diet crude protein content, diet neutral detergent fiber content, milk protein), depending on the location, and had root mean square prediction errors as a fraction of the observed mean values of 19.1% for intercontinental, 19.8% for European, and 17.7% for North American data sets. Complex total manure N excretion models based on N intake and MUN led to prediction errors of about 13.0% to 14.0%, which were comparable to models based on N intake alone. Intercepts and slopes of variables in optimal prediction equations developed on intercontinental, European, and North American bases differed from each other, and therefore region-specific models are preferred to predict N excretion. In conclusion, region-specific models that include information on DMI or N intake and MUN are required for good prediction of fecal, urinary, and total manure N excretion. In absence of intake data, region-specific complex equations using easily and routinely measured variables to predict fecal, urinary, or total manure N excretion may be used, but these equations have lower performance than equations based on intake.

Ectopic expression of BrIQD35 promotes drought stress tolerance in Nicotiana benthamiana

The plant IQD gene family is responsive to a variety of stresses. In this study, we studied the structural features and functions of the gene BrIQD35 in Chinese cabbage, a member of the IQD gene family. BrIQD35 was cloned and shown to contain an IQ motif. Transient expression of BrIQD35 indicated that it was localized on the plasma membrane and was significantly upregulated under drought and salt stress in Chinese cabbage. To further identify the function of BrIQD35, it was heterologously overexpressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Although there was no significant difference between BrIQD35-overexpressed and wild-type (WT) plants under salt stress, WT N. benthamiana showed more wilting than the BrIQD35-overexpressed plants under drought stress. Since the IQ motif has been annotated as a CaM binding site, yeast two-hybrid assays were used to explore the interaction between BrIQD35 and CaM. The results indicated that BrIQD35 interacts weakly with CaMb, but not with CaMa, suggesting that BrIQD35 may function through the Ca2+ -CaMb pathway. The findings reveal a novel gene involved in drought tolerance, which is important for plant breeding and quality improvement for Chinese cabbage.

Susceptibility-weighted imaging cannot distinguish radionecrosis from recurrence in brain metastases after radiotherapy: a comparison with high-grade gliomas

AIM

To explore the efficiency of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in the differential diagnosis of recurrence from radionecrosis in brain metastases (BM) and in high-grade gliomas (HGG).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From September 2016 to November 2018, 56 patients with BM and 42 patients with HGG were included in this retrospective study. BM and HGG were assigned to the recurrence and radionecrosis groups according to their histopathology or follow-up results. The proportion of dark signal intensity (proDSI), which was defined as the area of dark signal on SWI or the enhancing area on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), was calculated for each patient. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey's honestly significant difference test was used for the repeat multiple comparisons. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to validate the diagnostic performance.

RESULTS

For HGG, the proDSI in the recurrence group was significantly lower than that in the radionecrosis group (0.13 ± 0.05 versus 0.43 ± 0.11, p<0.001); however, for BM, no statistical difference was found between groups (0.49 ± 0.09 versus 0.46 ± 0.08, p=0.26). proDSI had the best diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-0.98; sensitivity = 0.87; specificity = 0.88) for HGG, when a cut-off value of 0.21 was selected.

CONCLUSIONS

Semi-quantitative analysis using SWI is feasible for the differential diagnosis between recurrence and radionecrosis in HGG, but is not feasible in BM. Semi-quantitative assessment based on SWI should interpreted with caution in BM after radiotherapy in clinical practice.

