A strategy to boost xanthine oxidase and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activities of peptides via molecular docking and module substitution

Molecular docking and activity evaluation screened the dipeptide module GP with low xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity and modules KE and KN with high activity, and identified them as low- and high-contribution modules, respectively. We hypothesized the substitution of low-contribution modules in peptides with high contributions would boost their XOD inhibitory activity. In the XOD inhibitory peptide GPAGPR, substitution of GP with both KE and KN led to enhanced affinity between the peptides and XOD. They also increased XOD inhibitory activity (26.4% and 10.3%) and decreased cellular uric acid concentrations (28.0% and 10.4%). RNA sequencing indicated that these improvements were attributable to the inhibition of uric acid biosynthesis. In addition, module substitution increased the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity of GILRP and GAAGGAF by 84.8% and 76.5%. This study revealed that module substitution is a feasible strategy to boost peptide activity, and provided information for the optimization of hydrolysate preparation conditions.

Tuna Dark Muscle Feeding Improved the Meat Quality of Holland Mini-Piglets and Modulated the Gut Microbiota

Pork is one of the most widely produced and consumed meats in the world, and it is also an important source of animal protein. The continuous rise in feed prices has forced the pig industry to consider adding cost-effective alternative feed to pig diets. In this study, we aimed to explore the beneficial effects of tuna dark muscle as a nutritional supplement on the growth performance, serum lipids and antioxidant levels of Holland mini-piglets, as well as on the odor and volatile substances of pork and the gut microbiota. Two-month-old male mini-piglets (n = 24) were fed a control diet or supplemented with either 2% (LD) or 4% (HD) tuna dark muscle for 8 weeks. The use of tuna dark muscle at low and high dosages significantly increased the average daily weight gain, but it showed no significant effect on organ indices or blood lipids. In addition, dark muscle treatment significantly increased the antioxidant capacity, characterized by increased SOD and GSH-Px activities, and it decreased the content of MDA in serum. Moreover, tuna dark muscle feeding shifted the odor of rib muscle and tendon meat away from that of the control group, while similar odor patterns were observed in the longissimus dorsi muscle. Among these volatile substances, hexanal, nonanal, and heptanal increased in response to dietary tuna dark muscle and were regarded as indispensable contributors to the feeding. Furthermore, dietary tuna dark muscle modulated the gut microbiota of the piglets, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as butyric acid-producing bacteria, and reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria. The feeding strategy reported in this study not only reduces the production costs of pork but also utilizes tuna processing by-products in an environmentally friendly way.

Mechanism of microRNA regulating apoptosis after reperfusion in patients with mechanical thrombectomy

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Understanding of gene expression dynamics could bring new approaches in diagnostics and therapy of stroke. Small noncoding molecules termed 'microRNA' represent the most flexible network of gene expression regulators. To screen out miRNAs that are mainly regulated during reperfusion in mechanically embolized patients, and study their mechanisms of action in reperfusion injury after thrombectomy, in order to find new therapeutic targets for mechanically embolized patients. Serums from 30 patients with moderate to severe stroke after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) were collected to measure miRNA expressions. Clinical information of patients was analyze, and patients were divided into poor prognosis and good prognosis. Factors affecting prognosis was classified, and independent risk factors for poor prognosis were determined. Prognostic value of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission to patients with MT was assessed. ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves were drawn, and Kaplan-Merier method determined whether different NIHSS scores at admission had any difference in the in-hospital survival rate of consistency index/random consistency index (CI/RI) patients treated with MT. An oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) cell model and an middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)/reperfusion mouse model were established, in which miR-298 expression was tested. In OGD/R cells, proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy were assessed after intervention with miR-298 and/or autophagy related gene 5 (ATG5). In MCAO mice, the infarct area was calculated, and neurological function was assessed. The relationship between miR-298 and ATG5 was explored and validated. Age, diabetes, hypertension, hemorrhage transformation, NIHSS score at admission, leukocyte, neutrophil count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) level were associated with patient's prognosis. Diabetes, NIHSS score at admission, and hemorrhagic transformation were independent risk factors for predicting poor prognosis in patients treated with MT. NIHSS score on admission had a predictive value on patient's prognosis. miR-298 was upregulated in acute cerebral ischemia patients with MT (p<0.05), especially in those with poor prognosis. miR-298 was elevated in both cell and mouse models (p<0.05). Apoptosis and autophagy of cells were weakened after miR-298 knockdown, and infarction in the mouse brain tissues was reduced. ATG5 was a target of miR-298. Overexpressing ATG5 rescued miR-298-induced apoptosis and autophagy. In conclusion: regulation of miR-298 and ATG5 attenuates neuronal apoptosis and autophagy, providing a new strategy for brain injury after reperfusion in patients with MT.

Study of High-Transverse-Momentum Higgs Boson Production in Association with a Vector Boson in the qqbb Final State with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter presents the first study of Higgs boson production in association with a vector boson (V=W or Z) in the fully hadronic qqbb final state using data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. The vector bosons and Higgs bosons are each reconstructed as large-radius jets and tagged using jet substructure techniques. Dedicated tagging algorithms exploiting b-tagging properties are used to identify jets consistent with Higgs bosons decaying into bb[over ¯]. Dominant backgrounds from multijet production are determined directly from the data, and a likelihood fit to the jet mass distribution of Higgs boson candidates is used to extract the number of signal events. The VH production cross section is measured inclusively and differentially in several ranges of Higgs boson transverse momentum: 250-450, 450-650, and greater than 650 GeV. The inclusive signal yield relative to the standard model expectation is observed to be μ=1.4_{-0.9}^{+1.0} and the corresponding cross section is 3.1±1.3(stat)_{-1.4}^{+1.8}(syst)  pb.

Measurement of the Centrality Dependence of the Dijet Yield in p+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

ATLAS measured the centrality dependence of the dijet yield using 165  nb^{-1} of p+Pb data collected at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV in 2016. The event centrality, which reflects the p+Pb impact parameter, is characterized by the total transverse energy registered in the Pb-going side of the forward calorimeter. The central-to-peripheral ratio of the scaled dijet yields, R_{CP}, is evaluated, and the results are presented as a function of variables that reflect the kinematics of the initial hard parton scattering process. The R_{CP} shows a scaling with the Bjorken x of the parton originating from the proton, x_{p}, while no such trend is observed as a function of x_{Pb}. This analysis provides unique input to understanding the role of small proton spatial configurations in p+Pb collisions by covering parton momentum fractions from the valence region down to x_{p}∼10^{-3} and x_{Pb}∼4×10^{-4}.

