Application of retaining the vessels around the orbicularis oculi muscle in blepharoplasty

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of retaining the vessels around the orbicularis oculi muscle on reducing local swelling after blepharoplasty.

METHODS

A total of 309 patients undergoing blepharoplasty (total incision) were observed and randomly assigned to three groups; (A) conventional operation; (B) preservation of deep vessels; (C) preservation of anterior vessels of orbicularis oculi muscle. The groups were compared based on intraoperative blood loss, operation time, swelling, satisfaction, and complications.

RESULTS

Among the 309 patients, 39 were lost to follow-up. c Additionally, A had the shortest operation time, followed by C with slightly longer duration. On the 7th day, 15th day, and 1 month after surgery, both B and C demonstrated significantly lower levels of swelling compared to A. Moreover, patient satisfaction was higher in B and C than in A.

CONCLUSION

Retaining either superficial or deep veins of the orbicularis oculi muscle can effectively reduce short-term postoperative swelling. However, when retaining the superficial central group of this muscle during surgery, it is crucial to strictly control the amount of surrounding tissue around vessels.

A multi-organ map of the human immune system across age, sex and ethnicity

Understanding tissue biology's heterogeneity is crucial for advancing precision medicine. Despite the centrality of the immune system in tissue homeostasis, a detailed and comprehensive map of immune cell distribution and interactions across human tissues and demographics remains elusive. To fill this gap, we harmonised data from 12,981 single-cell RNA sequencing samples and curated 29 million cells from 45 anatomical sites to create a comprehensive compositional and transcriptional healthy map of the healthy immune system. We used this resource and a novel multilevel modelling approach to track immune ageing and test differences across sex and ethnicity. We uncovered conserved and tissue-specific immune-ageing programs, resolved sex-dependent differential ageing and identified ethnic diversity in clinically critical immune checkpoints. This study provides a quantitative baseline of the immune system, facilitating advances in precision medicine. By sharing our immune map, we hope to catalyse further breakthroughs in cancer, infectious disease, immunology and precision medicine.

Single-pill combination for treatment of hypertension: Just a matter of practicality or is there a real clinical benefit?

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is the largest contributor to the incident cardiovascular disease worldwide. Despite explicit guideline recommendations for the diagnosis and management of hypertension, a large proportion of patients remain undiagnosed, untreated, or treated but uncontrolled. Inadequate BP control is associated with many complex factors including patient preference, physician's inertia, health systems disparities, and poor adherence to prescribed antihypertensive drug treatment. The primary driver for reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is lowering of BP ''per se'' and not class effects of specific pharmacotherapies. The recent ESH guidelines recommend the use of four major classes of drugs including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) blockers (angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi)), calcium channel blockers (CCB), thiazide and thiazide-like diuretics, and betablockers. Initiation of treatment for hypertension with a two-drug regimen, preferably in a single pill combination (SPC), is recommended for most patients. Preferred combinations should comprise a RAS blocker (either an ACEi or an ARB) with a CCB or thiazide/thiazide-like diuretic. These strategies are supported by robust evidence that combination therapy produces greater BP reductions than monotherapy, reduces side effects of the individual components, improves therapeutic adherence and long-term persistence on treatment, and permits achievement of earlier BP control.

Correction: Immunoassay-aptasensor for the determination of tumor-derived exosomes based on the combination of magnetic nanoparticles and hybridization chain reaction

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D0RA10159A.].

Using the depth deviation based on three-dimensional images to evaluate the correction of nasolabial folds: A prospective and quantitative analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The deepening of the nasolabial fold (NLF) is a common occurrence during the aging process, necessitating the development of an objective method to evaluate changes in NLFs. The objective of our study was to introduce a method of depth deviation based on three-dimensional (3D) image for evaluating the efficacy of hyaluronic acid (HA) injection in correcting NLFs.

METHODS

Between May 2019 and November 2019, we recruited 56 Chinese volunteers with moderate to severe NLFs for this study. The participants received HA injections and were followed up for a period of 12 months. Pre and posttreatment, we collected the Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale (WSRS) scores and 3D images. To assess the efficacy of NLF correction, we used the maximum value of depth deviation (MVD) based on 3D images and the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) score. Additionally, we compared the relationship between MVD and other clinical parameters.

RESULTS

Fifty-four female participants completed the study and were included in the analysis. The HA injection resulted in a significant decrease in NLF severity (p < 0.05). One month after the injection, the average GAIS score was 4.72 ± 0.45, and the average MVD was 2.10 ± 0.56 mm. Both the GAIS score and the average MVD exhibited a decline over time during the follow-up period, with the average MVD showing a significant correlation with the GAIS score at all time points (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Using 3D technology, we demonstrated that the quantitative data provided by MVD can serve as an objective method for evaluating the correction of NLFs.

Association between SPRY1 and TET3 in skin photoaging and natural aging mechanisms

BACKGROUND

SPRY1 is associated with the invasiveness and prognosis of various tumors, and TET3 affects aging by regulating gene expression.

AIMS

We investigated the roles of SPRY1 and TET3 in natural skin aging, replicative aging, and photoaging, along with the effect of UVA on genome-wide DNA methylation in HaCaT cells.

METHODS

TET3 and SPRY1 expression were measured in the skin of patients of different age groups, as well as in vitro human skin, HaCaT cell replicative senescence, and HaCaT and HaCaT-siTET3 cell photoaging models. Senescence was verified using β-galactosidase staining, and DNA damage was detected using immunofluorescence staining for γ-H2A.X. 5-Methyl cytosine (5-mC) content in the genome was determined using ELISA.

RESULTS

SPRY1 expression increased with age, whereas TET3 expression decreased. Similarly, SPRY1 was upregulated and TET3 was downregulated with increasing cell passages. TET3-siRNA upregulated SPRY1 expression in HaCaT cells. UVA irradiation promoted HaCaT cell senescence and induced cellular DNA damage. SPRY1 was upregulated and TET3 was downregulated upon UVA irradiation. Genome-wide 5-mC content increased upon TET3 silencing and UVA irradiation, indicating a surge in overall methylation.

CONCLUSIONS

SPRY1 and TET3 are natural skin aging-related genes that counteract to regulate replicative aging and UVA-induced photoaging in HaCaT cells. The cell photoaging model may limit experimental bias caused by different exposure times of skin model samples.

Pharmaceutical and Immunological Evaluation of Cholera Toxin A1 Subunit as an Adjuvant of Hepatitis B Vaccine Microneedles

PURPOSE

For successful delivery of a solid vaccine formulation into the skin using microneedles, the solubility of an adjuvant should be considered because the decrease in the dissolution rate by the addition of adjuvant decreases the delivery efficiency of the vaccine.