[Analysis of 2 diagnostic criteria of echocardiography for coronary artery aneurysm in Kawasaki disease]

Objective: To analyze the difference between Z score and previous criteria in the diagnosis characteristics of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) in Kawasaki disease, and to investigate the clinical distribution of Kawasaki disease CAA in the Z score group. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical and echocardiographic data of 2 419 children with Kawasaki disease in Shenzhen Children's Hospital from January 2009 to December 2019. The traditional criteria and Z score criteria were used to diagnose CAA, and the differences of diagnostic efficiency between the 2 diagnostic methods were analyzed. The clinical distribution characteristics of CAA in children with Kawasaki disease were analyzed by grouping their sex, clinical classification (complete Kawasaki disease, incomplete Kawasaki disease) the sensitivity to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) (IVIG-sensitive Kawasaki disease,IVIG-unresponsive Kawasaki disease). And the course of the disease (≤6 weeks, >6-8 weeks, >8 weeks to 6 months) etc. The χ² test or Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison between the groups, and the Kappa test was used for consistency evaluation. Results: Among the 2 419 children with Kawasaki disease, 1 558 were males and 861 were females. The age of onset was 1.8 (1.0, 3.2) years. The rate of CAA by Z score criteria was higher than that by traditional method (21.9% (529/2 419) vs. 13.9% (336/2 419), χ²=1 074.94, P<0.001). Compared to the traditional method, the Z score criteria found higher rate of CAA in male patients, patients with incomplete Kawasaki disease, and IVIG-unresponsive patients (25.2% (392/1 558) vs. 16.0% (249/1 558), (32.7% (166/507) vs. 19.5% (99/507), 30.5% (95/312) vs. 24.0% (75/312), χ²=694.05, 216.19, 184.37, all P<0.001). The Z score criteria was consistent with the traditional method in diagnosing CAA (κ=0.642,P<0.001). Moreover, in the Z score criteria, the rate of CAA in males (25.2%, 392/1 558) was higher than that in females (15.9%, 137/861), higher in incomplete Kawasaki cases (32.7%, 166/507) than that in complete Kawasaki case (19.0%, 363/1 912), and higher in IVIG-unresponsive cases (30.4%, 95/312) than that in IVIG-sensitive cases (20.6%, 434/2 107), with statistically significant differences (χ²=27.76, 44.38, 15.43, all P<0.001). Coronary Z score of course ≤ 6 weeks was greater than that of course between>6-8 weeks and >8 weeks to 6 months (1.3 (0.7, 2.3) vs. 0.7 (0.3, 1.4), 0.7 (0.3, 1.3), Z=20.65, 13.70, both P<0.001). Conclusions: The rate of CAA in Kawasaki disease by Z score criteria is higher than that by traditional method. In the Z score group, most CAA occur within 6 weeks of the course of the disease, and the rate of CAA in male, incomplete Kawasaki disease, and IVIG-unresponsive is higher.

Identifying Oscillations under Multi-site Sensory Stimulation for High-level Peripheral Nerve Injured Patients：A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE

For high-level peripheral nerve injured (PNI) patients with severe sensory dysfunction of upper extremities, identifying the multi-site tactile stimulation is of great importance to provide neurorehabilitation with sensory feedback. In this pilot study, we showed the feasibility of identifying multi-site and multi-intensity tactile stimulation in terms of electroencephalography (EEG).

APPROACH

Three high-level PNI patients and eight non-PNI participants were recruited in this study. Four different sites over the upper arm, forearm, thumb finger and little finger were randomly stimulated at two intensities (both sensory-level) based on the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Meanwhile, 64-channel EEG signals were recorded during the passive tactile sense stimulation on each side.

MAIN RESULTS

The spatial-spectral distribution of brain oscillations underlying multi-site sensory stimulation showed dominant power attenuation over the somatosensory and prefrontal cortices in both alpha-band (8-12 Hz) and beta-band (13-30 Hz). But there was no significant difference among different stimulation sites in terms of the averaged power spectral density over the region of interest (ROI). By further identifying different stimulation sites using temporal-spectral features, we found the classification accuracies were all above 89% for the affected arm of PNI patients, comparable to that from their intact side and that from the non-PNI group. When the stimulation site-intensity combinations were treated as eight separate classes, the classification accuracies were ranging from 88.89% to 99.30% for the affected side of PNI subjects, similar to that from their non-affected side and that from the non-PNI group. Other performance metrics, including Specificity, Precision, and F1-Score, also showed a sound identification performance for both PNI patients and non-PNI subjects.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results suggest that reliable brain oscillations could be evoked and identified well, even though induced tactile sense could not be discerned by the PNI patients. This study have implication for facilitating bidirectional neurorehabilitation systems with sensory feedback.