Whole genome sequencing analysis of Limosilactobacillus reuteri from the intestinal tract of mice recovering from ulcerative colitis and preliminary study on anti-inflammatory effects of its derived peptides

Limosilactobacillus reuteri is an indigenous inhabitant of the animal gut known for its probiotic effects on the host. In our previous study, a large number of L. reuteri strains were isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of mice recovering from ulcerative colitis, from which we randomly selected L. reuteri RE225 for whole genome sequencing to explore its probiotic properties. The results of next-generation sequencing and third-generation single molecule sequencing showed that L. reuteri RE225 contained many genes encoding functional proteins associated with adhesion, anti-inflammatory and pathogen inhibition. And compared to other L. reuteri strains in NCBI, L. reuteri RE225 has unique gene families with probiotic functions. In order to further explore the probiotic effect of the L. reuteri RE225, the derived peptides were identified by LC-MS/MS, and the peptides with tumor necrosis factor-α binding ability were screened by reverse molecular docking and microscale thermophoresis. Finally, cell experiments demonstrated the anti-inflammatory ability of the peptides. Western blotting and qPCR analyses confirmed that the selected peptides might alleviate LPS-induced inflammation in NCM460 cells by inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation.

Causal effects of diabetic retinopathy on depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder in the European population: a Mendelian randomization study

PURPOSE

To verify the causal effects of diabetic retinopathy (DR) on depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to identify the causal relationships between DR and depression or anxiety or BD via using DR-related GWAS data (14,584 cases and 176,010 controls), depression-related GWAS data (59,851 cases and 113,154 controls), anxiety-related GWAS data (7016 cases and 14,745 controls) and BD-related GWAS data (41,917 cases and 371,549 controls). The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) model was adopted to estimate the causal relationship. The outcome was expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

The MR analysis results presented that DR was causally associated with a significantly increased risk of BD in the European population (IVW, OR = 1.06, 95%CI [1.03, 1.08], P = 2.44 × 10-6), while DR was unable to causally influence the risk of depression (IVW, OR = 1.01, 95%CI [0.99, 1.04], P = 0.32) and anxiety (IVW, OR = 0.97, 95%CI [0.89, 1.06], P = 0.48) in the European population. Subgroup analysis based on BD identified DR causally increased the risk of bipolar I disorder (BD I) but not bipolar II disorder (BD II). Sensitivity analysis results did not show any pleiotropy and heterogeneity in both groups of analyses, indicating that the results were stable and reliable.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current MR analysis indicated a causal relationship between DR and BD in the European population, while there was no causal connection between DR and depression or anxiety. However, further research is needed to confirm these conclusions.

Analysis of antimicrobial biological activity of a marine Bacillus velezensis NDB

A new strain of Bacillus velezensis NDB was isolated from Xiangshan Harbor and antibacterial test revealed antibacterial activity of this strain against 12 major pathogenic bacteria. The whole genome of the bacterium was sequenced and found to consist of a 4,214,838 bp circular chromosome and a 7410 bp circular plasmid. Furthermore, it was predicted by AntiSMASH and BAGEL4 to have 12 clusters of secondary metabolism genes for the synthesis of the inhibitors, fengycin, bacillomycin, macrolactin H, bacillaene, and difficidin, and there were also five clusters encoding potentially novel antimicrobial substances, as well as three bacteriocin biosynthesis gene clusters of amylocyclicin, ComX1, and LCI. qRT-PCR revealed significant up-regulation of antimicrobial secondary metabolite synthesis genes after 24 h of antagonism with pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealed that it can secrete surfactin non-ribosomal peptide synthase and polyketide synthase to exert antibacterial effects. GC-MS was used to analyze methanol extract of B. velezensis NDB, a total of 68 compounds were identified and these metabolites include 16 amino acids, 17 acids, 3 amines, 11 sugars, 11 alcohols, 1 ester, and 9 other compounds which can inhibit pathogenic bacteria by initiating the antibiotic secretion pathway. A comparative genomic analysis of gene families showed that the specificity of B. velezensis NDB was mainly reflected in environmental adaptability. Overall, this research on B. velezensis NDB provides the basis for elucidating its biocontrol effect and promotes its future application as a probiotic.

Search for New Phenomena in Two-Body Invariant Mass Distributions Using Unsupervised Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

Searches for new resonances are performed using an unsupervised anomaly-detection technique. Events with at least one electron or muon are selected from 140  fb^{-1} of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV recorded by ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider. The approach involves training an autoencoder on data, and subsequently defining anomalous regions based on the reconstruction loss of the decoder. Studies focus on nine invariant mass spectra that contain pairs of objects consisting of one light jet or b jet and either one lepton (e,μ), photon, or second light jet or b jet in the anomalous regions. No significant deviations from the background hypotheses are observed. Limits on contributions from generic Gaussian signals with various widths of the resonance mass are obtained for nine invariant masses in the anomalous regions.

Gallic acid ameliorates colitis by trapping deleterious metabolite ammonia and improving gut microbiota dysbiosis

Gut microbiota dysbiosis is causally related to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and increased levels of the gut metabolite ammonia have been proposed to contribute to IBD development. In this study, we aimed to clarify the anti-colitis mechanism of gallic acid (GA) based on its ability to trap the deleterious metabolite ammonia and improve gut microbiota. Aminated product was detected in the fecal samples of mice after oral gavage of gallic acid (GA) and identified as 4-amino-substituted gallic acid (4-NH2-GA), thus confirming the ability of GA to trap ammonia in vivo. Then, we compared the beneficial effects of GA and 4-NH2-GA on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse and found that both compounds managed to alleviate colitis phenotypes, indicating ammonia trapping had no adverse effect on the original anti-colitis activity of GA. In addition, both GA and 4-NH2-GA improved the gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by DSS, and fecal microbiota transplantation was subsequently performed, which further revealed that the gut microbiota mediated the anti-colitis activity of both GA and 4-NH2-GA. In summary, this study clarified that GA alleviated colitis by targeting both the symptoms and root causes: it directly reduced the deleterious metabolite ammonia by forming aminated metabolites without compromising the original anti-colitis activity, and it also improved gut microbiota dysbiosis, which in turn contributed to the alleviation of colitis. Since the GA structure is presented in various polyphenols as a common building block, the novel anti-colitis mechanism obtained from GA may also apply to other complex polyphenols.IMPORTANCEThe dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and its metabolism directly cause the emergence of IBD. In this study, we aimed to clarify the anti-colitis mechanism of GA in sight of gut microbiota and its metabolite ammonia. We discovered that GA directly captured and reduced the harmful metabolite ammonia in vivo to produce the aminated metabolite 4-NH2-GA, while the amination of GA had no adverse effect on its initial anti-colitis activity. In addition, both GA and its aminated metabolite improved the gut microbiota in colitis mice, and the modified gut microbiota, in turn, helped to relieve colitis. Since the GA structure is presented in diverse polyphenols as a common building block, the novel anti-colitis mechanism targeting the symptoms and root causes might also apply to other complex polyphenols.