METHODS

In this study, cholera toxin A subunit 1 (CTA1) was examined as an adjuvant to Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) microneedles because of its good water solubility, improved safety, and positive effect as shown in intramuscular administration of a liquid vaccine.

RESULTS

All solid formulations with CTA 1 dissolved in in vivo mouse skin within 30 min, and they were successfully delivered into the skin. In experiments with mice, the addition of CTA1 led to improved IgG immune response compared to the use of an aluminum hydroxide-based formulation and intramuscular administration of HBV. In addition, CTA1 induced CD8 + T cell response as much as in which the aluminum hydroxide-based formulation induced.

CONCLUSIONS

CTA1 is an adjuvant that satisfies both the delivery efficiency and the immunological characteristics required for vaccine microneedles. CTA1 will be used as a potential adjuvant through vaccine microneedles.

MAVS-Based Reporter Systems for Real-Time Imaging of EV71 Infection and Antiviral Testing

Enterovirus consists of a variety of viruses that could cause a wide range of illness in human. The pathogenesis of these viruses remains incompletely understood and no specific treatment is available. Better methods to study enterovirus infection in live cells will help us better understand the pathogenesis of these viruses and might contribute to antiviral development. Here in this study, we developed fluorescent cell-based reporter systems that allow sensitive distinction of individual cells infected with enterovirus 71 (EV71). More importantly, these systems could be easily used for live-cell imaging by monitoring viral-induced fluorescence translocation after EV71 infection. We further demonstrated that these reporter systems could be used to study other enterovirus-mediated MAVS cleavage and they are sensitive for antiviral activity testing. Therefore, integration of these reporters with modern image-based analysis has the potential to generate new insights into enterovirus infection and facilitate antiviral development.

Probiotic Lactobacillus Species and Their Biosurfactants Eliminate Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm in Various Manners

Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical biofilm-forming pathogen that has presented great challenges in the clinic due to multidrug resistance. Thus, new methods of intervention are needed to control biofilm-associated infections. In this study, among three tested Lactobacillus species, Lactobacillus rhamnosus showed significant antimaturation and antiadherence effects against A. baumannii biofilm. Lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA) were the most effective antibiofilm biosurfactants (BSs) produced by L. rhamnosus. This antibiofilm phenomenon produced by LA and AA was due to the strong bactericidal effect, which worked from very early time points, as determined by colony enumeration and confocal laser scanning microscope. The cell destruction of A. baumannii appeared in both the cell envelope and cytoplasm. A discontinuous cell envelope, the leakage of cell contents, and the increased extracellular activity of ATPase demonstrated the disruption of the cell membrane by LA and AA. These effects also demonstrated the occurrence of protein lysis. In addition, bacterial DNA interacted with and was damaged by LA and AA, resulting in significantly reduced expression of biofilm and DNA repair genes. The results highlight the possibility and importance of using probiotics in clinical prevention. Probiotics can be utilized as novel biocides to block and decrease biofilm formation and microbial contamination in medical equipment and during the treatment of infections. IMPORTANCE A. baumannii biofilm is a significant virulence factor that causes the biofilm colonization of invasive illnesses. Rising bacterial resistance to synthetic antimicrobials has prompted researchers to look at natural alternatives, such as probiotics and their derivatives. In this study, L. rhamnosus and its BSs (LA and AA) demonstrated remarkable antibiofilm and antimicrobial characteristics, with a significant inhibitory effect on A. baumannii. These effects were achieved by several mechanisms, including the disruption of the cell envelope membrane, protein lysis, reduced expression of biofilm-related genes, and destruction of bacterial DNA. The results provide support for the possibility of using probiotics and their derivatives in the clinical prevention and therapy of A. baumannii infections.

Through the Self-Optimization process to achieve high OER activity of SAC catalysts within the framework of TMO3@G and TMO4@G: A High-Throughput theoretical study

High-throughput DFT calculations are performed to explore the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic activity of a series of 2D graphene-based systems with TMO₃ or TMO₄ functional units. By screening the 3d/4d/5d transition metal (TM) atoms, a total of twelve TMO₃@G or TMO₄@G systems had extremely low overpotential of 0.33 ∼ 0.59 V, in which the V/Nb/Ta atom in VB group and Ru/Co/Rh/Ir atom in VIII group served as the active sites. The mechanism analysis reveals that the filling of outer electrons of TM atom can play an important role in determining the overpotential value by affecting the ΔG_O* value as an effective descriptor. Especially, in addition to the general situation of OER on the clean surface of the systems containing the Rh/Ir metal centers, the self-optimization process of TM-sites was carried out, and it made most of these single-atom catalysts (SAC) systems to have high OER catalytic activity. All these fascinating findings can contribute to an in-depth understanding of the OER catalytic activity and mechanism of the excellent graphene-based SAC systems. This work will facilitate the design and implementation of non-precious and highly efficient OER catalysts in the near future.

Correction: A vesicular stomatitis virus-based prime-boost vaccination strategy induces potent and protective neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010092.].

Circulating miR-326 could serve as a predictive biomarker for response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer

Background

Clinically, few patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) are insensitive to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Recent studies have reported that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) may be involved in the response to NACT. The aim of this study was to discover the potential miRNAs that can predict the response to NACT in LACC.

Methods

Pair-matched blood samples of 39 LACC patients before and after receiving NACT were collected. Seven paired samples were used for microRNA microarray analysis. Targeted miRNAs were selected by bioinformatics analysis and were validated by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). All 39 patients were assigned into either the responders group or the non-responders group after NACT. The predictive performance of selected microRNA was evaluated by sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

A total of 17 miRNAs downregulated before NACT and upregulated after NACT were selected according to microarray analysis in our previous study, and miR-326 and miR-376a-3p were selected for further exploration. According to the responses and the evaluation criteria, 25 patients reached partial response (PR) and 14 patients remained stable. Further qRT-PCR analysis showed that miR-326 significantly downregulated before NACT and upregulated after NACT in 12 responders (p = 0.02). The expression of miR-376a-3p showed no statistical difference before and after NACT in these 12 responders. Then, miR-326 provided an AUC-ROC of 0.75 (p = 0.04) in the discrimination between the responders and non-responders groups. The cutoff value of ROC for miR-326 to predict the response of NACT was <0.023, the sensitivity was 88.89%, and the specificity was 50%.

Conclusions

The expression of miR-326 significantly upregulated after NACT in responders. miR-326 may be a biomarker for predicting the response to NACT in LACC patients. The results may optimize individualized treatments for LACC patients.