[Research advances on application of botulinum toxin type A in scar prevention and treatment]

The wound healing time, tension of wound edge, proliferation of fibroblast, and extracellular matrix deposition are the important factors of scar formation, and botulinum toxin type A can regulate the above. Prevention and treatment of scar with botulinum toxin type A is one of the hot topics of clinical research in recent years. This paper briefly reviews researches by scholars at home and abroad on the mechanism, clinical application, complications, and adverse effects of botulinum toxin type A in scar prevention and treatment.

Association of Short-term Air Pollution Exposure With SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Young Adults in Sweden

IMPORTANCE

Mounting ecological evidence shows an association between short-term air pollution exposure and COVID-19, yet no study has examined this association on an individual level.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infection among Swedish young adults.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This time-stratified case-crossover study linked the prospective BAMSE (Children, Allergy Milieu, Stockholm, Epidemiology [in Swedish]) birth cohort to the Swedish national infectious disease registry to identify cases with positive results for SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing from May 5, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Case day was defined as the date of the PCR test, whereas the dates with the same day of the week within the same calendar month and year were selected as control days. Data analysis was conducted from September 1 to December 31, 2021.

EXPOSURES

Daily air pollutant levels (particulate matter with diameter ≤2.5 μm [PM2.5], particulate matter with diameter ≤10 μm [PM10], black carbon [BC], and nitrogen oxides [NOx]) at residential addresses were estimated using dispersion models with high spatiotemporal resolution.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection among participants within the BAMSE cohort. Distributed-lag models combined with conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the association.

RESULTS

A total of 425 cases were identified, of whom 229 (53.9%) were women, and the median age was 25.6 (IQR, 24.9-26.3) years. The median exposure level for PM2.5 was 4.4 [IQR, 2.6-6.8] μg/m3 on case days; for PM10, 7.7 [IQR, 4.6-11.3] μg/m3 on case days; for BC, 0.3 [IQR, 0.2-0.5] μg/m3 on case days; and for NOx, 8.2 [5.6-14.1] μg/m3 on case days. Median exposure levels on control days were 3.8 [IQR, 2.4-5.9] μg/m3 for PM2.5, 6.6 [IQR, 4.5-10.4] μg/m3 for PM10, 0.2 [IQR, 0.2-0.4] μg/m3 for BC, and 7.7 [IQR, 5.3-12.8] μg/m3 for NOx. Each IQR increase in short-term exposure to PM2.5 on lag 2 was associated with a relative increase in positive results of SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing of 6.8% (95% CI, 2.1%-11.8%); exposure to PM10 on lag 2, 6.9% (95% CI, 2.0%-12.1%); and exposure to BC on lag 1, 5.8% (95% CI, 0.3%-11.6%). These findings were not associated with NOx, nor were they modified by sex, smoking, or having asthma, overweight, or self-reported COVID-19 respiratory symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The findings of this case-crossover study of Swedish young adults suggest that short-term exposure to particulate matter and BC was associated with increased risk of positive PRC test results for SARS-CoV-2, supporting the broad public health benefits of reducing ambient air pollution levels.

Association of residential greenness and incident depression: Investigating the mediation and interaction effects of particulate matter

BACKGROUND

Growing evidence has linked residential greenness to depression, the results from prospective cohort study are still limited. And it remains unclear whether particulate matter (PM) modify, mediate, or interact the greenness-depression relationship.