[Clinicopathological features of SMARCA4-deficient lung adenocarcinoma: a study of 42 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and genetic mutations of SMARCA4-deficient lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: From January 2021 to April 2023 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 42 cases of SMARCA4-deficienct lung adenocarcinoma were diagnosed and now analyzed. All cases were retrospectively studied using hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. The clinicopathological features were reviewed. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to investigate the mutations of related genes. Results: Among the 42 cases, there were 35 biopsy and 7 surgical specimens. There were 38 males and 4 females. The male to female ratio was 9.5∶1.0, with an age range from 42 to 78 years. Thirty-three patients were smokers. Overall, 4 cases (9.5%), 2 cases (4.7%), 18 cases (42.9%) and 18 cases (42.9%) were at stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ, respectively. Microscopically, all the cases were non-mucinous adenocarcinoma, without lepidic pattern. The morphology was diverse. Rhabdomyoid cells, tumor giant cells and tumor necrosis were present. Most of the tumor cells had eosinophilic cytoplasm and occasionally clear cytoplasm. Defined cell borders and variable cytoplasmic hyaline secretory globules could be found. Inflammatory cells infiltrated the tumor stroma. Immunohistochemistry showed 29 cases (69.0%, 29/42) expressed TTF1, 10 cases (40.0%, 10/25) expressed Napsin A, and 20 cases (100.0%, 20/20) expressed INI1. Forty cases (95.2%, 40/42) showed BRG1 loss in all tumor cells, while 2 cases (4.8%, 2/42) had partial BRG1 loss. PD-L1 (22C3) was positive in 59.2% of the cases (16/27). NGS revealed mutations in EGFR, ROS1, MET, RET and KRAS. Six cases (6/8) showed SMARCA4 mutation, while some cases were accompanied by mutations of TP53 (7/15), STK11 (4/8), and KEAP1 (1/8). Driver gene mutations were more common in women (P<0.05). Patients were followed up for 1-25 months. Four patients died and 20 patients' diseases progressed. Conclusions: SMARCA4-deficient lung adenocarcinoma lacks characteristic morphology. Most of them express TTF1 and harbor driver gene mutations. It is necessary to identify this subset of lung adenocarcinoma by carrying out BRG1 stain routinely on lung adenocarcinoma. These patients can then be identified and benefit from targeted therapies.

Ethical Reflection on the "QR code Dilemma" Faced by Older People During COVID-19 in China

The widespread application of QR code technology is best represented by the health codes used in China's pandemic prevention and control. This technology has enhanced the country's ability to manage the pandemic by achieving higher efficiency and accuracy. Unfortunately, a certain segment of the older population has encountered difficulties in adapting and maintaining their daily activities. This indicates the limitations of QR code technology in achieving social isolation. This article argues that for a more comprehensive pandemic prevention and control policy system to be established, managing the implementation of this very technology should be done in a more humane fashion, i.e. under the guidance of three moral principles: benevolence, justice, and non-maleficence. By doing so, implementation of QR code technology is done in a way that is not only conducive to COVID-19 prevention and control but also mitigate marginalization of the older people. In the post-pandemic era, the socialization of digital technology will accelerate. Therefore, in the field of public health, we should direct attention not only to the fair distribution of resources but also to the issue of identity that arises due to digital divide.

Rapid and simultaneous multiepitope antigen-based detection of Enterococcus by microscale thermophoresis and immunomagnetic separation

Background

Generally, enterococci bacteria cause nosocomial infections and are major indicators of bacterial contamination in marine bathing beach. However, a method for the rapid and simultaneous detection of multiple pathogenic enterococci has not been developed on account of the wide variety of pathogenic enterococci and their existence in complex matrices.

Methods

Immunoinformatics tools were used to design a multi-epitope antigen for the detection of various pathogenic enterococci by using the sequence of dltD gene on enterococci lipoteichoic acid (LTA) surface, which is associated with toxicological effects. The multi-epitopes included enterococci such as Enterococcus faecalis, E. gallinarum, E. raffinosus, E. durans, E. faecium, E. hirae, E. thailandicus, E. casseliflavus, E. avium, E. mundtii, E. lactis, E. solitarius, E. pseudoavium, and E. malodoratum. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) and western blot were carried out to detect the affinity between multi-epitope antigens and antibodies and between multi-epitope antibodies and bacteria. Furthermore, the detection of pathogenic enterococci was carried out by using immunomagnetic beads (IMBs) and immune chromatographic test strip (ICTS).

Results

The multi-epitope antibody had a satisfactory affinity to the antigen and enterococci. IMBs and ICTS were detected with a minimum of 101 CFU/mL and showed incompatibility for Vibrio parahemolyticus, V. vulnifcus, V. harveyi, V. anguillarum, and Edwardsiella tarda.

Implication

The present study demonstrated that the multi-epitope antigens exhibited excellent specificity and sensitivity, making them highly suitable for efficient on-site screening of enterococci bacteria in marine bathing beaches.

EPOS2020/EUFOREA expert opinion on defining disease states and therapeutic goals in CRSwNP

Severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), a form of diffuse bilateral (usually type 2) CRS, is a debilitating disease with a significant impact on quality of life (QoL). With novel knowledge and treatment options becoming available, there is a growing need to update or revise key definitions to enable communication across different specialties dealing with CRS, and to agree on novel goals of care in CRSwNP. The European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway diseases (EUFOREA) and EPOS expert members discussed how to measure treatment responses and set new treatment goals for CRSwNP. In this paper a consensus on a list of definitions related to CRSwNP is provided: control, remission, cure, recurrence/exacerbation, treatable traits, remodeling, progression, and disease modification. By providing these definitions, the involved experts hope to improve communication between all stakeholders involved in CRSwNP treatment for use in routine care, basic and clinical research and international guidelines aimed to harmonize and optimize standard of care of patients with CRSwNP in the future.