Hepatitis B or C viral infection and the risk of cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the risk of cervical cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a case-control study including 838 cervical cancer cases and 838 benign disease controls matched for age, ethnicity, and place of birth. Venous blood was tested for HBV and HCV serological markers. Multiple odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for cervical cancer were estimated using logistic regression. HBV antigens were examined using immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Anti-HCV was positive in 10 cases (1.2%) and 0 controls (0%). Cases had higher percentage of chronic HBV infection (HBsAg-positive/anti-HBc-positive) and prior HBV infection (HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive) than controls (6.3% vs 4.4%; 11.6% vs 7.3%). Both chronic HBV infection (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0-2.4) and prior HBV infection (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2-2.4) were associated with cervical cancer in univariate logistic regression analyses. In subgroup analysis among HPV-positive patients, the association between chronic HBV infection and cervical cancer disappeared (OR 1.2; 95% CI 0.4-3.4); while in subgroup among patients younger than 50 years, the association remained significant with adjustment for HPV infection and parity (adjusted OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.0-4.4). HBsAg and HBcAg were detected in 8% and 12% of cervical cancer cases who had seropositive HBsAg, respectively. Compared with the benign controls, individuals with both HBsAg and HPV positive had an increased risk of cervical cancer (adjusted OR 67.1; 95% CI 23.4-192.7).

CONCLUSIONS

HBV infection was associated with cervical cancer in patients with age younger than 50 years. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

High Triglyceride-Glucose Index with Renal Hyperfiltration and Albuminuria in Young Adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V, VI, and VIII)

Background: High triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, is associated with an increased risk of albuminuria in adults. However, the relationship between high TyG index associated with renal hyperfiltration (RHF) and albuminuria among young adults is unclear. Methods: A total of 5420 participants aged 19−39 years were enrolled from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011−2014 and 2019) and their TyG index levels were analyzed. RHF was defined as eGFR with residuals > 90th percentile after adjusting for age, sex, weight, and height. Albuminuria was defined as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g Cr. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between TyG index, RHF, and albuminuria. Results: The mean age was 30.7 ± 6.0 years and 46.4% were male. The prevalence of albuminuria and RHF was higher in the higher tertiles of TyG index. In our multivariable model, high TyG index showed higher risk of albuminuria (odds ratio (OR) per 1.0 increase in TyG index, 1.56; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24−1.95 and OR in the highest tertile, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08−2.52). High TyG index was associated with higher risk of RHF (OR per 1.0 increase in TyG index, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.32−1.84 and OR in the highest tertile, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.31−2.30). When participants were divided into with or without RHF, high-TyG index-associated high risk of albuminuria was only observed in those with RHF. Participants with concurrent high TyG index and RHF showed the highest risk of albuminuria. Mediation analysis showed that 54.2% of the relation between TyG index and albuminuria was mediated by RHF (95% CI of indirect effect, 0.27−0.76). Finally, incorporating TyG index into our basic model improved the predictive value for albuminuria only in participants with RHF. Conclusion: High TyG index associated with RHF was the strongest risk factor for albuminuria in this study. Early identification of high TyG index with RHF may prevent future development of CKD in relatively healthy and young adults.

Co-impacts of the microplastic polyamide and sertraline on the denitrification function and microbial community structure in SBRs

The co-impacts of microplastics (MPs) and organic pollutants on activated sludge have attracted extensive attention. In this study, microplastic polyamide (PA) and sertraline (SER) were respectively or simultaneously added to sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), and the impacts of these pollutants on activated sludge were investigated. The results showed that NH₄⁺-N and TN removal efficiencies significantly decreased with the simultaneous adding of the two pollutants. The coexistence of PA and SER could observably decrease the settling ability of activated sludge, and more proteins and polysaccharides were generated to reduce the combined toxicity. The microbial diversity, especially the denitrification microorganism, was restrained and the metabolic function and the key enzyme involved in nitrogen metabolism pathways were observably decreased, due to the combined toxicity of this two pollutants. Furthermore, the effective SER interception by PA in SBR could induce the SER enrichment in activated sludge and enhance the biotoxicity toward sludge microorganisms.

Pulse pressure and the risk of renal hyperfiltration in young adults: Results from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2019)

Background

High pulse pressure (PP) is associated with increased risk of decline of kidney function. However, little is known about the association between PP and RHF in young adults. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PP and RHF in healthy young adults.

Methods

Data were retrieved from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2019. A total of 10,365 participants aged 19–39 years with no hypertension and normal kidney function were analyzed. RHF was defined as logarithm transformed estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with residuals >90th percentile after adjustment for sex, logarithm transformed age, weight, and height. Participants were divided into tertile based on PP levels.

Results

The prevalence of RHF was higher in higher PP tertile group (6.6, 10.5, and 12.7% in T1, T2, and T3; P for trend < 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, the risk for RHF was increased in higher PP tertiles compared to the lowest tertile [odds ratio (OR), 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19–1.69 in T2; OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.20–1.73 in T3]. When PP levels were treated as continuous variable, the risk of RHF was increased 2.36 per 1.0 increase of PP (P < 0.001). In subgroup analyses stratified sex, histories of diabetes or dyslipidemia, and isolated systolic hypertension or isolated diastolic hypertension, there were no significant interactions with PP for the risk for RHF, suggesting that high PP was associated with increased risk of RHF regardless of subgroups. However, the subgroup with BMI showed significant interaction with PP for the risk of RHF, indicating that participants with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² were at higher risk of RHF with increasing PP levels than those with BMI < 25 kg/m² (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.25–2.87 in BMI < 25 kg/m²; OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.74–5.73 in BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²; P for interaction = 0.01).

Conclusion

High PP is associated with an increased risk of RHF in healthy young adults and this association is prominent in obese young adults. The assessment of PP and associated RHF may give benefit to early detect the potential risk of CKD development in young adults.

Brain Injury in Fetuses with Vein of Galen Malformation and Nongalenic Arteriovenous Fistulas: Static Snapshot or a Portent of More?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Brain injury in fetuses with vein of Galen malformations and nongalenic AVFs is a rare complication whose appearance, course, and prognosis are poorly studied. We sought to characterize the MR imaging features and examine associations with postnatal outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of fetal MRIs of subjects with vein of Galen malformation and nongalenic arteriovenous fistulas. Two pediatric neuroradiologists independently reviewed examinations to determine the presence of abnormalities on structural imaging (T1 volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination and T2-HASTE), DWI, and T2*-weighted images; discrepancies were adjudicated by a third reviewer. Radiologic progression of injury was determined by additional fetal or neonatal MRIs. A simple composite score evaluating poor neonatal clinical outcome as either intubation or death by postnatal day 2 was also queried. A body fetal imager evaluated the presence of systemic findings of right heart strain.