METHODS

We collected data from Yinzhou Cohort(N = 47,516) which was recruited between June 2015 and December 2017. Depression cases before April 2020 were ascertained from local Health Information System covered all residents' health care records. Residential greenness (the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI, and the Enhanced Vegetation Index, EVI) and PM (particulate matters with diameters≤2.5 μm, PM_2.5 and particulate matters with diameters≤10 μm, PM₁₀) were estimated based on participants' residential coordinates. We conducted Cox models employing age as timescale to estimate the association between residential greenness within different buffers and incident depression. Furthermore, we explored the potential confounding, mediation and interaction relationship between greenness and PM.

RESULTS

During the 99,556 person-years of follow-up, 1043 incident depression cases occurred. In single exposure models, residential greenness was inversely associated with depression incidence (e.g. Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79, 0.94 for per interquartile range (IQR) increase NDVI 250 m). The protective association between greenness was attenuated after introducing PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ into the models. We identified multiplicative interactions between greenness and PM exposure for depression (e.g. HR _interaction = 0.91, 95%CI: 0.85, 0.98 for per IQR decrease NDVI 250 m and per IQR increase PM_2.5). Besides, we found the protective association of greenness was partly mediated by PM (e.g. mediation proportion = 52.9% between NDVI 250 m and PM_2.5).

CONCLUSIONS

In this longitudinal cohort study, residents living in greener neighborhoods had a lower risk of depression incidence and the benefits were interacted and partly mediated by PM. Improvement in residential greenness could be an actionable and planning intervention to prevent depression.

[Evaluation of the perioperative period and long-term outcomes of minimally invasive LTE and minimally invasive CTLE esophagectomy for stage Ⅰ-Ⅲ cervical esophageal carcinoma based on propensity score matching analysis]

Objective: To evaluate the perioperative period and long-term effects of minimally invasive gasless laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy (LTE) and minimally invasive combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy (CTLE) for stageⅠ-Ⅲ cervical esophageal cancer. Methods: The clinical data of 158 consecutive patients with cervical esophageal cancer stageⅠto Ⅲ who underwent minimally invasive CTLE or LTE esophagectomy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2008 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 40 pairs of cases were matched (40 cases of CTLE and 40 cases of LTE surgery) after using the propensity score matching analysis which aimed to balance the influence of confounding factors between groups, including 43 males and 37 females, aged 51 to 81 (62.5±7.0) years old. The perioperative variables and long-term outcomes of the two groups were compared. Results: The operation time ((148.0±31.3) min vs (201.3±48.3) min), intraoperative blood loss ((192.6±77.9) ml vs (387.8±112.4) ml), ICU monitoring time (0 day vs 1 day), and the complication rates of postoperative pneumonia (0 vs 15%) and arrhythmia (2.5% vs 20%) were lower in the LTE group than that of in the CTLE group(all P<0.05). The number of lymph node dissections in the CTLE group was higher than that of in the LTE group (21.2±6.1 vs 12.9±4.3, P<0.001). The 3-and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and disease-free survival (DFS) rate in the LTE group (OS: 53.53% and 34.27%, DFS: 43.62% and 24.89%, respectively) and the CTLE group (OS: 59.48% and 37.29%, DFS: 49.12% and 28.82%, respectively) had no statistical differences (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The LTE group has advantages in reducing operation time, intraoperative bleeding, ICU monitoring time, postoperative incidence of pneumonia and arrhythmia, and its long-term prognosis is comparable to that of the CTLE group.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and incidence of depression: A population-based cohort study in China

BACKGROUND

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution was linked to depression incidence, although the results were limited and inconsistent.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effects of long-term air pollution exposure on depression risk prospectively in China.