Observation of WZγ Production in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of WZγ production and a measurement of its cross section using 140.1±1.2  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The WZγ production cross section, with both the W and Z bosons decaying leptonically, pp→WZγ→ℓ^{'}^{±}νℓ^{+}ℓ^{-}γ (ℓ^{(^{'})}=e, μ), is measured in a fiducial phase-space region defined such that the leptons and the photon have high transverse momentum and the photon is isolated. The cross section is found to be 2.01±0.30(stat)±0.16(syst)  fb. The corresponding standard model predicted cross section calculated at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and at leading order in the electroweak coupling constant is 1.50±0.06  fb. The observed significance of the WZγ signal is 6.3σ, compared with an expected significance of 5.0σ.

Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass from the H→γγ and H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ Decay Channels with the ATLAS Detector Using sqrt[s]=7, 8, and 13 TeV pp Collision Data

A measurement of the mass of the Higgs boson combining the H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ and H→γγ decay channels is presented. The result is based on 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector during LHC run 2 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV combined with the run 1 ATLAS mass measurement, performed at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding a Higgs boson mass of 125.11±0.09(stat)±0.06(syst)=125.11±0.11  GeV. This corresponds to a 0.09% precision achieved on this fundamental parameter of the Standard Model of particle physics.

Comparison of the gut microbiota and metabolism in different regions of Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

Background

The gut microbiota is very important for maintaining the homeostasis and health of crustaceans. Many factors affect the gut microbiota of crustaceans, one of which is temperature. However, it is currently unclear how temperature affects the gut microbiota and metabolites of Procambarus clarkii.

Methods

Using metagenomic sequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques, the gut microbiota and metabolites of P. clarkii from Hubei (HB), Jiangsu (JS), Shandong (SD), and Zhejiang (ZJ) in China were investigated.

Results

Under the impact of temperature, the gut microbiota and metabolites of P. clarkii exhibit a specific trend of change. The primary pathogenic bacteria affecting P. clarkii are Citrobacter, Enterobacterium, and Aeromonas, which are affected by temperature. Two metabolites, namely, sugars and amino acids, are regulated by temperature.

Implication

This study demonstrated that the gut microbiota and gut metabolites of P. clarkii were considerably affected by temperature. It provides a theoretical basis for the systematic study of P. clarkii and provides a basis for a healthy culture of P. clarkii.

Search for Dark Photons in Rare Z Boson Decays with the ATLAS Detector

A search for events with a dark photon produced in association with a dark Higgs boson via rare decays of the standard model Z boson is presented, using 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The dark boson decays into a pair of dark photons, and at least two of the three dark photons must each decay into a pair of electrons or muons, resulting in at least two same-flavor opposite-charge lepton pairs in the final state. The data are found to be consistent with the background prediction, and upper limits are set on the dark photon's coupling to the dark Higgs boson times the kinetic mixing between the standard model photon and the dark photon, α_{D}ϵ^{2}, in the dark photon mass range of [5, 40] GeV except for the ϒ mass window [8.8, 11.1] GeV. This search explores new parameter space not previously excluded by other experiments.

[Effect of HCMV infection on immune reconstitution of CD8+T cells in children with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for human cytomegalovirus infection after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children and the impact of human cytomegalovirus infection on post-transplant immune reconstitution. Methods: A Retrospective Co-Hort study design was used to include 81 children treated with allo-HSCT from January 2020 to March 2022 at the Department of Hematology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China, and followed up for 1 year. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect positive detection of HCMV in children after allo-HSCT, multifactorial logistic regression modeling was used to analyze the risk factors leading to HCMV infection, and generalized estimating equation modeling was used to analyze the effect of HCMV infection on the T-cells of the children who received allo-HSCT. Results: The age M(Q1, Q3) of 81 children was 5.1 years (10 months, 13.8 years), and 50 (61.7%) were male. By the endpoint of follow-up, a total of 50 HCMV-positive cases were detected, with an HCMV detection rate of 61.7%; The results of multifactorial logistic regression modeling showed that children with grade 2-4 aGVHD had a higher risk of HCMV infection compared with grade 0-1 after transplantation [OR (95%CI) value: 2.735 (1.027-7.286)]. The results of generalized estimating equation modeling analysis showed that the number of CD3+T cells in HCMV-positive children after transplantation was higher than that in the HCMV-negative group [RR (95%CI) value: 1.34 (1.008-1.795)]; the ratio of CD4+T/CD8+T cells was smaller than that in the HCMV-negative group [RR (95%CI) value: 0.377 (0.202-0.704)]; the number of CD8+T cells was higher than that in the HCMV-negative group [RR (95%CI) value: 1.435 (1.025-2.061)]; the number of effector memory CD8+T cells was higher than that in the HCMV-negative group [RR (95%CI) value: 1.877 (1.089-3.236)]. Conclusion: Acute graft-versus-host disease may be a risk factor for HCMV infection in children after allo-HSCT; post-transplant HCMV infection promotes proliferation of memory CD8+T-cell populations and affects immune cell reconstitution.