RESULTS

Forty-nine fetal MR imaging examinations corresponding to 31 subjects (27 vein of Galen malformations and 4 nongalenic AVF cases) were analyzed. Injury was observed in 8 subjects (26%) with 14 fetal examinations; the mean gestational age at identification of injury was 32.2 (SD 4.9) weeks. Structural abnormalities were present in all subjects with injury; restricted diffusion, in 5/7 subjects with available data; and T2* abnormalities, in all subjects with available data (n = 7). Radiologic progression was documented in all cases with follow-up imaging (n = 7). All subjects with fetal brain injury had a poor neonatal clinical outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain injury in fetuses with vein of Galen malformation and nongalenic AVFs shows a combination of structural abnormalities, restricted diffusion, and blooming on T2* images. Injury appears to portend a poor prognosis, with relentless progression and a likely association with adverse neonatal outcomes.

MO425: Rosuvastatin Activates Hox13-Usag-1 Pathway and Prevents Renal Fibrosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, are primarily cholesterol-lowering drugs that have become standard of care in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Apart from lipid-lowering, statins may act beneficially through anti-fibrotic mechanisms to protect the diseased kidney. This study evaluated anti-fibrotic effects of rosuvastatin (RSV) in a chronic kidney fibrosis model and against the TGF-ß1 stimulated Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells in vitro.

METHOD

Mice subjected to unilateral ischemic reperfusion injury with contralateral nephrectomy (uIRIx) were treated with vehicle or RSV (10 mg/kg, by oral gavage) daily for 4 weeks and kidneys were analyzed for markers of fibrosis, bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7), uterine sensitization-associated gene-1 (USAG-1), and SMAD signaling. Control and homeobox protein Hox-A13 (HOXA13) knocked down MDCK cells were stimulated with TGF- ß1 (5 ng/ml) and then treated with RSV.

RESULTS

Kidneys from uIRIx mice showed increased expression of α-SMA, Collagen 1 and decrease in BMP-7 (20.35 ± 2.37 versus 1.00 ± 0.27, P &lt; 0.05; 8.43 ± 1.55 versus 1.00 ± 0.35, P &lt; 0.05; 0.75 ± 0.06 versus 1.00 ± 0.15, P &lt; 0.05, respectively). In contrast, expression of USAG-1, a BMP-7 antagonist, was markedly increased in fibrotic kidney (6.60 ± 1.11 versus 1.00 ± 0.02, P &lt; 0.05). Interestingly, RSV treatment not only attenuated expression of USAG-1 (0.72 ± 0.08 versus 1.36 ± 0.14, P &lt; 0.05) but also showed a tendency to activate expression of HOXA13 (0.36 ± 0.14 versus 0.51 ± 0.15, P &gt; 0.05) and improved other markers of fibrosis. Moreover, RSV treatment significantly reduced phosphorylated Smad3 (3.94 ± 0.81 versus 7.17 ± 1.50, P &lt; 0.05) and increased phosphorylation levels of Smad 1/5/9 (0.67 ± 0.10 versus 0.30 ± 0.09, P &lt; 0.05) that is associated with BMP-7 signaling in the fibrotic kidney. MDCK cells stimulated with TGF-β1 in vitro showed increased expression of α-SMA, fibronectin, vimentin, collagen 1, USAG-1, and phosphorylation of Smad3 as well as decreased expression of phosphorylated Smad 1/5/9. RSV treatment significantly reversed these changes as well as increased level of transcriptional factor HOXA13 (0.89 ± 0.12 versus 0.33 ± 0.08, P &lt; 0.05), which negatively regulates USAG-1, without changes in BMP-7 expression. In addition, effect of RSV treatment on USAG-1 expression was significantly decreased in HOXA13 gene knocked down MDCK cells (1.01 ± 0.19 versus 2.04 ± 0.38, P &lt; 0.05; 1.66 ± 0.13 versus 2.04 ± 0.38, P &gt; 0.05; TGF- ß1 + RSV versus TGF- ß1 and TGF- ß1 + RSV + siRNA vs TGF- ß1, respectively). These in vitro data suggest that RSV enhanced anti-fibrotic pathway by downregulating a dominant BMP-7 antagonist USAG-1 via HOXA13 upregulation and not by enhancing BMP-7 production.

CONCLUSION

The present results demonstrate that RSV inhibits the progression of kidney fibrosis in part by upregulating BMP-7-mediated signaling via HOXA13 expression and down regulation of USAG-1.

Efficacy of Early Application of 1540 nm Non-ablative Fractional Laser and Silicones to Improve Post-epicanthoplasty Scars

The combination of epicanthoplasty and blepharoplasty is a popular choice in Asians to acquire a pair of charming big eyes. However, the obvious scarring in the medial canthal area may result in unsatisfactory aesthetic outcomes. Recently, various laser treatments have been used to deal with scars had achieved detectable improvement, but only a few studies investigating the efficacy of lasers used in post-epicanthoplasty scarring were developed. A total of 70 participants who underwent Z-epicanthoplasty were enrolled in this prospective clinical trial and were randomly assigned to the groups of 1540nm non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) combined with silicones treatment and silicones alone treatment. The NAFL-exposure in the treated group was additionally applied to the medial canthal area on day 21 postoperatively, compared with the participants in the control group who had only been treated with the daily usage of silicone sheets for 12 hours and silicone gels twice for 5 months after scab had fallen from the skin. Scar evolution was performed by patient and observer scar assessment Scales (POSAS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for 21 days, and 6 months postoperatively. 64 participants have completed the entire follow-up process. The scar recovery was statistically detected in treated group compared with the control group at 6-month postoperatively assessed by POSAS, especially in pliability of scars. Furthermore, the VAS evaluations showed superior satisfaction in treated group. The early treatment of NAFL combined with silicones has improved scar formation in medial canthal region after epicantholplasties efficiently.Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Clinical Comparison of 3 Different Double Eyelid Surgeries

OBJECTIVE

Double blepharoplasty or double eyelid surgery is a common plastic surgery in Asians. Our study aimed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the minimally invasive 3-point subcutaneous tunnel double eyelid surgical technique relative to other commonly used approaches.

METHOD

The study compared 852 single eyelid patients electing 1 of 3 double eyelid surgical options; minimally invasive 3-point subcutaneous tunnel, minimally invasive 3-point embedding, or incision double eyelid surgery. Evaluation criteria included postoperative swelling, hyperemia, pain, scarring, single eyelid recurrence, and patient satisfaction after 2 years.

RESULTS

All surgical methods effectively achieved double eyelids. Directly after the procedure, the minimally invasive 3-point embedding method produced the mildest degree of swelling and congestion, followed by the 3-point subcutaneous tunnel method and then the incision method (F = 523.908, P = 0.000). The incision method also resulted in more serious postoperative pain, whereas the other 2 methods were equivalent (F = 83.117, P = 0.000). Patients in the incision group had the most severe scars compared with the other 2 groups with milder scarring (F = 882.102, P = 0.000). The minimally invasive 3-point embedding method group had the highest single eyelid recurrence rate (5.88%), whereas the recurrence rates for the other 2 methods were less than 1%. Patients satisfaction after 2 years was highest in the minimally invasive 3-point subcutaneous tunneling method, followed by the 3-point embedding method and lastly the incision method (F = 25.931, P = 0.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Minimally invasive 3-point subcutaneous tunnel double eyelid surgery has advantages over other techniques, and its clinical application is worth promoting for suitable patients.