METHODS

The present study used data from Yinzhou Cohort on adults without depression at baseline, and followed up until April 2020. Two-year moving average concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM_2.5), ≤10 μm (PM₁₀) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) were measured using land-use regression (LUR) models for each participant. Depression cases were ascertained using the Health Information System (HIS) of the local health administration by linking the unique identifiers. We conducted Cox regression models with time-varying exposures to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of depression with each pollutant, after adjusting for a sequence of individual covariates as demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and comorbidity. Besides, physical activity, baseline potential depressive symptoms, cancer status, COVID-19 pandemic, different outcome definitions and air pollution exposure windows were considered in sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Among the 30,712 adults with a mean age of 62.22 ± 11.25, 1024 incident depression cases were identified over totaling 98,619 person-years of observation. Interquartile range increments of the air pollutants were associated with increased risks of depression, and the corresponding HRs were 1.59 (95%CI: 1.46, 1.72) for PM_2.5, 1.49 (95%CI: 1.35, 1.64) for PM₁₀ and 1.58 (95%CI: 1.42, 1.77) for NO₂. Subgroup analyses suggested that participants without taking any protective measures towards air pollution were more susceptible. The results remained robust in all sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution was identified as a risk factor for depression onset. Strategies to reduce air pollution are necessary to decrease the disease burden of depression.

TREATMENT OF SECONDARY LOWER LIMB LYMPHEDEMA AFTER GYNECOLOGIC CANCER WITH COMPLEX DECONGESTIVE THERAPY

Secondary lower extremity lymphedema is a common complication of treatment for gynecological cancers. Conservative therapy plays an important role in the treatment of patients with secondary lower extremity lymphedema; in particular, complex decongestive therapy (CDT) has been recognized as an effective nonoperative technique for these patients. But CDT therapy for secondary lower extremity lymphedema remains a problem in China because this technique and its effectiveness have not achieved widespread use and popularity. Our goal was to assess effects of CDT in patients with secondary lower limb lymphedema after treatment for gynecological cancers. The retrospective study consisted of 60 patients who were treated with 20 sessions of CDT. Assessments included objective changes in limb circumference, degree of LE, imaging features, and incidence of erysipelas before and after CDT treatment. We found that CDT can effectively improve lymph stasis and promote backflow, and decrease circumference, interstitial fluid content, and incidence of erysipelas of lymphedematous lower limb. Our results demonstrate that CDT is an effective treatment method for patients with secondary lower limb lymphedema following treatment for gynecologic cancers. This technique should be more widely utilized and popularized in China to improve the quality of life of millions of patients with secondary lower limb lymphedema.

Interaction between walkability and fine particulate matter on risk of ischemic stroke: A prospective cohort study in China

Living in walkable neighborhoods has been reported to be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Features of walkable neighborhoods, however, may be related to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5), which could increase risk of cardiovascular disease. The interaction effect between walkability and PM_2.5 on risk of ischemic stroke remains to be elucidated. In this study, we recruited a total of 27,375 participants aged ≥40 years from Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China to investigate the associations of walkability and PM_2.5 with risk of ischemic stroke. We used amenity categories and decay functions to evaluate walkability and high-spatiotemporal-resolution land-use regression models to assess PM_2.5 concentrations. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During a median follow-up of 4.08 years, we identified a total of 637 incident cases of ischemic stroke in the entire cohort. Higher walkability was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke (quartile, Q4 vs. Q1 walkability: HR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.47-0.75), whereas PM_2.5 was positively associated with risk of ischemic stroke (Q4 vs. Q1 PM_2.5: HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.29-2.25). Furthermore, we observed a significant interaction between walkability and PM_2.5 on risk of ischemic stroke. Walkability was inversely associated with risk of ischemic stroke at lower PM_2.5 concentrations, but this association was attenuated with increasing PM_2.5 concentrations. Although walkable neighborhoods appear to decrease the risk of ischemic stroke, benefits may be offset by adverse effects of PM_2.5 exposure in the most polluted areas. These findings are meaningful for future neighborhood design, air pollution control, and stroke prevention.