[Analysis of MRI features of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α-inactivated hepatocellular adenoma]

Objective: To investigate the MRI imaging features of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α- inactivated hepatocellular adenoma (H-HCA). Methods: Clinical data and MRI images of 19 H-HCA cases who were pathologically confirmed at Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University between August 2014 and July 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, there were 15 females and 4 males, aged 16-47 (32± 7) years old. Tumor number, location, shape, size, boundary, MRI plain scan signal intensity, dynamic enhancement features of each phase, presence or absence of intratumoral fat content, pseudocapsule, and others were analyzed. The differences in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values between the lesion and the surrounding normal liver parenchyma were compared for statistical significance. t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results: There were a total of 24 lesions in 19 cases. 14 cases had solitary lesions, and five cases had multiple lesions. 15 and nine lesions were located in the right and left lobes of the liver, respectively. 20 lesions were round or quasi-round, and four were irregular or lobulated. The tumor's maximal diameter was 0.6-8.6 (3.5 ± 2.4) cm. T(1)-weighted image (WI) showed hyperintense to iso-intense signals in 20 lesions and hypointense signals in four. T(2)WI showed iso-to-slightly high signal intensity in 16 lesions, with two hyperintense and six hypointense signals. Diffusion-weighted image (DWI) revealed hyperintense to iso-intense signals. Lesions mean ADC value was (1.289 ± 0.222)×10(-3) mm(2)/s, while the adjacent normal liver parenchyma's mean ADC value was (1.307 ± 0.236)×10(-3) mm(2)/s, with no statistically significant difference between the two (P > 0.05). During the arterial phase, 15 of the 18 lesions that underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced scanning with gadoxetate disodium (Gd-DTPA) were mildly to moderately enhanced and three were strongly enhanced. The portal and hepatic venous phases had no continuous enhancement, while the delayed phase showed a hypointense signal. During the arterial phase, two of the six lesions scanned by gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid ((Gd-EOB-DTPA) dynamic enhancement were mildly to moderately enhanced, while four were strongly enhanced. The portal and hepatic venous phases had no continuous enhancement, while the transition and hepatobiliary-specific phases showed hypointense signals. Intracellular steatosis occurred in 21 lesions, of which 19 were diffuse steatosis and 16 formed pseudocapsules in the delayed phase. Conclusion: H-HCA often occurs in young females as solitary lesions and has certain MRI features. T1WI anti-phase diffuse signal reduction and post-enhanced hypovascular withdrawal enhancement patterns can aid in accurately diagnosing the disease condition.

Comparison of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolates from the gut of mice supplemented with different types of nutrients: a genomic and metabolomic study

Many studies have focused on the influence of dietary supplements on gut microbiota composition, but limited research have reported their effects on specific bacterial species in the gut. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is one of the most widely studied probiotics, with a wide range of sources and good environmental adaptability. In this study, in order to elucidate the adaptation strategies of L. plantarum to the gut of mice supplemented with carbohydrates, peptides and minerals, whole genome resequencing and intracellular metabolites detection were performed, and high-frequency mutant genes and differential metabolites were screened. The results suggested different types of dietary supplements do have different effects on L. plantarum from the gut of mice. Additionally, KEGG annotation unveiled that the effects of these dietary supplements on the gene level of L. plantarum primarily pertained to environmental information processing, while the differential metabolites were predominantly associated with metabolism. This study provided new perspectives on the adaptive mechanism of L. plantarum in response to the host's gut environment, suggesting that the diversity of the genome and metabolome of L. plantarum was correlated with dietary supplements. Furthermore, this study offered useful guidance in the effective utilization of dietary supplements.

Observation of Single-Top-Quark Production in Association with a Photon Using the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of single top quarks produced together with a photon, which directly probes the electroweak coupling of the top quark. The analysis uses 139  fb^{-1} of 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Requiring a photon with transverse momentum larger than 20 GeV and within the detector acceptance, the fiducial cross section is measured to be 688±23(stat) _{-71}^{+75}(syst)  fb, to be compared with the standard model prediction of 515_{-42}^{+36}  fb at next-to-leading order in QCD.

The International Consortium on Primary Graft Dysfunction: Redefining Clinical Risk Factors in the Contemporary Era of Heart Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Primary Graft Dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality early after heart transplant (HT). The International Consortium on PGD is a multicenter collaboration dedicated to identifying the clinical risk factors for PGD in the contemporary era of HT. The objectives of the current report were to 1) assess the incidence of severe PGD in an international cohort, 2) evaluate the performance of the most validated PGD risk tool, the RADIAL score, in a contemporary cohort, and 3) redefine clinical risk factors for severe PGD in the current era of HT.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, observational study of consecutive adult HT recipients between 2010 and 2020 in 10 centers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Patients with severe PGD were compared to those without severe PGD (comprising those with no, mild and moderate PGD). The RADIAL score was calculated for each transplant recipient. The discriminatory power of the RADIAL score was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and its calibration was assessed by plotting the percentage of PGD predicted versus observed. To identify clinical risk factors associated with severe PGD, we performed multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression modeling to account for among-center variability.

RESULTS

A total of 2,746 patients have been enrolled in the registry to date, including 2,015 (73.4%) from North America, and 731 (26.6%) from Europe. 215 participants (7.8%) met the criteria for severe PGD. There was an increase in the incidence of severe PGD over the study period (p-value for trend by difference sign test = 0.004). The Kaplan Meier estimate for 1-year survival was 75.7% [95%CI 69.4-80.9%] in patients with severe PGD as compared to 94.4% [95% CI 93.5-95.2%] in those without severe PGD (log-rank p-value <0.001). The RADIAL score performed poorly in our contemporary cohort and was not associated with severe PGD with an AUC of 0.53 (95%CI 0.48-0.58). In the multivariable regression model, acute preoperative dialysis (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.31 - 4.43), durable LVAD support (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.13 - 2.77), and total ischemic time (OR 1.20 for each additional hour, 95% CI 1.02 - 1.41) were associated with an increased risk of severe PGD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our consortium has identified an increasing incidence of PGD in the modern transplant era. We identified contemporary risk factors for this early post-transplant complication, which confers a high mortality risk. These results may enable the identification of patients at high risk for developing severe PGD in order to inform peri-transplant donor and recipient management practices.

Measurement of Suppression of Large-Radius Jets and Its Dependence on Substructure in Pb+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This letter presents a measurement of the nuclear modification factor of large-radius jets in sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV Pb+Pb collisions by the ATLAS experiment. The measurement is performed using 1.72  nb^{-1} and 257  pb^{-1} of Pb+Pb and pp data, respectively. The large-radius jets are reconstructed with the anti-k_{t} algorithm using a radius parameter of R=1.0, by reclustering anti-k_{t} R=0.2 jets, and are measured over the transverse momentum (p_{T}) kinematic range of 158 Collapse

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Measurement of the Sensitivity of Two-Particle Correlations in pp Collisions to the Presence of Hard Scatterings

A key open question in the study of multiparticle production in high-energy pp collisions is the relationship between the "ridge"-i.e., the observed azimuthal correlations between particles in the underlying event that extend over all rapidities-and hard or semihard scattering processes. In particular, it is not known whether jets or their soft fragments are correlated with particles in the underlying event. To address this question, two-particle correlations are measured in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV using data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, with an integrated luminosity of 15.8  pb^{-1}, in two different configurations. In the first case, charged particles associated with jets are excluded from the correlation analysis, while in the second case, correlations are measured between particles within jets and charged particles from the underlying event. Second-order flow coefficients, v_{2}, are presented as a function of event multiplicity and transverse momentum. These measurements show that excluding particles associated with jets does not affect the measured correlations. Moreover, particles associated with jets do not exhibit any significant azimuthal correlations with the underlying event, ruling out hard processes contributing to the ridge.