Analysis of the Characteristics of Aging Changes in the Eye Contours of Chinese Han Women

OBJECTIVE

To explore the characteristics of aging changes in the eye contour of Chinese Han women and to provide reference data to base eye rejuvenation treatments.

METHOD

A total of 527 Chinese Han women without prior cosmetic or reconstructive surgery were grouped according to decades of age (123 individuals from 20 to 29 years, 104 from 30to 39 years, 100 from 40 to 49 years, 100 from 50 to 59 years, and 100 >60 years). Unobscured facial images of each individual were taken and used to measure eye contour data according to a defined matrix. The relationship between eye contour indices among the different age groups was analyzed by one-way ANOVA.

RESULTS

With increasing age, the distance and the vertical distance between the medial and lateral canthal points all became progressively shorter, especially the exposed length of the eyeball. Additionally, the distance between the lateral canthus and the temporal border, the distance between the medial canthus and the lateral canthus, the distance between the lower eyelid margin and the line connecting the medial canthus and the lateral canthus, all became shorter with age. The width of the face in the lateral canthal plane became narrower, while conversely, the distance and vertical distance between the punctum and the medial canthus became longer.

CONCLUSION

The eye contours of Chinese Han women show regular changes during the aging process. The main manifestations involve the cleft of the eye shrinking, the medial canthus receding, and the eye contour shifting inwards and downwards as a whole.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

A vesicular stomatitis virus-based prime-boost vaccination strategy induces potent and protective neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2

The development of safe and effective vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections remains an urgent priority worldwide. We have used a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based prime-boost immunization strategy to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine candidate. We have constructed VSV genomes carrying exogenous genes resulting in the production of avirulent rVSV carrying the full-length spike protein (S_F), the S1 subunit, or the receptor-binding domain (RBD) plus envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2. Adding the honeybee melittin signal peptide (msp) to the N-terminus enhanced the protein expression, and adding the VSV G protein transmembrane domain and the cytoplasmic tail (Gtc) enhanced protein incorporation into pseudotype VSV. All rVSVs expressed three different forms of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, but chimeras with VSV-Gtc demonstrated the highest rVSV-associated expression. In immunized mice, rVSV with chimeric S protein-Gtc derivatives induced the highest level of potent neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses, and rVSV harboring the full-length msp-S_F-Gtc proved to be the superior immunogen. More importantly, rVSV-msp-S_F-Gtc vaccinated animals were completely protected from a subsequent SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Overall, we have developed an efficient strategy to induce a protective response in SARS-CoV-2 challenged immunized mice. Vaccination with our rVSV-based vector may be an effective solution in the global fight against COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented global health, economic and societal impact globally. Vaccinating the majority of the world’s population is the best way to help prevent new infections. Many vaccines have been developed to prevent various viral diseases that are currently in use around the world. This has generated a high demand for these vaccines, putting a strain on production capacity and delivery. With new variants of concern starting to dominate the human pandemic, new derivatives of the current vaccines may be necessary for continued protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection. We have developed a vaccine that uses a safe vesicular stomatitis virus-based delivery vehicle to present a key SARS-CoV-2 protein to our immune system in order to train it to recognize and prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our vaccine completely protected vaccinated animals from SARS-CoV-2 infection and significantly reduced lung damage, a major hallmark of COVID-19.

Integrated data-driven strategy to optimize the processes configuration for full-scale wastewater treatment plant predesign

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an irreplaceable role in eliminating pollutants from domestic and industrial wastewater and contribute to water recycling. Nowadays, the selection of processes configuration of WWTPs mainly depends on the local wastewater treatment standards and the experience of wastewater engineers rather than an intelligent data-driven strategy. In this study, an integrated data-driven strategy consisting of t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) and deep neural networks (DNNs) is proposed for optimizing the processes configuration of full-scale WWTP predesign. A large dataset with 14,647 samples collected from 10 full-scale WWTPs with distinct treatment processes is clustered by the t-SNE method based on the influent characteristics, and four meaningful clusters (Clusters I-IV) are identified for the subsequent development of DNN classification models. All four DNN models achieve acceptable classification accuracy (>0.8975) and the maximal testing accuracy is 0.9505. The DNN models are capable of finding the optimized processes configuration of WWTPs under target scenarios. Our results highlight the strength of combining the t-SNE and the DNN models to utilize the relationships between key parameters and processes configuration of WWTPs, and help engineers predesign WWTPs with the optimal processes configuration.

Model-based strategy for nitrogen removal enhancement in full-scale wastewater treatment plants by GPS-X integrated with response surface methodology

Model simulation is an effective approach to optimize the operational performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study presents a novel strategy to enhance the total nitrogen (TN) removal in WWTPs by GPS-X integrated with response surface methodology. The sensitivities of 61 parameters were screened and analyzed, and 6 critical parameters (i.e., μ_{max A}, K_A/a, μ_{max H}, K_H/ss, Y_H and μ_maxPAO) were selected for further adjustment. The accuracy of GPS-X for WWTPs modeling was validated by static and dynamic simulations with actual operational data. The results showed that the DO concentration diffused in different biological compartments exhibited significant effects on the denitrification rate. The TN removal is also associated with SRT. The significance and optimization orders of key parameters were analyzed. With the optimization of DO in biological units and SRT, the nitrification and denitrification rates were improved to 97.1 and 85.3% respectively, saving 17.9% energy consumption.

Interobserver Reliability of an MR Imaging Scoring System in Infants with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

MR imaging has a key role in predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes following neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). A novel MR imaging scoring system for hypoxic-ischemic brain injury was used in our patient population with the aim of assessing interobserver variability and developing subcategories for the severity of brain injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We evaluated brain MR images of 252 infants who underwent hypothermia for HIE between 2014 and 2019. First, 40 infants were selected randomly to test interobserver variability. Discrepancies were identified during the assessment of the first 20 MR images. The remaining 20 MR images were scored after adjusting the scoring system. Second, we determined cutoff values for the severity of injury that were based on the percentiles of the total scores in the full cohort.

RESULTS

The interobserver reliability showed excellent agreement for the total score both before (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96; 95% CI 0.89-0.99) and after the adjustment (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.89-0.98). The average of the differences and the agreement interval between the 2 readers decreased after the adjustment. Subcategories of brain injury were the following: We considered a total score of ≤4 (≤75%) as normal, 5-10 (76%-90%) as mild, 11-15 (91%-95%) as moderate, and >15 (>95%) as severe brain injury. The agreement on the classification of brain injury improved in the second epoch (weighted κ = 0.723 versus 0.887).