A high precision phase measurement system implemented in FPGA with phase interpolator

High precision timing distribution is crucial to many large scale cosmology and particle physics experiments. Besides the space and energy information, the accurate timing provides an extra dimension for physics event reconstruction. In the timing distribution system, accurate clock phase measurement is an indispensable tool to monitor the phase drift and to achieve accurate phase adjustment. This paper introduces a novel phase measurement method implemented in the Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). It uses the dedicated phase interpolator in the multi-gigabit transceiver. A design based on this method is implemented within the Kintex Ultrascale series FPGA. The preliminary test result shows that a sub-picosecond level precision is achieved. With this system, the nonlinearity of the phase adjustment in the Xilinx transceiver is measured.

[Association between serum uric acid to creatinine ratio and metabolic syndrome based on community residents in Chashan town, Dongguan city]

Objective: To analyze the association between serum uric acid to creatinine ratio (SUA/Cr) and metabolic syndrome among community residents in Chashan town, Dongguan city. Methods: Participants were from the prospective cohort study of chronic diseases in natural populations in South China conducted in Chashan town, Dongguan city from 2018 to 2019. A total of 11 334 participants with complete data were included by using convenient sampling method. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle and health status were collected through questionnaire and physical examination. The venous blood of the subjects was collected to detect the levels of serum uric acid, creatinine and blood lipid. All participants were divided into four groups (Q1-Q4) according to the quartile of SUA/Cr level. The relationship between SUA/Cr and metabolic syndrome and its components (abdominal obesity, high triglyceride, low level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertension and abnormal glucose metabolism) were analyzed by using logistic regression model. Results: The mean age of 11 334 participants was (49.52±10.02) years. Male participants accounted for 44.2% (5 015/11 334). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 31.2% (3 532/11 334), and the level of SUA/Cr was 5.17±1.53. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in group Q1-Q4 was 22.3% (631/2 834), 26.5% (752/2 833), 34.9% (988/2 833) and 41.0% (1 161/2 834), respectively. After adjusting for relevant confounding factors, the result of logistic regression model showed that compared with group Q1, the risk of metabolic syndrome in group Q2-Q4 was significantly higher, with OR (95%CI) values about 1.41 (1.23-1.60), 2.19 (1.93-2.49) and 3.01 (2.65-3.42) respectively. The risk of each component of metabolic syndrome in group Q2-Q4 was higher (P_trend<0.001). The SUA/Cr level of participants with normal uric acid level was significantly positively correlated with metabolic syndrome. The risk of metabolic syndrome increased with the increase of SUA/Cr level, but there was the same trend without significant differences in patients with hyperuricemia (P_interaction=0.008). Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between SUA/Cr level and the risk of metabolic syndrome among community residents in Chashan town, Dongguan city.

Ultrafine particles, particle components and lung function at age 16 years: The PIAMA birth cohort study

BACKGROUND

Particulate matter (PM) air pollution exposure has been linked to lung function in adolescents, but little is known about the relevance of specific PM components and ultrafine particles (UFP).

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the associations of long-term exposure to PM elemental composition and UFP with lung function at age 16 years.

METHODS

For 706 participants of a prospective Dutch birth cohort, we assessed associations of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) at age 16 with average exposure to eight elemental components (copper, iron, potassium, nickel, sulfur, silicon, vanadium and zinc) in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, as well as UFP during the preceding years (age 13-16 years) estimated by land-use regression models. After assessing associations for each pollutant individually using linear regression models with adjustment for potential confounders, independence of associations with different pollutants was assessed in two-pollutant models with PM mass and NO₂, for which associations with lung function have been reported previously.