Observation of an Excess of Dicharmonium Events in the Four-Muon Final State with the ATLAS Detector

A search is made for potential ccc[over ¯]c[over ¯] tetraquarks decaying into a pair of charmonium states in the four muon final state using proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140  fb^{-1} recorded by the ATLAS experiment at LHC. Two decay channels, J/ψ+J/ψ→4μ and J/ψ+ψ(2S)→4μ, are studied. Backgrounds are estimated based on a hybrid approach involving Monte Carlo simulations and data-driven methods. Statistically significant excesses with respect to backgrounds dominated by the single parton scattering are seen in the di-J/ψ channel consistent with a narrow resonance at 6.9 GeV and a broader structure at lower mass. A statistically significant excess is also seen in the J/ψ+ψ(2S) channel. The fitted masses and decay widths of the structures are reported.

Observation of the γγ→ττ Process in Pb+Pb Collisions and Constraints on the τ-Lepton Anomalous Magnetic Moment with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of τ-lepton-pair production in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions Pb+Pb→Pb(γγ→ττ)Pb and constraints on the τ-lepton anomalous magnetic moment a_{τ}. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.44  nb^{-1} of LHC Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment in 2018. Selected events contain one muon from a τ-lepton decay, an electron or charged-particle track(s) from the other τ-lepton decay, little additional central-detector activity, and no forward neutrons. The γγ→ττ process is observed in Pb+Pb collisions with a significance exceeding 5 standard deviations and a signal strength of μ_{ττ}=1.03_{-0.05}^{+0.06} assuming the standard model value for a_{τ}. To measure a_{τ}, a template fit to the muon transverse-momentum distribution from τ-lepton candidates is performed, using a dimuon (γγ→μμ) control sample to constrain systematic uncertainties. The observed 95% confidence-level interval for a_{τ} is -0.057 Collapse

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Long-Term Outcomes of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy with or without PD-1 Inhibitors in Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Data on the benefit of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (mNPC) remain limited. The purpose of this study is to assess the outcomes of mNPC treated with SBRT and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1) inhibitors.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We reviewed all SBRT performed in patients with mNPC during the period of 2013-2022 in our institution. Treatments carried out with ablative intent in stereotactic conditions with dose/fraction ≥ 5 Gy were considered. The local control (LC), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analyses. Risk factors were assessed through univariate and multivariate analysis by Cox regression.

RESULTS

A total of 55 patients with 77 metastatic lesions treated with SBRT were analyzed. All of these patients received systemic treatment, either chemotherapy alone (n = 34) or chemotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors (n = 21). 28 patients (50.9%) had ≤ five metastatic lesions in the metastatic sites. The number of irradiated tumors ranged from 1 to 6, and 36 patients (65.5%) with 47 lesions received a physical dose ≥48 Gy (BED≥75Gy, α/β = 10). After a median follow-up of 43.6 months (range 1.9-115.3 months), 20 patients (36.4%) experienced local recurrence after completion of SBRT for metastatic lesions. The 1- and 3-year LC rates were 76.9% and 61.9%, respectively. The 1- and 3-year OS rates were 84.4% and 58.2%, and the 1- and 3-year PFS rates were 50.0% and 29.9%, respectively. Patients with ≤ 2 metastatic lesions (n = 24, 43.6%) had significant better LC (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.036-0.313, p<0.001), OS (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08-0.74, p = 0.013) and PFS (HR 0.16, 95% CI 0.063-0.42, p<0.001) than patients with>2 metastatic lesions. Total dose≥48 Gy was also found to be a significant prognostic factor for better OS (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.18-1.09, p = 0.044) and PFS (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.17-0.88, p = 0.005), but not LC (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.36-1.97, p = 0.678). In addition, adding PD-1 inhibitors to SBRT showed a significant benefit, improving the 2-year LC to 87.7% vs. 50.6% for SBRT (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.18 - 0.41, p = 0.002). No patients experienced grade 4 or 5 toxicity.

CONCLUSION

SBRT is an effective and safe treatment option for mNPC patients. Adding PD-1 inhibitors to SBRT offers a benefit in LC. Additional studies exploring the clinical benefit and predictive biomarkers of combined SBRT and PD-1 directed immunotherapy are warranted.

Standard Therapy vs. Individualized Therapy in Elderly Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Real-World Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with/without induction chemotherapy has been the standard therapy (ST) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). However, most patients supporting these clinical trials were younger than 65 years of age. For the toxicity of CRT and the poor tolerance of elderly patients, it is still controversial whether ST could bring the most promising survival benefits for elderly NPC compared with individualized therapy (IT). Thus, in this real-world study we compared the survival and safety of ST with IT in elderly LA-NPC to explore an effective and tolerable treatment strategy for elderly LA-NPC.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 109 newly diagnosed elderly LA-NPC (>65 years old) from Jan. 2013-Jul. 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the ST group and IT group according to the original treatment tendency. ST refers to CRT with/without induction chemotherapy. IT group included patients not suitable for CRT and were given individualized treatment fully discussed by at least two oncologists from our head and neck team. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) generated a matched cohort of ST and IT. The survivals and treatment related toxicities were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were 46 cases in the ST group and 63 cases in the IT group. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate, cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate, progression- free survival (PFS) rate, local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rate and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rate were 68.64%, 76.42%, 73.69%, 85.67% and 86.82%, respectively. By 1:1PSM, 35 cases in each group were matched. No significant differences of OS, CSS, PFS, LRFS and DMFS were found between ST and IT groups in the PSM-matched cohorts (P = 0.87, P = 0.79, P = 0.51, P = 0.81 and P = 0.24, respectively). Compared with patients in the ST group, cases received IT were associated with less severe acute toxicities including anemia, leucopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia.