CONCLUSIONS

The adjusted scoring system may lead to a higher degree of interrater agreement. The presented cutoff values may be used to determine the severity of brain injury in future clinical studies including infants with mild hypoxia-ischemia.

Biochar's Leacheates Affect the Abscisic Acid Pathway in Rice Seedlings Under Low Temperature

Organic molecules of biochar's leacheates are known to increase the cold resistance of rice seedlings. Yet, it remains unclear whether the organic molecules of biochar leacheates can interact with the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway associated with low temperature. This study used experiments and bioinformatics (molecular docking) to determine which of the organic molecules of biochar's leacheates could influence the ABA signaling pathway. Specifically, we investigated whether these molecules affected ABA, a plant hormone linked to cold resistance. The contents of endogenous ABA and its precursor carotenoids were determined under low-temperature stress (10°C) and treatment with different concentrations of biochar leacheates. With increased leacheate concentrations, the endogenous ABA and carotenoid contents also increased, as did the expression of ABA- and cold-related genes. When rice seedlings were instead treated with exogenous ABA, it also affected the above-measured indexes; hence, we surmised that certain water-soluble organic molecules of biochar could exert a similar effect as ABA. We first used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to identify the organic molecules in the biochar extract, and then we used molecular docking software Autodock to show how they interact. We found that the molecule (1R, 2R, 4S)-2-(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)-7-azabicyclo(2.2.1)heptane was simplified, as Cyah could dock with the ABA receptor protein OsPYL2 in rice, which shows Cyah in biochar is probably an analog of ABA, with a similar function. Based on these results, we conclude that organic molecules of biochar's leacheates could enter into rice plants and interact with ABA-related proteins to affect the ABA signaling pathway, thereby improving the cold stress resistance of plants.

The 5-year overall survival of cervical cancer in stage IIIC-r was little different to stage I and II: a retrospective analysis from a single center

Background

The 2018 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging guideline for cervical cancer includes stage IIIC recognized by preoperative radiology (IIIC-r) to state there are lymph nodes metastases (LNM) identified by imaging tools. We aim to explore the reasonability and limitations of stage IIIC-r and try to explore the potential reasons.

Methods

Electronic medical records were used to identify patients with cervical cancer. According to the new staging guidelines, patients were reclassified and assigned into five cohorts: stage I, stage II, stage IIIC-r, LNM confirmed by pathology (IIIC-p) and LNM detected by radiology and confirmed by pathology (IIIC r + p). Five-year overall survivals were estimated for each cohort. The diagnosis accuracy of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diameter of detected lymph nodes were also evaluated.

Results

A total of 619 patients were identified. The mean follow-up months were 65 months (95% CI 64.43–65.77) for all patients. By comparison, the 5-year overall survival rates were not statistically different (p = 0.21) among stage IIIC-r, stage I and stage II. While, the rates were both statistical different (p<0.001) among stage IIIC-p, IIIC r + p and stage I and stage II. The sensitivities of CT and MRI in detecting LNM preoperatively were 51.2 and 48.8%. The mean maximum diameter of pelvic lymph nodes detected by CT cohort was 1.2 cm in IIIC-r cohort, and was 1.3 cm in IIIC r + p cohort. While, the mean maximum diameter of pelvic lymph nodes detected by MRI was 1.2 cm in IIIC-r cohort, and was 1.48 cm in IIIC r + p cohort. When the diagnosis efficacy of the diameter of pelvic lymph nodes in detecting LNM were evaluated, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was 0.58 (p = 0.05).

Conclusions

It seems that the FIGO 2018 staging guideline for cervical cancer is likely to has certain limitations for the classification of those with LNM. CT or MRI, however, has limitations on detecting LNM. It would be better to use more accurate imaging tools to identify LNM in the clinical practices.

Immunoassay-aptasensor for the determination of tumor-derived exosomes based on the combination of magnetic nanoparticles and hybridization chain reaction

The detection of tumor-related exosomes is of great significance. In this work, a fluorescence aptasensor was designed for the determination of tumor-related exosomes based on the capture of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and specific recognition of an aptamer. MNPs were used as substrates to capture the exosomes by modifying the CD63 antibody on the MNP surface. Probe 1 consists of PDL-1 aptamer sequence and a section of other sequences. PDL-1 expression was observed on the surface of exosomes; the aptamer of PDL-1 could combine with PDL-1 with high affinity. Thus, the immunoassay-type compounds of "MNPs-exosomes-probe 1" were formed. The other section of probe 1 triggered the HCR with probe 2 and probe 3 and formed the super-long dsDNA. The addition of GelRed resulted in the generation of an amplified fluorescence signal. The proposed design demonstrated a good linearity with the exosome concentration ranging from 300 to 107 particles per mL and with a low detection limit of 100 particles per mL. This aptasensor also exhibited high specificity for tumor-related exosomes, and was successfully applied in biological samples.

Association between MeCP2 and Smad7 in the pathogenesis and development of pathological scars

To explore the relationship between methylated binding protein 2 (MeCP2) and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7 (Smad7) in the pathogenesis and development of pathological scars. Immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect the expression of MeCP2 in different types of human scars and hypertrophic scars at different growth times. The methylation status of Smad7 gene promoter in different scar tissues was determined by methylation-specific PCR. After transfection with MeCP2-siRNA (small interfering RNA) in human keloid fibroblasts, MTT assay was used to assess the proliferation activity of keloid fibroblasts, while RT-PCR and Western blot assays were used to detect the expression levels of MeCP2, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), phospho-Smad2 (p-Smad2) and Smad7. MeCP2 was mainly expressed in the nucleus of fibroblasts. The mRNA and protein levels of MeCP2 were significantly higher in keloids than in hypertrophic scars, normal scars and normal skin (p<.05). The expression level of MeCP2 in hypertrophic scars during the growth period of <6 months was markedly higher than that of >6 months (p<.05). The methylation level of Smad7 was significantly higher in keloids compared to normal skin. After MeCP2 silencing, the proliferation rate of human keloid fibroblasts was decreased, the mRNA and protein levels of Smad7 were increased, and the expression levels of TGF-β1, α-SMA and p-Smad2 were decreased (p<.05). MeCP2 and Smad7 play an important role in formation of pathological scars. During keloid formation, MeCP2 weakens the inhibitory effect of Smad7 on p-Smad2/3 by downregulating the expression of Smad7, which in turn promotes fibrosis and scar hyperplasia.