RESULTS

We observed that for most PM elemental components higher exposure was associated with lower FEV₁, especially PM₁₀ sulfur [e.g. adjusted difference -2.23% (95% confidence interval (CI) -3.70 to -0.74%) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM₁₀ sulfur]. The association with PM₁₀ sulfur remained after adjusting for PM₁₀ mass. Negative associations of exposure to UFP with both FEV₁ and FVC were observed [-1.06% (95% CI: -2.08 to -0.03%) and -0.65% (95% CI: -1.53 to 0.23%), respectively per IQR increase in UFP], but did not persist in two-pollutant models with NO₂ or PM_2.5.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term exposure to sulfur in PM₁₀ may result in lower FEV₁ at age 16. There is no evidence for an independent effect of UFP exposure.

[Application effects of free transplantation of autologous omentum in treating maxillofacial infection complicated with complex sinus tract]

Objective: To investigate the application effects of free transplantation of autologous omentum in treating maxillofacial infection complicated with complex sinus tract. Methods: The retrospective observational study method was used. Four patients with maxillofacial infection complicated with complex sinus tract were admitted to Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from July 2017 to the December 2019, including 3 males and 1 female aged 36-60 years. Preoperative facial computed tomography (CT) was performed on patients for calculating the volume of sinus tract. During the operation, the sinus tract was thoroughly debrided, and the volume of the tissue defect was about 5 cm×3 cm×2 cm-10 cm×5 cm×3 cm after debridement. The tissue defect area was filled with omentum of 100-300 mL which was cut under laparoscopy. The artery and vein on the right side of the omentum were reserved as the vascular pedicle of the donor area, which were anastomosed with the facial artery and external jugular vein of the recipient area. The survival of omentum, and the occurrences of reinfection and complication were observed after operation, respectively. On the 10th day and in 1 month after the operation, the blood supply of omentum was examined by colored Doppler ultrasound and CT angiography, and the filling of tissue defect area was examined by head and face CT. During follow-up after the operation, the recoveries of face appearance and function and scar hyperplasia in the donor area. Results: The transplanted omentums in 4 patients survived after the operation with no reinfection and complication. On the 10th day and in 1 month after the operation, the transplanted omentums had good blood supply, and the filled area with omentum was in good shape, without formation of dead cavity. During follow-up of 6-10 months after surgery, the appearance and function of face recovered well, and there was no obvious scar hyperplasia in the donor area. Conclusions: After free transplantation of omentum in treating maxillofacial infection with complex sinus tract, the patients have good facial appearance and function, and the application of laparoscopy results in little damage to the patients and quick postoperative recovery.

[Explorative study of the immobilizing effect of full-thickness skin subcutaneous grafting on allogeneic full-thickness skin graft in rats]

Objective: To investigate the immobilizing effect of full-thickness skin subcutaneous grafting on allogeneic full-thickness skin graft in rats. Methods: The experimental research method was used. The inbred male Brown-Norway rats (n=10) and Lewis rats (n=10) were used as donors and recipients respectively. After subcutaneously full-thickness separation of a 2.2 cm×2.2 cm area on the nape of the recipient rat, a full-thickness skin of 2.0 cm×2.0 cm taken from the abdomen of the donor rat was subcutaneously grafted, and the donor site was pulled together and sutured. The autologous skin over the allograft in the recipient rat was excised 5-6 d after grafting, and the stitches were removed 7 d after excision. Within 2 months after grafting, the feeding, activity, and survival of the donor and recipient rats, behavior of tearing and scratching the wounds of the recipient rats, the wound condition after autologous skin excision in recipient rats, and the survival and hair growth of the grafted allogeneic skin were observed. Results: Within 2 months after grafting, the donor and recipient rats all ate normally and could move freely with no abnormal death. No tearing or scratching of the wounds occurred in recipient rats. There was a small amount of exudation and partial epidermal desquamation after autologous skin excision in recipient rats. All transplanted allografts survived, which were free of infection and necrosis, with new hairs growing out smoothly. Conclusions: The immobilizing method of full-thickness skin subcutaneous grafting of allogeneic full-thickness skin graft in rats is simple and time-saving without postoperative dressing change, with reliable pressure fixation and high survival rate of skin grafts, which can be promoted for animal skin grafting models.