CONCLUSION

For elderly LA-NPC, IT had similar survivals while less severe toxicities compared with ST, which revolutionarily challenged the role of ST for elderly LA-NPC. In the future, more studies are need to explore a less toxic treatment modality with noninferior efficacy for elderly LA-NPC.

Role of late first-trimester ultrasound in women with a positive NIPT result

This Correspondence comments on Scott et al. Click here to view the article.

Disabling spidroin N-terminal homologs' reverse reaction unveils why its intermolecular disulfide bonds have not evolved for 380 million years

Spiders, ubiquitous predators known for their powerful silks, rely on spidroins that self-assemble from high-concentration solutions stored in silk glands, which are mediated by the NT and CT domains. CT homodimers containing intermolecular disulfide bonds enhance silk performance, promoting spider survival and reproduction. However, no NT capable of forming such disulfide bonds has been identified. Our study reveals that NT homodimers with sulfur substitution can form under alkaline conditions, shedding light on why spiders have not evolved intermolecular disulfide bonds in the NT module during their 380 million years of evolution. This discovery significantly advances our comprehension of spider evolution and silk spinning mechanisms, while also providing novel insights into protein storage, assembly, as well as the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases associated with protein aggregation.

Strong Constraints on Jet Quenching in Centrality-Dependent p+Pb Collisions at 5.02 TeV from ATLAS

Jet quenching is the process of color-charged partons losing energy via interactions with quark-gluon plasma droplets created in heavy-ion collisions. The collective expansion of such droplets is well described by viscous hydrodynamics. Similar evidence of collectivity is consistently observed in smaller collision systems, including pp and p+Pb collisions. In contrast, while jet quenching is observed in Pb+Pb collisions, no evidence has been found in these small systems to date, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the system created in these collisions. The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has measured the yield of charged hadrons correlated with reconstructed jets in 0.36  nb^{-1} of p+Pb and 3.6  pb^{-1} of pp collisions at 5.02 TeV. The yields of charged hadrons with p_{T}^{ch}>0.5  GeV near and opposite in azimuth to jets with p_{T}^{jet}>30 or 60 GeV, and the ratios of these yields between p+Pb and pp collisions, I_{pPb}, are reported. The collision centrality of p+Pb events is categorized by the energy deposited by forward neutrons from the struck nucleus. The I_{pPb} values are consistent with unity within a few percent for hadrons with p_{T}^{ch}>4  GeV at all centralities. These data provide new, strong constraints that preclude almost any parton energy loss in central p+Pb collisions.

Search for Heavy Neutral Leptons in Decays of W Bosons Using a Dilepton Displaced Vertex in sqrt[s]=13 TeV pp Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

A search for a long-lived, heavy neutral lepton (N) in 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is reported. The N is produced via W→Nμ or W→Ne and decays into two charged leptons and a neutrino, forming a displaced vertex. The N mass is used to discriminate between signal and background. No signal is observed, and limits are set on the squared mixing parameters of the N with the left-handed neutrino states for the N mass range 3  GeV Collapse

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Test of CP Invariance in Higgs Boson Vector-Boson-Fusion Production Using the H→γγ Channel with the ATLAS Detector

A test of CP invariance in Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion has been performed in the H→γγ channel using 139  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The optimal observable method is used to probe the CP structure of interactions between the Higgs boson and electroweak gauge bosons, as described by an effective field theory. No sign of CP violation is observed in the data. Constraints are set on the parameters describing the strength of the CP-odd component in the coupling between the Higgs boson and the electroweak gauge bosons in two effective field theory bases: d[over ˜] in the HISZ basis and c_{HW[over ˜]} in the Warsaw basis. The results presented are the most stringent constraints on CP violation in the coupling between Higgs and weak bosons. The 95% C.L. constraint on d[over ˜] is derived for the first time and the 95% C.L. constraint on c_{HW[over ˜]} has been improved by a factor of 5 compared to the previous measurement.

[LRG1 inhibits hepatic macrophage activation by enhancing TGF-β1 signaling to alleviate MAFLD in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein (LRG1) derived from hepatocytes on activation of hepatic M1 Kupffer cells.

METHODS

A metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) model was established in BALB/c mice by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding for 16 weeks. Oleic acid was used to induce steatosis in primary cultures of mouse hepatocytes. The mRNA and protein expressions of LRG1 in mouse liver tissues and hepatocytes were detected by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Primary hepatic macrophages were stimulated with the conditioned medium (CM) from steatotic hepatocyte along with LRG1 or transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), or both for 24 h, and the expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was detected with Western botting, and the mRNA expressions of iNOS, chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL-1) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured by RT-PCR. The MAFLD mice were injected with LRG1 (n=6), TGF-β1 (n=6), or both (n=6) through the caudal vein, and the live tissues were collected for HE staining and immumohistochemical detection of F4/80 expression; the mRNA expressions of iNOS, CXCL-1 and IL-1β in liver tissues were detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTS

The mRNA and protein expression levels of LRG1 were significantly downregulated in the liver tissues of MAFLD mice and steatotic hepatocytes (P < 0.05). Treatment of the hepatic macrophages with CM from steatosis hepatocytes significantly enhanced the mRNA expression levels of iNOS, CXCL-1 and IL-1β, and these changes were significantly inhibited by the combined treatment with TGF-β1 and LRG1 (P < 0.05). In MAFLD mice, injections with either LRG1 or TGF-β1 alone reduced hepatic lipid deposition and intrahepatic macrophage infiltration, and these effects were significantly enhanced by their combined treatment, which also more strongly inhibited the mRNA expression levels of iNOS, CXCL-1 and IL-1β (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

LRG1 inhibits hepatic macrophage infiltration by enhancing TGF-β1 signaling to alleviate fatty liver inflammation in MAFLD mice.