Potential use of molecular and structural characterization of the gut bacterial community for postmortem interval estimation in Sprague Dawley rats

Once the body dies, the indigenous microbes of the host begin to break down the body from the inside and play a key role thereafter. This study aimed to investigate the probable shift in the composition of the rectal microbiota at different time intervals up to 15 days after death and to explore bacterial taxa important for estimating the time since death. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes showed major shifts when checked at 11 different intervals and emerged at most of the postmortem intervals. At the species level, Enterococcus faecalis and Proteus mirabilis showed a downward and upward trend, respectively, after day 5 postmortem. The phylum-, family-, genus-, and species-taxon richness decreased initially and then increased considerably. The turning point occurred on day 9, when the genus, rather than the phylum, family, or species, provided the most information for estimating the time since death. We constructed a prediction model using genus-level data from high-throughput sequencing, and seven bacterial taxa, namely, Enterococcus, Proteus, Lactobacillus, unidentified Clostridiales, Vagococcus, unidentified Corynebacteriaceae, and unidentified Enterobacteriaceae, were included in this model. The abovementioned bacteria showed potential for estimating the shortest time since death.

Microneedles with dual release pattern for improved immunological efficacy of Hepatitis B vaccine

In this study, dissolving microneedles (DMNs) with dual-release pattern, capable of both bolus release and slow release, were prepared. These DMNs were used with a hepatitis B vaccine that requires multiple shots to achieve immunological efficacy comparable to that obtained when two separate shots are administered. Dissolving microneedles with HBsAg in PLA tips and CMC coating formulation together (HBsAg-PLA/CMC-DMNs) consist of polylactic acid (PLA) tips for slow release, a carboxy-methyl cellulose (CMC) coating formulation for bolus release, and a dissolving base of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) for dissolution in the skin. The in vitro release pattern of HBsAg from the CMC coating formulation and PLA tips was observed. Through an in vivo test, 1) the delivery efficiency of HBsAg-PLA/CMC-DMNs was observed, and 2) the immunological efficacy of this method was compared with the efficacy of two shots delivered by conventional intramuscular (IM) administration and two shots delivered by HBsAg-coated microneedle (CMNs) administration. HBsAg-PLA/CMC-DMNs punctured the skin successfully. The PVA/PVP base was completely dissolved within 10 min of insertion, resulting in the delivery of all microneedle tips into the skin. In the in vitro release experiment, all of the HBsAg in the CMC coating formulation was released within 20 min, and the HBsAg present in the PLA tips was gradually released over more than 55 days. The antibody titer of one shot of HBsAg-PLA/CMC-DMNs was the same as or higher than two shots delivered by conventional IM and CMN methods. DMNs with dual-release pattern can deliver two formulations simultaneously with a single shot, resulting in improved immunological efficacy of HBsAg that requires multiple doses. In addition, this dual-release MN system can be used for the delivery of other drugs that require multiple administrations.

REBACIN® is an optional intervention for persistent high-risk human papillomavirus infection: A retrospective analysis of 364 patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of REBACIN® in patients with persistent high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection. Persistent hrHPV infection is a crucial cause of cervical cancer, for which optimal pharmacological intervention remains unavailable.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis and a meta-analysis were carried out. The retrospective analysis included 364 patients who were persistently infected with HPV for at least 12 months, between September 2015 and February 2019, and only received the REBACIN® intervention. HPV DNA typing, HC2 hrHPV DNA, and ThinPrep cytologic tests were performed before and after the REBACIN® intervention, to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy. The meta-analysis included trials evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of interferons.

RESULTS

After a follow-up period of 3-6 months, the overall rate of efficacy of REBACIN® was 74.73% (272/364), which was higher than that of interferon (61.50%). The efficacy of REBACIN® was correlated with HPV type (odds ratio [OR] 0.549, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.367-0.822, P=0.004) and pretreatment cytology (OR 0.358, 95% CI 0.173-0.739, P=0.005).

CONCLUSION

REBACIN® is potently efficacious at clearing persistent hrHPV infection; hence, it can serve as an optional intervention for persistent hrHPV infection.

Fate of typical endocrine active compounds in full-scale wastewater treatment plants: Distribution, removal efficiency and potential risks

In this study, the distribution, removal efficiency, and potential risks of 9 typical endocrine active compounds (EACs) in two full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were investigated. The EAC concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 7394.2 ng/L in influents. The source of influents was a critical factor in determining the EAC levels. EACs were primarily removed in the secondary biological processing units, with removal efficiencies fluctuating from 13.7% to 98%. The biological treatment processes and operating parameters (i.e., HRT and SRT) influenced the EAC removal efficiency. Bisphenol A (BPA) and estriol were mainly removed by biodegradation, while antidepressants were primarily eliminated by sludge adsorption according to the distribution patterns and mass flow of EACs in WWTPs. Novosphingobium, Saprospiraceae, etc. were the core functional bacteria for EAC biodegradation. In addition, sertraline in effluents and dewatered sludge may pose medium environmental risks, while the other EACs pose low environmental risks.

Association of Isolated Congenital Heart Disease with Fetal Brain Maturation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Brain MRI of newborns with congenital heart disease show signs of immaturity relative to healthy controls. Our aim was to determine whether the semiquantitative fetal total maturation score can detect abnormalities in brain maturation in fetuses with congenital heart disease in the second and third trimesters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed data from a prospective study of fetuses with and without congenital heart disease who underwent fetal MR imaging at 25-35 weeks' gestation. Two independent neuroradiologists blinded to the clinical data reviewed and scored all images using the fetal total maturation score. Interrater reliability was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient using the individual reader scores, which were also used to calculate an average score for each subject. Comparisons of the average and individual reader scores between affected and control fetuses and relationships with clinical variables were evaluated using multivariable linear regression.

RESULTS

Data from 69 subjects (48 cardiac, 21 controls) were included. High concordance was observed between readers with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.97-0.99). The affected group had significantly lower fetal total maturation scores than the control group (β-estimate, -0.9 [95% CI, -1.5 to -0.4], P = .002), adjusting for gestational age and sex. Averaged fetal total maturation, germinal matrix, myelination, and superior temporal sulcus scores were significantly delayed in fetuses with congenital heart disease versus controls (P < .05 for each). The fetal total maturation score was not significantly associated with any cardiac, anatomic, or physiologic variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The fetal total maturation score is sensitive to differences in brain maturation between fetuses with isolated congenital heart disease and healthy controls.

Characterization of humoral and cellular immune features of gamma-irradiated influenza vaccine

The most widely used influenza vaccines are prepared by chemical inactivation. However, chemical, especially formalin, treatment-induced modifications of the antigenic structure of the virus are frequently associated with adverse effects including low efficacy of protection, unexpected immune responses, or exacerbation of disease. Gamma-irradiation was suggested as an alternative influenza virus inactivation method due to its great features of completely inactivating virus while not damaging the structures of protein antigens, and cross-protective ability against heterologous strains. However, immunological features of gamma radiation-inactivated influenza vaccine have not been fully understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the humoral and cellular immune responses of gamma radiation-inactivated influenza vaccine. The gamma irradiation-inactivated influenza vaccine (RADVAX_FluA) showed complete viral inactivation but retained normal viral structure with functional activities of viral protein antigens. Intranasal immunization of RADVAX_FluA provided better protection against influenza virus infection than formalin-inactivated influenza virus (FIV) in mice. RADVAX_FluA greatly enhanced the production of virus-specific serum IgG and alveolar mucosal IgA, which effectively neutralized HA (hemagglutinin) and NA (neuraminidase) activities, and blocked viral binding to the cells, respectively. Further analysis of IgG subclasses showed RADVAX_FluA-immunized sera had higher levels of IgG1 and IgG2a than those of FIV-immunized sera. In addition, analysis of cellular immunity found RADVAX_FluA induced strong dendritic cells (DC) activation resulting in higher DC-mediated activation of CD8⁺ T cells than FIV. The results support improved immunogenicity by RADVAX_FluA.

Molecular characterization of gut microbial shift in SD rats after death for 30 days

To observe the temporal shifts of the intestinal microbial community structure and diversity in rats for 30 days after death. Rectal swabs were collected from rats before death (BD) and on day 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 after death (AD). Bacteria genomic DNA was extracted and V3 + V4 regions of 16S rRNA gene were amplified by PCR. The amplicons were sequenced at Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. The bacterial diversity and richness showed similar results from day 1 to 5 and day 10 to 25 all presenting downtrend, while from day 5 to 10 showed slightly increased. The relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria displayed inverse variation in day 1, 5, 10 and that was the former decreased, the latter increased. Bacteroidetes, Spirochaete and TM7 in day 15, 20, 25, 30 was significantly decline comparing with BD. Enterococcus and Proteus displayed reduced trend over day 1, 5, 10 and day 10, 15, 20, 25, respectively, while Sporosarcina showed obvious elevation during day 15, 20, 25. Accordingly, there was a certain correlation between intestinal flora succession and the time of death. The results suggested that intestinal flora may be potential indicator to aid estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI).

Individualized Surgical Treatment of Different Types of Labia Minora Hypertrophy

Objective To explore an optimal surgical approach for different types of labia minora hypertrophy and to design a better personalized surgical treatment plan for patients. Methods Forty-five patients with labia minora treated in our department from January 2014 to January 2019 were the study participants. Depending upon the appearance of the labia minora, they were divided into length labia minora hypertrophy, width labia minora hypertrophy, overall labia minora hypertrophy, and labia hypertrophy combined with clitoris foreskin. By combining the characteristics of the patient's labia minora hypertrophy and the aesthetic requirements for postoperative appearance, we designed a personalized treatment plan for each group of patients. The surgical approaches include upper pedicle flap wedge resection, upper and lower pedicle flap similar to wedge resection, lower pedicle flap pedicle wedge resection, and labia minora combined with clitoris foreskin surgery. We followed up the postoperative results, recovery, and complication rates for a period of 3 months. Results All patients who underwent surgery had good wound healing. The labia minora had good bilateral symmetry, moderate size, and desired appearance. The scar of the surgical incision was also not obvious. The postoperative labia minora felt normal without any serious complications. Overall, the treatment effect was satisfactory. Conclusion There are many surgical methods for the reduction in the labia minora. Our findings suggest that in order to achieve better results, a personalized surgical plan should be designed considering the patient's unique type of hypertrophy and the individual aesthetic requirements. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Correlations of nitrogen removal and core functional genera in full-scale wastewater treatment plants: Influences of different treatment processes and influent characteristics

The denitrification process is crucial for biological nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, the nitrogen removal efficiency in full-scale WWTPs with different treatment processes and influent characteristics was investigated. The results indicated that the average total nitrogen removal rate (NRR) and denitrification rate in the A/O or A2/O systems were 67.5% and 2.08 mg N h^-1 gMLVSS^-1, respectively. However, cyclic activated sludge systems (CASSs) showed more efficient nitrogen removal with an average NRR and denitrification rate of 79.6% and 9.89 mg N h^-1 gMLVSS^-1, respectively. The microbial communities in WWTPs with similar influent compositions were similar and mainly shaped by BOD₅. Candidatus Competibacter, Caldilineaceae and Anaerolineaceae were the functional genera closely associated with nitrogen removal based on high-throughput sequencing and correlation analysis. This study provides new insights into the regulation and amelioration of full-scale WWTPs to meet the increasingly stringent nitrogen discharge standard.

Characterization of novel monoclonal antibodies against MERS-coronavirus spike protein

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Identification of neutralizing mAbs using MERS-CoV spike-pseudotyped virus.

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Transmembrane domain-deleted spike subunit protein induced neutralizing antibodies.

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Neutralizing antibodies could bind to RBD of MERS-CoV spike, but not vice versa.

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Mutation in residue 506–509 or 529 of S elicits neutralization escape of MERS-CoV.

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Our mAbs can be utilized for identification of specific mutation of MERS-CoV.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe pulmonary infection, with ∼35 % mortality. Spike glycoprotein (S) of MERS-CoV is a key target for vaccines and therapeutics because S mediates viral entry and membrane-fusion to host cells. Here, four different S subunit proteins, receptor-binding domain (RBD; 358–606 aa), S1 (1–751 aa), S2 (752–1296 aa), and SΔTM (1–1296 aa), were generated using the baculoviral system and immunized in mice to develop neutralizing antibodies. We developed 77 hybridomas and selected five neutralizing mAbs by immunization with SΔTM against MERS-CoV EMC/2012 strain S-pseudotyped lentivirus. However, all five monoclonal antibodies (mAb) did not neutralize the pseudotyped V534A mutation. Additionally, one mAb RBD-14F8 did not show neutralizing activity against pseudoviruses with amino acid substitution of L506 F or D509 G (England1 strain, EMC/2012 L506 F, and EMC/2012 D509 G), and RBD-43E4 mAb could not neutralize the pseudotyped I529 T mutation, while three other neutralizing mAbs showed broad neutralizing activity. This implies that the mutation in residue 506–509, 529, and 534 of S is critical to generate neutralization escape variants of MERS-CoV. Interestingly, all five neutralizing mAbs have binding affinity to RBD, although most mAbs generated by RBD did not have neutralizing activity. Additionally, chimeric antibodies of RBD-14F8 and RBD-43E4 with human Fc and light chain showed neutralizing effect against wild type MERS-CoV KOR/KNIH/002, similar to the original mouse mAbs. Thus, our mAbs can be utilized for the identification of specific mutations of MERS-CoV.