[Targeting microRNA-125b inhibited the metastasis of Alisertib resistance cells through mediating p53 pathway]

Objective: To clarify the mechanisms involvement in Alisertib-resistant colorectal cells and explore a potential target to overcome Alisertib-resistance. Methods: Drug-resistant colon cancer cell line (named as HCT-8-7T cells) was established and transplanted into immunodeficient mice. The metastasis in vivo were observed. Proliferation and migration of HCT-8-7T cells and their parental cells were assessed by colony formation and Transwell assay, respectively. Glycolytic capacity and glutamine metabolism of cells were analyzed by metabolism assays. The protein and mRNA levels of critical factors which are involved in mediating glycolysis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were examined by western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR), respectively. Results: In comparison with the mice transplanted with HCT-8 cells, which were survival with limited metastatic tumor cells in organs, aggressive metastases were observed in liver, lung, kidney and ovary of HCT-8-7T transplanted mice (P<0.05). The levels of ATP [(0.10±0.01) mmol/L], glycolysis [(81.77±8.21) mpH/min] and the capacity of glycolysis [(55.50±3.48) mpH/min] in HCT-8-7T cells were higher than those of HCT-8 cells [(0.04±0.01) mmol/L, (27.77±2.55) mpH/min and(14.00±1.19) mpH/min, respectively, P<0.05]. Meanwhile, the levels of p53 protein and mRNA in HCT-8-7T cells were potently decreased as compared to that in HCT-8 cells (P<0.05). However, the level of miRNA-125b (2.21±0.12) in HCT-8-7T cells was significantly elevated as compared to that in HCT-8 cells (1.00±0.00, P<0.001). In HCT-8-7T cells, forced-expression of p53 reduced the colon number (162.00±24.00) and the migration [(18.53±5.67)%] as compared with those in cells transfected with control vector [274.70±40.50 and (100.00±29.06)%, P<0.05, respectively]. Similarly, miR-125b mimic decreased the glycolysis [(25.28±9.51) mpH/min] in HCT-8-7T cells as compared with that [(54.38±12.70)mpH/min, P=0.003] in HCT-8-7T cells transfected with control. Meanwhile, in comparison with control transfected HCT-8-7T cells, miR-125b mimic also significantly led to an increase in the levels of p53 and β-catenin, in parallel with a decrease in the levels of PFK1 and HK1 in HCT-8-7T cells (P<0.05). Conclusions: Silencing of p53 by miR-125b could be one of the mechanisms that contributes to Alisertib resistance. Targeting miR-125b could be a strategy to overcome Alisertib resistance.

Glucose Hypometabolism Prompts RAN Translation and Exacerbates C9orf72-related ALS/FTD Phenotypes

The most prevalent genetic cause of both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia is a (GGGGCC)n nucleotide repeat expansion (NRE) occurring in the first intron of the C9orf72 gene (C9). Brain glucose hypometabolism is consistently observed in C9-NRE carriers, even at pre-symptomatic stages, although its potential role in disease pathogenesis is unknown. Here, we identified alterations in glucose metabolic pathways and ATP levels in the brain of asymptomatic C9-BAC mice. We found that, through activation of the GCN2 kinase, glucose hypometabolism drives the production of dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs), impairs the survival of C9 patient-derived neurons, and triggers motor dysfunction in C9-BAC mice. We also found that one of the arginine-rich DPRs (PR) can directly contribute to glucose metabolism and metabolic stress. These findings provide a mechanistic link between energy imbalances and C9-ALS/FTD pathogenesis and support a feedforward loop model that opens several opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

[Analysis on the equity of dentist resource allocation in China]

Objective: To analyze the equity of national stomatologist resource allocation from 2016 to 2020, providing relevantly referenced basis for further stomatologist resource allocation. Methods: Collect data of domestic and international stomatologist resources in 2016, 2018 and 2020, and analyze the relevant data by using the health resources agglomeration degree and population agglomeration degree. Results: At present, at the international level, the number of dentists per 10 000 people ranks 46th in 2010-2019. The quantity of domestic dental resources is on the rise, with a balanced gender distribution and a concentrated age distribution mainly in 25-44 years old. At the specialized technical level, the proportion of junior titles can reach 79.5%-83.0%. The ratio of resource agglomeration of dental practitioners and assistants calculated based on geographical area and population density shows that the ratio of HRAD to PAD in the eastern provinces is greater than 1, while the ratios of most provinces in the central and western regions are less than 1. The eastern regions have excessive allocations, while ones in the central and western regions are insufficient. Conclusions: Unfairness still exists in the allocation of resources for dentists in China. At the national level, it is necessary to continue to cultivate high-quality stomatologists and intensify efforts to support the grass-roots and remote areas. The ability, quality and work competence of on-the-job personnel should be comprehensively improved. Multi-point practice of stomatologists should be standardized and popularized, promoting the rational flow of oral health personnel.

Spatial distribution of gut microbiota in mice during the occurrence and remission of hyperuricemia

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that anserine can alleviate hyperuricemia by changing the fecal microbiota of hyperuricemic mice.

TOPIC

However, the fecal microbiota could not fully represent the distribution of the whole gut microbiota. Knowing the spatial distribution of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota is therefore important for understanding its action in the occurrence and remission of hyperuricemia.

METHODS

This study provides a comprehensive map of the most common bacterial communities that colonize different parts of the mouse gastrointestinal tract (stomach, duodenum, ileum, cecum, and colon) using a modern methodological approach.

RESULTS

The stomach, colon, and cecum showed the greatest richness and diversity in bacterial species. Three clusters of bacterial populations were observed along the digestive system: (1) in the stomach, (2) in the duodenum and ileum, and (3) in the colon and cecum. A high purine solution changed the composition and abundance of the digestive tract microbiota, and anserine relieved hyperuricemia by restoring the homeostasis of the digestive tract microbiota, especially improving the abundance of probiotics in the digestive tract.

IMPLICATION

This could be the starting point for further research on the regulation of hyperuricemia by gut microbiota with the ultimate goal of promoting health and welfare. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification of allele-specific KIV-2 repeats and impact on Lp(a) measurements for cardiovascular disease risk

The abundance of Lp(a) protein holds significant implications for the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is directly impacted by the copy number (CN) of KIV-2, a 5.5 kbp sub-region. KIV-2 is highly polymorphic in the population and accurate analysis is challenging. In this study, we present the DRAGEN KIV-2 CN caller, which utilizes short reads. Data across 166 WGS show that the caller has high accuracy, compared to optical mapping and can further phase ~50% of the samples. We compared KIV-2 CN numbers to 24 previously postulated KIV-2 relevant SNVs, revealing that many are ineffective predictors of KIV-2 copy number. Population studies, including USA-based cohorts, showed distinct KIV-2 CN, distributions for European-, African-, and Hispanic-American populations and further underscored the limitations of SNV predictors. We demonstrate that the CN estimates correlate significantly with the available Lp(a) protein levels and that phasing is highly important.